WINDTECH ARIAL XS Technical specifications

ARIAL
manual

Windtech
www.windtech.es
ARIAL
XS-S-M-L
flight manual
3

>index
>congratulations ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 5
>warning &liability ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 6
>construction &materials ––––––––––––––––––––––– 6
>certification –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 7
>best glide –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 7
>flight ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 8
-- launch ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 8
-- strong wind –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 8
>thermal flying –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 9
>flying in turbulence –––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 9
-- asymmetric tuck ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 10
-- frontal tuck –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 10
-- asymmetric stall (spin)–––––––––––––––––––––––––– 11
-- landing –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 11
>weather to fly ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 12
>emergency procedures &quick descent techniques –12
-- big ears ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 12
-- spiral drive ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 12
-- b stall ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 13
>maintenance –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 14
>warranty ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 14
>technical specifications–––––––––––––––––––––––––15
>line measurements –––––––––––––––––––17-18-19-20
>flight log ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 22
4

>congratulations
The ARIAL has been designed for new paraglider pilots, in their early stages of learning
to fly, who wish to progress with their paragliding safely for many years to come.
All of our years of paragliding design experience have gone into making a glider with an
excellent balance between great security and easy handling, which are essential features
of a wing when you start to fly.
Westrongly recommend that before you even unfold the ARIAL you read this manual
carefully and thoroughly in order to be aware of some of the limitations, performances,
take off and flight characteristics, landing procedures, and emergency situations which
you might encounter when paragliding.
We always appreciate your feedback, so please always send us your comments and crit-
icism regarding Windtech products and service.
You are the best feedback and support for future products, and please remember that we
are always happy to give you any help &advice. You will find more information on our
website www.windtech.es
Best winds>Windtech team
5

>warning &liability
This manual has been created to give the pilot help and hints for the correct operation
of this wing. By no means is this a substitute of a training course, or appropriate expe-
rience gained with years and hours of airtime, nor is this manual intended to give pilot´s
knowledge regarding flight safety.
Windtech assumes that the purchasing pilot has the appropriate pilot's licence, has
taken a training course, and has the ability and enough experience to safely fly the
ARIAL.
This manual cannot be used for operational purposes. The flight log &registration card
must be filled out completly and stamped by the dealer &returned to Windtech in order
to make a claim on the guarantee.
The use of this paraglider is entirely at the user's own risk. As with any adventure sport
paragliding is a high risk activity-especially without taking the appropriate precautions-
therefore it must be absolutely understood that Windtech &the dealer do not accept
any responsibility for accidents, losses, injuries, direct or indirect damage following the
use or misuse of this product.
>design materials
Because of our great experience over many years, and
extensive research into paragliding design, we always
use only the very best materials available for each
and every part of the structure of all of our gliders,
including the ARIAL.
-- cloth
The upper and lower panels are made with 45 gr.
Porcher Marine Skytex nylon. The ribs are made with
stronger nylon of to prevent airofoil deformation,
even after several years of intensive use. Rib (cell
wall) reinforcements are made of Dacron 310 &180gr.
Line attachment points are made of polyester.
-- lines
The lines are made of Kevlar covered with polyester sheath for protection against wear,
UV and abrasion. The lower section of the brake lines is made from Dyneema. This mate-
rial is less prone to failure after repeated use through the brake pulleys. The riser kara-
biners, also called quick links, are made with stainless steel of 800 Dan. Risers are made
of pre-stretched polyester of 900 Dan.
6

