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control the wing. You have to allow the glider to re-establish normal flying
speed and attitude after any type of incident
4.3 ACCELERATED FLIGHT
The KODE P profile was designed for stable flight throughout its entire
speed range. The speed-bar can be used in strong winds or significant
sink.
When accelerating the wing, the profile becomes more sensitive to
turbulence and closer to a possible frontal collapse. If a loss in internal
wing pressure is felt, tension on the speed-bar should be reduced to a
minimum and a slight pull on the brake lines is recommended to increase
the wing’s angle of attack. Always remember to re-establish the correct air
speed after any correction.
It is NOT recommended to accelerate near obstacles or in very turbulent
conditions. If necessary, constantly adjust the movements and pressure
on the speed-bar whilst doing the same to the brake lines. This means
active flying during accelerated flight.
4.4 FLYING WITHOUT BRAKE LINES
If, for any reason at all, the KODE P’s brake lines become disabled in
flight, it will become necessary to pilot the wing with the C-risers and
weight-shifting until landing. These risers steer easily because they are
not under much tension, however you will need to be careful and not
handle them too heavily in case this causes a stall or negative spin. The
wing must be flown at full speed during the landing approach, and the
C-risers will have to be pulled symmetrically all the way down shortly
before contact with the ground. This braking method is not as effective as
using the brake lines, and hence the wing will land with a higher
ground speed.
4.5 LINE KNOT(S) IN FLIGHT
The best way to avoid knots and tangles is to thoroughly inspect the lines
as part of a systematic pre-flight check. If a knot is spotted during the
take off phase, immediately abort the launch sequence and stop.
If inadvertently taking off with a knotted line, the glider drift will need to
be compensated by weight-shifting to the opposite side of the wing and
applying a slight brake pull to that side. Gently pull the brake line to see
if the knot can be undone or try to locate the problem line. Beware of
trying to clear or untangle a knotted line in flight when close to the terrain.
If the knot is too tight and cannot be undone, carefully and safely fly to
the nearest landing zone. Be careful: do not pull too hard on the brake
handles because there will be an increased risk of stalling the wing or
entering a negative spin. Before attempting to clear a knot, make sure
there are no other pilots flying in the vicinity.
5. LOSING ALTITUDE
Knowledge of different descent techniques could become vital in
certain situations. The most suitable descent method will depend on the
particular situation.
We recommend learning these maneuvers under the guidance of a
qualified instructor.
5.1 BIG EARS
Big ears is a moderate descent technique, able to increase the sink rate
to –3 or –4 m/s and reduces the ground speed by 3 to 5 km/h. The angle
of attack and effective wing-loading will also increase due to the smaller
surface area of the wing.
To perform the ‘Big ears’ manoeuvre, take the outermost line on each
A-riser (line 4a1 in size 16 y 18 and specifically the A’ line in sizes 20,
22, 24 and 26) and simultaneously, smoothly pull them outward and
downward. The wingtips will fold in.
