Wills Wing Sport 2 155 Owner's Service Manual

Sport 2 155

Owner / Service Manual

June 1st, 2004 - First Edition

Sport 2 155

Owner / Service Manual

Copyright © 1994-2004 by Sport Kites, Inc. dba Wills Wing, Inc. All rights reserved.

No part of this manual may be reproduced in any form without the express written permission of

Sport Kites, Inc., dba Wills Wing, Inc.

June 1st, 2004 - First Edition

500 West Blueridge Ave • Orange, CA • 92865 • Phone [phone] • FAX [phone]

Internet Web address: http://www.willswing.com • E-mail: [e-mail]

Contents

Introduction...................................................................................................... 1

Disclaimer and Warning ..................................................................................... 2

Technical Information and Placarded Operating Limitations .................................... 3

Sport 2 Reassembly After Shipping and Breakdown for Shipping Procedures ............ 6

Reassembling the Sport 2 after breakdown for shipping
To remove the rear leading edges for shipping follow these steps

Sport 2 Set-Up Procedure .................................................................................. 9

Preflight Procedure .......................................................................................... 17

Along the left leading edge
At the left wingtip
Along the trailing edge, left wing
From the rear keel
Along the trailing edge, right wing
At the right tip
Along the right leading edge
Under the glider at the control bar
At the nose

Launching and Flying the Sport 2 ...................................................................... 20

Minimum controllable airspeed and minimum sink airspeed
Using wing tufts to find the minimum sink speed of your glider

Platform Towing ............................................................................................. 24

Aerotowing .................................................................................................... 25

Trimming Your Glider in Pitch ........................................................................... 26

Speeds to Fly and Using Your Airspeed Indicator................................................. 27

Using the VG System ...................................................................................... 28

Landing the Sport 2 ......................................................................................... 29

Using drag devices during landing

Sport 2 Breakdown ......................................................................................... 34

Sport 2 Stability Systems ................................................................................. 37

Sport 2 Sprog and Bridle Adjustment and Flight Testing ....................................... 37

Sprog and Bridle measurement
Method of adjustment
Test flight

Maintenance .................................................................................................. 39

Parts Ordering and Parts Replacement ............................................................... 40

Every Six Months
Ever Year
Special circumstances
A note about cables and cable maintenance

Removing the Sail from the Airframe and Re-Installing ......................................... 43

Sail removal
Reinstalling the sail on the frame

Glider Tuning .................................................................................................. 46

CG adjustment
Turn trim
Airframe
Battens
Tip Wand Receptacles - rotational alignment
Sail tension
Twisting a tip
Batten tension

Car Top Mounting and Transport ....................................................................... 48

In Closing - A Few Final Words on Your Safety ................................................... 48

HGMA Sport 2 155 COMPLIANCE VERIFICATION SPECIFICATION SHEET .............. 50

Introduction

Thank you for purchasing a Wills Wing glider, and welcome to the world wide family of Wills Wing pilots. We
are a company of pilots and aviation enthusiasts, and our goal is to serve your flying needs now and in the
future, as we have done for pilots throughout the world since 1973.

We encourage you to read this manual thoroughly for information on the proper use and maintenance of your
Wills Wing glider. If at any time you have questions about your glider, or about any aspect of hang gliding that
your Wills Wing dealer cannot answer, please feel free to give us a call.

Because there is no regulation which requires the registration of hang gliders, Wills Wing has no way to
maintain an accurate contact list of the owners of the hang gliders we manufacture. As a result, Wills Wing
has no reliable way to contact owners directly about service and safety issues. It is therefore, of necessity,
your responsibility as an owner to check periodically for service advisories and technical updates that relate to
your glider. You can do so most effectively by going to our web site at www.willswing.com. The site features
extensive information about Wills Wing gliders and products, a Wills Wing Dealer directory, a comprehensive
list of service and technical bulletins, the latest editions of owners manuals, our complete retail price list, a
search engine, email and more.

The most important contents of our internet site are the service and technical bulletins, technical articles, and
the latest editions of owners manuals. These are your best sources for safety and airworthiness advisories and
information on Wills Wing products. Many of the documents are published in Adobe Acrobat format. A free
viewer for Acrobat files is available at http://www.adobe.com. Note that the current release is 6.0. and
documents may not open or display properly in earlier versions.

