ICARO paragliders Nikita 5 User manual

Version 2 / 2016

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Verification of Checks and repairs
NIKITA 5
Serial number: ………………………….……………
ICARO incoming test/ date: ……….……..…………
………………………….
Name/ Stamp
Check (C)
Repair (R) Which repair/ Check? Performed by/ date
Measured porosity data
Measured data of the lines Estimated condition
optical:
technical:
Check (C)
Repair (R) Which repair/ Check? Performed by/ date
Measured porosity data
Measured data of the lines Estimated condition
optical:
technical:
Check (C)
Repair (R) Which repair/ Check? Performed by/ date
Measured porosity data
Measured data of the lines Estimated condition
optical:
technical:

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LIST OF CONTENTS
VERIFICATION OF CHECKS AND REPAIRS............................................................2
TO GET TO KNOW YOUR NIKITA 5 .....................................................................5
CANOPY....................................................................................................................6
LINES .......................................................................................................................6
RISERS.....................................................................................................................6
FLYING WITH THE NIKITA 5.................................................................................7
FLYING WITH WEIGHT SHIFT AND BRAKE .......................................................................7
ACRO IN THERMALS....................................................................................................8
ACCELERATION .........................................................................................................8
LANDING...................................................................................................................8
DESCENT TECHNIQUES ......................................................................................8
BIG &SMALL EARS....................................................................................................8
B-LINE-STALL ...........................................................................................................9
SPIRAL DIVE..............................................................................................................9
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN IT HAPPENS?...............................................................9
KNOTS AND CRAVATS.................................................................................................9
DEEP/PARACHUTE STALL.........................................................................................10
EMERGENCY STEERING............................................................................................10
CARE INSTRUCTIONS, REPAIRS, INSPECTION...............................................10
CARE INSTRUCTIONS ...............................................................................................10
REPAIRS.................................................................................................................11
TRIMMING ...............................................................................................................11
REPAIRS.................................................................................................................11
INSPECTION ............................................................................................................11
ANNEX..................................................................................................................12
USER´S NEEDS FOR INSPECTIONS .............................................................................12
INSPECTION INSTRUCTIONS ......................................................................................12
LINEPLAN........................................................................................................................................14

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Congratulations on buying your
NIKITA 5
and welcome to the family of ICARO - pilots!
Before you get to know your glider please read the
manual, there are any important items.
•Your NIKITA 5 is not pattern tested valid using any harness which has been
categorized by “GH” and may be only used for those purposes described in this
manual.
•The NIKITA 5 cap was only undergoing a load test.
•It is strictly prohibited to use the NIKITA 5
•under the influence of drugs or alcohol,
•in insufficient experience or training of pilots,
•without guilty license,
•beyond the minimum and maximum recommended Take Off- Weight,
•with damaged glider, lines, risers or harness and
•in the rain, in snow, in the clouds and fog and in turbulent weather
conditions.
•Our products are made with great care and state of the art.
•Each glider before it is delivered to the dealer or flight school is checked by
ICARO paragliders (incoming test). Test flights are made only on a random
basis.
•On that score an approved ICARO dealer or teacher of the flight school must
inflate a new ICARO paraglider in the wind or should carry out the first flight
before the wing is handed over to you.
•The use of this paraglider is entirely at your own risk. Every pilot bears the
responsibility of his/her own safety.
•In order to get to know your glider, we recommend that you practice with your
glider on the ground. Pulling up in flat gradients is great practice for fine tuning
your launch techniques. Here you can get to learn the reactions of your glider
without any stress and hectic. Ground practice pays off in the air.
•All technical data and instructions were drawn up with great care.
ICARO paragliders cannot be made responsible for any possible errors in this
manual.
•Important information in this manual is written in fat cursive writing.
•Any important changes to this manual will be published in our homepage
(www.icaro-paragliders.de).
•Should you decide to sell this glider at a later date, please pass on this manual
to the new owner.

