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4. Take- Off
Important Notice
Paragliders should not be flown wet; doing so will affect the characteristics of the glider; taking it
outside the parameters of certification. If while in flight the glider becomes wet, land at the earliest
possibility, choose a large landing area and do not make any hard inputs. Wet material will shorten the
brake travel and increase the tendency to stall.
Preparation
To familiarize yourself with the glider it is recommended that you perform practice inflations and a
small flight on a training hill. This will enable you to set up your equipment correctly.
Lay the canopy out in its top surface ensuring that the leading edge is in a pronounced arc with the
center of the wing further up the slope than the tips. Lay out the lines one side at a time. Hold on to the
risers and starting from the brake pull all the lines clear, then proceed through the D, C, B and A lines.
The A –harness with the A lines always are on top and the D-harness and D-lines on the bottom.
Mirror the process on the other side. Take care to ensure that no lines are tangled, twisted or knotted.
It is always important to check brake lines are clear of rocks and branches that may snag during
launch. All lines must lay free and clear before the canopy. If the canopy is moved while sorting lines,
it is best to lay it out again, making certain it has a pronounced arc.
Never place risers around your neck to sort out lines.
Start-Check
Before a launch it is imperative to carry out a Pre-flight check!
Start-Check List:
1. Canopy correctly laid out in an arc with all cell entries open.
2. All lines and brake lines free
3. All harness buckles secured, loops checked, karabiners and maillons tight, reserve parachute
pin and handle secure, helmet strap and buckle fastened
4. Aligned directly into wind and standing in-line with the center of glider
5. Airspace and visibility clear
Launching
It is possible to launch your paraglider with the usual forward and reverse techniques. Make sure you
are standing central to the wing, this insures that the glider will inflate evenly. It is advisable using the
A-riser during launch to keep the sail from overshooting or lagging behind the pilot during ascension.
Light or nil-wind technique: Start your run so that the lines become tight within on or two steps. The
glider will immediately start to inflate and you should maintain a constant pressure on the risers until
the wing is overhead. It is important not to pull down or push the risers forward excessively as this can
result in the leading edge deforming and the take-off procedure becoming difficult. You must
accelerate smoothly through the entire launch procedure. There is no need to rush or snatch, and you
should have sufficient time to look up and check your canopy before taking off.
Strong wind technique: The reverse launch method is recommended. For this you set everything out
exactly the same as for a forward launch, clip in, take hold of the brakes then turn to face the wing,
