Hey, I am that pilot, you can lay into me if you like! I’ve learned my lessons and paying the consequences! I really hope that other pilots will take heed of the dangers of kiting on a slope and learn how to do it safely.The key lessons I have learned here are: Do the same preparations and checks on your wing before kiting as you would before a flight. I didn’t. I didn’t prepare a good wall first. If I had I may have noticed the wrong direction of rotation of my risers. Part of the reason that I was caught off guard was that my risers where rotated for an anti-clockwise rotation - not my usual clockwise direction. Practise kiting techniques on a modest slope first. In particular how to keep the wing from rising up too far and what happens to the wing when you walk towards it. See Greg’s other video on this. Realise the point that Greg makes that when the wind is blowing up the slope, it will tend to lift you off once overhead. It is not the same dynamics as ground handling on the flat. Do not let it get overhead. Always be ready to kill the wing. If you are pulled off the hill backwards, hands up and let it fly. This was what I said to myself when this happened. Unfortunately, while that may have been what I was thinking, it wasn’t what I was doing - until too late! This is that ‘muscle memory’ thing. I’m not sure I would want to practise deliberately taking off backwards, but maybe that’s what is required? Anyway, please make all that I have gone through worthwhile and use me as an example to make sure you can keep flying uninjured. Richard.
Thanks for sharing this unfortunate moment and your analysis. The video doesn't show a violent fall, but we're fragile: a little bit of speed and angle and... badaboum. One more reason to be carreful when in the harness on the ground. A lot of pilots I discuss with only know to rotate on one particular side. On a launch with slow straight wind, this is ok. But as soon as the conditions gets more demanding (wind angle, wind strength, short launch, steep slope, failed launch, wrong rotation when wing falls back...), it might not be confortable enough. I had my share of wrong rotations, thus I decided to work on it. Several kiting sessions later, I found a visual clue to help me figure out with side I should turn on. Now, I always check which side I should turn before pulling my A risers, and I'm also choosing which is better according to wind direction. Practise makes perfect.
Hey Richard, Saw your name at the start of the video and wondered if it was you. A very useful lesson from Greg and yourself there. Thanks for sharing the video. Hope you are back on your feet and flying again soon mate. Take care. Tristan
I had an instructor that was trying to get me to launch in strong conditions. He said, "No problem, you can do this!" I told him, "No!" and I walked down the hill. A little more than a year later he was dead due to an accidental launch in strong conditions. I've flown for more than 50 years and live by a key rule - "You can always fly another day, if you live to see it!". Any doubts, just go home.
As someone who is going to start flying this next spring here in Montana, this is a good comment to see! Trust my gut and if it doesn't feel right, back away 🤘 Thank you
I tried to abort a launch over a month ago. I had a perfect reverse inflation when the wind suddenly shifted 45 degrees and had a frontal collapse. I immediately went deep into both brakes to kill the wing, which sent me approximately 8-10 feet into the air. I released the brakes and then had a 50% collapse which spiraled me into a tree 50 feet away down slope of launch. I suffered a broken collarbone. I learned that perhaps I was not mentally prepared for the wind conditions of the launch site. Great reinforcement video Greg.
Keep doing those real situations analysis, they're awesome! Most schools don't do that, probably because their goal is not to scare the beginners, and also one video is often not the full story. But anyway, I think there are full of interesting knowledge, to get an idea of the risks and how to prevent them from happening! Thanks to the pilot for sharing this unfortunate moment.
Im a new paramotor pilot. I’m done with training and now flying on my own. The last time I went to fly, I had a couple issues come up and my instructor taught me a rule where if you have 3 or more things go wrong, give up and try again tomorrow. I had a couple issues during setup, nothing big at all, but while I was running during my forward launch I just got a feeling that I had too many issues and while running I decided to abort. I’m sure everything would have been fine, but “I want to fly tomorrow” so I aborted. The three issues I had were prior to lunch, but while I was running, I just had that uneasy feeling of that was too many things in a row.
Hi Greg.. i am new to paragliding and undergoing the Ep beginners course. Watching this is both enlightening yet worrying as I have experienced this to some extent without the repercussions of the injured pilot. Ar the point the pilot becomes airborne and realises his risers are twisted he should have raised his hands and relinquished control. This is exceptionally difficult to process as it challenges the psychological need to correct or take control. Thanks so much for sharing this. I will forward this to my instructor and try and get some practice building memory muscle. Hope the pilot has recovered and got back out there. Thanks
When I've just started, my instructor said that it's meaningful to rotate on start always into one side. And keep checking right position of your risers in your hands before taking off. That' let me to avoid twisted starts. But once I've started half-twisted because wind lifted me up before I've rotated.
Great video Greg! and thanks to this guy for sharing his experience. One exercise I also do to practice how to react in that kind of situations is, in a really gentle slope, give some speed to the wind and practice to take of twisted, then rotate in the air (1 or 2 meters above ground) and force yourself to pull gently the brake oposite to your turning direction. if you are untwisting to the left put your weight and some brake on the right. This will keep you balance and stable during the untwist. This save me once on clif take of when the wing put lift me completly twisted. Just keep calm, keep yourself centered, let the wing fly away and untwist once you have enough room from the hill.
I should have known you before, Greg, unfortunately my launch accident cost me a lot. My training was done in a superficial way and in a short time I got the paragliding license this is the problem of many flight schools in Italy
It's muscle memory instinct for sure. I prefer a full c stall, it's one task for all conditions, provides absolute control, if its really strong on launch crashing the brakes could do you in if you don't get it right.
Thanks a lot for this one Greg, and to the pilot. I think these can be scary to see but when the analysis and advice on how to avoid what happened in the video come along with it I think it's really powerful. For me, this video is super scary and that just means that I will remember the lesson from this video much more. I am sure that's what you are going for Greg and its great. Keep this stuff coming. I am a beginner and am learning so much from your channel.
