Dudek Shark User Manual

k Paraglidin

Dude

g, u

l. S

era 2/XIp, 85-79

zanc

2 By

zcz, tel. +4

dgos

8 52 348

55 35, info@dud

ek.c

om.p

l

NOTE!
Please read this operating manual before the first flight

MPORTANT:

Remember to fill in and send us the registration card, which is sewn on to the
trailing edge of the paraglider. When we receive it, we will send you the
Warranty, AeroCasco or Golden Package confirmation (whichever you
choose). You will also receive small gifts.

If you have bought the paraglider together with the Golden Package, you will
receive:

$ Golden Package, AeroCasco and Warranty confirmation (after you have

sent the registration card),

$ free first technical servicing,
$ Cordura backpack
$ speed system
$ small gifts.

More information about the Golden Package on page 22.

If you have bought the paraglider without the Golden Package, but with
AeroCasco, you will receive:

$ AeroCasco and Warranty confirmation (after you have sent the

registration card)

$ small gifts

More information about AeroCasco on page 21.

If you have bought the paraglider without the Golden Package or AeroCasco,
you will receive:

$ Warranty confirmation (after you have sent the registration card)
$ small gifts

More information about Warranty on page 20.

The above mentioned confirmations will allow us later to identify the
paraglider, to categorize it into a proper insurance group and to determine the
insurance expiry date.
Also, the confirmations are useful, when you want to sell the paraglider (they
allow the new owner to keep all the benefits).

NOTE! If you aren't the first owner of the paraglider, you should send us the
registration confirmation together with a copy of previous users' logbooks (total of
flying hours) within 14 days from the date of purchase, in order to be able to keep
the warranty.
Details on page 21.

CONTENTS Page

1. Introduction...........................................................................................3

2. On the wing...........................................................................................4

WHO SHOULD FLY SHARK?
THE CLOTH
RIGGING SYSTEM
RISERS

3. Speed system........................................................................................6

SPEED SYSTEM ADJUSTMENT
SPEED SYSTEM USAGE

4. Harness................................................................................................10

5. Flight....................................................................................................10

PRE-FLIGHT CHECK
LAUNCH
TURNS
THERMALLING AND SOARING
FLYING WITH SPEED SYSTEM ENGAGED
LANDING
WINCHING AND MOTOPARAGLIDING
AEROBATICS

6. Rapid Descents...................................................................................14

BIG EARS

SPIRAL DIVE

B-STALL

7. Extreme Flying Manoeuvres..............................................................15

ONE SIDED COLLAPSE
SPIN AND FULL STALL

WING OVER

FRONTAL COLLAPSE

LINE OVER

PARACHUTAL STALL

EMERGENCY STEERING

8. Canopy Care........................................................................................17

STORAGE
CLEANING
REPAIR
DETERIORATION: A FEW TIPS!

9. Technical data.................................................................................19

10. Tree Star Security Assistance........................................................20

11. What have you bought......................................................................23

12. Rigging tables....................................................................................24

USER MANUALUSER MANUAL

1. Introduction

CONGRATULATIONS!
We are pleased to welcome you among the number of discerning Dudek
Paragliding pilots. You are now a proud owner of a state-of-the-art
paraglider. Extensive development by using the most modern methods and
thorough tests make the Dudek SHARK a user friendly paraglider without
neglecting performance and fun of flying.

We wish you many enjoyable hours flying your new Dudek MANTA.

DISCLAIMER.

Please read this manual carefully and note the following details:

$ The purpose of this manual is to offer guidelines to the pilot using

the Dudek SHARK wing and it is by no means intended to be used
as a training manual for this or any other paraglider in general.

$ You may only fly a paraglider when qualified to do so or when

undergoing training at an accredited School or Instructor.

$ Pilots are responsible for their own safety and their paraglider's

airworthiness.

$ The use of this paraglider is solely at the user's own risk!

Manufacturer and distributor do not accept any liability.

