Paragliding Safety: the ins and outs of BIG EARS

Big ears is a paragliding safety maneouvre. You fold the wingtips in to go down faster. It's a controlled collapse on a flexible aircraft. What could possibly go wrong?
#paraglidingsafety #bigears #paraglidingtips
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[@ForeverABeginner]

I never post comments on youtube but I've been following your videos since I started paragliding in 2014. These are THE BEST videos online on the topic of paragliding! Full of good advices, you helped me a lot with my progression as a pilot. You are doing an amazing job! Thanks for the effort you're putting into those high quality videos. Keep up the good work!

[@Adventure_Bum]

Absolutely mate! Well said.

[@michaelyoung9890]

Hi Greg. You’re a huge stud. Thanks for providing amazing content. I love your attitude and approach to paragliding. Your videos were paramount in helping me get back in the air after a near fatal incident. What you are providing is confidence and saftey. It’s impossible to quantify the good that you are doing, the lives you are saving, the injuries that you prevent, and the enjoyment of feeling comfortable is priceless. Perhaps you could dedicate a specific video about how to get back confidence lost due to an incident. It’s good to be aware and careful it can also cause other problems; anxiety, hesitation, or worse. Thanks again Greg your an awesome example and thanks for caring enough to share such an amazing sport and the knowledge and experience that you have earned. Hope to get the opportunity to fly with you someday or at least fly some of the sites from your video!

[@xistsixt]

Some people explain but you can't make out what they mean. You explain and we really can see and feel what results in complete visualization of the topic... Teaching talent 👍👏

[@uriahkaufman7442]

Thank you so much for such a thorough and awesome explanation of big ears

[@user-uu1ix7uh7g]

Thank you, everything is very clear. I am a beginner from Russia. There are Russian subtitles, which is very good.

[@ivanrojas1085]

Thank you, Greg! Very helpful info and great video. Kudos to you, man.

[@advancenetAU]

Hi Greg, I’ve been flying for over two years now and it always good to review and refresh your big ear skills. Great video, keep them coming.

[@Lionheartsm]

Nothing beats your content man, so chill and relaxing to watch. Can't wait to try paragliding next year.

[@lewisjohn892]

Brilliant instructional video - great work Greg & Flybubble!

[@ckl5822]

THANK YOU Greg !! I’m a new-ish P2 and don’t yet know all the subtleties of ears/bar etc. I’ve done these maneuvers under coaching, but didn’t always feel I knew the rationale behind them. Your videos offer a wonderful and comprehensive explanation of what, when, and why.

[@MrEvpatoria]

This vid is a particularly successful and fun one. Thanks Greg.

[@Adventure_Bum]

Another bloody fantastic video. I've learned and implemented so much from these. THANK YOU!

[@abbott876]

This is great Greg. Thanks.

[@gulliveradventuresin]

Flybubble rocks! Another great description video. You explained the Big ears really well and clear. Simple but very important maneuver. Keep it up.... Wish to see your video about Speed System soon.

[@fishmut]

As a newbie and doing a lot of research on paragliding this is definitely going into my tool bag for keeps , love your content in your videos definitely going to help a lot of paragliders up and coming and those that just haven’t got to use big ears I’m sure they are all great full , have a great day and many thanks. 👍

[@hansenpansen2314]

Great explanation and a joy to watch and listen. Perfect, Maestro ;)

[@davidgarber4591]

I really appreciate your videos! Love your teaching style.

[@nachnamevorname5917]

Yepp, Greg, enjoyed and left a thumbs up. Thanks!

[@Parakitedude]

Great as always! Thanks!

[@SailingRhapsode]

This is a very informative video, thanks Greg.

[@edge6715]

Very valuable video , thanks for posting it. I know you are a very experienced pilot which when looking for advice helps identify who anyone should listen to. Anybody who has flown for as many years as you must be doing it right. 😎👍

[@pascalreedsmith9593]

Many thanks Greg ! I love your videos !

[@jamesdonovan5335]

Thank you - that was very helpful!

[@jumpleadsx2]

Id very much like the same sort of video about using the speed bar.

