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WELCOME to the first edition of the Cross Country Magazine Gear Guide. Our sports continue to diversify and evolve quickly, and our aim with this gear guide is to take a broad look at what’s available out there and try to make good sense of it all. Whether you are in the market for a high-end EN B paraglider, your first reflex paramotor wing or a lightweight single-skin wing for mountaineering or trail running then we have tried to cover it in here somewhere. Putting it together, what has amazed me is how niche and specialised so much of our equipment has now become. New materials, new sizes, new technology and new demands have all helped create new products. As harness designer Yoann Chavanne explains on page 28, “We used…

ALMOST every piece of equipment we use, from glider to harness, helmet and reserve, is tested, rated and certified. Having a certification system means you can rely on the quality of the equipment you are using. It also helps you choose which class of glider to fly. But how did your equipment get the classification it has? What is tested? It doesn’t matter where you buy your paraglider, before most mass-market wings are released commercially a pre-production model of the glider is sent to a testing centre in Europe, where it goes through a shock test, load test and flight test. The shock test and the load test are done with the help of a car. In the shock test the glider is attached to a tow truck by a…

MOST paraglider pilots train on an EN A paraglider. These are the simplest and safest paragliders on the market. As well as being safe they must also be robust enough to withstand the groundhandling field and durable enough to be bundled up, thrown over a shoulder and carried back up the hill several times a day, every day, all season. These wings are therefore designed and built to last, while in the air they launch easily, fly predictably and land simply. Regardless of manufacturer, paragliders for beginners all feature similar attributes. They have a low aspect ratio, typically 4.5-4.9; colour-coded lines and risers with visual cues on them like letters or numbers; an obvious stabilo line for big ears; and a super simple speed system. In the air, brake travel…

YOU ARE expected to wear a helmet from day one in all free-flight sports, and in many countries (although not all) it’s a legal requirement, even when groundhandling. Specific helmets are designed for specific activities. They must meet corresponding European Standards (EN) to be sold in Europe. Look for the CE mark inside your helmet. The requirements vary slightly by activity so it is a good idea to use a helmet certified for airborne sports according to the EN-966 standard. Head first The two most important properties for a helmet are the shock absorption (where you fall headfirst onto something) and penetration resistance (when something falls on your head). To test a helmet it is first force-aged by heat, cold and UV radiation. Standardised tests are then carried out. For…

What’s important when buying equipment? Get a glider that matches your level. Get the safest glider, a proven model, adapted to the size of the pilot and passenger. It’s important you’re both comfortable and that the passenger can sit as soon as you’re in the air. Test several types of harnesses and ask pro’s for advice. For XC, a pod harness will protect the passenger against the cold. Any certified helmet will do for leisure flights. If you’re flying XC a helmet with a visor is a must. A solar vario mounted on your helmet is good because they’re light and small. Regarding parachutes, you have no choice: you need one. What are the main differences between flying a tandem paraglider and a solo paraglider? The priority is the passenger…

TO successfully complete a high-altitude hikeand-fly adventure preparation is key. Technically, ‘high altitude’ is between 8,000ft (2,439m) and 12,000ft (3,657m) ASL with ‘very high altitude’ between 12,000-18,000ft (5,486m). ‘Extreme altitude’ is everything above 18,000ft. Above 26,250ft (8,000m) mountaineers also talk about the ‘Death Zone’, where there is insufficient oxygen to support human life for an extended period of time. Once the body reaches about 6,900ft (2,100m), the saturation of oxyhaemoglobin in the blood begins to decrease rapidly and the body needs to adjust to the altitude to allow it to partially compensate for the lack of oxygen. This process takes time and can’t be forced. Altitude affects people uniquely; it is impossible to predict how altitude will affect individuals although in general, young fit males seem to be the worst…

Can I use my free-flight wing for paramotoring? If you own a modern EN A or low EN B these are definitely OK to fly with the motor. If your wing has a high aspect ratio (more than 5.55) it might be more technical to inflate with a motor, because the wingtips can inflate first from flat. Compared to a paramotor wing, the disadvantages of using your paraglider are lack of trimmers on the risers and low overall speed. Having trimmers on the risers helps you inflate the wing in nil-wind. Trimmers also let you increase speed without using speed bar. Many school and beginner paramotor wings are EN A or EN B paragliders with trimmers added. How does a PPG wing differ from a paraglider? Most modern paramotor (or…

