IMPORTANT
Do not perform high
G spiral dives when
ying above the
maximum EN weight
range or when ying
with a trike or a high
hang point harness
08
Load test and wing loading information for PPG wings
Toverifythestructuralstrengthofaparagliderorparamotorwing,thelarger sizes of each model are
subjectedtotheEN926.1loadtest.Thistestiscomprisedoftwoparts;astaticshocktest,andasustained
loadtest. First,usingat leasta1000 kgweaklink (higherfortandems) thewingmust surviveabrutal
staticshocktestwithoutanyvisiblesignsofdamagetothelinesorsail.Thesamewingthenperforms
asustainedloadtest,inatedandpulledalongarunwaybyalargetruckuntilathreesecondaverage
valueof8Gisachievedwithoutbreaking.8GistheminimumacceptedloadfactorforENcertication,
calculatedby8xthemaximumpermittedENweight.
Inaddition toEN926.1ourparamotorwingsare alsorecognisedbytheDGAC,anentity responsible
forMicrolight(ULM) and lightweight poweredaircraft(Paramotor)certication in France.UsingtheEN
loadtestresults,theDGACaccepts5.25Gasthemaximumacceptableloadfactor.Boththe8GENand
5.25G DGAC values, along with the recommended PG (free ight) and PPG (powered) weight ranges
areindicatedinthespecicationsforyourreference.WeconsidertheDGACloadfactorlimitof5.25G
acceptablefor“normal”PPGuse-circuitying,XC,adventureying,Slalomracing,wingoversetc.Some
rapiddescentmanoeuvrestintothe“normal”denition:spiraldiveswithdescentratesof~10m/sare
consideredgenerallysafe.
However,inourtestingatOzonewehaverecordedloadsinexcessof5.25Gduringfullyengaged,nose-
downspiraldives,atallpartsoftheweightrange.Theoretically,itshouldnotbepossibletobreakawing
whilstyingatthemaximumPPGweightofthelargersizes(smallerwingsizeshaveaninherentsafety
margindue tothe factthat thesame number&typeoflinescarryalowermaxweight),butwhenyou
consider:
a)thenaturalweakeningoflineswithage;
b)thepotentialofaccidentallydamagedlinesduringnormaluse;
c)and thatduringa spiraldiveorotheraggressive acrobaticmanoeuvretheloadis notdistributedas
evenlyacrossthespanasitisduringaphysicaltest;
thereissignicantlylessstructuralsafetymargininwhenyingclosetothemaximumDGACweight.For
thisreason,ourrecommendationtoallPPGpilotswhenyingathighwingloadings(abovethemiddle
oftherecommendedPPG weight range) istonotperform deeply engaged nosedown,high-Gspirals
andotheraggressiveaerobaticmanoeuvres.Doingsoposesarealriskoflinefailurewithpotentiallyfatal
consequences.