No produts were found.

Welcome

Your shopping cart is empty.

Home
>
guides
>
How to choose a paragliding rescue parachute ?

How to choose a paragliding rescue parachute ?

Paraglider pilots who want to buy a rescue parachute must first ask themselves the right questions, so as to choose a rescue that's adapted to their needs, to their flying style, and above all, to their safety requirements. To help you in this analysis, we'll look together at the right questions to ask, so you can buy the rescue parachute that's right for you !

CHOOSING YOUR RESCUE PARACHUTE ACCORDING TO YOUR WEIGHT

When paragliding, safety is paramount, and your choice of rescue parachute depends on several key factors. Your weight is one of the crucial factors to consider when making this decision. The pilot's weight has a direct influence on the size of the rescue parachute needed to ensure a good sink rate when opening, and acceptable stability.

Rescue parachutes are classified by size, i.e. one model generally comes in several sizes to suit as many pilots as possible. To find out which size to choose, you first need to calculate your total in-flight weight, then select a rescue parachute whose maximum weight rating is higher than yours. To find out what the ideal rescue max total in-flight weight is, assume that your total in-flight weight corresponds to around 85% of the max total in-flight weight value recommended by the manufacturer.

For example, if your total weight in flight is 75kg, you'd do the following calculation : 75/0.85= 88kg

So rescue parachutes close to this value seem to be the most suitable for your maximum weight.

Impact of too low a total weight in flight under a rescue parachute

If you opt for a reserve parachute with a maximum total weight in flight much greater than your actual total weight in flight, then you'll have a very low sink rate, which may be pleasant at first sight, but on the other hand you'll be subject to greater amplitude pendulum movements and your piloting ability will be greatly reduced, even if the aerological conditions are not very turbulent. As a result, you run the risk of landing in the pendulum and hitting the ground at a much higher speed than the 5.5m/s you're used to. Finally, one last point that may be of importance is that once on the ground, if your rescue parachute is too big for you, you risk being dragged to the ground even in a breeze or light wind. This can be a very dangerous situation.

Impact of a too-high total weight in flight under a reserve parachute

On the other hand, by increasing the wing loading under your rescue parachute, you also increase your sink rate. This means a higher sink rate when you hit the ground. On the other hand, you'll experience less air mass movement, so you'll be less subject to pendulum movements under the rescue parachute.

In conclusion, it's a good idea to try and find the best compromise to get the best performance from your parachute.

CHOOSING YOUR RESCUE PARACHUTE ACCORDING TO THE TYPE OF FLIGHT

It's hard to say which rescue is the best of all ! Indeed, there will be situations where an air-droppable rescue is more likely to provide comfort and safety than a conventional rescue.

It's not just a question of flying over flying sites, looking for thermals, doing aerobatics or looking for take-off performance in paragliding. In fact, the choice of rescue parachute is of prime importance to paragliders.

The type of flight is not really the most important criterion in the final analysis, as the objective of the rescue remains the same. If there were perhaps one configuration that merits a closer look at the type of rescue as a function of practice, it would be the practice of acrobatics. Indeed, acrobats often have several rescues on their harness, including the possibility of having a base system. It may be a good idea for the pilot to think about his rescue parachute set-up, to anticipate the different configurations in which he could find himself.

For the rest of paragliding, the purpose of the parachute remains the same, so the type of paragliding practice doesn't really affect the choice of rescue parachute.

CHOOSING YOUR RESCUE PARACHUTE RANGE ACCORDING TO YOUR BUDGET

Your choice of rescue parachute may also depend on your budget. Rescue parachutes come in a wide range of prices, depending on their quality, technology and performance. It's essential not to compromise your safety by choosing equipment that doesn't meet your expectations.

Here's a quick rundown of prices for the different types of rescue parachutes you'll find on the market. These prices are given today (07/2023), so don't hesitate to contact us if you find that they are out of date !

Classic round rescue parachutes : Between 450€ and 600€

Light round rescue parachutes : Between 550€ and 700€

Light square rescue parachutes : between 600€ and 800€

Ultra-light square rescue parachutes : between 700€ and 1000€

Here we give a price range for the most common rescue parachutes. But there are also more technical parachute ranges, such as the Rogallos, which are steerable, or the flat rescue. Don't hesitate to contact us if you'd like more information about these products !

CHOOSING A RESCUE PARACHUTE BASED ON PRACTICALITY

In addition to performance and technical features, the practicality of your rescue parachute is a factor that most pilots take into account.

Some rescue parachutes are designed with intuitive packing systems, making the process of repacking after deployment much easier. Make sure you practice packing and deploying your rescue regularly, so you're ready to pack reliably and quickly.

We think it's true that some rescue parachutes are easier to pack than others at first glance, but we also believe that experience has a significant impact on your ability to pack a rescue. This means that the more regularly you repack your rescue, the easier it will be to pack, so that what may seem complicated the first few times, will seem much more obvious over time. And that goes for any type of parachute.

In conclusion, choosing a rescue parachute for paragliding is an important decision that needs to be taken with the utmost care and knowledge. Take into account your weight, your expectations for your rescue, and your budget. Always opt for brands renowned for their reliability and quality. Don't hesitate to ask the advice of experienced professionals to guide you in your choice. Have a safe flight !