If you are unable to obtain service information from the web site, you can contact us by email, by U.S. mail or
by telephone.

We wish you a safe and enjoyable flying career, and, once again, welcome aboard!

Rob Kells, Mike Meier, Linda Meier, and Steven Pearson

Wills Wing, Inc.

Disclaimer and Warning

Hang gliding is a form of aviation. Like any form of aviation, its safe practice demands the consistent
exercise of pilot skill, knowledge of airmanship and weather, judgment and attention at a level which is
appropriate to the demands of each individual situation. Pilots who do not possess or exercise the
required knowledge, skills and judgment are frequently injured and killed. The statistical rate at which
fatalities occur in hang gliding is approximately one per thousand participants per year.

The Federal Aviation Administration does not require a pilot’s license to operate a hang glider. Hang
gliders and hang gliding equipment are not designed, manufactured, tested or certified to any state or
federal government airworthiness standards or requirements. Federal Aviation Regulation Part 103
states in part, "ultralight vehicles are not required meet the airworthiness certification standards
specified for aircraft or to have certificates of airworthiness" and "operators of ultralight vehicles are
not required to meet any aeronautical knowledge, age, or experience requirements to operate those
vehicles or to have airman or medical certificates." Wills Wing hang gliding products are not covered
by product liability insurance. As a hang glider pilot, you are entirely responsible for your own safety.
You should never attempt to fly a hang glider without having received competent instruction. We
strongly recommend that you not participate in hang gliding unless you recognize fully and wish to
personally assume all of the associated risks.

Please fly safely.

— 2 —

Technical Information and Placarded Operating Limitations

The Sport 2 155 has been tested and found to comply with the Hang Glider Manufacturers Association
(HGMA) Airworthiness Standards. At the time of publication of this manual, (May 2004) no documen­tation package nor any application for a certificate of compliance has been submitted to the HGMA,
nor has a certificate of compliance been issued by the HGMA. The HGMA standards require:

1. A positive load test at root stall angle of attack at a speed equal to at least the greatest of:

a. 141% of the placarded maximum maneuvering speed

b. 141% of the placarded maximum rough air speed

c. 123% of the placarded speed never to exceed

for at least three seconds without failure.

The required speed for the Sport 2 for this test was 65 m.p.h..

2. A negative 30 degree angle of attack load test at a speed equal to at least the greatest of:

a. 100% of the placarded maximum maneuvering speed

b. 100% of the placarded maximum rough air speed

c. 87% of the placarded speed never to exceed

for at least 3 seconds without failure.

The required speed for the Sport 2 for this test was 46 m.p.h..

3. A negative 150 degree angle of attack load test at a speed equal to at least the greater of 30
m.p.h. or 50% of the required positive load test speed for at least 3 seconds without failure.

The required speed for the Sport 2 for this test was 32 m.p.h..

4. For the Sport 2 with a Vne of 53 m.p.h., pitch tests at speeds of 20 m.p.h., 37 m.p.h. and 53
m.p.h. which show the glider to be stable over a range of angles of attack from trim angle to 20
degrees below zero lift angle at 20 m.p.h., and from trim angle to 10 degrees below zero lift angle
at 37 m.p.h., and from 10 degrees above zero lift angle to zero lift angle at 53 m.p.h..

5. Flight maneuvers which show the glider to be adequately stable and controllable throughout the
normal range of operation.

Note: The Sport 2 has been designed for foot launched soaring flight. It has not been designed to be
motorized, tethered, or towed. It can be towed successfully using proper procedures. Pilots wishing to
tow should be USHGA skill rated for towing, and should avail themselves of all available information
on the most current proper and safe towing procedures. Suggested sources for towing information
include the United States Hang Gliding Association and the manufacturer of the towing winch / or
equipment being used. Wills Wing makes no warranty of the suitability of the glider for towing.

