Individualism vs. Teamwork

"There is more to building a team than buying new uniforms."
- Bryce's Law

INTRODUCTION

As you travel around corporate America these days, you hear a lot about "teams";
that groups, departments or whole divisions are trying to behave more as a team
as opposed to a group of individuals. Its the latest catch phrase du jour. I guess
someone finally figured out the power of teamwork. But just how much of this
represents sincere efforts? My corporate contacts tell me its mostly facade. They
contend they get some nifty new corporate shirts and some great pep talks, but
aside from this, little else. As much as corporations tout the need for teamwork,
most still encourage rugged individualism.

There is more to creating a team than simply saying you are one. New shirts and axioms
are nice, but in order for this to work, people have to think and act as a team. In other
words, success hinges on it becoming a natural part of the corporate culture.

CORPORATE CULTURE

Teachers, coaches, and drill instructors have long understood the value of teamwork. The
intent is to turn a heterogeneous working environment into a homogeneous environment
whereby everyone is working in a concerted effort towards common goals. But do corporate
managers truly understand teamwork? Not necessarily. Many still create competitive
environments in the hope that the strongest will rise to the surface. Teamwork is more
about cooperation than it is about competition.

This brings up an important point: Teamwork is taught. It means developing a disciplined
work environment where the participants must conform to a specific set of rules. Inevitably,
it means breaking some work habits and creating new ones. This can be painful, yet
necessary if you want to achieve the desired results. Basically, you are teaching
people how to live and work together as opposed to apart.

In the United States there is more of a natural inclination to teach individualism
as opposed to teamwork; perhaps this is because we are a nation based on
freedoms. For example, our public school systems have minimal dress and hair codes;
each student is allowed to look and dress as they personally see fit, many with some
very questionable taste. This is permitted as it is believed the individual must be allowed to
freely express him/herself. This may be fine, but it certainly does not promote a spirit of
teamwork. Compare it to other countries, such as Japan, where students are required
to where school uniforms and are given group assignments, such as the preparation and
cleanup of their daily lunch. In Japan, students are taught the value of cooperation
at an early age which has the added benefit of improving their socialization skills.

As mentioned, teamwork requires the establishment of a working environment conducive
to teamwork. It doesn't happen simply by making some platitudinous statements. A manager
must do more, much more; some suggestions:

1. First and foremost: Lead. All teams need a leader who can articulate goals and
   give direction. The team must trust and believe in its leader. Without such confidence,
   the team will not likely follow the leader, particularly in times of difficulty. The leader
   should also be wary of leading by democratic rule. Soliciting input is one thing, as is
   having assistants, but there can only be one ultimate leader to guide the team.

2. Institute uniform operating practices that everyone will be expected to conform to,
   such as operating hours of work, dress code, office appearance, speech and conduct,
   etc. Such uniformity stresses the equality of the workers. As another suggestion,
   downplay job titles and put more emphasis on work assignments instead. Job titles
   tend to emphasize a person's stature in a company and can be disruptive in terms of
   equality.

3. Establish standard practices for executing work assignments, thereby everyone is
   following the same methods, and using the same tools and techniques in their work
   effort. This improves communications, provides for the interchangeability of workers,
   and promotes the development of quality work products.

4. Make sure everyone knows their responsibilities and assignments and understands
   their importance. Nobody wants to be regarded as the weakest link and, as such,
   the manager must be able to communicate their importance and carefully balance
   the workload. Yes, there will be those workers who will undoubtedly excel over others,
   but teamwork is a group effort. If a weaker worker needs additional training, either
   give it to him or replace him.

5. Routinely check progress. Whenever applicable, keep statistics on both team and
   individual performance. However, it is not important to publish such stats. It is
   important for the leader to know the team's strengths and weaknesses, but it is
   nobody else's business.

6. Be on the lookout for conflicts in working relationships. Some people will simply not
   get along and it is up to the manager to referee such conflicts. Either have the people
   work out their differences, keep them apart, or rid yourself of them. You want harmony,
   not contention, on your team.

7. Allow time for the team to meet and discuss issues as a group. This keeps everyone
   in tune with common goals, problems, and the team's general progress. It also allows the
   team to socialize and form a camaraderie (a bonding of unity).

8. Recognize individual achievement but reward on a team basis as opposed to
   an individual basis.

CONCLUSION

Are we really trying to promote teamwork or is this nothing more than the latest
corporate fad that is being implemented more for public relations than anything
else? Let's hope for the former and not the latter. Teamwork is a powerful concept,
particularly when there is anything of substance to be done.

Shrewd managers intuitively understand the need for teamwork. Let me give you
an example from the world of entertainment. Jack Benny, the famous comedian of
yesteryear had a great appreciation for teamwork. His radio and television shows were
consistently at the top of the rating charts for a number of years. When asked what his secret to
success was, Benny simply said teamwork. To Jack, it wasn't important that he personally
got the best lines and laughs week after week. In fact, he was often the butt of many of the
jokes. Instead, he made sure his cast, guests, and writers all received the accolades they
deserved. It was more important to Benny that people said they had tuned into
"The Show" as opposed to tuning in to see "Jack Benny." He was right.

I realize there are instances in business when it becomes necessary to exercise
individualism, but these are becoming a rarity. Instead companies can find greater
glory as a team as opposed to a group of individuals.

"Individual glory is insignificant when compared to achieving victory as a team."
- Dot Richardson, M.D.
U.S. Olympic Softball Team
Two time Gold Medal Champions

For more information on corporate culture, see:

No. 28 - "Understanding Corporate Culture"
http://www.box.net/shared/ftmey3nh3i

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Excel Tips on Conditional Formatting

Excel can be very tricky to use. I learned a lot by taking an Excel training class in Buffalo NY.. However Allen Wyatt provides these great tips on his website for conditional formatting.

