Table of Contents
PREFACE
PART I - BEGINNING FLIGHT
CHAPTER 1 - UNDER A RAINBOW - THE STORY OF PARAGLIDING
Paragliding and You - Whatever it Takes - Mental Aspects - Fear and Danger - Getting Started - Organizations - From Past to Present - Modern Times - Paragliding Realized - How Do They Do That?
CHAPTER 2 - BEGINNING WINGS AND GEAR
The Right Wing - The Name Game - The Canopy - The Harness - Suspension Line Layout - Paraglider Construction - The Canopy - The Lines - The Harness - Paraglider Care -Environmental Damage - Handling Abuse - Other Equipment - Helmets - Shoes and Gloves - Instruments
CHAPTER 3 - WHY IT FLIES
A Paraglider Invades the Sky - Relative Speed and Ground Speed - Inflation - Forming a Wing - Maintaining Form - Creating Lift - The Airfoil - Lift and Drag - The Effect of Forces - Angle of Attack - The Balancing Act - Speed Control - Trim Speed - Changing Speed - Stalls - A Good Turn
CHAPTER 4 - FLIGHT FAMILIARIZATION
Unpacking, Laying Out and Packing - Spreading Your Wings - Clearing the Lines - Horseshoeing a Canopy - Packing the Glider - Reverse Setup - Putting on the Harness - Attaching the Risers-Reverse Position - Carabiner Hookup - Preflighting - Reverse Inflations - Reverse Inflation Types - Wind Sense - Initial Turning Around - Straight Arm Arrangement - Building a Wall - Reverse Inflation - Stopping and Dropping the Canopy - Sorting out a Canopy - Carrying the Glider - Self-Spreading - Forward Inflation - Attaching the Risers - Lofting the Canopy - Stopping the Canopy - Ground Handling - Fore and Aft Controls-Kiting - Side-to-Side Controls - Riser Control
CHAPTER 5 - WALKING ON AIR - FIRST FLIGHTS
Preparing to Be a Pilot - Proper Attire - Physical Effort - Mental Preparation - At the Site - Watching the Wind - Into the Air - Pre-Launch Check - The Launch - Imaging Practice - In Flight - Sitting Down - Steady Flight - Speed Corrections - Speed Control - Landing - Performing a PLF - Finishing the Flight - More Handling Tricks - Turn Corrections and Controls - Learning Turns - Tandem Flying as a Student - Towing as a Student - USHGA Beginner Rating
PART II - NOVICE FLIGHT
CHAPTER 6 - THE NATURE OF THE SKY - WEATHER FOR PARAGLIDING
A Note to the Beginner - Limits - The Wind-Breath of the Sky - Upslope and Downslope Winds - Residual Heat, Restitution and Evening Soaring - The Sea Breeze - Other Circulations - Judging Conditions - Wind Strength - Wind Direction - Wind and Turbulence - Turbulence Types - Mechanical Turbulence - Rotors - Thermal Turbulence - Shear Turbulence - Wing Tip Vortices - Watching the Wind - Lifting Air - Slope or Ridge Lift - Thermal Lift - Convergence Lift - Wave Lift - The Air You Fly In - The Density Effect - Pressure Effect - Temperature Effect - Stability - Thermal Production - Clouds - Cloud Causes - Cloud Types - General Weather - Circulation - Air Masses - Fronts-Cold and Warm - Pressure Systems - Circulation Around Pressure Systems - Jet Stream - Obtaining Weather Information - Risk Management
CHAPTER 7 - PERFECTING TAKEOFF SKILLS
Takeoff Perfection - Takeoff Review - Solving Launch Problems - Aborting a Launch - Launch Conditions Variations - Calm Winds, Tail Winds, High Altitude - Crosswind Technique - Turbulent and Switchy Winds - Stronger Winds - High Wind Reverse Inflation - Turn Around Emergency Procedure - Windy Assisted Launches - Light Wind Assistance - Launch Slope Variations - Flat Slope Launches - Steep Slope Launches - Launches from Flat to Steeper - Launches from Steep to Flatter - Windy Cliff Launches - Rough Terrain
CHAPTER 8 - PERFECTING LANDING JUDGEMENT
From Final to Flare - The Four Phase Final - Troubleshooting Landings - Wind Gradient Landing Setups - The Figure Eight Setup - Judging Final Height - Preventing Setup and Approach Problems - The Aircraft Pattern - Entering the DBF Pattern-Staging Areas - Boxing the Field - Learning the DBF - Landing Setup Rules - Landing Variations - Wind Factors - Landing on Slopes - Landing in Varied Ground Cover - Landing in Traffic - Accuracy Landings - Big Ears in Landing - Obstructed Landings - The Last Act