>certification
The ARIAL is a paraglider of an intermediate level that has passed easily the tests of the
DHV level 1.This glider has successfully passed the DHV shock test with a weight equal
to the maximum total (all up) take-off weight. This means that the paraglider is certified
to resist to a load of 8 (eight) times the gravitational acceleration (8 G´s).
With regards to the weight range of the glider, ALWAYS be certain that you are within
the correct weight range of the glider.To fly under, or overweight can adversely affect
the stability of the ARIAL &flown as such will make it no longer a certified glider.
>best glide
Best glide in nil wind, and still air, is obtained at “trim” speed- that is brakes fully
released and no accelerator (speed bar) applied. It is always best to fly with a light pres-
sure on the brakes, keeping a “feel” on the wing in case of unexpected turbulence.
When flying into (against the) wind a better glide can be obtained by using the speed
system. The following is rough guide line as to how much to apply.
-With around 10 km/h (6,2 Mph) of head wind, best
glide is obtained with 25% accelerator applied.
-With around 15-25 km/h (9,3-15,5 Mph) of head
wind, best glide is obtained with 50% accelerator.
-With around +25 km/h (+15,5 Mph) of head wind,
best glide is obtained with 75-100% accelerator.
When flying downwind (wind from behind ) the
best glide is obtained between 0% brake and 10%
of brake.
The ARIAL is a DHV 1accelerated but using the
accelerator system close to the ground is not advis-
able &it should be released as soon as turbulent air
is encountered.
Note that the glide angle is not affected by the
wing loading, but that the security is.
Always fly a glider that is the correct size for you,
and remember that if your flying weight is below
the stated minimum, the speed range will diminish
and inflation problems may appear. Also the han-
dling will degrade in turbulent conditions, and it
will be easier to sustain collapses. If your flying
7

weight is above the stipulated weight range, this will result in a higher minimum speed
and faster landing speed and the stall speed of the glider will also be higher.
>flight
Each and every glider has a checklist note passed though our strict quality control in the
factory. This includes line measurement, ground inflation and flight testing. Contact your
distributor for more information about this, and if your glider has not been pre-inflated
ask them to do so for you. Every glider should be test flown before it is sold.
Note that each glider has a unique sticker attached to the centre cell with the serial
number, type of glider, size and weight range.
Werecommend that your first flight on your new glider be on a gentle slope in calm con-
ditions before making any further higher flights, just to check the glider and for you to
get used to flying it.
We also recommended that you use a harness that has an ABS cross strap system and
that the maximum width possible for the chest strap is 38 cm between karabiners.
For you own safety, we strongly recom-
mend the use of back protection, helmet
and Windtech WindSOS reserve.
-- launch
Choose an open space free of any obsta-
cles, especially trees and power lines.
Open your glider in a slight horseshoe arc
(semi-circle) &thoroughly check that
you have no knots or line twists. Make
sure your helmet is securely fastened &
clip into your harness making sure all
straps are securely fastened.
Connect risers to your harness making
certain that your karabiners are fully
closed &you have no twists in the risers.
-- strong wind
We do not recommend taking off, or flying, with a wind speed higher than 25 km/h (15,5
Mph); this may change depending of pilot´s experience, but we remind you that flying in
poor weather conditions is the single greatest cause or accidents in free-flying.
We recommended that the reverse launch is the best technique when the wind is strong
at take off.
8

There are many reverse launch methods/techniques which the pilot can learn. To progress
well with your flying, and to be a good pilot, it is necessary to master at least one of the
techniques. If you can achieve 100% control your glider on the ground then you will be
abetter, safer pilot in the air &this will also help you to understand the dynamics of a
paraglider in flight.
>thermal flying
The ARIAL is a pure pleasure to thermal with. To achieve the best sink rate the pilot
should use around 35% of inside brake (on the turning side) and 25% of outside brake
whilst using weight shift to help maximise the efficiency or turn.
Easing off on the outside brake can change the steepness of the turn, and help with the
your efficiency in the thermal. This is a more advanced technique &should be practised
with an instructor and/or experienced pilot to perfect it.
With the harness chest strap pulled tight weight shift is less effective but the security
will be increased and the wing feel more “solid”, &vice versa. The maximum chest strap
distance (karabiner to karabiner) should be 38 cm.
>flying in turbulence
Most pilots want to enjoy the pleasures of
thermal and coss-country flight.
One thing to always consider is that normally
these flying conditions are rougher, stronger and
sometimes unpredictable and more difficult to
handle which can lead to unstable situations
such as collapses. There will always be some
level of turbulence associated with thermals.
If you progress at a nice steady rate, and keep
safe, you will find thermal flying will become a
pleasure. With qualified instruction you will
actually learn faster,learning how to optimise
your thermal skills and deal correctly with
unstable situations such as collapses, rapid
descent manoeuvres, stalls ands spins, and so
you will get far more from your flying.
With the correct technique &qualified instruction the pilot can learn to help stop col-
lapses by flying “actively” &recover the wing more quickly, by the giving the correct
input, when collapses occur.Remember,the glider is tested to recover and so it is always
9