Adding Ordinal Notation to Dates If you use dates in your worksheet, you may want to add an ordinal indicator to the day of the month. This tip shows the best ways to achieve this result. Microsoft Excel versions: 97 | 2000 | 2002 | 2003 | 2007

Changing Coordinate Colors Want to change the colors used by Excel for the column letters and row numbers on a worksheet? You can’t do it directly in Excel; instead you need to make an adjustment in Windows itself. Microsoft Excel versions: 97 | 2000 | 2002 | 2003

Changing Font Face and Size Conditionally Conditional formatting does not allow you to change the typeface or font size used in a cell. Instead, you need to use a macro to accomplish your formatting goals. It’s easier to do than you think it is by using the information in this tip. Microsoft Excel versions: 97 | 2000 | 2002 | 2003

Conditional Formats that Distinguish Blanks and Zeroes Conditional formatting is a great boon to Excel users. One use is that you can use it to highlight cells that contain zero values. However, if a cell is blank, Excel also considers that cell to be equal to zero. This tip explains how you should perform your conditional test to get only those cells containing an actual zero value. Microsoft Excel versions: 97 | 2000 | 2002 | 2003

Conditional Formatting A few ways to use conditional formatting on cells in your Excel worksheet. Microsoft Excel versions: 97 | 2000 | 2002 | 2003

Conditional Formatting Based on Date Proximity Creating conditional formatting to turn cells different colors depending on the values entered. Microsoft Excel versions: 97 | 2000 | 2002 | 2003

Conditional Formatting for Errant Phone Numbers If you’ve got a bunch of phone numbers in a worksheet, you may want to check if they are all within certain bounds. You can use the Conditional Formatting feature of Excel to assist in this checking, as described in this tip. Microsoft Excel versions: 97 | 2000 | 2002 | 2003 | 2007

Conditional Formatting with Data Imported from Access If the information you import from Access into Excel isn’t interpreted just right, it can have consequences on your conditional formatting. This tip explains those consequences and how you can correct for any potential problems. Microsoft Excel versions: 97 | 2000 | 2002 | 2003

Conditionally Formatting for Multiple Date Comparisons The Conditional Formatting capabilities of Excel are very powerful. Getting them to behave exactly as you expect can be a bit tricky, however. This tip describes one common pitfall when setting conditions, and it explains how to get around it. Microsoft Excel versions: 97 | 2000 | 2002 | 2003

Copying Conditional Formatting Conditional formatting is a very powerful feature in Excel. If you want to copy conditional formatting from one cell to a group of another cells, you might be at a loss as to how to proceed. Copying the conditional formats is actually easier than you think, as this tip describes. Microsoft Excel versions: 97 | 2000 | 2002 | 2003

Counting Colors from Conditional Formats The background of a cell can be colored based either on direct formatting or on conditional formatting. Counting the number of cells that are directly formatted in a particular manner is not that difficult when using a macro. Counting the same cells if they are conditionally formatted is much more difficult, as described in this tip. Microsoft Excel versions: 97 | 2000 | 2002 | 2003

Highlighting Cells Containing Specific Text How to format cells containing specific text differently, so that they stand out from the rest of your worksheet. A great approach that makes certain cells easier to view. Microsoft Excel versions: 97 | 2000 | 2002 | 2003

Highlighting Values in a Cell Excel allows you, through normal editing, to overwrite formulas in a cell with explicit values. Wouldn’t it be nice to know where such overwriting occurred, however? You can find out by applying some of the techniques discussed in this tip. Microsoft Excel versions: 97 | 2000 | 2002 | 2003 | 2007

More than Three Conditional Formats Conditional formatting is a powerful feature of Excel, but it has traditionally been limited to three explicit formats. This tip examines ways around this limitation, along with a look at how the limitation was entirely removed in Excel 2007. Microsoft Excel versions: 97 | 2000 | 2002 | 2003 | 2007

Protecting Conditional Formatting If you have conditional formatting applied in a worksheet, the formulas in those formats may not be as secure as you would like. This tip explains the problem and shows you what you can do to guard the formulas. Microsoft Excel versions: 97 | 2000 | 2002 | 2003 | 2007

Removing Conditional Formats, but Not the Effects Conditional formatting is very powerful, but at some point you may want to make the formatting “unconditional.” In other words, you might want to remove the conditions on which the formatting is based, but still keep the formatting that you see for those cells. This can only be done via a macro, as described in this tip. Microsoft Excel versions: 97 | 2000 | 2002 | 2003

Shading a Cell Until Something is Entered Using conditional formatting, you can shade a particular cell (or cells) until a value is entered in the cell. This is a handy way for users to tell when something needs to be entered in a particular cell. Microsoft Excel versions: 97 | 2000 | 2002 | 2003

Shading Based on Odds and Evens Given a series of values in a range of cells, you may want to shade the cells based on whether the values are odd or even. Using Conditional Formatting you can make short work out of such a need. Microsoft Excel versions: 97 | 2000 | 2002 | 2003

Shading Rows with Conditional Formatting Conditional formatting can be used to shade every other row in a data table. This is handy for those times when it may not be that easy to follow the lines on a printout. Microsoft Excel versions: 97 | 2000 | 2002 | 2003

Sorting or Filtering by Conditional Format Results Conditional formatting is a powerful feature of Excel. You cannot directly sort or filter based on the results of this special type of formatting, however. Using the results of a conditional formatting test can be achieved, but the easiest way is to change the structure of your worksheet. Microsoft Excel versions: 97 | 2000 | 2002 | 2003

