Originally written in English
Hangglider Mode, all Features Enabled
GPS Compass
Shows the direction of motion relative to ground, as reported by the GPS receiver, similar to a magnetic compass. As the GPS reports only one position record per second, a damping factor is applied to smooth the display during slow turns.
Three different symbols in the compass show the direction to
- the current target (yellow rhombus)
- the takeoff location (triangle pointing up), and
- the best entry point of the last stored thermal.
Glide Ratio
This instrument shows the glide ratio (L/D = lift/drag) over ground. 10 means that you make 10 meters distance over ground with loosing 1 meter height.
The small white bar is the 'short term' glide ratio calculated from the variometer (vertical speed) and from the GPS speed over ground. It is calculated over a few seconds, the interval is selectable in the settings.
The yellow triangle is the 'integrated' glide ratio. It is obtained from the ground distance flown in the past time interval (also selectable in the settings) divided by the related height loss. If you fly a few circles within a straight glide and gain some height, the triangle will go up (and afterwards probably down again).
Obviously, these two indicators are relevant only in more or less straight glide. If there is no reasonable data (for example during climb, while circling or flying zig-zag) the markers may not be displayed at all.
The yellow rhombus icon is the geometrical glide ratio (distance / height-difference) from your current position to the target waypoint (normally either your airfield, or the position automatically set at takeoff).
Target calculations are made without any extra safety margin. If the indicators are all at the same level, the target is NOT safely reachable.
Generally, always make sure that you have an alternative place to land that you can reach safely.
Vario
An analog variometer indicating instantaneous (bar) and integrated (triangle) vertical speed. You can configure the integration time in the general settings menu.
The meaning of the scale numbers depends on the vertical speed unit selected in the settings:
- [m/s] Ranges: 0-4 / 0-8 (1 = 1 m/s)
- [ft/min] Ranges: 0-8 / 0-16 (2 = 200 ft/min)
- [knots] Ranges: 0-8 / 0-16 (2 = 2 knots)
The display switches automatically from the small range to the big range and back.
If an airspeed sensor is used, and if the Netto Vario option is enabled in the settings (and a correct polar curve is configured), the instantaneous vario bar is extended so that the relative netto climb speed is shown (with blue color on top). The netto vario can be useful when flying with high speed through regions with 'useable' thermal air. It is only active when the glide path is more or less straight forward.
Speed and Course over Ground, Status
Shows GPS data and status. On the top left and right there are text indicators related to flight recorder status, live tracking status, and operation mode.
Baro Altitude
Shows the current Flight Level (top left) and the barometric altitude with the corresponding Qnh-value. A Bluetooth icon appears if an external sensor is configured (blue when connected, else the icon is blinking).
Furthermore the temperature is shown. This can come from a real sensor depending on the configuration. If no sensor is available, a coarse estimate is shown (based on standard atmosphere).
Caution: Be aware that this is the barometric altitude!
- The barometric altitude increases if the local atmosphere pressure drops during flight, leading to bad, too optimistic display values.
- As usual in aviation the barometric altitude is only correct for standard atmosphere. Temperature has a significant impact.
Airspeed (if configured)
Shows the current speed (TAS or IAS depending on settings) and related information.
On the left, the McCready speed indicator is located. This indicator is only relevant while you are flying straight forward without gaining height.
- The top value is the speed to fly (STF) for best glide, the bottom value is the configured McCready speed to fly. In flight, two triangle icons are displayed on the small vertical graph, the upper one is for best glide, the lower one is for the McCready speed. The STF values will change continously while flying.
The two triangle icons will not be visible while you are flying circles. They become green if you fly through regions with 'useable' thermal air, in which case you should fly with the speed of minimum sink. - In flight, decide which speed you want to fly and try to keep the related triangle close to the marker at the middle of the scale. This will be more difficult in turbulent air. Adapt your speed slowly. If the relevant triangle moves to above the middle, you are too fast (i.e. "flying towards ground"). Otherwise, if the triangle is below the middle you are too slow for the corresponding STF.
You can configure the integration time for the STF display in the Settings.
Wind / Heading
The compass ring on the left side indicates the true direction of motion (top = current course).
