Equipment

 

 

PARAGLIDERS

 

Ozone speed wings

Concerning all Neoprene Speed wing brake handles.

A structural failure of a Neoprene Speed wing brake handle has been reported. After further investigation we have found that it is possible for the overall strength of the handle to be insufficient, especially after ageing.

You should no longer fly with these handles. Before the next flight you must replace the Neoprene handles with the standard webbing version. Please contact your Ozone dealer to arrange replacements.

 

Quick-Out Carabiner

When setting up the production of the Quick-Out release buttons in January 2015, about 20 release buttons of one side were produced incorrectly. Some of these release buttons were accidentally mounted and at least one such faulty Quick-Out carabiner was put into circulation. The error eliminates one of the 4 security levels: To open the carabiner, it is sufficient to press only the correct release button instead of pressing both release buttons simultaneously. At the final inspection, every single Quick-Out carabiner undergoes a load test of 2,000 DaN. However, the error was not noticeable, since the stress test is also passed with only one release button intact. If the Quick-Out is operated in accordance with the current version of our operating instructions, which are available for download on our homepage, the error will be noticed immediately. There it is described that the insert of the Quick-Out must click into place by strongly pressing it down (without pressing the release buttons simultaneously). A faulty release button prevents this. We urge all Quick-Out users to check the carabiners before the next use. We have introduced additional testing procedures for the final inspection of the Quick-Out carabiners to reliably prevent such errors in the future. Link to download the operating instructions: finsterwalder-charly.de/en/downloads.html

Unsheathed upper cascade lines

Lines becoming knotted when using big ears

sa012.022016.pdf

http://www.bhpa.co.uk/documents/safety/safety_advisory/

 

Speed system pulley failure

If you have a modern paraglider which employs the thin riser sets, then please see this advisory notice – the speed systems pulley connections have pulled away from the riser that they are attached to due to the minimal stitching area.

http://www.bhpa.co.uk/pdf/safety_advisory/sa010.042015.pdf

Team 5

DHV Safety Notice at:

http://www.dhv.de/db1/source/technicdatareportnotes.php?lang=en&item=223

First paragraph:

Date 10.06.2014
Subject Paraglider Team 5 Green b S DHV GS-01-1949-11, Team 5 Green b M DHV GS-01-1950-11, Team 5 Green b L DHV GS-01-1955-11, Team 5 Green b XS DHV GS-01-1956-11
During routine yearly checks it has been determined that incorrect lines have been used on a production model of a Team 5 Green B paraglider. On the glider checked (type-test date 9/2011), the main suspension lines were of Aramid instead of Dyneema (Cousin 989/1.5) as on the type-test example.

Also;

Deep stall warning with Team 5 RED and BLUE and Mountain (most wings)

see this if you have a team 5 wing

http://www.dhv.de/db1/source/technicdatareportnotes.php?lang=en&item=203

This is the original link when it was thought to only impact blue wings

http://www.paraglidingforum.com/viewtopic.php?p=p368351#p368351
Safety checks on 16 paragliders from the LTF-A and B classes

Virtually anyone who has an interest in staying safe should see this long and detailed article from the DHV, it is very educational and informative without being partial to any wing or manufacturer, and it highlights that fact that even EN B wings may be too much for occasional pilots to cope with if something untoward happens.

http://www.dhv.de/web/en/safety/articles-statistics/ltf-a-and-b-class-saftey-check/

GIN wings – DHV safety notice for Boom GTO’s

http://www.dhv.de/db1/source/technicdatareportnotes.php?lang=EN&item=193

This affects: Boomerang GTO XS AIRT GS_0313.2010, Boomerang GTO S AIRT GS_0314.2010, Boomerang GTO M AIRT GS_0315.2010, Boomerang GTO ML AIRT GS_0316.2010, Boomerang GTO L AIRT GS_0317.2010

Maillon safety warning

This comes from one manufacturer, but is almost certainly relevant to any paraglider. Basically it show how just slightly overtightening the nut just a tiny fraction makes it come off the other end and become dangerous.

See: http://www.flyparamania.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=165&Itemid=100017&lang=en

Gin Boomerang advice – direct from Gin

We strongly advise you not to fly in the rain on the Boomerang GTO and Boomerang 7 paragliders. These high performance gliders are very susceptible to deep stall in the rain.

“The development path of modern high performance paragliders (high aspect ratio, 3 lines, profile type and high camber profiles) bears no allowance for these kind of gliders to fly when wet. If you see a shower coming during a flight, even a light one, we strongly advise you to go to land immediately.

