Paragliding 103: HPAC Novice/P2 vs. Asymmetric Collapses

Asymmetric Collapse

The asymmetric collapse, an inevitability of learning to fly in thermic air. We learn to first mitigate and then prevent them by flying in increasingly active air, preferably under instruction.

Mitigation can come by way of active weight shift and braking technique. The ultimate goal is collision avoidance, be it with the ground, terrain, or other pilots.

Another means of mitigation is wing selection (passive safety). A lower EN/LTF rated wing can help reduce the aftermath of the collapse. An instructor is the best place to start with deciding which wing is best suited to the pilot. That said, the first steps we take as a pilot-in-command is making and accepting responsibility for own decisions. The more information the new pilot has, the better the decision they can make.

The basic certification system (EN/LTF) is not perfect, as per Divide 'EN', Conquer. But the certification system is continually evolving. Part of this evolution is the trial testing of wings by the DHV using a data logger and documenting the post collapse behaviour beyond a simple change of direction/pitch.

DHV Safety Class

The core of the DHV Safety Class is a trio of safety ratings per wing: symmetric collapse, asymmetric collapse, and spiral dive. In addition, notes are provided on altitude loss, G forces experienced, cravat and cascade tendencies. It is these notes that are of interest.

Below are the DHV Safety Class Notes on unaccelerated asymmetric collapses for common paragliders used in the Fraser Valley (Vancouver) for student and novice pilots:

The source for these values and notes can be found under the DHV Safety Test webpage.

In addition, the suitability for training and manufacturer notes regarding the target pilot are included to give a more complete picture. This data was pulled from the manufacturer webpage and user manuals.

Wing Made/Model	Height Loss	Pitch Angle	G Force	Training Suitable	DHV Notes	Manufacturer Notes
Skywalk Mescal 4	20 - 29 m	-60 degrees	2.4G	Yes	Massive collapses and maximum deformations usually recover with little diving and course change.	Suitable for beginners on the training hill, the MESCAL4 also offers lasting satisfaction for ambitious hobby pilots for their first XC flying experiences.
Icaro Cyber TE	30 - 39 m	-65 degrees	2.3G	Yes	Relative moderate reactions, moderate dynamics	Beginners who are looking for a fun, but performant and fast glider, that—nevertheless—still is gentle and easy to fly, will find a good companion in the new Cyber TE.
Ozone Mojo 4	40 - 49 m	-65 degrees	2.3G	Yes	Greater height loss and course change angles than other [...] gliders.	The Mojo 5 is designed for new pilots. First and foremost it is a safe, fun, and easy high-performance wing suitable for students in training but ideal for the newly qualified.

Wing Made/Model	Height Loss	Pitch Angle	G Force	Training Suitable	DHV Notes	Manufacturer Notes
Ozone Buzz Z4	30 - 39 m	-60 degrees	2.3G	N/A*	Moderate dynamics, height loss < 40m. Maximum collapses result in large pitch forward dives and occasional opposing collapses, but without course changes.	The Buzz Z4 is an ideal choice for pilots who fly approximately 30-50 hours per year [...] .
Skywalk Tequila 4	40 - 49 m	-75 degrees	2.9G	Yes	Difficult to collapse to measurement field limits. Marked rotation with dive angles of up to 75° for large collapses. Opposing collapses observed with occasional cravats and course changes.	The T4 is quite forgiving, making it the right choice for talented beginners.
Icaro Instinct TE	40 - 49 m	-75 degrees	2.9G	Yes	Without using special collapse techniques the wing collapses very steeply and has high rotation and pitching dynamics, resulting in opposing collapses and cravats on both wingtips.	Since it performs at a very high level, but is also very pleasant and well-behaving at the same time, the Instinct TE is the perfect glider for all pilots who want to feel comfortable in the air.
Icaro Wildcat TE	40 - 49 m	> -75 degrees	2.6G	No	Height loss is average for its class, but reactions are very dynamic, dive forward angles are severe and course changes are rapid. The canopy folds steeply, creating a lot of resistance and turns abruptly and dives forward steeply. Total height loss was average for the class. Generally the canopy shows a tendency to dive forward steeply which often leads to cascades and cravats.	Recommended flight experience: 20 - 30 flying hours per year.
Gin Atlas	50 - 59 m	-60 degrees	2.3G	N/A*	Relatively low dynamics (pitching, G-forces, sink velocity) for its class, but delayed recovery resulting in higher height and course changes. In some cases, recovery had to be aided with a little pilot input.	The Atlas is suitable for beginning to intermediate pilots.

