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suitableforaverywiderangeofpilot.Inturns,theGEOissmooth
andco-ordinated,onglidesitremainssolid andwell pressured,even
throughthe acceleratedspeedrange.Ithasavery highresistanceto
bothcollapsesandstalls.However,togetthe mostoutofyourGEO
we adviseyoutoconsiderthe followinginformation.
NormalFlight
Flyingat'trimspeed'(hands-up),yourgliderwill achieveits'best
glide'speed.Applythebrakesapproximately30cmtoreachthe
minimum-sinkrate.Toincreaseyourspeedforheadwindglides,use
the acceleratorbarwhichwill giveyouanincrease inspeedofupto
10km/h.
ActiveFlying
All goodpilotsreacttothefeedback theirglidersgivethem,andare
constantly adjustingtheirspeedandpitchtomatchitsmovementsin
theair.Asthegliderpitchesinfrontofyou,usethe brakestoslowit
down.Equally,asthegliderdropsbehindyou,release the brakesto
speeditup.Thesemovementscanbesymmetricorasymmetricso
youmaybeapplyingbothbrakesorone.Thesesubtleadjustments
will keepyourgliderflyingsmoothlyanddirectlyaboveyou.These
are skillsthatcanbelearntbyplayingwiththegliderontheground
too.
Flyingwithabitofbrakeappliedwill giveyousomefeedback and
will allowabetterandquickerinput.
Turning
TofamiliariseyourselfwiththeGEOyourfirstturnsshould begradual
andprogressive.
Tomakeefficientandco-ordinatedturnswiththeGEOfirstlookin
thedirectionyouwanttogo,thenleanintoit.Your firstinputfor
directionalchangeshould beweight-shift,followedbythesmooth
applicationofthebrakeuntil thedesiredbankangleisachieved.To
regulatethe speedandradiusof theturn,usethe outerbrake.
IMPORTANT:neverinitiateaturnatminimumspeed(i.e.
withfull brakes on)asyoucouldriskenteringaspin.
Landing
The GEOshowsnounusuallandingcharacteristics butasareminder,
hereare some tips.
•Alwayssetupyourlandingearly,giveyourselfplentyofoptions
andasafe marginforerror.
•Oncebelow30metresavoid turningtightlyasthegliderwill have
todivetoaccelerateback tonormalflight.If youareatlow
altitude,orifyouhitsink,thiscouldmeanyouhitthe ground
harderthannecessary.
•Instead,allowtheglidertoflyatglideatfull speedforyourfinal
descentuntil youarearound1metreabovetheground.Apply
the brakesslowlyandprogressivelytoslowthegliderdownuntil
thegliderstallsandyouare abletostepontothe ground.
•Becarefulnottoflaretoohardatfull speedasthe glidermight
climbagainbeforestalling.Ifthe gliderdoesbegintoclimb,ease
off the brakesuntil itstopsclimbing,then flare again,butslower
thistime.If thisdoeshappen,don'tputyourhandsup!You
shouldkeepthebrakesatmid speed,standup,be readytorun
andmakesureyoubrake fullyasyouarrive onthe ground.
•Leanforwardoutofyourharnessbeforetheactuallanding
(especiallyifit'sturbulent),withyourweightleaningforward
againstthecheststrap,andmakesureyourlegsarereadyfor
thelandingandapossiblePLF.
•Choosetheappropriateapproachstyle infunctionof thelanding
areaandthe conditions.
•Alwayslandheadingintowind!
•Inlightwindsyouneedastrong,longandprogressiveflareto
bleedoffall yourexcess groundspeed.Instrongwindsyour
forwardspeedisalreadylowsoyouareflaringtosoftenthe
impactasyoutouchdown.
•Instrongwindsyouneedtoturntowardsthegliderthe second
yourfeettouchtheground.Oncefacingthewingpull smoothly
andsymmetricallydownonthebrakestostall thewing.Ifthe
gliderpullsyou,thenruntowardsit.
•If thewindisverystrong,andyoufeelyoumightbedragged,
stall thegliderwiththeCrisers.ThisstallstheGeoinavery
quick andcontrollablewayandwill dragyouless thenifyouuse
thebrakes.
Packing
•Spreadthegliderflatonitstopsurface,thenlay thelinesontop.
The risersshould belaidontheground,atthecentreofglider,
nearthetrailingedge.
•Takeawingtip andfold itintothecentreofthewing.Repeat
thisuntilthegliderisfoldedupandapprox.60 cm'swide.
•Dothesame totheothersideoftheglider.Always makesure
