Paragliding Launch Tips - Windy Takeoffs for low-airtimers
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 18 ก.พ. 2015
- Lowland paragliding involves using meteo-wind pushing against a hill, and thermals to fly. The wind hits the hill and lifts up over it and it is in this lifting air we can fly paragliders. During the early afternoon the wind often increases making takeoffs difficult and the forward launch method is essential.
The 'windy' reverse-launch technique is a necessary one to learn if you live in places like England where low pressure is often in charge. We can take off in winds up to about 18mph, the limit being the trim-speed of the paraglider and the pilot's ability. Once away from the takeoff point the wind appears to ease as the wind over takeoff is speeded up due to the venturi effect. So the takeoff location will always seem windier than the air in front of the hill. If you can get airborne then an enjoyable flight can be had.
Many UK pilots say the technique using both the A and C risers to pull up a wing is very effective in windy conditions. Others disagree. But the A/C technique is not a beginner's method and low-airtime pilots should probably try to perfect the school taught method of using the A-risers with the brakes as a failsafe if it goes wrong. Other methods like A/C or The Snake take more experience to get right and I believe should not be used by low-airtimers in windy conditions.
This short video covers the primary techniques I have found useful when taking off in windy conditions. I (sarah) have 15 years' flying and maybe 1200 hours much of it in blowey English conditions.
I hope this is helpful to low-hours pilots and mountain pilots. this video was filmed at Westbury Hill, Wiltshire's prime paragliding and hang-gliding site. The winds were only 9 to 12 mph and the pilots shown are low-airtimers making the classic mistakes we all made when we were new to the sport. (Sometimes we still get it wrong in these conditions.) Paragliders encounter the disturbed air being forced over the hill so it will never be 100% possible to get every takeoff perfect - we cannot 'see' the air. But hopefully, by following these simple tips, windy takeoffs won't be so stressful.
Please be aware I am not an instructor and merely offer this video to give insight into the problems a pilot can face taking off in windy conditions. Note this is not an instruction video and I am not a paragliding instructor. I am simply passing on some basic tips for windy flying from my 1200+ hours of flying in the often windy UK weather conditions. If this video gives you ideas that help you in such conditions then I am pleased as this was the aim of posting this video.
A paraglider pilot needs to takeoff on the front of the hill in strong winds for three reasons...
1. the wind is still moving up the hill and gives the wing a better angle of attack when pulling up. thus you avoid tucks.
2. The wind is slighly less windy than futher back on the hill where the full force of the horizontal-wind venturi effect is felt.
3. As you are on the front of the hill and therefore on an angle you do not have to pull the wing up through 90 degrees of wind making a successful pull-up more likely. On the flat (further back on the hill) you have to pull the wing up through the full 90 degrees to overhead and the strong wind will likely catch you out at some stage. It is during this first 45 degrees of pull-up where the strong wind effect will be most felt so pullling up on a slope will really help.
There are downsides to front-slope pull-ups in strong winds.
1. You are very close to an uncommanded liftoff once the wing is overhead so you MUST watch the pull-up and quickly KILL THE WING if it starts to come up assymetrically. Once the wing has reached the 75 degree position it is too late to do this.
2. You have to be ready to fly immediately the wing is overhead. If the wind is strong enough (say 15kts or stronger) you will probably experience an uncommanded lift off once the wing is overhead. So TURN QUICKLY as the wind approaches your overhead position and be ready to fly.
These are just my opinions after 1200 hours' flying in often windy Britain. I am sure there are alternative viewpoints. - กีฬา
Great video, I wish I had seen it just one week earlier. Living in Norway a windy day is not something that surprises you now and then. Accept it and deal with it is usually what works most of the time. Staying on the ground is painful because you are not experienced enough to master a controlled takeoff.
A few days ago a friend and I decided to try even if the wind was a little rough.
At the start we make our first attempt, but no luck. So we wait an hour for the worst clouds to pass and the thermal is ligther.
i try first, but fail. Then my friend tries, and within seconds he is gone.
