We strongly recommend that before you even unfold the FENIX you read this manual
carefully in order to be aware of any general limitations, performance characteristics,
take off and flight characteristics, landing procedures, dealing with emergency situations
and general maintenance.
We appreciate your feedback, so please send us your comments, positive or negative, in
regard to the
You are the best feedback and support for future products, and please remember that we
are always happy to give you any help and advice. You can always find more information
www.Windtech.es or you can contact your local dealer.
at
Windtech range.
Best winds
Windtech Team
5
6
> warning & liability
Flying paragliders is a risky activity this may come by an imprudence by the pilot or by
unexpected bad weather conditions which may cause an accident and injuries to the
pilot. Windtech assumes that the purchasing pilot has the appropriate pilot's license has
taken a training course, and has the proper ability and enough experience to safely fly
the FENIX. By being a FENIX owner you are taking responsibilities by all the inherent
risks and you will make the risk higher but not taking the proper steps to fly safely. All
liabilities actions against the manufacturer or dealer will be excluded by the misuse of
this product.
Use only certified harnesses with back protection, emergency parachutes according to
the weight range. Also do a daily inspection and pre-flight inspection of all your gear.
Never try to fly with a damage or unadapted equipment. Use helmet, gloves and boots.
All pilots must have a license and permit in their own country and a CR insurance.
Do a cautious inspection of the flying area as well as the weather conditions before taking off. If you are not confident do not fly and always add an extra of security in the
decisions taken. Do no fly under rain, snow, strong wind, turbulent air or overclouded
skies
We must insist that reading this manual is not enough and you need a large experience
in all kind of flying conditions.
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
The FENIX is right for experienced pilot of the Sport Class or Cross Country Class looking for the best performance/safety ratio and are able to fly 100 hours per year. This wing
is certified in the top range of the EN C class.
> desing materials
The FENIX structure is made with 67 cells with a different widths and has an inner struc-
ture made with V-ribs. This makes possible a large line reduction.
The new profile makes this wing very safe and gives it a plus in performance and is very
efficient when turning.
-- fabric
Top and bottom sail are make of 38 g nylon of high tenacity. Profiles are make out of a
stiffer nylon fabric to avoid deformation even after several years of intensive use. Profile
reinforcements are make out of polyester of 180 g. and plastic rods of 2.4 mm to help
the inflation of the wing.
-- lines
They come in different diameters of kevlar and dynema unsheathed: They have to be
inspected every 100 hours maximum.
-- brakes
Brake lines come a little longer so every pilot can adjust it according to his personal
taste. But you must always leave 10 cm before the brakes line starts acting in order to
avoid trailing edge deformation when the wing is fully accelerated. In case the brake
handle comes loose during flight or any brake lines is cut you can pilot the wing by
pulling softly the C risers
-- risers
3 risers. A riser has a red cover to recognize it at first look. Attached to this riser there is
another line with another maillon This is A' and is the big ears riser. B riser is blue and
also has a rope with a maillon the B', so the wing tips remain at positive angles when
accelerated. C riser comes in grey color.
-- speed system
The accelerator has being limited in travel up to a safety point, however you can gain
20 km of extra speed.
You have to adjust the harness to the speed system so you can use all the speed travel.
To do so you have to be seated in the ground meanwhile you are in your harness and
adjust the lines by pulling up the risers with tension. Another person help to do this is
recommended. Make sure also that the pedal is not pulling down the risers when you are
not using it.
7
Once all the gear is rigged you have to test the whole speed travel in calm air.
The use of the speed system reduces the angle of attack and the canopy may be more
sensitive to collapses therefore do not use near the ground or in turbulent air and in case
you are hit by turbulence remove your feet off the pedal bar as quickly as possible.
Distance between attachments points (harness carabiners) must be between 42 and 46
cm.
-- all up weight
Each model of paraglider has been certified for its own weight range. It is recommended to respect those weight ranges.
You have to take under consideration that if you want more speed, or more accurate
handling or you like to fly in high mountains or strong conditions you have to choose to
fly in the top part of the weight range. If you want a better sink rate or you fly in flatlands or weak conditions you can choose to fly in the bottom of the range weight (but
you can always carry ballast for stronger conditions)
e n g l i s h
8
To get used to your new wing we recommend to do some ground handling exercises and
short flights from a training hill. This will enable you to set up your gear properly.