— 3 —

Because of the design of the nose catch for the bottom front wires on the Sport 2 it
is critically important that the nose line be attached properly during platform towing
operations. In no case should the nose line be attached in such a way that there is
any possibility that the nose line can pull forward on the nose wires, nose tang or
nose tang handle, or, in any other way, contribute to disengagement of the nose
wires. Please read the section on towing for more information.

Flight operation of the Sport 2 should be limited to non aerobatic maneuvers; those in which the pitch
angle will not exceed 30 degrees nose up or nose down from the horizon, and the bank angle will not
exceed 60 degrees. The Sport 2 is generally resistant to spinning, especially at VG settings of less than
50% (VG middle or looser). At VG settings greater than 50% (VGM to VG full tight), the Sport 2
becomes progressively more susceptible to spinning, though it is still characteristically resistant to
spinning. Any spin and / or the recovery from the spin may involve a possibility of a loss of control of
the glider, possibly including in flight inversion and possible structural failure.

Recovery from a spin requires unstalling of the wing, and it is therefore critically important that in the
event of a spin, no application of nose up pitch control be held. The Sport 2 will tend to recover from a
spin once control pressures are relaxed. To recover from a spin, move to the center of the control bar
and gently pull in to position the basetube below your shoulders. Do not pull in rapidly and do not
"stuff" the bar. As the nose lowers and the angle of attack is reduced, the stall will be broken and the
spin will stop. In an aggravated spin, be prepared for the nose to pitch down significantly, and for the
glider to accelerate to a high speed during the resulting dive. Ease the control bar out gently to recover
to level flight. Recognize that such recovery will consume significant altitude, and will result in the
glider assuming an unpredictable heading and attitude. Recovery from a spin at low altitude or in the
vicinity of terrain or other aircraft may involve a flight trajectory which intersects the terrain or
another aircraft at a high rate of speed. In view of the unpredictable nature of spins and spin recovery,
Wills Wing recommends that no attempt should ever be made to deliberately spin the glider. The Sport
2 provides the pilot with a high degree of pitch authority, in combination with a very low twist sail. As a
result, it is possible to produce a very aggravated and severe stall, the recovery from which may
involve very severe pitch down rotation, the pilot going weightless, and the glider recovering via an
unpredictable trajectory with a significant altitude loss. Therefore, aggravated stalls should not be
induced except on landing flare.

The maximum steady state speed for a prone pilot in the recommended weight range full forward on
the control bar with the VG set full tight will range from approximately 47 m.p.h. to as high as 53 mph
or more for the Sport 2, depending on wing loading, harness design and adjustment, and glider tuning.
The placarded speed never to exceed for the Sport 2 is 53 m.p.h. The Vne speed will generally be
achieved, if achievable in steady state wings level flight, for a prone pilot with the control bar at full
arms extension. The placarded maximum speed for maneuvering flight or flight in rough air is 46 mph.
This speed will be achieved for a prone pilot with the control bar basetube approximately four to eight
inches below the waist. This speed should not be exceeded in anything other than smooth air. No
abrupt maneuvering or control inputs should be made at anything above this speed. The stall speed of
the Sport 2 at maximum recommended wing loading is 25 m.p.h. or less. The top (steady state) speed
at minimum recommended wing loading for a prone pilot with a properly designed and adjusted
harness is at least 35 m.p.h.. All speeds given above are indicated airspeeds, for a properly calibrated
airspeed indicator mounted in the vicinity of the pilot. An airspeed indicator marked with the appropri­ate speed ranges is available for the Sport 2 and it is recommended that the pilot fly with this or some

— 4 —

other airspeed indicator and use it as an aid to comply with the placarded limitations. Refer to the
section on using the airspeed indicator for further information on speeds to fly.

The recommended hook in pilot weight range for the Sport 2 is:

Sport 2 155: 150 - 250 lbs.

Be advised that pilots with hook in weights of less than 20 lbs above minimum will find the Sport 2
more demanding of pilot skill to fly, and that pilots hooking in within 20 lbs of the maximum will
experience some relative degradation of optimum sink rate performance due to their higher wing
loading, as well as increased difficulty in foot-landing the glider in very light winds or at high
density altitudes.

