PG Task Force report and recommendations

The CIVL Paragliding Competitions Safety Task Force has produced its first report, which includes a summary of the work that has been undertaken and a number of short term and long term recommendations. The Task Force was constituted by CIVL after the tragic events at Piedrahita in July, to try to determine and analyse the causes of the high number of incidents at this Category 1 World Championship, and to identify areas where they considered that safety could be improved.

With a mix of expertise and experience including paraglider designers and manufacturers, competition pilots and organisers, the Task Force has concluded that there were multiple factors contributing to the incidents, and that although the type of glider was deemed to be a factor in most of the incidents, it was not the sole cause of any of them.

The work of the Task Force has covered a wide range of subjects, including a study of pilot skills and experience, competition structure and task setting as well as lengthy discussions concerning the wings themselves.

Their already extensive work has been further compounded by the recent announcement that some ‘competition class’ performance gliders have just completed the flight test portion of the EN certification process, the subsequent reactions of the paragliding community, and especially the situation initiated by the test houses to temporarily suspend the testing of this type of wing.

As a result, it has been difficult for the Task Force to come up with a definitive set of short term recommendations, as the situation is likely to change. However, the Task Force firmly believes that the re-introduction as soon as possible, of some form of competition class for paragliders should be considered. It emphasises that such a move, must be in conjunction with other actions, including a significant increase in the qualification criteria for pilots to be eligible to compete in Category 1 events, and the introduction of class (competition class and serial class) based Championships.

The Task Force sincerely hopes that their work will help all interested parties (CIVL, PMA, competition organisers and pilots) to discuss the issues involved in this complex situation and collaborate to determining both short term and long term solutions that will both improve safety and provide a satisfactory way forward for the competition scene.

The report can be found at CIVL_PG_Competitions_Safety_TaskForce_Report