I then accept that this is nothing I am ready for yet and decides to pack it up.
And this is when I make a huge mistake. As I start to pull in my wing I loose my focus for just a split second. I forget the wind and look at my friend that is in the air. The wind rips everything out of my hands and I get dragged with my face down in the ground. Suddenly I realize I am about to be pulled off the top and I manage to get my head up so I can grab a riser to depower the wing. I end up about 50 meters from where it all started a little bit down the hillside. Shaken with my mouth full of dirt, but ok.
After seeing your video explaining everything in detail, I have been able to better understand why I sometimes struggle and how to be a more safe pilot.
Instructor or not, no one has ever explained this better. You should start to make instructional videos. I will be the first in line to buy them all. Great work!!
facebook.com/lars.bahner/videos/10153713633932203/?pnref=story
Thank you from Aus! Great video with a lot of helpful info listed 👍🏻
Also, to any low air time pilots,, or keyboard heroes, none of the examples shown by these pilots here were a fail! Remember, these are all low air time pilots are that! Early stage pilots! We all need to learn these basic techniques for safe air time, so anyone who spots pilots out there struggling like shown here, or pilots struggling, don’t be afraid to ask for help! If the conditions are beyond your capabilities, then walk away and come back another day, but if you feel ready and confident, just ask! Any pilot not rigged up WILL help you!
What’s worse? Being told no by someone who can’t or won’t help you, or damaging your gear, OR yourself by allowing your ego to push you past your capabilities?
Safe flying friends, come say ‘hi’ to the guy with the mini wing at Bald Hill or Hill 60 ☺️
thanks for sharing, its a real help, I'm early days into it in new zealand,
its a lot of fun is kiting and I'm learning plenty of tips of you 'youtubers'
thanks again thermaling girl
Thank you, Sarah, for such a wonderfully informative video; we low air-timers need as much help as we can get ;)
Great video
Thank you Sarah for the very useful video and helpful advice. However there are some additional gems which this excellent footage has to offer us all, which I offer to further the knowledge and understanding.
1. Unable to get canopy overhead and wing yawing during pilot-turn -
0:44 - Wing is level leaving the ground, showing that wing and pilot are both square to the wind.
0:45 to 0:47 - Half way up the raise the trailing edge can be seen to be bent down, indicating the brakes are engaged.
0:48 - When the pilot turns forward, the wing is pulling backward and to the side.
Engaging the brakes too soon impedes the wing from moving to overhead. It also causes the canopy to sit back at a big angle of attack where it is able to strongly pull the pilot backwards and upwards.
The big angle of attack also causes airflow to separate and tumble over the top of the wing, making it unstable and prone to yaw off to one side.
So during the raise, the brakes must be completely relaxed so that the wing can climb unimpeded all the way up, where they are quickly applied on the approach to overhead to check any surge.
Does it appear that the pilot has dropped the A’s and maybe even taken brake-wraps before the wing is even half-raised? If so, then this may have been the root cause.
3:18 - This is the same pilot and canopy as 0:44. The same technique is being used and this time the whole wing is in view. When the canopy reaches half-way up, the pilot appears to drops the risers and gets on the brakes. The right wing trailing edge shows the right brake has become engaged and the begins to yaw to the right.
3:20 - While the canopy is still half-way up the pilot turns to face forward. During the turn more right brake is applied as seen at the trailing edge. This additional right braking occurring as the pilot right-turned forward is caused by the wing being angled backwards and made worse if the wing has already started to yaw right before the pilot turned. This brake-turning issue does not occur if pilot-turns with the canopy is overhead.
2. Lifted off and dragged back from Venturi -
1:23 - The pilot is in the venturi at the ridge edge with wing raised and overhead. The brakes are strongly engaged as seen at the trailing edge, causing strong lift and drag, with big eddies tumbling off the back upper surface of the wing. As such the wing is wobbling about, lifting off and dragging backwards.
