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GRADIENT Golden4 26

Sicherheitsklasse 4
GRADIENT Golden4 26

Instability rating
Safety class 1 Safety class 2 Safety class 3 Safety class 4 Safety class 5
asymmetric collapse
course change
forward pitching
height loss
sink velocity
collapse on opposite wingtip
cravat
G-Force
Frontal collapse
course change
Speed (Recovery)
pilot action (Recovery)
cravat
height loss
sink velocity
Spiral dives
G-Force
Sink velocity after 720°
Maximum sink velocity
Behaviour on brake release
course change after spiral dive exit
Height loss during recovery
Safety class 4
Pilot skill requirements:
Pilots should be able to recognise the onset of instability and be able to prevent or minimise glider reactions through immediate and precise pilot inputs.
Advanced piloting skills and regular flight practice necessary.

Glider characteristics
Launch preparations: average
launch characteristics: delayed, delayed climb,needs pronounced guidance, minimal feedback during inflation, moderate braking required, slows before zenith, tends to stall during control check
asymmetric collapse: canopy colllapses at high angle to leading edge, moderate dynamics, total course change 270-360°, (4), moderate course change rate, marked forward pitching 60-75°, (4), high height loss 40-49 m, (3), high sink velocity 20-24 m/s, (3), , , G-Force < 2,5 G, (1)
Frontal collapse: canopy collapses with high total collapse aera, marked pitch backwards 45-60°, high pitch forwards >60°, moderate dynamics, course change 90-180°, (3), variable recovery behaviour, at times with stable closed frontal collapse, at times with automatic recovery, (4), usually symmetric recovery, simple pilot action required, (4), horseshoe, wingtips at rear, immediate return to normal airspeed, , Simple pilot action required to end height loss (4), high sink velocity 20-24 m/s, (3)
Spiral dives: rapid sink velocity increase, Moderate G-Force 3,5- 4.0 G, (2), Sink velocity after 720° <18 m/s, (3), High maximum sink velocity < 22 m/s, (3), sink velocity increase < 3 m/s on brake release, (1), Course change 540-720° after spiral exit, (4), high height loss during recovery 60-100 m, (3)
B-Stall: normal force required, marked pitch backwards 30-45°, moderate pitch forwards 15-30°, unstable sink phase, low deformation tendency, , delayed return to normal airspeed < 3 s, 8-10 m/s, height loss on recovery 20-40 m
big ears: simple initiation, stable flight phase, wingtips flatter markedly, , immediate automatic recovery, Vsink unaccelerated 2,5-3 m/s, Vsink accelerated 3,5-4 m/s, Vunaccelerated 0-3 km/h less than trimspeed, Vaccelerated 3-5 km/h faster than trimspeed
Steering behaviour: balanced to agile, 65 cm brake travel range, Noticable brake pressure increase, normal stall point, easily identifiable

Notes
en:
Launch preparations:
Gradient's Golden 4 has very soft risers which are kept simple. The plastic clips in the triangular shackles are not well dimensioned – one went missing after the first flight. Line sorting is easy, and setting up the glider is simple, although the thin lines in the top gallery require a little more care and attention when sorting.

Launch characteristic:
Gradient's Golden 4 has a lightweight canopy which tends to hang a little behind on inflation and needs steady guidance. Just before the zenith it then accelerates a little and needs a jab on the brakes to stabilise it. Here, fine control is required as too much brake then results in a stall.


Asymmetric Collapse:
Gradient's Golden 4 has similar collapse characteristics to its big brother the Nevada. On collapsing the glider reacts slowly at first until it has turned by about 90°. After this, dynamics increase and the glider dives markedly forward. After a self-recovery the glider turns another 180°.


Front collapses:
The remaining other three gliders, Niviuk's Hook 3, Gradient's Golden 4 and Gins' Atlas all have significantly more challenging behavior. All of these three gliders had tendencies to remain in a stable front stall after collapsing. Niviuk's Hook 3 showed this mostly after massive collapses, whereas the other two sometimes remained closed after medium sized collapses – recovery from massive collapses was usually fast and without pilot input.

Spiral Dive:
Niviuk's Hook 3, Gradient's Golden 4 and Gin Gliders Atlas were all very dynamic in the initialising phase. Of all the tested LTF-B gliders, the Atlas exited and recovered fastest, while the Hook 3 had the highest G-forces.

B-Stall:
Gradient's Golden 4 deforms somewhat on initialisation and is a little unstable in the stall phase, and on exiting tends to have a delayed recovery with short deep-stall phase.

Big Ears:
All gliders tested here had no real issues with big ears. When accelerated, the wingtips of Gradient's Golden 4 flap constantly

Rating

Safety class 4

This class of paraglider reacts demandingly to one or more of the following manoeuvres: frontal collapse, asymmetric collapse or spiral dive.
Demandingly means that the above manoeuvres result in marked dynamic reactions from the glider and/or large height losses.

Advanced piloting skills which need to be regularly practised, together with good personal reaction times are required to safely fly this class of gliders. Basic recovery techniques for ending a manoeuvre are not sufficient to maintain control, reduce height loss to a minimum and prevent subsequent critical reactions. Pilots should be able to recognise the onset of the above manoeuvres and be able to prevent or minimise their effects through immediate and precise pilot inputs.

Additional experience such as regular ground handling and SIV training is required to safely fly gliders of this class. Special training or pilot skills which exceed standard training may be required for the safe performance of emergency descent techniques. Gliders of this Safety Class are not suitable for beginners, irregular flyers or low-airtime pilots.