[@mehdiasadi3286]

jumpleadsx2 yea exactly! Searched for it nearly all over the internet!

[@greghamerton4422]

coming today on the Flybubble channel!

[@edtotman2952]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/oXanhH6HgZmBjq8

[@jsantamaria0129]

Fantastic Video !! Thank you so much !!

[@Captaintramp202]

Brilliant. Thank you.

[@MikeyFirst]

Very good and clear explanation! And a good training for Greg, walking up the hill and talking at the same time!

[@greghamerton4422]

Puff .. xpyr 2020 ... pant ... I will be ready ... gasssp

[@DarrellMalick]

great info and explanations. Thank you.

[@XimenaFuentealba-re2sh]

Big explanation!!! Thanks you, a lot!!

[@mikerosner546]

Excellent. Many thanks for this

[@elimmiho608]

Thanks so much!

[@jeffmacklin3148]

I’m new at this and have just bought a ground handling wing. I would love to see something on the different types of harnesses. Thanks keep it up!!!

[@lereseaudepp]

Great reminder and clear explanation. Give me confidence I am doing it right .... Awesome job.

[@horaciorivara1240]

Great video, thanks from Argentina

[@wolfcake]

Excellent stuff thanks!

[@maiorfly]

Thanks Greg! Learnig...and breathing

[@crimsonraen]

Thanks so much for the video! :D

[@swiss_2k]

Thank you!

[@darrendix5163]

EXCELLENT! Maestro!

[@brendanwilkinson4826]

excellent as per usual nice one

[@michaelpace8680]

Thank you very clear explanation. Time to practice

[@greghamerton4422]

I would have made an XC video but the conditions were shite ... :-)

[@milospejkovic5606]

Thanks. Very useful.

[@andrewcummings7822]

Interesting stuff Greg, funny you should be discussing this now as I’ve been a little confused about the correct procedure for initiating Big Ears. Many publications recommend one ear at a time and I was trained to do it that way, but, my Wing manual recommends both together. Many thanks for the insight will now bring both ears in together.

[@greghamerton4422]

It doesn"t make much of a difference on a B wing, to be honest. It's a long way away from being critical.

[@bramaugat74]

Amazing content I’m learning so much

[@denishooper2618]

grreeaatt vid. thx for sharing your knowledge :))

[@j2fly]

Спасибо большое! Отдельно за субтитры))

[@flybubbleparagliding]

😁😎🤓

[@ripmanridin7092]

Good stuff................thanks!

[@hparadigma]

nice video, thankyouuu

[@StanBarankiewicz]

Nicely done and comprehensive! I'm glad you addressed the use of big ears during top landings. That has been a huge point of controversy amongst the instructors at my site. Show us a full spiral dive with big ears and speed bar! You can't talk about it and not show us! That's just teasing! :)

[@Summitspeedfly]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/p6KXn3qji9h2qJI

[@greghamerton4422]

I looked through my archive but couldn't find any footage in past ten years ... guess I don't use it that often, it is a complete failure of flight management to need 20m/s descent. I have needed it before, but it was such a long flight my camera was dead at the time

[@briandoub4866]

@@greghamerton4422 "complete failure of flight management" ... hmmm, not necessarily so. I was at a comp in NZ and there was huge lift over goal. I was about the last one in and they radioed for me to get down so we could all go to the pub (big incentive). So I did big ears and couldn't get down. Then big ears and bar, still couldn't get down. then big ears, bar, and spiral (which I couldn't maintain for very long because I don't handle the g-forces well). In the end I had to fly a long distance away from the goal field over a forest where there was no lift and glide back to goal just over the trees. At another comp in Ager I practiced full spiral with outside big ear in. That works a charm!! and is much easier to hold in and manage. Looking forward to more videos.

[@greghamerton4422]

@@briandoub4866 excellent, thanks Brian! When I get the chance I'll do a comparison video with that technique, I've heard it works very well but haven't tried it for absolute ages. Probably superior as you can control the rate of spiral nicely with inside brake control.

[@user-uu1ix7uh7g]

Thanks

[@rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr]

I've heard the argument for recommending beginners to do one ear at a time is just to make sure they're not pulling the wrong line. If they are accidentally pulling the middle A's or even the other risers, it will be obvious before they pull it on both sides and risk stalling or collapsing the whole wing.

