Xix paraglides Smile User manual

Owners Manual

Introduction

We recommend that you read this manual tho-

roughly so that you can make good use of the full

potential of the

SMILE

, get to know your

SMILE

quickly and take to the sky successfully.

You have purchased a glider which belongs to

the newest generation of intermediate paragli-

ders and is based on the latest paraglider design

technology. It is simple to launch, handles very

forgivingly and has a good safety margin. The

combination of these features with very good

performance means that you will enjoy yourself

in all conditions.

If you have any questions which are not answered

here, please don’t hesitate to contact us at

XIX

.

Table of contents

Technical details

3

Disclaimer !

4

Before your first launch

5

Before every launch

5

Preparation

5

Inflation

5

Aceleration and taking off

5

Normal flight

5

Maximum glide

5

Minimum sink

5

Speed system

5

Altering the brake lines

6

Quick descent

6

‘Big ears‘

6

Spiral dives

7

B-line stall

7

Extreme flying

7

Collapses

7

Frontal stall

8

Deep (parachutal) stall

8

Asymmetric stall

8

Flat spin

8

Full stall

8

Landing

8

Harness

8

Winch-towing

9

Folding your glider

9

Caring for your paraglider

9

Cleaning

9

Repairs

9

Storage

9

Warrantiy certificate

11

Inspektion control sheet

15

3

Technical details

Size

S

M

L

Area

 at

25.0 m

2

27.1 m

2

29.4 m

2

Wingspan

11.4 m

11.9 m

12.4 m

Aspect Ratio

5.15

Area

projected

21.3

m

2

23.1

m

2

25.0

m

2

Wingspan

9.7 m

10.1 m

10.6 m

Number of Cells

52 - 42

Mass & Weight

S

M

L

Take-off Weight

certi ed

65-85 kg

80-100 kg

95-120 kg

(all included)

weight range

145-190 lb

175-220 lb

210-265 lb

recomanded

70-80 kg

85-95 kg

100-115 kg

weight range

155-175 lb

190-210 lb

220-255 lb

Pilot Body Weight

certi ed

45-65 kg

60-80 kg

75-100 kg

(20kg Equipment)*

weight range

100-145 lb

135-175 lb

165-220 lb

Canopy Weight

6.5 kg

7.0 kg

7.6 kg

Performence

**

S

M

L

v trimm **

36 km/h

v max **

47km/h

47 km/h

v sink min **

<1.05 m/s

Certi cation

1 GH

*

Canopy, Bagpack, Harness, Reserve, Instruments, Boots, Clo-

thes ec.

**

True speed and sinkrates depend on take-off weight and air

density (Altitude, Temperature, Pressure). Indikated air speed

depend on  ight intstrument system.

Owners Manual

XIX SMILE

4

WARNING!

Disclaimer !

Use of this paraglider is entirely at your own risk. Any modifications

(including

adjustments to the brakes)

, improper repairs or failure to carry out annual

inspections will void the glider’s certificate of airworthiness. All pilots are re-

sponsible for their own safety and must perform on-site safety checks before

every launch. Launching is only permitted if the pilot is certain that the glider is

airworthy. Pilots must find out about

regional and local weather conditions

and should only fly when current conditions and forecasted developments allow

safe flying. The glider may only be flown by pilots who hold a valid pilot’s licence

or who are under the supervision of a certified paragliding instructor. The ma-

nufacturer, retailers and all third parties accept no liability whatsoever.

The paraglider must NOT

be flown:

Ü

if the pilot‘s take-off weight is not correct for the glider

Ü

if there is rain or snow

Ü

in turbulent weather conditions

Ü

in windspeeds of 15 km/h or more

Ü

in cloud, fog or mist

Ü

at more than 30° bank

Ü

for acrobatic purposes

Ü

if the pilot does not have sufficient experience or training

Ü

without the correct equipment (reserve, helmet, boots etc.)

