manual
TUAREG
Windtech
w w w . w i n d t e c h . e s
3
T U A R E G
flight manual
4
> index
> congratulations ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 5
> warning & liability ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 6
> philosophy of design ––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 6
> construction & materials ––––––––––––––––––––––– 7
> certification –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 8
> performance –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 8
> flight ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 8
-- launch –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 10
> thermal flying ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 11
> flying in turbulence ––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 11
-- asymmetric tuck ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 12
-- frontal tuck –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 12
-- asymmetric stall (spin) ––––––––––––––––––––––––– 12
-- landing –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 13
> weather to fly ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 13
> rapid descent techniques –––––––––––––––––––––– 14
-- big ears ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 14
-- spiral drive ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 14
-- b stall ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 15
> maintenance –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 15
> warranty ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 16
> technical specifications ––––––––––––––––––––––––17
> line measurements –––––––––––––––––––––––– 19-20
> flight log ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 22
> congratulations
Congratulations on the purchase of your new TUAREG.
The TUAREG is a tandem wing that has been conceived and designed for both professional and recreational pilots, suitable of all kinds of flying styles, from a gentle glide down, to
the most ambitious cross country flights. With easy launch characteristics, manoeuvrabili-
ty and turn ability akin to a solo glider, and superb performance, the tuareg makes it pos-
sible to core the smallest of thermals and climb even in the weakest lift.
We strongly recommend that before you even unfold the TUAREG you carefully read this
manual in order to be aware of any limitations, as well as differences in performance, takeoff and flight characteristics, landing procedures, emergency situations and maintenance.
We always appreciate your feedback, so please send us your comments, positive or negative, regarding 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 & advice.
Windtech line.
Best winds
>Windtech team
5
6
> warning & liability
This manual has been created to give the pilot help and hints for the correct operation of
this wing. By no means is this a substitute of a training course, or appropriate experience
gained with years and hours of airtime, nor is this manual intended to give pilots knowledge regarding flight safety.
Windtech assumes that the purchasing pilot has the appropriate pilot's licence, has
taken a training course, tandem insurance and has the ability and enough experience to
safely fly the TUAREG.
This manual cannot be used for operational purposes. The flight log & registration card
must be filled and stamped by the dealer & returned to
claim on the guarantee.
The use of this paraglider is entirely at the user's own risk. As with any adventure sport
paragliding is a high risk activity-especially without taking the appropriate precautionstherefore it must be absolutely understood that
any responsibility for accidents, losses, injuries, direct or indirect damage following the
use or misuse of this product.
Windtech & the dealer do not accept
Windtech in order to make a
> philosophy of design
When Windtech decided to make a tandem paraglider, we first established the main criteria that we felt would be the most important to make the perfect tandem wing. The
wing had to be, above all, easy to inflate and launch in all conditions, with excellent handling, high glide performance, and that it would convert energy extremely well to give an
effective flare, for softer landings.
For this we designed a paraglider with 51 cells of variable widths, not all of which have
line attachment points due to the advanced structural relationship of lines/diagonals. In
this way we have considerably reduced parasitic drag produced by the lines whilst at the
same time endowing the interior of the wing with a higher internal pressure and creating calculated zones of greater longitudinal tension, very important for increasing resistance to tucks (above all frontal collapses).
The tuareg’s new profile gives highly elevated security and performance, as well as a
turning ability that is surprisingly efficient.
It has double profiles in the leading edge, therefore it is safer, specially when trims open
and also has more performance at high speed.
The end result is a tandem that inflates quickly and easily during launch and is exceptionally stable and solid during the take-off run, giving great protection against having
to abort launches and compromising the safety of yourself and your passenger.
During launch the tuareg gives an
exceptional degree of control, allowing
the pilot to easily make precise corrections during the take-off run. Once air-
borne, the tuareg’s superb feedback
and responsive handling allows one to
make the most of even the smallest
thermals.
7
When the time comes to land, the
exquisite handling characteristics and
precision of the tuareg serve as
another great guarantee of safety
since you can first of all guide yourself
more precisely into exactly the spot
you wanted to land in, confident that
in the final moment, when you want to
flare, you will be able to take advantage of the wings superb energy conversion, landing both you and your
passenger easy and safety each time.
