Coasting flight

See also: Flight

The coasting flight is the activity Sport ive or of leisure consisting in flying with a Planeur ultra light (SWEATER) without Motorisation.

This gathers primarily the Deltaplane, the Parapente and the Cage of piloting.

Takeoff can be done with foot since a relief, or by winching on flat ground.

Among the most known sites of coasting flight in France: Millau, Annecy, Valley-Louron (the Pyrenees), Laragne (Hautes-Alpes), Saint-Hilaire-of-Touvet the, the Puy-de-Dôme.

These activities are managed, in France, by the French federation of Coasting flight, which manages also the Cerf-volant and the " Kite ".

The expression " flight libre" evoke of course the freedom of the Oiseau. But freedom implies the responsibility and autonomy. Indeed, it is a question of complying with certain legal rules: opinion of the commune where the places of take-off and landing are, agreement of the owners, Air Civil responsibility. Especially, when it flies, the biped without feathers leaves its natural elements and is confronted with more extremely than him. The Air, invisible and colorless, is however alive and sometimes frightening. Unthinkable to spring without a minimum of knowledge of this medium.

Complement: The expression " flight libre" is used in model aircraft making since end of the year 50. In front of the popularization of the radio controls it was necessary for differentiating the disciplines. One thus speaks since about " flight RC" and of " Flight libre". There exists also the " ordered circular flight or VCC." The coasting flight implies that there is no more, after releasing it model, no possible external intervention. That supposes that the apparatus is designed and produced so as to only fly - freely and to carry out certain performances fixed by the payments of the various categories. Within the model aircraft making, the categories of the coasting flight have a denomination starting with F1, for example F1A for the sailplanes of the " type; nordique" , F1B for Wakefield, F1C for the motomodèles… The Aeronautical Federations International (FAI) and national (FFAM) fix and enact the regulations. The minimal weights, the airfoils are in particular imposed, the motorizations, the modes of launching, the high limits of size. National championships are organized, following contest of selection, and of the championships européeens and world are to it also each year. This discipline claims precision, knowledge in aerodynamics and mechanics of the flight, meteorology. The competitive spirit is immediately subjacent. Maybe for " to fight oneself-même" that is to say to measure itself with the other candidates. Nowadays, the models of coasting flight were carried on a technological level such as they are not easily accessible by a beginner. This is why the flight-libristes tested have to have to transmit to know to them and to know to make with young people. The coasting flight is also very formative and interesting for the construction of the models starting from plans and rough materials (balsa, adhesive, etc)

External bonds

French federation of coasting flight
the wiki of the coasting flight

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