Nova IBEX 2 User manual

IBEX 2
Version 1.0
08/2011

NOVA....................................................................................... 6
The IBEX 2.............................................................................. 7
Short technical description......................................................... 7
Safety ............................................................................................ 7
Handling Characteristics............................................................ 7
Performance................................................................................. 8
New Features................................................................................ 8
Target Group............................................................................... 8
General information bevor implementing................................. 9
First flight.................................................................................. 9
Registration................................................................................ 9
Scope of delivery.......................................................................... 9
Modifications on the glider......................................................... 9
Suited harnesses........................................................................... 9
Weight range.............................................................................. 10
Flying the IBEX 2 ................................................................. 10
Launch........................................................................................ 10
Normal flight.............................................................................. 11
Turning....................................................................................... 12
Landing....................................................................................... 13
Manoeuvres for fast decent....................................................... 13
Big ears.................................................................................... 13
B-Stall...................................................................................... 14
Deep spiral............................................................................... 14

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C-Stall...................................................................................... 16
Collapses..................................................................................... 16
Asymmetric collapse ............................................................... 16
Front tuck................................................................................. 16
Stall manoeuvres........................................................................ 17
Spin.......................................................................................... 17
Fullstall.................................................................................... 17
Deep/Parachutal stall............................................................... 18
Cravates...................................................................................... 18
Winch launch............................................................................. 19
Speed system.............................................................................. 19
Mounting the speed system ..................................................... 20
Using the accelerator in flight ................................................. 20
Service and maintenance......................................................21
General advice ........................................................................... 21
Cleaning...................................................................................... 21
Repair......................................................................................... 21
Check.......................................................................................... 23
Environment friendly behaviour:........................................23
Disposal:.................................................................................23
Technical data .......................................................................24
Overview risers....................Fehler! Textmarke nicht definiert.
Overview Glider....................................................................26
Line plans...............................................................................27

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Line lengths:.......................................................................... 28
Over all line lengths:............................................................. 30

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Congratulations, for choosing to fly a NOVA IBEX 2. You have
got a glider, to experience exiting and safe flights for many years.
This manual contains important information and instructions to
use your glider. Please read the following pages carefully before
your first flight. For questions and suggestions please contact us:
[email protected].
To find further information about this or other products please
visit our website: www.nova-wings.com
To fully use all our maintainance and guarantee services you have
to register your glider on our website. (click MY NOVA, and
REGISTER)
For more information on our guarantee services have a look here:
http://www.nova-wings.com/english/nova/guarantee.html
Now we wish you many nice ours in the air and a safe landing at
the end of every flight.
NOVA Team

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NOVA
Since the company was founded in 1989, NOVA has become one of the
world’s leading paraglider manufacturers with their head office in
Terfens/Austria.
NOVA consists of a highly qualified team and most of the team members share
the passion of flying with those pilots, who decided to fly a NOVA glider.
This passion and our Know-How are the fundamental parts of our work. By
now, the passion and the Know-How are continuously growing. This is why we
are for example pioneers in the area of air flow simulations, which allows us to
predict certain properties of a new wing quite accurately on the computer.
Last but not least we have outstanding test pilots who provide a substantial
contribution to make every new wing an unmistakable NOVA glider, which
impresses in every aspect.
But NOVA doesn’t only just stand for the development and the design of
paragliders. We also want to take the responsibility for the manufacture of our
gliders. That’s why the production of NOVA-gliders takes place in our factory
in the Hungarian town of Pecs. This allows us to influence important factors,
for example quality assurance during the whole production process.
Furthermore we can guarantee fair working conditions for about 100 NOVA-
employees in Hungary.
We are convinced that the customer benefits from better employee working
conditions, in terms of high-quality products.
What we want to achieve are happy and enthusiastic pilots, because the future
of our sport depends on the enthusiasm of the people who are part of this
wonderful sport.

