Step 1: Pattern
The process begins by downloading a series of illustrator files. Each template page comes with a 50mm square in the bottom right corner. By drawing a 50mm square in the work space you can use the scale tool to match the size of the squares. This brings the plans from an A4 size sheet of paper to real size. Once scaling is finished it was saved as a PDF and printed at 1:1 scale. |
Choosing the right fabric for your paraglider is crucial. Initially I wanted to go to the fabric store and get the cheapest ripstop possible. Luckily, i rejected this idea when I came across a piece of cheap ripstop and was able to tear it in half effortlessly. So with more research i learned and thus increased the life expectancy of the pilot drastically. Ripstop is a made of a fabric called taffeta. What makes it ripstop are the extra nylon reinforcements creating a graph paper pattern over the fabric which increases its strength. There is an array of weights and options for each fabric. I chose a German made polyurethane coated (P-U keeps fabric from breathing and protects from sun damage) nylon ripstop weighing 45 grams per meter. Unlike the cheap ripstop, this one has a 400N breaking strength. |