Determining Free Flight Performance by Surveying Engineering Techniques

Abstract

Time aloft and distance traveled in free flight with a paraglider are determined by three factors: weather conditions, pilot skill, and paraglider performance. The latter factor can be represented in a performance curve. To construct an accurate performance curve, a surveying engineering approach was applied. Sensors (a variometer and a wind speed indicator) were first calibrated by Global Positioning System receivers. A test flight was then carried out with a paraglider which was launched to an altitude of