Windtech tuareg - Manual (Page 14)

14
> rapid descent techniques
It is likely that on occasion the paraglider pilot may find themselves in a situation where
they need to get down quickly, perhaps so that they can get out of danger and land safe-
ly. Because of this it is recommended that all pilots should learn about the various emer-
gency descent techniques that are possible on a paraglider.
For information, we shall cover the basic techniques here.
More radical’s manoeuvres such as full stall, asymmetrical stall or flat spin are not
described in our manual. In order to learn more about and practice these manoeuvres you
should do a special safety (SIV) course over water with an expert instructor. There should
be a dedicated rescue boat standing by, and all safety precautions taken.
-- big ears
Big-ears is a simple descent technique
& can sometimes be very useful for top landing,
keeping out of cloud, and in an emergency if you are over-shooting your landing area.
To induce big-ears on the tuareg, keep the brakes in your hands and reach up to hold
the top of the special split-A risers (in red). Pull the lines out and down, one at a time,
to collapse the tips of the wing (10 – 30% each side, depending on how much line you
pull).
Make sure that you have the correct lines, that you do the correct action, and that you
don't pull too much brake whilst pulling in the big ears. Also make sure you are looking
where you are going whilst you are doing this.
Once holding in the big-ears, you will not be able to steer with the controls (brakes). You
can steer the glider using weight shift, and with tandem the passenger can assist you to
do this effectively.
Generally avoid using big-ears near the ground (below 200ft AGL), as the extra distur-
bance to the airflow over the wing that big-ears creates can make any paraglider more
prone to deep stalling, especially in the turbulence and wind shear normally near the
ground.
To exit big-ears, simply let go of the big-ear riser and wait for the wing tips to re-inflate
themselves. If they do not inflate themselves then pump the brakes, one at a time, to help
them re-inflate.
-- spiral dive
The Spiral dive is obtained by maintaining a tight 360 degree turn. Gradually the turn will
accelerate, especially by pulling more on the inside brake and weight shifting harder into
the turn, and so you will enter a spiral dive.
Be careful not to pull the brake too hard, too quickly, especially on entry, as it is possible
to spin the glider in this way.