CHARLY rescue systems
from the pionees and market leader since 1984
More safety in emergency situations
With the Second Chance round canopy, CHARLY has developed the world's most-sold paraglider rescue system. Its small pack size and excellent value for money still make it a popular bestseller.
But CHARLY also has a number of innovations on offer. The TARGETcross cross canopy, for example, offers uncomplicated steerability and therefore more options in an emergency for all skill levels, and quick-release carabiners such as the Paralock make it easy to disconnect the paraglider in an emergency.
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| Paragliding round canopy reserves The world’s most-sold round canopy with numerous documented emergency deployments |
Paragliding cross canopy reserves The cross canopy with the plus of possibilities. In an emergency near the ground, you benefit from the rapid inflation of the canopy, while at higher altitudes you have the option of steering. |
Things to consider when choosing a reserve system for your paraglider:
- Round canopy or cross canopy
The cross canopy design has become popular for rescue parachutes due to its high opening speed and pendulum stability. The TARGETcross cross canopy, with its fanned out base, S-shaped canopy trim and diagonal horizontal drift, is an optimisation of this concept.
Round canopies are usually less expensive and a little easier to pack. - Steerability
The ability to avoid power lines, rivers, rocks or roads and the freedom to choose where to land is an undeniable advantage. In the past, however, steerable reserves were only recommended for professional use. Especially for openings close to the ground, steerable reserves used to have more disadvantages than advantages. This was due to the fact that the common Rogallo steerable reserves were initially too small, or their construction was not yet fully developed, and their tendency to downplane and twist required pilot skill in certain situations.
Modern steerable Rogallo reserves have largely eliminated these disadvantages. With the TARGETcross ST, a steerable cross canopy is now available, which is also advantageous in near-ground emergencies where steerability is not an issue. - Harness-reserve-combination
In many modern paraglider harnesses with container compartments, the deployment handle and the inner container of the rescue system are firmly connected. Due to the low weight and volume of CHARLY rescue systems, it is usually no problem to repack them into containers from other manufacturers. However, if the inner container can be attached to the deployment handle of the harness, we recommend to use the CHARLY standard flat inner container. This container, developed on the G-Force Trainer, is particularly easy to pull out of the harness.
A special CHARLY inner container variant is available for use in front containers, in which the reserve can be repacked if necessary. - Sink rate in relation to the permissible load as per certification
After the lines have been fully stretched, the canopy should inflate as fast as possible. The decisive factor for a short opening time is the air intake at the canopy base, whereby cross canopies generally have an advantage over round canopies. However, the ideal solution in this regard is the specially fanned-out base of the TARGETcross which is achieved by different line lengths. - Lightweight design
During safety training, the use of the reserve parachute is practised over water. Despite the small additional weight, it is therefore important to ensure that the canopy fabric has a water-repellent coating. Furthermore, there are quality differences regarding durability, especially with lightweight fabrics. A satisfactory level of durability can only be achieved with ultra-fine, high-density fabrics. These fabrics have extremely long weaving times and are correspondingly expensive.
