Bruce Goldsmith Design Cure User manual
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Version 1.5 July 2017
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Version 1.5 July 2017
Welcome 3
1 – Introduction 4
2 – Preparation 5
3–Pre-ightInspection 6
4–FlightCharacteristics 7
5–RecoveryTechniques 14
6–StorageandServicing 17
7–TechnicalData 20
8–Servicebooklet 32
9–ClosingWords 36
Contents
Contents
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CURE Owner’s Manual
PARAGLIDER EN / LTF C
Welcome to Bruce Goldsmith Design
BGDisaworldleaderinthedesignandproductionofparagliders.FormanyyearsBruceGoldsmithandhisteam
havebeendevelopingproductswithworld-beatingperformanceforpilotswhowantthebest.Weapplyour
competitiveknowledgetodesigntopqualityproductsthatcombinethehighestperformancewiththesafehandling
ourcustomersvalueandrespect.BGDpilotsappreciateourqualityandreliability.BGD´sworld-classstatusisbased
ontheskillsandexpertisewehavedevelopedincombiningaerodynamicdesignwithclothandmaterialstechnology.
AllBGDproductsaredevelopedandmadewiththesameskillandattentiontogooddesignthataresynonymous
withtheultimateperformanceandprecisionrequiredbyparagliders.
Congratulations on your purchase of the BGD Cure
TheCureisaparaglider,designedtoahighstandardofsafetyandstability,butitwillonlyretainthesecharacteristics
ifitisproperlylookedafter.Pleasereadthismanualcarefullyfromthersttothelastchaptertoensureyougetthe
bestoutofyourCure.
Thismanualhasbeenpreparedtogiveyouinformationandadviceaboutyourparaglider.Ifyoueverneedany
replacementpartsorfurtherinformation,pleasedonothesitatetocontactyournearestBGDdealerorcontactBGD
directly.
1 Introduction
Welcome
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TheCureisahigh-performanceparaglidersuitableforskilledpilots,offeringahighlevelofpassivesafetycombined
withhighspeedandgreatclimbingperformancemakingthiswingperfectfordemandingXCights.
Theuseofthisgliderislimitedtonon-aerobaticmanoeuvres.
Thisparaglidermustnot:
1. Beownoutsidethecertiedweightrange
2. Haveitstrimspeedadjustedbychangingthelengthofrisersorlines
3. Beowninrainorsnow
4. Betowedwithatowlinetensioninexcessof200kg
Itisyourdealer’sresponsibilitytotestytheparagliderbeforeyoureceiveit.Thetestightrecordofthisisonthe
lastpageofthismanual.Pleasebesurethatthishasbeencompletedbyyourdealer,toverifythathehasdonethis.
Failuretotestyanewparaglidermayinvalidateanywarranty.
InordertoenjoyfullbenetsoftheBGDwarranty,youarerequiredtocompletethewarrantyformonthewebsite.
ForfurtherinformationabouttheBGDwarranty,pleaserefertothecorrespondingpageonourwebsite.
Anymodication,e.g.changeoflinelengthsorchangestothespeedsystem,canresultinalossofairworthinessand
certication.WerecommendthatyoucontactyourdealerorBGDdirectlybeforeperforminganykindofchange.
1 Introduction
1 Introduction
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2 Preparation
1. Selectasuitabletakeoffareadeterminedbywindandterrain,clearofanyobstaclesthatmaycatchinthe
linesordamagethecanopy.
2. Ifyourparagliderhasbeencorrectlypacked,youshouldtakeittothetopofthetakeoffarea,andallowthe
rolledcanopytounrollitselfdownthehill(ifonaslope).Thisshouldleavetheparagliderwiththebottom
surfacefacingupwards,theopeningsatthedownwindendofthetakeoffarea,andtheharnessatthetrailing
edgeattheupwindside.
3. Unrollthecanopytoeachsidesothattheleadingedgeopeningsformasemicircularshape,withthetrailing
edgedrawntogetherasthecentreofthearch.Theharnessshouldbedrawnawayfromthecanopyuntilthe
suspensionlinesarejusttight.
2 Preparation
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3 Pre-ight Inspection
TheCureisdesignedtobeassimpleaspossibletoinspectandmaintainbutathoroughpre-ightprocedureis
mandatoryonallaircraft.Thefollowingpre-ightinspectionprocedureshouldbecarriedoutbeforeeachight.
1. Whilstopeningouttheparagliderchecktheoutsideofthecanopyforanytearswhereyourparaglidermay
havebeencaughtonasharpobjectorevenhavebeendamagedwhilstinitsbag.
