Rapid Decent Manoeuvres; Spiral - Air Design vita 2 Betriebshandbuch

apply the brakes in such a situation, because the wing would then enter a full stall! You can exit
the deep stall by pushing the speed bar, or by simply pushing the A-Risers forward. If you fly
through rain, the risk of a deep stall is higher.
We strongly advise against flying in rainy conditions. If it happens that you get into rainfall,
we recommend not to perform a B-stall or Big Ears. The best is to leave the rain as soon as
possible, and to fly with both brakes released, or even accelerated, as this reduces the risk of a
deep stall. (The available brake travel before entering a deep stall may be reduced
significantly.)
o.

Rapid Decent Manoeuvres

The spiral dive is an effective way of making a fast descent. During the spiral dive, the pilot and
glider will experience strong centrifugal forces, which strain the glider. As such, it should be
considered an extreme manoeuvre. Due to the rapid height loss during a spiral, you must
always take care that they have sufficient altitude before initiating the manoeuvre, and that
the airspace is free around you.
Initiation: Shift your weight and smoothly pull on one brake (the same side you are weight
shifting into) so the glider goes from a normal 360-degree turn into a steep turn, and from
there into a spiral dive. Once established in the spiral, the descent rate and bank angle can be
controlled with weight shift and the releasing or pulling of the inner brake. As the glider banks
in front of you maintain the spiral by keeping the brake pressure constant; at this point weight-
shift can be neutralized. Descent is controlled by pulling more on the inner brake. A slight pull
on the outside brake helps to keep the glider stable.
Recovery: The VITA2 recovers from a spiral spontaneously, as soon as the brakes are released
and weight shift returns to neutral. To exit, allow the spiral to slow down for a turn or two by
slowly releasing the inner brake. Once the glider starts to exit the spiral, control your descent
rate and bank angle with weight shift and the outer and/or inner brake, to prevent any strong
climbs out of the spiral. Always finish a spiral dive at a safe altitude.
The VITA2 does not show any tendency for a stable spiral. That means the glider does not
remain in spiral after releasing the brakes. If the glider should, in rare cases, remain in a stable
spiral, you should first weight-shift to the outside and then brake slightly more on the outside.
A spiral can become locked due to a variety of reasons including the following:

Chest strap is too narrow

Weight shifting to the centre of the turn or actively pushing or holding the body
weight against the forces generated in the spiral

Harness without seat-plate

Ballast mounted on the chest belt

Cross bracing on the chest strap

No braking input on the outside brake
Should the VITA2 remain in a constant spiral, even little brake input on the outside brake will
release the spiral.
i. Spiral
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