> construction and materials
Our primary concern is always keeping to the highest quality standards of materials and
construction, to impress the pilots and so guarantee our future. For this reason, we never
cut any corners when it comes to building in quality.
8
-- cloth
The upper and lower panels are made with 45-38 gr. Porcher Marine Skytex nylon. The ribs are
made with stronger (slighly heavier grade) nylon of to prevent aerofoil deformation, even after
several years of intensive use. Line attachment points are made of polyester.
--lines
The lines are of the highest quality and varying diameters, depending on which area of
the glider they are in, but always of a diameter greater than a solo glider, capable of withstanding a force up to eight times the maximum load. The inner core is super aramid and
the outer sheath polyester to protect against general wear and tear and UV.
> certification
The tuareg is certified It is certified EN with A in all maneuvers but a B in the asymmetrical collapse maneuver.
> performance
Fly a tuareg in the correct size for you. Remember that if you fly outside of the weight
range that the glider has been designed for, this could adversely affect the handling, stability and performance of the glider, and means that the glider is effectively no longer
certified.
If your flying weight is below the stated minimum, the speed range will diminish and
inflation problems may appear. Also the handling will degrade in turbulent conditions,
and it will sustain collapses more easily.
If your flying weight is above the stipulated weight range, this will result in a
higher minimum speed and faster landing speed and the stall speed of the
glider will also be higher. If the glider
suffers a collapse, or leaves normal
flight configuration, the resulting
behaviour will be more rapid and violent. As well as this, your sink rate will
be higher and you will find it harder to
stay up in light lift.
The tuareg has medium brake resistance (adhering to weight range). The
stall is found at 95% of the brake trav-
el and, to force the glider into an in flight full stall (not recommended on any kind of
paraglider), requires almost all the weight of the pilot on the brakes.
The best glide on the tuareg, not taking into consideration any horizontal or vertical
movements of the air, is obtained simply by flying at the glider’s trim speed. That is to say,
by having the trimmers in standard position ( when all the maillons are at equal level)
and flying with no brake or speed system applied.
> flight
Before flying any paraglider, the pilot has to be sure that they are flying a glider that is
suitable for their level of piloting, evaluating objectively and carefully their true capabilities.
In the case of tandem flying, this is even more important, as one is carrying a passenger
and the price of any error will not only be paid for by the pilot.
Each and every glider has a meticulous checklist passed though our strict quality control
in the factory. This includes line measurement, ground inflation and flight testing.
Contact your distributor for more information about this, and if your glider has not been
pre-inflated ask them to do so for you. Every glider should be test flown before it is sold.
Note that each glider has a unique
sticker attached to the centre cell with
the serial number, type of glider, size
and weight range, month and year of
fabrication.
9
We recommend that you inspect the
risers, check that the maillons have
been correctly installed and tightened,
and make sure that the lines are not
tangled.
As for the brakes, there should be
around 10cm of excess line above the
knot, during flight at trim speed and
trims closed, the length of both lines
should symmetric, and the movement
through the pulleys smooth and easy.
We recommend that your first flight on
your new glider be on a gentle slope in
calm conditions before making any further higher flights, just to check the glider and for you to get used to flying it.
10
We also recommended that you use a harness that has an ABS cross strap system and
that maximum width possible for the chest strap is 38 cm between karabiners.
For you own safety, we strongly recommend the use of back protection, helmet and
Windtech WindSOS reserve.
-- launch
The tuareg is extremely easy and efficient to launch.
If you have never flown a tandem before, we strongly advise that you take a course in
tandem flying, with a qualified and experienced tandem pilot, before you start flying with
other passengers, as you are directly responsible for the safety of your passenger.
The best thing is to make your first
flights with large and forgiving takeoffs and landing areas, in optimal
weather conditions and a passenger
who is also a pilot and so will be more
able to collaborate with you during
manoeuvres.
In this way, you will adapt rapidly to
the great qualities of the tuareg,
without having to preoccupy yourself
with too many new things at once,
and so you will be enjoying great
flights whilst minimizing the risk to
yourself and your passenger.
