Powered Parachutes
- Articles -Choosing the Right High Energy Sports Wing
by Betty Pfeiffer
Every PPC Wing has a window of safe operating conditions. The following chart is to help you determine which wing is best for you. You may find that you need different sizes for different conditions depending on your local weather patterns and flying needs.
Note: This chart (see below) reflects safe wing loading on a standard day at sea level conditions. If you are at altitude or fly in an area of high altitude density, you will need to adjust this information. Increases in altitude decreases takeoff and flight performance. What this means to you is that you need to consider a larger wing with more power.
Every design decision is a compromise. In order to understand the following information and how it pertains to you, you must first figure out your wing loading. Locate your take-off weight on the column at the left.
Remember: Your take-off weight includes everything with which you fly i.e. your body in clothes, vehicle, gas, instruments, parachute, water, bags, student etc. Imagine you are going to taxi to the airstrip and stop on a scale similar to those used by truck weigh stations. This is your take-off weight.
| Safe Flight |
| Fly With Care |
| Danger Range |
|
Take-off Weight (in pounds) |
High Energy 450 |
High Energy 500 |
High Energy 550 |
|
|
250 |
0.56 |
|||
|
275 |
0.61 |
|||
|
300 |
0.67 |
0.60 |
||
|
325 |
0.72 |
0.65 |
||
|
350 |
0.78 |
0.70 |
0.64 |
|
|
375 |
0.83 |
0.75 |
0.68 |
|
|
400 |
0.89 |
0.80 |
0.73 |
|
|
425 |
0.94 |
0.85 |
0.77 |
|
|
450 |
1.00 |
0.90 |
0.82 |
|
|
475 |
1.06 |
0.95 |
0.86 |
|
|
500 |
1.11 |
1.00 |
0.91 |
|
|
525 |
1.17 |
1.05 |
0.95 |
|
|
550 |
1.22 |
1.10 |
1.00 |
|
|
575 |
1.28 |
1.15 |
1.05 |
|
|
600 |
1.33 |
1.20 |
1.09 |
|
|
625 |
1.39 |
1.25 |
1.14 |
|
|
650 |
1.44 |
1.30 |
1.18 |
|
|
675 |
1.50 |
1.35 |
1.23 |
|
|
700 |
1.56 |
1.40 |
1.27 |
|
|
725 |
1.61 |
1.45 |
1.32 |
|
|
750 |
1.67 |
1.50 |
1.36 |
|
|
775 |
1.72 |
1.55 |
1.41 |
|
|
800 |
1.78 |
1.60 |
1.45 |
|
|
825 |
1.65 |
1.50 |
||
|
850 |
1.70 |
1.55 |
||
|
875 |
1.75 |
1.59 |
||
|
900 |
1.80 |
1.64 |
||
|
925 |
1.68 |
|||
|
950 |
1.73 |
|||
|
975 |
1.77 |
|||
|
### |
1.82 |
|||
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