Understanding Color and Conditional Formatting Codes Using custom formatting, you can format a cell so that different types of values display exactly as you want them to. This tip explains how to create the custom formats and the pertinent formatting codes that are available. Microsoft Excel versions: 97 | 2000 | 2002 | 2003

Understanding Conditional Formatting Conditions An explanation of conditional formatting and how to employ it in your Excel worksheet. Microsoft Excel versions: 97 | 2000 | 2002 | 2003

Using AutoFormat The AutoFormat tool can save a great deal of time when formatting tables of data. This tip explains how to use the tool to get the best results for your data. Microsoft Excel versions: 97 | 2000 | 2002 | 2003

Using Multiple Test Conditions When creating conditional formats, you are not limited to only one condition. You can create up to three conditions, all for the same cell or range of cells. Microsoft Excel versions: 97 | 2000 | 2002 | 2003

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The Meaning and Importance of Corporate Strategy

Corporate strategy is supposed to be the means by which an organisation achieves and sustains success. Yet, it rarely rises to that level, despite an abundance of corporate strategy theory and significant research from many organisations over the past few decades. The changes over the years are considered in the form of small, theoretical refinements, rather than large and significant steps required for further management transition (Papers4you.com, 2006).

What explains the relative failure of most organisations to create effective strategy? Part of the problem is that corporations and their managers have great difficulty clearly and consistently defining what corporate strategy is, and much of that struggle can be traced to their interpretation of the word strategy itself.

The original meaning of the word strategy derives from the Geek strategia, which is used in the military terms and represents the ability to employ available resources to win a war. This interpretation has generated problems when such concept is used in a business context because it implies the existence, even the necessity, of opponents. As a result, most managers believed that a corporate strategy implies a strong focus on competition, since competition takes place almost exclusively at the offering level, most organisations concentrate their strategic efforts on constantly improving the goods and services they offer. This overemphasis on the temporary success, however, can often obscure the kind of thinking and emphasis that would lead to sustained success, even a continuous repetition of temporary successes doesn't equate to sustainable strategy. In an effort to increase the value of single offerings, the organisation may be distracted from larger questions of structure, mission and objective (Papers4you.com, 2006).

In war, objectives can often be clearly defined, and so strategy is thought of as a means to a specific end. This view has persisted in the corporate world where strategies are conceived as plans to accomplish specific goals. Although corporate strategy can be very goal-oriented, especially in the early stages of a company's development, the very nature of goals implies temporary success. By contrast, sustainable success is not, and cannot be an end unto itself or a goal to achieve. Therefore, goal orientation becomes arguably inappropriate when success has to be indefinitely sustained.

Despite this, an overwhelming number of top executives and researchers make extensive use of objectives in their quest of lasting corporate success. Certainly, a number of factors contribute to this: the need of leaders with limited tenure to point to achievements, the tyranny of meeting the expectations of the financial markets and most management teams extensively rely on forecasting and planning. Still, the idea held by most managers that strategy itself is all about goal achievement only exacerbates the situation. Therefore, it is important for strategists to remember that the more specific an objective, the further away it may potentially lead the organisation from its optimal big picture.

So how strategy should be redefined? Clearly it cannot rely too strongly on objectives nor can it focus too heavily on competition. A more fundamental concept is needed to guide an organisation in seeing its big picture, and such concept should be customer. To create sustainable, long-term success, an organisation must first and fundamentally understand and relate to its customers. It is the ongoing encouragement of this understanding, based on neither specific competitors nor temporal objectives, which must be at the heart of any real strategy. And it is that from which all objectives should naturally flow.

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Retirement: What to Write on Retirement Card

Retirement – this is a time to pursue dreams by exploring new dimensions of life. This is again the time for some people to get mentally paralyzed with loads to stress and stressful thoughts about how life's going to be the next phase. Whatever way does retirement come in to one's life, its true that he or she deserves the best and the choicest wishes, as the person is going to get a transition into an entirely new phase of life. The most meaningful and aesthetic of all are those retirement wishes, where you use some really thoughtful words of inspiration and encouragement. Wish the person a life flooded by the waves of happiness and cool splashes of peace – a healthy life, both mentally and physically.

The evidences of the unfulfilled seniors have been observed to be more prone to health problems followed by severe mental depression – usually compounded as time passed by. A good wish with a thoughtful message works like panacea. What to write on a retirement card is the most talked about topic of debate, when it comes to retirement wishes. Here are some points that works like magic:

Write something that comes from your within – from the core of your heart. Your retirement wishes wordings must make the person feel his energy soared higher and spirits lifted to a great height.

Your retirement wishes wordings should give your wish fervor of inspiration and encouragement to flag on a new voyage in the next phase of life. Your wordings should be such that could sprinkle the grains of inspiration on the retired person to gear up a new journey of life even at the age of 60s.

If you are a co-worker of the person who's retiring from his or her job, it would be really appreciable if your wordings can reflect the memories of the past moments that you spent with him or her in the canteen and conference room.

Retirement quotations and thoughtful sayings on retirement can give your speeches and wishes a special dimension. A beautiful retirement quotes can make your remarks come to bloom and set a distinctive tone for your message that can bring one of life’s most significant changes.

Here are some of the really awesome quotes that you can start off your remarks with:

“It has become clear to most of us that we don’t want “our father’s retirement”; the only thing that needs to be retired is old ideas about retirement.

Our greatest fear and insecurity for our later years should not be about the Social Security system or about being broke but rather about being without purpose and meaningful work.” - Mitch Anthony, author of The New Retire mentality

“Age is only a number, a cipher for the records. A man can’t retire his experience. He must use it. Experience achieves more with less energy and time.” - Bernard Baruch, financier, statesman.