It is very important to explain clearly the whole launch process to your passenger, point
by point, and allowing for any eventualities, so that they know exactly what to do. As well
as making the launch process easier for you, this will install confidence in them in your
ability.
Before you take off, lay out the tuareg in a slight arc. Always do all of your pre-flight
checks (lines, maillons, risers, harness buckles, etc). Carefully observe all of the details
that relevant to your launch (tension in the lines, windsock, obstacles, etc).
Without wind it is recommended to release 3 or 4 cm of trim.
You mustn't start the run either too slowly, or too fast, but you must always make the
run decisively and assuredly to ensure that the wing carries the weight of you and your
passenger.
When the tuareg comes up above your head, give a gentle check on the brakes to stabilize the wing and establish a perfect tension across the glider and lines ready for the
take-off run.
-- thermal flying
The best and most interesting flights, even better when made with company, are those
flying in thermic conditions, and all pilots want to experiment and experience the won-
der of flying in thermals. The tuareg is blessed with superb handling and manoeuvrability, which means that you don't need a lot of brake to turn it, and by using the outside
brake to control the airspeed of the outer wing, you can flatten the turn and climb exceptionally well and efficiently.
When working the thermal lift we must close the trim (this is all maillons at equal level.
Thermal flying conditions can make flying much more challenging and difficult. Only the
most experienced pilots should fly in strong thermal conditions. There is always a degree
of associated turbulence in thermal conditions, and when the pilot encounters turbulence
they must fly "actively", with precise brake input and weight-shift, ideally with collaboration from the passenger as well by shifting the weight from one side to the other one.
In the case of extreme turbulence, so long as you haven't got big-ears in, as a rough guide
fly very actively with around 30 per cent brake.
> flying in turbulence
-- asymmetrical tuck / collapse
11
An asymmetric tuck / collapse is when part (one side) of the wing (say 20% or anything
up to 90% of the span) tucks or collapses, usually induced by turbulence but sometimes
also though poor pilot control in turns and wingovers.
The tuareg is tested and certified to automatically recover without correction by the
pilot with a maximum direction change of 90 degrees of turn, but with the correct input
the pilot can minimise any turning, and height loss, 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 it’s 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
after a small surge forward.
12
-- 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 'front tuck' of the whole canopy in extreme
situations.
When flying, a front tuck may occur
either when leaving a strong thermal, or more often while using the
speed system in turbulent air, or
even sometimes whilst flying into
the wake turbulence down-wind of
another glider.
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
come forwards above your head,
then brake.
-- asymmetric stall (spin)
This is a very difficult situation for the pilot to provoke with the tuareg, given its excellent
feedback and very low stall speed, you have to really abuse the controls a lot to manage it.
Even so, a spin can be induced if, for example, the pilot is turning very slowly and tightly in a thermal (near the stall point), and wants to tighten the turn further, for whatever
reason. If the pilot brakes too much on the inside brake, stalling the wing on that side,
the wing may then go into a spin.
Beware in turbulent air, as it is easier to stall, or spin, the wing due to the already a turbulent airflow.
If a spin is entered, return to normal flight by raising both hands to return air speed to
the stalled side of the wing. Be careful, as this may cause the wing to surge and dive for-
wards as it tries to regain airspeed. This dive can be more or less violent, depending on
various factors. The pilot should check this dive, using up to 60% brakes, which must then
be released as soon as the dive is stopped.
-- landing
You must always plan your landing with the trims locked, therefore the final glide will be
at a slower speed.
You need to pay particular attention with your first landings, above all, if they are your
first tandem flights or your are used to the glide angle of your old glider, as the tuareg’s
excellent performance might surprise you.
On final approach the pilot should have hands up (keeping a feel of the wing and flying
actively in case of unexpected turbulence) to let the glider build up speed. This extra
speed will meant that the glider has more energy to convert when you flare, and so leading to a softer landing.
In light or nil winds the pilot will need a committed symmetric flare at around 1 meter
above the ground.
In stronger winds less of a flare is needed.
The flight is not finished, and the pilot and passanger are never fully safe, until the glider is safely controlled on the ground.
