02 - Paraglider maximum load limit

Proposal from

Wojtek DOMAŃSKI – CIMA Paramotor Subcommittee & CIMA Paramotor Safety Working Group

Proposal title

02 - Paraglider maximum load limit

Existing text

This proposal amends Local Regulations of 6th FAI World Paramotor Slalom Championships in Doha (Qatar), as a draft of a future FAI Sporting Code - Section 10 – Annex 7 - model Local Regulations and Task Catalogue for paramotor slalom championships. This proposal depends on accepting proposal 01 - S10 Annex 7 - Model local regulations and sample task for paramotor slalom championships

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11.3. PARAMOTOR AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT

Paramotor and equipment provided by the competitor must be of a performance and standard suitable for the event.

Every pilot upon registration will be subjected to control of the total weight in flight. Total weight is counted with all equipment ready to fly (pilot, paramotor, protections, paraglider, fuel, clothing). Pilots who exceed the limit of the paraglider certificate will not be permitted to fly.

During competition there will be technical controls performed on pilots selected by draw.

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New text

Reason

For ten years of Paramotor Slaloms as CIMA/FAI official discipline, the constant progress of flying equipment has been observed. Pilots improve their skills and seek more performance. More powerful engines are getting heavier but still powerful enough to keep the flight level on a tiny wing. More weighty pilots can reach speeds exceeding 100 km/h. 

In the search for more performance, pilots happen to overstep the bounds of common sense and choose such tiny wings that they cannot traverse the slalom course smoothly. This leads to chaotic handling and sometimes ends in a spectacular splash into the water.

Another, even more critical, negative effect of wing area reduction is the take-off procedure. The airborne speed of a tiny paraglider becomes so high that the launch requires perfect skills and long runway-ups. In the emotions of the competition, making mistakes is easy, and even if a stadium is over the water, take-off decks are on solid ground.

The discussion about setting the maximum load limit for wings has been led for many years. The idea seems obvious, although the subject is sensitive. A solution that is too restrictive might cause heavier pilots to be unable to compete. 

In 2023, a group of paraglider manufacturers (Dudek, Flow, Niviuk and Ozone) voluntarily, and each one independently, declared to set the maximum load for wings used in slaloms at the value given by the formula:

MaxLoad  =  WingArea  ×  10 kg/m2  -  20 kg

The formula has been conceived based on the experience gathered during several dozen salom competitions and trainings. It yields load restriction at the level above, which causes the flight control to become too nervous to be smooth, still allowing loads above 8 kg/m2, which dynamically flying pilots like.

It also addresses the objections of heavier pilots by increasing the maximum load per square meter for the larger wing sizes. Here are a couple of examples:

The self-imposed by paraglider manufacturers limits, in combination with the existing FAI sporting code:

provides event organisers with a tool to limit unsafe flying, however, only on paragliders, with load limits set reasonably.

This proposal aims to include described load limits as a part of S10 Annex 7, so the limits will become effective for pilots participating in all sanctioned by CIMA/FAI Paramotor Slalom Championships, regardless of the paraglider brand.

When the amendment is voted on, the solution has already been tested at the 6th World Paramotor Slalom Championships in Qatar. Based on this experience, delegates can confirm its effectiveness and decide to include the proposal.