Les laboratoires de test AirTurqoise, DHV et ParaAcademy vont suivre à cette proposition de la FSVL, et vont arreter les momologations des voiles EN/LTF D jusq'à la seance entre les laboratoire de test et la PMA au 9.12.2011. Ce "teststopp" concerne tout les voiles D en cours d'homologation.
SHV-Letter to Test-Houses and PMA, concerning high performance wings
"The SHV is deeply worried about the evolution of high performance paraglider testing, being carried out at the very limit of the norm. Some constructors spend more time in preparing their glider and it‘s folding lines, instead of caring about real behaviour and safety oft the wing. Folding lines are surely a big help for manufacturers (the use of folding lines is different, depending on test the laboratory), but are among the most significant tools of this negativ evolution.
We know that this problem isn’t really new, but has dramatically increased since CIVL decided for Serialclass. Now the first so called EN/LTF D gliders are close to be homologated. Bad enough that these gliders are too dificult to handle for some competition pilots. With the label EN/LTF D, they‘ll seem attractive for a larger group of pilots. We’re afraid of thinking about the beginning oft next thermal season in spring….
The incident of last friday finally was the latest shock for us: Alain Zoller of Air Turqoise had a bad accident while testflying a high performance glider of the newest generation, and got seriously hurt. After having done 4-5 side tucks, the glider showed a very different reaction during the following collaps. Alain got twisted and the glider startet an autorotation. Because oft the violent cascade Alain couldn’t pull his main rescue, and the second rescue opened too late, while Alain was hitting the water surface.
All testpilots know that high performance gliders sometimes may support large side tucks surprisingly well, and in the next moment will react completely different and very dangerous. In the worst case this won’t happen during test flights, but later to a „normal“ Pilot. The Norm itself can’t protect from such a case. But an agreement among test houses and PMA could help and go much further (do we count the worst cases or the best cases of a gliders reactions ? How about folding lines, rigid parts, speed, etc.).
We don’t want to blame a specific kind of cunstruction in general (2-Liner, Folding Lines etc.), but todays evolution is reason enough to worry about the health of testpilots as well as „normal pilots“ and the sport of paragliding in general. The faster we can reach an appropriate decision (at the moment, no 2-liner oft the newest generation has been been through the complete homologation), the better the chances that the „box of pandora won’t be opened“. The SHV‘s proposition at this moment:
1. Immediate Stopp of all the EN / LTF – Homologation of highend Class-D gliders „under construction“
2. Discussions and decisions of further Steps during the round table of test laboratories and PMA on 9 Dezember"