“If you do fly in the rain, and if you enter a stall, which generally happens when you enter lift, do as follows. Do not perform any actions with your brakes, do not steer the wing, push on the “A” risers. If this is not sufficient to recover the flight, push the speed bar and maintain the action”.

http://www.gingliders.com

Unsheathed lines

Incident at Selsley – a glider with unsheathed lines lost some PG upper brake lines as the pilot pulled up for a reverse launch. Fortunately the pilot noticed. The offending stone was nothing more than a small rough pebble, and the Selsley launch is as nice and smooth a grassy place as you could wish for. So the advice is – take care with unsheathed lines, and always make a visual check before you actually launch.

Paraglider lines can melt if not laid out on launch correctly

Evidence from Long Mynd Pilots has shown that the very act of not laying out lines cleanly on launch can cause friction burning as they suddenly get pulled tight against each other – this can be bad enough to lead to structural failure. Also bear in mind that any knots when pulled up tight during launch can kink the fibres and weaken them invisibly. This is a warning to all of us to not just throw the kit out of the bag and assume it will form a nicely shaped wing without any damage. Who actually spends time to look in fine detail at the lines – I don’t but I’m going to take more care from now on. Hang Glider pilots always check their wires on pre-flight, but PG pilots don’t, even though they are absolutely just as important.

All about paraglider lines

 

UP paragliders – safety notice from DHV

The safety notice is in German and I haven’t tried to get it translated in case I’m wrong – so please go to http://www.dhv.de/typo/index.php?id=3940&item=176&backpid=5517 if you have almost any kind of UP glider built in the last three years.


 

HANG GLIDERS

Hang-gliding harnesses with back plates

Serious injuries from not rotating upright before landing

sa013.022016.pdf

http://www.bhpa.co.uk/documents/safety/safety_advisory/

 

Mandatory – Grounding of Aeros Combat Hang Gliders Produced in 2011, 2012 and 2013

See this if you have an Aeros hang glider or know someone who has;

Nothing is more important than seeing this and stopping flying now – your life depends on it.

http://www.aeros.com.ua/news.php?lang=english&id=349

 

Recently manufactured Wills Wing Hang Gliders – safety notice relating to hang point straps.

http://www.willswing.com/Tech_Bulletins/pdf/TB20110825.pdf

Moyes Litespeed hang gliders

Moyes have sent out the following advisory notice to owners of Litespeed hang gliders:

The Litespeed range of hang gliders has been DHV certified using 2mm (1 x 19) side wires. We recommend that all gliders with 2mm (1 x 19) wires should change their wires every 6 months or every 50 hours or immediately upon any sign of fatigue or kinking.

We recommend that if a pilot plans to do aerobatics or any high ‘G’ maneuvers, they should change the side wires to 2.4mm (1 x 19).

All Litespeed’s will now be produced with 2.4mm (1 x 19) side wires unless the customer requests 2mm (1×19) wires.

DHV certification is not affected by changing to different wires, provided that they have been correctly tested and shown to be at least as strong as the certified type.

Customers requiring replacement wires or more information should contact their local dealer or Moyes direct.

When placing an order for side wires please ensure that you provide the serial number and A-frame options fitted.

http://www.moyes.com.au

 

Location of Emergency Parachute connection for Hang Gliders

Unsure of exact details that this refers to, but is sound advice if difficult to follow on most makes of harness.

It is VITAL that the Emergency Parachute Bridle is attached to the Harness only and INDEPENDENT of the ‘hang point attachment’ to the harness. There is also a very big argument here in favour of Long Nylon Bridles on the parachute.… (1) You must not allow a rotating wing tip to hit the Parachute Lines – lines can easily be broken in this manner but it won’t take out a 25mm tubular nylon webbing bridle. (2) Kevlar bridles are usually too short and have practically No Stretch to take out Opening Shock. Nylon has a 30% stretch under load and so acts a very good spring and damper during hard openings. In the USA, the minimum length for a HG bridle is 35 feet. This is probably a bit over the top but the distance should be.….. Harness Attachment Point – to – Emergency Parachute Container – then up to 2 or 3 feet past the wing tip on a ‘Clapped Hands’ glider. This distance will vary on different wings but it will be quite long on a large Tandem Wing. And don’t forget.… Minimum of 9mm Mailon link on a single bridle… even on PGs.

