8
9.4. Accelerated flight:
When the acceleration system is operated by the feet, the angle of attack of the canopy changes and the
CrossCountry² flies up to 16 km/h faster. Due to the higher speed the glider is more unstable and collapses more
easily.
For safety reasons you should only fly accelerated in calm air with sufficient distance to the ground. Never let go of
the brake handles during accelerated flying!
When flying into turbulence, the acceleration system must be deactivated immediately!
Pulling the steering lines during accelerated flight should also be avoided, as the nose will nod even more
downwards for a short time due to the increased air resistance at the trailing edge and the danger of "undercutting"
will increase and the glider can collapse violently.
If the glider collapses, the acceleration system must be deactivated immediately, then the canopy is first stabilized by
the steering lines and then reopened.
9.5. Turns:
The high agility of the CrossCountry² is due to its special steering characteristics: It reacts very directly and without
delay to control impulses.
By shifting the weight (the pilot leans on the inside of the curve), very flat curves can be flown with minimal loss of
altitude.
Weight shifting and pulling on the inner steering line is suitable for fast changes of direction.
For thermal flying, the combination of weight shift, braking on the inside of the curve and controlled additional braking
on the outside of the wing is best recommended. By pulling in the opposite direction and releasing (active flying) with
the inner and outer brake, the curve radius and lateral position can be changed and the centering of the thermals can
be optimised.
Attention:
if the steering lines are pulled too far or too fast, there is a risk of stall!
A one-sided stall is clearly announced: the inner side of the wing curve becomes soft and the inner third of the wing
almost "stops". If this flight condition has occurred, the inner brake must be released immediately.
9.6. Active flying:
Active flying can prevent many collapses in advance!
Active flying means to fly the paraglider as stable and efficient as possible by shifting weight and steering impulses.
In turbulences and rough thermals the glider should always be held vertically above you by active flying with
controlled brake inputs.
When flying into strong thermals, the angle of attack of the paraglider increases. If the brakes are released while
flying into the thermals, the canopy can accelerate and remains almost above the pilot's head. The situation is
different when flying into down winds: here the brakes are applied in a controlled manner.
9.7. Landing:
The CrossCountry² is easy to land. In the final glide against the wind the wing can be let out slightly braked. At a height
of approx. 1 m above ground, the angle of attack is raised and intercepted by an increased braking level. The time of
landing should coincide with the full use of the brakes.
If there is a strong headwind, the use of the brakes should only be very controlled in order to avoid a stall before
landing!
On this occasion we would like to suggest not to reduce the altitude by the risky bad habit of "pumping" if the
approach is too high.
Also landings with steep curves or turns in the final approach are to be avoided absolutely.
After the landing the wing should not fall on the ground with the nose first. This can destroy the profiles and impair the
material in the leading edge area on the long run!
9
10. Winch towing:
The CrossCountry² is suitable for winch towing. We generally recommend using a towing aid for all paragliders,
which activates the acceleration system during the towing process.
This towing aid accelerates the paraglider during the towing process and thus not only simplifies the take-off
procedure but also reduces the risk of deep stall and enables higher release heights.
Attention:
Paragliders which are damp and/or whose line lengths/air permeability values are no longer within the
permitted tolerance have a significantly increased risk of deep stall when towing with a winch!
Winch towing is only permitted with a valid winch towing licence. The special features of a towing site and the
equipment used (winch, towing release, etc.) should always be discussed with the winch operator and the take-off
officer first.
We expressly point out that the equipment required for towing must also be certified in any case.
11. Powered flight:
The CrossCountry² is currently not certified for flying with a paramotor.
12. Extreme flight situations:
12.1. Side collapse:
A side collapse is probably the most common malfunction in paragliding. If the CrossCountry² collapses in turbulent
air, this usually only occurs in the outer wing area.
In order to maintain the flight direction in this flight condition, the opposite, open wing side has to be braked.
If the canopy collapses very hard, the braking of the open side may only be very dosed to avoid a stall.
After the turning away has been prevented by counter-steering, the canopy can be opened again at the same time by
pumping on the folded side.
If the side collapse is not actively counteracted, the CrossCountry² usually opens automatically within less than half
a turn. If the canopy does not open automatically due to the strong turbulence or other influences (entangled lines),
the paraglider will turn into a spiral dive.
12.2. Entangled lines:
In the event of large collapses or other extreme situations, any paraglider may become tangled. The collapsed
sections of the wing tip will get caught in the lines. Without pilot reaction the glider turns into a very strong spiral.
Once this has happened, the turning of the wing must be stopped first by a sensible counter-brake.
If the rotation speed should continue to increase despite counter-action, the rescue parachute must be released
immediately at low altitudes.
If the height is sufficient, the following possibilities can be used to try to release the entangled wing tip:
- Try a sensitive counter-braking and a very fast, resolute and deep pulling of the steering line at the entangled side.
- Pull the coloured Stabilo line.
If these measures are not successful, you can try to release the entangled wingtip with a full stall if the height is
sufficient.
Attention:
The flight manoeuvres mentioned above are very demanding and can cause high altitude loss! If the pilot feels
overstrained or if there is not enough altitude, the rescue system must be activated immediately!
