Rapid Descent Techniques - Nova MENTOR 5 LIGHT Handbuch

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In thermals, in addition to the inner brake, we recommend lightly bra-
king on the outside as well – this helps to control bank and speed of
rotation, i.e. you get better feedback from the wing. Additionally this
increases the stability of the wing tip. Tight, controlled turns and
smooth direction changes need practise but should be a skill all pilots
have mastered.
Please note: if the paraglider is no longer steerable using the brake
lines (for example if they have become tangled) then the wing has
limited steering capacity through the C-risers.
This, in combination with weight-shift, still allows reasonable turn
correction. Using this technique also permits a safe landing. The
C-risers should not be pulled so hard that they cause the wing to stall.
The Speedbrake Riser can also be used to steer the glider.
Landing
!
Landing the MENTOR 5 LIGHT is very simple. In turbulent conditions
it is advisable to make your approach whilst pulling a little brake in
Please note: a full stall
– if initiated too early –
order to increase stability and to increase the feeling for the wing's
can lead to heavy lan-
movement.
dings or even serious
accidents. Therefore
Immediately before touchdown the brakes should be pulled hard –
the brakes should
even to the point of stall.
only be pulled fully
immediately before
touching the ground

Rapid descent techniques

(<0.5 meters).
To quickly lose height, we recommend three possible manoeuvres. We
have ordered these by degree of difficulty:
1) Big ears
To use big ears, both outer A-lines (fitted on a separate riser – split
A-risers) should be pulled down simultaneously. The brake handles (wi-
thout an additional wrap) remain in your hands. As long as the lines are
held down the wingtips remain folded and this increases the sink rate.
If the speed bar is used as well, this increases sink and speed. This
also equalises the higher angle of attack caused by the increased drag
of the ears. With »big« big ears (if the A3 line is pulled further), it is
necessary to use the speed-bar to avoid the angle of attack becoming
critically high.
To release the ears, release the A-lines fully and allow them to return to
their normal flying position. If the ears do not open automatically, the
pilot can use a quick, sharp tug on the brakes to assist the opening.
2) B-line stall
A B-line stall is instigated by symmetrically pulling both B-risers
(approximately 15 centimetres). It is recommended – for maximum
grip as well as safely executing the manoeuvre – to grab the risers at
the top. i.e. at the maillon.
Immediately after pulling the risers, the wing will lose its forward speed
and after a short oscillation will descend in a stable parachutal stall.
If the B-risers are pulled too far (markedly more than 15 centimetres),
the wing will slowly begin to rotate around its vertical axis. It is also
possible (particularly in turbulent air) that the wing horseshoes. This
means that the wing deforms and the wing tips go forwards. The ten-
dency to horseshoe can be reduced by gripping the B-risers from the
inside and then pulling them towards the body, as well as downwards.
When executing a B-line stall, we recommend watching your canopy –
whilst always keeping an eye on your height above ground, so that you
are able to exit the manoeuvre at the correct time.
The B-line stall is released by simultaneously raising your B-risers
back to their normal flying position. If they are released too slowly, an
unintended consequence can be a parachutal stall (see the section on
parachutal stall).
The brakes should remain in your hands the entire duration of the
manoeuvre and no additional wrap should be taken. When exiting the
B-line stall it is important that the brake is completely free so that the
wing can fully accelerate to trim speed.
3) Spiral dive
The spiral dive is the most demanding descent technique and should
be learned at great height, preferably during an SIV/pilotage course.
The manoeuvre has two phases:
First the pilot weight-shifts into the turn and then uses the inner brake
to induce an ever tightening turn (note: do not jerk the brake, but pull
it smoothly and continuously). With increasing acceleration, there will
be a moment where the G-forces rapidly increase and the nose of the
glider begins to point to the ground until (during a successfully per-
formed spiral dive) the nose is nearly parallel with the ground. At this
point the wing will reach sink rates of 20 meters per second (m/s) or
more.
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