GDMANiFUN16-1G
Version 0010
PAGE: 11
AIR CREATION
Aérodrome de Lanas - 07200 AUBENAS - France
Tél.: 33 (0) 4 75 93 66 66 - Fax: 33 (0) 4 75 35 04 03 - Internet: www.aircreation.fr
Behavior in strong wind:
Once grounded and motionless
Park the aircraft perpendicular to the direction of the wind, with its windward wing lowered and the tip
of the leading edge rests on the ground, block the A frame on the front tube of the trike (using for
example the Velcro used for packing the battens of the sail), block the park brake and put chocks under
all three wheels. Take the wing off the trike and put it flat on the ground windward, if the aircraft is not
going to be used immediately.
Ground-runs
Keep the sail flat into a headwind. Push the control bar against the trike front strut with a tailwind. This
will avoid flipping. With a side wind, be careful to always tilt the wing so that the windward edge is
slightly lower than the rest of the wing. It may be difficult to hold the A-frame in its position. Never let
the wind lift the wing up.
Take-off and landing
As ground run distances are considerably reduced by strong wind, try to face the wind. Perform take-off
and landing maneuvers at greater speed than you would normally do, in order to diminish the drift angle
and counter the effects of the gradient.
Crosswind Take-off
Start the take-off run with the windward wing very slightly lowered. Hold the aircraft on the ground by
holding the bar slightly back from the neutral position. Keep to the axis of the runway with the front
wheel control without considering efforts on the sail. Allow airspeed to build to a higher-than-normal
value then rotate positively into a shallow climb attitude. Keep the wings level and allow the trike to yaw
into the relative wind. At this point adjust the drift angle if required to maintain runway centerline, and
proceed as normal.
Crosswind Landing
Crosswind landing limits are largely dictated by the skill of the pilot. Make sure that you have lots of
experience before attempting crosswind landings with components in excess of 8kts.
General technique should be to fly the approach maintaining the runway centerline by setting up a steady
drift angle. During the final stages of the approach use a higher-than-normal approach speed to minimize
the drift angle. Round out slightly lower than normal and aim for a short hold off, so that the aircraft
lands smoothly, back wheels first with the control bar at or only slightly forward of the neutral position.
The contact between the back wheels and the ground will then yaw the trike unit towards the runway
centerline at which point the nose wheel can be gently lowered to the ground. Once all wheels are down
the windward wing can be lowered slightly. To ensure maximum directional control during rollout from
a crosswind landing the recommended technique is to move the bar back after landing and apply light to
moderate braking. This eliminates any tendency to bounce and ensures good contact pressure between
tire and runway surface. This technique of applying aerodynamic loading to increase ground pressure
and hence braking efficiency during landing roll is also appropriate for short field landing.
Remember that crosswind landings on grass are considerably easier than on hard surfaces. During
crosswind landings a lot of torque is carried through the structure which results in excessive wear to the
hang point and attached structure. Always try to land into the wind if possible. If crosswind components
are in excess of 15 knots then only a small windward distance will be required for landing – across a
large runway for example.
Flight in Turbulence
Compared to other flexwing microlights, the iFun handles turbulence very well. However in common
with all microlight aircraft, care must be taken in turbulent conditions, particularly when close to the
ground. As previously stated high airspeed will enhance maneuverability in these situations. However if
conditions become severely turbulent with hard jolts being transmitted through the aircraft, it is
recommended that you do not exceed the maneuvering speed Vman. VNE should only be reached in
smooth conditions.
