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FLYING THE PITBULL RX

 

In turbulent air fly with brakes lightly applied (10-15 cm) to maintain some internal 
pressure and trimmers set to neutral. This will help avoid canopy collapse. If the canopy 
pendulums forward correct this by promptly applying  the brakes. A pendulum 
movement of the canopy backwards is corrected by easing up on the brakes to let the 
canopy move forward. When you have become fully confident in your wing try 
experimenting with slower and faster trim-settings, weight-shift and speed bar. The 
more time you spend on your PitBull RX the more likely you will enjoy the extra speed 
and security it will offer you. 

Different trimmer settings 

NOTE: Adjusting trimmers in flight requires more pilot attention.  

With the trimmers fully open (trimmer buckle over and passed the white line) the wing’s 
speed increases (good for flying long distances). The canopy becomes stiffer and is less 
sensitive to turbulence and its stability improves. On faster trimmer settings or when 
flying with a speed bar the brake pressure increases and the handling changes. When 
the trimmers are fully opened and the speed bar is pushed all the way forward, we 
recommend steering the glider using the wing tip steering lines.  

Some pilots with free-flying experience may have a tendency to keep the brakes slightly 
applied at all times. Such a technique, while quite reasonable on a free-flying wing, is 
not advisable for reflex gliders. When you apply the brakes with released trimmers and 
full speed bar the wing will collapse because it loses its reflex characteristic. 

Warning !!! In according to its construction some manoeuvres could not be 
tested. It is asymetric and frontal collapses in the combination of accelerator and 
open trimmers. 

On the slower settings (trimmer buckle pulled below the double white line), sink rate 
improves and handling becomes lighter, giving you an improved climb rate for 
thermaling and shorter and slower take-offs and landings. Do not hesitate to use 
thermals in order to gain some altitude and save fuel.  

Note!! If trims are not adjusted the same, the wing will turn. Trimmer setting is an 
important part of the checklist before every flight! 

Accelerated flight (speed bar applied) 

When flying with the speed system engaged the angle of attack is lower and the glider 
increases flight speed. In contrast to most paragliders it does not decrease wing 
stability; in fact the reflex gliders seem to counter turbulence even better. To use the 
speed system and accelerate the glider, simply place your feet on the stirrup and push 
forward in a horizontal plane. If you feel a loss of back pressure while flying with the 
speed bar engaged, this is a warning that the canopy is probably about to collapse. 
Release the speed system immediately by releasing the pressure on the speed bar. Do 
not use the speed system in very turbulent conditions, close to the ground or near other 
airspace users. Always fly with sufficient clearance from the ground/obstacles and 
always keep the brake handles in your hands! 

Summary of Contents for PITBULL RX

Page 1: ...1 ...

Page 2: ...HE CONTROLS 13 FLYING THE PITBULL RX 14 TOWING JUMPS FROM AIRCRAFT AEROBATICS 24 EXTREME FLYING MANOEUVRES 24 RAPID DESCENT TECHNIQUES 27 GOLDEN RULES 30 CARE AND MAINTENANCE 31 RESPECT NATURE 34 PITBULL RX LINE PLAN 34 LINE PLAN PITBULL RX SCHEME 35 PITBULL RX RISER LENGTHS 36 GUIDELINES FOR PARAMOTORING GLIDER CHECKS 36 TEST FLIGHT CERTIFICATE 39 TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION 39 ...

Page 3: ...es of attentiveness good judgement and theoretical knowledge Paramotoring can be a dangerous sport which may lead to injury and death Get proper instruction before you attempt to fly with a qualified professional and accredited school For a list of schools you can check out the official MAC PARA website at www MacPara com Take Responsibility The use of this paramotoring glider is solely at the own...

Page 4: ...e PILOT LEVEL REQUIREMENTS The PitBull RX has been design for pilots that have been paramotoring for some time It is not intended for beginners or for pilots that lack the necessary piloting skills to control its advanced performance features We recommend you should have a minimum level of 100 flying hours in various conditions and have completed at least two years flying paramotoring gliders with...