As a beginner,, Greg, im still kiting . For a year. (Ik,r?) . Hopefully, soon, pro instructor class. Meanwhile, my kiting skills stupid good for a guy whos never actually flown yet. Seeing me kiting, you would think I'm an advanced pilot. Every chance I have morning , evening, So much fun, on the only grass at the local flat park, here in literally the middle of the Sonoran Desert. I really enjoy your videos. always able to easily apprehend your specifics. Many times while you are actually performing that particular maneuver. Hey, thanks man. I'm not even flying yet and I'm asked all the time why are you always smiling. Perhaps it's a perhaps it's a side effect of adrenaline. Anyway , you are very cool. And dont worry, on the ground till I can afford the Class.
I personally prefer cobra Position to go up a flat slope , you just have more control an the glider wont lift you so easily... i guess i had like 100 hours for 8 years of flying now, and it really improves your skills a significantly
In Germany we learn to abort lauches from the very first day of training. AND yes, I needed that a couple of times. Like on the RAMP in Rio de Janeiro! Scarry abort, but so important!👍
I saw this kind of accidend during my paragliding training, and to be honest I was deeple touched by this incident. Pilot was hurted baddly, he lost his consciousness and after help of the other pilots he was transported by helicopter to hospital. From my point of view, key point is the preventiont. Before the start I am always checking lines "twist" in which direction I have to turn and I develop habit to be prepared always in same direction. You can check and prepare during the preparation to the start, but during the start stress level is going up and you have to be preapared and trained, therefore I am turning always same direction. This is the way as my instructor teaches me this. I never did wrong turng on start, and I am in paragliding since 2003. Always be prepared, "line twist direction" is part of my preflight check, and I am doing prefligh check by saying all the things loud.
That's great, and a good start. But I think it is useful to train yourself to train the other way as well, because it teaches the brain in another way, to think with the wing (and not think with the hands, which can lead to confusion when twisted). Also, for crosswind launches, there will be a better way to rotate depending on the slope, not always clockwise or anticlockwise, so having the ability to rotate either way is good.
Four years ago, when I was still in training. While attempting to take off in strong winds, I suddenly found myself in flight and twisted. As I saw myself being pushed towards the trees bordering the takeoff, I overreacted and pulled the brake handle too far. It remained blocked in the low position and my wing reacted in a whip turn. I crashed on the hang glider takeoff pad. Results: Injury to the cruciate ligaments of the right knee and two weeks of walking painfully with a cane plus another month without being able to fly. My right knee occasionally reminds me of this mishap when I ask too much of it.
Hi. Re. Killing the wing exercise. I think if you don't want to create lift it is very important to make 3 quick steps forward AND pull the brakes. This will kill the wing instantly.
I was in Oludeniz and one of my flights ( I have had 50 + there) it was very strong on launch so I decided to be patient and wait, my wing was out and I was strapped in. Lots of pilots struggled to launch some had incidents some were ok, anyway I was waiting and another pilot decided to hold my wing up for me to help me take off. Instead of telling him to leave it I launched , wind direction quickly swept across launch I lifted off the ground but decided very quickly to abort and hit the brakes, I was about 4ft in the air, I landed hard on my left foot and fractured a bone in my foot. This was my last day and last flight …. Moral of the story if you don’t feel comfortable launching DONT ! And don’t be pressured buy anyone,even though some pilots were fine , we all have our own limits which only we know. Fly safe people and most of all enjoy without risk of any injury 🙏
Great video Greg, as usual! And thanks for the pilot for sharing his crash. It really emphasize that he always have to be focused and ready to react consequently. I had an " almost accident", few weeks ago : after a first take off aborted, in the hurry of the crowded flying site, I didn't check which riser was on top, quickly reopened the wing, inflated, and turned in the wrong way, and went in flight with a full twist. I felt strange while inflating, and thought that I took the brakes in a wrong way, but as the take off is steep and short (rio de janeiro), I haven't been able to identify the issue before taking off. I quickly detwisted later, and nothing happened, but gave me a lot worries... So In case of doubt: abort!
Don't take 'turning out the wrong way and getting launched twisted' lightly. I know someone who paid this mistake with his life... :-( You can't spend enough time on the ground learning how to kite and control your glider. Thanks Greg for your input.
I've had it happen to me. It all happened so fast. The wind picked up, I lifted the wing, and I wasn't in a position where I was ready to kill it. I didn't even have the brakes unclipped. That was a huge mistake. I was lifted sideways on the launch at first, and then I was airborne, at which point I've already launched despite NOT being ready. Being dragged sideways lasted for 3 seconds and then the launch happened by itself for the next 5 seconds as I was frantically trying to grab and unclip the brakes. It was freaky seeing the launch moving away from me as I was facing it. Usually on this launch I would have had to run a bit, but this time it was happening on its own. I was luckily lifted a few meters during this which moved me further away from obstacles. I managed to steer myself slightly towards the open air. This was off a slope on a 1900m high mountain that would have been awful, probably even deadly, to crash land at. After the 5 seconds of launching, it took me 10 seconds, while being backwards, to grab the brakes in my hands and manage to turn. Once I turned to face the proper way it looks like my glider changed direction by almost 90 degrees, luckily towards a good direction. This might have been me intentionally steering it though, I'm not sure... I don't remember much of this whole incident, I'm mainly going by what my GPS recording is showing. I wasn't really processing the situation, I didn't have time, I just had the urgent feeling to regain control ASAP. As soon as I realized I wasn't gonna be on the ground anymore on the launch site, I realized that I had to salvage as much of this launch as possible because it was already happening and too late to abort! I honestly am not too sure what I did intentionally and what was just luck. Once I had control and was facing a safe direction, I realized how serious the situation was and how incredibly lucky I was to be alive and be able to actually fly to the landing uninjured. Definitely a wake up call to myself. I should not have been flying that day for several reasons: I wasn't feeling the best and wasn't as responsive as I usually would. The conditions were windier than usual and it was less people flying than usual, and it was more advanced people on the launch site. I had a feeling in the back of my mind that I shouldn't be flying that day. I should have listened to it. But I didn't and I was extremely lucky to have survived this. Next time I will definitely try to have access to the breaks and the C risers at all times in case I need to abort, and making sure if I have my harness on, and everything connected fully so I'm ready to launch at any time if needed. And to fix any tangles or line twists asap before having the wing in a potential shape to be inflated on its own.