[@zabacorporation]

Hi Greg, thank you for great video! Your tutorials are the best of all :-) You mentioned that it is possible to stall the wing on big ears. I suppose this has never happened to you but as you have a clear view of how the wings behave... What would be the sequence of steps you would use to get out of it and not to mess it up even more? Thank you!

[@kevincanfly]

Big ears and bar, I don’t do it that much anymore but there is definitely a place for it in my quiver....

[@skycruiser50]

Great video and explanations. What do think about doing the spiral with only 1 BigEar being pulled?

[@besafe5969]

amazing

[@bornforfun4813]

Thank you

[@99problemsbutafishaintone35]

Good video!!!

[@KLoginov69]

Большущее спасибо ) !

[@SteveWrightNZ]

I release asymettrically; release left, weight shift right, left-brake pump left tip out, pause to check stability then release right, weight shift left, right-brake pump right tip out. As you say, the last thing you want to be dealing with releasing ears is a hard forward surge falling well back to asymetric stall and spin afterwards, not nice, not for new pilots anyway. There might be enough airspeed to brake that surge, but if there isn't and you try it and over do it, well, it'll be another nasty fright for non-SIV pilots..

[@siluc415]

You did a fantastic walk to reach which take off? Thanks for the video

[@bikemancody2752]

Internal pressure in the glider also aids in big ear re-inflation as well as what you said on the drag that is created by the under carriage on the tips themselves. Excellent watch bud.

[@simonheeg6910]

Our instructor told us (and I believe that this is the German teaching standard) to pull both A-lines with short delay. The explanation was that if you get hold of a wrong line, maybe the inner As, then you might recognize your mistake after the first pull. What do you think? PS: nice videos, please keep going

[@danielgonzaleztejedor9486]

I think it would be nice to have a vídeo regarding the use of accelerator, especially un terms of safety and sink rate. Thanks for your channel.

[@greghamerton4422]

I hear you .. spēēd barrrrr comin at ya

[@tonyevans3297]

I'm wondering who the 25 dislike are!? Would love to see their critiques. Great job Greg.

[@Plastpackad]

Two things I'd like to add. - big ears reduce the flying area thus increasing the stall speed. Slow pumping with the breaks to get big sticky ears out could put the glider into a stall. If you have a glider that need pumping you might consider doing it with 30-50% speed pushed. Just to keep up the margin - pulling down the outer a-line, but how far? I know pilots not being able to reach up on the line very far and when pulling down the entire A-riser have been pulled as well. I rather say grab the line with your pinky upwards, back of your hand towards our head and then twist the hand 180 dgr. Should work on most gliders.

[@ricardom959]

Hi Greg, thanks for the great video. I've seen two different uses of Big Ears. One with the brake handles around the wrists while grabbing the outer A's and the other without grabbing the brake handles at all, just the outer A's . I've tried both of them, didn't notice any major diference in the end but wondering if having the handles around the wrists doesn't make the wing more prone to a stall, or in the last case (without grabbing the handles), making the wind more prone to a frontal collapse. What's your opinion?

[@greghamerton4422]

Hey Ricardo, both methods work fine. It doesn't matter how you hold the brakes, what matters is if you pull down on the trailing edge, which takes you closer to stall point. While engaging the ears, be careful you aren't pulling the trailing edge as this will try and reinflate them as you are pulling them. I would not recommend ever letting go of the brakes completely - if that's how you practice it in smooth conditions, that's how you'll do it in bad conditions, when it's very easy to panic and pull too hard on the big ears, while having a bit of a pitch, or being accelerated because you were getting blown back, and then ... boom, big collapse, riser goes slack, lost the brake. damn!

[@aprendizdeparapente]

nice !

[@severinpuschkarski4638]

What about really big ears with the two outer A-lines on each side. In my opinion they give a lot more sink!

