> Subject: Flare timing
> I find the high performance wings parachute just fine if
> you hold your full flair. If you back off any, the nose will start to
> rotate over. I have on occasion dropped in with my feet as high as 10
> feet, it seemed much higher to me but that was what every told me ;-),
> and landed on my feet without the nose breaking over. It always seems
> higher because by that point in the flair, your body is upright and your
> Mark 1 eyeballs are 5 - 6 feet higher off the ground, than your feet. I
> strive to flair earlier, rather than later. I've found that waiting till
> the last moment to flair, leads to a runout and quite often wacks.
> Flairing a little earlier gets a crisp nose rotation and a full stop in
> no wind conditions. If I flair even earlier, I may climb out a few feet
> but hold it and I still have a great landing.
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From: Aaron Swepston <tontar@mindspring.com>
Subject: Re: Flare timing
I agree with this. One point to remember is that while higher performance gliders may not parachute as well as beginner wings, they sure parachute down slower than they dive into the ground if you abort a high flare! Sure, if you are on a tweaked out bladewing, you may be afraid to back in into the ground if you flare a bit too high. Just don't let that fear overshadow the idea that you will for sure pound yourself into the ground, quite possibly face first, and suffer MORE damage to the glider if you listen to that initial fear and crack your arms, letting the nose come over. I've seen it far too many times for it not to be true!
Ah, and my take on the indicators from the glider telling me when to flare. My gliders really have never given me any indication that I am aware of. The message always seems to come from me. I come in faster than trim, faster than best glide, and then level off at some specific height, maybe a bit higher than my feet can drag. Then I let the glider stay level as it loses speed. I initially have to keep the bar pulled in to keep the glider from climbing with that extra speed, but as it slows down that inward pressure can be relaxed. Eventually, the speed slows enough so that I can take my hands off the bar and the glider will still cruise level for a few moments.
Now is when the big signal comes in. As the glider slows down to trim speed, it WILL want to resume its normal glide angle, which may be 8 to 1 or 10 to 1, or whatever it is. That normal trim speed glide WILL take the glider into the ground unless I push out on the bar a bit to keep the glider level, to keep its glide angle from intersecting the ground. That back pressure that everyone talks about, I have felt, but I firmly believe that there is no such indication from the glider, it is me instinctively pushing forward on the bar to maintain my altitude and level glide. THAT is the signal that I look for, and I use to tell me it is time to flare. Once I find that I am or wanting to push the bar to maintain my flat glide, I jus go with it and push all the way out to flare the glider. Keep my feet back, way back, and as the glider rotates nose high my feet are automatically brought under me for a nice landing.
That's my technique, and my explanation of the mysterious feedback responsible for good flare timing.
Aaron
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Thanks, I can relate to that, Aaron.
But... should I read from the above that you flare from the bar, not the
downtubes?
Bart
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No, I flare from the downtubes like most people. I don't reach up higher than my shoulders, and that gives me the best leverage. Also, I don't rock up too far either, since maintaining a decent angle means my shoulders are either closer to the downtubes or slightly through them while at trim, and that means a much greater degree of motion when pushing out to flare. If I rock up too high, then I am behind the bar and I have that much less leverage and that much less range of motion. The angle thing is almost a thing of the past now with pod harnesses, because they seem to have one angle that they hang at when in landing position.
Aaron