A minimum USHGA Intermediate (III) level of pilot proficiency is required to fly the Sport 2 safely.
Pilots are advised that the optimum proficiency level for the Sport 2 is higher than the minimum
recommended. In particular, due to the high L/D of the Sport 2, and the tendency of the glider to retain
a high L/D at higher speeds, it is important that the pilot have well developed landing approach skills in
order to insure the ability to land safely within a landing area of restricted size. Operation of the glider
by unqualified or under qualified pilots may be dangerous.

Operating the Sport 2 outside of the above limitations may result in injury and death. Flying the Sport 2
in the presence of strong or gusty winds, or turbulence may result in loss of control of the glider which
may lead to injury and death. Do not fly in such conditions unless you realize and wish to personally
assume the associated risks. The Sport 2 was specifically designed and developed for recreational
soaring, to achieve the maximum level of performance possible at the minimum practical glider weight.
The stability, controllability, and structural strength of a properly maintained Sport 2 have been deter­mined to be adequate for safe operation when the glider is operated within all of the manufacturer
specified limitations. No warranty of adequate stability, controllability, or structural strength is made or
implied for operation outside of these limitations. The Sport 2 is specifically not designed, nor is it
suitable for aerobatic maneuvers. Because of the Sport 2's broad speed range and high degree of
aerodynamic efficiency it is possible to exceed the placarded VNE speed by a wide margin, and, as a
result, it is possible if abrupt maneuvers are performed at such very high speeds to induce loads on the
structure beyond those for which the glider has been tested. Wills Wing is well aware that pilots have
in the past, and continue in the present to perform maneuvers and fly in conditions which are outside
the recommended operating limitations for their gliders. Please be aware that the fact that some pilots
have exceeded these limitations in the past without dangerous incident does not imply or insure that the
limitations may be exceeded without risk. We do know that gliders which meet all current industry
standards for airworthiness can suffer and have suffered in-flight structural failures, both as a result of
turbulence, and as a result of various deliberate maneuvers outside the placarded operating limitations,
including, but not necessarily limited to aerobatics. We do not know, and cannot know, the full range of
maneuvers or conditions which may cause the pilot’s safety to be compromised, nor can we test the
glider in all possible circumstances.

— 5 —

Sport 2 Reassembly After Shipping and Breakdown for Shipping
Procedures

The Sport 2 can often be shipped full length, without having the rear leading edges removed. If your
glider has been "broken down" for shipping, follow these procedures to reinstall the rear leading edges.
The front leading edge is 50mm (1.97") oversleeved with 52mm (2.05") at the nose and crossbar
junction. The rear leading edge is 50mm (1.97") oversleeved with 52mm (2.05") at the outer sprog
attachment point. The front end of the rear leading edge is slotted and engages in a clevis pin installed
in the front leading edge. The rear end of the rear leading edge contains a receptacle for the tip wand,
secured in place by a bushing and clevis pin five inches from the rear end of the tube and a small
screw 1/2" from the end of the tube. The clevis pin also passes through a tang on the rear sail mount
webbing strap and secures this strap to the rear leading edge.

Reassembling the Sport 2 after breakdown for shipping

1. Lay the glider down on its back (bag zipper up) on a smooth, clean work surface. Unzip the glider
bag, pull it off of the glider at the front and rear, and unfold the sail to it's full length. Remove the
wing tip cover bags and the velcro sail ties from the glider, and unroll the sail part way.

2. Identify the rear leading edges as to left and right in order to make sure you are mounting the
correct rear leading edge into the correct front. Check the “right” / “left” label or marking on the
rear leading edges. Remember that the right leading edge is to your left as you look from the rear
when the glider is upside down. If the leading edges are not marked, identify left and right by
consideration of the following: The sprogs are mounted to the back side of the leading edges, the
sprog cables are attached to the top of the leading edges, and the wand receptacle is at the
outboard end of the leading edge. The photo below shows the right rear leading edge, in a right
side up orientation.

3. Working on one wing at a time, and working with the appropriate rear leading edge, fold the sprog
which is attached to the rear leading edge "forward" against the rear leading edge. Turn the rear
leading edge upside down (because the glider is lying on its back, upside down) and slide the front
end of the rear leading edge tube into the sail through the opening at the wingtip. As the tip of the
sprog reaches the sprog access zipper opening, route the sprog outside of the sail through this
opening.

