iParaglide Reserve Parachute Seminar Itinerary May 4

Paraglider Pilots,

We are looking forward to Sundays Paragliding Reserve Parachute Seminar.

It will be held here at iParaglide @ 1238 Seymour (@Davie) in downstairs Lounge and Seymour Room. 

Please bring a bagged lunch so we can keep the seminar on time. 

The itinerary is as follows:

(07:15-08:00 Set-up Paragliding Simulator (we would appreciate a couple of hands with this)

08:00-09:00 Paragliding Reserve Parachute deploy theory: design brief; pre-flight checks; why throw multimedia display; when to deploy; how to deploy mantra

09:00-11:00 First throws and repacks

11:00-12:00 Paragliding Reserve Parachute ride theory: low altitude deploy; high altitude deploy; dangerous landing sites; Parachute Landing Fall (PLF); tree extraction for paraglider pilots

12:00-12:30 Break

12:30-13:30 Tree extraction practicum

13:30-15:30 Second throws and reserve repacks

15:30-15:45 Break

15:45-18:00 Throws and reserve repacks

We look forward to seeing you all here.

Trim Speed Optimizer TSO - Custom Tune Your Paraglider

ICARO is an acronym for Innovative and Creative Aircarft from Rosenheim. It is common knowledge that German engineering in all sectors, especially aeronautics, is legendary. Certainly, over the years of flying ICARO paragliding products, we can say they live up to the claim of innovation.

While most paragliding manufacturers have been aware for some time that paragliders have the best handling and trim speed when loaded near the top of their weight range, until recently, little proactive work had been done to address the issue.

In studying the phenomenon in detail, ICARO has found that aging and cold temperatures can also have a noteworthy effect on paraglider performance.

Most recently, ICARO has introduced a real game changer.

Like most good designs, the solution is simple and elegant: the Trim Speed Optimizer (TSO).  Adjustable to the millimeter, one can fine tune a their wing to their specific loading, adjust for aging, or even cold, in a precise and simple manner. 

Most importantly, when fighting a head wind, even a small difference in trim speed makes a significant difference in performance over the ground. See data curves for paragliders at varying loading in traditional format, versus enhanced with TSO:

As indicated in the curves above, with TSO custom adjusted for pilot weight, a paraglider can significantly exceed the performance of traditional gliders.

Adjusting for light weight pilots the TSO is opened:

Adjusting for aging the TSO is opened as follows:

Adjusted for cold temperatures the TSO is opened as follows:

Combinations of pilot weight, aging and cold are possible, with the TSO always yielding the optimum trim for the given situation.  Read the complete Technical Manual on the patented ICARO Trim Speed Optimizer (TSO) Paragliding Riser here.

How is TSO different from traditional  trimmers? Traditional trimmers are difficult to set to the millimeter, must be checked prior to each flight, and not withstanding, can displace non-symmetrically and unintentionally in-flight, especially under the high g-loading of non-standard flight attitudes. They were never designed to adjust for micro effects. 

Here is a great video by ICARO test pilot, Xandi Meschuh, on the TSO:

Trim Speed Optimizer TSO Risers come stock with all ICARO paragliders for 2014. 

With TSO, pilots will discover a new realm of paragliding, with the ability to custom tailor the trim of their glider for their body weight and the environment!

Looking forward to spring tuning...  

Flight Club Kicks Off 2014

It was a flying Friday night at our recent Flight Club Season opener.

Some great stories shared and lots of plans for great new paragliding adventures.

Some beer and good food and...uuhhh.....errrhh......agugghh...............................The first rule of Flight Club is: you CAN NOT talk about Flight Club...     

Thanks to the many long time and new paragliding pilots that came down to the Yaletown Brew Pub, this season should really soar! 

Paragliding Discovery Theory

We had a great group of new student pilots at our recent Discovery Theory class. This course is designed to be the foundation of key concepts on which to build the paragliding pilots entire library of theory for flying.

As instructors, one of the most important things we can do is to teach core concepts in a classroom environment as a priori to other activity. In this manner, new pilots understand why paragliders work as they do and thereby are empowered to accelerate their progression when it comes time for practical application at the training hill and during high mountain flights.    

The evening began with the multimedia presentation of The Sky is Your Playground, originally shown at the 2013 Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival. Playground is a guided tour of paragliding, from taking your first steps off the ground to flying ever greater adventures in the sky.  With dramatic images from around the world and breathtaking videos to inspire all that seek to soar with hawks and eagles.

We had a break for the always delicious Romano's Pizza and the new pilots had the opportunity to mix and mingle.

Then we dove into the heart of paragliding with the key concepts:

• Why Paragliders Fly - Basic Aerodynamics
• Paragliding Control Positions and Flight Attitudes
• Choosing Safe Wind Limits for Launch, Flight and Landing
• 20 Point Paragliding Pre-Flight Checklist
• Launch Run Sequencing and Commands
• Stabilizing Pitch, Roll and Yaw
• Transitioning to Flight and Sitting after Takeoff 
• How to Turn Safely at Various Bank Angles
• Reserve Deployment
• Airspeed, Windspeed and Groundspeed
• Optimum Flight Plans for Safety
• Crabbing
• 10 Key Rules for Great Landings
• Standard Aircraft and Figure 8 Approach for Landing
• Final and Flaring  

 

Lots of "aha" moment smiles emerged throughout the evening and we really enjoyed teaching this new group. 

By the end of the evening the new pilots were all fully prepared for their upcoming training hill and mountain flights. 

We thank all for their enthusiastic participation and look forward to their continuing education with upcoming training hill flights, mountain flights and the upcoming iP1 Theory night.

Wishing a great new season and many fun and safe flights to all!

Flight Club Season Opener April 4@18:30

With spring apon us, we are kicking off the season with our traditional Flight Club season opener:

• Friday night April 4 at 18:30 at the Yaletown Brew Pub (1111 Mainland Street @ Helmcken)

Great opportunity to meet up with like minded friends and plan new paragliding adventures.

An upbeat location in Yaletown's high energy district, enjoy a few drinks knowing you can get home safely by Skytrain at Roundhouse Station. 

 

At the hostess stand ask for paragliding "Flight Club" and we have a table reserved on the Pub side. 

We look forward to a flying Friday night!

Hope to see you all there.