Parapente

History

The history of the parapente starts in 1965 with the development of Sailwing with Dave Barish. It names this new discipline slope soaring (flight of slope). Parallel to this invention, Domina Jalbert creates a parachute with boxes which he regards as the substitute of the parabolic Parachute: the Parafoil. This concept evolves to the freefall but bequeaths to the parapente the concepts of double surface and boxes.

Dave Barish and daN Poynter carry out between 1966 and 1968 of the demonstrations of the slope soaring on a springboard of Ski jump, then leave in round in ski stations. Some mountaineers starts to be interested in this practice, seeing there average a rapid and effective to go down again after a rise. and it is in 1972 that one finds the first sail of this type to the Championships of France of Parachutisme.

In 1978, three parachutists - Jean-Claude Bétemps, Andre Bohn and Gerard Boson - take off of Pertuiset with Mieussy with their rectangular parachutes. They quickly train other parachutists with them to practice the flight of slope .

Laurent de Kalbermatten invents in 1985 the Hiker, first sail designed specifically for the parapente. It is more powerful and easier to inflate than the parachutes used hitherto. The parapente will not then cease evolving/moving, as well on the level of the material as on the level of the practice: first of all used especially by the mountaineers, the parapente becomes an air sport with whole share.

The first Championships of the world of parapente take place in 1989 with Kössen in Austria.

Material

A parapente is composed of a wing, to which the bolster by suspending rods is suspended. The pilot has two orders to operate as well as device of acceleration usable to the feet, and often of a parachute of help integrated either into the bolster, or out of ventral pocket.

Wing

The wing is manufactured starting from a resistant and light fabric. It is made up of “boxes” in which the air is engulfed in order to give him its form. The wing is shaped like a wing of plane, which generates the Portance parapente. This force, which is opposed to the Gravité, makes it possible to the parapentist to slow down his fall (vertical) with approximately 1 meter a second whereas in same time the parapente moved horizontally of 7 meters for a parapente of initiation, with more than 9 meters for the machines of competition (either a smoothness of 7 with more than 9).

Before wing is called the leading edge and the back the trailing edge. The leading edge is the side by which the air enters the Alvéole S of the wing.

" is said; caisson" between two points of fastener of suspending rods and " alvéole" between two internal partitions.

The upper part is called the Extrados and the lower part the Intrados.

Suspending rods

The wing is connected to the bolster by the suspending rods and the elevators. One speaks then about a “cone of suspentage”. The suspending rods are fine strings whose heart generally consisted of Kevlar (replaced nowadays by materials such as the dynema which are polyethylenes and which are less fragile) and which are attached to many points of the wing. The suspending rods have two fonctions :

Premièrement, because the various lengths from each one of them, they print a chock with the profile of the wing what confers to him its characteristics of vol.
Deuxièmement, the suspending rods are connected by fast links to elevators which, themselves, are connected to the bolster by snap hooks of safety. A suspending rod can support a weight from approximately 80 to 200 kg before breaking. The multiplicity of the suspending rods allows in theory to support several thousands of kilograms. The suspending rods are nevertheless fragile, because the materials as the kevlar support the pinchings very badly, and it is not rare that, on takeoff, a fixing in a root or a projecting stone involves the rupture of the one of them.

On the modern wings, certain suspending rods are coloured according to their sites on the wing, to facilitate the operations. The brakes are now systematically put aside, as well as “has” (for “front”, first series of suspending rods on the basis of before wings), and this same on the veils “school”. One distinguishes on the photograph the brakes pink, the fronts in simple yellow, the two series of “B” (suspending rods articulating the medium of the wing) in red and blue, and the backs in yellow fluo.

The diameter of the suspending rods and their number have an incidence direct on the trail and the performances of a parapente. Today, the majority of the originators work to decrease their number. Recently, certain models were marketed with 3 lines of elevators instead of 4, allowing the saving in several tens of meters of suspending rod and a real performance profit.

In competition, the not-sheathed suspending rods have been used for several years. They have the advantage of being finer and of opposing less resistance to the air, but they are more fragile because of absence of protective sheath.