[@Florentin-Parapente]

nice vide :)

[@theo3888]

Next summer I'm going to get my license an I think I'll buy the gear from flybubble

[@preetisaxena5503]

You should definitely do that. I get all my gear from fly bubble and it really gives a amazing flight. Even though flying Is always amazing

[@bramdeclercq7885]

As can be read below by Instrumentenfreak, there are differences in method for big ears between Germany and the UK. No idea how the French do it. I'm in training to become an instructor, and I'm being taught the way Instrumentfreak describes, and I'm aware there's a bit of controversy... Our method for students: Brakes up. Half bar. pull "small" ears. Full bar. Enlarge the ears. Release ears. Come off the bar slowly. What do you think guys and gals?

[@greghamerton4422]

Nope. As commented above. Trying to clear ears while on bar is bad. Some wings stick in so require bigger pumps, and that is a bad idea when accelerated because you create a huge camber and likely front collapse. Come off accelerator, let wing adjust for a few seconds, then clear. Also collapsing when accelerated is known to make more violent collapses. Not recommended, especially for pilots in a stressful situation.

[@toriokras1582]

The sequence for the speed bar use doesn't sound right. But the part about the breaks up makes sense, I was taught that way as well. Also in this video when he is talking about keeping the breaks in the hands the camera was pointing up at the glider and it is possible to see that there is a slight pressure on the trailing edge when the ears are down. Just a slight pull but that is even before the speed bar is applied, so I would say breaks up definitely makes sense.

[@ngaupin]

I have a question for the release of the big ears. YOu said that when we do big ears the AOA will increase so that we push the speedbar to let the glider head down to decrease AOA. So when we release the speedbar the risk of big AOA comes back. So why dont we just release the big ears than release the speed bar? Thanks.

[@greghamerton4422]

Good question, it relates to the difficulty of clearing the ears whilst accelerated, most wings stick in a bit, and pumping while on bar can cause a front collapse (think about the kind of curvature / camber you are forcing on a wing.)

[@amgalbu185]

I would disagree with this explanation. Imho the use of speedbar is related to the higher load on the wing due to the reduction of wing surface. Higher load means higher stall speed. So speedbar is required to keep speed high and stay away from stall speed

[@alejoal2007]

If the wing doesn't open the big ears by itself, does it mean it will have bad recovery / reinflation characteristics? What causes wings to not open the ears by themselves?

[@marcoprins4880]

Cool video! Your accent sounds South African. Are you? Also, where was this video taken?

[@michroz]

On 12:30 you mention big ears + speedbar + spiral. But how exactly would you pull one handle to induce a spiral if your both hands are keeping the outer A-lines down from recovering the big ears? Thanks!

[@flybubblecarlo]

On some (most?) wings it's possible to enter a spiral without using the brakes (controls) at all, just using weightshift (aka "body steering") i.e. leaning to one side in the harness. Plus when you induce big ears on a paraglider you effectively remove the stabilios (wing tips) which help stabilise the wing in roll and yaw (I think that's partly where the name stabilos comes from) and so it's easier to go into a spiral with the big ears in just using weightshift.

[@michroz]

@@flybubblecarlo Spiral with just weightshifting? Thanks, will try it next time.

[@flybubblecarlo]

@@michroz yes on many (not all) wings it's possible to get into a spiral dive just with just weight shifting, no brakes. It might not work if the wing is very stable, very out of trim (rear lines shrunk) so flying too slow, or/and you are low in the weight range. On a different but related note, it's also possible to do wing overs just with just weight shifting on most wings, with good timing.

[@Mazby2]

what was the speed difference

[@newsky_laboratory]

Очень интересно, спасибо за русский текст. 👍😎

[@ranman58635]

Can the lines handle say, 15 G's?

[@aieaslippers5900]

When you are clearing the stuck ears, do you pump your A lines or your brakes?

[@cheynomdingi9596]

Your brakes

[@wolcek]

Hi Greg. They have told me in the flight school to go half speed bar, big-ears, full speed bar and to clear - half speed bar, release A-lines, release speed bar. What do you think about this method?

[@wolcek]

@@flybubbleparagliding Thank you!

[@sailorman8668]

@@wolcek Deploy big ears FIRST, and then speed bar.

[@user-vn2qd6ll3d]

👏👏👍

[@JulesChavent]

Might be a stupid question but is there a difference between big ears and regular ears or are they both the same ?