* There is no clear indication regarding suitability (or lack there of) for training. Consult your instructor.

Side note: notice any differences between the DHV and Manufacturer Notes?

The HPAC Novice/P-2

The current Hang Gliding/Paragliding Association of Canada (HPAC) requirement to be awarded a Novice/P-2 rating includes the following prerequisites:

B. Prerequisites

• Paragliding P1 Beginner Rating
• Thermal Endorsement or the Coastal/Ridge Endorsement

 The Thermal Endorsement includes the following:

• Demonstrates proper directional control and correction of full (i.e. 50% of the wing span) asymmetric collapses.

Anyone flying in the Fraser Valley will receive their Novice/P-2 with the Thermal Endorsement (due the lack of a consistent Coastal/Ridge Soaring Site). 

Under the current HPAC requirements, the Novice/P-2 candidate who satisfies the Thermal Endorsement will have demonstrated the proper response to a 50% asymmetric collapse. 

Re-read the above descriptions of asymmetric collapse behaviour and ask which wing would you want to be on with less than 25 flights and asked to demonstrate the 'proper directional control and correction of full (i.e. 50% of wing span) asymmetric collapses'. Demonstrating a response means experiencing the collapse to then demonstrate the proper response.

I suspect if this requirement was fully enforced by HPAC, we would see very few students on EN B wings.

It is better to have a wing you can grow out of than one you need to grow into.

Paragliding Economics 101A: Shopping Around (First Paraglider Purchase).

Looking at lessons, trying to sort out the true costs.

No rental option, local used market is dried up (there is an ebb and flow to used wing availability - very dependant on time of year).

Guess a new wing it is.

If you are part of the rare 1% who has reigned in impulse and taken a step back to consider the true costs - you're likely wondering how to best save some coin on equipment purchase. 

The majority of the worlds wings are fabricated in a small number of factories that cater to multiple brands (a secret manufacturers don't make very public) and are made from a very small collection of fabrics. The result -> production costs are relatively similar.

In addition - R&D, administration, and marketing typically scale. Larger manufacturers pour more into marketing (sponsoring competition teams and factory pilots), have in house designers, and employ test pilots. Smaller shops outsource the entire design process and limit marketing to very specific regions/segments. 

What does this all mean?  

Commoditization.

A wing in EN class X should cost Y no matter the brand. A price above this is either result of inefficiency or the padding of margin somewhere between you and the manufacturer. The former will die due to decreasing market share, the latter will perish with an informed customer.

What can you do?

Become informed. Window shop around. This can be a touchy subject as it will eat into a schools margin. A *pre-authorized* purchase outside the school is sometimes offered as an unspoken option for an 'uncorking fee'  - typically around $500. It will not hurt to ask up front before paying for lessons, if I want to buy a different brand than what you carry, what is the additional cost? If nothing else, it could pressure the school dealer to price match if they wish to maintain market share.

How much could you save?

Pricing options for low end EN-B (a common first wing here) plus harness and reserve in the Vancouver market:

Equipment	Dealer A	Dealer B	Dealer C
Wing	$3900	$3500	$4000
Harness (with back protection)	$900	$650	$1100
Medium Reserve	$660	$700*	$1000

* I had to query the reserve price, as none was published.

The right combination of the above can net over $1200 in savings.The catch is the need to negotiate. A smart dealer will realize a customer who feels they are getting a good deal will become a repeat customer.

In the end the right questions cost you nothing and can save you alot.

Those of you about to fly, we salute you.

On the threshold of your flying career, a school selected and dreams of joining your winged brethren.

Counting down the days till the commencement of training, you have likely scoured the internet in search of information. Inevitably that search will come across video of flights with less than ideal outcomes. These outcomes are entirely preventable, as the adage goes - 'launching is optional, landing is mandatory' (and in these cases, the landing was not voluntary).  To minimize the risk of such a 'negative flying experience', a combination of right conditions, right wing, and right pilot are essential. It behoves the fledgling pilot to learn to identify each element of this combintation early on if they wish to enjoy both a safe and productive flying career.

Right conditions.