1:02 - This is another pilot also in the venturi. The canopy is overhead with brakes at a minimum, sitting at the correct angle of attack where drag and lift is minimized in the strong wind. The airflow over the wing is therefore smooth and stable and so requires only small brake inputs to correct any pitching or yawing due to disturbances in the wind. By minimizing drag, the pilot can more easily push forward off the edge and clear of the venturi to fly. By minimizing lift the pilot can stay on the ground until choosing when to go.
3. Canopy snaking when held on the ground -
1:45 -The canopy is snaking around on the ground because the trailing edge is being picked up by the wind. This is due to the brakes being engaged too much. Yes the set of risers need to be tensioned to build the wall, but the size of the wall may need to be limited to prevent the wing self-launching or the pilot getting dragged before ready for raising. The pilot might have been taught to keep the wing low by engaging brakes ,but strong winds may then get under the trailing edge and make that fly up. Instead, the wall height can be controlled without trailing edge issues by engaging the rear risers. When ready to raise, smoothly step forward, drop the rears, engage inner A’s and step back to commence.
4. Pilot being over-powered during canopy raise -
3:42 - As the wing rises off the ground it can be seen that the wing is level indicating the pilot and wing are square to the wind. However it is apparent from the bent trailing edge that the brake(s) are on as soon as the canopy is leaving the ground.
3:30 - The same pilot and canopy and in this raise, both trailing edges can be seen. It is clear that both brakes are engaged as the canopy leaves the ground.
The added brake greatly increases lift and drag of the wing as it comes up through the power zone (1/2 way). Enough of an increase to change the raise from challenging to an uncontrollable lift-off and drag.
It is imperative that brakes are fully off during the raise so that the canopy can quickly rise through the power zone with the minimum of lift and drag and gain the overhead position with the pilot remaining on the ground.
So in this case, rather than the cause of over-powering being the pilot putting too much energy into the raise, it appears to be the engagement of brakes that is the culprit.
5. Inadvertent brake engagement -
There are several reasons why brakes, both or one more than the other, are inadvertently engaged during canopy raising and these may be pilot technique or due to short brake lines.
During reverse raising, it is inevitable that the brakes are not let right off i.e. not at the pulleys. The manufacturer take this into account when deciding how much free play should be in the lines. However if the brake lines have shrunk significantly then this could lead to brakes engaged during raise. Brake line shrinkage is normal with time, even in as little as 2 years. Some older used wings I’ve bought had as much as 10cm shrinkage and this caused brake engagement issues during raise. Even when both brakes are shrunk by the same amount, one brake will be engaged more than the other and this is due to the crossing of the risers.
I’m glad I tried this in the mid nineties after five years hang gliding.
I see overcrowded hills and have absolutely no longing to get back up in the air
Great video! Thanks! Lots of nice tips even for a some what not newbie pilot, hopefully.... :D Have done all the mistakes. Great video to remind myself what not to do!
an observation never mentioned (or at least, I've never seen it raised) is 'the turn' [item 7 on the check list at 1.07]
I see so many looking up in to their wing as they turn. This makes the pilot bow their back & for this critical phase, put themselves in to an unstable position for the rotation - especially important in strong wind or gusty conditions.
You've built your wall, know you are correctly positioned (to the wing & to the wind), you control the lift and are ready to turn - no need to look up.
Turn your chin (slightly down) smartly on to your shoulder, your body will automatically follow your head and step through the turn - always in full control of your balance / your body
Great video and... really good to see politeness on a blog - thx
Steve G never noticed that but i think you are right. once the wing is above your head there is no need to keep watching it as you can gerl what is happening up there. just turn and fly is my advice.
Thank you for the tips. Much appreciated.
Thanks for posting this video!
Plain,Simple information...well done on this video.
Wicked! Nice one Sarah.
very good video - helpful for a newbie
good video, helped me understand a few of my own errors etc. cheers :)
hey thanks for the video ! very informative !
