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UP’AIR
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SORA
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Tandem glider user’s manual SORA
Fast descents
360° spiral dives
To begin a spiral dive, make sure airspace is clear then lean into the turn and gradually apply brake on the same side. The glider will perform a full
turn and then accelerate and enter into a spiral. You may use the outside brake to manage your sink rate
In order to exit the rotation, return to a neutral (centered) position in the harness – including the passenger - and gradually release the inside brake.
You need to keep the glider in a turn as it decelerates in order to limit the surge as you exit the spiral. If your exit is too radical the glider will surge
aggressively then perform a big dive, which you will need to keep under control. Gradually slowing down the rotation with the outside brake will allow
you to exit in a controlled manner.
DANGER This manœuvre places a lot of stress on the glider. The high speed and G force might be disorientating for you and
your passenger and, in extreme cases, cause you to “blackout” and lose consciousness. Practice gradually with altitude and a
large safety margin and be conscious of your passenger’s comfort.
This technique is generally very hard to use on a tandem wing due to the high force needed to pull in the B lines. The design of the SORA does not
allow to perform a B-line stall and this technique has not been tested during certification.
B-line stall
As per EN Standards, the SORA shows no tendency to stay in a spiral and will return to normal flight in less than 2 turns.
So as to avoid stressing the paraglider, we do not reccomend combining spiral dives and big ears.