4. Continue to slide the rear leading edge forward, with the sprog outside the sail, and slide the rear
leading edge into the front leading edge. Align the rear leading edge properly so that the sprog

— 6 —

bracket is on the inside of the leading edge, and slide the rear leading edge forward, rotating as
necessary, until the slot in the rear leading edge engages securely on the pin in the front leading
edge. When the rear leading edge is fully engaged, you will not be able to rotate it.

5. Find the sail mount strap and stretch it towards the rear of the leading edge. Position the sail

mount strap on the bottom of the leading edge tube (which will be on top with the glider upside
down) and make sure the strap is not wrapped around the tube or twisted. Remove the safety ring
from the clevis pin located five inches from end of the leading edge, remove the clevis pin, and
pass it through the tang in the sail mount webbing. Reinstall the clevis pin in the leading edge, and
reinstall the safety ring on the clevis pin. Check again to make sure that the sail mount strap is
mounted to the bottom of the leading edge tube and not twisted or wrapped around the tube.

Note: The exact length of the adjusted sail mount webbing strap is an important
tuning adjustment - do not loosen this strap in order to install it on the rear leading
edge. (See the section on Sail Tension in the Glider Tuning section of this manual
for more information on the adjustment of this strap.) If you are having trouble
installing the strap, first check to make sure that the rear leading edge is fully
engaged in the front leading edge. If the slot in the rear leading edge is not en­gaged on the clevis pin in the front leading edge, the overall leading edge length
will be one half inch too long. After confirming that the rear leading edge is fully
engaged, if you are unable to stretch the sail mount strap far enough to install the
securing pin, dismount the sail at the nose of the glider, mount the rear, and then
remount the sail at the nose. If necessary, you can mount the nose of the sail after
the glider is set up - but if you wait until then to mount it, make sure to spread the
wings carefully and ensure that the sail is riding forward on the leading edges as
you do so. Otherwise, you could tear the sail.

6. Fold the sprog to the rear and against the leading edge. Place a velcro around the sail at this

point. Fold the tip of the sail over, roll it up and reinstall the tip bags. Put the glider bag back on
and zip it up.

— 7 —

To remove the rear leading edges for shipping follow these steps

This process will basically be the reverse of installing the rear leading edges after shipping. Before
beginning, read through the section above on how to reinstall the rear leading edges. While following
the instructions below, refer to the photos in the section above for reference, if necessary.

1. Lay the glider on the ground or floor, unzip the bag and remove the velcro ties. Remove the tip
bags and lay the tips out flat. The sprog access zippers should be fully unzipped.

2. Working through the opening at the tip of the sail, slide the sail forward exposing the end of the
leading edge tube and locate the clevis pin which secures the sail mount strap to the leading edge.
Remove the safety ring from the sail mount clevis pin and remove the pin from the leading edge
and from the tang on the sail mount strap. Reinstall the clevis pin in the leading edge tube and
reinstall the safety ring.

3. Check to see that the rear leading edges are labeled “Left” and “Right.” If they are not, mark
them with an indelible marker. Remember that left and right are reversed if the glider is lying “on
its back”, upside down.

4. Fold the sprog towards the nose, and make sure that it is positioned so that it will slide into the sail
through the sprog zipper opening when you remove the rear leading edges. Working through the
opening of the sail at the tip, pull the rear leading edge straight aft to disengage it from the front,
and then continue to slide it carefully out of the sail through the sail opening at the tip. Tape or pad
the edges of the front end of the rear leading edge tubes, and the rear of the front leading edge
tubes to prevent sail damage during transit.

5. Roll up the sail, and the tips of the sail and reinstall the tip cover bags. Carefully fold the rear of
the sail over against the front, and replace the bag on the glider.

— 8 —

Sport 2 Set-Up Procedure

A number of set up operations are made easier by the use of the Set-Up Tool - a six
inch length of 3/4" tubing included with your glider.

