The new EN B glider from the German manufacturer has a high aspect ratio (5,9) and offers exceptional performance in its class, according to Swing.

Sizes 24, 26 and 28 of the Mistral 6 successfully completed all of the tests required for certification in one go. At Swing claim a glide ratio of 9+ as “very realistic”. 
Trim speed is around 38 km/h and maximum speed goes up to 50 km/h approx. 
Sizes 22 and 30 are completing certification and will be available in April, to cover all pilots weight.

+Info: http://www.swing.de/

0 Comments to:
New Paraglider: Swing Mistral 6

The German manufacturer of paragliders encourages “all skywalkers” to participate in this contest with their Youtube videos featuring a Skywalk wing or other product. The contest is open until November 30th and the first prize is 1500 Euros (in Skywalk material).

All you need to enter the Skywalk video contest is anything “from acro-video to vacation film, all the way to absolute fun flying”. The winner will be determined by the number of hits the video receives and the total of points awarded by the jury, regardless of whether the contestant is a beginner or pro. Video hits count 40% and the jury opinion, 60%. The Jury consists of: Wolfgang Ehn, Rolf Rinklin and Peter Müller.

The basic rules are:
-Only videos in which Skywalk products feature a large role will be considered.
-Participants can submit an unlimited number of videos within the specified time.
-The videos must be viewed online for the first time and may be available for viewing from 01.01.2010 at the earliest.
-Video evaluation will be carried out by the jury after 30.11.2010 and the winners will be announced on the skywalk homepage.
-The use of a voting robot or other manipulation will be punished by disqualification..
-Videos that may harm the copyrights of individual composers cannot be considered due to legal reasons.
-All specified logos and introduction are used. The video must be named “Skywalk Video Competition 2010 + video name“ e.g.: „skywalk Video Competition 2010 + Max Mustermann in the Alps“.
-Send your video link to: info@skywalk.info
-The links to the videos in the contest will be published on the Skywalk homepage.

0 Comments to:
Skywalk launches online video contest

The third generation of the Atis is a high-end EN B glider that offers “surprising” performance with high passive safety.

With 53 cells, aspect ratio of 5,2 and low weight of the glider (4,9 kg M size), the Atis 3 is a “fun to fly” wing that provides extra performance with high safety level. 

At Sky say that although most maneuvers are rated A in the certification test reports, the glider has a wide range of speeds from 23 to 52 km/h, and a glide ratio of almost 9. 

The main qualities described by the manufacturer are high stability, good thermalling behavior, predictable and easily controlled reactions during SIV maneuvers, and comfortable SKY handling.

The Atis 3 is aimed at a wide scope of pilots, including occasional pilots “with the right skills to enjoy and handle the performance” and paramotor pilots.
It is available in 4 sizes.

0 Comments to:
New paraglider: Sky Atis 3

0 Comments to:
New logo for Icaro Paragliders

The 2010 Plenary Meeting of the CIVL (Hang gliding and Paragliding Commission of the FAI) closed this Sunday afternoon as one of the most transcendental for the future of paraglider development. The CIVL decided against a re-definition of paragliders as requested by the PMA, and for the use of innovations in design such as carbon rods. It was also decided that only helmets and harnesses certified for free flight will be allowed in FAI1 comps. The next Paragliding Europeans will be held in St André Les Alps, in France.

This year there were significant decisions to make in the CIVL for the future of paragliding competitions. The question of whether to allow the use of rigid structures like carbon rods in paragliders participating in FAI1 competitions (Continental and World Championships) took a big part of the debates and was followed by pilots around the globe through the forums, as well as the request by the Paraglider Manufacturers Asssociation (PMA) for a re-definition of Paraglider (see the news here) that would place the new wings with carbon into a new category. Finally, most of the delegates considered that paraglider development should not be limited and that, therefore, there is no need to redefine paraglider for now. The decision seems to please most opinions in and out of the meeting. 

“CIVL is fully aware that the introduction of new materials and new technology into paraglider design does not necessarily constitute a compromise in safety. On the contrary, we have seen many instances in which such innovations have actually made our sport safer”, read the subcommittee recommendation to the Plenary.  

To address the issue of prototype and open class paragliders (uncertified) being eligible to fly in Cat 1 events, the proposal was to introduce a form of ‘self-certification’ in which manufacturers will be required to publish documentation and a video of the paraglider wherein its various flight characteristics have been demonstrated as a result of a series of maneuvers.

A working group led by Martin Scheel (long time Swiss Team Leader) will have to determine the requirements such a paraglider would have to fulfill as well as the feasibility and means by which such a new standard could be introduced. This means that there will be no changes before the Europeans of 2012. The working group will also study the possibility of introduction of limitations such as aspect ratio, weight of the paragliders, minimum line length or other options.