Orders (or brakes)

The orders (also called brakes) make it possible to direct the parapente and to manage its speed by control of its incidence. There are of them two, one on the left and one on the right. The left order is connected to some suspending rods bent on the left part of the trailing edge, and conversely for the line. (The fact of actuating these orders lowers the trailing edge, which makes slow down the wing on the side where one draws while increasing the bearing pressure). The orders have as much a role in management the speed air of the parapente as directional. The orders have also an active role in the management of turbulences, to see active safety.

Bolster

detailed Article: Bolster

Accelerator

The accelerator is a device made up of a bar actuated by the feet connected to the elevators making it possible to modify the Incidence wing. This modification of incidence makes it possible the parapente to gain speed, but it makes the wing more sensitive to turbulences and degrades its smoothness.

In general, the accelerator allows a profit speed of about 10-15 km/h for the majority of the parapentes of series, carrying their maximum speed in the neighborhoods of 50 km/h. The current wings of competition exceed 60 km/h when they are accelerated with their maximum.

Piloting

Piloting is articulated in 3 points:

To control the direction (right or left)
To control balancing (interaction with the wing)
To control the propulsion (to accelerate or slow down)

Speed

The parapentist can vary the speed of the wing by operating the two brakes at the same time.

slackened Brakes, the parapente will fly to its maximum Speed, this speed can be increased by using the accelerator or by the trims, of the devices making it possible to change the chock of the wing by decreasing the length of the elevators has ou/et B, by a system of reeving.
the best pace is generally that of the maximum smoothness, i.e. the best compromise between rate of fall (falling speed inside the mass of air, which can itself move to the top or bottom) and horizontal speed. It is with the maximum smoothness that the parapentist can go further (it is necessary, however, to take account of the wind and to adapt his speed: more quickly vis-a-vis the wind and conversely). It is obtained by a certain position of the brakes and depends on the characteristics Aérodynamique S of the wing.
While slowing down more, the mode of minimum rate of fall is reached. It is there that vertical speed compared to the mass of air is lowest.
If the parapentist still slows down his speed, its rate of fall increases and it risks unhooking. The Décrochage is a loss of the Portance due at a too low speed. The wing does not fly any more (its horizontal speed is null). The wing will take again Portance by decreasing braking gradually. This exit of the flight envelope is even more delicate to manage with a powerful wing than with a wing of training.

Turn

Two complementary elements make it possible to make turn the wing: piloting bolster and the action on the orders.

When the parapentist draws on the left order, the left part of the trailing edge goes down, which slows down the left part of the wing and makes turn the parapente on the left. And conversely of the right-sided. The fine reality of why and how turn in parapente seems very complex and divided the specialists, but this diagrammatic description is not less exact: with the majority of the wings, this action on a brake is enough to obtain a turn coordinated well between the axes of lace (rotation in the horizontal plane) and Roulis (pendulum in the side plan).

It is also possible to lean in the bolster: this action primarily inclines the wing according to the axis of rolling and the side where one leans, thus modifying the proportioning of the turn between rolling and lace. That can be useful either to rectify a turn offset by turbulence, or to optimize the turn or its release under certain wings badly coordinated with the brake alone, or to force a turn with much rolling initiating a fast descent, or on the contrary a turn in lace alone (known as " turn flat ") sometimes allowing to better exploit Thermal S weak and broad…

Takeoff

The Décollage is carried out in general on a slope.

The parapentist places his wing at ground, spread out well (in the shape of corolla) and vis-a-vis the slope. He settles in his bolster while taking care well to respect the checks of use (checklist as in aviation: anchor points of the bolster, helmet, radio and not of key in the suspending rods). It is necessary that there is light a breaks which goes up the slope vis-a-vis him to facilitate the Décollage to him and which the weather conditions are adapted.

When all these conditions are met, it can begin the phase of inflation , which consists in raising the veil to the top of its head, so that it is in-flight status, to then be able to take off, either while running on the slope (dynamic takeoff), or while using of the assistance of the wind (one will speak then about static takeoff, the pilot not having to move to create relative speed).