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The IBEX 2
The IBEX 2 is the follower of the well known IBEX. The IBEX 2 is only
available in sizes 15 and 17, because the size 19 would be technically too
similar to the already existing ION LIGHT 19.
The IBEX 2 is more durable and robust than its predecessor. So the glider is not
just interesting for para-alpinists but also for pilots who need a heavy-duty
glider for stony soaring places on days with stronger wind.
Short technical description
The IBEX 2 has 39 cells. Five of those cells are closed stabilo cells on each
side.
There are four layers of lines. The first layer, the A-lines are red. B, C and D
lines are yellow. The brake layer, which is not one of the four line layers, is
orange. (the stabilo lines are orange as well.)
The risers consist of 4 belts. On the first two belts (red) both A stem lines are
attached. Furthermore the speed system is fixed on the first A belt. On the next
three belts the B, C, and D stem lines are attached.
Safety
The IBEX 2 belongs to the ROOKIE/ION family, which has proven its high
safety potential thousands of times. Without this potential it wouldn't have been
possible to certify such a small glider.
Considering the small size, the IBEX 2 offers a well manageable collapse
behaviour. The biggest advantage is, that the wing is very stable in turbulences,
due to the high wing loading.
Handling Characteristics
Because of the high wing loading, the IBEX 2 is very agile and dynamic. Small
steering inputs are enough to do steep and dynamic turns. This makes wing
overs, and other dynamic manoeuvres quite easy to perform. If you want to use
thermals efficiently you have to be quite sensitive to avoid too much sink rate
during turns.

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Performance
Thanks to the better finish and the higher stability of the leading edge we could
increase the performance compared to IBEX 1.
The high performance is an advantage for para-alpinists who want to cover
some distance on their way down, as well as for soaring pilots, who can fly the
wing on flat ridges or on light wind days.
And last but not least: The IBEX 2 climbs quite well in thermals, which is
something, not many 15sqm gliders can offer!
New Features
•Kink resistant nylon rods instead of mylar reinforcements at the
leading edge.
•Dirtholes on the stabile.
•New position and fixation of the brake pulleys for better
ergonomics.
•A vector band behind the cell openings maintains a very good
shape of this important part of the wing.
Target Group
The IBEX 2 aims to different types of pilots. On the one hand we want to
approach para-alpinists who are looking for superior launch behaviour, for
light-weight, and for high performance at high speed.
These qualities are also interesting for pilots who are looking for a agile
soaring-glider which can be flown at higher wind speeds, than a normal
paraglider.
And the IBEX 2 might also be interesting for pilots who want a very agile "toy"
to enjoy flying in a different way, than with normal sized gliders.
Pilots requirements:
The small size of the IBEX 2 and thereby the high wingloading make certain
demands for the pilot.
The IBEX 2 15 needs a experienced pilot, who has already gathered solid
experience in turbulent conditions and also with manoeuvres like collapses. The

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glider is very predictable in its reactions but sometimes it requires fast and
sensitive brake inputs. Therefore the pilot should already have certain
"reflexes" from flying other wings. Of course the wing loading has a certain
influence on the pilots requirements: If you fly the wing with less than 75kg it
will be less demanding than if you fly it on top of the weight range.
The IBEX 2 17 is more damped than the IBEX 2 15. Especially for very light
pilots, we think, that the glider is also suited for occasional pilots. If you fly the
IBEX 2 17 on top of its weight range, you need more experience to deal with
the dynamic flying behaviour.
General information bevor implementing
First flight
Every NOVA glider has to be flown and checked through a NOVA dealer. This
flight (date and pilot) has to be entered on the stabilo of the wing.
Registration
To get all warranty and service features, you have to register your glider on our
Homepage. Please choose “LOGIN” and follow the advice for registration
Scope of delivery
The IBEX 2 is shipped with an inner pack sack, a riserbag, the speed system, a
windsock, the manual and a patch.
Modifications on the glider
Any modification (e.g. change of line lengths, changes on the speed system)
causes a loss of certification. We recommend that you contact NOVA before
performing any kind of change.
Suited harnesses
The IBEX 2 is approved for any harness of the class “GH” (without diagonal
bracing). This means almost every harness which is currently available.

