Ozone Speedster 2, Pilot'S Manual

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INCIDENTS IN FLIGHT
EN
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18
Deflations
Due to the flexible form of a paraglider, turbulence may cause a portion of the wing suddenly
to collapse. This can be anything from a small 30% (asymmetric) collapse to a complete
(symmetric) collapse.
If you have a collapse, the first thing to do is to control your direction. You should fly away
from the ground or obstacles and other pilots, or at least not to fly into them... Asymmetric
collapses can be controlled by weight shifting away from the collapse and applying a small
amount of brake to control your direction. This act will most of the time be enough for a full
recovery of the wing.
Once a glider is deflated it is effectively a smaller wing, so the wing loading and stall speed
are higher. This means the glider will spin or stall with less brake input than normal. In your
efforts to stop the glider turning towards the collapsed side of the wing you must be very
careful not to stall the side of the wing that is still flying. If you are unable to stop the glider
turning without exceeding the stall point then allow the glider to turn whilst you reinflate the
collapse.
If you have a deflation which does not spontaneously reinflate, make a long smooth
progressive pump on the deflated side. This pumping action should take about 2 seconds per
pump. Pumping too short and fast will not reinflate the wing and pumping too slow might take
the glider close to, or beyond, the stall point.
Symmetrical collapses normally reinflate without pilot input, however 15 to 20cm of brake
applied symmetrically will speed the process.
If your wing collapses in accelerated flight, immediately release the accelerator and pull the
trimmers to the slow or neutral position before attempting to reinflate the canopy.
Cravats
If the tip of your wing gets stuck in the lines, this is called a ‘cravat’. This can make your glider
go into a spiral, which is difficult to control. The first solution to get out of this situation is to
stabilise the glider into normal flight, i.e get control of your direction and then pull down the
stabilo line (attached to the C riser) until the wing tip frees itself. You must be careful with
any brake inputs or you may stall the opposite wing. You can also use strong deep pumps on
the brake to the cravated side, when doing so it is important to lean away from the cravat
otherwise you risk spinning or deepening the spiral. The aim is to empty the air out of the
wing tip, but without spinning. Correctly done, this action will clear the cravat.
If it is a very large cravat and the above options have not worked then a full stall is another
option. This should not be attempted unless you have been taught how to do it and can only
be done with a large amount of altitude. Remember if the rotation is accelerating and you are
unable to control it, you should throw your reserve parachute whilst you still have enough
altitude.
Deep Stall / Parachutal stall
It is possible for gliders to enter a state of parachutal stall. This can be caused by several
situations including; a very slow release from a B-line stall; flying the glider when wet; or
after a front/symmetric deflation. The glider often looks as though it has recovered properly
but carries on descending vertically without full forward motion. This situation is called ‘deep
stall’ or ‘parachutal stall’. Should it happen, your first reaction should be to fully raise both
brakes, this action alone normally allows the glider to return to normal flight. If nothing
happens after a few seconds, apply the speed bar or release the trimmers to regain normal
flight. Ensure the glider has returned to normal flight (check your airspeed) before using the
brakes again.
Never fly in rain or with a wet wing, this will significantly increase the likelihood of
parachutal stall. If you are accidently caught-out in a rain shower, land immediately. DO NOT
use big ears as a descent technique; big ears with a wet wing will further increase the chances
of a parachutal stall occurring. Instead, lose height with gentle 360’s and make sure to
consider your air speed during final approach, use a small amount of speed bar if necessary.
IMPORTANT
A bad preparation
on launch, aerobatic
flying, flying a wing of
too high a level or in
conditions too strong
for your ability, are
the main causes of
cravats.
IMPORTANT
Only a few cms of
input from your
brakes can maintain
your wing in the stall.
Always release your
wraps if you have
taken them.
IMPORTANT
Never fly in the rain or
with a wet glider
IMPORTANT
Never fly in the rain or
with a wet glider