2. Checkthatthelinesarenottwistedorknotted.Dividethesuspensionlinesintosixgroups,eachgroup
comingfromoneriser.Startingfromtheharnessandrunningtowardsthecanopy,workalongthelinesand
removeanytanglesortwists.Partiallyinatingthecanopyinthewindwillhelptosortoutthelines.
3. Itisparticularlyimportantthatthebrakesareclearandfreetomove.Checktheknotwhichattachesthe
brakehandlestothebrakelines.Severalknotsshouldbeusedheretopreventthelooseendsfromgetting
entangledinthebrakepulleys.Bothbrakesshouldbethesamelengthandthiscanbecheckedbyaskingan
assistanttoholdtheupperendofthebrakelinestogetherwhilstyouholdthebrakehandles.Thebrakelines
shouldbejustslackwiththewinginatedwhenthebrakesarenotapplied.Aftercheckingthebrakelineslay
themontheground.
4. Alwayscheckthebucklesandattachmentsontheharness.Ensurethetwomainattachmentmaillons/
karabinersfromtheharnesstothemainrisers,andalltheshackleswhichattachtheriserstothelines,are
tightlydoneup
5. Beforeattachingyourselftotheharness,youshouldbewearingagoodcrashhelmet.Putontheharness
ensuringallthebucklesaresecureandproperlyadjustedforcomfort.
Yourparagliderisnowreadyforight.
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4 Flight Characteristics
ThismanualisnotintendedasaninstructionbookonhowtoytheCure.Youshouldbeaqualiedpilotorunder
suitablesupervision,butthefollowingcommentsdescribehowtogetthebestfromyourCure.
Weight range
EachsizeoftheCureiscertiedforacertainweightrange.Theweightreferstothe‘overalltakeoffweight’.
Thismeanstheweightofthepilot,theglider,theharnessandallotherequipmentcarriedwithyouinight.We
recommendpilotsytheCureinthemiddleoftheweightrange.However,ifyoumainlyyinweakconditionsyou
mightconsideryingtheCureonthelowersideoftheweightrange,andifyouyinstrongconditionsandyouwant
dynamicightcharacteristics,youcoulderrtowardsthetopoftheweightrange.
Active Piloting
EventhoughtheCureisdesignedasaneasyglider,‘activepiloting’isatoolthatwillhelpyouywithgreatersafety
andenjoyment.Activepilotingmeansyinginempathywithyourparaglider.Thismeansnotonlyguidingtheglider
throughtheairbutalsobeingawareoffeedbackfromthewing,especiallyinthermalsandturbulence.Iftheairis
smooththefeedbackcanbeminimalbutinturbulencefeedbackiscontinuousandneedstobeconstantlychecked
bythepilotthroughthebrakesandtheharness.Suchreactionsareinstinctiveingoodpilots.Maintainingcontact
withthegliderthroughpressureonthebrakesisessentialandallowsthepilottofeelanylossofinternalpressure,
whichoftenprecedesacollapse.TheCureishighlyresistanttocollapsewithoutanypilotactionatall,butlearning
howtoyactivelywillincreasethissafetymarginevenfurther.
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Harness
TheCureistestedwitha‘GH’(withoutdiagonalbracing)typeharness.TheGHcategoryincludesweightshift
harnessesaswellasABSstyle(semistable)harnesses.
Takeoff
TheCureiseasytoinateinlightorstrongerwindsandwillquicklyriseoverheadtotheyingposition.Thebest
inationtechniqueistoholdoneAriserineachhand.The‘bigear’riserscouldalsobeheldforthebestination.
Forward launch
Inlightornilwinds,theforwardlaunchtechniqueispreferable.Youshouldfaceintowind,withthegliderlaidoutand
theAlinestautbehindyou,thentakeoneortwostepsbacktowardsthetrailingedgeofthecanopy(donotwalk
allthewaybacktothecanopy).TakeanA-riserineachhand.TheA-risersaremarkedwithredclothtomakethem
easiertond.Whenyouareready,beginyourlaunchrun,pullinggentlyandsmoothlyontheA-risers.Assoonas
thecanopystartstoriseofftheground,stoppullingsohardontheA-risersbutputpressureonalltherisersevenly
throughtheharness.MaintaininggentlepressureontheA-risershelpsinverycalmconditions.Haveyourhandsready
toslowupthecanopywiththebrakesifitstartstoacceleratepastyou.
Reverse Launch
Inwindsover10km/hitispreferabletodoareverselaunchandinatethecanopywhilstfacingit,usingtheArisers
withoutthe‘BabyA-risers’topreventthegliderfrominatingthewingtipsrst.