Ü

Winch launching without certified winches and licensed instructors

Ü

Motorised flight is entirely at your own risk and is permitted only in accord-

ance with local/national regulations

5

Before your first

launch

All XIX products are subject to stringent quality

control checks after production. In addition to

this your retailer will have given your glider a

test flight.

Nevertheless we do recommend that your first

flights are made from a beginners slope. Should

any difficulties arise we would be pleased to as-

sist you.

Before every launch

Carefully check all your equipment whenever

you intend to launch, especially your carabiners,

harness buckles, glider fabric and speed system.

Then carry out the five-point check and launch

preparation.

The

SMILE

requires no special launch technique

and is easy to inflate. A couple of tips on the best

way to launch:

Preparation

Lay out your glider with the leading edge in a

slight curve. Carefully sort the lines. We recom-

mend that you lift up the risers and, starting with

the brakes, separate each set of lines and lay them

on the ground.

Inflation

Take both inner A-risers in your hands, carry out

your five-point launch check and start to run, hol-

ding your arms slightly behind you. The glider will

then rise above your head, with a constant pull.

When launching into a strong headwind it is ad-

visable to look upwards facing to your glider to

pull. Launching in tailwinds or strong headwinds

can be dangerous.

Use the weight of your body to launch the para-

glider and not just the strength in your arms.

If the glider comes up too quickly, brake a little.

Once the glider is above you, carry out a visual

check.

Aceleration and

taking off

When you are sure that everything is OK, start to

run with

long

strides. Your SMILE will lift you off

soon. You have not completed the launch proce-

dure until you are well clear of the ground.

Normal flight

The

SMILE

is a very agreeable glider to  y.

It is stable and responsive and the pressure

required on the brakes is comfortable and in-

creases progressively. Let the wing  y!

Maximum glide

You will reach maximum glide in nil wind at trim-

speed or with slight use of the speed bar. If you

are flying into a head wind, use of the speed bar

will improve your glide angle.

Minimum sink

The minimum sink rate is reached with about

20% brakes.

When thermalling and flying through turbulence,

apply a little brake. This will enable you to core

the thermal better and climb faster. It also in-

creases stability.

We do not want to give specific instructions on

how to thermal because there are thousands of

different types of thermal of various strengths.

Steer however you feel most comfortable and try

to visualise and feel the thermal as you are flying

through it. A ‘column’ or a ‘bubble’ never stays

the way it is shown in pictures for very long, so

continue to climb as consistently as possible.

Speed system

The

SMILE

is equipped with a speed system at-

tached to the risers. The speed bar (included with

the paraglider) can be attached to most harnes-

ses. Before launch, secure the connecting lines for

the speed bar evenly on either side to the A-risers

through the pulleys to the Brummel-hooks on the

speed system. The length is correct when the

two pulleys touch each other when your legs are

stretched and they cannot be moved any further.

Owners Manual

XIX SMILE

6

IMPORTANT

: it must be possible to release the

speed bar at any time and it should not be able to

be snagged on anything. In the ‘off‘ position the

speed system should have at least 5 cm of slack

for safety reasons

(check this!)

. Get a friend to

help you by holding up the risers when you install

the speed bar.

If you activate the speed system, the lengths of

the various risers are altered in relation to each

other. This reduces the angle of attack, and con-

sequently the drag and lift, which causes the glider

to fly faster until a stable point of flying is reached

again at a higher speed.

With the speed system activated, you can fly

out of sink zones more quickly, improve your

glide angle when there is too much head wind

or simply fly faster. Always bear in mind that the

tendency of any glider to collapse will increase

with higher speeds because the angle of attack is

reduced. If you are not completely comfortable,

return immediately to normal-speed flight

.

If you are flying at speed, pay careful attention

to the leading edge – ease off the speed bar to

avoid a collapse if there is any deformation in the

leading edge, if the A-risers ease or if your legs

sense reduced pressure in the speed bar. It is pos-

sible that the leading edge will vibrate slightly or

become misshapen at higher speed, but this is no

cause for concern.

Never use the speed system close to the

ground or in turbulence especially not just

before landing.