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The choice of the harness has a big influence on the flight characteristics of the
IBEX 2. There are harnesses which allow very effective weight shifting on the
one hand, but which tip to the side in turbulences quite undamped on the other
hand.
Other harnesses, like mountain harnesses without a seat board don’t allow
extreme weight shifting, but they will give the pilot a calmer feel in turbulent
conditions.
Due to the high agility of the IBEX 2 many pilots might prefer such a harness
with more damping.
Weight range
Each size of the IBEX 2 is certified for a certain weight range. The weight
refers to the “overall take off weight”. This means the weight of the pilot, the
glider, the harness and all other equipment.
If you fly the IBEX 2 on the lower half of the weight range, the agility
decreases and the glider will be more damped.
If you fly the IBEX 2 on the upper half of the weight range, the agility will
increase. Also the speed will increase slightly.
If you fly the glider outside the certified weight range, the glider looses its
airworthiness.
Flying the IBEX 2
We suggest performing your first flights with a new wing in calm conditions to
get used to the flight behaviour without any stress. We also recommend to do
some take-offs on a training hill or some ground handling to get a good feeling
for your glider from the very beginning.
Launch
Before every take off the pilot has to ensure that the equipment is in a proper
condition, especially the glider, the harness and the reserve system.

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Just before launch we recommend a check routine, which should be performed
carefully. (Many accidents at take off could be avoided by a proper check!)
We recommend the following routine:
1.) Strapped up (Leg strap and chest strap on the harness and helmet strap
all done up)
2.) Clipped in (Risers untwisted and connected to the karabiners, speed
system attached and karabiners properly closed)
3.) Lines (A lines on top, all lines sorted, brake line unlooped between
brake handle and pulley)
4.) Glider (glider lies arched with opened cell openings at take off.)
5.) Wind and airspace (wind suitable for launch and airspace in front of
take off free of other gliders)
The IBEX 2 has a very well balanced and easy take off behaviour. Corrections
are easy to perform at any time and no special advice is needed for forward or
reverse launches. The only thing you should consider is the slightly increased
take-off speed if you fly the wing with high wing loading. Especially on flat
take-off sites with zero wind (or headwind) this might be an issue.
A proper take off technique can only be learnt by intensive training. That’s why
we recommend to spend some time on a training hill every once in a while.
Also some ground handling will improve your take off skills. The best thing is
to have an experienced pilot with you who can help with some advice.
Like this, you will soon be able to launch your glider confidently, even in
difficult conditions. This will add a lot of safety to your flying and it allows you
to enjoy your flights from the very beginning.
Normal flight
If you release both brakes (“Hands up”) the IBEX 2 glides at the so called “trim
speed”. At this speed, the glide ratio reaches its maximum.
If you fly into a headwind or through sinking air, you should use the accelerator
to maximise your glide ratio. If you use the accelerator in turbulent conditions,

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you have to consider more demanding reactions in the case of a collapse. So
you should keep more distance from the ground if you fly accelerated.
If you fly in strong turbulences we recommend applying both brakes slightly.
This increases the stability and you get good feedback through the brakes,
which is necessary to fly your wing actively.
Flying actively means permanent control and correction of the angle of attack
in turbulent air. If you fly from lift into an area of sinking air, the angle of
attack will decrease and the wing will pitch down. A good pilot will realise this
even before the wing pitches down, by a reduced brake pressure. The right
reaction would be to apply the brakes more and thereby increase brake pressure
to prevent the wing from pitching down or even from collapsing in turbulent
conditions.
Flying from sinking air into lift is just the opposite: Without any pilot action,
the angle of attack would increase and the wing would pitch up. The pilot can
feel this, by an increased brake pressure. In this situation, the pilot should
release the brakes to reduce the pitch movement.
To generalize:
If the brake pressure decreases and if the wing pitches down, the pilot should
apply more brakes. If the brake pressure increases and if the wing pitches up,
the brakes should be released.
With proper active flight control, the pilot can avoid most of the collapses and
keep control in every moment. The best way to learn this is of course flying,
but ground handling definitely helps to improve the feeling for the glider. A
good training exercise is to stabilise the wing above your head with the brakes,
without looking at it. This helps as well for improving the forward launch.
Turning
A smooth turn is an interaction of inner brake, outer brake and weight shifting.
The difficulty is finding the right amount, which is important if you want to
climb efficiently in thermals.
The IBEX 2 turns quite sensitively, so only small inputs are needed for
performing precise turns. Tight and quick turns or fast changes of turning
direction without unwanted pendulum movement are quite complex and take

