Avian JAVA 150 User manual

JAVA 150
Owner's Manual
BHPA certificate of air worthiness
number: 991015
Serial Number
......................
Before flying your glider please read this manual completely,
check all your battens against the batten profile (adjusting
them if necessary) and do a thorough pre-flight check.
AVIA LTD
Stretfield
Bradwell
Hope Valley
S33 9JT
UK
Tel (01433) 62130
Fax (01433) 621753


Java 150 Owner`s Manual
SECTION Page Number
INTRODUCTION....................................................3
PLEASE NOTE........................................................3
OPERATING LIMITS.............................................4
SPECIFICATIONS..................................................5
RIGGING THE JAVA.............................................6
PRE-FLIGHT CHECKLIST....................................10
FLYING THE JAVA ............................................12
DE-RIGGING..........................................................13
POST FLIGHT INSPECTION.................................15
VB. (VARIABLE BILLOW)...................................15
TUNING INSTRUCTIONS.....................................16
BATTENS AND BATTEN PROFILE.....................17
CHANGING HANG POSITION.............................19
MAINTENANCE.....................................................20
RECOMMENDED COMPONENT LIFE...............25
REPAIR....................................................................25
TRANSPORTATION AND STORAGE ................25
TROUBLE SHOOTING..........................................27
OWNERSHIP...........................................................30
APPENDIX: ASSEMBLY DRAWINGS................31
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Java 150 Owner`s Manual
I TRODUCTIO
Congratulations on your purchase of an Avian Java. The Java is the "state of the art"
high performance hang glider. We hope that you will experience many hours of safe
and enjoyable flying on your Java.
This manual is designed to help you get the most out of your Java:
Please read this manual completely before flying, check all your battens against the
batten profile (adjusting them if necessary) and do a thorough pre-flight check.
In your pre-flight include checking the operation of the VB. This is especially
important if instruments are attached to the right hand (VB.) upright.
If you are uncertain, or have any problems with your glider, DO OT FLY. We
have a section on trouble shooting in this manual that features some of the more
common problems that pilots have encountered, and our recommended solutions. If
you are still not sure contact your local dealer or the Avian factory. Both will be
pleased to help you. Make sure your first flight on your new glider is in perfect
conditions from a site that you are familiar with.
PLEASE OTE
Avian Ltd do not have commercial product liability insurance.
Avian hang gliders are built using materials and fittings to the industry standard or
better. Avian hang gliders are subject to Avian quality control and testing prior to
delivery to the customer.
Once possession of the glider passes to the customer, its maintenance and condition
becomes the responsibility of the owner or pilot. Any concerns or queries about the
glider's subsequent air worthiness MUST be referred back to the local dealer or the
Avian factory.
Hang gliders like most aircraft must be:
·stored correctly,
·treated with respect,
·checked before take off and after heavy landings,
·flown within their flight envelopes,
·regularly maintained.
Failure to do any of these courts disaster. Look after your aircraft!!
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Java 150 Owner`s Manual
OPERATI G LIMITS
1. Minimum pilot rating: BHPA rating Pilot or equivalent.
2 Manoeuvres: 1. Aerobatic manoeuvres are not
permitted.
2. Pitching the nose up or down
more than 30 degrees from the
horizontal is not allowed.
3. Do not exceed more than 60
degrees of bank
4. Do not fly the glider inverted
or backwards.
5. Do not fly with auxiliary
power without factory approval.
6. Do not fly with more than one pilot
3. Hang Glider Payloads:
Pilot Clip in
Weight range Min Max.
9 1/2 Stone 14 Stone
60Kg 90Kg
4. Hang Point Position Range (Pitch trim)
This is a king post hang point glider. There are three settings to alter the
position of the KINGPOST and therefore the hang point. These are on
the kingpost channel. (see appendix part (3)). The standard factory
setting is the centre hole.
Centre hole 61 1/ " 1553mm from the front of the of the keel tube.