Icaro Laminar Hang Glider airworthiness

The main hang-loop attachment failed on an Icaro 2000 hangglider (with King post). The failure resulted from the sharp edges of the eyelet used in the webbing. The failure occured during flight, but had no further consequences, as the backup hang-loop immediately took over. The particular eyelets have been used by Icaro 2000 in their products for 20 years. This is the first failure. Control checks have shown that in a very few cases, sharp edges may be present where these eyelets have been placed. Icaro 2000 have immediately stopped using this type of eyelet. Together with the DHV, Icaro 2000 issue the following safety note:

All customers who have a king-post hangglider with a serial number of 8703 or less, must check the hang-loop eyelets for sharp edges. Defective hang-loops must be replaced.

This check must be performed before the next flight.

Go to the DHV website for photographs of the problem http://www.dhv.de/typo/index.php?id=3940&item=173&backpid=5517


 

RESERVES

Supair reserve bridles

Safety notice
Supair Dyneema parachute bridles – Possible absence of a safety seam on solo or tandem parachute bridles
Do check yours if this applies, full safety document can be downloaded from
https://www.supair.com/en/safety-notice/

From GIN Gliders

SAFETY NOTICE: GENIE LITE 3 RESCUE DECK

Just to let you know that it’s possible that a very small number of these units have issues with the zipper which may make it difficult to extract the reserve parachute.

If you have one of these rescue decks or have sold them then please check and forward the PDF which gives details of the issue and recommended action.

In addition, we remind all pilots and dealers of the importance of post-installation, performing a test extraction and pre-flight checks.Link to Safety Notice on GIN’s website: https://www.gingliders.com/en/safety-notices/2021-03-04-gl3-rescue-deck-safety-notice/

Courtesy of the Dunstable club

SAFETY NOTICE FOR INDEPENDENCE RESERVE DEPLOYMENT BAGS
The Italian free flight association have put out a safety notice for deployment bags for the Independence Smart Large models, Evo Cross, Anular Evo, Anular Classic.
This affects parachute bags manufactured from September 2016 to February 2018.
The fault is in the loop to which the deployment handle is attached. Pilots who own these bags, and who use the upper loop connecting the handle are advised to replace the bag before the next flight.
For more details, see the link below – please check this if you think you could be affected, and check your chutes!

https://www.fivl.it/sicurezza/lista-avvisi/2103-avviso-di-sicurezza-180703a0-pod-paracadute-emergenza-independence

Courtesy of Malvern club Reserve Repack

The event was successfully held in Upton village hall with approximately 20 people practice throwing and repacking their reserves.

Lessons Learnt

  • Particularly for the new and inexperienced but equally applying to anyone. When buying a reserve, make sure its suitable (Ask Mike Townsend if in doubt). E.G. some steerable reserves (Rogelo types etc) can be significantly more demanding to operate in an already stressful situation. Failure to control both your wing and reserve can lead to them down planing against each other which is potentially catastrophic. Down planing can also occur with normal reserves but in this situation you only have to control your wing
  • Do Not leave packing aids attached to the reserve, or to the deployment container and do not secure the inner deployment bag to the reserve. (In one incident Cable ties had been used to pull through the bungee loop in an outer cloverleaf type container so that the pin could be inserted, unfortunately this cable tie was not removed and completely stopped the reserve deploying.)
  • VELCRO! If Velcro features in your reserve closure make sure you have the strength to open it. Velcro binds over time so it is best to prise it apart periodically and reclose it gently to prevent this happening. (In one incident the pilot took three attempts to extract his reserve resulting in a time of over 5 seconds. In a low level deployment it could make all the difference. We have also had people totally failing to deploy in previous years).
  • Look for the Handle! (Several people reached for the handle but did not look for it and subsequently fumbled taking two attempts adding a second or so to their time). Again at low level this could make all the difference.

DHV airworthingess advisory – may affect any harness or reserve parachute – HG or PG)

Two paraglider pilots have sent their reserves to the DHV for examination. While being re-packed it was noted, that the outside of the inner-container was covered with a thin layer of a sticky substance. In one case, the reserve was stuck so tightly, that a deployment was only possible after physically peeling the outer-container from the inner-container. It is most probable, that an emergency deployment in flight would not have been possible. Both reserves had not been re-packed at the scheduled intervals recommended by the manufacturer (one 10 months, the other 26 months). The manufacturer of the material used for the inner-container explained the chemical process believed to be responsible for this behaviour: should the outer-container be made from a fabrik with a polyester coating, a migration of the softening components may occur, resulting in a partial dissolution and more or less sticky substance. The two cases investigated involved reserves from Finsterwalder/Charly. Due to the large variety of reserves and harnesses, and the resulting combinations of inner- and outer-containers, it is probable that reserves from other manufacturers will also be affected. Due to this, the DHV issued the following airworthiness directive:

At every scheduled re-pack of a hang- or paraglider reserve canopy, the inner- and outer-containers are to be checked for the presence of a sticky substance. Should such a substance be determined, even in small amounts, then the manufacturer(s) of the inner- and outer-containers must be contacted and a replacement containers are to be used.