better to under-react than to over-react. Over reacting to a situation can prevent the
glider from self-recovering, and recovering air speed, and cause it to enter further unsta-
ble situations.
-- asymmetrical tuck/collapse
An asymmetric tuck / collapse is when part (one side) of the wing ( say 20% or even any-
thing up to 90% of the span) tucks or collapses, usually induced by turbulence but some-
times also though poor pilot control in turns and wing-overs.
The ARIAL is tested and certified to automatically recover without correction by the pilot
with a maximum direction change of 90 degrees of turn, but with the correct input the
pilot can minimise any turning, and height loss, and help the glider recover more quick-
ly.
There are 3 basic steps to follow immediately if you have a collapse:
1:Weight shift to the flying side of your glider (away from the collapsed side). This helps
stop the rotation &increases pressure in the wing in the inflated side.
2:If needed apply the correct amount of brake to the open (flying) side to slow any rota-
tion (spiral) induced by the collapse. Be very careful not to use too much brake as its pos-
sible to stall the flying side of the glider,and enter further unstable situations which may
be harder to recover from than the collapse itself.
3:Once the glider has straightened out, or the spiral has slowed, smoothly pull down the
brake on the collapsed side, with a long stroke/pump, &the deflated side of the glider
should re-inflate. As the glider re-opens release the brake immediately but progressively.
With instruction &experience the above will become a reflex action, and the correct
input to give will become second nature to the experienced pilot.
-- front/symmetrical tuck collapse
Afront tuck /collapse is a symmetric tuck of the leading edge of the wing, starting from
the centre of the canopy to the wing tip. This can be either a tucking of just the central
part of the leading edge of the glider,which can sometimes cause a front 'horseshoe' or
'rosette-ing' of the glider,or even a complete 'blow-out' of the whole canopy in extreme
situations.
When flying, a front tuck may occur while leaving a strong thermal, or more often while
using the speed system in turbulent air, or sometimes whilst flying down-wind of anoth-
er paraglider &being 'waked' by the wing tip vortices of the glider and wake turbulence
of the pilot.
Remember,the pilot can learn to help stop collapses by flying 'actively', but if a front
tuck does occur it will easily clear itself. Re-inflating the wing can be helped by correct
pilot input and, once the glider is overhead, symmetrically applying 40 % of both brakes
&then releasing immediately will get pressure back in to the glider and speed up the
10

recovery. Do not brake when the glider is behind you, as this can stall the wing, but wait
for the glider to come forwards above your head, then brake.
-- asymmetric stall (spin)
This is a very difficult situation for the pilot to provoke with the ARIAL,given it's very
low stall speed, you have to really abuse the controls a lot to manage it. Even so, this sit-
uation can be induced if, say, the pilot is turning very slowly in a thermal (near the stall
point), and wants to tighten the turn even more, and at the same time as smoothly lift-
ing the outside brake (which is the correct thing to do), if the pilot simultaneously brakes
more on the inside brake, this may stall the inside wing which will then go into spin. One
half of the wing flies forwards, whilst the other flies backwards (negative). In this case
to return to normal flight, one has to raise the inside brake, returning air speed to the
inside wing, which will cause the wing to surge and dive forwards. This dive can be more
or less violent, depending on what stage that the flat spin is in, how much the spin had
been allowed to develop, and the moment at which the brake is lifted. If the pilot wants
to intervene to dampen this dive, they will have to adopt a position (roughly) of some-
thing more than half brake, which must then be released as soon as the dive is stopped,
or the wing may then go back into a stall or spin. Another option is to put the glider
directly into a full stall immediately that the spin is entered, and from this the exit is
more symmetric with less chance of a twist.
-- landing
Choose a large field clear of all
obstructions &in a clean laminar air-
flow.
Adifferent technique is needed for
different wind strengths. Every landing
should be judged differently even if it’s
your local site.
On final approach the pilot should
have hands up (keeping a feel of the
wing in case of unexpected turbu-
lence) so the glider has energy for a
flare. In light or nil winds the pilot will
need a committed symmetric flare at
around 1 meter above the ground.
In stronger winds less of a flare is needed &the pilot must judge this for himself through
practice &training from a qualified instructor.
The flight is not finished, and the pilot is never fully safe, until the glider is safely con-
trolled on the ground.
Avoid letting the glider land on the leading edge. If the glider lands with force on the
11