It is much safer to fly backwards than to fly at full

speed where there is ground turbulence. Glider

collapses occur more frequently at speed, the gli-

der reacts more quickly and more experience is

required to bring the glider back under control.

If your paraglider collapses at speed, release the

speed bar immediately and use the brakes to re-

gain control of the glider.

Altering the brake

lines

Unfortunately the brake lines are often altered

but this is

1.

not permitted

and

2.

not recommended under any circum-

stances, as there can be serious draw-

backs.

When we manufacture a paraglider, we set the

brakes to the optimal length and obtain certifi-

cation. Shortening or lengthening the brake lines

affects extreme flying and performance, especially

when flying at speed.

Lengthening the brake lines also has a detrimental

effect on handling.

We therefore strongly advise that you do

not alter the length of the brake lines.

Quick descent

Never let go of the brakes during the following

manoeuvres - you will then be able to react

immediately if any problems arise during these

moves, which are demanding at the best of times

You are probably already familiar with several ra-

pid descent methods.

‘Big ears‘

The best descent method is big ears because only

the wing loading and the sink rate increase and no

stall occurs. Sufficient forward speed is maintai-

ned and reduced manoeuvrability is possible

though weight-shifting.

The sink rate is not as high as with other descent

methods, but maintaining forward motion allows

you to fly out of a lift band.

The

SMILE

has a split A-riser system. This makes

big ears easier because you do not need to spend

time looking for the right A-risers. To carry out

this manoeuvre, grab the outside A-risers and pull

them down towards you.

The sink rate and forward velocity can be incre-

ased by using the speed system. This is a very

stable flying position. You will only be able to turn

the glider by weight-shifting. The sink rate increa-

ses to approximately 4-5 m/s.

7

To return to normal flight, simply release the A-

risers again and the glider should re-inflate. If this

does not happen, then a short sharp pump on the

brakes will help. Be careful not to brake for too

long – this can cause a stall.

WARNING!

Ü

You should not use ‘big ears’ during

spiral dives. This can overload parts of

your equipment.

Ü

The SMILE must not be flown with

constant brake when big-ears are ap-

plied.

Spiral dives

Progressive and continual applying of the brake

on one side bring you in a spiral dive. Make sure

that you do not stall which would result in a flat

spin. This method allows you to reach sink rates

over 15 m/s.

The centrifugal forces can be taxing on both the

glider and your stomach especially if you make

many revolutions one after the other. There

is also a danger of loosing space orientation. A

further significant

disadvantage

of this descent

method is that in most cases you are not able to

leave the lift band or you are carried off course

by the wind.

To recover from a spiral dive,

slowly

release the

slowly release the slowly

brake. The

SMILE

has very restrained roll and

pitch behaviour, but if you release the brake ra-

pidly in a spiral dive the wing will roll out quick.

He will start a short climb to reduce the higher

speed. Afterwards you should be prepared for

the glider to surge forward as a result and control

it with the brakes.

If the spiral has a sink rate in excess of 14 m/s, the

SMILE

may continue to turn for 1 or 2 rotations

after the brakes have been released. If the sink

rate is higher than 15 m/s and the pilot’s position

is unsuitable, a “stable spiral dive” may result. If

this happens, we recommend that you switch

your body

and apply the brakes against the rota-

tion until the wing is leaving the spiral.

B-line stall

The B-line stall is another efficient descent me-

thod. This gives you a sink rate of 6-9 m/s.

Check the

airspace below and behind

you

before pulling a B-line stall. To begin, grab the

B-risers at the line connections. While holding

both brakes firmly in your hands, pull the B-risers

down symmetrically and progressively until you

pass the first marked point of resistance and the

glider loses speed.

Hold this position. The glider will stop and parti-

ally deflate before stabilising over your head.

To recover, release the B-risers back to their

normal position evenly over a period of 1 to 2

seconds. We recommend that you do not let the

B-risers ‘snap‘ out – this puts severe stress on the

fabric, seams and lines. See the section below on

‘extreme flying’ for what you should do if you go

into a deep stall (which is unusual).

