airwave WAVE 2 Manuel D'utilisation page 29

Turning
The WAVE 2 does not require a strong handed approach to manoeuvering. For a fast turn smoothly
apply the brake on the side to which the turn is intended. The speed with which the brake is applied is
very important. If a brake is applied fairly quickly the canopy will do a faster banking turn, but care
must be taken not to bank too severely. To attain a more efficient turn at minimum sink, apply some
brake to the accelerating wing to slow the turn and prevent the wing from banking. The WAVE 2 flies
very well like this, but care must be taken not to over-apply the brakes as a spin could result even
though the WAVE 2 has a very low spin tendancy. The WAVE 2 will turn far more efficiently if the pilot
weight-shifts into the turn in the harness. Remember that violent brake application is dangerous and
should always be avoided.
Strai ght Fli ght
The WAVE 2 will fly smoothly in a straight line without any input from the pilot. With a pilot weight of
70 kg on the medium without the accelerator the flying speed will be approximately 37 km/h.
The rmal i ng
To attain the best climb rate the WAVE 2 should be thermalled using a mild turn, as described above,
keeping the wing´s banking to a minimum. In strong thermals a tighter banking turn can be used to
stay closer to the thermal´s core. Remember that weight shifting in the harness will aid the efficiency
of the turn and reduce the amount of brake required.
Care must be taken not to apply so much brake as to stall, this is however very easy to avoid as the
brake pressure increases greatly as you approach the stall point. Only fly near the stall point if you
have enough height to recover (100 m).
Wi ng T ip Are a Re d ucti on (Bi g E ars)
The 'baby A riser' allows the WAVE 2 to be 'big eared' simply and easily. The big ear facility does not
allow you to fly in stronger winds, but is a facility which allows the pilot to descend quickly without
substantially reducing the forward speed of the canopy (as is the case with B lining). To engage big
ears the pilot will need to lean forward in the harness and grasp the Big ears risers (one in each hand)
at the maillon, keeping hold of both brake handles if possible. Pull the riser out and down at least 30
cm so as to collapse the tips of the glider. It is very important that the other A lines are not affected
when you do this as it could cause the leading edge to collapse. Steering is possible by weight shifting
with big ears in. If the big ears does not come out quickly on its own a pump on the brake will speed
things up.
Before using the big ears facility in earnest it is essential to practice beforehand with plenty of ground
clearance in case a leading edge collapse occurs. Always keep hold of both brakes in order to retain
control. Putting your hands through the brake handles so they remain on your wrists is a good method
of doing this.
B-Li ne Stal l
This is a fast descent method and is a useful emergency procedure. With both hands through the
brake handles, the pilot takes hold of the top of the B risers, one in each hand, and pulls them down
by around 50 cm. This will stall the canopy and forward speed will drop tp zero. Make sure you have
plenty of ground clearance because the decent rate can be over 10 m/sec. To increase the descent
rate pull harder on the B riser. When you release the B riser the canopy will automatically start flying
again, normally within two seconds. Sometimes the canopy will turn gently when it exits from the B
Handbuch / Manuel d'utilisation / Owners Manuel - Airwave Sport Competition – Issue rev 1.0 – 17.01.2010
Page 29 / 29