(measured without the plastic bung)
5. Speed range
Speed range 15 - 70 mph. 24 - 113 km/h
Maximum speed (rough air)
(VNE rough air) 45mph 72km/h
Maximum speed (smooth air)
(VNE) 70mph 113km/h
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Java 150 Owner`s Manual
SPECIFICATIO S
Wing span 31.9 ’ 9.75 m
Wing area 150sq.ft 13.9 m2
Aspect ratio 7.3
Min sink rate 170ft/min 0. 6m/s
(wing loading = 1.4 lbs/sq.ft 10.3kg/m2)
Max. L/D ratio 13
Speed range* 15 - 70 mph. 24 - 113 km/h
Maximum speed (rough air)
(VNE rough air) 45mph 72km/h
Maximum speed (smooth air)
(VNE) 70mph 113km/h
Normal packed length 19' 4" 5.9m
Breakdown length 15' 2" 4.5m
Glider weight rigged 65 lbs 29.5 Kg
Glider weight in bag 6 lbs 31 Kg
*Speeds measured using Davron 0 vario and ASI (Air speed indicator).
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Java 150 Owner`s Manual
RIGGI G THE JAVA
The glider can either be rigged flat on the ground, or with the glider supported on its
control frame. The latter should only be attempted in very light wind conditions but is
useful in confined spaces or where the terrain is likely to cause soiling or damage to
the sail.
Rigging the Java flat
1. Lay the glider on the ground with the nose pointing into wind. Unzip the bag and
roll the glider so it is the right way up. Take the bag off. (If you tread on the inside
of the bag any dirt that you get on it will be transferred to the glider when you put the
bag on later.)
2. Take the glider ties off and take the battens out from alongside the kingpost. Raise
the aerofoil kingpost checking that the sail is not caught by the base of the kingpost.
Hook in the top rigging making sure that the anti-luff lines are not tangled.
3. Making sure that you do not lift the tip high above the ground (to ensure that you
do not bend the nose plates), swing one wing out about a quarter of its maximum
travel. Swing the other wing half of its maximum travel. Continue until both wings
are about three quarters of their maximum travel. Lift the wing preferably by the
wing tip but if you must use the sail hold it by the batten pocket ends on the trailing
edge. If there is any resistance check to see what is causing it and free the problem
before continuing. Do not attempt to force the wings apart.
4. Put the bottom bar on and insert the two stainless pins from the back of the base
bar and fit the safety rings. PUT THE RI GS I IMMEDIATELY. DO OT
LEAVE IT U TIL LATER. Thread the VB. cord through the eye of the quick ring
and through the cleat on the base bar. Tie a knot in the end of the cord.
5. Lay the battens on the ground and pair them up, red with green, and check that
corresponding batten pairs have the same profile. This is a good habit to get into as it
will reduce the chances of taking off on a glider with a turn caused by asymmetric
shaped battens. (Periodically the battens should be checked against the batten
profile.)
6. Put the curved battens in their pockets working from the tip towards the centre
chord. Keep the trailing edge low and slowly ease the battens into their respective
pockets. This makes the job easier and the batten pockets last longer.
7. The glider can now be tensioned. Remove the split ring from the special bolt
located through the rear of the keel tube. Using the attached elastic cord, pull the
cross tube restraint webbing back. (Check that the side wires are not caught around a
batten end or the ferrules caught in the under-surface of the sail.) Locate the stainless
tang over the stub of the bolt and replace the split ring. DO THIS OPERATIO
IMMEDIATELY. DO OT LEAVE IT U TIL LATER. (If the tension feels too
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Java 150 Owner`s Manual
tight stop and see what is causing the problem. DO OT JUST FORCE IT.
Consult the trouble shooting area of this manual for possible causes.)
. Push the battens home the last little bit. (With a new sail the battens may not go
fully home unless pushed.) The batten elastics should be put on double on each
batten. The batten nearest the wing tip can only be inserted when the glider has been
tensioned. They locate on a plastic cleat on the leading edge. (These battens,
sometimes called compression struts, are profiled on the Java. Like all the other top
surface battens the curve should be up. The top surface of the wing should be convex
OT concave.)