[@flybubblecarlo]

the same, depending on who you're talking / listening to. On some wings you can do "big big ears" which is usually referring to using the 2 outer main A lines on wings which have 3 main A lines per side. You can also also reel in more A line to make the big ears biggerer.

[@greghamerton4422]

You're probably right, we should call them Ears, and Big Ears for the big ones.

[@CharlieChip]

Hi Guys, probably being really thick, but if my wing needs me to keep holding in big ears, I can't really use my breaks for steering. Does that mean I can only rely on weight shift for turning?!?

[@flybubblecarlo]

Hi. That's correct, yes.

[@flybubblecarlo]

ps. For most wings it's normal to have to hold on to the lines to keep the big ears in; if you let go of the lines the wing tips will reinflate on their own, some quickly, others more slowly. For some wings the big ears stay in even when you let go of the lines, especially if lightly loaded, and require "pumping out" with the brakes.

[@CharlieChip]

Thanks so much for the reply, really appreciate it

[@ooglek]

"It's not dramatic..." Only 150% increase in drop-rate. I wish for not dramatic stock market returns!

[@greghamerton4422]

I'm hearing a call for a 'dramatic descent' video :-)

[@Hemersonr]

thanks for sharing... speedbar key for safety using big ears... what about big big ears????

[@flybubblecarlo]

thanks for watching, Greg briefly mentions big big ears around 3:00 (for wings with 3 main A lines per side, you can usually use the 2 outer main A lines to make big big ears) and around 12:00 (pulling in more A line to make the big ears bigger).

[@Hemersonr]

@@flybubblecarlo gracie Carlo huge thanks to all flybubble team.... you rock guys!!!

[@greghamerton4422]

Yes still use bar. The biggest factor to keep you safe on big big ears is to be flying a safe safe wing. Not old, not porous, not wet, not out of trim, not high performance.

[@Hemersonr]

@@greghamerton4422 good info for everyone... thanks guys

[@JakobvonRaumer]

Whenever I'm pulling 2 of my 3 A lines, I have a hard time not starting to constantly turn (which I then have to counteract all the time with weightshift). Any help with that? Or is pulling 2/3 of my A lines just not that good of an idea?

Growin' that hair! Soon you won't need to wear a skid-lid

[@mikesobirey9529]

... teaching by walking (body language).

[@Alex.25.]

Есть разница как ведёт себя 3-х стропное крыло и 4-х старых поколений ?,думаю да !

[@giuseppevaloti1714]

La

[@isaacjonathan8367]

!

[@instrumentenfreak]

Things that where taught to me in flight school (Germany): Big ears are very safe and easy to do. But Never ever brake while doing big ears. You need to let go of your brakes first, then do big ears. (If you grab the brakes you pull the brakes down automatically while pulling the A-lines.) Step 1: let go of your brakes Step 2: half speed bar (a functional glider does not do a frontal collapse because of big ears) Step 3: pull the outer as Step 4: full speed bar Step 5: pull bigger ears if needed Step 6: you can do wingovers with weight shifting (very easy and effective) While doing a big ears spiral the middle lines can easily tear apart. There is much more tension with big ears, because you "disengage" 50% of your lines and still have 80% of the g-force. Most gliders have this warning in the handbook.

[@greghamerton4422]

Not recommended .. I'll answer this in the written article coming this week. I'll also analyse the G force warning. It's pretty obvious when you feel it ... you go down like stink, but with very little uncomfortable G pull.

[@577buttfan]

You always want too have your brakes in your hands with any maneuver buddy.

[@toriokras1582]

@@577buttfan Not really, you don't want to apply the breaks with the speed bar at the same time which is what is happening here. And you will find your breaks very quickly when you need them.

[@cantona70]

Stop walking.

[@greghamerton4422]

But I want to go flying! This is the best time for me to explain stuff to you guys (walking to the site) because it's free time when I'm not busy with something else (working, driving, partying on my yacht :-)

[@tamilkeerthi]

It's better to stop and explain rather than walk all over and gasp for breath. Your explanation will reach the audience better.