Those who witnessed Bill Soderquist's side wire failure at the Andy Jackson Flight Park last week, understand just how important it is to keep your glider well maintained. I've already had several requests from pilots that want their side wires changed. Most hang glider side wires will fail if loaded to over 900 lbs. Some new gliders will fail with less load than that. Think of that, 900 lbs, IF they're not "race wires", WHEN they were new and IF they are in good shape.
Of course it's easy to load a modern intermediate or advanced glider with way more than 900 lbs on one wing, simply by turbulence, or abrupt maneuvers at high speeds. Performing aerobatics on a hang glider is just one more way to easily over stress not only the side wires, but many other structural components that are not designed for these excessive loads.
There are some pilots that will push their gliders structural limits, simply by the way they fly. Most of the time, they will get away with it. Sometimes they won't. Are you one of those pilots?
If so, I'm not so sure that good glider maintenance will protect you.
"Safety in not a word, it's a book"
Michael Robertson
Recent side wire failure
Recent side wire failure
Safety is a book, not a word
Michael Robertson
Michael Robertson