leading edge it is possible to burst the inner cells and walls of the wing and you should
carefully examine the wing for any damage to the joining of the ribs to the cells.
>weather to fly
If in doubt about the weather and flying conditions, do not launch! Before going flying
you should check the weather forecast &always ask more experienced pilots about the
conditions expected for the day. Never fly if the weather conditions are unsuitable, espe-
cially with any of the following present or even threatening: Strong wind; Rain;
Thunderstorms; Cumuli nimbus; or Cumulus congestus. If you are already in the air then
get down safely before it's too late! Always be aware of the weather changing &if in
doubt land as quickly as is safely possible.
Even though the ARIAL is DHV 1this is not a guarantee against flying in turbulent air.
Remember that even an airline jet can crash due to rotors and bad weather!
>emergency procedures &quick descent techniques
The following techniques are advanced &should be practiced ONLY with qualified radio
supervision and adequate safety back up. Always be prepared and consider what will
happen if things go wrong! With enough altitude it is possible to safely master these
manoeuvres, ready for the day when you may need them for real!
More radical manoeuvres such as a full stall, asymmetrical stall and flat spin are not
described in our manual. In order to perform these manoeuvres you should do a special
safety course with the correct instructor &over the water with a rescue boat standing
by, and all safety precautions taken.
-- bigs ears
Big Ears is the simplest descent technique &can be very useful for top landing.
Sit upright in your harness &with the brakes in your hands reach up to the split “A”ris-
ers marked in red. Make sure that you have the correct line, and be careful to watch the
glider while you pull down one side, then the other.
Once you are sure that you have the correct line, watch as you pull out &down, and the
tips of your glider should fold under symmetrically.
You should be applying NO brake, as you could stall the wing in this way. Steering is
done by weigh-shift.
To recover, release the outer 'A' lines &the ARIAL will return to normal flight.
-- spiral dive
The Spiral dive is performed by starting a series of 360 degrees turns, gradually pulling
12