Not only has Thermaling Girl made an informative video, she has taken the time to offer some excellent advice below in the comments.. I for one would like to say thanks :)
Thanks Ken.
Very good tutorial, thank you.
Thanks, Andrew. Great if it helped!
great great great info for mauntain pilots !!!!!!!!!!! thats exactly what we do at the dunes .. but we have less danger .. (and far quicker wings)
Well your good. All the best to you, hope we meet some time.
Muy bueno
Great video, good viewing angles to see precisely what's happening. Don't agree, nevertheless, with "high-energy pullups always fail" and not with "standing sideways makes wing go sideways". Practise... running into the wind instead of being dragged will neutralise high energy, and there is no reason why standing sideways should make the wing go sideways - it's a matter of steering, not of standing. As can be seen in your video. The cap going off to the side when standing sideways is usually being braked on that very side.
I somewhat agree with what you say, but please remember who I made this video for: low airtimers.
It is not for experienced pilots like us who can stand any way we want and continue to control the wing. Low airtime pilots make the same mistakes repeatedly and this is what my video was addressing.
Whether the 'standing sideways' effect is because (as you point out) the pilot is using too much brake or because (as I have noticed) the risers are 'twisted' and pull assymetrically on the wing when sideways is not the issue here as both errors play a part.
Low airtimer pilots often pause part way through the turn around to see what the wing is doing and then things go wrong for them.
So I am saying 'don't stand sideways'. Be positive. Don't dither. Turn and be ready to take off.
More experienced pilots don't need these 'rules of thumb'. We do it all rather instinctively depending upon what the conditions and the wing require. Low airtimers do not yet have this instinctive response and get into all sorts of trouble on a breezy hillside.
@@SalisburyPlainAviation Agree :-) Regards!
Pretty much blame the instructor for all these problems.
The instructor that taught me focused on ground handling so much before he let us get anywhere near the air. It seemed harsh at the time but I'm grateful for it now.
So many pilots including most experienced pilots are in a huge rush to turn and get off the ground. If you learn to control the wing correctly you end up turning slowly and inspecting the wing after the turn to ensure it's good to go.
Makes me realise how lucky I was to go to the particular instructor I went with and all by pure chance.
All those high wind launches the pilots should be holding the brakes, A's, and C/D's. A+D to bring the wing up and be controlled and to kill the wing if there is a problem. Release A+D once wing is inspected and under control. Turn calmly and launch.
So true.
Many schools are simply teaching very basic stuff and expecting the club to bring the red-ribbon pilots along with the club coach system. But as a high hour pilot I have to say it isn't a good idea to stand around on a windy day after pulling up the wing. Things will certainly go to poop if you wait around.
that's a fair comment.
Flybubble do a good video on here about rear riser control in which he is on a steep slope in 30km/hr wind or so and shows the differences between brakes and risers.
Thanks for this extremely useful video! I always thought that standing too far back at the top of the launch hill puts me in the rotor with attendant damaging consequences. Venturi is what happens to air flow when channeled up a hillside or mountain slope; air gets accelerated up the slope. Not true?
+jaycee bettelsheim Yes. Venturi is the effect we see when air is 'compressed' by being squeezed between surfaces (if you fly fixed-wing then this is how the pitot tube works or how the upper surface of an aerofoil works). Many people call this wind effect on hillsides 'compression' but actually it is the opposite as a the air pressure is decreased and wind speed increased. This is why it is always windier on the front or top of a hill.
I have updated the main post to give reasons why I feel front-of-hill takeoffs are the only way to deal with windy hillsides.
Plzz help me I want to buy pairasute of personal use so how can got it and what is price of pairasute
$2.50
How about low winds?
Try the CurbTechnique ;-)
How much price parasut
Quite useful - but I will never understand why so many people struggle to take off with arms back or out to the side thus ensuring a large handful of brake applied. Does not make sense. Elbows pointing forward with hands up near the pulleys and leaning hard into the harness (try to put your nose on the ground) will let you get max airspeed for takeoff.