-- pre-flight
Check cautiously the risers. Check the maillon are perfectly closed and verify there are
no tangles in the lines.
Brakes lines must have 10 cm extra from the knot. Both lines must be equal in length
and no obstacle around the pulleys.
Check the carabiners and harness locks are closed, the parachute container pins are in
and the helmet is properly tight.
> inflation and launch
-- front launch
Choose an open space free of any obstacles, 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. Connect the risers to your harness making certain that your karabiners are
fully closed and you have no twists in the risers. Pilot must be placed in the center and
two meters off the wing. By pulling the A risers walk forward till you feel pressure and
the wing starts inflating. Keep a constant pull in the risers until the canopy is well above
your head (do not pull down or forward since this will deform the leading edge and may
potentially cause a collapse and making the take off dangerous) Once the wing is above
your head release the risers and keep the brake handles in your hand applying a little
pressure This enables you to have some extra time for a final checking before taking off.
If the wing goes toward one side you have to keep the symmetry by using the other
brake. If one side collapses pump that side until it reopens. When the canopy is not fully
inflated stop and start again. After checking the canopy is perfectly inflated run forward
and launch.
IMPORTANT: Never take off when the glider is not fully inflated or falls toward one side.
-reverse launch (strong wind take off)
Reverse launch is the safest method when the wind is strong during take off.
There are several ways to achieve this take off but the best way is to practice in an open
and flat space with a regular constant breeze.
We will proceed to describe one of these ways:
Set up the canopy as in the front launch. Turn 180 degrees to face the canopy by passing one of the risers and lines well above your head when you do the turn.
Inflate the canopy pulling lightly the A riser (fi the wind is strong you may have to walk
a couple steps toward the paragliders during the inflation process) Once the canopy is
above your head release the risers and keep the handles in your hands, then do 180º turn
to face the slope, run and take off.
IMPORTANT: Never take off when the glider is not fully inflated or falls toward one side.
> fly with the C risers
In order to obtain a better flight control, anticipate collapses, keep a higher speed and better
efficiency flight in turbulent air without using the brakes you can control the wing with the
C risers. In order to pilot with the C risers keep the handles and pull the C risers.
With the C risers you can actively fly through turbulent air. When the leading edge openings transmits a lack of pressure apply some input with the C risers in order to keep the
mouths open. The amount of the input to apply varies with the turbulence but it must
be smooth to avoid any pitch or surge forward of the canopy.
This method is right for normal air, not strong turbulences. In the case of being hit by
strong turbulence keep using actively the brakes to maintain the wing open.
IMPORTANT: Never take off when the glider is not fully inflated or falls toward one side.
> landing
Choose a large field clear of all obstructions & in a clean laminar airflow with an extra
in security in case of making mistakes. Always face the wind when landing.
9
A different 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 on the wing in case of
unexpected turbulence) so the glider has energy for a flare. In light or nil winds the pilot
will need a committed symmetric flare at around one meter above the ground. When the
wind is strong avoid too much braking to avoid a dangerous situation. Once in the
ground with strong winds run toward the canopy and pull the C risers to avoid being
pulled by the wind.
You must avoid the canopy to fall on its leading edge since the pressure will not escape
and you can brake cells and ribs.
> possible flight incidences in turbulent air
-- asymmetrical tuck/collapse
An asymmetric tuck / collapse is when part (one side) of the wing ( say 20% or even anything up to 90% of the span) tucks or collapses, usually induced by turbulence but sometimes also trough poor pilot control in turns and wing-overs.
10
The FENIX is tested and certified to automatically recover without correction by the
pilot, but with the correct input the pilot can minimize any turning, and height lose, and
help the glider recover more quickly.
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 rotation (spiral) induced by the collapse. Be very careful not to use too much brake as its possible 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
A front 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 another paraglider & being 'waked' by the wing tip vortices of the glider and turbulence 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
recovery. Do not brake when the glider is behind you, as this can stall the wing, but wait
for the glider to shoot forward above your head, then brake.
-- cravats
If the wing tip gets stuck in a line this is a "cravat". This may cause a spiral very difficult
to control. First thing you have to do is to regain stable flight and flight straight. Then
by pulling down the stabile line try to free the wingtip. You have to be careful with the
amount of brake input since you may cause a stall by pulling to much the opposite
brake. In the case this method does not work the only option is a full stall. Do this with
plenty of height. If the wing spin accelerates and you can not control it any longer you
have to use the emergency parachute when there is still a lot of height.
