Hang Gliding and Paragliding Volume 44 / Issue 3: March 2014 | Page 27

and the corner bracket are replaced. Are
the markings on your VG cord fading?
Now is a good time to redo them with
small marks using indelible ink.
If your glider is equipped with
sprogs, insure that they are straight
and within factory specifications.
Depending on where you fly, springtime
air can be turbulent and you’ll be grateful knowing your dive sticks are within
specs if you encounter rowdy air. Check
your owner’s manual to determine how
to correctly measure sprog settings. If
your glider utilizes reflex lines for pitch
stability, check your owner’s manual
to determine the exact length of your
reflex lines as your sail may change
shape with age. If the lengths of your
reflex lines are outside the manufacturer’s specification, consult with your
dealer before flying your glider. Check
the upper-surface ribs against the
batten profile template and true them
accordingly.

Liberty

The Cables
While the sail provides the skin to our
aircraft and the airframe its structure, the steel cables are critical to the
structural integrity of hang gliders and
no significant loss in cable strength can
be tolerated. The cables are tensioned,
de-tensioned and rolled or stowed each
time we set up, fly, and break down.
This inherently introduces some degree
of cable fatigue. Even a single broken
strand can significantly compromise the
integrity of a cable. But more important, a cable that has been bent severely
enough to have taken a permanent
curve when de-tensioned, no matter
how slight, must be replaced before the
glider can be flown again. Repeated
tensioning/de-tensioning of t