Isn't it better to kill the wing with the back risers (C or D, depending on the number of them)? Isn't there a risk of taking me off when I pull the brakes fully if the wing already has a lot of energy? I like to keep my A's in one hand and C's until the very last moment when I'm sure it's safe to continue with the launch - it also helps to pull these C's in strong wings to keep my wing on the ground when I'm waiting for the right moment of calmer wind.
Hi Greg - thanks so much for taking the time to improve flying safety. I have been looking at the incident report for BHPA as you suggested. Would you mind providing your thoughts on an incident 13.09.2019 - Darley Moor Derbyshire= where the paraglider experienced local turbulence and large asymmetric collapse close to the ground. As beginner/low time pilots what would you suggest to manage this risk - Many Thx
yes! if you don't pull hard enough you can induce a wicked whip turn. Also in strong wind you're very likely to rotate your wing and smack it leading edge first into the ground, causing damage. I do not recommend that technique.
We in Austria learn that too that way - just one side. Reason is if you pull both lines - you can create lift and fly away. With the steep slopes you have in Austria/Sizerland (mountains in general) you are more concerned with staying on the ground than damaging your glider. Second reason is that A gliders used for beginners are probably not so easy to kill (they don't want to be stalled easily). In the end every pilot has to decide whats more important or better in his situation.
But wouldn't it be much easier to use the C's (backrisers) to kill the wing? From what I experienced (and learned), it kills the wing without generating as much lift.
@@haukewalden2840 yes but most of the time when you are about to fly you have transitioned to the brakes and you'll lose a second trying to find the Cs again.
@@r.c.z.7139 we've just watched a video that demonstrates the danger of that technique, on a steep slope. The pilot had a lot of brake on one side, but not enough for the one-brake abort to work. With either technique you need to be strong, aggressive and abort before your feet are lifted.
Thanks Greg. I'm worried that tugging hard at brakes would lift or pluck a pilot into the air (before the wing stalls)? Especially in strong conditions. What am I missing? Should this maneuver be performed idealy before the lifting surge starts to pull a pilot?
yes the earlier you can abort a launch the better, but I wanted to remind pilots to go and practice it so you know exactly where you have control (and how hard it is to abort once it's really flying). this changes your mindset from 'pulling it up to see how it looks', to analysing the launch the second it starts to rise, with a ready-to-kill attitude.
The best point to abort is before you turn. If conditions are strong enough to be plucked, you will be launching with As and Cs. So you can abort with the C's before you turn. Don't turn, unless you think everything is good, and don't let go of the Cs until everything is good!If conditions are not strong enough to be plucked, then you can safely abort by going to deep brakes, which will stall the wing without plucking you.
It seems to me that his brake is twisted around the risers. I'd say that's the biggest mistake. I bet the outcome would've been different had he sorted the A & brake lines before raising the wing
Another great video. I really enjoy your lessons. In our flying school we do practice aborting, when it's a bit windy - safety first. Kind regards from Slovenia :)
And what about pulling both A risers to produce on purpose a full frontal collapse? (And start running after the wing to make the lines go slack and prevent reinflation) And is there a danger that lightly loaded wings won't stall by janking the brakes and lift you in the air?
I think one problem could be that you have hardly any chance to grab the brakes or backrisers that you need to keep the glider down once it has fallen down. And *if* it does reinflate while falling done, and you still have the A's in your hand, it will get very hard to control the wing.
The A risers are the most loaded ones, you would need to pull very hard to collapse it, not possible to do it the same on both sides at the same time. Pulling the A make the wing launch faster. You can only collapse it when its overhead, so too late, you would already be flying.
Great video @Fly With Greg! Also, if you are an observer, and you witness this type of behavior, call out "KILL, KILL, KILL". "Kill" is shorter to say than "Abort", and can usually be understood, just a fraction of a second earlier. Many times, that tiny bit of time is enough to keep someone from getting seriously injured. Stay Alert!!! Launching and Landing are the two most important parts of a flight! (>* Cheers!
I love this type of vid--great analysis and recommendations. I hate getting plucked. I have a hard time staying on my feet right after a pluck. Any suggestions?
We often get plucked, but it is only easily controlled if you are using As and Cs. You will be running under the wing, you get lifted. Keep a firm grip on the Cs! That will bring you down, perhaps after a shallow hop. Kite the wing with As and Cs until you can turn, or until you decide to abort with a strong pull on the Cs. On my channel I have a video about this exact thing.
Wait.. So he shouldn't have had the glider overhead.. but to do the 180 turn the glider SHOULD be overhead and not behind right?.. I'm confused why he shouldn't have gotten the riser above.
I was doing a CPC course a couple of years ago near Brighton and got hurt 3 times due to not being shown how to de-power the wing properly. I think it is the most fundamental thing to know when learning and things can go wrong so quickly. Unfortunately, some schools are just out to get your money and it put me off the sport which is a shame. Still enjoy watching the video’s though!