9. The under surface battens should also be inserted when the glider is tensioned.
They should be pushed home so that only the rope projects from the batten pocket.
Put the most outboard U/S batten in first. The under surface battens can be pushed
home with another under surface batten.
10. Put in the nose batten. This is easier with the VB. on full. Some people prefer to
put the nose batten in before the wings are moved out at all or to leave the nose batten
in the glider when packed. (If you do this don't forget to check its profile when you
check the profile of the other battens.)
11. Make sure that the wires are not twisted, then stand the glider on its control
frame and attach the swan catch, pip pin and safety washer.
12. Make sure that the nose catch is correctly attached and then put the nose cone on.
13. The glider is now fully rigged. You should now make sure that you do a
thorough pre-flight check before you fly.

Java 150 Owner`s Manual
We suggest that if there is significant wind that the glider is left flat on the ground,
nose into wind and securely weighted or tied down at the nose until you are ready to
fly.
In light winds the Java maybe left standing on its 'A' frame tail into wind. In this
position it is obviously prone to being ground looped by gusts of wind, thermals or,
in hotter countries, dust devils. We strongly recommend that you keep a close eye on
it.
Rigging the Java standing on its A-frame
This is useful in confined spaces or where the terrain is likely to cause soiling or
damage to the sail. It is essentially very similar to rigging the glider flat:
1. Lay the glider on the ground. If there is any wind the nose should be pointing
cross or down wind. Unzip the bag and take enough ties off to assemble the A frame.
Assemble the A frame. Put the bottom bar on and insert the two stainless pins from
the back of the base bar and fit the safety rings. PUT THE RI GS I
IMMEDIATELY. DO OT LEAVE IT U TIL LATER. Thread the VB. cord
through the eye of the quick ring and through the cleat on the base bar. Tie a knot in
the end of the cord.
2. Stand the glider on its A-frame and then take the bag and remaining ties off, and
remove the battens from alongside the kingpost.
3. Walk the wings out to about three quarters of their full extension. As before the
wings should ideally be walked out together. If you are rigging by yourself move one
wing a bit and then move the other. NB: Whilst spreading the wings, particularly
when the glider is standing on its A frame, it is essential that the leading edges and
keel are kept in the same plane. (This is to avoid distortion to the nose plates or any
other components.)
4. Take care to place the tips on a piece of ground that is not likely to cause them
damage. Leave the tip socks on as this will protect them. The glider should now be
standing on its A frame, wing tips and keel.
5. Raise the aerofoil kingpost checking that the sail is not caught by the base of the
kingpost. Hook the top rigging in making sure that the anti-luff lines are not tangled.
Now making, sure that the wires are not kinked, attach the swan catch, pip pin and
safety washer. (You should always hook in the top rigging before attaching the swan
nose catch.)
6. Lay the battens on the ground and pair them up, red with green, and check that
corresponding batten pairs have the same profile. This is a good habit to get into as it
will reduce the chances of taking off on a glider with a turn caused by asymmetric
shaped battens. (Periodically the battens should be checked against the batten profile)
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Java 150 Owner`s Manual
7. Put the curved battens in their pockets working from the centre chord towards the
tip. Keep the trailing edge low and slowly ease the battens into their respective
pockets. Do not put in the last three or four battens each side.
. The glider can now be tensioned. Remove the split ring from the special bolt
located through the rear of the keel tube. Using the attached elastic cord, pull back the
cross tube restraint webbing, locate the stainless tang over the stub of the bolt and
replace the split ring. DO THIS OPERATIO IMMEDIATELY. DO OT
LEAVE IT U TIL LATER.
This operation is much easier if you get a friend to lift a wing while tensioning. DO
OT JUST FORCE IT. (If the tension feels too tight stop and see what is causing
the problem. Consult the trouble shooting section of this manual for possible causes.)
