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Who is Eric Dufour?

 
Since 18 years of age, Eric Dufour has lived his life fully and with passion through aviation sports.

Now 52 year old, he is a seasoned sky diving instructor, private pilot, USHGA (USA) # 66069 paragliding instructor, AFI from Aero Sports Connection (USA) # B002948, #10291955 Sport Pilot PSG (USA), #Q211928, Transport Canada Ultralight instructor, COPA member (Canada), UPAC member # 6451 (Canada) and USPPA (USA) training committee member and instructor examiner.  Trained by Eugen Schussman, master rigger at Swing in Germany, he is also rigger for paragliders.
 

Pioneering in this sport in North America, he is also one of the leaders in paramotor teaching and has innovated in this new discipline with the simulator trainer, the winch take-off for first solo flight and the training bar.

Dufour's new teaching techniques make learning easier, safer and faster.  This is the reason why some of his techniques are now used in different schools across America and Europe.

 

He is the designer of the SD paramotors, called SD (for Safe & Strong Design) and has innovated in paramotor technology, with the twin engine paramotor, the new SSS steering bar for paramotors on trike and the adjustable J-bars, which incorporates the advantage of high point attachments with the ability to shift the pilots' weight and feel the glider in flight. 
 
Dufour won first place at the US national paramotor competitions in 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006, as well as first place for spot landing with engine out during the Basse-Ham 2002 fly-in, France and Pizzo 2003 fly-in, Italy. He has quit comps in at the end of 2006.
Video of the 2003 US national paramotor competitions 

Video of the Clover leaf slalom and grass skiing tasks performed by Eric Dufour during the 2005 US national paramotor competitions
Video of the Pizzo fly-in 2003

He is currently the most qualified person worldwide to manage and direct the world record event of the most paramotors in the air and in 2000, Eric Dufour was part of an expedition with the prestigious National Geographic to fly over an area known to be the most prolific in volcano activity, Kamchatka, Russia.

Proud of his achievements, since 1992 Eric Dufour has taught with his team, more than 900 pilots (including instructors) in Canada and the USA.  He has come up with one of the best paramotor training curriculums available in North America for foot launching and trike techniques and some of the best PPG pilots on this continent can be counted among his students (Richard Good: American aerobatic pilot, Stanley Kasica: 1st place champion at the 2007 American National Competitions, David Sigier: 5th place at the 2007 World Competitions in China), which he says is the best reward any instructor can get.