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•Each alteration of the glider (lines, canopy, and risers) is dangerous reactions
of the glider are not predictable. Your glider will lose its pattern test result and
guarantee.
•You can only fly your glider with a valid flying license and in accordance with
local rules and regulations.
•The manufacturer or distributor assumes no responsibility for accidents
occurring while using it.
•Every pilot must ensure that the glider is properly checked at regular intervals.
•Many countries have specific regulations or laws regarding paragliding activity.
It’s your responsibility to know and observe the regulations of the region where
you fly.
•Paragliding especially Acro is an extremely demanding sport requiring the
highest levels of attention, judgment, maturity, and self-discipline. Due to the
inherent risks in flying this or any paraglider.
•No guarantee of any kind can be made against accidents, injury, equipment
failure, and/or death. It is assumed that the pilot is in possession of the
necessary qualifications and provisions of any relevant laws are observed.
•The use of this paraglider is entirely at your own risk. Every pilot bears the
responsibility of his/her own safety. The manufacturer or distributor assumes
no responsibility for accidents occurring while using it.
•Do not fly unless you are personally willing to assume all risks inherent in the
sport of paragliding and all responsibility for any property damage, injury, or
death, which may result from use of this paraglider.
•Gliders and Harnesses those are used for training purposes, aerobatic or other
official competitions, are excluded from a guarantee.
Environmental aspects:
The materials of which a paraglider is made require a special waste disposal. So
please send disused gliders back to us. We will care about a professional waste
disposal without costing for you.
Please do our nature-near sport in a way which does not stress nature and
environment!
Please do not walk beside the marked ways, do not leave your litter, do not make
unnecessary loud noises and respect the sensitive balance in the mountains.
Especially at the launch site consideration is needed!
This manual is copyrighted. Partial reproduction is allowed only after prior approval by ICARO
Paragliders, all other rights are reserved.

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To get to know your NIKITA 5
Allowed for training no
Allowed for towing yes
Allowed for flying with passengers no
Allowed for flying with motor drive no
Allowed for aerobatics no / yes
17 18 22
Wing Area flat m² 17 18 20
Wing Area projected m² 14,3 15,1 16,8
Wing Span flat m 9,8 10,1 10,6
Wing Span projected m 7,7 7,9 8,4
Aspect Ratio 5,6 5,6 5,6
Aspect Ratio projected 4,2 4,2 4,2
Take Off Weight minimum kg 60 80 90
Take Off Weight maximum kg 85 105 115
Number of risers 4 4 4
Weight kg 5,2 5,4 5.8
Number of cells 50 50 50
Maximum acceleration mm 180 180 180
Trimmer no no no
Canopy
Various coatings provide for a reduction in air permeability, increase the UV-
resistance and reduce the weight. The design and materials of the NIKITA 5 were
adapted to the stress in Infinity Tumbling.
Lines
The lines of NIKITA 5 been dimensioned so that the maximum resistance is
ensured at all dynamic maneuvers. All lines were hung and sewn with precision.
The end control of all line lengths is documented for all paragliders produced by
ICARO paragliders.
Risers
The risers of NIKITA 5 been developed for the special needs of acro flying.