9. Take off the tip socks and put in the last battens near the tip. Push all the battens
fully home. (With a new sail the battens may not go fully home unless pushed.) The
batten elastics should be put on double on each batten. The tip battens in locate on a
plastic cleat on the leading edge. (These battens, sometimes called compression
struts, are bent and should be profiled correctly and put in the right way up. Like all
the other battens the curve should be up. The top surface of the wing should be
convex OT concave.)
10. The under surface battens are more easily inserted once the glider has been
tensioned. They should be pushed home so that only the rope projects from the
batten pocket. Put the most outboard U/S batten in first. The under surface battens
can be pushed home with another under surface batten.
11. Put the nose batten in and locate it on its seat just in front of the nose plate. This
operation is easier if the VB. is pulled on first. When the batten is in release the VB.
(Some pilots only remove the nose batten occasionally to check its profile.)
12. Double check that the nose catch is correctly attached and put the nose cone on.
13. The glider is now fully rigged and you should now make sure that you do a
thorough pre-flight check before you fly.
As the glider is standing on its A frame it is prone to being ground looped by gusts of
wind, thermals or, in hotter countries, dust devils. It is safest with its tail into wind
but we strongly recommend that you keep a close eye on it.
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Java 150 Owner`s Manual
PRE-FLIGHT CHECK-LIST
Detailed pre-flight checks must be carried out during assembly. Always use the same
assembly and packing up procedure. The following must be checked:
1. All tubes are straight and not dented.
2. Cross-tube hinge, nose plates and A frame fittings OK.
3. 'LUFF LI ES ARE OT TWISTED AT THE KI GPOST A D ARE
CLEAR OF ALL BATTE S WITH RI GS SECURE ABOVE A D BELOW
THE SAIL.
(Small rings above the sail and large below the sail.) 'luff lines must be checked
every flight. Incorrect rigging, for instance, catching a 'luff line under a batten end,
could cause a serious turn in the glider.
4. All sail seams intact with no frayed stitching, particularly
in high stress areas (e.g. wing tips, junction of keel pocket and sail etc.)
5. Battens correct shape and undamaged with no cracks or splits in the fibreglass
section.
6. All nuts and bolts secure.
7. All quick release fittings secure.
(i) cross tube tensioner
(ii) nose catch (check the clevis pin and split ring as well)
(iii) tip battens correctly located on leading edge and the right way up
(iv) quick pins and rings on bottom bar secure
(v) outboard leading edge section fully engaged. (Be especially vigilant if the L/E
has been packed short recently.)
. Cross tube tensioner strop not frayed and twist free.
9. All zips done up.
10. Batten elastics symmetrical on both sides of the glider. They should also be in
good condition and engaged over the batten ends.
11. Hang loops in good condition.
12. The glider is symmetrical when viewed from the front.
13. The king post is straight and joint at its base is secure.
14. The four nose plate bolts are secure.
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Java 150 Owner`s Manual
16. Walking along the length of the leading edges feel with your fingers to check that
they are free from dents. Check that there is a similar leading edge curvature when
looking down the inside of the wing from the nose to each wing tip.
17. Check through the sail inspection zip to ensure that the wing wire and cross tube
leading edge bolts are secure.
1 . Check that the keel is straight and then check that the tensioning strap is secure,
correctly fitted and that the split ring is in place. As shown in the previous diagram.
19. Check that the cross-tube ends are meeting correctly (the ball should be engaged
in both fittings). Also check that the cross-tubes are straight and dent free.
20. Check that the wires are undamaged. Look out for corrosion and fraying. Pay
particular attention to inspection of the wing wires as, in normal flight, these are the
most heavily loaded. I SPECT BOTH E DS: THE BASE BAR E D A D THE
CROSS TUBE JU CTIO E D.
REMEMBER: IF I DOUBT DO OT FLY!! RETUR YOUR GLIDER TO
AVIA LTD FOR A THOROUGH STRIP-DOW .
