Speed bar

A kind of foot control called the speed bar also accelerator attaches to the paragliding harness and connects to the leading edge of the paraglider wing, usually through a system of at least two pulleys see animation in margin. This control is used to increase speed and does so by decreasing the wings angle of attack. This control is necessary because the brakes can only slow the wing from what is called trim speed no brakes applied. The accelerator is needed to go faster than this.More advanced means of control can be obtained by manipulating the paragliders risers or lines directly. Most commonly, the lines connecting to the outermost points of the wings leading edge can be used to induce the wingtips to fold under. The technique, known as big ears, is used to increase rate of descent see picture and the full description below. The risers connecting to the rear of the wing can also be manipulated for steering if the brakes have been severed or are otherwise unavailable. For ground handling purposes, a direct manipulation of these lines can be more effective and offer more control than the brakes. The effect of sudden wind blasts can be countered by directly pulling on the risers and making the wing unflyable, thereby avoiding falls or unintentional takeoffs.