Page 5: ...oil design increasing performance and safety The internal reinforcements maintain the precise form of the canopy and increases stability The cell openings on the under surface of the leading edge provide good airflow into the glider Stretch resistant support panels with diagonal ribs at the suspension points ensure an even distribution of load throughout the canopy Stretch resistant Mylar strips o...

Page 6: ...ines are not load carrying suspension lines They lead from the trailing edge of the canopy to the main brake lines and run through the pulleys on the D risers to the brake handles Two black marks on the main brake line indicate the two possible positions of the brake handles This adjustment allows for sufficient brake to be applied during flight and landing safety It also ensures that brakes are n...

Page 7: ...termost A main lines and the stabilizer lines are attached to A1 risers The 3 B main lines are attached to the B riser The 3 C main lines and the C stabilizer compensator lines are attached to the C risers and the 3 D main lines to the D risers The main brake lines lead through the pulleys on the D risers The higher pulleys are used when flying a low attachment style paramotor and the lower one fo...

Page 8: ...ached on brake handles can be used for steerings by low angles of attack Grabbing the line over the swivel and by pulling this lines you can correct any engine torque moments to keep your wing flying straight without using your brakes handles for corrections Powerful paramotors with bigger propellers tend to turn your wing in the opposite direction to which the propeller is turning This is very us...

Page 9: ... the way in To help you identify the neutral position of each trimmer look for the white stitching It is important to check and set the trimmers in the same position for each riser before take off and in flight to avoid unwanted turns The speed of the PitBull RX with closed trimmers trimmers pulled all the way down is around 39 43km h with a relatively low effort of the engine With additional brak...

Page 10: ...10 TRIMMING ...

Page 11: ...r A 7343 230 Breaking Load 230 g Main lines A2 B2 Aramid Polyester A 7343 280 Breaking Load 280 g Main lines A3 B3 Aramid Polyester A 7343 340 Breaking Load 340 g Main lines C2 C3 Aramid Polyester A 7343 230 Breaking Load 230 g Main lines C1 D2 D3 Aramid Polyester A 7343 190 Breaking Load 190 kg Main lines D1 Aramid Polyester A 7343 140 Breaking Load 140 kg Wing tip line Aramid Polyester A 7343 09...

Page 12: ... Inspect the attachment points for damage to the stitches It is equally important to free brake lines from tangles before each flight Inspect the risers for overall condition and check for frayed seams Rapid links must be secured Understand that with slight damage the glider could lose its airworthiness Fly safe by spending extra time to perform regular checks on your gear Category Intermediate MP...

Page 13: ...ate brake line length that matches your paramotors hang point style check the set up by inflating the glider in an open area with a constant breeze with the engine off When the canopy is stabilised above your head check that the trailing edge of the wing is not being pulled down When you gently pull the brakes you should only have 5 10 centimetres of movement before the brakes start to pull down o...

Page 14: ...ached when the 2 pulleys on the risers join together Before launch attach the glider s risers to the harness with the main carabineers first before attaching the speed system Ensure that the speed system is untangled and operates freely before flying There should be a spare inch or so before the speed bar activates the speed system Remember that it is always safer to set the margin of play too big...

Page 15: ...ainst the wind This ensures that the A lines in the centre section of the canopy will be tensioned before the wing tips Doing this inflates the canopy evenly and allows for an easy launch in the desired direction All lines and risers should be carefully checked untangled and arranged in a way that they do not catch on anything It is equally important to untangle the brake lines so that they are fr...

Page 16: ...After the initial inflation you may need to keep applying forward pressure on the A risers depending on the wind conditions Do not pull down on the A s 1 Paragliding forward technique Follow the above technique to get the glider overhead As soon as the glider is above you stop pulling on the A risers A good progressive run ensures your PitBull RX will inflate and come up equally and quickly If the...