If there is a regular Vent, neither too extremely nor too weak, one can practice inflation, by doing “work on the ground”. This exercise, which is always the first contact of a beginner with his wing, consists in making steal its sail by keeping the feet on the ground. It is a very good exercise to learn with better “feeling” its sail during an inflation back to the veil, and to learn with better controlling its sail during inflations vis-a-vis the veil: Even the most experienced parapentists have always something to learn from this exercise.

Inflation back with the veil

It is the method of inflation known as “traditional”, that taught in school with the beginners.

the pilot takes in each hand a brake as well as the suspending rods has (they are those of the leading edge).
It starts to advance on the slope while leaning ahead in order to draw in first the leading edge of the wing. The fact that it has the suspending rods has in hand facilitates the rise of the leading edge. It must give a sufficient impulse so that the wing inflates and goes up above him. A little before the wing is above its head, it releases suspending rods A. It is the phase of inflation, or construction of the wing.
Once the wing above its head, it slows down the wing with the brakes so that it remains above him and does not exceed it. It then has a few seconds to check that the wing is well spread and that there is still no key in the suspending rods. It is the phase of temporization, essential with a takeoff in safety.
If all seems to him good, it starts to run while taking great steps in order to shake the least possible the wing and thus to avoid making him lose Portance. When it reaches approximately 30 km/h (speed air), the wing has a sufficient Portance to make it take off of the ground and it flies away. It is the phase of takeoff itself.
It moves away then from the slope to be in safety and settles comfortably in sitting position in its bolster. The phase of flight can then start.

Inflation vis-a-vis the veil

The traditional technique of takeoff has several disadvantages however:

At the time of the rise of the veil, the pilot on the ground is more vulnerable to a hypothetical gust of wind, because of a position where it can exert only little load-carrying capacity exerted by the sail - in particular in the event of wind supported on takeoff.
the pilot does not have a direct visual contact informing it on the state of its sail. A takeoff with inflation back with the veil is done with touched, the feeling, and in the case of an main issue, the pilot will be of it aware only once in the phase of temporization, the sail with its vertical. Out, always in the case of changes of wind, this phase can not take place while taking off back with the veil: Indeed, once the assembled sail, an acceleration of the wind would involve an increase in the bearing pressure, and would make take off prematurely the pilot.

These security issues can be mitigated by the assistance of ground personnel: An adviser can relay with the pilot the state of the veil at the time of his rise, and a help can retain the pilot to avoid that a gust “does not embark it”, him and his sail, thus reducing the accident risks. Nevertheless, another technique of inflation exists, fact surer for the pilots and being able to be implemented by autonomous pilots: Inflation vis-a-vis the veil.

This technique of inflation required of the pilot to change his reference marks in space, and in particular to reverse braking on the right and on the left compared to takeoff back with the veil. She thus is generally learned only after the first phase from initiation. This technique is however not more complex than an inflation back with the veil, once comparable the inversion of the reference marks; on the contrary, the permanent visual contact with the wing and the possibility of resisting the traction of the wing with its own weight simplify considerably takeoffs by constant wind.

Strapped in the bolster, back with the veil and brakes in hand, the pilot is turned over vis-a-vis the veil while making pass a spindle of elevators to the top of his head. In this manner, the suspending rods of left and right-hand side are crossed and the reversed orders of brakes: if one keeps the orders in their order of flight in order not to have to make change of orders (lifting even dangerous) during takeoff, to slow down left hand will slow down the part of the wing which the pilot sees on his line.

Handling thus requires an inversion partial of the reference marks: on the one hand, for the braking and the transfer of the weight in the bolster, it will be necessary to reverse its actions, but on the other hand for the elevators it will be necessary to keep the natural order (only the brakes are crossed, and to make assemble the part of the wing which the pilot sees on his line, it will thus be necessary to draw on the fronts from right-hand side, but to charge the left buttock and to raise the left brake).