1. Lay the glider on the ground, with the bag zipper up, with the bag at right angles to the wind.

2. Undo the zipper, remove the battens, and remove the control bar bag.

3. Lift and deploy the control bar legs.

a. Remove the ball lock pins from downtube bottom plug and inspect the pin at this time for

any signs of wear or damage. Note: Be sure to depress the button when removing or
inserting the ball lock pins. Otherwise, you may dislodge the sleeve in the downtube end
fitting which retains the sidewire tang. (This sleeve has to have only a light press fit to
hold it in place, as it must be removable in order to change the bottom side wires.)

b. Align the downtube bottom plug on one side properly in the appropriate basetube corner

fitting and install the ball lock pin securing the plug to the basetube bracket.

c. Repeat for the other side. Thread the VG rope through the VG cleat.

Make sure that the small bushing that secures the side wire tang in the downtube end
fitting is in place, and that the side wire tang is properly secured. Also make sure that
the ball lock pin is fully and securely engaged in the basetube end bracket. Note that
the ball lock pins are critical structural components and must be replaced if they
show any sign of wear or damage.

4. Flip the glider upright on the control bar. Try to set the basetube on level ground, and try to avoid

rocks. Remove the glider bag and all the velcro sail ties. Do not remove the leading edge tip
protector bags at this time. Before spreading the wings, pull upwards on the wire attached to the
front of the nose batten, and lift the batten up over and onto the stud on top of the keel. (This is
easiest to do at this point in the set up.)

5. Spread the wings almost all the way and erect the kingpost. Attach the reflex bridle ring to the

bridle pigtail clip.

— 9 —

6. Remove the battens from the batten bag, and check each batten for symmetry against the corre­sponding batten from the other wing. Align the battens at the nose, and at about the 60% chord
point as shown. There should not be any deviation of more than 1/8" from one to the other along
the full length of the battens. Note: If you fly in a dusty or sandy environment, it will help to
prolong the life of your batten pockets in your sail if you wipe each batten with a rag before you
insert it in the batten pocket.

7. Wills Wing convention is that black tipped battens go in the right wing and white tipped battens in
the left. Top surface cambered battens are numbered from the tip inwards, and the shortest
cambered batten in a Sport 2 is designated as the "#2" batten (there is no "#1 batten"). Working
from the root out, install the three longest cambered top surface battens in each wing of the sail.
Do not engage the rear tips in the trailing edge at this time.

Insert the battens carefully, so as to minimize stress and wear on the sail. Do not
hold the battens by the rear tips, and do not apply significant force to the rear tips
during insertion or removal - the lever type tips can be broken if the force required
for insertion of removal is applied to the tip. Do not insert or remove the longest top
surface battens with the crossbar tensioned and never insert or remove battens with
heavy wind pressure on the top of the sail or in any condition which causes the
battens to slide with great resistance in the pockets. Take care when inserting the
longer cambered battens that the front batten tip does not catch the aft edge of the
Mylar insert through the sail and fold it under. This is best avoided by keeping the
trailing edge of the sail as low as possible, and lifting on the batten in the area
behind the Mylar pocket if necessary as you push the batten in. If the Mylar insert
does become folded under when inserting a batten, remove the batten, smooth the
Mylar down, and reinstall the batten. Also take care not to force the rear batten tips

— 10 —

into the ground when installing or removing the battens. When working with the
longest inboard batten it is helpful to lift the rear end of the keel slightly, and also to
insert the batten initially upside down, flipping it over after it is inserted about a
quarter of the way.

If you choose not to check your battens for symmetry before each flight, you should,
at a minimum check them once every five flights, or at any time that you experience
a hard landing or groundhandling mishap.

