WPGA Most recent edit: Thursday October 25, 2012
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Some posts on other sites by Rick Masters related to PDMC |
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I first published Mythology of the Airframe in 2008. It
is my personal opinion that the publication of the global paragliding
fatality and injury list has caused many paraglider pilots to 1) decide not to fly in turbulent conditions, 2) decide to fly to safer locations, 3) decide not to fly as often, 4) give up flying paragliders, or 5) transition to drachenfleigers. Knowledge of the casualty list has caused greater fear in turbulent conditions. This has resulted in less enthusiasm for the sport. Either fewer pilots flying paragliders or the same number flying in smoother air instead of turbulent air will cause a drop in fatalities and injuries. Paraglider pilots like to claim that safer design is the reason for the reduction in casualties. I do not believe this, because safer design does not really address the problem of encountering turbulence resulting in full or partial collapse of the paraglider sail within the Dead Man's Curve (PDMC). This problem can not be solved without incorporating an airframe to prevent collapse. You would then have a drachenfleiger instead of a paraglider. So my counter-argument to "improved safety" is "greater fear" as a result of the published list, which leads to more caution, increased respect, fewer flying hours, safer venues, quitting paragliding or transitioning to drachenfleigers.
May the airframe protect you, |
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There are 21 German-speaking paraglider deaths reported on my pages for 2011. [[Up to Dec. 7, 2011]] Is this just "crap" to you? Surely so many deaths are unnecessary and a cause for concern. Just because an airframe is known to prevent collapse is no reason to get angry with me. I am not the problem. Paraglider pilots falling out of the sky is the problem. Rick Masters Mythology of the Airframe |
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Body of Georgia paraglider found in Texas field.
See
news article. Correct spelling: Don Bayliss (not Bayliff as was in news) Don Bayliss was the 52nd non-powered paraglider pilot to die world wide in 2012 and the 926th non-powered paraglider pilot to die since 2002 (not counting the paraglider pilot who died yesterday in British Columbia under very similar circumstances). Paragliders are different than other aircraft by the fact they have no structure to maintain their airfoil shape in turbulence. Turbulence is a normal part of the atmospheric dynamic. When a paraglider collapses in turbulence, all bets are off. It may reinflate. It may spiral out of control. It may spin above the pilot, wrapping the control lines around the suspension lines, making control impossible. Even worse, if the paraglider is below several hundred feet -- below the altitude necessary to deploy the emergency reserve parachute (defined as being within the Paraglider Dead Man's Curve or PDMC) -- the pilot will likely impact the ground with enough velocity to break major bones or kill himself. I do not understand how an intelligent person can accept such a high degree of risk. An airframe is important. I never fly without one. -- Rick Masters edited Wed., Aug 08 @ 5:24:57 pm
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