Paraglider Ground School Flashcards by John McCurdy

How are the lines described, front to back?

A-Lines
B-Lines
C-Lines
Brake Lines

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What is the bar called that your feet rest on?

The Speed Bar

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What connects the harness to the risers?

Carabiners

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What is the preflight checklist mnemonic?

R-1-2-3-4-S-T-A-R-V-E

Reserve parachute
1 Helmet Strap (securely fastened)
2 Carabiners (gates closed and locked)
3 Harness buckles (secure)
4 Corners [formed by the 2 front and 2 rear risers] (clear, no snags)
Stirrup and speed system (properly attached, clear of the reserve chute)
Top and Turn (make sure the correct riser is on top based on the direction you’ll turn for launch)
Airspace (clear)
Radio (correct frequency, radio check)
V-shape (check for V’s between brake lines and rear risers to avoid brake line twists)
Even pressure (ensure the tension on the A lines is even as you prepare to inflate the glider)

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What is the proper body position for launch?

Chest ahead of the carabiners
Eyes where you’re going
Arms swept back

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Do not under any circumstances pull the brakes all the way down while flying at an elevation higher than _____ feet AGL

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What is the typical airspeed (no wind ground speed) of a paraglide?

20 MPH

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What is the body position for a PLF?

Feet, ankles, and knees tightly together with a slight bend in the knees

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When should you do a forward launch?

High altitude, light wind, or shallow slope

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When should you do a reverse launch?

High wind or steep slope

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What should you assess in choosing a launch site?

Slope Angle
Wind
Line snag hazards
Obstructions
Footing
Whether an abort is possible

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What is the launch body position called?

The torpedo position

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What are the two common types of approaches?

The T-approach and the “downwind-base-final” approach

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What is the “torpedo” position when launching?

Head and chest forward, hands back and up

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When do you get out of the torpedo position?

When you are “clear of launch”

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What is an advantage of staying in the torpedo position during launch, until you are clear of launch?

If you get packed up and set back down you can land on your feet and continue to run;
It keeps the glider weighted and prevents your feet from being swung out from under you

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What are the safe and acceptable ways to get into your harness?

Foot stirrup
Both brakes in one hand on the same side as the reserve; and hooking a harness strap with your other hand while maintaining directional control of the glider.

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While flying, how much brake pressure should you maintain on the brake toggles?

About 3-5 pounds, or the weight of your arms when relaxed

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When the glider is behind you, what direction should your hands move to maintain your active piloting?

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When should you get comfortable in the harness after launch?

When you are well away from launch

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When the glider is in front of you, what direction should your hands move to maintain your active piloting?

Down

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While getting comfortable in the harness, what should you do with your hands?

Maintain smooth directional control of the glider

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If you’re not sure what to do with your hands, what should you do?

Bring them up to shoulder level

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How do you lose altitude when approaching a landing zone to avoid overshooting?

Perform turns

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What are the three steps to a turn?

1. Look 2. Weight shift 3. Brake

When do you get out of your harness for landing?

At 30+ feet

Why do we look in the direction we want to turn?

To see if anything might be in the way of the turn To clear the airspace To start our weight shift To tell other pilots what direction we intend to turn

How do you land safely with the lowest possible ground speed?

Point the glider into the wind and at 3-4 feet pull both brakes all the way down

What maneuvers are never done close to the ground?

360-degree or sharp turns

Will your flight path be shorter or longer when facing into the wind?

Shorter

What is the advantage of Figure-8 turns when approaching a landing zone?

You fly over the same piece of ground repeatedly without risking overshooting your landing zone

If your glider flies through the are at 20 MPH and you have a headwind of 10 MPH, what is your ground speed?

10 MPH

If your glider flies through the air at 20 MPH and you have a tailwind of 5 MPH, what is your ground speed?

25 MPH

What are the two types of landing approaches?

T-Approach | Downwind-Base-Final

Where should you look during a landing approach?

At the spot you want to land on

What direction do you NEVER fly when landing in a windy landing zone and low to the ground?

Downwind; | “Toward the hill”

If you are lifted a few feet after you have begun your flare, what should you [initially] do?

Keep your hands where they are

If you continue to be lifted after you have begun your flare and are now fairly high, what should you do?

Slowly bring your hands up

Is it better to land on a spot landing target or to land safely?

Uh… safely

When should you analyze the weather conditions to determine their suitability for flying?

1. Before arriving at the flying site 2. Just before you launch 3. Constantly during flight

Where do Cold fronts generally come from and go to?

From the northwest and move east across the US

Where to Warm fronts come from and go to?

They come from the Gulf of Mexico and move northeast across the US

At what altitudes are winds aloft reported?

3,000; 6,000; 9,000; 12,000, 18000

What type of clouds form the center of thunderstorms?

Cumulonimbus

What type of weather can produce gust fronts?

Thunderstorms

What are Indications of a gust front?

A change in wind direction A change in wind speed A change in temperature

Which of the following clouds indicates a front in the next 24-48 hours? A. Cumulus B. Lenticular C. Mare’s tails

C. Mare’s tails

What conditions form cumulous clouds?