The plenary also agreed that helmets certified EN966 (specifically for airborne sports) will be compulsory at FAI CAT 1 events, i.e., Worlds and Europeans or other continental events. 
Also addressing the issue of security for the competition pilots, it was decided that EN1651 and LTF09 certified harnesses must be used in CAT 1 events from 2011 on, in order to ensure a certain back protection in the harnesses.

Other important decision was the election of the place for the next European Championship 2012, which will be St André Les Alps, in the south of France.

UK’s John Aldridge became the new president of CIVL. He said that one of the reason why he’s doing it is because “I do see a will to go forward and improve safety” in the sport of paragliding.
Robert Aarts (Finland) is the new chairman of the Paragliding Subcommittee, replacing Chris Burns (“Calvo”).

0 Comments to:
Ok to carbon in Paragliders, CIVL says

The British paraglider designer will stop working for the Austrian manufacturer Airwave after 10 years in their team and will join the Advance development team, informed the Swiss company in a press release.

This is the complete text of the press release sent by the Advance Team, and signed also by Airwave and Bruce himself: 

“Bruce Goldsmith has been working in the Airwave design team for nearly 10 years now and will be leaving Airwave at the end of his contract in spring 2010. The last ten years have been very successful for Airwave and now both Airwave and Bruce mutually agree that it is 'simply time for a change'. 

Over the last years Bruce has trained a young and motivated design team at Airwave which has been heavily involved in the design and testing of the current Airwave gliders. On top of that Airwave hired Mario Eder, who was a long time professional test pilot for major brands and is the former technical director and chief test pilot at the "European Para Academy" (official test laboratory for EN / LTF certifications in Germany). This team will be responsible for new developments at Airwave while Bruce will be joining the Advance development team.

The 2007 World Paraglider Champion will be reinforcing the Advance team of Chief designer Thomas Ripplinger and Advance test pilots Kari Eisenhut (former European Champion and World Cup Winner), Chrigel Maurer (multiple World Cup and X-Alps winner), World Champion Andy Aebi and European Champion Greg Blondeau with work on the development of serial and competition wings.

Bruce Goldsmith ranks as a true founding father of the paraglider business. The 49-year-old Briton, originally a civil engineer, became the paraglider face of Airwave as well as a founder member of Ozone. For the last ten years he has again been working as the Airwave designer. Bruce will continue to live with his wife and three children in the south of France”.

0 Comments to:
Bruce Goldsmith moves to Advance

Following the success of the BBHPP proto paraglider (winner of the PWC 2009), Ozone have developed two commercial versions of the open class Mantra R10 with “BBHPP performance” in a totally “carbon free design”. The Mantra R10 is available in a 2-line and 3-line configuration.

The R10 is a paraglider with no rigid structure (carbon-free) and new internal construction from the BBHPP project, offering top performance “with vastly improved comfort and usability”. It is also the lightest competition wing in the market, according to the manufacturer.
The 3-line version of the Mantra R10 has aspect ratio of 7,3 compared to the 7,55 of the 2-line version, with 73 cells against 82. The R10 has the same profile used in the BBHPP, with similar line geometry and optimized sail tension. The R10’s arc and tip have been developed from the BBHPP. At Ozone highlight its comfort and manageability as the most exceptional qualities of this glider, with very high glide and speed performance. It offers “better turn and easier behavior in every category than the R09”, according to Ozone.
The Mantra R10.2 is an advanced evolution of the R10 in a 2 line configuration, designed for “extremely experienced comp pilots who require the absolute best performance”. With higher aspect ratio, new internal structure and only 2 risers, this glider is more demanding to handle but offers slightly better performance.

0 Comments to:
New comp paragliders: Ozone Mantra R10, 2 & 3 lines

The popular Paragliding Open in Valle de Bravo ended after 5 valid tasks, with US pilots Brad Gunnuscio and Josh Cohn taking the 1st and 2nd place, and Lucas Bernardin from France in 3rd. Meredyth Malocsay (USA) was the best woman.

 
143 pilots from different countries participated in the 8th edition of the Monarca Open that this year had no FAI2 category. The pilots enjoyed five races of between 54 and 70 km in the valley where the US pilots displayed their knowledge of the zone and skills to take the top places. 

Brad Gunnuscio (Niviuk Icepeak 3) won the Open only 80 points ahead of his mate Josh Cohn (Niviuk Icepeak 3), with the French Lucas Bernardin, also aboard an Icepeak 3, a little lower in the general results.
Jack Brown (USA/Gin Boomerang 6) was 4th, Nate Scales (USA/Gin Boomerang 6) was 5th and Raul Penso (VEN/Ozone Mantra 09) was 6th. 
Meredyth Malocsay (USA/ Axispara Venus 2) was the 1st woman.
The last day of the Monarca was cancelled due to bad weather and rain in the area: it was the first task of this Open cancelled in 8 years!

0 Comments to:
Brad Gunnuscio wins Monarca Open in Mexico