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some training. It should be the goal of every pilot to master these skills
perfectly.
Attention:
If you can’t use the brakes for steering the glider you can use the D-risers
instead. (This might be necessary for example, if the brake lines tangled up due
to a bad pre-launch check or less likely, if the main brake line tears).
The IBEX 2 can be turned quite well with the D-risers combined with weight
shifting. You can also land the glider nice and smooth just with the D-risers.
Don’t pull the D-risers too much, to avoid a deep stall!
Landing
Landing the IBEX 2 is very easy. In turbulent conditions we recommend
applying brakes (approximately 20% of the available brake travel) during the
whole approach. This will increase the stability of the glider and the feeling of
the wing.
Just before touch down you should apply more brake. Many times it makes
sense to induce a stall.
Attention:
A deep stall in just 2 meters height can cause a quite violent touch down. Make
sure to not fully apply the brakes until you are close enough to the ground.
Manoeuvres for fast decent
Big ears
Big ears are very effective and easy to perform with the IBEX 2. For initiation,
pull the outer A lines symmetrically. Keep the brake handles (without extra
wraps) in your hands.
As long as you keep both outer A-lines pulled, the wingtips will be folded and
the sink speed will increase. We recommend to additionally push the speed bar
to increase the sink speed further and to also increase forward speed. The drag
of the folded wingtips increases the angle of attack. By pushing the speed bar,
this effect is compensated.

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To end the manoeuvre, release the A-lines. If the wingtips don’t open
automatically, you can inflate them by applying the brakes with a short impulse
movement.
B-Stall
You can enter a B-Stall by symmetrically pulling both B-risers approximately
15cm. The force is quite high at the beginning, but decreases when you pull
down further. To get a good hold of the risers, it makes sense to grab them on
top at the shackles.
As you pull the risers down, the gliders stops its forward motion and after a
pendulum swinging motion, the IBEX 2 enters a very stable stall state. The sink
rate depends on the wing loading and on how much the pilot pulls the B-risers.
If you pull too far, the glider starts to rotate about the yaw axis. In this case,
release the risers, until the rotation stops. (Please note, that such a rotation can
also be induced by an asymmetric pulling of both risers)
To exit the B-stall, raise up both hands speedily.
Keep the brake handles (without extra wraps) in your hands during the
manoeuvre. Make sure to not apply brakes during the exit!
Deep spiral
The deep spiral is the most demanding of the three manoeuvres. (Ears, B-Stall
and Deep Spiral) You should only practise it with a lot of altitude. The best
way is to learn it under professional guidance.
Entering a deep spiral can be divided into two phases:
First, you fly a turn by applying one brake and by shifting your weight to the
same side, the glider will bank up and increase its turning speed. This phase
ends at a sink rate of roughly 8m/s – 10m/s. (depending on the wing loading)
Then at the beginning of the second phase the g-forces increase rapidly and the
leading edge will lean towards the ground. In a fully developed deep spiral, the
leading edge is almost parallel to the ground. The maximum sink rate with the
IBEX 2 can get up to 25m/s and more.

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The first attempts to fly a deep spiral should be stopped clearly before reaching
the second phase to get used to the quick rotation and to practice the exit
without pendulum swinging. The exit should be performed by simply releasing
the inner brake with a neutral weight-shift. The IBEX 2 will then decrease its
bank angle and go back to normal flight. To avoid a pendulum movement, the
inner brake has to be pulled in the moment the wing wants to reduce its bank
rapidly.
By applying the inner brake again, you force the glider to exit the spiral
movement not rapidly but during two or three rotations. It is very important to
master this exercise before continuing to the second phase of the deep spiral.
The pilot will feel the entering of this phase by the suddenly increased g-force.
In this moment, the pilot is being pushed to the outer side of the harness. It is
important to not counteract. So the pilot should lean to the outer side to avoid a
stable spiral. (See below)
If the pilot weight shifts to the outer side, the spiral movement will get slower
as soon as the pilot releases the inner brake. The rest of the exit works as
explained above for the first phase of the deep spiral.
If the pilot shifts his weight clearly to the inner side, the IBEX 2 might stay in a
deep spiral, even when releasing both brakes. In this case, it helps to apply the
outer brake, or both brakes and of course to shift the weight to the outer side.
Please don’t underestimate the difficulty of learning the deep spiral. The sink
rates are a lot higher than what you are used to from other manoeuvres and the
fast rotation might lead to disorientation. The high g-loads of up to 3g make the
manoeuvre even more demanding as you might have problems like the so
called “black out”, where you temporarily lose your vision due to the g-load. It
is very important to get a feeling for the reactions of your body to this
manoeuvre.
If you practice it well, it is a fun manoeuvre that enables you to loose height
faster than with any other manoeuvre.

