What wing ??

[tommcb6016]

Just after a bit of advise ! I am looking at buying a wing from ebay for ground handling, But am unsure if I am doing the right thing!

Should I buy a wing from ebay for £200-300 with the intention of using it for ground handling or should I just buy myself a revolution now and use that, Am I likely to damage the wing ground handling?

as usual I seem to be stumbling around in the dark so any opinions would be gratefully received.

Cheers

Tom

[Mike]

Hi Tom, If finances are good go for the wing that you will be flying with, that way you will be used to at least half your kit when you team up with your motor.

Groundhandle your wing on a nice flat large area with no obstacles, stones, barbed wire etc. Make sure the wind is not to strong that if it gets away from you it drags you into fences or trees. This way no harm should come to you or your wing. Oh and wear a helmet.

Lastly if your not sure of your wing bring a mate who can stand behind the wing and can grab the lines if it gets a bit troublesome.

Regards Mike

[irm750]

Hi Tom

I agree with Mikes advise as this is exactly what I did with my Paramania Revolution 28, but with one exception.

I also bought a small training wing called a Dudek Marlin which is only 12 square metres (as compared to the Revolutions 28 ). It has the same risers and controls as a full size wing so that you can gain familiarity, but being smaller it widens the envelope of conditions when you can practice as you can use it in higher winds than your flying wing. It can be smashed and bashed as much as you like and then you can move to your main wing when you have more of an idea and the wind is low enough, so protecting your valuable and life critical main wing.

If you go this route then care is still required. My Marlin felt like quite a handful at first and had me on my backside on more than one occasion! But I have been back to it once since graduating onto and flying the Revolution and I was surprised how tiny it seemed, a bit like going back to your primary school and finding that the tables, chairs, loos etc that seemed massive back in the day are now so small. A reflection of the steep learning curve which is all too easy to forget once you are on it!

Which ever way you choose to do it, stay safe and I am sure that you will enjoy this fantastic sport!

Best regards,

Ian.

[Phil_P]

I'd third the comments of others. If your finances will permit, buy the wing you are going to fly. One of the potential problems with buying a 'ground handling' wing, is that it is likely to be completely sha**ed. One of the main problems with a worn out, porous old wing is that launch characteristics are likely to deteriorate. Possibly to the extent that you find your wing almost impossible to get over your head and comfortably kite. This can be dreadfully frustrating and soul destroying, potentially to the point that you give up all together.

Take care of your new wing, only ground handle on grass, and make sure you don't fly it into the ground leading edge first (this can rupture cells, and can be avoided by using your brakes). Stay clear of hawthorn bushes and barbed wire fences. Never drag your wing across surfaces and avoid extremes of wet or heat. If you do get your wing wet (from dew or an unexpected shower), make sure you dry it thoroughly. Even though the surface feels dry, there may still be moisture absorbed. This is a potential wing destroyer, so give it extra time to get that hidden moisture out. If you have a spare room or heated garage, get the wing spread out as much as you can to let the air to it. A fan heater is good to keep air moving and improve drying, but NEVER direct it straight at the wing or lines, if you're not sure, just use it on a cold setting.

These are the ramblings of a new flyer, but someone who has read LOADS (and learned by trial and error)

If you do decide you want to just ground handle an old wing, get in touch and you can have a beat-up old 'Samba' on loan, just pay postage to and from and return it when done so I can let someone else use it.

[Guest]

4thed.

SW

[t_andrews]

tommcb6016 ,

Doesn't anyone in your area have any hand-me-downs?

I've got a couple wings I loan to folks to beat on and get a taste of the power they're trying to manage. Lots of from that.

A little harness hand tow to share the flight sensation. Some tape on the holes they make.

Surely you have some folks local to you that you will eventually fly with that likely have some used gear?

To the experienced, over the learning curve groundhandler, the value of the 'beater' wing is very low compared to that of a wide eyed newbie.

I'll agree that older wings with low porosity or just lousy inflation characteristics create frustration, but they also teach you things that a wing that will inflate with just a wink will never teach you. I'm no expert but do know you learn the most about wing inputs on the ground until you have some hours under one in flight. Safest place to learn too.

So, suggest you save you investment in a new wing and beat on one that should never fly again to learn the basics and let it take the beating of your learning curve.

[pauldeakin]

If you are thinking of buying an old wing just to ground handle, I expect you will just want the cheapest you can find, but I think its worth considering that some modern beginner wings will inflate very easily and stay overhead in spite of pilot error, much better if you can find a wing that is more responsive, and tends to overshoot and\or hang back so you have to constantly work to keep it flying, (something like a knackered DHV2) you will learn much faster that way.

PaulD

[tommcb6016]

Thanks everyone for the great advise! I think I will probably go for a new wing if I can sneak it under the bosses (wife's) radar!