Warm, moist air rising through the dew point or condensation level

``` When thermal lift becomes strong, what types of clouds can form? (Choose all that apply) A. Cumulus congestus B. Lenticular C. Cumulonimbus D. Stratocumulus ```

A., C., and D.

``` What clouds indicate high winds aloft and are often over mountains? A. Stratocumulus B. Mare’s Tails C. Lenticular D. Cumulous Humongous ```

C. Lenticular

What guidance can you use for determining if cumulous clouds are too big for safe flying?

They’re taller than they are wide

What’s the number for Flight Service?

1-800-WX-BRIEF

Warm that is cooling and flowing downhill is called

Catabatic flow

Air that is warming and flowing uphill is called…

Anabatic flow

What weather information must you acquire before flying?

- Atmospheric stability - Surface winds - Winds aloft

The angle of attack is the angle between the chord line of the airfoil and…

Relative wind

How do you change the angle of attack of the paraglider airfoil?

Add brake input or use the speed system

What happens to a glider when the angle of attack is increased “too much”? (By “too much” they mean “beyond critical angle of attack”)

Airflow cannot smoothly flow over the top of the glider [airfoil] and it stalls

The air that spirals off the wing tips of all aircraft is called

Wingtip vortices (which cause wake turbulence)

A glide ratio of 8:1 means the glider will fly…

8 feet forward for every 1 foot down in still air

Where do most gliders achieve their best glide ratio in still air?

“Trim”

Minimum sink is the rate at which…

You are sinking the slowest through the air

Flying between minimum sink and stall…

…is unnecessary and dangerous because you’re close to stall, you are sinking faster, and not going as far

Using speed bar ________ your glide ratio in still air but ________ is when flying upwind Increases/decreases

Using speed bar decreases your glide ratio in still air but increases it when flying upwind

If your glider has a glide ratio of 8:1, flies through the air at 20 mph, and you have a headwind of 10 MPH, what is your glide ratio?

4:1

If your glider has a glide ratio of 8:1, flies through the air at 20 MPH, and you have a tailwind of 10 MPH, what is your glide ratio?

12:1

A higher glide ratio means you will…

Fly a further distance

_________ lift is the lift created when wind moves up over an obstacle such as a ridge, hill or mountain.

Orographic

What is the area of lift on a ridge site called?

Lift Band

What direction do you ALWAYS turn when flying on a ridge?

Away from the hill

If you find yourself going up on a ridge site you should…

Fly out away from the ridge

If you find yourself going up at a ridge site what conditions may have changed?

1. The wind speed has increased | 2. The wind direction has gotten straighter

At a ridge site, where is the area of strongest horizontal wind? (Bottom/middle/top of hill)

Top of the hill

You are flying across a ridge and notice your ground speed is very high. What should you do with your brakes?

Nothing

When top landing on a ridge you should always land on the… | Slow or fast beat?

Slow beat

Flying a ridge, when turning from the fast beat onto the slow beat, your turn will…

Take the same amount of time but cover more

When wind passes through a constricted area it…

Speeds up

If other aircraft are flying upwind of you at a ridge site you need to be careful about launching into…

Wake turbulence or vortices

Pilots approaching each other head on should always yield to the…

Right

Which pilot has the right of way on a ridge? The pilot with the ridge to their right or to their left?

The one with the ridge on the right

Why do lower pilots have the right of way?

Because they might not be able to see pilots above them

You are passing another pilot on a ridge who is going the same direction. You should…

Pass them on the inside (between them and the ridge)

When joining another pilot in a thermal, who sets the direction?

The first pilot in the thermal

When joining another pilot in a thermal, at what position should you join?

Merge into the thermal “tangentially,” which is paraglider speak for on the opposite side of the thermal, in the same direction of turn

If you are in conflict with someone who is not obeying the right of way rules, you should…

Run/fly away from them

What is the most common type of reserve chute?

Pull-down-apex (PDA)

The most common type of reserve is…

Pull-down Apex (PDA)

Are reserves certified for terminal velocity?

Nope

Are reserve lines shorter or longer than your glider lines?

Shorter

Why should you not sit on your reserve?

It squeezes air out of it

If your reserve gets wet, it should be dried out how?

By placing it in a cool dark place

How often should you repack your reserve?

Every six months to a year

What are the three most common reasons for reserve deployment?

1. Mid-air collision 2. Severe turbulence 3. Rotor

How can you avoid mid-air collisions?

1. Avoid very crowded sites and be aware of your surroundings 2. Know the right of way rules

At what point does severe turbulence necessitate reserve deployment?

Loss of control or horizon reference

How can you avoid rotor?

Maintain a 2:1 glide ratio from the top of a peak, and if you’re going up then go out

Min altitude for reserve deployment?

300-500 feet

T/F many problems can be solved with altitude rather than reserve deployment

True

Basic steps for reserve deployment?

``` Look Pull Throw Retrieve Disable Avoid PLF ```

After you land under your reserve, how do you signal to others that you’re OK?

Bunch your glider up