8. Spread the wings all the way and check all cables for any twisted thimbles or tangled cables. At

the rear of the keel, pull on the line that is attached to both the top rear wire and the sweep wire in
order to retrieve the sweep wire from inside the keel pocket. (Note: Sometimes the sweep wire
tang will catch on the front of the keel pocket at this point in the set-up. If this happens, reach
through the opening in the sail at the base of the kingpost, grasp the sweep wire, and work it
forward and aft while pulling gently on the line at the rear until you clear the interference.) Pull
the sweep wire out the rear end of the keel pocket. For maximum "leverage" insert the set up tool
in the loop of leech line attached to the sweep wire keyhole tang. Tension the sail by continuing to
pull back on the sweep wire and secure the sweep wire by installing the keyhole tang onto the
keyhole collar on the rear wire bolt. Make sure the tang slides fully forward in the slot on the collar
so that the narrow part of the keyhole slot is fully captive in the narrow part of the bolt collar, and
make sure that the button lock pops up behind the tang. Now install the top rear wire keyhole tang
onto the same keyhole collar, again making sure that the tang is fully installed, and that the button
lock pops up behind the tang. You can stow the excess line inside the neoprene sleeve on the rear
keel.

Never install the keyhole tang onto the keyhole bolt without making absolutely sure
that the tang is fully engaged on the narrow neck of the bolt, and tensioned forward
into the fully locked position. An in-flight disengagement of this attachment will
cause a complete loss of structural support of the glider and a total loss of control.
Never attach the pull string to the collar, even temporarily. Also, avoid applying any
forward, rearward, or sideways pressure on the button spring, or allowing the tang
to catch on the back of the button, as this can result in the button becoming bent
and not deploying properly.

— 11 —

9. The next step is to install the tip wands. Remove the wingtip protector bag. Unfold the tip of the
sail and open the velcro closure between the top surface and bottom surface at the tip. The tip
wands are tapered, the larger end is installed in the receptacle in the end of the leading edge tube.
At the narrow end of the tip wand is a label that reads "Back." This indicates the side of the tip
wand that should be positioned towards the rear after the wand is inserted in the leading edge and
before the cam lever and cup are installed. Rotate the tip wand cam lever outside the sail. Holding
the larger diameter end of the tip wand in your hand, reach into the opening in the tip of the sail
and work your way up to the end of the leading edge. Install the tip wand into the receptacle, and
push it all the way in until it bottoms out. Rotate the wand to align the "back" label to the rear ­away from the front of the leading edge. (Note: The purpose of aligning the wand in this way is to
extend the service life of the wand - see Wills Wing Technical Bulletin TB20040424 - available at
www.willswing.com - for more information.)

Working from the front side of the leading edge, facing the glider, hold the end of the leading edge
tube from underneath in one hand and grasp the wand lever and cup in the other hand. Place the
open end of the wand cup against the front side of the tip wand. While supporting the leading edge
tube by pulling it towards you, push back against the wand with the wand cup, allowing the cup to
slide outwards along the wand as the wand bows back. (Keep in mind here that you are not trying
to "stretch" the sail lengthwise along the wand - that won't work. You are bowing the wand back
by pressing the cup against the front, which will naturally pull the sail outwards around the bow of
the wand as you do so. Also keep in mind that the wand must be allowed to bow for this to work;
you cannot be holding onto the wand with your other hand during this operation.) As the wand cup
reaches the end of the wand, it will rotate and pop into place over the end of the wand.

Note: There are two other methods that can be used to install the wand cup onto the wand if
you're having difficulty with this method. One is to use the same procedure as described above,

— 12 —

but to follow the procedure before tensioning the crossbar. The other is to install the wands and
wand cups before installing any battens or tensioning the crossbar. To do this, install the wand into
the wand receptacle as described above. Then, sitting on the ground with the wing tip in front of
you, grasp the wand in one hand and the cam lever pull string in the other hand. Pull straight back
on the cam lever pull string until the cup is beyond the end of the wand, and install the cup onto the
wand. Either of these methods is an acceptable alternative to the primary method described
above, and you may find either or both to be easier. The disadvantage of either of these two
methods is that because the crossbar is not tensioned, the top side wires are not holding the tips
off the ground, so the tip area of the sail is more exposed to dirt and wear.

10. The next step is to cam over the tip wand cam lever, tensioning the sail at the tip. Grasp the pull

string attached to the cam lever in one hand, and with the other hand firmly grasp the bottom
surface of the sail at the tip at the velcro opening. Pull your hands towards each other to rotate the
cam lever first towards the keel and then against the tip wand.