one brake harder and harder and weight shifting into the turn. Pull more inside brake,
and weight shift harder, for a faster spiral dive. Ease off on the inside brake, and weight-
shift less hard, to regain level flight. Like this, the pilot can control the bank angle and
the sink rate of the glider in the Spiral dive. Always remember that whilst in the Spiral
dive you are drifting with the wind, and it is very easy to become disorientated.
This manoeuvre is not approved for bank angles higher than 60 degrees. At this upper limit
the sink rate of the canopy is approximately 10 m/s and the wingloading equal to 2G's.
For bank angles higher than 60 degrees the sink rate can reach 20 m/s but the greater
wingloading (G's) can cause eyesight and equilibrium problems, and cause some people
to 'black out' (faint), which consequently can make the manoeuvre extremely dangerous.
To recover from a spiral dive, the inner brake must be progressively and slowly released,
until the canopy assumes normal fligh. A good rule of thumb is to use the same number
of 360-degree turns as you did on entry, when exit you, to give a safe and progressive
recovery. If you release (hands up) from a tight spiral dive you will experience a big surge
followed by a dive. (In turbulent air this can result in a collapse.) The ARIAL has been
tested for this but it is advisable to learn the correct exit method, i.e. progressively
release the inside brake.
-- b stall
The B-line stall is a real stall, and even though the wing appears to be flying above your
head the laminar airflow over the wing is completely lost. During B-Stall, the canopy
decens perpendicularly to the ground (straight down, but drifting with the wind) at a sink
rate of 5 to 12 m/s, with an angle of attack of 90 degrees.
Toenter a B-Stall, it is necessary to sit upright in your harness, reach up with the brakes
still in your hands (possobly with the toggles around your wrists) &securely clutch each
Brisers in each hand at the top near the Maillons Rapides (quick links). Toenter the B-
line stall, pull down symmetrically on the B risers. (About 40 cm)
The force initially is quite hard (for about the first 15cm) but for the last part the force
required to pull down is less. Keep your weight centred in the harness, and keep the ris-
ers held at a symmetric level to each other. The more B riser pulled the faster the decent
rate, but the glider can become unstable with a very deep B-line stall.
Toreturn the glider to normal flight conditions:
Ease up the B-risers SYMMETRICALLY and rapidly release them.
Releasing the B-lines from a deep B-line position works fine (&if unsure whilst attempt-
ing the manoeuvre simply release the B-lines together from this position) but puts
unnecessary load on the glider. Raise your hands during the release always.
If necessary,control the surging forward of the canopy by gently braking when the glid-
er is in front of you. Do not brake too hard as you may cause the wing to enter a full stall
in this way, and let the brakes back up as soon as the surge has stopped.
13

14
>maintenance
When folding away the glider we recommend that the best way to do this (to promote
longevity) is that you lay one cell wall (rib) on top of the other, therefore minimising rib
deformation over time.
Store the paraglider in a dry space away from chemical agents, UV light and high tem-
perature. If the canopy has been packed wet it is necessary to reopen it and let it dry
before packing away for a sustained period. Keep the canopy and lines clean, as dirt may
penetrate into the fibres and damage them.
Clean the paraglider only with fresh water and a soft sponge. If you are unfortunate to
land in the sea (! &survive !) hose/soak the glider with fresh water &dry completely.
Absolutely avoid contact with chemical agents like oil, petrol, solvent and similar chem-
icals, which can damage the fabric and its surface covering.
We strongly recommend you to have a full inspection of the paraglider by Windtech or
the distributor at least once a year. Besides this you should check periodically the lines,
cloth and stitching.
Every 150 h. or once a year, which ever comes first, change all bottom lines. This is very
important to maintain the flying and safety characteristics of the wing. The rest of the
lines must also be checked and change them if they have deteriorated. Test some of the
lines that are not changed for minimum 40% of the rated strength. If the line fails you
should replace them all before using your glider.
Small tears in the sail can be repaired by using adhesive spinnaker cloth, which we sup-
ply with every new glider.
Big tears and repairs requiring sewing or structural parts of the paraglider must be car-
ried out only by the manufacturer or authorized service centres.
>warranty
This glider carries a two-years guarantee from defects due to materials and manufacturing.
If a product is deemed to be defective by Windtech,the warranty covers the repair or
replacement of the defective product only.Windtech will not be responsible for any
costs, losses or damages incurred as a result of loss of this product.
Windtech is not responsible for mailing costs or material costs used other than what is
found to be defective.
This warranty does not cover damage caused by misuse, abuse, neglect or normal wear
&tear including damage due to excessive sun exposure, damage caused by improper
handling &damage caused by anything other than defects in material &workmanship.

15
Size
Area (m2)
Projected area (m2)
Span (m)
Project. span (m)
Aspect ratio
Project. aspect ratio.
Max .chord (m)
Nº cells
Line lenght (m)
Canopy weight (kg)
Pilot weight (kg)
Weight in fly
Min.-max speed (km/h)*
Max speed trim (km/h)*
Certification DHV
Certification EN
|technical specifications |
ARIAL
*speeds with medium range weight pilot at sea level.
XS
25,45
22,48
10,82
8.74
4,64
3,4
2,95
37
7,12
5,55
43-63
60-80
20-48
36
1
S
27,45
24,33
11,25
9,07
4,64
3,4
3,06
37
7,4
5,7
58-83
75-100
20-48
36
1
B
M
29,55
26,10
11,65
9,4
4,64
3,4
3,16
37
7,66
5,9
73-93
90-110
20-48
36
1
A
L
31,69
28,01
12,07
9,73
4,64
3,4
3,28
37
7,92
6,1
88-113
105-130
20-48
36
1

