AFNOR and DHV for Paragliders PDF Print E-mail

Below are the tests for Paragliders AFNOR(French) and DHV (German)

AFNOR Paragliders homologation test
The French homologation tests for paragliders, following the standards determined by the Association Frangaise de Normalisation
Description
They are the today evolution of the former ACPUL standards, and now are defined as 17 tests which every wing must perform to be homologated. The following is the detailed description of what the new AFNOR procedures are.
You can also find explanation about the technical terms used in the various test descriptions. Also you can have better information about the standard, performance, competition, or twin(tandem) wing characteristic description.
The 17 tests
1. Inflation
2. Landing
3. Speeds field
4. Utilization of the accessories
5. Pitch stability
6. Exit from parachutal stalls
7. Exit from B stalls (slow release)
8. Exit from B stalls (quick release)
9. Attitude to turn
10. Maneuverability
11. Wing over
12. Exit from asymmetrical tuck
13. Exit from holded asymmetrical tuck
14. Exit from spin
15. Exit from asymmetrical stall
16. Exit from symmetrical frontal tuck
17. Exit from tight 3600

 

 

DHV/OeAeC classification of paragliders

The classification scheme gives a scale for the level of pilot skills required for safe operation.

The classification is obtained through test flights as part of the DHV/OeAeC type test procedure. These tests are meant to provide safety relevant information, but certainly not to measure performance.

The overall classification of a glider is found by taking the highest (e.g. most demanding) classification obtained in any single test flight category.

The classification of a paraglider may contain a suffix denoting the restriction to a certain class of harnesses to be used with this glider.

Classification

Addition

Description

1


Paragliders with simple and very forgiving flying characteristics.

1-2


Paragliders with good-natured flying characteristics.

2


Paragliders with demanding flying characteristics and potentially dynamic reactions to turbulence and pilot errors. Recommended for regularly flying pilots.

2-3


Paragliders with very demanding flying characteristics and potentially violent reactions to turbulence and pilot errors. Recommended for experienced and regularly flying pilots.

3


Paragliders with very demanding flying characteristics and potentially very violent reactions to turbulence and pilot errors, little scope for pilot errors. For expert pilots.


G

Only explicitly listed types of harnesses


GH

"H"-braced harnesses - any group GH harness may be used with that glider (=almost all modern DHV/OeAeC-certified harnesses)


GX

Cross-braced harnesses - any group GX harness may be used with that glider


Biplace

Certified for biplace operation


Y

Hang type harness (for historic reasons)


S

Special harness

The performance of today's class 1 and 1-2 gliders is pretty close to the performance of more demanding gliders. As their good-natured flight characteristics give a high level of active and passive safety, they are recommended to anybody who doesn't fly regularly or whose motivation to fly is fun rather than ambition.

On the other hand class 2 gliders, who were formerly used in training, due to their higher speed-potential today require an actively flying pilot who knows how to recover from abnormal flight situations.

Experienced pilots of course will like their handling characteristics and their high rate of active safety, which is combined with a level of performance equalling that of high performance competition wings just a couple of years ago.

When viewing test reports you should bear in mind that test flights are flown and evaluated in a well-standardised manner, as this is the only way to achieve reproducible test results. This gives you an objective scale to compare gliders, but any statement concerning in-flight characteristics applies in absolute precision only to manoeuvres flown in a standardised manner under perfect test conditions.

Any safety relevant observations of the test pilot which are not covered by the standardised test flight evaluation are quoted under "Additional flight safety remarks" at the end of the test report.