Niviuk LINK 2, User Manual

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the D-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  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. Try pulling it to see if the 
knot can be undone. Beware of trying to clear a knotted line or untangle 
a 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.

To become familiar with the manoeuvres described below, we 
recommend practising within the environment of a licensed training outfit.

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.

Standard technique

To perform the ‘Big ears’ manoeuvre, take the outermost line on each 
A-riser and simultaneously, smoothly pull them outward and downward. 
The wingtips will fold in.

To re-establish forward speed and the correct angle of attack, accelerate 
once the ears are pulled. 

Keep the ears pulled in until you have lost the desired altitude.
Let go of the lines to re-inflate the tips automatically. If they do not, try 
progressively pulling one brake then the other. We recommend inflating 
the wing tips asymmetrically, without major change to the angle of 
attack, especially when flying near the ground or flying in turbulence. 

Beware of the risk of stalling!

The action of reaching for the outermost A-lines to make ears, can 
inadvertently mean pulling the brakes. The same can happen when we 
are holding the tips down with the outermost A-lines, it is possible to 
accidentally affect the brakes. This can obviously lead to a significant