“When I was younger I could remember anything, whether it happened or not; but my faculties are decaying now and soon I shall be so that I cannot remember any but the things that never happened.” - Mark Twain, author

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Shaklee in Mexico

You can have a business thru Shaklee anywhere you may choose to. Mexico is a great place to have a Shaklee business. You can do it even if you live in the United States. This way it gives you more of a customer line. Shaklee in Mexico will bring you more money as well as more income. The products are healthy for you also. I do not know of anyone who would not want to use products that they do not have to worry about not being good for their families and homes as well as themselves.

There are many ways to make Shaklee in Mexico a great opportunity for your customers as well as yourself. By having a bigger customer base you will be able to do a lot more with your business. You could appoint someone over there to handle the business while you are still in the United States. You could also open up a store to sell your products thru or you could still sell door to door. Just like people in U.S. people in Mexico want to make extra money also. So you have people to buy your products as well as people to recruit into the business.

People in Mexico want to use these products just like everyone else. It would do wonders for your business if you were the person that they were buying their products from. Most people do not want to overrun their lives by selling too many different places because they think the work will be too hard. But Actually Shaklee in Mexico can have many added benefits. It gives you more people to sale to, it also allows you to help people and it also gives you the ability to broaden your horizon and meet new and exciting people.

Shaklee in Mexico as well as anywhere else you can think of can make your business better because of the extra productivity and expose. There are many things you can do with a Shaklee business and being able to expand your current business or even if you just start the business in Mexico the possibilities are endless. Everyone wants to spend less money on the products they need and with Shaklee they can do that and also they will have product that are good for the body as well. The extra expose to your business is great but knowing that you are helping people better their lives is better

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Exclusive Debt Leads

Exclusive Debt Leads – What it is and what are the benefits of it?

Exclusive leads are by definition a lead that is exclusive to your company and no one else. A truly exclusive lead will help you increase ROI and have a better experience with sales altogether. The potential customer you contacted wont be an individual enraged by businesses constantly contacting them. Instead, your lead will be someone eagerly awaiting help from you. Debt leads are people who need help with their debt. This is obvious, but they cannot be looked at as just another number or just more revenue for you. Instead, they need to be taken care of because these customers have needs. Debt is a serious matter, in fact, the biggest issue in America today. Millions of Americans struggle with debt every year. At Underground Elephant we want our leads taken care of. We want people to look back and think, "I got through my debt problem." That's why we make sure each lead is handled with care. You may ask, "Why do you care what happens to your leads after you sell them?" We put ourselves in the mind set of the leads. Debt is scary and could be embarrassing for some leads. And if we were in that position we would want a company to fix our problems as soon as possible.

Being a debt lead isn't easy. Therefore, when you try to sell to a debt lead you need to put yourself in their mind set. For each person debt effects them differently. Maybe they feel scared, depressed, or mad but whatever the case they need help. By being our client, you will help our leads with their debt issues.

In the economy right now, Americans are struggling with debt more then ever before. With this in mind, lead generation companies are surging forward with more and more debt leads. With an increase in supply for many companies comes new competition. The industry is growing at a rapid pace and thriving off of the economy's downturn. The issue is debt consolidation companies don't know who to trust. There are way to many companies selling bad leads, reused or recycled leads, or aged leads as real time leads. This is a big problem in the industry today. Trust is what makes a business relationship, or any relationship for that matter. At Underground Elephant, we know all about trust. We have a business relationship with all our clients. We sell quality debt leads you can trust.