Then, according to the same process as during inflation back to the veil, the pilot moves back of some steps to tighten the suspending rods uniformly, and draws on the fronts to make mount the veil to the top of his head. This rise vis-a-vis the veil makes it possible to visualize its wing more easily: by carrying out at the same time the inflation and the checking of the wing, there does not need more phase of temporization in takeoff. Once the sail with the vertical of the pilot, the pilot decides according to the state of its wing and the conditions of wind, of its takeoff:

to take off, it will not have any more that to be turned over, and it will be found exactly in the same last phase of takeoff reached during an inflation veils in the back: It will not have any more but to run to increase the relative speed of the wing so that the wing carries and takes off.
If it decides to defer its departure, an action combined on the brakes and/or the backs makes it possible to bring back the veil on the ground in the initial situation.

Another technique

One can also take off while being tractor drawn by a machine with Moteur. That can be a winch on the ground or a reel on a Véhicule. This technique is employed in the plains, and requires an implementation and knowledge specific.

In particular, any variation of the side pilot compared to the plan of tractor drawn can lead to a locking , the system veils/winch being by unstable nature laterally as soon as it is under tension. One generally advises to touch the least possible with the brakes, and to correct the variations with the bolster as soon as possible.

Landing

As soon as one acquired the bases of the takeoff and before benefitting from the joys of the flight, it is initially necessary to learn how with to land, exercise delicate in parapente. Indeed, it is necessary to be able to land almost anywhere and under any conditions. In parapente, the principle of the landing resembles its homonym in the plane.

Before having separated, it should already have been envisaged where one can land, except in flight of distance.

Phase of approach

The first phase of the landing is the approach. The operation of approach starts at a point and an altitude which depends on the configuration of the ground and of the weather conditions of which wind. The final objective of this operation is to find itself in a Trajectoire vis-a-vis the wind and the point of selected landing and with a Distance and a Altitude which will make it possible to arrive while touching the ground the desired place.

There exist various types of approach. Most known are the PTU, the PTL, the PTS, the PT8 and PTZ (Pt for catch of ground).

the PTU: it consists in making a trajectory of U-shaped approach. After the phase of flight the pilot arrives in the vicinity (but not at the top) of the landing strip, in the contrary direction where it will land: he puts himself in branch wind postpones (wind in the back); then it makes a turn with 90° (towards the ground), then a second, to find itself with the top of the ground, vis-a-vis the wind.
the PTL: identical to the PTU without the phase of back branch wind (thus L-shaped).
the PTS: the pilot puts himself from the point of view of the landing strip. To lose altitude, it makes " S" (and thus continues to advance towards the landing strip)
the PT8: even principle that the PTS, but this time, the pilot makes “on the spot”: it does not advance any more towards the ground. It thus makes " 8" with the top of the ground.
the PTZ: it is a technique of more particular approach. It is carried out when the wind is strong. The pilot goes down vis-a-vis the wind by making zigzag (in fact it is close to statics of horizontal speed)

Final stage

In the last branch (also called the final), it is necessary to be vis-a-vis the wind so that its speed compared to the ground is weakest possible, for a speed possible air largest. Indeed, more speed air is high, more the safety margin compared to unhooking is large: Thus, the pilot will be able to operate until the stop without risking an unhooking. Arrived at approximately a Meter of the ground, one gradually draws on the brakes until them to have low possible (hands in lower part of the hips at the time of touched feet). This action converts the speed/air of the wing (kinetic energy) into altitude (potential energy), and thus makes go up the pilot slightly - ideally, braking is proportioned in such way that altitude is simply constant (on the level). At the top of the round-off, horizontal speed compared to the ground is almost null, and the sail should take down at this time. If the operation were indeed carried out, at this time the parapentist touches the ground and lands like a flower . He continues to slow down his wing so that it falls to ground. He releases the landing strip then and carefully will fold his wing on the side of the track so that it is ready for a forthcoming vol.