21. Check operation of the VB. Pull the VB. rope and check that it pulls on smoothly
and releases. If it is jammed check and release if caught. OTE: If instruments are
attached to the right hand upright it may interfere with the VB. operation. The VB.
cord runs down the rubber back of the right hand upright. Crushing the rubber back
impedes the movement of the cord. It may then be possible to pull the VB. but not to
release it. This is easily cured by inserting a length (30cm) of batten material inside
the rubber back of the upright. (This stops the rubber back from being crushed.)
22. Finally check that all the quick release fasteners are secure. Pay particular
attention to the base bar quick pins. OTE: As the glider is moved and placed on
the ground the safety rings in the base bar quick pins may contact the ground. Long
grass seems most likely to cause the problem but it is possible to remove the safety
ring from the pin. The problem is minimised if you put the pins in from the back of
the base bar. (Thus when the glider is sitting on its keel the head of the pin will
contact the ground rather than the safety ring.) Special attention should be given to
checking quick release fasteners.
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Java 150 Owner`s Manual
FLYI G THE JAVA
Please note the following is not meant to be an exhaustive flying manual but merely a
brief note and should be read with that in mind.
Take off
Before take-off MAKE SURE that you have pre-flight checked the glider, that you
are clipped in and that you have performed an adequate hang check.
On take-off the wings should be held level with the nose slightly raised. A strong and
committed take off run is always recommended. Keep the angle of attack low until
you are running fast. Once sufficient air speed has been achieved increase the angle of
attack gradually to take off. Once settled in flight move your hands to a comfortable
position on the base bar.
In Flight
The control in both pitch and roll is light and precise. Accordingly the glider should
be flown with moderate and precise inputs. The glider should not be flown too slow
or in a semi-stalled condition as the roll response becomes much slower.
Stall
The Java recovers quickly from stalls but will lose height doing so. A wing close to
the stall becomes difficult to control. For both these reasons the glider should be
flown with sufficient airspeed close to the ground, hill or any other aircraft.
Spin
Hang gliders are generally resistant to spin. It is very unlikely that you will ever
experience a spin in normal flight. To recover from a spin pull the bar in and
increase speed BEFORE applying opposite bank.
Flying with a wet glider
DO NOT TEST YOUR NEW GLIDER IF IT IS WET. Wet gliders do not fly nearly
as well as dry gliders. This is because the water droplets on the leading edges disturb
the airflow over the wing. The result is that the glider does not perform so well and
stalls at a much higher airspeed. I.E. you will not be able to fly the glider as slowly
as if it were dry. You may also find that the glider stalls more easily, takes longer to
recover from a stall and as a result is more prone to spinning.
If you get caught in the rain as the glider gets wetter you will notice the above effects
increase. You will have to fly faster to avoid stalling and should be especially careful
on landing. We advise that you fly with a lot of excess speed when doing any
manoeuvres near the ground or other aircraft with a wet glider.
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Java 150 Owner`s Manual
Landing the Java
The secret of a good landing is good field selection followed by a precise approach
with plenty of airspeed.
Always plan your landings from high up, check that the VB. is in the fully released
position and make sure you can get your feet out of your harnesses well before
landing. Check the surrounding air for other aircraft preparing to land. Look and
check that your approach and over-shoot path have as few obstacles as possible.
(Never choose to land immediately behind other gliders or obstacles but land to one
side. You might make a lot more friends on the hill!)
DE-RIGGI G
This is largely the reverse of the assembly sequence:
De-rigging the glider flat
1. Lay the glider flat on the ground and into wind. Remove the under-surface
battens and the tip battens (or compression struts). Remove the nose batten before
releasing the cross tube tension. (If you intend to remove it from the sail. Swing the
wings in a few feet and then remove the other battens.
2. The wings can then be closed further and the king post lowered. The 'luff lines can
be clipped to the ring sewn to the edge of the king post hole.
3. Place the padding around the tension bolt. Bring the leading edges in further and
then dismantle the 'A' frame. Make sure that the packing wings (the pieces of
packing sewn to the sail) are out of the sail and alongside the top of the uprights.
