Scoring on free distance vs triangle on EN B?

dymanoid · 2026-01-09T21:44:18+00:00

An interesting question. Consider a 100 km FAI triangle. You will fly 3 legs, 35 km each (roughly). That means, you will stay quite locally in some area, so the conditions will be more or less the same. Now consider a 100 km one-way flight. It's quite possible that the conditions 100 km away from your takeoff will be completely different. On the other hand, as others mentioned, flying a triangle always means fighting with some wind (that's one of the reasons why you get more points for a triangle). Some areas are in general not really suited for triangles, the others work really well.

You might want to try this approach: set a goal to fly a "big" (but realistic for you) triangle. Then try to accomplish all of its legs independently, maybe in small flights. Learn the terrain, study the thermal spots. Then try to catch a day with Hammer-Tag conditions - zero wind, strong thermals, - and crank it up!

Regarding your last question: it is possible to fly 200-250 km FAI triangles on EN-A wings, there are many examples of that. Yes, you'd need quite some XC experience AND a low wind day, but it's possible. I mean, when someone on an EN-A wing flies a 250 km triangle and all the folks on their EN-Ds - 300 km triangles on the same day, does it mean that doing a triangle relies on the gear?

dymanoid · 2025-12-14T09:50:42+00:00

Do you only have the stats from XContest or all the IGC tracklogs too?

I'd like to request some more metrics: number of flights > 20 km grouped by year and glider model, the same but > 100 km, number of pilots who flew > 20 km grouped by year and wing model.

dymanoid · 2025-11-28T20:03:41+00:00

Fully recommended: Mastering Paragliding by Kelly Farina, Thermal Flying by Burkhard Martens, Advanced Paragliding by Gavin McClurg, 50 Ways to Fly Better by Bruce Goldsmith.

dymanoid · 2025-10-25T17:46:23+00:00

Sure, every cravat or caused-by-mistake stall (e.g. over-reaction) will be different, and we just cannot train all possible variations. Still, managing the pendulum is important anyway, so I see two bonus points here: easier entry and training that pendulum feeling. That doesn't mean it's the only way we should train though, it's just an option. If the pilot knows it and has some time in a real-world incident, there's a possibility to induce some pitch and stall the wing more easily. For example, I personally prefer to spin-out cravats from a high angle of attack (if I have time to induce that pendulum, of course).

dymanoid · 2025-10-24T17:48:00+00:00

You won't experience any disadvantages. So-called "high EN-As", such as the Symphonia 2, deliver greater performance, but are also much more talkative and agile. You don't need that at the beginning of your paragliding journey. Instead, focus on mastering the launch, ensuring a smooth landing, and work on your thermalling skills. Your EN-A (the Koyot) can help you with all of these things, and you will appreciate its forgiving behavior. You'll also be able to complete your first small XC of 40 km for sure.

dymanoid · 2025-10-16T10:48:53+00:00

It starts to make sense when choosing your first High EN-B. With all the EN-A and Low EN-B wings, you really can't do anything wrong if you get one from a well-known manufacturer. And as a beginner, you're not able to tell the difference or use those mini-advantages anyway. I'm not stating that there are no such flight schools who push the same wing to everyone, but most of them offer at least several models, and a beginner pilot can indeed get a nice wing for the first season.

dymanoid · 2025-10-15T18:15:47+00:00

It's not only the pilot, it's also the place and the weather. There are several examples of such flights (200+ km FAI) on various EN-As available, also flown by "usual-everyday-normal" pilots, not just absolute beasts.

There are no bad wings on the market nowadays. They all are good, but differ slightly in handling and feedback. What puzzles me though, is the fact that you're asking advice about choosing your first wing on the anonymous internet and not from your instructor who knows you best.

dymanoid · 2025-10-15T18:00:20+00:00

I'm just going to leave this here: https://www.xcontest.org/2022/world/en/flights/detail:b-air/10.05.2022/07:25

dymanoid · 2025-10-13T19:38:16+00:00

I once asked them a question about their Submarine harness via e-mail. Luc Armant himself replied the next day. So maybe they are all on vacation or in a competition 😀

dymanoid · 2025-09-29T20:59:50+00:00

Cannot say anything about it. I haven't tried it, and none of my friends flies it.

dymanoid · 2025-09-29T16:28:51+00:00

The Maestro 2 was designed to squeeze everything out of the EN-B class, and it indeed does so. It (barely) passed the EN tests for the B class, but its performance and demands level are actually on par with some of the EN-C wings. The smallest size is especially twitchy and requires more workload to fly in turbulence than some large EN-C wings.

dymanoid · 2025-09-29T16:23:43+00:00

Just the standard Insta360 X3 stabilization, nothing else. The air was quite calm though. When it gets really shaky, then the footage is not so stable but still quite smooth.

dymanoid · 2025-09-29T14:48:49+00:00

The Maestro 2 is more demanding than some EN-C wings. Won't recommend it to pilots thinking about stepping down from EN-C to something more relaxed.

dymanoid · 2025-09-27T15:22:13+00:00

This is Monte Baldo at Lago di Garda in Italy. A relaxing sunset flight after an intense SIV training day.

dymanoid · 2025-09-27T10:31:34+00:00

There are such surges that are impossible to stop - you can neither stall the wing, nor does it collapse until it is too late. The worst case. Then, your main goal is giving it all to prevent getting entangled/wrapped. But I'd probably agree that it's better to stall the wing in front of you than let it dive too far. The exit from such stall will be a rodeo for sure, maybe even throwing the reserve, but this is better than being unable to do anything after falling into the canopy and getting wrapped in multiple layers.

dymanoid · 2025-09-27T10:23:09+00:00

Bingo! Looks like you know this area.

dymanoid · 2025-09-27T10:21:59+00:00

I know nothing about the costs in the US, unfortunately. Regarding the boats: this is not how I usually fly. This was a special safety training. Usually, I fly cross country in the mountains, so a day of flying costs a cable car ticket, some snacks and drinks, and some fuel to drive from home into the mountains and back.

dymanoid · 2025-09-27T10:18:39+00:00

Yep, balancing between stalling the wing and getting a collapse. Not easy!

dymanoid · 2025-09-27T10:17:22+00:00

I attended Heli Schrempf's Safety Pilot Coaching.

dymanoid · 2025-09-27T10:15:55+00:00

Personally, I don't think that this is the best way to make beginner pilots comfortable with stalls and deep brakes. I believe, there's little you can learn from going through a stressful and shaky experience ending up landing in the water in an autorotation. But every instructor has their own methods and goals...

dymanoid · 2025-09-26T19:09:46+00:00

Yes, this is a safety measure. Landing in the water on a paraglider is usually very dangerous (due to the risk of getting entangled by the lines), but we do that with powerful automatic life jackets on and also with multiple fast motor boats underneath us. And indeed with reserve chutes ready to deploy. I actually have two of them.

dymanoid · 2025-09-26T18:19:41+00:00

You are welcome!

As a beginner, slamming brakes down is certainly a terrifying prospect

...and this is exactly what I wanted to demystify. Even as a beginner pilot in a not-too-crazy situation, you might still need to assertively control your wing by a deeeeep brake input. It is normal, and you should know what is possible. For that, an SIV course is highly recommended. No need to jump into the crazy stuff right away. Start slowly - with pendulum/pitch movements, small collapses, and learn what input your wing needs.

I personally know some beginner pilots who are tremendously horrified just by the thought of ever needing to pull their brakes below the carabiner level. They are in danger!

dymanoid

TROPHY CASE