The

disadvantage

of the B-stall descent method

is the fact that the airflow over the glider stops

completely and you remain in the lift. Even the

SMILE

does behave very well in this particular

manoeuvre it is a unusual stress for the ripps and

therefore not recommanded.

Extreme flying

You may find yourself in the following situations

despite your intentions due to turbulence or be-

cause you have over-reacted.

Collapses

This can happen if you are flying in turbulent air

but is usually no problem with the

SMILE

, since it

normally recovers without any pilot input.

If the

SMILE

does not immediately recover and

it begins to rotate, brake on the side of the glider

which is still open to control the flight direction,

particularly if you are near any obstacles. With

the brake on the closed side, apply strong sharp

pumps.

Owners Manual

XIX SMILE

8

Frontal stall

A frontal stall can occur for the same reasons that

a collapse does. With a frontal stall, the middle

section of the leading edge collapses more or less

symmetrically. A strong frontal stall causes the

glider to slow down immediately. It should then

immediately recover. Recovery may be helped by

pumping. Use to brakes to control any tendency

the glider has to surge forward.

Deep (parachutal)

stall

The

SMILE

is difficult to put into a deep stall and

will not remain in one without the brakes being

applied. If it does happen, then the annual inspec-

tion is certainly overdue.

If you notice that the glider no longer has any for-

ward speed, e.g. if you no longer feel any wind on

your face, then you must immediately release the

brakes so that air will flow over the glider again.

If this does not happen automatically or happens

too slowly, then push the A-risers forward and

you will notice that you start moving forward. You

will feel the wind in your face once again. If the

glider surges forward, use the brakes to bring it

back under control.

Asymmetric stalls

and flat spins

An asymmetric stall occurs if you are flying close

to minimum speed and pull down too much on

one side or if you brake very quickly on one side

when you are in level flight with no brakes e.g. to

avoid a collision. As soon as you notice that one

half of the glider is stalled and the glider begins to

spin, immediately release both brakes. The glider

will then immediately regain normal flight. Use

the brakes to control the glider if it surges.

Be

careful!

Try out this manoeuvre slowly, because

at more than 90° this becomes a flat spin .

WARNING!

We advise you not to carry out the following

manoeuvres intentionally.

Flat spin

This does not occur if the

SMILE

is handled cor-

rectly. A flat spin occurs if you pull down continu-

aly one brake and stall that side of the glider.

This is possible at low speed but also at high

speed i.e. from an asymmetric stall and this po-

sition is held.

If this happens, immediately relaxe both brakes:

“hands up!” Use the brakes for control if the gli-

der then surges forward.

Full stall

This does not occur if the

SMILE

is handled cor-

rectly. It only happens if both brakes are applied

fully and held for several seconds. The glider will

then quickly deflate and suddenly stop flying,

unlike the pilot, who will then swing forward.

In this situation it is very important not to lose

your nerve. Don‘t release the brakes suddenly

because you will also swing backwards while

the glider start to fly forwards. So you must not

release until the glider has stabilised above you.

Release then the brakes evenly and slowly (count

21-22-23 as you do this). When the glider swing

foreward he started flying again. Use the brakes

to control it if it surges forward.

Landing

You will already have learned that you must al-

ways make a circuit before landing. We recom-

mend that you apply 10-30% brakes in good time

during your final approach to a level landing field.

Then flare when you are approximately 50cm

above the ground. Take care when landing in

windy conditions and look out for obstacles.

Ground turbulence can be treacherous - never

apply too much brake close to the ground.

Harness

All standard harnesses classified “GH” by the

German DHV (Distance between the xxxxxx 42

cm) are suitable for this glider.

9

Winch-towing

The

SMILE

can be winch-launched without

any other parts being needed. Local regulations

should be observed at all times.

Folding your glider

There are many ways to fold up a glider and we

would like to give you a few tips. When you are

folding up the glider, you should already be thin-

king about the next time you will fly. When will

that be - in half an hour, or six months?