If a reliable wind estimation is available, the wind direction is shown by an arrow on the compass ring, and the wind speed is displayed on the right side.
The orientation of the hangglider / paraglider relative to the direction of motion is visualized by a corresponding icon. The icon rotates left or right in cross wind. This helps to interpret the current motion status.
Thermal Guide (if configured)
This display box is provided to support thermal flying. Basically it has two modes
- Inside thermal / circling - shows the data when circling in a thermal
- Not in thermal - points to the
last "good" thermal that was saved and shows related data
The minimum average climb speed and altitude gain to classify an updraft as "good" are configurable (Menu Flight - Thermals). As long as no good thermal is known, the last thermal after takeoff is used (even if weak).
When circling in a thermal, the base entry altitude, the altitude gain reached, and the average climb speed are displayed. The arrow points to the point of best climb within the last 60 seconds, besides that the related value is indicated. The circle symbol becomes green when the thermal is classified as good.
Example: Inside a new, 'good' thermal
- Thermal start base height 1930 m
- Now 423 m climbed
- 60 sec best lift 6.9 m/s at about 30° right
When you fly more or less straight in the direction of the last good thermal, the thermal guide points to the best entry position and displays the corresponding geometric L/D value. The best entry position is usually the highest reachable point in the thermal, given the current average L/D.
Example: Flying towards last 'good' thermal
- Effective climb speed was 0.9 m/s
- L/D to best entry point is 5.5
Target Guide (if configured)
The target screen shows the current target name, distance, an arrow which indicates the target bearing, and either the geometrical glide ratio, or the estimated arrival height.
If you are flying towards the target, the estimated arrival height is shown as soon as a distance-based glide ratio and an instantaneous speed-based glide ratio (both towards the target) are available.
Otherwise, or if you are far away from the target (10000m or 30000ft), the raw geometric glide ratio to the target is shown.
If you are within the target radius, the height above target is displayed, which is the current barometric (!) altitude minus the target elevation. If you use a waypoint as target, take care that the waypoint elevation is correct!
When the hangglider/paraglider is gaining height, or when the glide ratio is too small or too big for whatever reason, the target calculations are skipped (because the result is not meaningful / not reliable).
To get an estimate for the arrival height, fly towards the target for at least as long as the configured time interval of the integrated glide ratio.
Direction towards target
- 8.8 km distance, about 15° ahead right
- estimated arrival 770m above target elevation
- 5.7 km distance, about 120° backwards left
- geometrical L/D 3.3
- 2.1 km ahead
- estimated arrival 190 m - caution, very low!
Close to target
- baro altitude 278 m above target elevation
Caution:
- Be aware that the estimated arrival height and geometrical L/D are just additional guides! Do not blindly rely on these values.
- Target calculations use the barometric altitude and the elevation of the target
waypoint. If the target waypoint elevation is wrong or QNH is not set correctly, the displayed values are wrong!
- The estimated arrival height can significantly change on your way to the target, due to changing wind and vertical air motion.
- Always judge the situation by yourself and fly with an appropriate safety height.
- Never fly at critical altitude over unlandable terrain. In any case at least one landing field must be safely reachable from your current position.
Flight Time / Local Time
On the right side, local time is displayed. The flight time counter on the left side starts/stops automatically at takeoff/landing.
Battery / Remote Sensor Battery
Without external sensor, the bold line at the bottom indicates the internal battery percentage reported by the smartphone.
If a Bluetooth sensor is connected and if battery information is available, two lines are displayed, at the left for the smartphone battery (white or green if charging), and at the right for the sensor battery (blue or yellow if charging).
Note that the percentage is an estimated value (mainly derived from voltage) which is not very precise, especially at low/changing temperatures.
When you are flying backwards...
At high wind speed especially paragliders may be flying backwards (with a backwards speed component depending on the heading).
In this case you may see the following on the display:
- The GPS speed is displayed in orange color and is blinking.
- The glide ratio markers are not displayed.
- If a wind estimate is available, the PG/HG icon is rotated more than 90° (pointing more or less with its head towards the bottom of the compass ring).
- The geometrical target glide ratio is still displayed, however all other target calculations are disabled.
Copyright (c) 2023, Bernd Wing*. All rights reserved.