-- asymmetric stall
This can happen when turning in a thermal at low speed (near the stall point) when you
want to close the turn and you don't rise the outer brake but you apply more input to
the inner brake causing an asymmetrical stall (half wing will fly forward and the other
backwards) When this happens to regain stable flight you have to rise the inner brake
and the wing will surge forward. Depending on the flat spin the surge can be quite large.
Use the brakes to stop the surge. Another option is to achieve a full stall and exit in a
symmetrical way to avoid any twist. Do this with plenty of height above ground.
-- deep stall
It is possible that a glider goes into deep stall. This maybe caused in different situations:
when flying the wing wet, and after a slow exit from a B stall or after a symmetrical or
asymmetrical tuck. The result are that even when the canopy looks fully inflated is not
flying forward. When this happens rise both hands. This action may cause to regain flight.
If nothing happens after several seconds pull the A risers or use the speed system to
regain normal flight.
Make sure that the wing is back to normal horizontal speed before using the brakes.
Never fly under the rain or with a wet canopy since these may cause a deep stall situation. When flying under rain land immediately.
> bad weather flying
11
We advise not to fly in bad weather. Before going flying you should check the weather
forecast & always ask more experienced pilots about the conditions expected for the day.
Never fly if weather conditions are inappropriate 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 case
of doubt land as quickly as is safely possible.
Even though the FENIX is EN C certified this is not a guarantee against flying in turbulent air.
> emergency procedures & quick descent techniques
It may happen that you will need to descend very quickly and all pilots should do a training course (SIV) in a certified official school. This training is done with plenty of height
above water and a support boat. As a informative manner quick descent maneuvers are:
-- 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 OUTSIDE 'A'
riser. Make sure that you have the correct line, and be careful not to pull down the whole
12
'A' riser on one side which could induce a collapse.
Once you are sure that you have the correct riser pull out and 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 weight-shift.
To recover, release the outer 'A' riser & the FENIX will return to normal flight. Pump with
the brake in case needed.
-- spiral dive
The spiral dive is performed by starting a series of 360 degrees turns, gradually pulling
one brake harder and harder and weight shifting into the turn. Pull more inside brake,
and weight shift harder, for a faster spiral dive but be careful not to stall one side and
enter a spin in this way. 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 º. At this upper limit the
sink rate of the canopy is approximately 10 m/s and the overload is equal to 2G's.
For bank angles higher than 60 degrees the sink rate can achieve 20 m/s but the greater
overload (High gravitational forces - 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 flight, and angle of bank, again. A good rule of thumb
is to use the same number of 360-degree turns as you did on entry on exit to give a safe
and progressive pullout. 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
ZEPHYR 2 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 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 falls 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.
To enter a B-Stall, it is necessary to sit upright in your harness, reach up with the brakes
still in your hands (preferably with the toggles around your wrists) & securely clutch each
B risers in each hand at the top near the maillons rapides (quick links). To enter the Bline stall, pull down symmetrically on the B risers. (About 40 cm)
The force initially is quite hard (up to about 15cm) but for the last part the force required
to pull down is less. Keep your weight centered in the harness, and keep the risers 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.
To return the glider to normal flight conditions:
Ease up the B-risers SYMMETRICALLY for 50% (25-cm of B-line still held) holding some
pressure, then symmetrically completely and rapidly release them. If necessary, control
the surging forward of the canopy by gently braking when the glider is in front of you.
What you are trying to achieve is to not shock-load the glider by an immediate release
from a deep B-line, whilst at the time not easing off too slowly and risking a deep stall
in turbulent conditions. Releasing the B-lines from a deep B-line position works fine (&
if unsure whilst attempting the manoeuvre simply release the B-lines together from this
position) but puts unnecessary load on the glider.
If necessary, control the surging forward of the canopy by gently braking when the glider 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.
> towing
The FENIX is valid for towing. It is under the pilot responsibility to use the proper harness, quick out system and accessories and they have to get used to the equipment and
towing gear. All towing personal must have the proper qualification to do this activity
and the towing device must be certified according to the norm in your country.