Page 17: ...our paramotor instructor WARNING Do not jump or lift your legs immediately after or during your take off This could have disastrous consequences when done with a paramotor if the wing has not reached the proper take off speed to create the necessary lift Keep running keep running and keep running until you are running through the air WARNING Do not attempt to get into the seat while holding the br...

Page 18: ... a launch pull down on the C or D risers instead of the brakes Using the brakes in strong wind will cause more lift This could lift the pilot up off the ground and dangerously drag him her back Golden rule For any aircraft the most important thing on take off is proper amount of speed High angles of attack and low speeds are more likely to cause a stall Attention You should always be able to land ...

Page 19: ...nt engines can lift you to one side developing a back and forth swinging motion This happens more often on larger engines with bigger propellers flying with lower wing loadings The safest way to deal with this is to throttle back and release the brakes Do not let go of the brakes Novice paramotoring pilots tend to be especially prone to overreacting The PitBull RX can reach speeds of 39 43 km h on...

Page 20: ...le for reflex gliders When you apply the brakes with released trimmers and full speed bar the wing will collapse because it loses its reflex characteristic Warning In according to its construction some manoeuvres could not be tested It is asymetric and frontal collapses in the combination of accelerator and open trimmers On the slower settings trimmer buckle pulled below the double white line sink...

Page 21: ...ines At first learn to fly using the speed system with the trims in neutral position It is advisable to use the speed system with neutral opened trimmers Steering turns The PitBull RX is a very responsive paramotoring glider and reacts directly and instantly to any steering input Weight shift input quickens turns and ensures minimal height loss Attention In the event that you lose your brakes line...

Page 22: ...antly decreases the stability Warning Especially in turbulence this can lead to a collapse on full speed with trimmers released Therefore we recommend pilots only steer by pulling on the torque compensator line and not touching the brakes Closed trims Using the trimmers in the pulled closed position with brakes gives you the slowest speed and most sensitive feeling of the PitBull RX The canopy beh...

Page 23: ...rong wind landings require correspondingly less brake Your instructor will assist you to understand how to properly time your brake pull also called a flare Every pilot should practice landings without power because one day your engine will fail run out of gas etc and this skill could be useful Power on landing Fly towards your desired landing area at a shallow angle Start to flare the wing before...

Page 24: ... section describes flying conditions which can be deliberately induced or can develop unintentionally due to turbulence Pilot error can also be responsible for unwanted circumstances Any pilot who flies through turbulence will face special flight conditions at some point in their flying career Be aware of these flight manoeuvres and prepare for them by SIV safety training over water with proper in...

Page 25: ...lt in a stable spiral dive Here are the various options to untangle a line over pumping the collapsed side pulling the stabilizer line or a sharp pull on the D riser can sometimes solve the problem Attention If these manoeuvres fail or if in any doubt the pilot should instantly use their emergency reserve parachute system Frontal Collapse Frontal collapses provoked at higher speeds can lead to ext...

Page 26: ...ence is required to gain a good feel for the glider Always receive proper training Spin or negative spin Normally it does not occur You have to be careful when flying at low speeds until fully familiar with brake operation A negative spin can happen by pulling down the brake on one side too fast or too hard During a spin the canopy turns relatively fast around the centre section of the canopy whil...

Page 27: ...our paramotor off when executing spiral dive A spiral dive is the fastest way to lose altitude however the very high G forces make it difficult to sustain a spiral dive for long It also places high loads on the pilot and glider By tensing ones abdominal muscles and a higher body tension you can to some extent resist the high G forces Don t forget proper breathing to keep the blood flowing to avoid...

Page 28: ...ermost A lines there is higher risk of collapse A spiral may be a more efficient way to get down When in big ears without power the horizontal speed is higher than the sink rate unlike a spiral dive or a B line stall This rapid descent technique is used to quickly and horizontally exit a dangerous area in the desired direction In order to collapse the outside wing tips called big ears pull down th...