Check that the spreader bar on the hang loop is not caught between the uprights.
Connect the ends of the uprights with the spacer provided. The side wire can then be
threaded though the 'A' frame padding which is located around the bottom of upright
castings. When packed the side wires should loop out of the bottom of this padding
so that they are not kinked.
4. The wing tips can then be brought together. Next the sail should be rolled and
tucked inside the Mylar of the leading edge. One side can be rolled and retained
with a tie and tip sock while the other is being done. A little slack can be pulled into
the under surface where it passes over the cross tube - leading edge junction.
5. The battens can be stowed at the front of the glider between the leading edges with
the curves over the nose section. The ties can then be placed round the glider holding
the leading edges neatly together. Place the glider bag over the glider and then turn
the glider on its back. Make sure that the packing wings are out of the sail and
protecting the sail from the top of upright castings. (Packing 'wings' are the pieces of
packing sewn to the inside of the sail along side the keel pocket inside the double
surface.)
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Java 150 Owner`s Manual
6. Put the speed bar in the sail near the wing tip. Any remaining ties should be put
around the glider. Tuck the nose cone under the tie near the nose of the glider.
7. Zip the bag up and store the glider dry in a cool dry dark place.
De-rigging the glider upright on the keel
This is useful in confined spaces or where the terrain is likely to cause soiling or
damage to the sail. It is essentially very similar to de-rigging the glider flat:
1. Put the glider keel down and tail into wind. Remove the under-surface battens.
Loosen all the batten elastics and remove the tip battens (or compression struts).
Remove the last three normal battens each side. (The battens nearest the wing tips.)
2. Make sure that the packing 'wings' are out of the sail and alongside the top of the
uprights.
3. Roll the last few feet of the sail and put the protection 'socks' on the wing tips.
4. Release the X tube tension and move the wings in slightly. The keel remains on
the ground.
5. Remove the rest of the battens except the nose batten.
6. Remove nose cone and release the lower nose wires.
7. Unhook the top rear wire and 'luff lines and clip them to the ring on the sail. The
kingpost can now be tilted forwards.
. Bring the wing tips together. Pull the sail between the leading edge and keel so
that it is all above the leading edge. Roll it carefully and tuck it inside the leading
edge. One side can be rolled and retained with a tie and tip sock while the other is
being done. A little slack should be pulled into the under surface where it passes
over the cross tube - leading edge junction.
9. Remove the nose batten if you intend to. Put all the battens into their batten bag.
10. The battens can be stowed at the front of the glider between the leading edges
with the curves over the nose section. The ties can then be placed round the glider
holding the leading edges neatly together. Take off the ties holding the sail in place
and put them around the whole glider in the normal way.
11. Place the glider bag over the glider and then turn the glider on its back.
12. Dismantle the 'A' frame. Make sure that the packing 'wings' are alongside the
top of the uprights. Check that the spreader bar attached to the hang loop is not
caught between the uprights. Connect the ends of the uprights with the spacer
provided. The side wire can then be threaded though the 'A' frame padding which is
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Java 150 Owner`s Manual
located around the bottom of upright castings. When packed the side wires should
loop out of the bottom of this padding so that they are not kinked.
13. Put the speed bar into its bag and store in the sail near the wing tip. Any
remaining ties should be put around the glider. Tuck the nose cone under the tie near
the nose of the glider.
14. Zip the bag up and store the glider dry in a cool dry dark place.
POST FLIGHT I SPECTIO
After landing, especially if heavily, the glider should be inspected as outlined in the
pre-flight inspection.
VB. (VARIABLE BILLOW)
The variable billow (VB. sometimes called variable geometry VG.) is used to change
the flying characteristics of the glider while in flight.
As mentioned else where in this hand book, when the glider is rigged the VB. cord
should be threaded through the cleat on the speed bar and knotted. (This is a good
habit to get into. The knot will prevent the end of the VB. cord being lost.)