Avoid letting the glider land on the leading edge. If the glider lands with force on the
leading edge it is possible to burst the inner cells and walls of the wing and you should
carefully examine the wing for any damage to the seams of the ribs to the cells. The best
solution to put down the canopy when landing it is to gently put it down in one side. This
way we will reduce 80% of the wind force and the safety will be increased.
13
> weather to fly
If in doubt about the weather and flying conditions, do not launch! Before going flying
you should check the weather forecast & always ask more experienced pilots about the
conditions expected for the day.
Never fly if there weather conditions are unsuitable, especially with any of the following
present or even threatening: Strong wind; Rain; Thunderstorms; Cumuli nimbus; or
Cumulus congestus. If you are already in the air then get down safely before it's too late!
Always be aware of the weather changing and if in doubt land as quickly as is safely possible.
Even though the tuareg It is certified EN this is not a guarantee against flying in turbulent air. Remember that even an airline jet can crash due to rotors and bad weather!
14
> rapid descent techniques
It is likely that on occasion the paraglider pilot may find themselves in a situation where
they need to get down quickly, perhaps so that they can get out of danger and land safely. Because of this it is recommended that all pilots should learn about the various emergency descent techniques that are possible on a paraglider.
For information, we shall cover the basic techniques here.
More radical’s manoeuvres such as full stall, asymmetrical stall or flat spin are not
described in our manual. In order to learn more about and practice these manoeuvres you
should do a special safety (SIV) course over water with an expert instructor. There should
be a dedicated rescue boat standing by, and all safety precautions taken.
-- big ears
Big-ears is a simple descent technique & can sometimes be very useful for top landing,
keeping out of cloud, and in an emergency if you are over-shooting your landing area.
To induce big-ears on the tuareg, keep the brakes in your hands and reach up to hold
the top of the special split-A risers (in red). Pull the lines out and down, one at a time,
to collapse the tips of the wing (10 – 30% each side, depending on how much line you
pull).
Make sure that you have the correct lines, that you do the correct action, and that you
don't pull too much brake whilst pulling in the big ears. Also make sure you are looking
where you are going whilst you are doing this.
Once holding in the big-ears, you will not be able to steer with the controls (brakes). You
can steer the glider using weight shift, and with tandem the passenger can assist you to
do this effectively.
Generally avoid using big-ears near the ground (below 200ft AGL), as the extra disturbance to the airflow over the wing that big-ears creates can make any paraglider more
prone to deep stalling, especially in the turbulence and wind shear normally near the
ground.
To exit big-ears, simply let go of the big-ear riser and wait for the wing tips to re-inflate
themselves. If they do not inflate themselves then pump the brakes, one at a time, to help
them re-inflate.
-- spiral dive
The Spiral dive is obtained by maintaining a tight 360 degree turn. Gradually the turn will
accelerate, especially by pulling more on the inside brake and weight shifting harder into
the turn, and so you will enter a spiral dive.
Be careful not to pull the brake too hard, too quickly, especially on entry, as it is possible
to spin the glider in this way.
Very aggressive spiral dives can cause eyesight and equilibrium problems, extremely dangerous, especially near the ground.
Recovery from a spiral dive, this should be done gently and progressively. 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. Be careful not to
come out of a hard spiral dive too quickly, as the resulting climb-out can be extreme. If
the glider dives hard after a hasty exit from a tight spiral dive, it may be necessary to
damp the dive, with the brakes.
-- b-line stall
The tuareg comes equipped with a special riser system to facilitate entering a b-line
stall, with handles similar to those of the brakes. If one pulls these the tuareg will enter
the b-line stall and come straight down, drifting with the wind.
One can control the rate of descent by pulling more or less on the b-line handles, obtaining descent rates of between 5 and 11 m/s. To exit from this configuration, SYMETRICALLY raise both b-line handles AT THE SAME TIME, letting go of the risers for the last 10cm.
The tuareg will regain flight spontaneously, with a small dive.
> maintenance
15
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 fibres and damage them.
Clean the paraglider only with fresh water and a soft sponge. If the glider comes into contact with salt water, wash the glider as soon as possible with fresh water & then dry completely. Avoid contact with chemical agents like oil, petrol, solvent and similar, which can
damage the fabric and its surface covering.
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. Check the lines for fraying, or the stitching coming undone, and
measure them to check for any shrinking.