CHAPTER 9 - LEARNING NOVICE SKILLS
Comfortable Flying - Easy Chair Flying - Controlling Oscillations - Harness Adjustment - Speed Control - Slow Speed - Best Glide Speed - Fast Speed-Speed System - Speed System Use - Launching With a Speed System - Speed Variation - Stall and Spin Control - Full Stall - Deep Stall - Spins - Performing Turns - Turn Types - Efficient Turns - Weight Shift Turns - Ending a Turn - Rear Riser Turn - Performing 360's - Diving Turns-Spirals - Spatial Judgement - Clearing Turns - Turn Practice - Flying in More Wind - Wind Effects - Wind Limits - Penetration - Venturis - Turns in Wind - Flying in Turbulence - Active Flying - Wing Folds - Controlling a Fold - Frontal Folds - Turbulence Security Position - Big Ears - Flying With Big Ears - Removing Big Ears - Flying Higher - High Flight Preparation - The Site - The Conditions - Dive Syndrome - Flight Judgement - Judging Glide Point - Judging Obstacle Clearance - Planning a Flight - Busy Sites - Flying at Altitude - Judgement - Risk Management - Note on Towing - USHGA Novice Rating
PART III - INTERMEDIATE FLIGHT
CHAPTER 10 - RULES OF FLIGHT
Rules to Live By - Launching Rules - In-Flight Rules - Landing Rules - Emergency Procedures - Airsickness - Helmet and Harness Problems - Control and Canopy Problems - Tree Landing - Power Lines - Still Water Landing - Surf and Moving Water Landing - Getting Blown Back - Getting Dragged - Parachute Deployment - Courtesy Rules - Right-of-Way Rules - General Traffic Rules - Soaring Rules - Flying With Hang Gliders - Federal Aviation Rules - Applicability - Inspection Requirements - Waivers and Certificates - Hazardous Operations - Daylight Operations - Right-of-Way Rules - Congested Areas - Operation in Controlled - Airspace - Visual Reference With the Surface and Cloud Clearance - NOTAMS
CHAPTER 11 - MORE ABOUT EQUIPMENT
Glider Construction, Care and Repair - Canopy Construction - Line Construction and Strength - Canopy Care and Repair - Line Care - and Repair - Replacing Lines - Buying Your Own Equipment - New or Used - What to Look For - Inspecting a Glider - Test Flying and Transitioning - Control Line Adjustment - Your New Harness - Selecting a Harness - Parachute Position - Parachutes - Parachute Types - Parachute Care and Function - Instruments - The Variometer - Altimeters - The Airspeed Indicator - Safety Equipment - Helmets - Protective Footwear - Hook Knife - Risk Management
CHAPTER 12 - HOW OUR WINGS WORK
Performance Factors - The Airfoil - Flight Angles - Lift and Drag - Drag Types - Wing Loading Effects - Design Effects - Paraglider Stability - The Control Axes - Pitch Stability - Roll Stability - Yaw Stability - Turn Effects - How a Turn Works - Turn Limits
CHAPTER 13 - SOARING! INTRODUCTION TO INTERMEDIATE SKILLS
You, the Pilot - Recurrent Training - Decision Making - Fear of Flight - The Intermediate Syndrome - Flying New Sites - Judging Safety - Flight Procedures - Model Behavior - Flying in Traffic - Turns in Traffic - Judging Traffic - Learning to Soar - The Story of Soaring - Soaring Qualifications - Soaring Turns - Ridge Soaring Steps - Crabbing on a Ridge - Soaring Launches - Ridge Soaring Problems - Ridge Soaring Rules - Ridge Soaring Lore - Landing on Top - Safe Top Landings - The Crosswind Top Landing Approach - The Downwind Top Landing Approach - Thermal Soaring - What is a Thermal - Thermal Soaring Qualifications - Learning to Thermal - Using a Variometer - Where to Find Thermals - Thermal Safety - Thunderstorms - Cloud Suck - Escaping Cloud Suck - Thermal Rewards - USHGA Intermediate Rating
APPENDIX I - USEFUL ADDRESSES
APPENDIX II - ANSWERS TO CHAPTER TESTS
GLOSSARY
INDEX