Reserve canopies suffering from sticky-degredation of their inner- and outer-containers do not meet airworthiness requirements, and are not to be used for flights more than 50 meters above ground level. Gmund, 06.08.09 Karl Slezak DHV Saftey Manager

Harness parachute enclosure issue

The following description is from Kevin Poole who was present at a practice parachute throwing and repack hosted by the Malvern club. It is specific to certain paragliding harnesses, but the issue could crop up with many other types of hang gliding and paragliding reserve parachute containers.

Basically, the first lady pilot to try to deploy “died” because she couldn’t get her reserve out from her ( Sup Air EVO) harness. It turned out this was because she had only been able to pull one of the two pins out when she pulled on the red handle. That was because the string to the second pin runs between the “hook” and “loop” faces of two biggish patches of velcro, and the string was effectively “caught” by the velcro – she didn’t have the strength to yank it out. A big beefy man may not have the same problem, though I gather there was another deployment by a bloke in an Altix with the same design of pins, strings, flaps and velcro, who took two or three big pulls to get his chute out, due to the same problem. Two or three attempts to deploy equates to a height loss of maybe a few hundred feet?

If you look at your Altix (if it’s the same design as the Evo and Altix at the repack, which were both fairly new, I think) you will see there is a protective flap right at the rear/bottom which covers over the pins and has two small holes covered in transparent plastic which allow you to see that the pins are still engaged. That flap is held down by velcro and if you lift it up, you will see that the string to the pin furthest from the deployment handle runs along the suface of the velcro – so when you close the flap up again, it gets gripped between the two layers of velcro. As we know, velcro attaches tighter over time if it is left “unpeeled” – especially if you squeeze it (as you would every time you pack your harness away or sit down in it whilst waiting on the hill). The end result for this girl was that the string to the second pin was held so tightly by the velcro that she simply couldn’t get the pin out at all. And Mr Beefy only managed it on the second or third attempt. When you looked closely, you could see that the string was of a braided type, so that the hooks of the velcro were actually sticking to the string itself, not just squeezing it between the two layers of velcro – this must have compounded the problem. All very worrying if you have that design of harness. I don’t know what other harnesses (Sup Air or others) would have this problem.

Reserve repacking should be carried out regularly

Please think about your reserve, it should be repacked far more frequently than most people do actually do so. The reasons are multiple;

Once the reserve is packed, it is possible to absorb moisture from being left in damp air conditions, not just wet from rain. The moisture once in, will not get back out again eaily and can could mould and midlew which damage the strength of fabric and lines as well as looking bad. Advice from most manufacturers says that the reserve should be allowed to air indoors for 24hours before it is repacked – something that is very rarely done when we have specific repack events where it is deployed and repacked immediately.

The reserve once packed gets squashed more, especially if the harness is the type that the pilot is likely to sit on it whilst waiting for a launch or having their sandwiches. the effect fo this is to almost iron creases into the reserve which have been shown to make the deployment take longer as the airstream takes longer to get inbetween the leaves of the canopy to allow it to open.

Any velcro involved in the system – and many harnesses, both hang gliding and paragliding still use velcro, tends to get more stuck together over time. this is because slight movements between the two faces allow the hook and eyes to mingle together better and really get stuck in well. Add together the fact that if you have been flying, the air is colder, plastic is less flexible and then velcro has been proven to become extremily difficult to release. Even if you don’t repack the reserve, remember to regularly pull the velcro apart, check everything and then refit back to the standard grip.

If you repack the harness yourself, practice will improve the speed that you can do it, making a neater job of it, and it also gives you the chance of a practice throw – remember we have the swing installed at the Long Mynd gate, which is ideal for this if you can’t do it from a tree near home.