Other techniques

There exist also techniques of stunt-flyings including the landing, which consist in making series of very committed turns in order to lose altitude very quickly. (See 360) the last turn before touching the ground must be carried out in such a way that the parapentist describes a trajectory which cancels its horizontal and vertical speed completely: any error of trajectory shows the collision at high speed with the ground. This technique is not only delicate for that which practices it but also for the parapentists who are in phase of approach, or the spectators in edge of ground! Because the advantage of the PTU and the PTL is to be able to make land under the best possible security conditions a whole series of relatively brought closer parapentists, who can thus clearly share spaces of loss of altitude, approach and finale.

Another technique to lose altitude is named “to make the ears” (See Faire “ears”):

“small ears” or simply “ears”: it is necessary to draw the two suspending rods before (" A") side connected at each end of the wing. This useful operation in flight to go down moderately, it must be used with great circumspection to land because it increases the risks of unhooking, very dangerous close to the ground, by increasing the incidence (cf above). A parade at this risk is to jointly use it with the accelerator, and to reopen the wing with many precautions (the great brake applications to support reopening are to be banished).
" large oreilles": technique to be used with much prudence, in the event of main risk (abrupt lifting of the wind, approaches a storm…). It is necessary this time to draw the 2 first suspending rods has (thus 4 on the whole) on each side. The descent is much faster than with the small ears. The parapente is all the more difficult to control, and unhooking risks it is still increased.

In both cases, the simultaneous action on the accelerator is advised: it increases the effectiveness of the figure, by increasing the rate of fall, and it moves away the risk from unhooking.

Whatever the technique of the ears used, the pilot cannot control any more with the orders. To make the turns, it can only act on the bolster - knowing that the handiness of the wing is sometimes strongly modified (problem of spiral instability, inter alia), this technique lends itself more easily to the right flight.

Flight

After having tested the joy of being able to fly without any engine, with Juste light a Vent on the face for companion, the parapentist who will want to progress will learn how to use the ascending currents in order to go up and to prolong its vol. There exist 2 types of ascending currents: dynamic current and current thermics , which very often mix, and which are well-sure never as simple in reality as such as one them models.

Thermal flight

The thermal flight consists in using thermal currents (called “thermics”, “ascents” or “pumps”) to go up. These currents result owing to the fact that air hotter than the air which surrounds it is less dense and thus tends to rise (Montgolfière, Fumée…).

This upward movement occurs only if the mass of hot air cools as much or less quickly than the ambient air than it crosses while rising. This condition is met when the variation in temperature is higher than 0,6°C for 100 Mr.

The air is heated when it is in contact with a ground which is him even heated by the sun: the “liberist” (name given to practitioner people the Coasting flight) seeking a source of thermics will thus seek grounds warming up more quickly than the surrounding grounds .

Thermics can thus be represented simply by an airstream or a bubble which goes up, of the ground up to the “ceiling” (altitude to which the ascents stop, either because the variation in temperature is reversed, or because the air arrives at saturation, forming a cloud which the rules of the air prohibit to cross), which explains why the liberists describe spirals in flight, they “ center the thermique ” in order to remain in the draft ascending.

Dynamic flight

With the difference in the thermal flight, the dynamic flight does not require the warming of the sun for the exploitation of ascents.

The dynamic flight (soaring) or flight of slope consists in using the wind when it meets a relief (cliff, mountain…). Vis-a-vis this obstacle the wind takes a trajectory with vertical component to surmount it and creates an ascending zone in which the parapentes can go up.

The most famous site with soaring of France (and more attended) are the dune of Pyla on the Atlantic coast. A flow of wind convecto-dynamics, also allows flights in dynamics, just as the wind of north: North wind. The best examples are: Mieussy in flow of south-west and Valmorel in wind of the North-West in the North-East.

Instruments

Radio

It makes it possible to be in relation to others pilot, to be framed by monitors in school or to listen to the beacons in general indicating the force (mini/maximum) and the direction of the wind, sometimes the cloud cover, the temperature and moisture.

These beacons are established by the clubs or the federation and, in France, emits on the frequency of the French federation of coasting flight: 143,9875 MHz.

This frequency is reserved for safety and does not have to be used for personal messages.