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Flying with the NIKITA 5
We recommend that all talented NIKITA 5 acro pilots who have already gained
enough experience in all extremely maneuvers with small screens.
Despite the great inherent stability of the NIKITA 5 needed during the execution of
maneuvers with delicate little hands.
Depending on the surface load maneuvers are falling out with different dynamics.
The loss of altitude while flying maneuvers varies with the surface load. The
greater the surface area exposed, the more height loss, and violent reactions from
collapses and application can be the result.
The line geometry has been changed so that the largest possible tension spread
the risers to keep the Mc Twist and the Twist maneuvers similar risk as low as
possible.
The NIKITA 5 inspire of the high stability is not an acro glider for freestylers and
acro-newbie’s it has been opened for professionals.
The weight given in the data sheet recommendations will help the pilot to find an
optimal mix of dynamism and safety.
We recommend flying with an Acro harness. These seat belts are adapted to high
loads during the flight. Also own Acro harness place for two second chances for
double security.
Despite the small air intake openings, the glider starts very good.
The control paths are kept short so that all maneuvers, except for the Mc-Twist,
can be flown without winded steering lines.
In NIKITA 5 the stable point lies approximately on karabiner height. At full stall, for
example, the hands should only be to slightly bring under the stall point. In the
stable hands should never be entirely stretched. Despite the great inherent
stability of the NIKITA 5 requires a delicate hand. Covers and folds will be
responded with intense shooting and fast turning away.
We recommend flying aerobatic only exert a sufficient amount. With a life
vest, it is the surest way to make friends with the flight characteristics of
NIKITA 5.
Check the glider for wear after each aerobatics. When you fold up the
canopy (cell to cell) you also should visually inspect the loops and the
stitching on the leading edge. The lines should be regularly checked when
packing.
Despite the high wing loading can thermal flying with NIKITA 5 be fun. The art is to
keep the wing flat as possible, but still fly very tight radii. Suffice it a slight weight
shift to the inside of the curve.
Who is not pressed when turning the outer brake, will find themselves in a spiral
dive. Only about the outer brake the wing is prevented from drilling in the deep.
Who controls this technology can do in good conditions, long thermal flights.
Flying with weight shift and brake
To fly in Acro a nice long program will require precisely control impulses. "Less is
more" is the motto for a well-designed wing loading from 5.3 kilograms per square
meter surface. Thus, the NIKITA 5 reacts to every little impulse control. It is
sufficient to exert gentle pressure to the thigh on the seat.

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Also during the maneuvers should be a more "neutral" posture lead to the best of
success. To initiate a dynamic satellite maneuvers meet short and harmonious
control deflections.
Acro in thermals
In moving air the behavior of the cap is unpredictable. Already the firing behavior
of a full stall-Exit at the entrance of a thermal cannot be predicted. Depending on
where the cap currently experiencing an updraft, a downdraft or wind shears, the
start-up to be completely different.
If you at the end of a beard, you should be able to fly at least 15 seconds straight
without being caught by the next turbulence. In this "quiet" air package you can
already start with a maneuver.
In general, you are discouraged from aerobatics in turbulent air.
Acceleration
At the maximum load reached in the fully accelerated NIKITA 5 states more than
60 km / h. In turbulent conditions, the speed system should be used selectively
and with feeling.
It makes absolutely no sense - it is even dangerous - at the same time speed
and braking. Due to a lower angle of attack in accelerated flight, the front
part of the wing becomes more sensitive to turbulence. By simultaneously
braking is now shifting the lift in the rear of the wing and the front part of the
wing unnecessary burden.
Landing
The NIKITA 5 flair can be wonderful. However, for a small Acro glider always pay
attention to the higher trim speed. Due to the short way to control NIKITA 5 can be
brought very quickly into the stall. This is avoided through reason.
If you leave the inflated leading edge bang on the ground, this can cause the
cell walls to burst! Please always keep check on other pilots in the air so
that you can avoid a collision.
Descent Techniques
Training of descent techniques, simulation of flight incidents (SFI) and
aerobatic training should only take place at professional training seminars
with professional trainer and only while flying over water.
Big & Small Ears
The NIKITA 5 has very stable wingtips. The ears open automatically after creation.
The pitch angle of your paragliders is increased using small and big ears,
the brake path is shortened and the risk of inducing a deep stall is high.
Using acceleration system during this maneuver helps reduce these
negative risks.
Never attempt tight turns or spirals with Big Ears, as the A-lines will be over
stressed.

