Mundofly, volar en Internet

Press Release NOVA PRION: New EN A / LTF 1 Paraglider - Much more than a Beginner's Wing...Handling and Flying

Launching the PRION turns out to be extremely easy and uncomplicated. The wing rises smoothly and is very stable with an extraordinary tracking stability until it takes off at a very low airspeed. It gives the pilot plenty of time for smooth breaking when reaching the highest point. Once airborne, the pilot immediately notices the high damping, delivering a steady and stable flight even in turbulent conditions.

When it comes to turning and handling in the thermals, the PRION has long brake travel – any EN A / LTF 1 must have this for safety reasons – but reacts surprisingly immediate and direct to even small brake inputs. As a result, it can be flown very efficiently in thermals – even in strong and turbulent conditions. The pilot can adjust the turn radius perfectly from wide to narrow, resulting in a brilliant climb. The PRION generally tends to turn flat, which avoids demanding too much from a less experienced pilot in case of abrupt dynamics in the turn.

Thanks to the new line geometry, the PRION does not lever in thermals and makes it very easy to centre properly where the climb is strongest. As a result, the PRION is ideal for beginners to learn thermal flying in a very safe way as well as for advanced pilots wanting to improve their climbing skills in thermals.


Performance

In addition to the sensational climbing performance, the PRION delivers an excellent glide ratio. As with many other NOVA wings, the L/D of the PRION is top of its class (EN A / LTF 1) again. Compared to the Primax, NOVA managed to increase the maximum speed and stability with speed bar. The wing suffers much less from deformation in turbulent air, which results in a better L/D. When flying with the speed bar, the L/D stays impressively good for the first half of the travel, which is pretty unusual for any EN A / LTF 1 wing.


Safety

Of course, maximum safety was the main focus of attention. However, Hannes Papesh and his team did not solely focus on reaching the compulsory criteria for the EN A / LTF 1 classification but went far beyond. Actually, the essential point is how the glider behaves in real life situations, rather than under “lab test conditions”.

The PRION hardly suffers from collapses but if it does, it re-opens quickly and smoothly. In case of an extensive collapse, the well-damped reaction of the wing gives the pilot plenty of time to react. During this, the long brake travel avoids unintended stalls.

Flying spirals is generally a demanding manoeuvre with every wing. The PRION shows sensational behaviour: It simply refuses higher sink rates, instead remaining at a comparatively low sink! Furthermore, it tends to reduce the sink speed and gets out of the spiralling without any pilot action. Hannes Papesh says: “The PRION is the first wing where we managed to create such a safe behaviour in spirals.”


Conclusion

With its combination of maximum safety and agile handling, the new NOVA PRION allows highly comfortable and uncomplicated flying. Constructed to satisfy the needs of beginners, the PRION is characterized by its extremely easy launch behaviour, maximum safety in case of collapses and stalls, or challenging manoeuvres like spirals. In addition, handling and performance makes the new EN A / LTF 1 wing attractive to advanced pilots alike. Check http://www.nova-wings.com/english/products/prion.html for detailed information including videos and certification protocols etc.



Facts and Details

• 35 cells.
• Aspect Ratio: 4.75 flat, 3.42 projected.
• Integrated vector band on air intake, creating optimal shape.
• New risers with magnet fixation on A risers.
• New brake pulleys with a higher mounting on a short band: this allows better ergonomics.
• Dirt holes on the stabilo for removing dirt easily.
• Labelled risers for B-Stall and Big Ears to avoid dangerous mistakes in stressful moments.
• Very effective Big Ears because of pulling 2 A-lines.
• Sizes and weight range:                  19: 60–80 kg         21: 70–90 kg         23: 75–100 kg 25: 90–110 kg            27: 100–130 kg        (February 2010: all sizes are certified except 19)