Altimeter

It indicates (thanks to the measurement of the atmospheric pressure) the altitude to which one is. Often coupled with the variometer, that makes a alti-variometer. Regulated at the time of takeoff on local altitude, or regulated 0, it makes it possible to know either the absolute altitude, or altitude compared to the point of takeoff. It is particularly useful to measure the possibility of returning to the starting point to be posed.

Variometer

It indicates (thanks to the measurement of the differences in pressure) the vertical Speed (measures some/second). Approximately, that makes it possible to know if one goes up or if one goes down and at which speed, which is very interesting. Indeed, we perceive only accelerations, according to the Basic principle of dynamics. Thus, when the pilot moves away from the relief or that it crosses a turbulent zone, it distinguishes with difficulty if it goes up or if it goes down, and the instrument becomes extremely useful.

GPS

Very useful in competition, it makes it possible to know its position, which in the absolute is not used for large thing but is especially used to give itself beacons (or not skirting) that one must pass, with the manner of the buoys in the nautical regattas. It also makes it possible to know its ground speed, and thus to deduce the force from it from the wind.

It can be also used to put its “trace” (its course during the flight), and thus “débriefer” the flight thanks to software of visualization on computer. One can even post several traces at the same time and thus compare the options taken by each pilot at every moment.

Exercises and figures of stunt-flying

Safety

Active safety

Active safety relates to the actions of the pilot for safety:

good control of takeoff and the landing
piloting in turbulences
management of the trajectories and the relief during the flight
analyzes flying conditions
good formation
physical and mental good condition
regular checking of the material

Passive safety

Passive safety relates to the whole of the material elements having a relationship with safety:

the port of the Helmet.
the port of Shoe S rising.
the use of protections on the bolster (airbag or foams).
possession of a Parachute of help.
the adequacy enters the level of the pilot and his material.
use of a radio (on the adequate frequencies).

Dangers

In spite of the relative impression of safety under a parapente, there exist dangers:

turbulences represent a danger, especially near the relief. They can deviate the trajectory of the parapente, increasing the collision risks, or involve an exit of the flight envelope: closing or unhooking (cf below). Their consequences can be avoided by an active piloting, aiming at keeping a constant incidence with the wing (to be held to the trained pilots: badly carried out, this technique can worsen the dangers which it aims at preventing!), and especially by choosing less turbulent zones.

the weather situation and its evolution must be analyzed on takeoff then constantly at the time of the vol. the pilot must also observe the thermal development, which can lead to the formation of large clouds of the convectif type like Cumulonimbus. The danger comes then from the strong gusts of wind under the cloud and in the neighborhoods, and it risk is to be made aspire in the cloud.

Of the electric lines or the cables of a Téléphérique can present a danger of collision. They are indeed far from visible in the air and it is important to locate them before taking off.

Of the collisions with other aircraft is possible. To avoid them to the maximum, there exist rules of priority. In the event of collision, the parachute of help is almost always the only exit.

Generally, the greatest source of danger is represented by the relief itself. Indeed, the majority of the incidents of flight are without consequences as long as one is far above the ground, and the few irremediable incidents can then be managed with the parachute of help.

It is often the combination of an incident of sometimes benign flight and proximity of the relief which creates the accident.

Incidents of flight

The closings are a specificity of the parapente. Indeed, the parapente has a wing with flexible structure. Violent turbulences can decrease the angle of incidence of the parapente beyond the horizontal one, leading the airflows to press on the top of the leading edge, and thus to lead to a fold of the leading edge on the under-surface. The part concerned of the profile cannot generate bearing pressure any more and sees its strongly increased trail.

An asymmetrical closing relates to only one side of the wing and unbalances laterally it; a symmetrical or frontal closing slows down the whole of the wing.

With the majority of the modern wings, except wings of competition, an even important asymmetrical closing is nothing any more but one incident: the deterioration of course remains tiny, and a little against with the bolster (action to actively defer its weight on the part remained open of the wing without touching with the brakes) is enough to reopen the wing instantaneously. In the same way, a frontal closing reopens itself rather instantaneously, without asking for particular action of piloting.