If anything is attached to the right hand upright (the one down which the VB. cord
runs) it could adversely effect the operation of the VB. (See 'trouble shooting'.)
For take off it is recommended that the VB. is in the fully released position. (This is
with very little cord sticking from the upright.) In this position the glider is easiest to
turn. (You may find with experience, and especially if aero-towing, that you prefer to
take off with a little VB. pulled on.)
In normal flight a little VB. (Say 70cm of cord) might be pulled on. This will give a
better sink rate with little loss of handling.
For flying fast or for best glide performance (for example, flying between thermals)
use full VB. With full VB. be aware that the roll rate of the glider is significantly
reduced especially if flying slowly. Do not use full VB. near the ground, near other
aircraft or near any other obstacle.
For flying near the ground, other aircraft, other obstacles, in rough air or landing it is
recommended that the VB. is in the fully released position. This position will give
the most effective roll control.
Release the VB. in a smooth manner. Do not just pull the rope out of the cleat and let
go. This will give a needless shock loading to the airframe .
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Java 150 Owner`s Manual
VB. Maintenance
Due to the design of the Java VB., its operation should be smooth and much easier
than other hang gliders.
To keep it this way, make sure that the ropes not twisted and clean. Remove grit or
dirt from the upright casting and replace the ropes if they show signs of wear. It is
also important to keep the tension strop of the glider untwisted.
VB. Set-up
The VB. on your glider should be factory set. However the ropes do stretch a little
and you may need to adjust or change a rope in time.
Please refer to the appendix for diagrams of the VB.
The white retaining cord (2) limits the travel of the rear triple pulley block (3). If this
is too long the block will come out of the keel pocket with the VB. in the released
position. When pulling the tension on this block might then get caught on re-entry to
the sail and limit use of the VB.
The cross tube VB. rope (6) should be tight with the VB. in the fully released
position. To check this there should be a little bit of slack in the tension strop (7)
(static side) with the VB. in the released position. To alter this re-tie the knot
attaching this rope to the triple pulley block (3). ALWAYS USE A BOWLI E
K OT.
When VB. tension is pulled on the tension strop (7) will become progressively more
slack. The side wires on the glider will become tighter. When the two blocks (1) and
(3) meet the VB. is full on and the side rigging should be just tight.
EVER ALTER YOUR VB. I SUCH A WAY AS TO I CREASE THE
MAXIMUM TE SIO OR REDUCE THE MI IMUM TE SIO .
TU I G I STRUCTIO S
Trim speed - The trim speed is adjustable by moving the base of the king post and
thus hang point. Forward movement will speed the glider up, whilst rearward
movement will slow it down. See section on changing hang position (page 19).
A turn in the Java is unusual. If your glider previously flew straight then the most
likely explanation is that you have bent a leading edge. If a turn is detected first
check the battens. Check them against each other (making sure that they are the same
on both sides) and then against the profile. Next check that the batten elastic tension
is the same on both sides of the glider. If there is still a turn check that the leading
edges are straight and undamaged.
A slight turn may be tuned out using the tip adjusters:
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Java 150 Owner`s Manual
The black plastic caps have a small hole drilled as a reference. This reference is lined
up with the self-tapping screw for initial assembly. (This is the datum)
The self-tapping screw should be removed and the black plastic cap turned slightly.
The wing that is lifting should have the washout increased (i.e. trailing edge lifted)
while the wing dropping should have the washout reduced (i.e. trailing edge lowered).
Mark the leading edge with a pen or pencil before removing the self-tapping screw
and O LY ALTER THE WASHOUT AT THE TIP I SMALL I CREME TS.
(MAXIMUM 3mm at a time.) The total movement should OT exceed 10mm each
side of the datum (the hole for the self tapping screw. DO 'T FORGET TO
REPLACE THE SELF-TAPPI G SCREW.
Other tuning should OT be carried out without reference to Avian Ltd., or an
approved dealer.