WITH the right gear and training acro is a safe discipline, and getting some acro training under your belt will make you a safer and better pilot overall, says FAI Acro World Champion François Ragolski. So, how to start? Choosing an acro wing You may own your first acro wing already. That easy EN B glider you fly is perfect to start with. François is particularly fond of the BGD Epic, in addition to some older gliders like the Advance Epsilon 8, Supair Leaf or Niviuk Hook 2. “The Epic is very slow and gentle. Slow is positive when it comes to learning acro. You need to learn to control the glider when it’s not flying, in stalls and spins. That’s very different from a glider that flies. If the…

There are loads of different ways to pack a paraglider, and lots of advice. Rather than instruct you on a specific technique, here are some basic guidelines to follow: Packing the wing loosely protects the fabric When packing the wing, try to avoid dragging it over the ground If you need to get the air out of the wing, push it towards the leading edge, instead of trying to press it out of an already rolled or folded wing. Pressing it down stresses the seams Vary your packing technique, because always packing it the same way means always stressing the same places. For gliders with really long rods, the manufacturer usually provides guidance on the best packing technique for that particular model. The wing should be packed in a manner…

THE HARNESS is your connection with the wing. Maybe more than many realise, it influences not only your comfort and safety in the air, but also your control over the glider and the way the glider feels in the air. When selecting a harness you have to define what you will use it for. Are you a weekend pilot who stays local, or an XC-hound chasing distance? Do you always get a lift to launch or do you hike? According to Yoann Chavanne, harness designer at Supair, it also makes a difference whether you are a new or experienced pilot. “A beginner harness needs to be easy in all respects. Easy to put on with lots of hints how to do up the buckles, easy to walk with, to take-off,…

RESERVES have developed fast in recent years, resulting in many different types to choose from. The three main types are round reserves, squares (which aren’t always square – they can be multi-sided, like a pentagon or octagon), and Rogallo-type steerable reserves. According to Stefan Kurrle of manufacturer Independence Paragliding, square parachutes are the way to go. “Most squares excel in opening time and pendulum stability,” he explained. “Packing is different than for rounds, but not necessarily more complicated. In my view, there is no reason to buy a round anymore.” He added: “For the average pilot who doesn’t fly acro, a steerable Rogallo does not really make sense because they do not have the experience or time to activate it.” There are many different types of squares on the market…

ACCORDING to a survey we carried out last year around 60% of paraglider pilots fly an EN B, or intermediate, paraglider. But the EN B category is a broad one, ranging from wings that are suitable for just-qualified pilots to gliders that can be demanding to fly and require a high level of skill. EN B gliders are arguably the best-selling paragliders and certainly the most popular class. To cater for that, many manufacturers have a range of intermediate gliders, from two models up to four – or more if you count specialist wings. Navigating your way through this maze of different options and opportunities can be difficult, but let’s take a look. What is an intermediate glider? The name ‘intermediate’ conveys the sense of broadness of this class very…

WHY do you want to upgrade? To get more performance! How do you upgrade? Ask yourself, are you ready to upgrade? Lead your progression with experience. EN A and B For pilots with 0-50 hours it’s best to focus on building skills on a high-A or low to mid-EN B. This is your progression wing, getting you up to the level of the BHPA Pilot rating or equivalent. Study your flying books, travel to different sites, get good at launching and landing in all conditions. Have fun. After 50 hours of thermic flying (or about 100 hours of ridge soaring), think about moving to a high-B when you feel frustrated with the sluggish handling, lack of feedback and lack of speed. This probably means that XC flying is becoming your…

ADVANCED gliders fly noticeably faster at full speed, push into wind much better than intermediate gliders and give the pilot more information about the air. This means you can go further and faster. You will notice this if you fly an EN B and try to push into wind against a two-liner EN D. The EN D flies like a knife through butter, leaving you feeling like a wooden spoon pushing through porridge. This can be frustrating, to say the least, and it’s usually about then that you will start to think about flying a more advanced glider. Talking about advanced gliders is really talking about two separate types of gliders. On the one hand, there are classic EN C and EN D gliders, which mostly have a three-line setup…

For line sets even ‘full-fat’ wings often use the thinnest lines as this affects drag. There is therefore little room to lighten line sets. In fact, despite being a bit heavier, some designers use sheathed lines on hike-and-fly wings as they are easier to handle. Lightweight riser sets, however, can often be radically different from the heavier versions. Many designers use Dyneema rope or tape, often referred to as bootlace risers. These can save half the weight but come at the expense of being a little harder to handle. They can also be less dimensionally stable than standard webbing, but as line lengths now include the risers in the certification line-plans any deviation in line or riser length should be picked up in a wing check-up. Many lightweight wings use…

