22
Caring Tips
Careless ground handling damages many paragliders. Here are some things to avoid in order
to prolong the life of your aircraft:
•
DO NOT drag your wing along the ground to another take-off position - this damages the
sailcloth. Lift it up and carry it.
•
DO NOT try to open your wing in strong winds without untangling the lines first - this puts
unnecessary strain on the lines.
•
DO NOT walk on the wing or lines.
•
DO NOT repeatedly inflate the glider and then allow it to crash back down. Try to keep this
movement as smooth as possible by moving towards the glider as it comes down.
•
DO NOT slam your glider down on the ground leading edge first! This impact puts great
strain on the wing and stitching and can even explode cells.
•
FLYING in salty air, in areas with abrasive surfaces (sand, rocks etc.) and ground handling
in strong winds will accelerate the aging process.
•
DO NOT fly in the rain or expose the wing to moisture.
•
DO NOT expose the wing to unnecessary UV. Pack away once you have finished flying. Do
not leave it sitting in the sun.
•
If you fly with a wrap, you should regularly undo the twisting that appears on the main brake
lines. By twisting the line become shorter and you can end up with a constant tension on the
trailing edge which can lead to problem on launch, stalling, glider not flying symmetrically.
•
Change your main brake lines if they are damaged.
•
Be Careful when groundhandling to not saw the brake lines against the risers or main lines.
The abrasion caused by a sawing motion can damage the main lines and lead to premature
ageing of the risers. If you notice any signs of abrasion, especially to the lines, make
sure you get the wing professionally serviced and importantly modify your groundhandling
technique to stop any further damage.
•
Your Ozone wing has an opening closed using Velcro on the trailing edge of the tip called
the ‘Butt hole’. This has been designed to easily empty all the things which have been
accumulating in your wing (sand, leaves, rocks, mobile phones etc).
