Steerable reserves

Types of different steerable reserves on market

Latest Comments

ZMercan's picture

Not sure about the ST Orange but Beamer 2 can descend vertical like the round type or can be set to glide forward if you want.

SK's picture

Which is recommended the Beamer 2 or the Orange ST?

SK's picture

Can a rogallo reserve such as the Beamer 2 and the ST Orange be used a the only rescue reserve in a pod harness? Is there an advantage disadvantage in using a rogallo reserve in a pod harness over a round?

mikesm08's picture

hi there,
i emailed team5 with a line drawn picture of tube inserts and they said
they would put a tube in the bridle if requested,
they did explain that during many test deployments that it is very unlikely
for the twists to happen, which is a load of crap because it happened to me....

mikesm08's picture

Installed 'Marine tube" into team5 Orange ST bridles/risers :

http://www.panoramio.com/user/5201182

this should hopefully make the rogallo steerable with multiple twists in the riser/bridle, but is yet to be tested vigorously in nasty deployment situations ---->

Anyone else done anything to resolve twisted un-steerable rogallo deployments?-if so, please add to this forum for the advance in safety for all pilots...

ZMercan's picture

Hi,
What do you guys use as a tube cover?

I`ve tried a pair of bicycle brake cable covers for a normal glider but it doesn`t seem to like small folding or bends! Also to prevent developed twists (going over and below the brake pulleys) it needs a solid spacer between the risers.

What`s the best set up out there? can we see some pictures?

PalTakats's picture

Hi!

You can actually do this tube cover modification for the brake line by yourself, which I'd advise for rogallo users to prevent uncontrolable flying with twists.

I heared from different pilots that the skydrive has higher sink-rate, but it is actually smaller as well isn't it?

Anyway I guess that the rogallos produced by different manufacturers are actually the same with little or no differences (at least regarding the cut and shape).

Soft landings!

akira's picture

Wow .... looks like you're landing with a fast descent rate for a rogallo !!!

AndyNeubi's picture

hey,

i think about a SKY DRIVE rogallo system. does anyone has insider-informations, suggestions, experiences, ... with this reserve ??

Andy

mikesm08's picture

i heard that a few pilots have thrown rogallo and had the actual bridle twist~therefore not able to steer the damn thing,,so instead of inserting my own tubes im gona wait for manufacturers(sky) to produces some bridles with inner tubes on the rogallo,so if twisted:the handles can still steer....
anyone else out there inserting their own tubes into the bridle/riser rogallo system?

Faso2's picture

Hi guys!!

Thanks for the messages and experiences shown with the steerable reserves.
The comments and experiences written are from 2007.

Have anyone tried the Rogallo produced by Apco?
It’s affordable but still I didn’t hear anything from it.
Any data, or comments?

Thanks,

Faso

audacium's picture

Hello,

As Pal wrote there are three types of steerable reserves.

Concerning Rogallo: I know of three manufacturers
* Vonblon "Papillon" (Austrian): I use it myself, I have seen several openings and I think it is an excellent reserve. It comes with DHV-certification if you need that
* High Adventure "Beamer" (Swiss): seems to be very similar to Papillon. No direct experiences myself. Does not have DHV-certification afaik
* Sky "Drive" (Czech): lighter and smaller than Papillon but also higher sink rate. Comes with DHV certification

Regarding necessity of cutaway: I do have cutaway carabiners (Quickouts) and I think they are a very useful invention. I come from skydiving and I like the idea that (if possible) I can cutaway my main canopy in order to avoid tangling with the reserve etc. That is, I would probably use quickouts even with a round reserve (besides, they are also useful in high winds). However, you will see many pilots with steerable reserves that do not use quickouts and they do fine. The videos I know from Pal's rescue situations show how he just pulls in the main canopy after throwing the reserve, and it works just fine.

Regarding the cutaway system from Profly Groovy: I already talked a little bit with Pal about this and I am little bit sceptical about the merits of this system, however I want to talk with the designer (whom I know) before I open a full on discussion in this forum. It surely is a nice system however I personally see the combination "acro harness - Rogallo as primary - round rescue as secondary - quickouts" as best suited to paragliding environment where rescue openings often happen close to the ground respective this is where they are most critical. Cutaway systems are in my eyes better suited for skydiving environment with high openings (1000 m above ground). I see important differences in these two environments and I see difficulties in combining these two worlds. But I will get back to that later.

Regarding steerable round parachutes: after discussing with paragliding people and skydivers: with these you can decide which direction you look at when you crash into the ground :) otherwise I do not see real advantages of such reserves. They do not have real forward speed especially when you do not cutaway, so you do not really have the advantages of a steerable reserve, and you will have (due to the steering openings in the canopy) a higher sink rate than with a conventional round parachute. So it seems better to me to either take a Rogallo or stick to a normal round parachute.

Eduard.

PalTakats's picture

Hi Ethan!

By index.php?m=8&keres= searching in the Forum for words like rescue, rogallo, parachute, steerable etc...you can find some comments in this theme from different topics. However, it's always interesting to read about and share information, how to fly safer.

I know only about three types, but probably there could be more on the market:

- Rogallo

- Cutaway systems (a parachute like the skydiver's rescue, need special harness)

- Steerable circulal parachute (by opening and closing some holes in the canopy - I would not recommend it)

More?

Ethan's picture

I have heard a whisper that there are now a number of steerable paragliding reserves on the market.

Does anybody know how many different types there are?
And what have been your experiences?

Do you have to get a cut away system for your wing?
How much bigger are they, do they fit easily into dual harness?