11. After you cam the lever over, check to see that the "back" label is properly aligned - it should now

lie directly under that cam lever. Look into the sail from the tip and verify that the most outboard
internal rib is fully zipped up.

12. Install the remaining outboard top surface battens. Secure the shortest cambered battens with a

double purchase loop of the 205 leech line. After installing the tip battens, open the velcro closure
between the top and bottom surface at the tip, and while supporting the tip batten with light
upward pressure, re-close the opening and secure the velcro attachment. (This is to ensure that
both surfaces of the sail mate cleanly in this area).

13. At this time you can install the batten tips for the cambered battens into the hem of the trailing

edge. The lever tip incorporates a hinge and a snap locking mechanism, as well as a threaded
shank that allows for adjustment of the overall batten length, and hence the chordwise tension that
the batten puts on the sail. The locking mechanism can be broken if it is not released properly
before the lever portion of the tip is rotated upwards. If it does break, it will usually break at the
locking hook on the lever (rear) portion of the tip. Also the hinge portion can pop apart relatively
easily. (This is not a failure of the tip, and you can easily pop the hinge back together again.)

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If you do have a failure of the locking hook on the lever portion, simply pop the hinge apart and
pop on a new lever part. It is also possible, though less likely, to break the forward portion of the
tip. If that happens, unthread the tip from the batten and thread in a new piece.

Once the batten is installed, in order to fit the batten tip into the trailing edge hem, you will need to
unlock the lever part of the tip and pivot it upwards. To unlock the tip, place a slight downward
pressure on the top of the lever portion of the tip, and squeeze upwards on the bottom of the lever
portion just behind the locking clasp. Then pivot the lever tip upwards. You should not feel any
resistance to the lever rotating upwards - if you do you haven't properly released the locking
portion. If you hear a click when pivoting the lever upwards, it is likely that you have broken, or
partly failed the locking tab on the lever.

After the rear of the tip has been rotated upwards, fit it into the gap in the hem of the trailing edge
and then rotate the tip downwards until it locks into place. You should hear a click at this point, and
the tip should be securely held in the locked position. (Note: A tip with a failed catch will still
"click" when you rotate the lever downwards into position, but depending on the degree of failure
of the catch, it may not support an upward load on the trailing edge sufficient to keep the tip
locked in position.)

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14. The next step is to deploy the sprogs and secure them in position. Before doing so, working

through the sprog access zippers, preflight the following items:

a. The remaining internal ribs to confirm that they are fully zipped up.

b. The sprog hardware, including the leading edge sprog brackets, the attachment of the sprogs

to these brackets, and the sprog cable attachments at both ends of each sprog cable.

c. The leading edge crossbar junction hardware, including the nut, bolt and safety ring at this

junction and at the bottom side wire attachment to the crossbar.

To deploy and secure each sprog, swing the sprog away from the leading edge and align it in the
center of the rear end of the sprog access zipper, such that the rear end sprog paddle lies below
both the transverse batten and the short piece of bungee attached to the sail. Rotate the sprog as
necessary to align it such that the cable pulls directly from the top of the sprog. (Note: The sprog
should align easily and remain in this position - with the tang on top. If it will not remain aligned
properly, there is probably a twist in the sprog cable. To fix this, dismount the sprog from the
leading edge and rotate the sprog around the cable until the twist is removed.) Pull the loop of
bungee cord over the end of the sprog to secure the alignment. (The bungee does not need to be
tight around the sprog, however, if the bungee is so long as to be very loose on the sprog, pull it
over the sprog end twice, forming two loops.) Fully close the sprog access zipper. Note: Do not
lift on the sail at or near the trailing edge while trying to close the sprog access zipper. If you want
to lift the wing to gain easier access to the underside of the glider, lift the wing by the leading edge
tube.

15. Attach the bottom front wires to the bottom of the nose. Install the keyhole tang over the keyhole

collar by pulling down on the nose of the glider while pressing the tang upwards over the collar.
Remember, it is the pulling down of the glider's nose rather than the upward pressure on the tang
that allows you to install the tang over the collar. Make sure that the tang is fully seated in the
collar, and that the button lock pops up in front of the tang, locking it in place.

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