16

129 123,5 125 127,5 126 121 117 119
115 109,5
106,5 106,5
155 145,5
139
53,5
154 150,5
151 154
155
156
572
470 469,5
470
129 123,5 125 127,5 126 121 117 119 115 109,5
106,5 106,5
155 145,5
139,5
53
154 150,5 151 154,5
155 156
567
465,5 465,5
466,5
129 123,5 125 127,5 126 121,5 117 119 115 108,5 106,5 106,5
155 144 136,5
571
154 150,5 151 154 153,5 153
160
149 139
63
608
472,5 472,5 471
129 123,5 125 127,5 126 121 117 119 114 108 106 104
154 150,5 151 152,5 155,5 152
493 492,5
485
137,5 119 106 98 102 91 108,5
104,5
110 112
108
111 110,5
108
106,5
155 155
145 124
124 124
248
248 248
307+20
ARIAL L
17

125 119,5 121 123,5 122 117 113 115
111 106
103
150
140,5
134,5
52
149 145,5 146 149
150 151
552
454,5 454,5 103
125
125
125
119,5
119,5
119,5
121
121
121
123,5
123,5
123,5
122
122 117
113
113
113
115
115
115
111
111
106 103
103
103
103
149
149
149
145,5
145,5
145,5
146
146
146
149
150
148,5
150,5
151
450
457
477
476,5
121,5 117,5
117,5
149,5
147,5
110,5 104,5
106
102,5 100,5
148
147
150
150
140,5
139,5
144
132
134,5
548,5
552
469
455,5
449,5
454
450
457
133 115 102,5 95 98,5 88
105
101
106,5
108,5
104,5
107,5
104,5
107
103
150 150
140 120
120 120
240
240 240
290+20
51,5
61
590
154,5
135
ARIAL M
18

121 115,5 117 119,5 117,5 113,5 109,5 111
107,5 102,5
99,5
100
145
136
130
50
49,5
566
58,5
144 140,5 141 144
145
145,5
534
143,5
439
140,5 141 144,5
435
145 146 145 136
130,5
127,5
135
129
139,5
534,5
145
149,5
100
100
97
142,5
143
454
441
143,5
145,5
101
107
107,5 102
99
459
142,5
141
441,5
459,5
140,5
144
144 140,5
435
438,5
128,5
111,5
145
99 91,5 95 85 101,5
97,5
103 105
101 104 103,5
101 100
116
116
116
232
232
232
145 135
280+20
107,5 102,5 99,5
99,5
436
435
117,5
117,5
117,5
111 111
111
109,5
109,5
109,5
113,5
113,5
113,5
144
141
121
121 121
119,5
119,5
119,5
117
117
117
115,5
115,5
115,5
441,5
531
ARIAL S
19

48,5
513,5
116,5 111,5 113 115 114 109,5 105,5 107,5
103,5 99
96
96,5
140 131
125,5
516
141
140
139
136
136
139
424 423,5
424
48
126
131
140
96,5
96
99
103,5
107,5
105,5
109,5
113,5
115
113
111,5
116,5
139 136 136 139,5
138,5
141
511,5
419,5
420
420
116,5
111,5 113 115 113,5 109,5 105,5 107,5
103,5 98 96,5 96
140 130 123
57
548
138
140
139
136
136
139
426,5 426,5 425 125,5
134
144
94
95,5
97,5
103
107,5
105,5
109,5
114
115
113
111,5
116,5
139 136 136 138
140,5 137
437,5
443
443,5
124,5
107,5
95,5
88,5 92 84,5 98
94
99,5 101,5
97,5
100
100
97,5
96,5
112
112
112
130,5
140
140
224
224
224
269+20
ARIAL XS
20