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C-Stall
This manoeuvre can be found sporadically in some paragliding literature. We
don’t recommend it, because entering and exiting the C-stall can be very
demanding and dangerous for many pilots.
Collapses
Asymmetric collapse
If you fly in strong turbulences, one side of the glider might collapse. This
happens if one side of the wing doesn’t produce lift anymore, due to a low
angle of attack. If there is no lift, the lines get loose and the wing deforms or
collapses.
Most of these collapses are rather small – they only affect a small part of the
wingspan. In such a case, the IBEX 2 continues to fly almost unaffected. If the
collapse affects 50% of the wingspan or more, the wing will react considerably:
Due to the increased drag of the collapsed wing, the glider will turn to the
collapsed side. Furthermore, the glider will pitch down because of the increased
wing loading. (The glider has to increase its speed because of the reduced area
– that’s what causes the pitching down.)
The pilot can prevent the glider from pitching and turning, by applying the
brake on the non collapsed side of the wing. If a collapse occurs close to the
ground it is essential to react properly. The proper reaction should be taught at
high altitude, ideally under professional guidance.
As explained above, most of the collapses can be prevented, if you fly actively!
Front tuck
A front tuck occurs, if the angle of attack gets too low on the whole wingspan,
then the whole leading edge will collapse. After the asymmetric tuck, the IBEX
2 will go back to normal flight automatically. The pilot can expedite the
opening process by slightly applying both brakes.

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Stall manoeuvres
Spin
If you pull one brake too much, you might induce a so called spin. The centre
of rotation is no longer far outside the wing (like during a normal turn), but it
moves inside the wing. Furthermore the rotation speed increases. The IBEX 2
will go back to normal flight, if the pilot releases both brakes. The IBEX 2’s
spin behaviour is easily manageable: It takes a lot of brake travel to induce the
spin, and then the pilot has quite some time to react and release both brakes.
Fullstall
If you pull both brakes too far, the wing will perform a so called full stall. The
wing suddenly stops its forward motion, but the pilot is still moving forward.
So from the pilots view, the glider will tilt backwards. It is very important to
not release the brakes in this moment. Otherwise the glider might surge forward
below the pilot.
The Full Stall is a complex manoeuvre and the perfect execution can not be
explained in this manual. If you want to learn a proper full stall, it makes sense
to do this under professional guidance.
Due to the small size of the glider, the fullstall is especially demanding to
perform on the IBEX 2. We strongly recommend only to perform fullstalls if
you are already able to perfectly execute them with other gliders.
The available brake travel before stalling the wing depends on the size. It is
approximately 55cm for the IBEX 2 17 and 50cm for the IBEX 2 15. Those
numbers are just a rough indication. (The publication of the brake travel is
claimed by the EN 926.)
It would be dangerous to use the brake travel according to those numbers,
because it is not practicable to measure the brake travel during flight, and in
turbulences the stall might occur with less brake travel. If you want to use the
whole brake travel of your glider safely, it is necessary do many intended spins
and full stalls to get a feeling for the stall behaviour.