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Paragliding

Equipment
Wing
Parts of a paraglider
The paraglider wing or canopy is known in aeronautical engineering as a ram-air airfoil, or parafoil. Such wings comprise two layers of fabric which are connected to internal supporting material in such a way as to form a row of cells. By leaving most of the cells open only at the leading edge, incoming air (ram-air pressure) keeps the wing inflated, thus maintaining its shape. When inflated, the wing's cross-section has the typical teardrop aerofoil shape.
In some modern paragliders (from the 1990s onwards), especially higher performance wings, some of the cells of the leading edge are closed to form a cleaner aerodynamic airfoil. Like the wingtips, these cells are kept inflated by the internal pressure of the wing Wings Infos.
The pilot is supported underneath the wing by a network of lines. The lines are gathered into two sets as left and right risers. The risers collect the lines in rows from front to back in either 3 or 4 rows, distributing load as in a whippletree. The risers are connected to the pilot's harness by two carabiners.
Paraglider wings typically have an area of 2035 square metres (220380 sq ft) with a span of 812 metres (2639 ft), and weigh 37 kilograms (6.615 lb). Combined weight of wing, harness, reserve, instruments, helmet, etc. is around 1218 kilograms (2640 lb).
The glide ratio of paragliders ranges from 8:1 for recreational wings, to about 11:1 for modern competition models[citation needed]. For comparison, a typical skydiving parachute will achieve about 3:1 glide. A hang glider will achieve about 15:1 glide. An idling (gliding) Cessna 152 will achieve 9:1. Some sailplanes can achieve a glide ratio of up to 72:1.
The speed range of paragliders is typically 2060 kilometres per hour (1237 mph), from stall speed to maximum speed. Beginner wings will be in the lower part of this range, high-performance wings in the upper part of the range. The range for safe flying will be somewhat smaller.
Modern paraglider wings are made of high-performance non-porous fabrics such as OLKS from Gelvenor, with Dyneema/Spectra or Kevlar/Aramid lines.
For storage and carrying, the wing is usually folded into a stuffsack (bag), which can then be stowed in a large backpack along with the harness. For pilots who may not want the added weight or fuss of a backpack, some modern harnesses include the ability to turn the harness inside out such that it becomes a backpack.
Tandem paragliders, designed to carry the pilot and one passenger, are larger but otherwise similar. They usually fly faster with higher trim speeds, are more resistant to collapse, and have a slightly higher sink rate compared to solo paragliders.
Since 2000 Juan Salvadori in Argentina has been exploring a variant wing termed Paramontante that involves some firm beams. In April 2009 Pere Casellas has joined in a collaboration with Juan Salvadori for polishing the paramontante. Laboratori d'envol Paramontante
Harness
Pilot with harness (light blue) doing reverse launch
The pilot is loosely and comfortably buckled into a harness which offers support in both the standing and sitting positions. Modern harnesses are designed to be as comfortable as a lounge chair in the sitting position. Many harnesses even have an adjustable 'lumbar support'. A reserve parachute is also typically connected to a paragliding harness.
The primary purpose of parachutes (including skydiving canopies) is for descending, as when jumping out of an aircraft or dropping cargo. In contrast, the primary purpose of paragliders is for ascending. Paragliders are categorized as "ascending parachutes" by canopy manufacturers worldwide, and are designed for "free flying" meaning flight without a tether (for an example of tethered flight, see parasailing). However, in areas without high launch points, paragliders may be towed aloft by a ground vehicle or a stationary winch, after which they are released, creating much the same effect as a mountain launch. Such tethered launches can give a paraglider pilot a higher starting point than many mountains do, offering similar opportunities to catch thermals and to remain airborne by "thermaling" and other forms of lift. As free flight, paragliding requires the significant skill and training required for aircraft control, including aeronautical theory, meteorological knowledge and forecasting, personal/emotional safety considerations, adherence to applicable Federal Aviation Regulations (US), and knowledge of equipment care and maintenance.
Instruments
Most pilots use variometers, radios, and, increasingly, GPS units when flying.
Variometer
Vario-altimeter
Birds are highly sensitive to atmospheric pressure, and can tell when they are in rising or sinking air. People can sense the acceleration when they first hit a thermal, but cannot detect the difference between constant rising air and constant sinking air, so turn to technology to help. Modern variometers are capable of detecting rates of climb or sink of 1 cm per second, such is the case of the Flymaster B1 which uses extremely low noise electronics and complex algorithms to detect such minute changes in air pressure.
A variometer indicates climb-rate (or sink-rate) with short audio signals (beeps, which increase in pitch and tempo during ascent, and a droning sound, which gets deeper as the rate of descent increases) and/or a visual display. It also shows altitude: either above takeoff, above sea level, or (at higher altitudes) "flight level."
The main purpose of a variometer is in helping a pilot find and stay in the "core" of a thermal to maximise height gain and, conversely, to indicate when a pilot is in sinking air and needs to find rising air.
The more advanced variometers have an integrated GPS. This is not only more convenient, but also allows one to record the flight in three dimensions. The track of the flight is digitally signed and stored and can be downloaded after the landing. Digitally signed tracks can be used as proof for record claims, replacing the 'old' method of photo documentation.
2m-band radio
Radio
Pilots use radio for training purposes, for communicating with other pilots in the air, particularly when travelling together on cross-country flights, and for reporting the location of landing.
Radios used are PTT (push-to-talk) transceivers, normally operating in or around the FM VHF 2-metre band (144148 MHz). The "2 Meter" band is an amateur radio band, sometimes used for interpersonal communications, and Aviation Frequencies are usually 108MHz to 136MHz. Usually a microphone is incorporated in the helmet, and the PTT switch is either fixed to the outside of the helmet, or strapped to a finger.
GPS
GPS (global positioning system) is a necessary accessory when flying competitions, where it has to be demonstrated that way-points have been correctly passed.
It can also be interesting to view a GPS track of a flight when back on the ground, to analyze flying technique. Computer software is available which allows various different analyses of GPS tracks (e.g. CompeGPS, See You).
Other uses include being able to determine drift due to the prevailing wind when flying at altitude, providing position information to allow restricted airspace to be avoided, and identifying one location for retrieval teams after landing-out in unfamiliar territory.
More recently, the use of GPS data, linked to a computer, has enabled pilots to share 3D tracks of their flights on Google Earth. This fascinating insight allows comparisons between competing pilots to be made in a detailed 'post-flight' analysis.