$ This paraglider on delivery meets all requirements of the

CEN/AFNOR. Any alterations to the paraglider will render its
certification invalid.

33

tamed aggression

2. On the wing

WHO SHOULD FLY SHARK?

We have designed this paraglider with following pilots in mind:

$ People, who having acquired experience on recreational wings, would

like to try their hand at flying a paraglider that enables cross country
flights, without giving up joy of flying.

$ Intermediate competitors, who would like to start taking part in

competitions with big safety margin on their side.

$ Motoparagliding enthusiasts.

$ Pilots living rather in flat countryside, who need a very stable wing and

one efficiently gaining altitude when winched.

The Dudek SHARK is a perfect combination of performance and safety.

The SHARK has a slim, elliptical planform with slightly rearward swept tips.
Its triple cells ensure a smooth top surface, exact aerofoil reproduction on
entire wingspan, and yet most importantly, fewer suspension points. The
SHARK has greatly reduced the number of lines used and thus the
associated parasitic drag, which particularly at high speed gives an
exceptional glide angle.Most of the lines used are not sheathed, they are
covered with the impregnate only.

Four extra cells on each side form stabilisers that ensure stable straight flight
and effective and co-ordinated turns. The aerofoil of the SHARK was tested
and analysed using numerical methods, still it owes much to experiences we
gained from designing and everyday use of our previous paragliders. Its
relatively thick shape offers excellent safety and lift coefficient.

The precise shape of leading edge is maintained with internal
reinforcements of laminated cloth, which is used to cover areas close to cell
openings and trailing edge as well. The cell openings of the SHARK are
located on the undersurface of the aerofoil, close to its leading edge. Dacron
flares at the suspension points and between-line reinforcements ensure an
equal distribution of load throughout the canopy.

Large cross ports provide good air movement inside the wing and its quick
inflation. Yet the number of ports was reduced, so that the profile of the
canopy is less affected.

Our paragliders are manufactured using the best materials available. We are
sure it's the safety and reliability that counts, not the price. Such an attitude
allowed us to extend the quarantee period up to three years - more details
on page 20.

44

USER MANUALUSER MANUAL

THE CLOTH

Each cloth has its own characteristics, so they must be properly matched in
order to create a harmoniously behaving paraglider. For the upper surface of
SHARK we used a Porcher 9092 cloth, named SkyTex Aquatic (44g/m ).
Basically it's a nylon cloth covered with superb E85A impregate, introduced
into mass production in January 2002, after a series of extensive laboratory
and real flying tests. Such covered cloth is not that stiff and - what's most
important - has increased tear, stretch and UV resistance. It is not silicon, so
minor repairs can be easily done with self-adhesive strips.

The lower surface is made of SkyTex 9017 with E38A impregnate (39g/m).
This cloth has a great weight/resistance ratio and is one of the biggest
Porcher Marine successes in providing proper materials for paragliding
industry.

The ribs must be as rigid and stretch-resistant as possible. We found these
qualities in SkyTex 9017 with E29A impregnate.

RIGGING SYSTEM

We chose latest Cousin Trestec product here, that is Dyneema Ultimate
Prestretched lines. It features high wear resistance and is very strong while
relatively thin.

Dyneema Ultimate is additionally stabilized during production process - each
thread is first stretched with carefully chosen force and then thermally
stabilized in strictly observed temperature. As a result we got a line that is a
lot less elastic, less likely to shrink while wet and with equal load distribution
on entire length. Part of the SHARK lines have coloured polyester sheath
covering a core, while the majority consists of non-sheathed lines covered
with the impregnate only.

The rigging system consists of individual lines looped and stitched at each
end. There is a high diversity of lines used, as we wanted to have best
strength/diameter ratio in each lines group, depending on existing loads (see
table on pages .

The upper level (gallery) lines start at the attachment points. Every three
lines adjoin to one suspension line. The outer lines are first gathered by twos
and threes in a middle level lines, and these in turn by twos in one line. Main
suspension lines attach to risers with triangular quick links (maillons). The
stabilizer lines connect the outer suspension points to the maillons in
cascades as well.