May I suggest a ground-handling seminar? I just attended one, and it helped me a lot in gaining some confidence how to control (and kill) a glider in strong or gusty wind situations.
air ambulance, 2fire engine, 2ambulance, some police cars then a coast guard helicopter? Is it not a bit overreacted? I haven't been in a situation like this so can someone please tell what usually happens and why cause such a big movement? Really just asking to understand
Depending on the country, county, and the type of land it happened on (public, private, etc.), it can be fairly standard procedure. Sometimes when firefighters are called, the police has to come too. Only certain part of the emergency services are habilitated to make the call on the mean of transportation. For the double helicopter situation, it is possible the air ambulance was called first then because of the angle of the slope couldn't land and had to be replaced by the coast guard helicopter. I have heard of 5-6 fire trucks and a couple of police cars for an incident in the US on public land that was accessible by car. I'd be curious to hear from the pilot himself or witnesses, but it is also possible he/they didn't get the reasons why it happened the way it did.
@Maxime Lasserre Hi Maxime, You are right about the angle of the slope being too steep for the air ambulance. The slope was too steep for me to be manhandled down on a stretcher. There are protocols for air accidents which I guess the services where following that day. Some might say that it was a lovely day on the first day out of lockdown and the emergency services guys wanted a nice afternoon out - who am I to argue! I was pumped full of all sorts of painkilling drugs, so we where having a great time! Here's a newspaper report at the time. I only broke the one leg and didnt narrowly miss the hangmans gibbet. www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8327731/Paraglider-celebrating-release-lockdown-breaks-legs-crash-yards-hangmans-gibbet.html
I just don't get, why they send many? What can 3 fire engine do in the situation like this that 1 can't? I'm just worried they can't assist somewhere where they really needed because actually they are sitting on a top of a hill watching how a helicopter doing its operation and chatting with people around so they than can tell an interesting story what happened with them that day... Just saying that it feels the public services have to put a lots of effort to avoid lawsuit and maintain "good relation" with the public so that dramatically degrades their efficiency and effectiveness. www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/18778948.six-met-police-officers-injured-glades-bromley/ News from 2days ago. 6 officer injured by a single 15 year old kid. I think that is ridiculous... (sure journalists always pump up everything but even if only the half is true of that article, still seems worrying)
Hello Greg, thanks for sharing this! It's a lot of input, and everything in it can be life saving! I enjoy your videos also as from a German trained pilot's point of view: the way you see and explain the stuff is so different in many ways from what we learn and train in Germany. Which is true for what's according to safety as well as for the funny sides of our sport. :-) This slight but relevant perspective change is what I dare to call "amazing". With the above in mind, may I ask a technical question. In your video, you are talking about pulling both brakes to abort the launch. Doesn't that increase the risk of unwanted takeoff by giving the wing an extra impulse? What I learned (in a DHV Performance Center in Germany) was to pull all the lines to the left _or_ right all the way, so the wing stalls and collapses to this side. This is what I usually practice while launch aborting (and believe me, I have quite a lot of aborted launches…). Do it like this and the wing falls aslants to the ground, rather softly. (So does the pilot.) I am not a very experienced pilot, so obviously, I don't rule out making a mistake in thinking. If so, where is my fault? Thank you!
i'm not expert enough , but i'd say, if you still know which side you are killing , e.g. light wind forward launch, killing one side is better. The standard german specially beginners traineing is more aimed for such launches . In the video is a typical example where someone in stress does not has the level to fastly know which side of the wing will be steered while looking ot the wing. With this doubt killing symmetrically (best on back risers, but see above: actual skill level) might be better even whe it causes lift. ( rotated position and pulling wrong side with unlucky body position not strong enough will cause an even more massive swing as in the accident movie )
Great videos! Made me nervous to see, beginner pilot here (40 flights). But your explanations do build confidence, thanks! In my next week in the mountains I’ll ask them to practice an aborted take off.
Can't emphasize enough to have a fail-safe "kill" technique ready to go BEFORE inflation. Pulling both brakes is close to useless in strong / gusty winds. Literally EVERY reverse inflation I do is with As and Cs. You can control the inflation rate, control the wing angle, abort quickly and easily, and don't let go of the Cs until you are ready to turn and go. Every comp or fly-in I attend, at least half the pilots pull their wing up with no abort plan or technique whatsoever.
Please be respectful in your comments: this pilot was brave to share his mistake with us!
Hey, I am that pilot, you can lay into me if you like! I’ve learned my lessons and paying the consequences! I really hope that other pilots will take heed of the dangers of kiting on a slope and learn how to do it safely.The key lessons I have learned here are:
Do the same preparations and checks on your wing before kiting as you would before a flight. I didn’t. I didn’t prepare a good wall first. If I had I may have noticed the wrong direction of rotation of my risers. Part of the reason that I was caught off guard was that my risers where rotated for an anti-clockwise rotation - not my usual clockwise direction.
Practise kiting techniques on a modest slope first. In particular how to keep the wing from rising up too far and what happens to the wing when you walk towards it. See Greg’s other video on this.
Realise the point that Greg makes that when the wind is blowing up the slope, it will tend to lift you off once overhead. It is not the same dynamics as ground handling on the flat. Do not let it get overhead. Always be ready to kill the wing.
If you are pulled off the hill backwards, hands up and let it fly. This was what I said to myself when this happened. Unfortunately, while that may have been what I was thinking, it wasn’t what I was doing - until too late! This is that ‘muscle memory’ thing. I’m not sure I would want to practise deliberately taking off backwards, but maybe that’s what is required?
Anyway, please make all that I have gone through worthwhile and use me as an example to make sure you can keep flying uninjured.
Richard.
Beginner here - Thanks for sharing your accident Richard! Super helpful!
Was there also a twist in the left riser? It looks like it on the video.