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Deep/Parachutal stall
The Deep Stall, or Parachutal Stall is kind of the pre stage to a Full Stall. The
wing has no forward motion and a high sink speed, but it is almost fully
inflated. The pilot can enter the Deep Stall by applying both brakes. It is very
difficult to keep the wing in a Deep Stall: If you pull the brakes a little too
much, the glider will enter a Full Stall. If you release the brakes too much, the
glider will go back to normal flight. To practice a Deep Stall, it is necessary to
master the Full Stall first.
A very old or worn out glider with a porous cloth or with a changed trim (due
to many winch launches, or deep spirals) might stay in a deep stall even after
releasing both brakes. Do not apply the brakes in such a situation, because the
wing would then enter a full stall ! You can exit the deep stall by pushing the
speed bar, or by simply pushing the A-risers forward. If you fly through rain,
the risk of a deep stall is higher. We strongly advice against flying in rainy
conditions. If it happens, that you get into rainfall, we recommend not
performing a B-stall or Big Ears. Our recommendation is to leave the rain as
soon as possible and to fly with both brakes released, or even accelerated, as
this reduces the risk of a deep stall.
Cravates
After a big collapse or after a badly executed Full Stall, a part of the wing
might be tangled up in the lines, and won’t reopen automatically. This is what
you call a cravate. During our extensive test flights with the IBEX 2 we never
experienced a cravate but this situation can not be eliminated with any
paraglider.
In case of a cravate we recommend the following actions:
1.) Counter steer: Probably the wing wants to turn to the side of the
cravate. In some cases, the turning happens quickly and will end in a
stable deep spiral without the pilot’s action. So it is important to react
quickly by counter steering.
2.) Opening the cravate by applying the brake with an impulse movement:
Some cravats can be opened with this method. It is important to keep
the wing in straight flight by pulling the other brake all the time.

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3.) Pulling the stabilo line: Some cravats can be opened by strongly
pulling the stabilo line. (It is the orange line on the B-riser. Have a
look at it or grab it every once in a while and you will be able to react
quicker in a moment of danger.)
4.) Induce a collapse: It often helps to induce a collapse (by pulling the A-
riser) on the side with the cravatte.
5.) Full stall: Many cravats can be opened by using the Full Stall. But of
course you have to have solid experience with this manoeuvre to be
able to use it properly.
6.) Reserve: If you loose control or if you are not absolutely sure that you
have enough height for further attempts to recover, immediately use
your reserve!
Many pilots wait way too long before using their reserve. Some don’t use the
reserve at all if they lose control of their glider. We strongly recommend to at
least mentally practice the use of the reserve from time to time: Grab the handle
of the reserve in flight, like you would do it in case of emergency. Many clubs
or schools offer to throw the rescue for example in a gym. The most realistic
way of training is to use the reserve in real flight. Many SIV Clinics offer that
as part of their training.
Please use these possibilities: There are already too many pilots, who almost
forgot that they have a reserve they could use, which is a very bad precondition
to use it without hesitating in a dangerous moment.
Winch launch
The IBEX 2 is very easy to launch on the winch. You should start to climb at a
flat angle.
We recommend the use of a towing device which accelerates the glider during
the winch launch.
Speed system

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Mounting the speed system
Most harnesses have two pulleys on each side. Some light harnesses have
simple rings instead. Guide the accelerator ropes (included in the delivery)
from top to bottom through these pulleys. Then fix the speed bar on the bottom
of the ropes.
It is important to adjust the length correctly. If you set it too short, the glider
might fly accelerated all the time, which definitely has to be avoided. If you set
it too long, you might not be able to use the full accelerator travel.
We suggest adjusting the length quite long and then try to estimate the free
travel in flight to shorten it after the flight.
Using the accelerator in flight
If you push the speed travel all the way, the IBEX 2 will gain approximately
12km/h speed. (Compared to “hands off”speed) It makes sense to use the
accelerator when flying into a headwind or through sinking air – or simply to
move forward faster.
Attention:
It doesn’t make sense to apply the brakes during accelerated flight. This will
reduce the glide performance considerably, and it will make the wing more
unstable. (Unlike in non accelerated flight!)
To turn, simply shift weight, or push the speed bar asymmetrically. (If you push
the right side further, the wing will perform a left turn.)
You can also use the accelerator for pitch control: If the glider pitches up, push
the speed bar more, if it pitches down, release the speed bar.
Measurements of the speed systems (publication required by EN 926)
If you use all the available accelerator travel, the A & B risers will get shorter
by 14cm.
The C riser reduces its length by exactly half of the value of the A&B riser. The
D riser remains the same length.