The dangers of closings lie from now on in a inopportune or inadequate action of the pilot on the orders , slowing down a wing already slowed down by closing and generating an unhooking (cf below) opened part, with the often serious consequences (alteration of course obliques very full, Re-closing, and so on…). It is about the surcontre, that one can avoid in remaining high arms at the time of the incident , which is more difficult to make than to say taking into account a reflex running “to retain itself” with the orders at the time of the feeling of fall generated by the beginning of closing.

The unhooking is a well-known phenomenon in all aviation: when the incidence increases too much, the airflows come from under the profile and not in front of him; they then do not manage any more to circumvent all the profile, the flow becomes turbulent there, the bearing pressure is cancelled.

It is specifically dangerous in parapente because of the important movements of pendulum in pitching (before-back pendulum) which it generates, and in particular alteration of course of exit which can be very important, going in rare cases until the fall in the sail.

Its prevention is simple, while avoiding as much as possible low speeds (mini rate of fall or less) in turbulences. The conjunction a low speed but the flight envelope (in particular in approach of landing), and of a turbulence increasing the incidence is at the origin of the majority of the serious incidents of flight, except surcontres (cf above).

Accidentology

Even if the practice of the parapente is classified in the sports at the risk, technological advances significantly reduced the number of accidents since the years 1980. On average, in France, there is less than one ten accidents fatal per annum for approximately 16 000 practitioners.

The accidents have varied causes: bad reception with the landing, various collisions, accidents during the race of take-off, returns to the slope during takeoff, unhookings… They thus have very diverse origins, like the bad physical condition of the practitioners or the lapse of memory of the elementary rules of safety (not to sit down too early on takeoff, to take speed with the landing, not surpiloter its sail…). All in all, the use of a parapente unsuited to its own level, and the flight too close to the relief in turbulent conditions, remain the principal dangers to the practitioner. With final occurred of an accident is often related on an accumulation of errors or the accumulation of innovation, for example to fly with a new sail, on a new site under turbulent conditions.

The accidents proportionally imply with the number of practitioners more tested wheels than of wheels of an “average” level. The accidents in school are even weaker, the pupils being well framed and careful. It is appropriate, however, to moderate this report, because the practitioners of good level fly more than the initial practitioners, and the statistical risk to be broken is thus stronger.

To practice in France

To only fly, one needs obligatorily an insurance in air Civil responsibility, the authorization of the owner of the ground of takeoff, like that of the owner of the landing strip envisaged.

The pilot's license is not obligatory, which makes it possible to continue its formation until autonomy and beyond simply within a club. Nevertheless, it is strongly advised (for its own security and that of the others) to be formed completely within a school. And to remake training courses in its life of parapentist can be only beneficial.

For an autonomous pilot, the coasting flight is an activity which takes much time and which requires a handing-over in permanent question. N the other hand, it offers great moments of joy.

Some give simply pleasure while stealing one week per annum within the framework of a school (some do not even seek to train really autonomous pilots), others do not conceive the coasting flight without the “free” adjective and thus wish to choose where and when they will fly, and are formed in school and in their club.

The best solution is certainly to find a school of parapente labellized FFVL and to make a training course initiation (around 400-500 euros). There are then various possibilities according to the objectives:

to become an autonomous pilot: to take a serious school animated by impassioned (majority of the schools). Then, for really being autonomous, it will be necessary to find a club and material (1 000 with 3 000 euros) for really starting the progression.
to give pleasure one week: to find a structure which one finds in the ski stations or the famous sites of parapente.
to taste with the joy of the flight: to make two-seater . It is an excellent means of discovering the activity and, undoubtedly, an extraordinary memory.

Formation in Switzerland

The license of pilot is obligatory to only fly to Switzerland, as well as an insurance civil responsibility. Many schools propose formations.

