3rd Year Special Annual Double Issue Vol 4 Issue 1 & 2 Jan - Apr 2 3rd Year Special Annual Double Issue Vol 4 Issue | Page 23

which substantially reduces the
glide angle with only a small
decrease in forward speed. As the
effective wing area is reduced, the
wing loading is increased, and it
becomes more stable. However, the
angle of attack is increased, and
the craft is closer to stall speed, but
this can be ameliorated by applying
the speed bar, which also increases
the descent rate. When the lines are
released, the wing re-inflates. If
necessary, a short pumping on the
brakes helps reentering normal flight.
Compared to the other techniques,
with big ears, the wing still glides
forward, which enables the pilot to
leave an area of danger. Even landing
this way is possible, e.g., if the pilot
has to counter an updraft on a
slope.
B-line stall
In a B-line stall, the second set of
risers
from
the
leading-edge/
front (the B-lines) are pulled down
independently of the other risers,
with the specific lines used to initiate
a stall. This puts a spanwise crease
in the wing, thereby separating the
Vol 4 | Issue 1 |Jan - Feb 2019
airflow from the upper surface of the
wing. It dramatically reduces the lift
produced by the canopy and thus
induces a higher rate of descent.
This can be a strenuous maneuver,
because these B-lines have to be
held in this position, and the tension
of the wing puts an upwards force on
these lines. The release of these lines
has to be handled carefully not to
provoke a too fast forward shooting
of the wing, which the pilot then could
fall into. This is less popular now as
it induces high loads on the internal
structure of the wing.
Spiral dive
The spiral dive is the most rapid
form of controlled fast descent; an
aggressive spiral dive can achieve a
sink rate of 25 m/s. This maneuver
halts forward progress and brings
the flier almost straight down. The
pilot pulls the brakes on one side and
shifts his weight onto that side to
induce a sharp turn. The flight
path then begins to resembles a
corkscrew.
After
a
specific
downward
speed
is
reached,
the wing points directly to the
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