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B-Line-Stall
It is very dangerous to exit a B-line-stall incorrectly and following errors must be
avoided:
•Exit is too slow
•Releasing the B-line-stall aid without simultaneously pushing up with your
hands
•Using brakes during or directly after exiting
•Pulling too far on the B-line-stall aid, so that the A-lines are pulled too
•Brakes must not be shortened by twisting around your hand during the exercise.
Spiral Dive
The most effective way to reduce the amount is the spiral dive. It is enough to cap
with a moderate shift on inside brake and easier to bring the spiral. Thereby the
sink rates can be longer than 20 m/s. Disclaimer:
The NIKITA 5 remains in the stable spiral
position until the pilot active ends it with the
outer brake.
What happens when it happens?
The cautious to new aerobatic maneuvers is dangerous. Such flights should
only take place over water with life jackets and waiting lifeboat.
Knots and cravats
The best way to avoid knots and tangles is to inspect the lines before you inflate
the wing for take-off. If you notice a knot before takeoff, immediately stop running
and do not take-off. If you have taken-off with a knot you will have to correct the
drift by leaning on the opposite side of the knot and gently apply the brake line on
that side too.
You can gently try to pull on the brake line to see if the knot becomes unfastened
or try to identify the line with the knot in it. Try to pull the identified line to see if the
knot releases.
A cravat matters on a flight failure during a maneuver or after a botched D-bag
activation. The NIKITA 5 turns off very quickly, and can be stabilized with the outer
brake only with much feeling.
There are a few ways to try to rectify this situation:
•Try pumping on the side of the cravat
•Pull the stabilo line (the outermost B-line)
•Actively collapse the cravat side and release
•If all else fails, attempt a full stall – only if sufficient altitude remains.
If you have exhausted all these options, you are uncertain how to proceed
and you do not have control over your glider and you are running out of
altitude, immediately deploy your reserve parachute.

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Deep/Parachute Stall
Avoid flying in very humid air or in rain. A wet canopy may have very unpredictable
flying characteristics, one of which is a radically increased risk of deep stall!
The brake line travel becomes very short and even small input may suddenly
induce an airflow separation; in some cases even a gust or a sudden thermal may
change the angle of incidence enough to cause the deep stall.
If you find yourself flying in unavoidable rain we strongly recommend that
you avoid any sudden movements or radical brake line input, that you do not
pull Big Ears or B-Line-Stall, and that you steer clear of turbulence and avoid
a deep flare on landing.
Emergency Steering
Should it no longer be possible to steer your NIKITA 5, for example due to a
broken line, the glider may be steered by gently pulling on either back riser.
Handling will be more direct so being careful not to pull too hard. A good
way to get practice is during ground handling.
Care instructions, repairs, inspection
Care Instructions
•Even with good care and maintenance, just like any item exposed to the
elements, your glider can wear out after a certain amount of use. This can
change flight behavior and safety. We recommend a regular safety inspection
of the canopy and all lines.
•If you clean your glider it is best to use warm water and a soft sponge.
•Store your glider in a dry and dark place, ideally between 5° and 30° Celsius
and humidity between 55 and 65%. Do not store it near chemicals or petrol.
•If you will not fly for longer period, store the glider releasing all compression
straps and take it out of its backpack so that the fabric is not compressed,
creased or stretched.
•Avoid storing your glider for days at a time in a hot car.
•Unpack your paraglider shortly before launch and pack away immediately after
landing to avoid any unnecessary UV exposure.
•When unfolding the paraglider insure that neither the canopy nor the lines
become too dirty. Dirt particles can damage the material and lines.
•Never use chemical cleaning agents, brushes or hard sponges on the material,
as these destroy the coating and affect the strength. Also avoid dipping it in a
swimming pool; the chlorine will damage the cloth. The canopy will become
porous and will lose structural strength.
•Never attempt to clean your paraglider in a washing machine. Even without
using detergents the simple mechanical abrasion will quickly finish the canopy
and render it useless.
•If you are flying near the sea most the wing may age faster because the air is
humid and salty. In this case we suggest you have it checked more often than
prescribed in this manual.
•If you must rinse or clean your glider do so with fresh water. Frequent cleaning
will accelerate the ageing process.

