All Parawing terms explained simply, from Lift to Depower / power-up system. Each definition gets straight to the point to understand how a Parawing flies, is piloted and is chosen.
Table of Contents
Aspect Ratio · Bar / control bar · Leading edge · Line set / bridle system · Bumps · Cell · Depower / power-up system · Depower · Downwind · Wind window · Collapse · Frontal collapse · Harness · Angle of attack · Leash · Single-skin · No-fly zone · Ear · Lift · Power zone · Profile / airfoil shape · Pumping · Repacking · Stash · Overpowered / under-powered · Drag · Upwind / close-hauled · Apparent wind · True wind · VMG · Waterstart
Aspect Ratio
Ratio between the wingspan of a wing and its depth. A high Aspect Ratio, thin and long wing, offers more finesse and better upwind capability, but requires more piloting skill. A low Aspect Ratio is more stable, more forgiving and easier to relaunch, ideal for beginners. The same principle applies to foils: see which foil to choose for Parawing.
Bar / control bar
Part that the rider holds in both hands and which connects the lines to the wing. In Parawing, there are no handles fixed to the sail as on an inflatable wing: everything goes through the bar. You tilt it to steer the wing and adjust its position to control the power. On the FYNIX, the bar is carbon, measures 32 cm and is not retractable; the lines slide inside, which shortens the whole assembly and facilitates repacking. Unlike the sail, the bar should be rinsed with fresh water as soon as it is sandy, by sliding the lines to evacuate the sand.
Leading edge
The Leading edge is the front edge of the wing, the one that cuts through the air first. It is what gives the Parawing its shape and support. A collapse often begins with the folding of the Leading edge.
Line set / bridle system
Set of lines that connect the sail to the bar. The bridle system distributes the forces, maintains the shape of the wing and transmits your commands. A well-tuned line set keeps the profile stable; a twisted line set degrades flight. On a Single-skin Parawing, it structures a wing that has no cells. To avoid knots, see how to avoid line tangles.
Bumps
Bumps are small waves formed by the wind, which are surfed during Downwind. Linking them allows you to progress using the energy of the water, sometimes without even powering the wing.
Cell
Cell inflated by the wind, on double-skin or hybrid wings. The air entering through the Leading edge pressurizes the structure and gives it its shape. Single-skin Parawings have no closed cells: their shape comes from the bridle and the pressure of the wind on a single layer of sail.
Depower / power-up system
Ability to power up, increase the power of the wing, and to Depower, reduce it. On most Parawings, you adjust the power by tilting the bar, which limits the range of motion and its effectiveness. The FYNIX is the first Parawing with a true dynamic Depower / power-up system thanks to the PushBar System®: the lines slide inside the 32 cm carbon bar, you push the bar to Depower and pull it to power up, which modifies the geometry of the wing in real time without changing its angle of attack. The mechanism is detailed in our technical analysis of the PushBar System®.
Depower
Ability of a wing to reduce its power on demand, to manage a gust or slow down. Most Parawings offer some form of Depower. The particularity of the FYNIX is a dynamic Depower piloted by the PushBar System®, a registered trademark, patent pending, which increases the effectiveness of Depower.
Downwind
Downwind is navigation with the wind at your back, from a starting point to a point located downwind. In Parawing, it is a flagship practice: the light and foldable wing allows you to go find waves and surf bumps over long distances. Our complete guide: Downwind in Parawing.
Wind window
Portion of space, downwind of you, where the wing can fly. At the center, power is maximum; at the edges, it is soft and controllable. Piloting a Parawing is about moving the wing within this window to control the pull. On the Upwind, the wing is positioned near the edge of the window to better head upwind; on the downwind heading, it moves toward the center, where power is maximum.
Collapse
When the Parawing loses its shape and folds, due to insufficient tension or pressure. It can be partial, on one ear, or total, on the entire Leading edge. The cause is almost always a loss of tension in the lines or a drop in wind.
Frontal collapse
Sudden collapse of the Leading edge across the entire width of the wing, which folds back toward you. It occurs when the wing suddenly loses its pressure, but also when it is unbalanced or when the crease of the Profile is poorly positioned. You must then release and relaunch.
Harness
Belt that transfers the pull of the wing from the arms to the hips. In Parawing, a belt is preferred over a seat harness, often with a Kangaroo Pocket to store the folded wing. The rhythm is simple: you hook in to navigate and head upwind, you unhook for maneuvers and to fold the wing. The tightness is a compromise: tight, the bar is closer to you and lumbar support is better; a little looser, the harness rises more but rotates more easily around the rider, which greatly facilitates the passage of the wing into the pocket. Adjust it on shore, not on water. Our complete guide: Parawing and Harness.
Angle of attack
Angle between the wing and the air flow. As it increases, Lift increases, until a threshold where the air detaches from the Profile and the wing stalls. Adjusting the Angle of attack, by powering up or Depowering, is how you control the power of the Parawing.