13
> acro flying
Even when the FENIX was tested by expert acro pilots in different situations it was not
designed for this purpose and we don't recommend this type of flying.
> maintenance
When folding the glider, we recommend to put reinforcements one above each other in
order to avoid that they might suffer any kind of deformation.
Store the paraglider in a dry space away from chemical agents, UV light and high temperature. 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 fibers 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, which
can damage the fabric and its surface covering.
14
Store the paraglider in a dry space away from chemical agents, UV light and high temperature. 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 fibers and damage them.
We strongly recommend you to have a full inspection of the paraglider by
the distributor at least once a year. Besides this you should check periodically the lines,
cloth and stitching.
Every 100hrs. 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 if they have deteriorated then they need to be changed.
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 supply with every new glider. If you need more of this material, you can buy it from some
yacht chandlers, sail repair centers, and some other such places.
Large tears, any sewing or structural repairs, or tears along seam lines or line attachment
points, of the paraglider must be carried out only by the manufacturer or authorized
service centers.
Windtech or
> warranty
This glider carries a two-year 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.
FENIX
technical specifications
15
Size
2
Area (m
Projected area (m
Span/ (m)
Projected span (m)
Aspect ratio
Projected aspect ratio
Max. chord (m)
Nº cells
Line lenght (m)
Canopy weight (kg)
Pilot weight (kg)
Weight in fly
)
2
)
22
21.76
18.67
12.03
9.53
6.65
4.86
2.27
67
6.58
5.9
45-60
65-75
24
24.87
21.32
12.83
10.18
6.65
4.86
2.43
67
6.8
6.2
55-75
70-95
27
26.8
23.05
13.34
10.59
6.65
4.86
2.53
67
7.06
6.5
70-95
85-110
29
28.84
24.76
13.83
10.97
6.65
4.86
2.61
67
7.30
6.8
80-110
100-130
Min-max speed (km/h)*
Max speed trim (km/h)*
Certification EN
* speeds with medium range weight pilot at sea level.
22-58
39
22-58
39
C
22-58
39
C
22-58
39
C
16
A-1
A-2
A-3
A-4A-5
A-6
A-7
A-8
A-9
A-10
A-11
B-1
B-2
B-3
B-4
B-5
B-6
B-7
B-8
B-9
B-10
B-11
C-1
C-2
C-3
C-4
C-5
C-6
C-7
C-8
C-9
C-10
C-11
C-12
B-12
A1-R
A2-R
A3-R
B1-R
B2-R
B3-R
B4-R
C1-R
C2-R
C3-R
A1-M
A2-M
B1-M
B2-M
C1-M
C2-M
B3-M
A-12
F-1
F-2
F-3
F-4
F-5
F-6
F-7
F-8
F-9
F-10
F-11
F-12
F-14
F-16
F-17
F-18
F-15
F-13
F1-M
F2-M
F3-M
F4-M
F5-M
F6-M
F7-M
F1-R
F2-R
F3-R
F0
A-1
A-2
A-3
A-4A-5
A-6
A-7
A-8
A-9
A-10
A-11
B-1
B-2
B-3
B-4
B-5
B-6
B-7
B-8
B-9
B-10
B-11
C-1
C-2
C-3
C-4
C-5
C-6
C-7
C-8
C-9
C-10
C-11
C-12
B-12
A1-R
A2-R
A3-R
B1-R
B2-R
B3-R
B4-R
C1-R
C2-R
C3-R
A1-M
A2-M
B1-M
B2-M
C1-M
C2-M
B3-M
A-12
F-1
F-2
F-3
F-4
F-5
F-6
F-7
F-8
F-9
F-10
F-11
F-12
F-14
F-16
F-17
F-18
F-15
F-13
F1-M
F2-M
F3-M
F4-M
F5-M
F6-M
F7-M
F1-R
F2-R
F3-R
F0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12e
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12e
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
A Riser
B Riser
C Riser
F E N I X
17
18
B
A
C
D
ç
F E N I X
flight log
size
datesite durationflight details
19
FENIX
| francisco rodríguez · 7 | 33201 g i j ó n | spain | p.o. box · 269 33200 |
|p# · +34 985 357 696 | fax · +34 985 340 778 |
|email · info@windtech.es | web · www.windtech.es |
POWERED BY WINDTECH
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