If you fly paragliders for any length of time, a gust, thermal or lift check will eventually pull you into the air, while you are preparing to launch, but before you are ready to turn forward. Some call this getting plucked or popped, some call it getting launched. Facing backwards and flying backwards is scary. A quick abort, when possible, is often the best solution if you can react before moving too high or away from the slope. The other solution is to turn (rotating) forward ASAP. Below, I will discuss the causes and situations where this might happen, some solutions, and the options to handle and minimize the risks when this occurs.
Causes of getting plucked:
Fast ascent / brake check
In lighter winds, the lift of the wing can cause the wing to zip to the overhead position super fast. The natural reaction is to pull the brakes, hard and fast, to stop the wing before it goes past overhead, and then collapses. This scenario creates a spike in lifting forces that can pluck a pilot from the ground. The relative airspeed created by the wing shooting up transfers to extra lifting forces via the brakes, increasing the angle of attack (this creates a burst in lifting forces). On a steeper slope, this potential is increased because the as you leave the ground, you pull away from the ground faster. This is one of the reasons I and many other instructors prefer the A/C launch method, because the Cs being pulled reduce some of the lifting forces. In a nutshell, the check from an A/C launch is done with the C risers, and the biggest benefit is the check has much less lift/pop than a brake check – this eliminates most of the pop, which causes getting plucked. In addition, if any aspect of the lift is uncomfortable, the most powerful abort (pulling the C risers hard) is available.
Thermal and or Gust pushes in during lift and check part of launch
A thermal or gust can also create a pop / pluck scenario. Sometimes in these situations, the wing might have already come overhead and not needed a firm stabilization with the brakes or C risers. The scenario does not change, the options are the same.
Options when plucked
Some pilots choose to do mostly the “A and Brake” method. If a pilot is plucked with the A and Brake method, and they ascend to a height where an abort might be dangerous or challenging, there are a few solutions to ensure the wing does not return into the terrain. Preventing this scenario with better kiting techniques during launch is the best way to minimize pluck situations. For A/C launches, if the Cs have not yet been released, there is a little more range that an abort can be friendly from.
- Keep the hands up to avoid pulling the brakes if the wing is flying mostly straight away from the hill, then rotate once safely away from the hill.
- Grabbing the rear risers will stop the rotation while you are flying directly away from the hill after getting plucked. This is an optional step to reduce disorientation. Disorientation can cause a pilot to pull one brake and cause the glider to turn back, downwind, into the hill. Pilots also forget their hands in a panic and can lean on a brake, which causes a wing to turn back toward the hill.
- If you are still within a safe abort elevation above the ground, a full pull of both brakes or pulling both C or rearmost risers, hard and fast to abort, might still be an option.
If plucked and you turn the wrong way
I teach turning to the left. Whichever way you turn when kiting, make sure you know that turning the other way will leave your risers with a 360 degree wrap and your brakes may be bound. If the wing comes up to the right side for a left turning pilot, it will be extremely difficult to turn to the left. In this situation, I have seen pilots turn the wrong direction in the heat of the moment. The better decision is to abort quickly with the brakes or rear risers.
If the unthinkable happens, and while getting plucked, you turn the wrong way, it doubles the urgency to not pull either brake. Instead, you can grab or lean on the brake lines or rear risers ( I prefer the rear risers, they are stiffer to help you not start rotating back), while you steer above the twisted risers to help the glider fly away from the terrain. Once you are safely away from the terrain, pull the risers above the twist and wiggle your butt to rotate back and untwist the risers.
Do’s
- If plucked, stay calm and abort quickly, if still low enough for safety.
- If the wing is flying mostly away from the launch, and abort is impossible, keep the brakes up and also grab rear risers to keep from turning until further from the terrain.
- Practice A/C launches and learn the techniques until you understand and appreciate the benfits of this method.
- In higher winds after the wing begins coming up, walking towards the wing will help slow the ascent. Practicing this at a kiting spot with a slope will help you learn to reduce the ascent speed of the wing by learning the timing and scenarios where you can do this to help the wing come up slower.
Don’t
- Lean on either brake!
- Panic, it only make you slow to do what needs to be done.
- Forget to abort quickly if suddenly plucked, if you remain in a safe spot to do so.