INSTRUMENTS range from simple beepers to all-singing, all-dancing navigation tools with lots of inbuilt functions and connectivity to online services. They can be confusing, especially if you are not technically minded, but instruments are based on one or more of these basic blocks. The vario This block used to use simple changes in air pressure to tell you how fast you are going up or down. But varios now use clever algorithms to do the same job but better. They take data from various sensors, including pressure sensors, accelerometers and magnetometers, to give more accurate information and a faster response. The information is then either beeped at you or displayed on a screen, if the instrument has one. Depending on the instrument you may be able to customise the sound…

It’s all about the airflow Paragliders fly as well as they do nowadays because designers work hard to optimise their shape, surface and structure. A wing generates the best lift and the least drag – and therefore flies furthest – with a completely smooth surface: no ballooning cells, no creases because of stretching, fewer seams and fewer edges where airflow is turbulent. Using a technique called computational fluid dynamics, virtual prototypes can be designed and tested without having to build and fly them. Internal structure The shape of the canopy is largely determined by various internal reinforcements. Well known are rods, made of metals like nitinol which springs back into shape after bending, or plastics like nylon or PVC. Rods keep the leading edge and upper canopy in shape. Sports…

SHOULD I get a pod harness? Should I really get a pod harness? Yes, if you want to limit drag and get more glide from your glider. In case you need a little more convincing, then listen to what Manfred Kistler has to say. He’s the boss of Skywalk, and a few years ago he spent a day testing harnesses – one standard, one pod, and one “aerodynamically optimised” pod – at the Daimler wind tunnel in Stuttgart, where they usually test Formula 1 racing cars. Tying the harnesses down so they didn’t rock about, and ‘piloted’ by Skywalk pilots Reiner Braun and Oliver Teubert the team switched the wind tunnel to low (it is 125m long and has a maximum wind speed of 250km/h, controllable in 0.1km/h increments) and…

What do we mean by “lightweight”? A lightweight wing can simply be a standard wing made from lighter materials. It will save you a kilo or so and packs down smaller than the standard version making it better for travel and for walking up your local hills. However, over the years wings have been developed to cater for various niche uses. So whether you want a light glider for an early morning hike-and-fly near your home, need the lightest single-skin for climbing in the Karakoram, or want a mini wing for high-wind soaring at the beach, there is something out there just for you. Lightweight paragliders Nearly every manufacturer now has at least one lightweight wing in their range, and some make virtually every glider, from EN A to EN…

CHOOSING the right paramotor can seem complicated. Social media is awash with information, and it can be hard to know what’s good advice and what’s not. What follows is a breakdown of what you need to consider. When choosing your first paramotor, it’s best to wait until after you have undergone training with a qualified instructor. What is a paramotor? A paramotor is a paraglider wing typically combined with a two-stroke engine and propeller, which is worn on the pilot’s back much like a rucksack. The motor provides enough thrust to take off from level ground in just a few paces. Once airborne you can climb and maintain level flight and travel for miles. Easily transportable on the ground all the kit fits into the back of a car. Airframe…

If you like the idea of an engine to get you into the air but don’t like the thought of fuel, two-stroke and spark plugs, then there is an e-power option. The Tesla of paramotoring is Exomo, a French company. The basic set-up is the Exomo Copilot, which costs €5,000 without battery. Batteries come in 3 / 4 / 5 KWh and cost €3,000 / €3,335 / €3,875. Claimed flight time in economy mode is 35 / 50 / 60 minutes. As well as being quieter to operate e-paramotors require very little maintenance compared to two-stroke engine. They can of course be charged from renewables, making them truly zero emissions. exomo.com…

“WHEN I fly a paraglider, I feel like I am flying with the birds. When I fly a hang glider, I am the bird.” Jeff Shapiro, an instructor who has been flying every imaginable foot-launched aircraft his whole life, eloquently expresses how he feels when flying hang gliders. Many hang glider pilots will agree. A hang glider is fixed to your back like a set of wings. It is the closest humans will ever come to bird-like flight. It is no surprise that Jeff advises everyone to try flying one. How do you start? Like in any free-flight sport, start by picking an accredited school and follow the beginner’s course. The first day you will learn to assemble, carry and walk with your glider on a flat field. Next, you’ll…

HOW long your paraglider lasts depends how your treat it. At Nova’s service centre in Austria we sometimes get gliders in for checking that have 500, 800 or even more operating hours that are still in good shape. Others look very worn after only 150 hours or less. It’s not just time in the air that counts: operating hours include air time, groundhandling or any time the wing is unfolded and exposed to the sun. Here’s how you can help your glider last longer. Sand, dust and salt Sand, dust and salt are made from very fine particles that can be hard and have sharp edges. They primarily attack the coating of the cloth. They literally rub it off and this increases the porosity of the wing. The operational life…