Page 11
•If the glider has become wet, lay it out so that air can get to all areas of the
fabric.
•After landings in trees or on water you should check the length of the lines.
•Always make sure that your intended logo will not in any way influence the
glider behavior. If in doubt we suggest avoiding the attachment of advertising
logos on the wing. ICARO paragliders cannot be held responsible for any
mishaps caused by intentional after sales changes done to the wing.
•The NIKITA 5 is a very strong paraglider. Flying all the descent exercise will
not normally pose a structural problem but aerobatic training does accelerate
the ageing process dramatically.
•There is no special method packing your glider. ICARO paragliders commends
the “Cell to Cell-method bag because the reinforcements of the leading edge
stay flex-free on top of each other and do not fold.
When you did not fly for a longer period ICARO commends to check the
glider (e.g. mildew stains, splice of the lines, corrosion of the shackles and
carbines).
If you are not convinced of the gliders airworthiness please send your glider
to an authorized ICARO dealer to check your glider. The same is
commended for harnesses.
Repairs
Only use original ICARO parts for repairing your glider. If you don’t you lose
the guarantees for your glider.
Small holes in the canopy (max. 20x20 mm) can be repaired by the pilot by using
self-adhesive sailcloth on both sides of the perforation.
Damage to the lines or any other repairs should only be carried out at an
authorized ICARO center. If the glider needs to be repaired, please contact your
local ICARO paragliders dealer.
Trimming
After about 1000 flown Tumbling-over are certain lines very slowly. This becomes
noticeable when the train no longer in Tumble is the same as it was in the
beginning. Another indication of a line extension is the tentative start in the
helicopter.
To restore the normal flight characteristics again, lines have to be reduced.
Repairs
Small holes in the canopy can be repaired by the pilot by using self-adhesive
sailcloth on both sides of the perforation. Damage to the lines or any other repairs
should only be carried out at an authorized ICARO center.
If your NIKITA 5 needs to be repaired, please contact your local ICARO
Paragliders dealer.
Inspection
Your NIKITA 5 has no label, so they must also not require to inspection but it is
very important to check the glider, too. Below you find the regulations for checks of
certified gliders.

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Annex
User’s needs for Inspections
You will need the following items in order to perform a paraglider inspection:
oStandardized inspection report
oPorosity meter
oSpring scale
oEquipment for measuring line lengths
oEquipment for line strength testing
oSewing machine
oBig, clean and bright room
Technical specifications about your glider (type, serial number, size and year of
production). Please call ICARO paragliders for information.
A three week course at ICARO paragliders, specified to a glider type together with a legal
flight license is the necessary prerequisites for permission to inspect ICARO
paragliders.
Inspection Instructions
Record Information
Spread out your paraglider in a big bright room and make a note of information
such as model, type and serial number.
Porosity Test
Use your porosity meter to perform porosity checks at 4 different places of the
canopy. The results are recorded in the inspection protocol and are to be
evaluated according to the internal guidelines of the workshop.
Visual Control of the Canopy
Hang up the canopy so that you can do a visual check of your canopy. Check for
perforations in the upper and lower sailcloth, damaged stitching between the cells,
and damage to the leading/trailing edge reinforcements.
Each cell must be checked.
Visual Control of the Risers and Lines
Check the risers, the trimmers, the stitching at each line loop, the brake lines, all
seams and line contact points. Each line must be measured and inspected for
kinks.
Strength test of the lines
One complete A-and B- line must be removed, measured and submitted to a
strength test. The measured value of each individual line must be noted in the
inspection protocol. The minimum of the lines strength are 125% of the normative
guidelines.
Measurement of the lines
Measure every single line while stressing it with defined tractive force (5daN).
Compare with the line plan. The lines must be measured between fixing point on
the line lock and fixing point on the line loop.

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Assessment
The measurements of all procedures are noted in the inspection protocol. When all
facts have been recorded, the technician must make a general assessment.
Check the backpack for damage to the zips, seams and straps and repair if
necessary with a sewing machine.
General Remarks
Any other repairs, corrections etc. to the general condition of the paraglider must
be evaluated. A copy of the results of each inspection must be sent on to ICARO
paragliders.
The technician must report any unusual faults to ICARO paragliders within 3 days.
Inspection Reference
Only an authorized technician who has been trained by ICARO paragliders is
authorized to sign and date the glider type label

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Dispatch protocol/ Delivery content
Inner bag
Compression band
Risers bag
Outer rucksack
Repair set
Gift
Sticker
....................... ................................
Date Signature