Thanks for sharing this unfortunate moment and your analysis. The video doesn't show a violent fall, but we're fragile: a little bit of speed and angle and... badaboum. One more reason to be carreful when in the harness on the ground. A lot of pilots I discuss with only know to rotate on one particular side. On a launch with slow straight wind, this is ok. But as soon as the conditions gets more demanding (wind angle, wind strength, short launch, steep slope, failed launch, wrong rotation when wing falls back...), it might not be confortable enough. I had my share of wrong rotations, thus I decided to work on it. Several kiting sessions later, I found a visual clue to help me figure out with side I should turn on. Now, I always check which side I should turn before pulling my A risers, and I'm also choosing which is better according to wind direction. Practise makes perfect.
Thanks a lot, Sir! Wish you a full and pleasant recovery
Hey Richard, Saw your name at the start of the video and wondered if it was you. A very useful lesson from Greg and yourself there. Thanks for sharing the video. Hope you are back on your feet and flying again soon mate. Take care. Tristan
I had an instructor that was trying to get me to launch in strong conditions. He said, "No problem, you can do this!" I told him, "No!" and I walked down the hill. A little more than a year later he was dead due to an accidental launch in strong conditions. I've flown for more than 50 years and live by a key rule - "You can always fly another day, if you live to see it!". Any doubts, just go home.
As someone who is going to start flying this next spring here in Montana, this is a good comment to see! Trust my gut and if it doesn't feel right, back away 🤘 Thank you
Well said Sir, its to correct way to do so.
I tried to abort a launch over a month ago. I had a perfect reverse inflation when the wind suddenly shifted 45 degrees and had a frontal collapse. I immediately went deep into both brakes to kill the wing, which sent me approximately 8-10 feet into the air. I released the brakes and then had a 50% collapse which spiraled me into a tree 50 feet away down slope of launch. I suffered a broken collarbone. I learned that perhaps I was not mentally prepared for the wind conditions of the launch site. Great reinforcement video Greg.
Keep doing those real situations analysis, they're awesome!
Most schools don't do that, probably because their goal is not to scare the beginners, and also one video is often not the full story. But anyway, I think there are full of interesting knowledge, to get an idea of the risks and how to prevent them from happening!
Thanks to the pilot for sharing this unfortunate moment.
Love your calm reassuring voice as you explain things Greg.
I'm a brand new and just started learning. Thank you for sharing. Now I learnt
Im a new paramotor pilot. I’m done with training and now flying on my own. The last time I went to fly, I had a couple issues come up and my instructor taught me a rule where if you have 3 or more things go wrong, give up and try again tomorrow. I had a couple issues during setup, nothing big at all, but while I was running during my forward launch I just got a feeling that I had too many issues and while running I decided to abort. I’m sure everything would have been fine, but “I want to fly tomorrow” so I aborted. The three issues I had were prior to lunch, but while I was running, I just had that uneasy feeling of that was too many things in a row.
Hi Greg.. i am new to paragliding and undergoing the Ep beginners course. Watching this is both enlightening yet worrying as I have experienced this to some extent without the repercussions of the injured pilot. Ar the point the pilot becomes airborne and realises his risers are twisted he should have raised his hands and relinquished control. This is exceptionally difficult to process as it challenges the psychological need to correct or take control. Thanks so much for sharing this. I will forward this to my instructor and try and get some practice building memory muscle. Hope the pilot has recovered and got back out there. Thanks
When I've just started, my instructor said that it's meaningful to rotate on start always into one side. And keep checking right position of your risers in your hands before taking off. That' let me to avoid twisted starts. But once I've started half-twisted because wind lifted me up before I've rotated.
Big applause... always interesting watching 👏👍
Thank you so much 😀
Great video Greg! and thanks to this guy for sharing his experience. One exercise I also do to practice how to react in that kind of situations is, in a really gentle slope, give some speed to the wind and practice to take of twisted, then rotate in the air (1 or 2 meters above ground) and force yourself to pull gently the brake oposite to your turning direction. if you are untwisting to the left put your weight and some brake on the right. This will keep you balance and stable during the untwist. This save me once on clif take of when the wing put lift me completly twisted. Just keep calm, keep yourself centered, let the wing fly away and untwist once you have enough room from the hill.
This accident was super unfortunate. Well done for sharing. Hope full recovery.
The last 5 years I have only used A-C launch in any wind, the wing feels much better controlled with smaller inputs , thanks for the video
I should have known you before, Greg, unfortunately my launch accident cost me a lot. My training was done in a superficial way and in a short time I got the paragliding license this is the problem of many flight schools in Italy
It's muscle memory instinct for sure. I prefer a full c stall, it's one task for all conditions, provides absolute control, if its really strong on launch crashing the brakes could do you in if you don't get it right.
Thanks a lot for this one Greg, and to the pilot. I think these can be scary to see but when the analysis and advice on how to avoid what happened in the video come along with it I think it's really powerful.
For me, this video is super scary and that just means that I will remember the lesson from this video much more. I am sure that's what you are going for Greg and its great. Keep this stuff coming.
I am a beginner and am learning so much from your channel.
Glad it was helpful!
I had to watch this twice, because I was so distracted the first time by your awesome color grading from 7:20 onwards (and also at the start).
What great advise, so many times how many of us are so focused about getting in the air regardless of the unfolding faults .
I fully agree with your advice.
All pilots should practice consistently as their skills increase.
Thanks for the good video.
As a beginner,, Greg, im still kiting .
For a year. (Ik,r?)
. Hopefully, soon, pro instructor class. Meanwhile, my kiting skills stupid good for a guy whos never actually flown yet. Seeing me kiting, you would think I'm an advanced pilot. Every chance I have morning , evening, So much fun, on the only grass at the local flat park, here in literally the middle of the Sonoran Desert. I really enjoy your videos. always able to easily apprehend your specifics. Many times while you are actually performing that particular maneuver.
