Niviuk QUBIK 19, User Manual, Page: 15 / 32

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4.5 LINE KNOT(S) IN FLIGHT
The best way to avoid knots and tangles is to thoroughly inspect the lines
as part of a systematic pre-flight check. If a knot is spotted during the
take off phase, immediately abort the launch sequence and stop.
If inadvertently taking off with a knotted line, the glider drift will need to
be compensated by weight-shifting to the opposite side and applying a
slight brake pull to that side. Gently pull the brake line to see if the knot
can be undone or try to locate the problem line. Try pulling it to see if the
knot can be undone. Beware of trying to clear a knotted line or untangle
a line in flight when close to the terrain. If the knot is too tight and cannot
be undone, carefully and safely fly to the nearest landing zone. Be
careful: do not pull too hard on the brake handles because there will be
an increased risk of stalling the wing or entering a negative spin. Before
attempting to clear a knot, make sure there are no other pilots flying in
the vicinity.
5. LOSING ALTITUDE
Knowledge of different descent techniques could become vital in
certain situations. The most suitable descent method will depend on the
particular situation.
To become familiar with the manoeuvres described below, we
recommend practising within the environment of a licensed training outfit.
5.1 BIG EARS
Big ears is a moderate descent technique, able to increase the sink rate
to –3 or –4 m/s and reduces the ground speed by 3 to 5 km/h. The angle
of attack and effective wing-loading will also increase due to the smaller
surface area of the wing.
Standard technique
To perform the ‘Big ears’ manoeuvre, take the outermost line on each
A-riser and simultaneously, smoothly pull them outward and downward.
The wingtips will fold in.
To re-establish forward speed and the correct angle of attack, accelerate
once the ears are pulled.
Keep the ears pulled in until you have lost the desired altitude.
Let go of the lines to re-inflate the tips automatically. If they do not, try
progressively pulling one brake then the other. We recommend inflating
the wing tips asymmetrically, without major change to the angle of
attack, especially when flying near the ground or flying in turbulence.
Beware of the risk of stalling!
The action of reaching for the outermost A-lines to make ears, can
inadvertently mean pulling the brakes. The same can happen when we
are holding the tips down with the outermost A-lines, it is possible to
accidentally affect the brakes. This can obviously lead to a significant
speed decrease.
In paragliders with a very pronounced arc, pulling big ears means an
increase in drag. On a very arched wing, the ears do not fold, they just
hang. The increase of drag is more pronounced than on wings with a less
pronounced arc.
The QUBIK is designed with little chord, which is good in normal flight
conditions. However, this same damping is what can cause us to have
problems to regain normal flying speed after a high increase of the angle
of attack and the added drag of the ears. These particularities, together
with turbulent thermic conditions, could cause an unintentional stall.
The solution: big ears may still be applied but you must be fully aware
of the above-mentioned points and act accordingly. To avoid the stall,
simply use half speed-bar (this is sufficient) to increase the speed and
decrease the angle of incidence. This should allow you to maintain