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Up to this point we have assumed that the wind is a steady stream. To safely fly in the powered parachute it must be. The air is frequently a boiling mass that goes up and down, as well as along the ground. Turbulence can be injurious or fatal.
As the wind blows over ground obstacles, it creates the most annoying air disturbance called rotors. These rotors are exactly as they sound, a rolling mass of air on the downwind side of most obstacles. The rotor will try to push you into the ground and/or collapse your parachute. Avoid rotor activity. Plan your take off so you are well above any obstacles by the time you pass over them (at least 50”). A rotor is a member of the family of mechanical turbulence which is any disruption of wind/air flow caused by ground objects like trees, buildings, hills, bridges, etc. Strong down drafts can be created that may slam you into the ground. Sever rotors could cause you to lose control. The best way to avoid mechanical turbulence is to either get an unobstructed field a couple of thousand feet on each side or fly in a no wind condition. Respect the wind. It can hurt you.
While flying at an altitude high enough to clear ground turbulence, you may run in to all kinds of totally invisible turbulence that we call “gusts” or “thermals” or all kinds of other names. Calm air in the morning is heated by the sun and starts to rise. How quickly this happens affects the air and the amount of turbulence. Other planes flying through the air tear great big holes in the air. Even your own flight path will influence the parachute if you turn around and cross through your own wake. Be careful of turning 360 degrees! As soon as you complete the turn you will run into the hole in the air you just made with violent results.
How does turbulence affect the powered parachute? The parachute will react to the change in speed and direction the same as any parachute. Although your direction has not changed the parachute thinks it has and reacts accordingly. If the gust hits one side of the parachute then the parachute may turn strongly in one direction. Random turbulence will bounce you around. If the turbulence is mild then it may be no more than uncomfortable to fly in. Strong turbulence must be avoided. Gauge the amount of turbulence by studying the weather before you fly. Do not fly if storms are forecast or thunder clouds are in the area. At some point the air will be turbulent enough to collapse the parachute. Because there is no way to gauge turbulence we cannot tell you how much is too much. If you are being bounced around then it is time to land. If dust devils are seen in the area then you are in danger. Certainly when thunder storms or any type of violent winds are near then you must not fly.
This manual cannot teach you weather. If you wish to fly safely you must learn and understand the weather.
During turns or in straight flight small amounts of bouncing around can be dampened by giving a small amount of steering input. The extra load on the parachute will tend to dampen oscillations. During a turn apply mild pressure in the opposite direction to steady the parachute. During straight flight apply mild pressure to both levers. |
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Quaker State Powered Parachutes
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