Hi Marc, it could be worth mentioning to use big ears first, and if you still not descending, going on bar and be hands up and weight shift to steer. Always apply Big Ears, then Bar, then reverse with Bar off, Big Ears out. Enjoy your videos. Now in my 4th year but your videos refresh my brain and are well worth watching.
Yes what ever works for you is fantastic, this one was just simple setting up bar to the correct length then connecting with a quick and simple way I use it for beginners, ears will be another movie to come maybe next one, I want to do a thermal one but weather not playing ball for me 🤨🪂
Just getting into Paragliders and happened across your channel. Excellent videos and love the way you teach it, a lot of questions have been clarified to me and look forward to progressing thru my local school. Cheers
Hi Mark, regarding a comment below about speed bar and brakes, this is a bit more advanced (I fly a C rated glider.) My manual says do NOT use the brakes when on bar as it WILL cause a symmetric deflation if both are used at the same time. (Granted, A and B rated gliders are more forgiving.) I always hold and steer (with weight shift) the glider, when on bar, using the rear risers, which I think is good practice. If the glider surges forward in rough air you can be equally aggressive with the rear risers to prevent deflations. Holding the rear risers high (I.e. brakes off) gives the feeling of security while using the bar in the absence of brake pressure. The ‘old comparison’ is true: when driving a car it is inefficient using the accelerator and applying the breaks at the same time! Thanks for the videos, I’m still getting loads of good tips from them, cheers!!
Yes chris completely agree, A & B’s are so much more forgiving using bar easing of in the bumps and adding brake if needed but as you say rear riser works well too. Wings are changing at such a rate and getting so good these days it’s fantastic.
Hi Marc, another great video, I will be using that knot to tie off my bar. I am a tiny bit shy of using the bar - mostly because I really don't fancy a frontal. But I know if I want to fly efficiently, the bar can make a huge difference to getting through patches of sink or on glide. One thing I that I think about is that use of the brakes should be avoided when on bar, so the feeling of wing pressure through the brakes is reduced so I feel a bit dis-communicated from the wing - but that's just what goes on in my head! Keep up the videos, you have given me so great tips through them - thank you.
When you get good using the bar you can ease off while on glide and use gentle brake inputs too, it's a great thing to get good at using for sure buddy,Just be careful in bumpy air, if your on a A or B wing there very safe anyway so not like being on a D or full comp wing.
Nice video, as usual. May I had an advice for pilots like me who have a facial parachute to be extra careful when attaching the bar: the speedbar link has to be inside the parachute link (sorry for the approximation wordings coming from French fan) not covering it. I'm sure you'll rephrase and correct ;-)
When you demonstrated the speedbar in flight you were also pulling some brake. Is that ok for a traditional wing but not ok for a reflex wing? Or can you also pull a little brake while on speedbar on a reflex wing? If so, how much before risking collapse? Love your videos. Very educational. Thanks.
That night was rather rough and to be honest I should really not have been messing on bar 🤨 so to get it done I had to fly gentle on a tad of brake while on bar just to show the Brummell hooks coming on and off, If your easy on and off bar with smooth on and off brake it’s fine, I also have done a bit of that on my free ride ppg wing but as I said only tiny inputs, hope that makes sense ? Were using bar to blast forward of course so brake inputs are defeating the object a bit but again small inputs are fine. God I do go on sorry!! 🙄
Marc, if you were ridge soaring and the winds started to increase so much that your speed bar didn't help and you were drifting backwards what would you do? Let's say behind the ridge is rolling hills and beyond that is a open field a mile away.
I land way before it gets that blowy, when I teach students this is something I explain about being ahead of the game, read the weather forecasts (4 or 5) to get a good idea whats going to happen first, if the winds are forecast to pick up by say 1 pm but are fine when you arrive at 10 am get some flying in and maybe call it by 12. Don’t push your luck thats when things go wrong!! Ps: If I was in that situation I would check behind me and work it out from there BUT never use speed bar low to the ground.
Hi Marc, I've flown in choppy conditions and controlled a few surges, but on an A wing and nothing major - if it did go for a collapse while on bar, what are the chances of catching it - I mean if you were lightning quick on the brake input and knew exactly how much to put in...