Small tears in the sail can be repaired by using adhesive spinnaker cloth repair patches,
which we supply with every new glider. Big tears and repairs affecting sewing or structural parts of the paraglider must be carried out only by the manufacturer or authorised
service centres.
Windtech or
16
> warranty
This glider carries a two-years guarantee from defects due to materials and manufacturing.
In the case of materials becoming defective during the period of the guarantee
Windtech will replace them. Before any warrantee replacement can be made the pur-
chaser will have to send the product to Windtech for their inspection. If a product is
deemed to be defective by
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.
We exclude from the guarantee any damage caused by wear and tear in use, any misuse
outside of the limits stipulated in this manual, damage due to excessive sun exposure,
damage caused by improper handling & damage caused by anything other than defects
in material & workmanship.
Windtech, the warranty covers the repair or replacement of
TUAREG
technical specifications
17
Size
2
Area (m
Projected area (m
Span (m)
Projected span (m)
Aspect ratio
Projected aspect ratio
Max. chord (m)
Min. chord (m)
Nº cells
Line lenght (m)
Weight in fly
Weight with motor (kg)
)
2
)
(kg)
39
39.11
34.69
14.49
12.05
5.36
4.18
3.36
0.66
50
8.86
125-215
125-300
43
43.07
38.2
15.2
12.62
5.36
4.18
3.52
0.69
50
9.30
140-225
140-310
Certification EN
B
B
18
T U A R E G 3 9
18
24
25
23
22
19
20
21
7
12
17
16
13
15
14
10
11
8
9
4
5
6
3
1
2
66
60,5
58,5
62
79,5
69
61
58,5
57
63
67,5
55,5
62
48
47
47,5
37,5
45,5
59
52,5
50,5
55
72,5
62,5
54,5
52,5
52,5
58
63,5
52
59
45,5
45
45
35,5
41,5
61,5
55,5
53,5
57,5
75,5
65 57
56
55,5
61
71
60
67
55
51,5
51,5
42
42,5
76
69,5
67,5
72
88
78
72,5
79
67,5
65
59
50,5
51
87,5
82,5
80
84
99,5
90
82
79,5
77
81,5
141
115,5
99
91
98
105,5
87
87
84,5
77
87
66
54,5
54,5
40
37
190,5
171,5
154,5
154,5
158
167
238,5
400,5 + 20
84,5
83,5
92
86
660,5
83
72,5
238,5
238,5
171,5
171,5
171,5
171,5
171,5
171,5
171,5
171,5
629
629
629
629
162
162
162
162
162
162
162
162
157
157
157
157
629
629
629
629
171,5
171,5
171,5
157
157
152,5
152,5
152,5
600,5
600,5
600,5
157
70,5
68,5
66,5
105,5
19
20
18
24
25
23
22
19
20
21
7
12
17
16
13
15
14
10
11
8
9
4
5
6
3
1
2
63,5
69,5
61,5
65
83,5
72,5
64
61,5
60
66
71
58
65
50,5
49,5
50
39,5
48
88,5
62
55
53
57,5
76
65,5
57
55
55
61
66,5 54,5
62
48
47
37
43,5
64,5
58
56
47
60,5
79
68
60
58,5
58
64
74,5
63
70,5
57,5
54
54
44
44,5
87,5
90,5
96,5
92
86,5
84
88
104,5
94,5
86 83,5
81
85,5
88,5
77,5
84,5
72,5
69,5
63,5
54,5
55,5
79,5
73
71
75,5
92,5 82
170
170
170
170
170
170
170
170
180
180
180
180
180
180
180
180
180
180
180
148
117
104
110,5
95,5
103
110,5
91,5
91,5
88,5
81
91,5
69
57
57
42
39
175
166
162
162
180
200
250
250
250
420+20
693
165
165
165
165
165
165
165
630
630
630
660
660
660
660
660
660
660
660
74
72
70
75,5
160
160
160
T U A R E G 4 3
A
B
C
D
A=420 mm
B=420 mm
C=455 mm
D=490 mm
=420 mm
B
A
C
D
ç
A
ç
B
C
D
21
22
T U A R E G
flight log
size
date site duration flight d etails
TUAREG
| 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
Loading...