We recommend the following standard method,

which you can do either alone or with someone

to help and which is simple and efficient.

Spread the glider out flat on the ground, sort the

lines out and throw them onto the glider. Then

fold each wingtip into the middle of the glider, so

that next time you launch, you only have to pull

on the stabiliser lines and the wing will unroll.

Then roll both sides from the outside towards

the middle. Put both sides on top of each other

and roll from the trailing edge to the leading edge

so that any air remaining can escape. Don’t roll it

up too tightly because the material now used to

make paragliders is intended to be flown not to

be folded up.

The glider must be dry – so don’t leave it lying

on the grass for too long because condensation

forms very quickly on non-porous fabric. If you

need to fold your glider in wet condition, reopen

and dry it in a schadow and dry place latest in 24

hours. Now it doesn‘t matter when you want to

launch again.

Caring for your

paraglider

In addition to your own regular checks, after two

years the

SMILE

should be checked by a XIX au-

thorised and certified dealer every year or at least

every 100 flight hours.

Take good care of your glider so that you can en-

joy using it for longer. It is very important if you

wish to sell it that it is in good condition and has a

complete service record.

Cleaning

The

SMILE

should only be cleaned with water, or

a weak soap solution if it is very dirty. Cowpats,

tar or oil spots are difficult to remove without da-

maging the material’s coating – so avoid roads and

paddocks with grazing cattle.

Salt, sand or snow crystals can also damage the

material, as can sharp objects. Don’t drag the gli-

der around in the snow unnecessarily and wash it

immediately with fresh water if it comes into con-

tact with salt water. Remember that sea air and

sandy beaches are also very salty.

Repairs

Consult a XIX specialist if your glider is damaged.

We offer an efficient repair service so that you will

have your glider back as quickly as possible. Major

repairs must be carried out by experts. Minor da-

mage caused by, e.g., landing in a tree, must also

be attended to by an expert because there may

be damage which is not immediately visible.

Storage

Your

SMILE

likes cool, dry and dark conditions

and should not be stored near chemicals, paints,

petrol and the like.

If the glider gets wet, then dry it out thoroughly,

once again in a dry and dark place, if you will be

storing it for longer than 24 hours. Ultra-violet

light is the fabric’s biggest enemy and its life is

related directly to that.

Contact details

XIX GmbH

Arbonerstr.6

CH-9302

KRONBÜHL

Tel.: 0041 (0)71/298 02 02

Fax: 0041 (0)71/298 22 02

Mobile: 0041 (0)79 / 422 22 13

Visit us on the net!

www.xix.ch

Our e-mail address

[email protected]

Owners Manual

XIX SMILE

10

Exemplar Hersteller

Type and Size of glider:

Serial Number:

Importer-XIX Date and Signature:

Stamp and signature XIX Center:

Warrantiy

certificate

3 Years Warranty

Extent of the

Guarantee

1. XIX guarantees for this paraglider either 3 years

or 300 fl ight hours, whichever comes fi rst. This

guarantee covers failures caused by material or

production problems for which XIX is respon-

sible.

2. This Guarantee is valid for all paragliders with

DHV or AFNOR certifi cation that are used for

leisure fl ights. The guarantee does not include

paragliders which are used for educational or

professional purposes. The following points are

also excluded from the guarantee:

a.)

Color fading from the fabric.

b.)

Damage by solvents, fuel, chemicals, sand or

sea water.

c.)

Accidental damage before, during and after

the fl ight caused by accidents and emer-

gency situations.

d.)

Damage caused by negligence.

e.)

Damage caused by Force Majeure.

Terms of Guarantee

1.

The Warranty Card must be fi lled out correctly

and returned to XIX within 14 days after the pa-

raglider has been purchased.

2.

Every fl ight, including duration and fl ight area,

has to be recorded completely and without ex-

ception in an offi cial fl ight book.

3.

The paraglider is to be used and maintained in

accordance with the instructions that are part

of the paraglider manual and other documents.

This includes in particular careful drying, clea-

ning and storage of the paraglider.