Great tips. Would you allow me to add narration in Spanish and upload it giving you credit and linking to your list?
Eduardo Mayorga yes, please feel free to do that, Eduardo. ;-)
Thanks. Will get back soon
Where was it?
Júlian Cassimiro westbury, southern england. Uk
It's just ground handling, and people don't want to learn that, so they suck at takeoffs. Easy fix. Expert groundhandlers dont have takeoff problems and feel much less stressed during flight.
Big Ears launches are a fabulous way to get off the deck in strong conditions and should be taught from the beginning to save over zealous, low air time pilots a lot of pain, anguish and embarrassment. So easy and effective.
+Bevan Pope Never heard of that one. So you pull up the wing and once it is stable above your head rather than take off you pull ears and then take off?? I'd love to see a beginner try that. :)
+Thermaling Girl Apologies for the delay. Nope, you lift the glider through the power zone with big-ears and then release the ears once it has reached it's zenith above your head, then fly off.
1. move low down on launch site, 2. have speed bar system between legs, for fast use, 3. hold D's at hips in one hand, A's lose in the other. When wing is stable, step towards it once and take the big ears lines and hold them simultaneously in the hand with D's. (I hold D's with little finger and palm, and big ears lines with forefinger and thumb) when ready, pull on A's and release D's at the same time but keep b-e lines at hip. The wing will come up with big ears and then simply release, turn and fly.
+Bevan Pope Bevan, you sound like an experienced pilot. This technique is interesting to me. I would be concerned to offer it to low-airtimers though as it is rather complex. I guess the video was purely for low-airtimers as I see so many basic takeoff mistakes being made when the wind picks up. Thanks for this rather novel technique. Would love to see a video of it in practice.
+Bevan Pope Never heard of it either, but sound like it should work well, I will try it soon.
+Thermaling Girl I think that though it is a bit complicated even low-airtimers should have not problem doing it it because is so easy to kill the wing with D-risers. Possibly it gives very little room for corrections so one would have to get it right from the moment of pulling up the wing, but failed attempts should be almost inconsequential allowing to practice over and over until done right. I do feel that upon mastering such a "trick" a pilot risks becoming overconfident and might turn out successfully taking off at times when maybe isn't wise to fly at all. Thanks for making the vid by the way, very helpful.
An example of "big ears" launch for high winds
Strong wind = Cobra !!!!
I would not agree that 9-12mph is windy. That is ideal for any pilot. If they cannot control their wing at those wind speeds then they should go back to ground handling in a flat field...
Adam Ladd this video is for low airtime range, Alan. these wind speeds can be a challenge for them. flat field ground handling does not give the same experience as at takeoff. new pilots struggle in 9-12 mph especially when the air is surging or with gusts from nearby thermals. if a pilot can get proficient in 9 to 12 mph she can handle 16 to 18 mph too. imho.
I do not disagree with your tips, they are all good tips but if a pilot is struggling in 9-12mph winds then they should do a LOT more ground handling first
Adam Ladd yes. ground handling is definately the basis of confident windy flying.
Sorry, but the simplest technique is a method called 'pot luck'; employed by at least 99% of flyers. This involves mostly being dragged across the hill, either on your back or front, for half an hour, looking like a complete prick, and until such time as the wing catches a lucky breeze, by which point, sheer pot luck will throw you wildy left or right, but, generally, forwards, upwards and away from the hill. During this final launch, skilled pilots can employ pot luck to their advantage and keep flying collateral to a minimum, by only taking out 2-3 fellow flyers on their way up; or better still, just a few students or dog walkers.
Works for me every time.
Great video, are you an instructor ?, if not you should be!!!!!! i am a beginner how about instructing me!!!!!!!
Allan Furneaux Not an instructor, Allan, just a bit of a high hours pilot who has flown in all silly kinds of weather and winds. Night-time, snow, fog, strong winds, and of course in clouds while on xc. ;)
Hous country
Whoever is teaching these people in this video needs to stop teaching now