Safety Notice
PARAGLIDER SAFETY NOTICE – CHECK YOUR TABS!
Last week an incident of multiple line loop (a.k.a. tab) failures was reported in NZ on a WOF’d, high-airtime Flow XCRacer 1 paraglider. The line loops disintegrated when pulled by hand, separating the A-lines from the canopy. According to the pilot after contacting the manufacturer, the line loops in question were made of non-UV treated fabric.
It is possible that other manufacturers are also not using UV treatments on line loops (tabs). It should be noted that the paraglider was purchased secondhand and the age of the paraglider may also have played a part. If you have an older or high airtime paraglider, it’s a good idea to frequently check your equipment for issues, including visually inspecting your line loops and physically pulling on lines to check they’re securely attached.
Thank you to the pilot who reported this. If you find an issue with your equipment, please submit an equipment defect report form through the NZHGPA Safety webpage or through the following link: https://forms.gle/