Page 29: ...may cause a frontal horseshoe to form To exit from this flight mode release the B risers at first rapidly but then gently 1 sec The canopy surges forward re attaching the airflow over the top glider surface and resumes normal flight When the B risers are released the brakes should not be activated This will give the canopy the chance to gain speed and resume normal flight On exit from a B line sta...

Page 30: ...aused by other powered gliders heavy trikes or other aeroplanes Keep in mind the turbulence caused by your own paramotor especially when flying sharp turns spiralling or flying low It is unwise to fly hands off the brakes below 100m because of possible engine malfunction requiring immediate attention Unless it is absolutely necessary e g collision avoidance do not make tight turns against the torq...

Page 31: ...h ground This will damage the cloth on the wear points When preparing the wing on a take off with rough ground don t pull the wing over it i e by pulling the brakes Try your best to pack the wing on soft ground Uncontrolled strong wind take offs or landings can result in the leading edge of the canopy hitting the ground at a high speed which may cause rips in the profile and damage the rib materia...

Page 32: ...y the manufacturer distributor or authorized workshops Only original spare parts may be used The line geometry must be checked after every 50 hours flying time or whenever the flight behaviour changes Any changes to the canopy lines or risers except those approved by the manufacturer will void the certificate of airworthiness and warranty The PitBull RX must be checked after two years or after 100...

Page 33: ...terial or are the same thicknesses Damage to the Canopy Paramotoring involves fast moving parts like a spinning propeller and hot engines Sometimes those parts come in contact with your glider and can quickly cause damage to your glider Do not fly your glider that has sustained any damage Any damage to your glider needs to be professionally repaired before your next flight ATTENTION Do not risk yo...

Page 34: ... prescribed timetable described above If you have bought your paraglider second hand ask the previous owner for a copy of his her logbook that lists total flying hours since the date of first purchase and details of any safety inspections RESPECT NATURE Practise your sport with respect for nature wildlife and neighbours Not everyone is a friend of your paramotor noise Follow the rules and the laws...

Page 35: ...35 LINE PLAN PITBULL RX SCHEME ...

Page 36: ...igh attachment on PPG harness 3 65 m 3 80 m 3 95 m 4 15 m GUIDELINES FOR PARAMOTORING GLIDER CHECKS Check intervals All paramotoring gliders used in flight must be checked at least every 24 months For paramotoring gliders used by paramotoring schools the period is 12 months Personnel authorised to carry out checks A valid flying license and training course by National associations are the basis fo...

Page 37: ...cordance with the certification requirements One main line should be taken from each array and have its strength checked with a tension meter Required strengths should be higher than A B main lines x measured value 8 x maximum take off weight and higher than 800 kg for the A B arrays C D mean lines x measured value 6 x maximum take off weight and higher than 600 kg for the A B arrays Replacements ...

Page 38: ...cord Connector check All line carabineers trims if used speed systems and pulleys should be inspected for visible damage Open or improperly secured connectors should be secured in accordance with the producers recommendations Risers Both risers should be checked for tears signs of wear or any damage and measured with a pull of 5 daN strength Measured data should be documented in the inspection rec...

Page 39: ...oom flat 92 96 100 104 6 111 Area flat m 2 19 38 21 10 22 90 25 06 28 22 Area projected m 2 16 93 18 43 20 00 21 88 24 64 Span flat m 10 63 11 09 11 55 12 08 12 82 Aspect ratio flat 5 83 5 83 5 83 5 83 5 83 Root cord m 2 17 2 27 2 36 2 47 2 62 Cells kg 63 63 63 63 63 Weight kg 5 00 5 2 5 4 5 65 5 9 Weight range free flying kg 58 75 67 85 75 95 85 110 105 135 Weight range PPG MPG kg 77 110 89 127 1...

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