The same story goes as for steering lines. With consecutive cascades they
lead down to main brake lines which then go through pulleys connected to
the C-riser and finish at the brake handles. The outer steering lines in upper
level additionally go through a metal loop to improve steering effectiveness.

25-26)

55

tamed aggression

Main brake lines are attached to the brake handles at their optimum
trimming point, marked on the line by a black dot. This adjustment ought not
be altered. Having the handles attached above optimal marks will cause
permanent brake application and possible accidents. Attachment below
these points is not advised too, as it will significantly diminish tension of the
trailing edge, thus changing wing behaviour in some situations.

Suspension lines are coloured depending on their strength and diameter as
follows (colour code can be slightly different):

diameter: 1,9 mm; strength: 328 daN; colour: blue

diameter: 1,5 mm; strength: 216 daN; colour: red

diameter: 1,3 mm; strength: 146 daN; colour: yellow

diameter: 1,1 mm; strength: 128 daN; colour: green

diameter: 0,8 mm; strenght: 87 daN; colour: red

Main suspension lines adjoin to stainless steel triangular quick links
(maillons). Additionally there are rubber "O rings" to prevent slipping of the
lines on the quick link.

There are 4-way risers in SHARK (with A riser split in two) with presumed
speed-system installation. The outer A suspension line connects to short A'
riser (blue), other A lines to proper A riser (gold), B and stabilizer lines go to
B riser (red), C lines to C riser (black) , and D risers (grey, with pulleys
added) gather D and steering lines.

As mentioned, risers are coloured for differentiation purposes:

A - yellow - used for launching,

A' - blue - used for Big Ears,

B - red - used for B-stall,

D - grey - used for deflating the canopy in strong winds (aborting

launch).

66

RISERS

USER MANUALUSER MANUAL

A

A’

B

D

C

BRAKE LINE
PULLEY

MAGNETS

PULLEY

TO SPEED BAR

BRAKE HANDLE

CARABINER

77

tamed aggression

3. Speed system

The heart of speed system is a line sewn into A riser, running through two
pulleys and finished with a loop with small hook. There you attach the speed
bar line. In normal flight all risers have an overall length of 50 cm. Speed
system affects risers A, A', B and C. When the bar is being pushed, A and
gradually A' and B riser shorten, until there is a 3-cm difference between A
and B. Their minimal length is respectively 35, 37 and 40 cm. C-risers are
shortened proportionally, up to minimal length of 44 cm. D-riser retains its
original dimensions.

An incorrectly fitted speed system leads to loss of certification!

SPEED SYSTEM ADJUSTMENT

Most of modern harnesses are equipped with special speed system pulleys
and sometimes even its own integrated speedbar. If it's not the case, first
you need to have some pulleys attached in such a way that will allow the
pilot maximize the output of his/her legs with correct power vector, without
pushing the harness back. The speed system cord must be firmly attached
(with bowline or other non-slipping knot) to the speed bar. The other end of
the cord must be ran upward through the harness pulleys, to be firmly
attached to a hook or small carabiner with strong spring action. Overall
length of speed system cord should allow pilot to put his/her feet easily into
the bar when in flight, and yet should be short enough to cover the full speed
range. To exercise full speed with SHARK speed system, double speed bar
is advised.

Make sure that both cords on the speed bar are equal, as even slight
difference can result in constant turning of the paraglider. Test your speed
system thoroughly on the ground before flying with it!

The maximum action is reached when speed system pulleys touch.

SPEED SYSTEM USAGE

Attach paraglider risers to the harness with main carabiners. Then connect
speed system cords with hooks or quick-links. Before launching make sure
that speed system is untangled and runs freely.

To use the speed system simply place your feet on the speed bar and push
forward on a horizontal plane. If you notice a sudden loss of pressure on the
bar, it can be a sign of imminent frontal collapse. In such case release the

88