Gradient s.r.o., Plzenska 221/130, 150 00 Praha 5, tel+fax +420257216319, www.gradient.cx, [email protected].
6.
5.2.3. Spiral Dive
The Spiral Dive is the most effective way of making a fast descent. Every pilot should be able
to perform a spiral dive and one day you may need to. In a Spiral Dive always stay aware
of your altitude, which decreases very rapidly. The sink rate reached in a Spiral Dive can be
more than 16-18 m/s. During the manoeuvre the pilot and the glider will experience strong
centrifugal forces. Forces greater than 3G are possible – a great strain on the pilot as well as
the glider.
Initiation:
Smoothly pull on one brake so that the glider goes from a normal 360-degree turn
into a steep turn and from there into a spiral dive. The transition into a spiral dive can be
made easier by weight shifting to the inner side of the turn. Keep an eye on the tension of
the brakes all the time: reduced tension signals an overload of the glider and danger of falling
into a negative spin.
Recovery:
The Avax XC5 recovers from a Spiral Dive automatically as soon as the brakes are
released. Release them smoothly and always finish a Spiral Dive with safe altitude!
Caution:
When exiting the Spiral Dive make sure your position in the harness is neutral.
Recovery from a Spiral Dive can be delayed if you are weight shifting to the inner side of the
turn.
5.3. SIV manoeuvres
No matter what category of canopy you fly or what level of certification it has, in turbulence
or in strong thermals you may experience all kinds of collapses.
The Avax XC5 behaves comfortably in these situations. Indeed not only does the glider deal
with extreme flight situations automatically, but it also offers – for its category – an above-
average degree of safety. Even so, you must follow all safety rules when practising SIV.
Always pay attention to your altitude.
Before performing any SIV manoeuvre remember:
Practise throwing your reserve on the ground, in a simulator, so that reserve deployment is
efficient and automatic.
Rapid altitude loss and considerable rotational forces may develop during unstable
manoeuvres. Take account of these factors when throwing your reserve.
5.3.1. Asymmetric Collapse – one side of the canopy collapses
Initiation:
Take hold of the outer A-lines (outer A-riser) on one side and pull them down
smoothly. The size of the ear depends on the depth to which the lines are pulled as well as
the number of lines pulled down. You can stop any turn tendency by applying the opposite
brake and by weight shifting onto the inflated side of the canopy.
Recovery:
Under normal conditions the Avax XC5 will re-inflate spontaneously when the
pulled lines are released. Inflation time and loss of altitude can be reduced by suitable piloting.
To stop any tendency to turn off course pull the brake on the inflated side (be careful not to
overreact and stall the inflated side) and weight shift to that side. If the collapse remains then
re-inflate the collapsed side by ‘pumping’ the brake on the collapsed side.
Caution:
XC5 has been certified with folding lines.
Without using folding lines SIV
manoeuvres like Asymmetric collapse and Full Frontal Collapse might be very hard to
perform to a desired parameters specified by certification rules.
5.3.2. Full Frontal Collapse
Initiation:
Take hold of both A-risers at the top and pull them down until the leading edge
collapses.
Recovery:
Recovery time depends on how much of the canopy has collapsed. In normal