BATTE S A D BATTE PROFILE
The Java battens should be maintained in the correct profile. Failure to do this could
result in adverse flying characteristics.
How often should your battens be checked?
At first check your battens regularly. This will give you some idea of how fast they
are changing profile. The Java has 7075 battens which tend to hold their shape well.
The nose and tip battens are made of a softer 60 2 alloy. 60 2 battens tend to get
harder, and hold their shape better, once they have been re-profiled a few times. On
the Java the batten most likely to require re-profiling is the nose batten.
Don't forget: If you don't know how the glider has been treated while it is out of your
care (for instance if it has been sent by carrier or on an aeroplane) check the battens
against the profile and do a very thorough pre-flight check BEFORE flying.
Checking the profile
The best place to check the profile of your battens is at home on a flat surface. (It is
very difficult to do on the hill with no flat surfaces and the wind blowing the paper
profile away.)
The printed profile should be rolled out flat and a book placed at either end to hold it
down.
The battens can then be compared to the profile:
Place green (right) number 1 batten against number 1 profile. Place the front end of
the batten against the profile and check that it matches the profile along its whole
length.
If it does not match the profile see where it deviates and adjust the batten accordingly
in that area. (See below.) Continue this process until the batten matches the profile.
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Java 150 Owner`s Manual
Then do the same for red number 1 batten. Check that both number 1 battens are
exactly the same shape. It is more important that the battens are symmetrical than
that they are a perfect copy of the profile. Asymmetrical battens could cause a turn in
your glider.
Then move onto batten number 2 and so on until you have checked all the battens.
Do not forget to check number 9 batten, the compression strut.
ose batten
The nose batten profile should not be under-cambered but can be a little over-
cambered. This is because the cut of the sail will tend to flatten the batten if it is
over-cambered. The objective with the nose batten is to get the sail to fit tightly
around the nose area.
How to alter the shape of the batten
The objective is to get a smoothly curved batten but it is not quite as easy as it looks.
It is very difficult to bend the batten very close to its front end. Do not attempt to
alter the profile over the first 3-5cm of the batten. If your battens need profiling do
the 60 2 (see below) battens first as they are much softer.
To increase the curve in the batten hold the batten either side of where you want to
increase the curve and run the batten over your knee or leg exerting a gentle pressure.
(It helps if you are wearing something slippery.) Compare with the profile and repeat
if necessary. Try to avoid point bends and make sure that the bends are all in the
same plane. (7075 is a hard aluminium alloy and extra care must be taken while
profiling to avoid broken battens.) To reduce the curve, do the opposite of the above
either over your knee or preferably by pressing on a flat surface. If you have a point
bend try and remove it.
Batten Material
The nose batten and compression struts are made from 1/2" OD 60 2 tube.
All other battens are made from 10. mm OD 7075 tube.
60 2 Aluminium is easier to bend. 7075 aluminium is brittle and more difficult to
bend but it holds its shape much better.
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Java 150 Owner`s Manual
CHA GI G HA G POSITIO
Changing the hang position changes the pitch trim (or trim speed) of the glider.
Moving the hang point forwards increases the speed at which the glider will fly
without pilot input and moving it rearwards reduces the trim speed. The trim speed
must not be reduced too far. For safety the glider should always be trimmed faster
than stall speed. When changing the trim speed only move one hole on the channel at
a time.
The procedure for altering the hang position
Two 4mm Allen keys and some thread lock will be required. The Allen keys should
be in good condition. i.e. If the ends of the Allen key are at all rounded grind them
off or buy a new Allen key. Thread lock (e.g. Loctite Screwlock 222) can be
purchased from a car accessory shop.
The glider is easiest to work on in one of two positions:
With the wings open and the glider flat on the ground the kingpost channel can be
worked on from above.
Perhaps more easily with the glider fully rigged tail into wind and working from
below the sail. This can only be done in light winds. In this case release the nose
catch and unclip the tack hook on the top rear wire.
Place an Allen key in both of the Allen screws (1)
Undo one of the Allen screws (1)
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