UP Makalu Light, Owner'S Manual And Service Manual

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positioned in the middle of the wing, and
that the wing is facing into wind. The
middle of the canopy is marked by the UP
logo at the leading edge.
Inflate the glider with a steady run and
remember to position your arms so that
they are a continuation of the A risers. As
the glider comes above your head, you
should glance up to see that the entire
canopy is inflated and flying. The UP
Makalu Light has a low surge tendency, so
there is usually no necessity to brake
to stop the glider from over-flying you.
Directional control should only be
attempted when the glider is above
your head. Excessive braking will
cause the wing to drop back.
Only after checking that the wing is
properly inflated do you apply slight brake
pressure and accelerate rapidly down the
hill. After a few steps you will reach flying
speed and become airborne.
NOTE: The decision to
actually take off or not is only
really taken towards the end
of the control phase. The
pilot accelerates the start run
and is airborne. Depending
on the inclination of the launch paddock it
may make sense to brake a bit in this
phase. Once airborne and at a safe
altitude the pilot slips into the seated
position in the harness
– WITHOUT
RELEASING THE BRAKE HANDLES. If
this is not possible then the pilot may hold
both handles in one hand whilst assisting
the seating with the other.
Speed control
Using the brakes
The UP Makalu Light has a wide useable
speed range, coupled with excellent
stability at all speeds. The speed can be
set with the brakes to optimise
performance in any situation.
Maximum glide speed is achieved with
the
brakes released completely,
whereas minimum sink speed is with
approximately 10-15 cm of brake
applied. Further braking will not
improve the sink rate, but the brake
pressure increases noticeably as the
glider reaches minimum speed.
BEWARE! Flying close to
the stall point is very
dangerous and should be
avoided. At speeds below
minimum sink the danger
of
entering an
unintentional stall or spin is
increased dramatically.
Using the Speed System
The UP Makalu Light is equipped with
a very efficient speed system, working
over a foot stirrup as usual. By
engaging the speed system the true air
speed may be increased by around 11
to 13 km/h. Being familiar with the use
of the speed system is an important
skill to have in paragliding.
The speed system should be used
when you are flying through sinking
air, when trying to achieve best glide in
a headwind, or trying to cover the
ground as quickly as possible. But it is
important to remember that the glider
will be more susceptible to collapses at
high speeds, so the speed system
should not be used in extreme
turbulence. If a collapse occurs with
the speed system applied then it
should be released immediately. Some
warning of an imminent collapse is
afforded by the tension felt in the
speed system; should the tension
suddenly reduce then the stirrup
should be released and the glider
returned to normal trim speed.