Hey, thanks man. I'm not even flying yet and I'm asked all the time why are you always smiling. Perhaps it's a perhaps it's a side effect of adrenaline.
Anyway , you are very cool. And dont worry, on the ground till I can afford the Class.
I personally prefer cobra Position to go up a flat slope , you just have more control an the glider wont lift you so easily... i guess i had like 100 hours for 8 years of flying now, and it really improves your skills a significantly
Top tip. Wear your helmet when making videos like Greg. Safety first!
One of your best GH...!
In Germany we learn to abort lauches from the very first day of training. AND yes, I needed that a couple of times. Like on the RAMP in Rio de Janeiro! Scarry abort, but so important!👍
I saw this kind of accidend during my paragliding training, and to be honest I was deeple touched by this incident. Pilot was hurted baddly, he lost his consciousness and after help of the other pilots he was transported by helicopter to hospital. From my point of view, key point is the preventiont. Before the start I am always checking lines "twist" in which direction I have to turn and I develop habit to be prepared always in same direction. You can check and prepare during the preparation to the start, but during the start stress level is going up and you have to be preapared and trained, therefore I am turning always same direction. This is the way as my instructor teaches me this. I never did wrong turng on start, and I am in paragliding since 2003. Always be prepared, "line twist direction" is part of my preflight check, and I am doing prefligh check by saying all the things loud.
That's great, and a good start. But I think it is useful to train yourself to train the other way as well, because it teaches the brain in another way, to think with the wing (and not think with the hands, which can lead to confusion when twisted). Also, for crosswind launches, there will be a better way to rotate depending on the slope, not always clockwise or anticlockwise, so having the ability to rotate either way is good.
another great video!!! As always! I'm going to be starting my PG training next week!!! stoked.
It will change your life! Best regards
Good luck!!
Four years ago, when I was still in training. While attempting to take off in strong winds, I suddenly found myself in flight and twisted. As I saw myself being pushed towards the trees bordering the takeoff, I overreacted and pulled the brake handle too far. It remained blocked in the low position and my wing reacted in a whip turn. I crashed on the hang glider takeoff pad. Results: Injury to the cruciate ligaments of the right knee and two weeks of walking painfully with a cane plus another month without being able to fly. My right knee occasionally reminds me of this mishap when I ask too much of it.
close shave! glad you're OK
Hi. Re. Killing the wing exercise. I think if you don't want to create lift it is very important to make 3 quick steps forward AND pull the brakes. This will kill the wing instantly.
I was in Oludeniz and one of my flights ( I have had 50 + there) it was very strong on launch so I decided to be patient and wait, my wing was out and I was strapped in. Lots of pilots struggled to launch some had incidents some were ok, anyway I was waiting and another pilot decided to hold my wing up for me to help me take off. Instead of telling him to leave it I launched , wind direction quickly swept across launch I lifted off the ground but decided very quickly to abort and hit the brakes, I was about 4ft in the air, I landed hard on my left foot and fractured a bone in my foot. This was my last day and last flight …. Moral of the story if you don’t feel comfortable launching DONT ! And don’t be pressured buy anyone,even though some pilots were fine , we all have our own limits which only we know. Fly safe people and most of all enjoy without risk of any injury 🙏
Great video Greg, as usual! And thanks for the pilot for sharing his crash. It really emphasize that he always have to be focused and ready to react consequently. I had an " almost accident", few weeks ago : after a first take off aborted, in the hurry of the crowded flying site, I didn't check which riser was on top, quickly reopened the wing, inflated, and turned in the wrong way, and went in flight with a full twist. I felt strange while inflating, and thought that I took the brakes in a wrong way, but as the take off is steep and short (rio de janeiro), I haven't been able to identify the issue before taking off. I quickly detwisted later, and nothing happened, but gave me a lot worries...
So In case of doubt: abort!
Great video Greg. What you are doing is vital for the sport, keep it up.
Very excellent video. Much thanks Greg.
Gracias Greg por los subtítulos en español, excelente análisis. Saludos.
Very informative clip. Thank you!
Don't take 'turning out the wrong way and getting launched twisted' lightly. I know someone who paid this mistake with his life... :-( You can't spend enough time on the ground learning how to kite and control your glider. Thanks Greg for your input.
I've had it happen to me. It all happened so fast. The wind picked up, I lifted the wing, and I wasn't in a position where I was ready to kill it. I didn't even have the brakes unclipped. That was a huge mistake.
I was lifted sideways on the launch at first, and then I was airborne, at which point I've already launched despite NOT being ready. Being dragged sideways lasted for 3 seconds and then the launch happened by itself for the next 5 seconds as I was frantically trying to grab and unclip the brakes. It was freaky seeing the launch moving away from me as I was facing it. Usually on this launch I would have had to run a bit, but this time it was happening on its own. I was luckily lifted a few meters during this which moved me further away from obstacles. I managed to steer myself slightly towards the open air. This was off a slope on a 1900m high mountain that would have been awful, probably even deadly, to crash land at.
After the 5 seconds of launching, it took me 10 seconds, while being backwards, to grab the brakes in my hands and manage to turn. Once I turned to face the proper way it looks like my glider changed direction by almost 90 degrees, luckily towards a good direction. This might have been me intentionally steering it though, I'm not sure...
I don't remember much of this whole incident, I'm mainly going by what my GPS recording is showing. I wasn't really processing the situation, I didn't have time, I just had the urgent feeling to regain control ASAP. As soon as I realized I wasn't gonna be on the ground anymore on the launch site, I realized that I had to salvage as much of this launch as possible because it was already happening and too late to abort! I honestly am not too sure what I did intentionally and what was just luck.