BHPA advice on selection of Reserve parachutes

Update September 2009 – an Independent test of all manufacturers reserve parachutes by Air Turquoise (who also carry out DHV testing) shows some manufacturers reserves fail, and some are much, much better than others. Ian Currer has written an article about the results which is due out fairly soon in Skywings. Please contact your Safety officer if you are desparate to buy a new reserve and can’t wait until the Skywings report appears (as I’ve seen the pre-release article). A key thing to consider is that some (not all) of the new ultra light reserves are simply physically not big enough, and also worth considering whether there is any real world evidence of them being used (no one seems to know of any evidence and that includes the BHPA and Dealers).

The advice below has been reviewed and validated by Dave Thompson of the BHPA. Further detail is in the BHPA Pilot handbook:

  • Get a modern parachute that is the right weight range for you – you must measure your all up weight accurately – that includes you, clothes, glider, harness, ballast/water, the reserve etc.
  • Make sure that the canopy is CEN certified – standard pulldown apex types are good – will have been tested to be less than 5.5m/s descent for weight range (thats the worst it can be to pass the test).
  • Another consideration is your harness. Make sure that the canopy can fit securely in the reserve pocket in your harness without being too tight a fit and that the routing of the bridle is correct and cannot be pulled by accident. People have been injured far more by accidental deployments shortly after take-off than by deliberate deployments when actually needed. A deployment at very low altitude is bad news – like when you have just put your full weight in the harness and launched.
  • My advice – don’t rely on bathroom scales to weigh you and your kit. I’ve never yet found one that is always accurate, some can be a stone or more out and that can make a significant difference to decisions. Ones in Gym’s or office/factory medical rooms tend to be better. I’ve used one that is certified accurate to 1 gram.

 

HARNESSES

If you have a Supair harness this may be relevent to you – or anyone who has purchased and after market addition for connecting your reserve on any harness

Safety notice
Supair Dyneema parachute bridles – Possible absence of a safety seam on solo or tandem parachute bridles
Do check yours if this applies, full safety document can be downloaded from
https://www.supair.com/en/safety-notice/

 

Neo have issued a Safety Recall notice for String 3.0

If Manufactured in 2021.  Serial numbers beginning with I13 (followed by 3 digits) are affected. Must not be flown again. All pilots with an affected String 3.0 are asked to return their harness to the NEO workshop (ZA des Vernays, 74210 Doussard) or to contact their dealer. A reinforcement eliminating this risk will be carried out in very short time.

 

Advice from Advance about their carabiners

This is a personal email response from Advance to a query about the need to change their harness carabiners.

I would like to check with you as there have been suggestion on UK forums that some failing carabiners on other none Advance harnesses have similar carabiners to the ones supplied on my harnesses. Do I have any need to replace any of them?

Response:
Hello and many thanks for your interest for our products.
What the carabiners manufacturers suggest is not same for all of them. Some ask to change the carabiners after 5 years, others after 10 years. There are also steel links and aluminium links, not same. The steel links are more solid.

We very seldom heard about a broken carabiner and each time it was due to a bad use.

In you case and if your carabiners have never received shocks, there is no need to change them. Just clean them from time to time with compressed air and a soft cloth, don’t use soap or other cleaning products.

Feel free to ask when you need further information from us.

With our best regards. Fly well and take care.


Team ADVANCE
Valery Chapuis
support@advance.ch

SAFETY NOTICE AFFECTING GIN AIRLITE 4 AND VERSO 3

Forwarded from ukairsports information

Early production models of the Gingo Airlite 4 and Verso 3 harnesses have been noted to have issues with the rescue handle being too short. This may cause the handle to work loose after prolonged agitation of the harness due to transportation or ground handling.

For a full explanation of how to determine if your model is affected, please download the pdf file

See https://www.ukairsports.com/news/safety-notice-affecting-gin-airlite-4-and-verso-3/?fbclid=IwAR3hG7XvAaJnzMzibGkcout1zE7l0OUIlk2KISoOpY2ze_AhcYlaeEuRMgc

 

Ozium 2 safety notice 

OZIUM 2 HARNESS: IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTICE

Concerning all Ozium 2 harnesses.

We have been made aware of a potential safety issue with the Ozium 2 reserve parachute pod and handle.

There is a possibility that the handle can become detached from the inner pod during the parachute extraction process. This could lead to a failure of the deployment system.

Action required: Mandatory replacement of all Ozium 2 reserve deployment pods

The reserve deployment pod on all Ozium 2 harnesses MUST be replaced before next use. The new pods are currently in production and will be sent automatically to your OZONE dealer ASAP. Please contact them to request a replacement.