TheCurehaslittletendencytoovershootbutreleasingpressureontheA-riserswhenthecanopyisatabout45°will
helptoavoidovershooting.ThestrongerthewindandthegreaterthepressureontheA-risers,themorequicklythe
canopywillrise.
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Turning
TheCuredoesnotrequireastrong-handedapproachtomanoeuvering.Forafastturnsmoothlyapplythebrakeon
thesidetowhichtheturnisintended.Thespeedwithwhichthebrakeisappliedisveryimportant.Ifabrakeisapplied
fairlyquicklythecanopywilldoafasterbankingturn,butcaremustbetakennottobanktooseverely.Toattainamore
efcientturnatminimumsink,applysomebraketotheoutsidewingtoslowtheturnandpreventexcessivebanking.
TheCureiesverywelllikethis,butcaremustbetakennottoover-applythebrakesasalthoughtheCurehasavery
lowspintendency,doingthiscouldresultinaspin.TheCurewillturnfarmoreefcientlyifthepilotweight-shiftsinto
theturnintheharness.Rememberthatviolentbrakeapplicationisdangerousandshouldalwaysbeavoided.
Incaseofbrake-linefailure,theglidercanalsobesteeredusingtherearrisers,butbecarefulnottocausea
premature stall.
Straight Flight
TheCurewillysmoothlyinastraightlinewithoutanyinputfromthepilot.Withapilotweightof85kgonthe
mediumsizewithouttheacceleratortheyingspeedwillbeapproximately40km/h.
Thermalling
ToattainthebestclimbratetheCureshouldbethermalledusingamildturn,asdescribedabove,keepingthewing´s
bankingtoaminimum.Instrongthermalsatighterbankingturncanbeusedtostayclosertothethermal´score.
Rememberthatweight-shiftingintheharnesswillmaketheturnmoreefcientandreducetheamountofbrake
required.
Caremustbetakennottoapplysomuchbrakeastostall.Thisiseasytoavoidasthebrakepressureincreases
greatlyasyouapproachthestallpoint.Onlyynearthestallpointifyouhaveenoughheighttorecover(100m).
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Wing Tip Area Reduction (Big Ears)
The‘babyA-riser’allowstheCuretobe‘bigeared’simplyandeasily.Thebigearfacilityallowsyoutodescend
quicklywithoutsubstantiallyreducingtheforwardspeedofthecanopy.(WithB-lining,theforwardspeedofthe
canopyissubstantiallyreduced).Toengagebigears,leanforwardintheharnessandgraspthebig-earsrisers(one
ineachhand)atthemaillons,keepingholdofbothbrakehandlesifpossible.Pulltherisersoutanddownatleast30
cmsoastocollapsethetipsoftheglider.ItisveryimportantthattheotherA-linesarenotaffectedwhenyoudothis
aspullingthesecouldcausetheleadingedgetocollapse.Steeringwithbigearsinispossiblebyweight-shifting.If
thebigearsdonotcomeoutquicklyontheirown,apumponthebrakeswillspeedthingsup.
Beforeusingthebigearsfacilityinearnestitisessentialtopractisebeforehandwithplentyofgroundclearancein
casealeadingedgecollapseoccurs.Alwayskeepholdofbothbrakesinordertoretaincontrol.Puttingyourhands
throughthebrakehandlessotheyremainonyourwristsisagoodmethodofdoingthis.
B-Line Stall
Thisisafastdescentmethodandisausefulemergencyprocedure.Withbothhandsthroughthebrakehandles,take
holdofthetopoftheB-risers,oneineachhand,andpullthemdownbyaround50cm.Thiswillstallthecanopyand
forwardspeedwilldroptozero.Makesureyouhaveplentyofgroundclearancebecausethedescentratecanbe
over10m/sec.ToincreasethedescentratepullharderontheB-risers.WhenyoureleasetheB-risersthecanopy
willautomaticallystartyingagain,normallywithintwoseconds.Sometimesthecanopywillturngentlywhenit
exitsfromtheB-linestall.ItisnormallybettertoreleasetheB-risersfairlyquicklyratherthanslowly,topreventthe
canopyfromenteringdeepstall.
Alwaysreleasetheriserssymmetrically,asanasymmetricreleasefromaB-linestallmayresultinthegliderenteringa
spin.Thismanoeuvreisusefulforlosingalotofheightquickly,perhapstoescapefroma
thunderstorm.Itshouldnotbeperformedwithlessthan100mofgroundclearance(seealsoChapter5).
4FlightCharacteristics
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