Once I had control and was facing a safe direction, I realized how serious the situation was and how incredibly lucky I was to be alive and be able to actually fly to the landing uninjured. Definitely a wake up call to myself. I should not have been flying that day for several reasons: I wasn't feeling the best and wasn't as responsive as I usually would. The conditions were windier than usual and it was less people flying than usual, and it was more advanced people on the launch site. I had a feeling in the back of my mind that I shouldn't be flying that day. I should have listened to it. But I didn't and I was extremely lucky to have survived this.
Next time I will definitely try to have access to the breaks and the C risers at all times in case I need to abort, and making sure if I have my harness on, and everything connected fully so I'm ready to launch at any time if needed. And to fix any tangles or line twists asap before having the wing in a potential shape to be inflated on its own.
Thank’s Greg !
Isn't it better to kill the wing with the back risers (C or D, depending on the number of them)? Isn't there a risk of taking me off when I pull the brakes fully if the wing already has a lot of energy? I like to keep my A's in one hand and C's until the very last moment when I'm sure it's safe to continue with the launch - it also helps to pull these C's in strong wings to keep my wing on the ground when I'm waiting for the right moment of calmer wind.
Hi Greg - thanks so much for taking the time to improve flying safety. I have been looking at the incident report for BHPA as you suggested. Would you mind providing your thoughts on an incident 13.09.2019 - Darley Moor Derbyshire= where the paraglider experienced local turbulence and large asymmetric collapse close to the ground. As beginner/low time pilots what would you suggest to manage this risk - Many Thx
Go one with this lessons, as a Germania Pilot i learned my lesson in this summer....
Here in Switzerland we learn to abort a launch by pulling only one break. Are there any disadvantages with this procedure?
yes! if you don't pull hard enough you can induce a wicked whip turn. Also in strong wind you're very likely to rotate your wing and smack it leading edge first into the ground, causing damage. I do not recommend that technique.
We in Austria learn that too that way - just one side. Reason is if you pull both lines - you can create lift and fly away. With the steep slopes you have in Austria/Sizerland (mountains in general) you are more concerned with staying on the ground than damaging your glider. Second reason is that A gliders used for beginners are probably not so easy to kill (they don't want to be stalled easily). In the end every pilot has to decide whats more important or better in his situation.
But wouldn't it be much easier to use the C's (backrisers) to kill the wing? From what I experienced (and learned), it kills the wing without generating as much lift.
@@haukewalden2840 yes but most of the time when you are about to fly you have transitioned to the brakes and you'll lose a second trying to find the Cs again.
@@r.c.z.7139 we've just watched a video that demonstrates the danger of that technique, on a steep slope. The pilot had a lot of brake on one side, but not enough for the one-brake abort to work. With either technique you need to be strong, aggressive and abort before your feet are lifted.
Isn't this safer to kill with C to avoid being picked up? Or even in high wind brakes should be enough to kill it without getting plucked?
Thankyou for this video..i am new in pragliding need much information..
Thanks for this video! It's really helpful :)
Thanks Greg. I'm worried that tugging hard at brakes would lift or pluck a pilot into the air (before the wing stalls)? Especially in strong conditions. What am I missing? Should this maneuver be performed idealy before the lifting surge starts to pull a pilot?
yes the earlier you can abort a launch the better, but I wanted to remind pilots to go and practice it so you know exactly where you have control (and how hard it is to abort once it's really flying). this changes your mindset from 'pulling it up to see how it looks', to analysing the launch the second it starts to rise, with a ready-to-kill attitude.
@@FlyWithGreg that makes sense, analyse early and abort if necessary, thanks!
The best point to abort is before you turn. If conditions are strong enough to be plucked, you will be launching with As and Cs. So you can abort with the C's before you turn. Don't turn, unless you think everything is good, and don't let go of the Cs until everything is good!If conditions are not strong enough to be plucked, then you can safely abort by going to deep brakes, which will stall the wing without plucking you.
It seems to me that his brake is twisted around the risers. I'd say that's the biggest mistake. I bet the outcome would've been different had he sorted the A & brake lines before raising the wing
Great info.......thanks!
amazing!
Wouldnt his other option be to simply take off, rise, then simply land again closer to the summit?
Wish I'd watched this 3 weeks ago. Almost exactly the same happened with me. Luckily I just limped away with bruises.
I wish I had watched this video last week...had a bad launch yesterday!
amazing, thanks :D
Another great video. I really enjoy your lessons. In our flying school we do practice aborting, when it's a bit windy - safety first. Kind regards from Slovenia :)
And what about pulling both A risers to produce on purpose a full frontal collapse? (And start running after the wing to make the lines go slack and prevent reinflation) And is there a danger that lightly loaded wings won't stall by janking the brakes and lift you in the air?
I think one problem could be that you have hardly any chance to grab the brakes or backrisers that you need to keep the glider down once it has fallen down. And *if* it does reinflate while falling done, and you still have the A's in your hand, it will get very hard to control the wing.
The A risers are the most loaded ones, you would need to pull very hard to collapse it, not possible to do it the same on both sides at the same time. Pulling the A make the wing launch faster. You can only collapse it when its overhead, so too late, you would already be flying.
Great video @Fly With Greg! Also, if you are an observer, and you witness this type of behavior, call out "KILL, KILL, KILL". "Kill" is shorter to say than "Abort", and can usually be understood, just a fraction of a second earlier. Many times, that tiny bit of time is enough to keep someone from getting seriously injured. Stay Alert!!! Launching and Landing are the two most important parts of a flight! (>* Cheers!
You didnt talk about weight shift when twisted. Its hard to keep the weight centered.
very good point, the twist often locks in asymmetry ... yet another reason to reach above the twists and use rear lines.
I love this type of vid--great analysis and recommendations. I hate getting plucked. I have a hard time staying on my feet right after a pluck. Any suggestions?