The new updated pods are clearly identifiable by the yellow reserve pins and extra reinforcement around the material joining the pod to the handle. The original incorrect pods have clear plastic reserve pins.

We recommend you to not fly your Ozium 2 until the pod has been replaced.

For any questions regarding the replacement of the handle, please contact your local OZONE Dealer or Contact us directly.

Download Reserve Modification PDF

Important notice: Genie Lite 2 Rescue handle

http://gingliders.com/home/important-notice-genie-lite-2-rescue-handle/

Direct from GIN website:
Earlier production batches of the Genie Lite 2 have been noted to have issues with the rescue handle. The rescue handle loop is too short for some models of rescue parachutes. This may cause the plastic wire pins to get stuck during deployment.

To rectify this, we have produced a loop extender (13cm). All current GIN stock has the loop extender included with the harness. Previously shipped harness did not come with this loop. If you require the loop extender, please contact your GIN distributor.

In addition, please ensure that your rescue has been installed according to the instructions in the Genie Lite 2 product manual. If in any doubt, please seek professional advice.

The updated product manual can be downloaded via the Genie Lite 2 product page

Ozone Forza harness safety warning

Direct from Ozone who have reissued a January warning due to further concerns – an issue with the reserve containment.  Despite the fact that Ozone have publicised this issue, it could be relevant to any harness.

specifically though:
Concerning all Forza harnesses manufactured in 2015 with the serial numbers:
Forza-(size)-Q-31A-(???) to Forza-(size)-Q-49E-(???)

http://www.flyozone.com/paragliders/en/infozone/safety-notices/forza-safety-notice/

http://www.flyozone.com/paragliders/en/ see the latest headlines page (as of October 2016)

Advance Lightness 2 harness safety advisory

Advance have already designed a replacement for this problem, and apparently all owners that have registered their new harnesses will automatically get a replacement part sent in the post. It is not a dangerous problem they say. However it may become relevent to second user owners if harnesses have moved on.

http://www.dhv.de/db1/source/technicdatareportnotes.php?lang=EN&item=234

Kortel emergency reserves – safety warning

It’s noted by the manufacturer as a quality issue.
Affects Kamasutra II, Karma II, Krashbox Module Kuik II Rescue handles can be with 2 or 3 pins.

http://www.korteldesign.com/spip/?+Rescue-handle-safety-notice

Airbag PG harness comparison – DHV – startling reading and some very good advice

(information courtesy of MHGC, BHPA and DHV)

Rucksack harness comparison. The DHV has compiled a very interesting report, in English, comparing five popular convertible rucksack-harnesses.

It outlines DHV testing of airbag effectiveness, particularly in the take-off phase. The report concludes that none of the tested harnesses offered anything like the back protection required by the LTF standards during take-off, and that good results were often dependent on the presence of a reserve parachute.

The DHV notes that accidents frequently occur during this phase of flight. They are to propose additional requirements for airbag design in the next revision of the LTF harness specifications.

The report is available on the DHV Web site – http://www.dhv.de/typo/News_Details_English.715.0.html?&cHash=962ac040f5b6406f3a9fc5eb5f094da6&tx_ttnews[backPid]=3&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=3533

Enclosed Paragliding harnesses

Several accidents (some fatal) have occured as pilots have failed to connect up the main leg straps and had not realised due to the way that the pod and instrument housing encloses around the body and loose straps cannot be seen by the pilots or by-standers. see – http://www.xcmag.com/2010/07/dhv-cocoon-harness-safety-advice/

It nearly happened to me once after slope landing and walking back up the Mynd. A new CP wanted to talk to me at some length and I partly unclipped, then half an hour later a thermal came through, so I excused myself and attempted to forward launch, but fortunately realised before anything happened – any other site or situation could have been much worse.

Releasing from harness over water

See item 2 on http://www.xcmag.com/2010/07/dhv-cocoon-harness-safety-advice/

 

Sol harness warning for those with foam back protectors – The models affected are the Flex Virtue DHV GS-03-0353-07, Flex Amazon DHV GS-03-0363-07 and Flex Easy 2 DHV GS-03-0364-07.

Please see http://www.xcmag.com/2010/06/sol-safety-notice/

 

PG underseat reserve safety warning from DHV

If you have a paraglider harness with underseat reserve and a speedbar, please check out this link to make sure that you have it fitted correctly. Some good photo’s to detail exactly what it should look like. This is a result of a fatal accident investigation, so the impact if your setup isn’t correct is now known. http://www.dhv.de/typo/index.php?id=3940&item=159&backpid=5180