Paladin Hercules

The Paladin Hercules is an American powered parachute, that was designed and produced by Paladin Industries of Pennsauken, New Jersey.

The company's website was removed in 2012, the company seems to have gone out of business and production ended.

Design and development
The Hercules was designed as a heavy-lift, two-seat powered parachute and as such it has a useful load of 600 lb. It features a parachute-style high-wing, two-seats-in-tandem accommodation, tricycle landing gear and a single 80 hp or 110 hp Hirth F-30 two-stroke engine in pusher configuration.

The aircraft carriage is constructed from a combination of bolted aluminium and 4130 steel tubing. Inflight steering is accomplished via a weight-shift tilt-bar that actuates the canopy brakes, creating roll and yaw. On the ground the aircraft has lever-controlled nosewheel steering. The factory-provided canopy is an Apco Aviation Ram Air with an area of 550 sqft. The landing gear incorporates independent hydraulic struts for suspension. The aircraft was factory-supplied in the form of an assembly kit that required 50 hours to complete.

Reviewer Andre Cliche described the Hercules as "a heavy hauler brute powered by an amazing 110 hp Hirth 4-cylinder 2-stroke engine."