Leash
Cord that connects you to your board. It is essential safety equipment on foil: it prevents the board from going adrift on its own, which matters all the more since the foil is sharp and a lost board leaves the rider without flotation. Use a model suited to the foil. There are also hip Leashes, convenient for carrying a phone during your session.
Single-skin
Wing made of a single layer of sail, without inflatable cells. It holds its shape thanks to the wind and its bridle. Result: a very light wing, compact when folded and quick to deploy. This is the typical construction of modern Parawings, including the FYNIX. Its lightness and compactness make it an ideal wing for Downwind: you can fold it up and store it during the descent.
No-fly zone
The No-fly zone is the part of the Wind window located upwind, where the wing no longer receives airflow and cannot fly. A wing brought into this zone stalls and falls.
Ear
Lateral extremities of the Parawing. These are the most flexible areas and the most exposed: they are often the first to fold when the wing loses tension. Monitoring the ears helps anticipate a collapse.
Lift
Force that lifts and pulls the wing. It is born when the Profile deflects the air: the air accelerates over the top, the pressure drops there, and the wing is drawn upward and forward. It is Lift that makes the Parawing fly. It increases with surface area, Angle of attack, Profile thickness and air speed. Everything is explained in how a Parawing flies.
Power zone
The Power zone is the central part of the Wind window where the wing generates the most traction. You bring the wing there to accelerate or take off, and move it away toward the edges to reduce power.
Profile / airfoil shape
Shape of the wing's section, seen from the side. Its curvature and thickness determine how the air circulates and thus how much Lift the wing generates. A hollow Profile gives power, a thin Profile favors speed and finesse.
Pumping
Pumping consists of giving impulses with the board and the foil to create Lift, take off or stay in flight when power is lacking.
Repacking
Gesture that consists of retrieving your wing and keeping it under your arm to continue flying without the propulsion of the Parawing, using only the power of the swell. It is the signature gesture of Downwind: you launch the flight with the wing, then you neutralize it and surf the bumps, before deploying it again when you need to relaunch or head upwind. The faster and more natural it becomes, the more waves you link. Short lines and a Single-skin wing greatly facilitate this. See our guide Downwind in Parawing.
Stash
English term used to describe the same gesture as Repacking: retrieve the wing and keep it on you, under your arm or in the Harness's Kangaroo Pocket, to surf without its traction. A Harness with Kangaroo Pocket greatly facilitates the operation.
Overpowered / under-powered
Being overpowered means navigating with a wing that is too large for the wind at the moment: the traction becomes difficult to hold, fatigue arrives quickly and the heading degrades in gusts. Being under-powered is the opposite: the wing lacks power, take-off becomes laborious and the board's feel is soft. This is precisely what a power management system corrects: the wider the useful range of a given size, the less likely you are to find yourself in either situation. To size properly, see which Parawing size to choose.
Drag
Air resistance to the wing's movement. Three sources: the shape of the wing, the friction of air on the sail, and the vortexes created at the wing tip by Lift, induced Drag. It slows you down, but it is inseparable from Lift. It also depends on construction: a Single-skin wing has more Drag, a double-skin much less thanks to its closed cells, the hybrid sits between the two.
Upwind / close-hauled
Upwind, or close-hauled, refers to navigation at an angle facing the wind. Heading upwind allows you to return to your starting point. In Parawing, a good heading depends on the traction of the wing and the anti-slip of the foil. Our dedicated article: can you head upwind in Parawing.
Apparent wind
Wind actually perceived by the moving wing. It combines the true wind and the wind created by your movement. Stronger and more forward-oriented than the true wind, it is what propels a Parawing, even when the true wind weakens.
True wind
Wind that you feel at rest, the one that blows independently of your movement. It is the basis for choosing your wing size, but it is not what powers the wing in flight: as soon as you move forward, it combines with your movement to form the Apparent wind. For the selection method, see which Parawing size to choose.
VMG
Velocity Made Good: the best ratio between heading and speed to progress toward a point, most often upwind. It is not pure speed: a fast wing that falls off course can have a worse VMG than a slower wing with a finer heading.
Waterstart
Departure from the water to foil up on the foil. You position yourself on the board, you gradually power up to gain power, you let the board accelerate, then you stand up while keeping your weight centered. It is the speed that creates the Lift of the foil: wait to have enough before loading your front foot. In Parawing, the boards have enough volume to make the adjustment of pressure nice and smooth. All the moves are detailed in how to pilot a Parawing.
About the author
Bruno Sroka is a three-time world champion in Kitesurfing and Kitefoil. Crossing of Cape Horn (2008), English Channel record (2012), France-Ireland liaison of 444 km (2013). Former PE teacher, he is the founder of SROKA Company, a Breton brand of foil, Wing foil, SUP and Parawing, and the designer of the PushBar System®.
To learn more: what is a Parawing, how a Parawing flies, how to pilot a Parawing, the guide to 30 essential questions and maintaining your Parawing. Discover our wings in the Parawing collection.
