Go with the flow

With the new generation of gliders and harnesses SIV and safety training needs to evolve, says veteran SIV instructor Heli Schrempf. Melanie Weber, Adi Geisegger and Michi Maurer went along for the ride.

Without thinking too much about it, how would you deal with a 50% collapse on the right side of your paraglider? Vocalise it now, speak the words.

Done that? Happy?

Perhaps you said something like this: “Weightshift left, apply a bit of left brake, big pump on the collapsed side.”

Now add speed bar to your imaginary collapse. You’re on full bar (ok, 80%), you get a big collapse, again on your right side. What do you do?

Again, it probably looks something like this: “Come off the bar, weightshift left, apply a bit of left brake to maintain direction, pump out the right side.”

We are all now more or less on the same page. For a lot of us, this is what we will have been taught. We’ve clarified in our mind’s eye how to deal with a side collapse, both at trim and while in accelerated flight.

Now remember this as you read this article:...