If the weather can be compared to a toddler with a penchant for stomping, we are the ants that scurry amongst its feet. We have no influence on its mood or behavior, all we can do is to know when it is best to remain below ground.

Learning to know when the toddler is likely to be let loose upon the yard is a critical part of our early training. In essence, become a personal weather channel. Failure to do so (or to heed signs that are staring us in the face) could result in a similar experience:

The outcome for this individual could have been much, much worse (competition or not, there was no excuse to fly in those conditions - a complete failure in judgement by an experienced pilot). Knowing when we can fly is important but knowing when we shouldn't is paramount. If there is one reoccuring contributor in paragliding incidents, the conditions would be it.

Right wing.

While we may not have control over the weather every day, we do have control of the wing we use every flight.

Finding a wing that fits our flying style takes time and may not happen with our first wing. But we can ensure we start with a wing that is suitable for our experience level. Wings are certified with EN and/or LTF ratings between A and D. A wing with an A rating is typically well suited for a students first flight, while a D wing is meant for only the most experienced and skilled of pilots. Many pilots at the beginning of their career assume that two wings which share a rating are equally safe to fly. While this may have held some validity five or six years ago, wing development has progressed to the point that not all wings of a class flock together.

Thermik magazine of Germany has subdivided each EN/LTF class based on behavior and suitability (relying in part on manufacturer recommendation), coupled with current examples:

A – Beginner
A1: Especially suited for schooling and first flights
A2: Beginner wings that offer good handling, high safety and flying pleasure for a long time 

B – Intermediate
B1: Classic basic intermediate wings with high safety, good handling and sufficient performance. Wings for a lifetime!
B2: All-round-intermediate wings in the middle of their class
B3: Since several years very big XC-flights are being flown with these wings. Top pilots feel completely at ease under these wings whereas some of them may be too demanding for average pilots. 

C – Sports Class
C1: Good-natured sports class wings with high safety margin for their class, but having handling characteristics similar to high performance wings.
C2: “True” sports class wings with safety comparable to most former DHV-2 wings.
C3: Demanding sports class wings for Top XC-pilots with a high level of piloting. Comparable to good-natured high-performance wings from a few years back (DHV 2-3)
C4: These wings bridge the gap to the EN-D class. Piloting demands are comparable to those of high-performance wings. 

D – High Performance
D1: These wings are high-performance, but still have manageable flying characteristics for very experienced pilots.
D2: Demanding high-performance wings that require extremely experienced pilots.
D3: Certified 2-liners and extremely demanding high-performance wings.

A pilot having completed their first half dozen flights is likely looking to progress to an A2 (or if particularly talented, a B1). Migration to B2 should only be done with significant consideration and dialog with an instructor. A B3 shouldn't even be in the picture prior to the completion of a SIV course and accumulation of moderate XC experience - they are not suitable for new pilots and manufacturers make this abundantly clear in the user manual with statements like "not suitable for training" (or a definitive absence of "suitable for training" that may be found with their A and B1 offerings). A B3 frequently makes a great second wing, but not a good first one.

Right pilot.

Train. Train. Train.

Training is an investment in ourselves. The most fundamental form of training is ground handling (aka kiting). By making ground handling payments into our training investment, we begin to build the muscle memory that will form our pilotage skill base. It is quite evident on launch which students have been investing in themselves (including time on the training hill), their launches are smooth and aggressive. On the opposite end of the spectrum we see chaotic, apprehensive launch attempts that frequently become cringe worthy - the end result for those who do not place much value on ground handling.

Even upon award of our first license, the training must not end. Find a coach to further work on launching, landing, and, especially, thermalling. Just because we went around in circles a few times in lift, we are certainly no masters of climb. Thermalling is an art form that takes years to refine to an acceptable efficiency. A coach can cut out a lot of trial and error (especially the all too common error of blaming and seeking to replace the wing). Dedicated thermalling courses overseas are an option as well, if money and time are no barrier.

Going even further, if your former instructor (and current coach) agree - a combination of reserve clinic  and SIV should be a goal prior to completion of the first season post license. A desire to understand how to deploy the reserve and the characteristics of a wing when it departs normal flight are the hallmarks of a safety conscious pilot.

A very busy first season no doubt, but a very sound investment - one that will pay out a dividend of right conditions, right wing, and right pilot.