Control
Speedbar mechanism.
Brakes: Controls held in each of the pilot hands connect to the trailing edge of the left and right sides of the wing. These controls are called 'brakes' and provide the primary and most general means of control in a paraglider. The brakes are used to adjust speed, to steer (in addition to weight-shift), and flare (during landing).
Weight Shift: In addition to manipulating the brakes, a paraglider pilot must also lean in order to steer properly. Such 'weight-shifting' can also be used for more limited steering when brake use is unavailable, such as when under 'big ears' (see below). More advanced control techniques may also involve weight-shifting.
Speed Bar: A kind of foot control called the 'speed bar' (also 'accelerator') attaches to the paragliding harness and connects to the leading edge of the paraglider wing, usually through a system of at least two pulleys (see animation in margin). This control is used to increase speed, and does so by decreasing the wing's angle of attack. This control is necessary because the brakes can only slow the wing from what is called 'trim speed' (no brakes applied). The accelerator is needed to go faster than this.
More advanced means of control can be obtained by manipulating the paraglider's risers or lines directly:
Most commonly, the lines connecting to the outermost points of the wing's leading edge can be used to induce the wingtips to fold under. The technique, known as 'big ears', is used to increase rate of descent (see picture).
The risers connecting to the rear of the wing can also be manipulated for steering if the brakes have been severed or are otherwise unavailable.
In a 'B-line stall', the second set of risers from the leading-edge/front is gently pulled down to put a crease across the lower surface of the wing (this will also distort the upper surface) acting as an 'air brake' significantly reducing airspeed. The combination of reduced forward airspeed and increased vertical airspeed destroys the laminar flow of air over the aerofoil, dramatically reducing the lift produced by the canopy, thus inducing a higher rate of descent.
Fast Descents
Big Ears, Rocky Point, NY.
Problems with etting down can occur when the lift situation is very good or when the weather changes unexpectedly. There are three possibilities of rapidly reducing altitude in such situations, each of which has benefits and issues to be aware of:
Big ears induces descent rates of 2m/s or so. It is the most controllable of the techniques, and the easiest for beginners to learn.
A B-line stall induces descent rates of 5m/s or so. It increases loading on parts of the wing (the pilot's weight is mostly on the B-lines, instead of spread across all the lines). There is not a risk of the pilot becoming disoriented as a result of using this technique.
A spiral dive offers the fastest rate of descent, at 10-15m/sec. It places greater loads on the wing than other techniques do, and requires the highest level of skill from the pilot to execute safely.
Big Ears
By pulling on the outer A-lines the wing tips of the glider can be folded in. This method drastically deteriorates the glide angle with only a small decrease in forward speed. The effectiveness of this technique can be increased by using the speed system at the same time.
To reinflate on a low performance glider (e.g. DHV1 rated) it is simply necessary to release the lines. On higher performance gliders (e.g. DHV1/2 and above) it may be necessary to help the reinflation with brief, deep pumps of the brakes.
Whilst big ears are in use, the loading on the remaining flying surface of the glider is increased and it is therefore more stable and less prone to collapse. However there is an increased increase of stalling because 'pulling the ears' increases the angle of attack and reduces the speed of the wing. So while 'ears' and speed bar is a good combination, 'ears' and brake is not - it is best not to use the brakes when the ears are 'in'.
B-Line stall
In a 'B-line stall', the second set of risers from the leading-edge/front (the B-lines) are pulled down independently of the other risers. This puts a crease in the upper surface of the wing, thereby destroying the laminar flow of air over the aerofoil. This dramatically reduces the lift produced by the canopy and thus induces a higher rate of descent.
The B-line stall should be initiated with the wing in normal flight (no speed bar; not accelerated). Grasp the B-lines on both sides above the line links and pull them down. There is no need to release the toggles while B-stalling. DHV 1/2 wings are very resistant to creasing; the pilot may have pull on the B-lines with sufficient force to almost lift themself out of the seat to get the wing to crease. Once the crease is in, it requires less effort to keep it in that it does to initiate it.
The sensation for the pilot when the B-line stall is induced is that the breeze is upwards rather than in your face. Pulling the B-lines even further down will not enhance the sink rate, but can lead to a more unstable flight position.
To recover from the B-line stall, release the B-risers so that the aerofoil shape of the wing is resumed. This will normally be sufficient to resume normal flight, but if the canopy remains in a stall push forward gently on the A-risers to lower the leading edge of the wing and reattach the laminar airflow to the upper surface of the wing.
Spiral Dive
The spiral dive is the most rapid form of controlled fast descent. With a little bit of practice you will achieve a sink rate of 15 m/s and more.
However, spiral dives put strong G-forces on the wing and glider and must be done carefully and skilfully. The G-forces involved can induce blackouts, and the rotation can produce disorientation. Spiral dives, as with all paragliding techniques, are best learned under expert supervision. Paragliding 'SIV' courses offer a chance to practice spiral dives over water with a rescue boat standing by.
The spiral dive is initiated by pulling the brake on one side and holding it down. Constant pulling on one brake narrows the radius of the turn and forms a spiral rotation in which high sink rates can be reached. As soon as the glider is in a spiral dive (clear increase of sink rate and turn bank), the outside wing should always be stabilised with the outside brake and the desired sink rate should be controlled with great delicacy.
Flying
Take off from a ramp, Tegelberg, Schwangau, Germany.
Launching
Paraglider reverse launch demonstration video
Reverse launch, Fiesch, Switzerland.
Paraglider towed launch, Mirosawice, Poland.
As with all aircraft, launching and landing are done into wind (though in mountain flying, it is possible to launch in nil wind and glide out to the first thermal).
Forward launch
In low winds, the wing is inflated with a orward launch, where the pilot runs forward so that the air pressure generated by the forward movement inflates the wing.
Reverse launch
In higher winds, particularly ridge soaring, a everse launch is used, with the pilot facing the wing to bring it up into a flying position, then turning under the wing to complete the launch.
Reverse launches have a number of advantages over a forward launch. It is more straight forward to inspect the wing and check the lines are free as it leaves the ground. In the presence of wind, the pilot can be tugged toward the wing and facing the wing makes it easier to resist this force, and safer in case the pilot slips (as opposed to being dragged backwards). These launches are normally attempted with a reasonable wind speed making the ground speed required to pressurise the wing much lower - the pilot is initially launching while walking forwards as opposed to running backward.