Hands-on training

The first part consists of an introductory course two days during which the participants will learn the simplified theoretical bases (weather, material, aerodynamics), then will be able to practice the “slope-school”, i.e. tests of takeoff on a short slope. The training course generally comprises a teaching two-seater flight. After a few hours of additional slope-school, the participants will accomplish their first “great flight”. They will be in radio contact with the instructor and an assistant who will coacheront them on takeoff and the landing.

Following this training course, the future pilots who wish to continue their formation will have to at least accomplish 40 great flights out of 5 different sites, to learn how to control takeoff and the landing in several configurations, and to carry out all kinds of operations (turns, ears, 360° engaged, unhookings with the " B" , etc).

Practical examination

The end of the training of the pilot is sanctioned by a practical examination, organized by the Swiss Fédération of coasting flight (FSVL), which is composed of 2 or 3 flights. The future pilot must show his control of the 5 phases of flight:

preparation
takeoff
figures in flight
approach
landing

The preparation consists to open and prepare its parapente, while controlling the 5 safety regulations, known under the term of " MY VIE" : Material, Fasteners, Wind, Inspection, Airspace.

Takeoff must be technically well carried out, clean, and its three phases (inflation, control, acceleration) perfectly controlled.

With regard to the figures, during the first flight of examination, the pilot must carry out on the left a double 360° in less than 20 seconds. During the second flight, the figure consists of a 360° on the right immediately followed by a 360° on the left, the whole in less than 30 seconds.

The catch of ground and the approach are carried out according to the method of U: destruction (loss of surplus altitude), back wind, volte (on the left or on the right according to the instructions received at the time of the briefing of examination and the conditions of wind), finale, and landing.

At the time of the landing, the pilot must touch the ground with the two feet inside a target 30 meters in diameter and must remain upright.

The examination is successful if each of the 5 phases of flight are successful twice. If the pupil fails one or more phases during one of the first two flights, it is entitled to a third flight to make a success of the missed phases. If the pupil fails twice in the same phase of flight, the examination is missed. If the pilot leaves the flight envelope of his sail (for example if it takes down with 1m50 ground at the time of the landing because it slowed down too much, having too much altitude to land inside the target) or endangers his safety or that of another person, it is immediately excluded from the examination.

Formal training

In parallel of his hands-on training, the pilot pupil follows a formal training in 5 fields:

aerodynamic
meteorology
knowledge of the technical material
legislation
of flight

The theoretical examination, also organized by FSVL, includes/understands 100 questions, 20 per matter. The examination is successful if the pupil answered correctly 15 questions per matter at least.

Cours SIV (simulation of incidents of flight)

Course SIV are excellent means to know its material and to prepare with critical situations (unhookings, gimlets, closings frontal or side of the cap, opening of the parachute of helps) which can occur in the career of a pilot, and during which its reactions are paramount for its safety. While as a preliminary having exerted these potentially dangerous situations, even mortals, in full safety, coaché by radio by an instructor experienced with this kind of teaching, above a water level, the pilot has a luggage which will be able one day to save the life to him.

Continuation of the course

Qualification biplacor (allows to fly with a passenger within the associative framework)
Accompagnateur then stimulating club: advise and frames the pilots left school and in phase autonomy.
federal Management
BEES: patent of State of sporting teacher parapente (level 1 and 2), only qualification allowing to be remunerated for the discovery, the animation and the teaching of the discipline.

Other formations

Plieur of parachute of help

After a 3 days course, the FSVL delivers a license of plior of parachute of help. The FSVL recommends to make fold its help each 6 months by a qualified person, but, contrary to parachuting, it obligatory nor is not controlled.

Operator of winch

The FFVL delivers a qualification of treuillor, after a particular training course.

Records

(1) the 3 pilots carried out the same flight together (3 veils, 3 pilots)

Concerning the duration of flight, the record does not exist any more. Indeed, in areas where the wind blows almost uninterrupted, the performance of the current wings makes it possible to be maintained in the air while being limited only by the sleep from where a too important risk of accident.

The world records of the number of infinity tumbling are of 122. It was established on September 22nd, 2007 (Cut Icare 07) with Saint-Hilaire (Isere) by Antoine Montant.

Appendices

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