The rescue parachute is an essential element to ensure the safety of all, pilot and companion, during a paragliding flight. It is therefore important to know the specifics of this « rescue », as it is commonly called, in order to choose the equipment best suited to your paraglider. With our team of professional pilots, you can be sure to enjoy your first paragliding flight over the majestic Lake Annecy in complete safety thanks to the latest equipment. Focus on the rescue parachute.
The characteristics of the rescue parachute
The rescue parachute has several specificities and can be of different shapes: round, triangular or square. The key attributes are weight, volume, cone length and steerability as some of these are used for the calculation of the TWA (total flying weight). In addition to these attributes, the following points should also be considered when making a choice: easy extraction and opening in all weather conditions, solid structure, stability of the parachute canopy and good sink rate. The rescue parachute must offer a sink rate that is compatible with what the pilot can withstand during landing. It should be less than 5.5 m/s (which means that the time to cover the last 30 metres should be more than 5.45 seconds). This ideal sink rate corresponds to a jump from a height of 1.54 m. All of these characteristics should be taken into account when choosing the right rescue parachute for your glider.
How does the rescue parachute work?
The pilots of Adrenaline Parapente are here to make your paragliding experience unforgettable and they know perfectly how to use the rescue parachute. So, how does it work concretely? First of all, by the pilot’s decision making, who knows when it is necessary to open the reserve parachute: either during a collision or a collision with another paraglider, or a problem with the equipment, a twist, or any other unforeseen situation that can be dangerous. The pilot then opens the rescue parachute by grabbing the rescue handle and unhooking it. Then comes the opening of the canopy container, and the extraction of the canopy. Each tandem harness is different, your pilot knows his equipment perfectly well to carry out these 4 gestures quickly. The rescue parachute, once launched, will ensure the stability of the glider and allow a safe landing.
The rescue is the guarantee of a safe and sensational flight. During the flight, from take-off to landing, you can be sure to enjoy your experience, overlooking Lake Annecy, without worrying about anything!
It is worth mentioning that « out of thousands of flights, it has only been used once, and it worked perfectly well, no injuries.