Free interactive lesson
Pull the handle and watch every pulley, cord and line move. See how a paraglider riser and a parakite riser turn your hands into wing control.
New to the terms? Read paragliders, reflex wings and parakites explained.
Parakite setup: there is no speed bar. Your hands set the speed, so use the Hands slider.
How the pulleys work
Two pulleys with cord running back and forth between them multiply a pull. With 4 strands, the free end moves 4 times as far as the riser shortens, so a small effort from the foot bar shortens the front riser about 12 cm.
The B loop hangs from a pulley that is held by two legs of one cord: one leg on the front cord, one on a fixed hook on the rear strap. When the front end moves, the pulley only moves half as far. That is how the B risers shorten by half of A with no extra mechanism.
The brake line slides through an eyelet on a block that rides on the front cord. It is a guide, not an anchor: the line moves through it freely, and the block moves with the riser so the line always comes down to your hand.
Why it matters
Dozens of fine lines gather into a few riser straps on each side, A to D from front to back. The risers carry the whole weight of the aircraft to the carabiners on the frame.
A separate set of brake lines runs from the trailing edge, through a guide on the riser, to the handles in your hands. Pull one side and that side of the wing drags, so the wing turns that way.
With the engine pulling you along, an abrupt or oversized input can swing the aircraft. Smooth, progressive inputs are the habit your instructor will build from your first flight.
This is a simplified teaching model and is not to scale. The layout follows a typical convertible riser; the figures are illustrative. Real wings differ in riser design, trimmers and line layout. It does not replace instruction, your wing's manual or a certified instructor.