Towed launch
Paraglider launching in Arax, Brazil.
In flatter countryside pilots can also be launched with a tow. Once at full height, the pilot pulls a release cord and the towline falls away. This requires separate training, as flying on a winch has quite different characteristics from free flying. There are two major ways to tow: Pay-in and pay-out towing. Pay-in towing involves a stationary winch that pays in the towline and thereby pulls the pilot in the air. The distance between winch and pilot at the start is around 500 meters or more. Pay-out towing involves a moving object, like a car or a boat, that pays out line slower than the speed of the object thereby pulling the pilot up in the air. In both cases it is very important to have a gauge indicating daN to avoid pulling the pilot out of the air. There is one other form of towing; tatic towing. This involves a moving object, like a car or a boat, attached to a paraglider or hanglider with a fixed length line. This is very dangerous because now the forces on the line have to be controlled by the moving object itself, which is almost impossible to do. With static line towing a lockout is bound to happen sooner or later. Static line towing is forbidden in most countries and if not, should be avoided at all cost.
Landing
Landing involves lining up for an approach into wind, and just before touching down, laring the wing to minimise horizontal speed. In light winds, some minor running is common. In moderate to medium headwinds, the landings can be without forward speed.
Ridge soaring
In ridge soaring, pilots fly along the length of a ridge feature in the landscape, relying on the lift provided by the air which is forced up as it passes over the ridge.
Ridge soaring is highly dependent on a steady wind within a defined range (the suitable range depends on the performance of the wing and the skill of the pilot). Too little wind, and insufficient lift is available to stay airborne (pilots end up cratching along the slope). With more wind, gliders can fly well above and forward of the ridge, but too much wind, and there is a risk of being lown back over the ridge.
Paraglider in front of Mont Blanc
Thermal flying
When the sun warms the ground, it will warm some features more than others (such as rock-faces or large buildings), and these set off thermals which rise through the air. Sometimes these may be a simple rising column of air; more often, they are blown sideways in the wind, and will break off from the source, with a new thermal forming later.
Once a pilot finds a thermal, he or she begins to fly in a circle, trying to center the circle on the strongest part of the thermal (the "core"), where the air is rising the fastest. Most pilots use a ario (vario-altimeter), which indicates climb rate with beeps and/or a visual display, to help ore-in on a thermal.
Coring: The technique to "core" a thermal is simple: turn tighter as lift decreases, and turn less as lift increases. This ensures you are always flying around the core.
Often there is strong sink surrounding thermals, and there is often also strong turbulence resulting in wing collapses as a pilot tries to enter a strong thermal. Once inside a thermal, shear forces reduce somewhat and the lift tends to become smoother.
Paragliders in the air at Torrey Pines Gliderport
Good thermal flying is a skill which takes time to learn, but a good pilot can often "core" a thermal all the way to cloud base.
Cross-country flying
Once the skills of using thermals to gain altitude have been mastered, pilots can glide from one thermal to the next to go ross-country (C). Having gained altitude in a thermal, a pilot glides down to the next available thermal. Potential thermals can be identified by land features which typically generate thermals, or by cumulus clouds which mark the top of a rising column of warm, humid air as it reaches the dew point and condenses to form a cloud. In many flying areas, cross-country pilots also need an intimate familiarity with air law, flying regulations, aviation maps indicating restricted airspace, etc.
In-flight Wing Deflation (Collapse)
Since the shape of the wing (airfoil) is formed by the moving air entering and inflating the wing, in turbulent air part or all of the wing (airfoil) can deflate (collapse). Piloting techniques referred to as "active flying" will greatly reduce the frequency and severity of deflations or collapses. On modern recreational wings, such deflations will normally recover themselves without pilot intervention. In the event of a severe deflation, correct pilot input will speed recovery from a deflation, but incorrect pilot input may slow the return of the glider to normal flight, so pilot training and practice in correct response to deflations is necessary. For the rare case where it is not possible to recover from a deflation (or from other threatening situations such as a spin), most pilots carry a reserve (rescue, emergency) parachute. Most pilots never have cause to hrow their reserve. In case the wing deflation happens near ground, i.e. shortly after takeoff or just before landing, the wing (paraglider) may not recover (airfoil shape) even with pilot intervention and there may not be enough time for successful rescue parachute deployment. Those cases can result in serious bodily injury or death. In-flight wing deflation and other hazards are minimized by flying a suitable glider and choosing appropriate weather conditions and locations for the pilot's skill and experience level.
Sports/competitive flying
Some pilots like to stretch themselves beyond recreational flying. For such pilots, there are multiple disciplines available:
Cross-country leagues annual leagues of the greatest distance C flying
"Comps" competitive flying based around completing a number of tasks such as flying around set waypoints
Accuracy spot landing competitions where pilots land on targets with a 3 cm centre spot out to a full 10 meter circle.
"Acro" aero-acrobatic manoeuvres and stunt flying; heart stopping tricks such as helicopters, wing-overs, synchro spirals, infinity tumbles, and so on.
National/international records despite continually improving gliders, these become ever more difficult to achieve; aside from longest distance and highest altitude, examples include distance to declared goal, distance over triangular course, speed over 100 km triangular course, etc.
Competitive flying is done on high performance wings which demand far more skill to fly than their recreational counterparts, but which are far more responsive and offer greater feedback to the pilot, as well as flying faster with better glide ratios.
See also: World Air Games
The current world champion is Andy Aebi of Switzerland; he won the title in February 2009 at Valle de Bravo in Mexico. His predecessor was Bruce Goldsmith.
Safety
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Paragliders launching video in Arax.
Paragliding is perhaps often viewed as a higher-risk sport than it actually is. Nonetheless, there is great potential for injury for the reckless or ill-prepared.
The safety of the sport is directly influenced by the skill and sense of the pilot. It's important to note that almost all paragliding accidents are the result of pilot error. Paragliding equipment is very well built and, if properly cared for, will almost never fail. As an example, the average paraglider has around 30 lines connected to the risers, yet each one is strong enough to support the full weight of a pilot individually. Aerodynamically, newer paragliders that are not within advanced or competition categories are rated for safety and will tend to recover from most incidents on their own (without pilot intervention).