4.

All prescripted checks and repairs are to be car-

ried out exclusively by XIX or by technical avia-

tion companies that have been explicitly charged

with such repairing or checking by XIX. Every

modifi cation or repair has to be documented

completely and correctly according the guideli-

nes issued by XIX.

5.

The paraglider must be unmistakably identifi ed

and checked for compliance with the guarantee

card.

XIX GmbH, Arbonerstrasse 6 , CH-9302 Kronbühl

Telefon +41 71 298 02 02, Fax +41 71 298 22 02

Mobile +41 79 422 22 13, www.xix.ch, [email protected]

Exemplar Kunde

Artikel & Grösse

Seriennummer:

XIX GmbH Auslieferung datum und Unterschrift:

Stempel und Unterschrift der Verkaufsstelle:

Garantieschein

3 Jahre Garantie

XIX GmbH, Arbonerstrasse 6 , CH-9302 Kronbühl

Telefon +41 71 298 02 02, Fax +41 71 298 22 02

Mobile +41 79 422 22 13, www.xix.ch, [email protected]

Extent of the

Guarantee

1. XIX guarantees for this paraglider either 3 years

or 300 fl ight hours, whichever comes fi rst. This

guarantee covers failures caused by material or

production problems for which XIX is respon-

sible.

2. This Guarantee is valid for all paragliders with

DHV or AFNOR certifi cation that are used for

leisure fl ights. The guarantee does not include

paragliders which are used for educational or

professional purposes. The following points are

also excluded from the guarantee:

a.)

Color fading from the fabric.

b.)

Damage by solvents, fuel, chemicals, sand or

sea water.

c.)

Accidental damage before, during and after

the fl ight caused by accidents and emer-

gency situations.

d.)

Damage caused by negligence.

e.)

Damage caused by Force Majeure.

Terms of Guarantee

1.

The Warranty Card must be fi lled out correctly

and returned to XIX within 14 days after the pa-

raglider has been purchased.

2.

Every fl ight, including duration and fl ight area,

has to be recorded completely and without ex-

ception in an offi cial fl ight book.

3.

The paraglider is to be used and maintained in

accordance with the instructions that are part

of the paraglider manual and other documents.

This includes in particular careful drying, clea-

ning and storage of the paraglider.

4.

All prescripted checks and repairs are to be car-

ried out exclusively by XIX or by technical avia-

tion companies that have been explicitly charged

with such repairing or checking by XIX. Every

modifi cation or repair has to be documented

completely and correctly according the guideli-

nes issued by XIX.

5.

The paraglider must be unmistakably identifi ed

and checked for compliance with the guarantee

card.

Inspektion control

sheet

After 200 fl ights, or one year, whichever comes

fi rst, your XIX paraglider must be inspected. The

inspection must be done by XIX, or an Autho-

rized XIX service center. Otherwise the glider

certifi cation and warranty are void. While many

glider service centers can carry out inspections

and repairs, we recommend that you confirm that

the service center is XIX authorized.

Additional inspections should occur if:

1.

The glider was exposed to other mechanical infl

uence.

2.

you loaned out the glider.

3.

the glider no longer „feels right.”

4.

You would like to sell the glider. (Better resale

value.)

Type of Glider:

Serial Number:

1. Inspection Flight

Have to be made from your fl ight school

or dealer.

Date:

Comment:

Signature/Service Center:

1. Inspection

Date:

Comment:

Signature/Service Center:

2. Inspection

Date:

Comment:

Signature/Service Center:

3. Inspection

Date:

Comment:

Signature/Service Center:

4. Inspection

Date:

Comment:

Signature/Service Center:

5. Inspection

Date:

Comment:

Signature/Service Center:

XIX GmbH, Arbonerstrasse 6 , CH-9302 Kronbühl

Telefon +41 71 298 02 02, Fax +41 71 298 22 02

Mobile +41 79 422 22 13, www.xix.ch, [email protected]

XIX PARAGLIDES SMILE User manual

Popular Aircraft manuals by other brands