We often get plucked, but it is only easily controlled if you are using As and Cs. You will be running under the wing, you get lifted. Keep a firm grip on the Cs! That will bring you down, perhaps after a shallow hop. Kite the wing with As and Cs until you can turn, or until you decide to abort with a strong pull on the Cs. On my channel I have a video about this exact thing.
Wait.. So he shouldn't have had the glider overhead.. but to do the 180 turn the glider SHOULD be overhead and not behind right?.. I'm confused why he shouldn't have gotten the riser above.
Great tips…!
Howzit, Greg do you do schools in the UK?
I was doing a CPC course a couple of years ago near Brighton and got hurt 3 times due to not being shown how to de-power the wing properly. I think it is the most fundamental thing to know when learning and things can go wrong so quickly. Unfortunately, some schools are just out to get your money and it put me off the sport which is a shame. Still enjoy watching the video’s though!
May I suggest a ground-handling seminar? I just attended one, and it helped me a lot in gaining some confidence how to control (and kill) a glider in strong or gusty wind situations.
air ambulance, 2fire engine, 2ambulance, some police cars then a coast guard helicopter? Is it not a bit overreacted?
I haven't been in a situation like this so can someone please tell what usually happens and why cause such a big movement?
Really just asking to understand
Depending on the country, county, and the type of land it happened on (public, private, etc.), it can be fairly standard procedure. Sometimes when firefighters are called, the police has to come too.
Only certain part of the emergency services are habilitated to make the call on the mean of transportation.
For the double helicopter situation, it is possible the air ambulance was called first then because of the angle of the slope couldn't land and had to be replaced by the coast guard helicopter.
I have heard of 5-6 fire trucks and a couple of police cars for an incident in the US on public land that was accessible by car.
I'd be curious to hear from the pilot himself or witnesses, but it is also possible he/they didn't get the reasons why it happened the way it did.
@Maxime Lasserre Hi Maxime, You are right about the angle of the slope being too steep for the air ambulance. The slope was too steep for me to be manhandled down on a stretcher. There are protocols for air accidents which I guess the services where following that day. Some might say that it was a lovely day on the first day out of lockdown and the emergency services guys wanted a nice afternoon out - who am I to argue! I was pumped full of all sorts of painkilling drugs, so we where having a great time! Here's a newspaper report at the time. I only broke the one leg and didnt narrowly miss the hangmans gibbet.
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8327731/Paraglider-celebrating-release-lockdown-breaks-legs-crash-yards-hangmans-gibbet.html
I just don't get, why they send many? What can 3 fire engine do in the situation like this that 1 can't?
I'm just worried they can't assist somewhere where they really needed because actually they are sitting on a top of a hill watching how a helicopter doing its operation and chatting with people around so they than can tell an interesting story what happened with them that day...
Just saying that it feels the public services have to put a lots of effort to avoid lawsuit and maintain "good relation" with the public so that dramatically degrades their efficiency and effectiveness.
www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/18778948.six-met-police-officers-injured-glades-bromley/
News from 2days ago. 6 officer injured by a single 15 year old kid. I think that is ridiculous... (sure journalists always pump up everything but even if only the half is true of that article, still seems worrying)
Hello Greg, thanks for sharing this! It's a lot of input, and everything in it can be life saving! I enjoy your videos also as from a German trained pilot's point of view: the way you see and explain the stuff is so different in many ways from what we learn and train in Germany. Which is true for what's according to safety as well as for the funny sides of our sport. :-) This slight but relevant perspective change is what I dare to call "amazing".
With the above in mind, may I ask a technical question. In your video, you are talking about pulling both brakes to abort the launch. Doesn't that increase the risk of unwanted takeoff by giving the wing an extra impulse? What I learned (in a DHV Performance Center in Germany) was to pull all the lines to the left _or_ right all the way, so the wing stalls and collapses to this side. This is what I usually practice while launch aborting (and believe me, I have quite a lot of aborted launches…). Do it like this and the wing falls aslants to the ground, rather softly. (So does the pilot.) I am not a very experienced pilot, so obviously, I don't rule out making a mistake in thinking. If so, where is my fault? Thank you!
i'm not expert enough , but i'd say, if you still know which side you are killing , e.g. light wind forward launch, killing one side is better. The standard german specially beginners traineing is more aimed for such launches . In the video is a typical example where someone in stress does not has the level to fastly know which side of the wing will be steered while looking ot the wing. With this doubt killing symmetrically (best on back risers, but see above: actual skill level) might be better even whe it causes lift. ( rotated position and pulling wrong side with unlucky body position not strong enough will cause an even more massive swing as in the accident movie )
Top landing is a great exercise to practice killing the wing.
Bom dia a todos.
Great videos! Made me nervous to see, beginner pilot here (40 flights). But your explanations do build confidence, thanks! In my next week in the mountains I’ll ask them to practice an aborted take off.
Can't emphasize enough to have a fail-safe "kill" technique ready to go BEFORE inflation. Pulling both brakes is close to useless in strong / gusty winds. Literally EVERY reverse inflation I do is with As and Cs. You can control the inflation rate, control the wing angle, abort quickly and easily, and don't let go of the Cs until you are ready to turn and go. Every comp or fly-in I attend, at least half the pilots pull their wing up with no abort plan or technique whatsoever.
Your thumbnail shows a pretty average looking Enzo launch - seems if half the wing is flying, then good to go (and sort rest in the air 😋)
yeah funny that, it's one of the only wings I know of that can be a dog on the ground, but really good in the air.
Does anybody have any knowledge on the wani 2?
Why are you wearing a helmet indoors?
CC: spanish please. Thanks
coming soon!
..because “launching” has nothing to do with “taking off”....
With this video, I have decided to quit paragliding
Valid
почему кто-то должен быть виноват в твоей жизни кроме тебя самого? что за менталитет убогий....