Given that equipment failure of properly certified paragliding equipment can be considered a non-issue, it is accurate to say that paragliding can be a very safe sport. The individual pilot is the ultimate indicator of his or her personal safety level.
In general:
The safe pilot will not fly at sites that pose an unreasonable challenge to his/her flying skills.
The safe pilot will not be influenced by the possibly negative examples set by others.
The safe pilot will only fly on days in which the weather is conducive to safe flight. Turbulence in all its forms is enemy #1 for a flying paraglider wing. Because paragliders have no solid support, their shape (and ability to fly) can be ruined by an errant down draft or the like. Therefore, turbulence or conditions conducive to turbulence generation is a primary factor in determining whether the weather is safe.
The following weather is to be avoided:
Excessive wind speed or gustiness. 15 mph (24 km/h) wind is fairly windy for a paraglider, and most pilots won't take off in much more wind than that. High winds will also increase the effect of mechanical turbulence. Gusty conditions will make take-offs and landings more dangerous and will make collapses more likely while in flight. The limit of 15 mph is fairly arbitrary, and also depends on local parameters. At some sites people fly safely at 20 mph winds, at other sites 10 mph may be too much.
A wind direction that will not allow a take-off (or landing) into the wind, or at least generally so. Tail-wind take-offs are to be avoided at all cost. Assurance that an [apparent] headwind is not actually a 'rotor' is also critical (rotors comprise a form of mechanical turbulence).
Excessively high atmospheric instability, indicated in part by overdeveloped cumulus clouds, or in worse situations by cumulo-nimbus cloud formation. Such conditions will contribute to turbulence. If cumulo-nimbus (thunderstorm) clouds are anywhere in sight, the effect of severe atmospheric instability may exist where you are.
Rain or snow. Because a paraglider wing is made from fabric, it has the ability to absorb moisture. Moreover, the weight (or lack thereof) of a paraglider wing is critical to its performance. Flying into heavy rain or snow will weigh the wing down and may terminate a flight quickly. A wet wing is also less controllable, less stable and will exhibit less tendency to recover into normal flight.
General safety precautions include pre-flight checks, helmets, harnesses with back protection (foam or air-bag), reserve parachutes, and careful pre-launch observation of other pilots in the air to evaluate conditions.
For pilots who want to stretch themselves into more challenging conditions, advanced IV (simulation dncidents en vol, or simulation of flying incidents) courses are available to teach pilots how to cope with hazardous situations which can arise in flight. Through instruction over radio (above a lake), pilots deliberately induce major collapses, stalls, spins, etc, in order to learn procedures for recovering from them. (As mentioned above, modern recreational wings will recover from minor collapses without intervention).
As always, fatalities and freak accidents can occur, but most properly-trained, responsible pilots risk only minor injuries, such as twisted ankles.
Learning to fly
Most popular paragliding regions have a number of schools, generally registered with and/or organized by national associations. Certification systems vary widely between countries, though around 10 days instruction to basic certification is standard.
Flying above Stubaital, Austria
There are several key components to a paragliding pilot certification instruction program. Initial training for beginning pilots usually begins with some amount of ground school to discuss the basics, including elementary theories of flight as well as basic structure and operation of the paraglider.
Students then learn how to control the glider on the ground, practicing take-offs and controlling the wing 'overhead'. Low, gentle hills are next where students get their first short flights, flying at very low altitudes, to get used to the handling of the wing over varied terrain. Special winches can be used to tow the glider to low altitude in areas that have no hills readily available.
As their skills progress, students move on to steeper/higher hills (or higher winch tows), making longer flights, and learning to turn the glider, control the glider's speed, then moving on to 360 turns, spot landings, ig ears (used to increase the rate of descent for the paraglider), and other more advanced techniques. Training instructions are often provided to the student via radio, particularly during the first flights.
A third key component to a complete paragliding instructional program provides substantial background in the key areas of meteorology, aviation law, and general flight area etiquette.
Tandem paraglider launch
To give prospective pilots a chance to determine if they would like to proceed with a full pilot training program, most schools offer tandem flights, in which an experienced instructor pilots the paraglider with the prospective pilot as a passenger. Schools often offer pilot's families and friends the opportunity to fly tandem, and sometimes sell tandem pleasure flights at holiday resorts.
Most recognised courses lead to a national licence and an internationally recognised International Pilot Proficiency Information/Identification card. The IPPI specifies five stages of paragliding proficiency, from the entry level ParaPro 1 to the most advance stage 5.
World records
FAI (Fdration Aronautique Internationale) world records:
Straight distance 461.6 km: Frank Brown, Marcelo Prieto, Rafael Monteiro Saladini (Brazil); Quixada Duque, Brazil; 14 November 2007.
Straight distance to declared goal 368.9 km: Alja Vali, Urban Vali (Slovenia); Vosburg Jamestown (South Africa); 7 December 2006
Gain of height 4526 m: Robbie Whittall (UK); Brandvlei (South Africa); 6 January 1993
Other records (distance/speed for out-and-return and triangular course) can be seen on the FAI site
Recently a flight of over 500 km was made by Nevil Hulett in excellent conditions in South Africa; Flight record
Pilot numbers
A multi-national contingent in the air in Bali
Numbers of actively flying pilots can only be a rough estimate, but France is believed to have the largest number, at around 25,000. Next most active flying countries are Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Japan, and Korea, at around 10,000 20,000, followed by Italy, the UK, and Spain with around 5,000 10,000. The USA has around 4,500. (All as of 2004).
See also
Foot-launched Powered Hang Glider
Glider (sailplane)
Comparison between paragliders, hang gliders and sailplanes
Gliding
Hang gliding
Powered paragliding
Torrey Pines Gliderport
Parahawking
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References
^ US Pat. 2734706 - Filed October 17, 1952.
^ Walter Neumark, "The Future of Soaring", Flight magazine, 14 May 1954
^ History of Paragliding
^ Pilot Profile: David Barish, the Probable Inventor of the Paraglider
^ a b David Barish, The Forgotten Father of Paragliding
^ Jean-Claude Btemps: i invent le parapente
^ FAI Hang Gliding and Paragliding World Records
^ How many pilots worldwide?
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Paragliding
Paragliding at the Open Directory Project

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