Big ears
A descent technique in which the wingtips are folded in to reduce the wing’s area.
What it means
Big ears increase the sink rate without much change in airspeed. Unlike a collapse they are deliberate, and unlike a spiral dive they do not involve turning. Learning them belongs in supervised training.
Example in context
The lift under the cloud was getting too strong, so I came down on big ears.
Sources and review
- Ozone Atom 3 – User Manual (EN) (opens in a new tab)
- DHV Safety Class – Ozone Rush 3 M (EN) (opens in a new tab)
- Jakub Vrána — Paraglidingový slang: o nestandardních situacích (opens in a new tab)
Reviewed: