Trends 2023 -1

Photo: Michael Regnier/ITV

F ULL THROTTLE ?

Again and again we make the same observation, including at the Coupe Icare: paragliding is going well, the number of pilots is increasing sharply in European countries and the manufacturers have more of a problem with supply (the delays are, nevertheless, starting to decrease) than with demand. Pilots want to have fun, despite or because the world is not rosy.

On the other hand, the paramotor market is not doing as well. Although many motor manufacturers were present, the enthusiasm of the paraglider manufacturers seemed to be directed much more towards free flying wings (but sometimes usable with paramotors too, with double EN/LTF and DGAC certification). The engine manufacturers were clearly selling much less than before the confinements.

It's a bit of a shame, because paramotoring is a fascinating activity that deserves more than the caricatural image of a boring sport, with its indolent pilots simply "sitting" in the sky. Already, a take-off on the flat with zero wind and a 25kg engine on your back, is more athletic than a free flight take-off on a well-oriented slope.

But above all, more than ten years ago, aerobatic pilots discovered that motorization could give their flights an extra dimension through the throttle and thrust delivered.

With more and more powerful engines and smaller and smaller wings, we can achieve an incredible dynamic in the manoeuvres. To the point of completing a real Loop the Loop, as described in this issue. This would be an unattainable feat without an engine.

More available to less extreme pilots: anyone who has ever foot dragged in sand and puddles, skimming at 65 km/h, for miles (allowed in some countries), to climb back into the sky in sharp bends, will never forget this feeling which is much closer to "Top Gun" than to a Sunday walk.

However, even pilots fiercely opposed to noisy and expensive motors have benefited from them: for example, the increase in the amount of reflex on certain profiles (including the Zeno 2), is partly based on the experience that the manufacturers have gained in this sector ...

Sascha Burkhardt, founder voler.info free.aero magazines

Translations: Ruth Jessop

4 year old Violette loves to play

No one told her the rules She doesn’t know what’s impossible She hasn’t learned to feel afraid She instinctively knows only one thing... Freedom shows her the way

At NEO, we’ve chosen to make 100% of our products in our own workshop on the shores of Lake Annecy, in France.

THE FIRST REAL LOOP THE LOOP

In September 2022, pilot Dimitris Kolliakos managed to do the first real Loop the Loop with a paraglider… A feat that has nothing to do with the Infinity Tumbling that has become commonplace, nor with the Power Loop of ten years ago. To pass in the opposite direction over the wing required the thrust of a 220cc, 40hp engine. Explanations...

Loop the loop... Photo: ITV Paragliders

The video of Dimitris Kolliakos’ incredible feat in September 2022.

The difference between an Infinity Tumble and a Loop the Loop: during a Loop the Loop or Rocket Loop, the pilot passes above the wing, travelling forward. It is not the same as during an Infinity Tumble where the wing passes in front of him.

The difference between the old Power Loop and a Loop the Loop is explained on the next few pages.

By Sylvain Dupuis

LOOPING THE LOOP, THE LOOP IS COMPLETE

More than ten years ago, our two legends Mathieu Rouanet and Laurent Salinas invented something they called the “Power Loop”, a sort of slightly off axis Loop the Loop.

It involves gaining the maximum amount of speed possible in a spiral, then pulling out by pushing down on the harness, thus causing a very large vertical pitch backwards, and then putting the engine to full throttle, and triggering a slight roll on one side very late, to pass vertically above the stabilo.

The manoeuvre was very impressive because it was very slow and deep. The time spent with the wing beneath the pilot’s feet seemed like an eternity, for the pilot as well as for the spectator. It looked as if the pilot had made an error, so close it seemed to the lines going slack…

I remember experiencing a few moments of weightlessness at the top of the figure. I was then really at the limit: the lines slack and curved backwards due to drag and the lack of tension, and the wing’s cells literally emptied of their air, such was the low relative speed...

In the event of pilot error (lack of power, a little too much optimism about the timing, or the thrust of the engine, for example) causing the lines to go totally slack, the risk of falling into the wing was a little less than for a perfectly on axis loop. They say that at worst, the pilot would fall alongside the wing, and would be able to kiss their own wing tip on the way past. We reassured ourselves as best we could...

At the time, the best engines were between 25 and 30 HP, and the wings were 20 to 24 m² pieces of cloth, which demanded a lot of the engine. And here we are at the legendary Coupe Icare in 2022, something like six years after my last Power Loop. Six years, the time for me to retrain in my profession and to leave my paramotor in the garage. Six years, the time needed for the equipment to evolve, and for new pilots to arrive on the scene.

December 2011: Mathieu Rouanet demonstrates a Power Loop for us above Empuriabrava in Catalonia.

The build-up of speed...

Photo: Sascha Burkhardt

Dimitri Kolliakos belongs to this new generation of very committed pilots, brought up with slalom wings and super powerful engines. Seeing for the first time the ITV Awak 3 flown with the 220 cc SkyEngine Boxer with almost 40 HP, I had this thought that doing a Loop the Loop, a real one, on the axis, must be finally possible. The rate of climb provided by the engine was mind blowing and the phenomenal pitch energy provided by this new wing, meant that the ingredients were all there. A little later in the day Pascal Campbell Jones told me that Dimitri was planning to carry out this world first, in a few hours’ time, at the Parabatix show.

December 2011: Mathieu Rouanet at the top of the Power Loop. Photo: Sascha Burkhardt

It just needed a little extra speed, a simple turn in a spiral, crush the throttle when it went into the pitch, and wait fully in the axis for the magic to work. A symmetric pull on the brake when you arrive at the top of the figure so as not to relax, and voila, the loop is complete. The figure is absolutely magnificent. Its execution is perfect, and the public hold their breath as the time seems to stop with this interminable moment spent with the wing vertical. A phenomenal depth and an absolute grace, which contrasts enormously with the highly stressful barrel rolls that we are used to seeing.

Just to finish off the story, Mathieu Rouanet congratulated Dimitri Kolliakos for this big step forward in the sport; Dimitri himself, has a poster of Mathieu in his bedroom. Dimitri, just like Mathieu, has become a legend. Congratulations Dimitri, the Loop is complete!

Excerpts from the video retracing Dimitri’s feat in September 2022...

Dimitri Kolliakos, ITV pilot

The video, in French, of this incredible story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXemxJ09v5 c&ab_channel=PierreGouineau

Vertical salmon's leap over the left wingtip: the tension in the lines is low, the cells deflate, the lines are close to slack.

As in the photo above, but with the Paramania GTR.

The Ozone Viper 1, 20m², in an almost vertical position, this wing lends itself to doing Power Loops, having the glide ratio and the energy necessary to pitch well, even with a fairly underpowered engine. Note the large amount of action on the brakes to keep a maximum of tension in the lines.

SYLVAIN DUPUIS, DOING A POWER LOOP ...

Sylvain Dupuis, the author of this article and a long-time contributor to free.aero, has had an atypical career: he went from aerobatic paramotor pilot to a professional pilot in business aviation and medical transport, building his first plane in the living room of his apartment!

With a 29 HP motor (Thor200), we managed to keep a little bit more tension in the lines.

Here you can clearly see the way the pilot approaches the PowerLoop: the vertical trajectory above the “GTR” logo, and not the middle of the wing. At the moment when the photo was taken, there was no longer any rolling movement, only pitching. Thus, the loop is done on an inclined plane

Be careful with the trigger (here in a Tumbling, but the result is the same, the pilot would touch the tip of the wing during a fall...).

The difference between the Rocket Loop on the left and the Power Loop on the right. On the right, the plane of rotation is tilted which implies two things:

1 The vertical passage is not done on the axis but above the wing tip, in the event of a fall, the outcome is less serious.

2 For the Power Loop, the vertically projected radius ‘r’ is lower than the projected radius “R” for the Rocket Loop, which, in fact, is carried out by a paramotor which doesn’t climb as high on the vertical axis (the diagram is demonstrative). Therefore, less energy is required in the case of the Power Loop!

The extra 20 HP in today’s motors gives that little bit of difference between “r” and “R”, which, in fact, is a huge difference when playing with the limits of slackness of the lines!

The ITV Awak 3 is a good example of the new dynamics at this French manufacturer... https://www.itv-wings.com/en/wingsparamotor-paragliding/awak-3-en-pp.html

Paragliders

Photo: ITV

X-ALPS: THE LIST

35 ATHLETES, 5 WOMEN, 30 MEN

The organizers of the X Alps 2023 race revealed the names of the 35 athletes selected in mid October.

There are: 30 men and 5 women from 18 nations 18 veterans 17 new pilots

The legendary Chrigel Maurer is one of them, he has won all the X Alps since 2009 (therefore 7 consecutive races). But there are some very serious competitors on his heels: Maxime Pinot, Simon Oberrauner, Patrick von Känel.

There have never been so many female athletes in the race’s history. Amongst the five, there are the participants from the last race, Yael Margelisch (SUI3) and Laurie Genovese (FRA3), as well as an athlete from the 2019 race, Kinga Masztalerz (NZL).

The “novices” in this race are Elisabeth Egger (AUT4), a former supporter of Aaron Durogati, and Celine Lorenz (GER3), who, at 24, will be the second youngest athlete.

The French teams selected look quite promising and include former World Cup winner Maxime Pinot (FRA1), who finished second in 2019 and challenged Maurer for much of the 2021 race. The French athlete, Tim Alongi, although new to the X Alps, could possibly finish high in the rankings.

A few days after the announcement, Red Bull founder Dietrich Mateschitz, died at the age of 78.

More information: www.redbullxalps.com/

Photo: Adi Geisegger/Red Bull Content Pool

Sebastian Marko/Red Bull Content Pool

Yael Margelisch Maxime Pinot

Another incredible adventure, sponsored by Red Bull, took place ten years ago:

The Austrian, Felix Baumgartner, took off in October 2012 aboard a stratospheric balloon and climbed to 39,000 m (!) before jumping into the void, watched live by almost 10 million viewers on YouTube. After accelerating to a top speed of 1,342.8 km/h (faster than the speed of sound) during a free fall of four minutes and 19 seconds, he deployed his parachute and landed safely.

Photo: Jay Nemeth/Red Bull Content Pool

THE MAD RUN

Since then, the brand has sponsored many extreme athletes and allowed them to finance impressive exploits or clips, such as Speedriding with Valentin Delluc in Avoriaz; see above.

Many athletes have therefore been grateful for support from this brand and have also expressed this on their blogs after the death of the co founder, Dietrich Mateschitz, in October 2022.

However, the brand has not escaped criticism either: it has been accused of pushing athletes too far in certain sports resulting in serious accidents.

Fortunately, in paragliding and speedriding, this doesn’t seem to have been the case.

Photo: Olivier Godbold/Red Bull Content Pool

Red Bull is also very active in parachute sponsoring. Here, athlete Leticia Bufoni combines it with skateboarding. Clearly it is the latest innovation to incite their (very male?!) audience to down more of their drink... Watch the full clip: www.redbull.com/int-en/leticia-bufoni-sky-grind

Photo : Marcelo Maragni / Red Bull Content Pool

Photo Marcelo Maragni / Red Bull Content Pool

XC MADE SIMPLE

HIGH FUN, LOW STRESS

The Genie X-Lite is a full-featured XC harness. It was designed to retain the essential qualities of safety, aerodynamics, comfort and convenience, whilst being as light and compact as possible.

The Atlas 2 is an easy intermediate wing for beginning and leisure pilots who want a confidence-inspiring wing that still o great XC possibilities.

The Genie X-Lite is aimed at pilots who want to make XC flights, including some hike ‘n fly. Its features and performance will satisfy the most dedicated XC pilots, yet it remains light and compact enough to hike with.

4 Sizes / 3,21 kg (Size M)

Using technology developed for our competition wings, we have further optimised the sail tension and 3D shaping. The result is a smoother take-o pitch damping, lighter handling and a useful “thermal sni

EN B // 6 sizes // 55-125 kg

COUPE ICARE 2022

After a cancelled 2020 exhibition and a very limited 2021 version, in September 2022, the Coupe Icare was back, in the air and in the marquees, with a total of 50,000 visitors, according to the organizers.

Photo: Alain Doucé

Photo: Johan Chemin

Eighty pilots were in fancy dress: despite fairly changeable weather, many of them were able to fly...

Photo: Johan Chemin

Aspiring to the 2022 remake of the film Top Gun (also with a Tom Cruise who has barely aged, and who pilots his own plane in real life.) Here, the speeds are not the same, but this fancy dress outfit and the display were well done

Photo: Paramount Pictures

The ubiquitous wingsuit jumps also took place. The riders unfortunately passed a little far from the spectators.

Photo: Alain Douce

Photo: Nicolas Vigneron

The shows on the south takeoff were also back. It was just a pity that Tura’s balloons are no longer allowed to fly (due to the fire risk).

Photos: Johan Chemin

The Coupe Icare festival: the atmosphere at the biggest free flight celebration in the world, across the whole Petites Roches plateau...

Two hundred pilots came to try wings and harnesses during the Testival “Icare Test”, which preceded the main weekend.

The weather was flyable on those days, and also on the Thursday, with beautiful autumn thermals on the cliffs at Saint Hilaire. It’s a shame that landing on the plateau, which is all very tempting, is not allowed during the Coupe Icare... There were still not enough shuttle buses to take the pilots back up.

Below: the weekend was more suitable for “fuel powered thermaling”...

Photo: Bruno Lavit

Photo: Johan Chemin

Photo: Claytone Carpe

Photo: Nicolas Vigneron

Coupe Icare 2022: the air show

Photo : Bruno Lavit

Photo : Alain Doucé

TRENDS 2023 (1)

COCOON HARNESSES, STREAMLINED OR NOT

A very visible trend at the Coupe Icare 2022: more and more pilots, including re latively inexperienced ones, are looking for the comfort of a cocoon harness, with the added bonus of a gain in performance, even if this is principally during accelerated flight.

Some manufacturers are adapting to this new trend and offering two versions: with or without rear fairing. This fairing in the back of the harness acts as a stabilizer and thus provides even more comfort, but above all, it can give racing wings up to one extra point of glide ratio. The biggest disadvantage of a streamlined harness is often the volume it takes up in the backpack, and the higher price. To learn about cocoons, here is the link to our most recent in depth report in 2018.

Photo: Arthur Burkhardt

Photo: Johan

For several years, GIN has been working on the “Wave Leading Edge” to improve performance and to decrease the stall speed. In 2022, the system took off at full speed, including landing on the podiums at the Paragliding World Cup.

Photo: Jérôme Maupoint / GIN

IN 2020 THERE WAS ALREADY A GIN BOOMERANG 12, HUMPBACK WHALE

Back in 2020, our colleague, Lucian Haas, from the German blog, Lu Glidz had al ready discovered this new version of the Gin Boomerang with, as a noteworthy dif ference, a leading edge “full of bumps,” like the fins on certain whales.

Paradoxically, the localized turbulence due to these irregularities can improve the ove rall flow. A good example of this is on a golf ball, where the deliberately designed irre gularities ‘stick’ the air to the surface of the ball, thanks to the re attachment of the boundary layer. This effect, which depends on the viscosity of the air (Reynolds num ber), makes the ball fly farther.

The idea could also be used in modern air craft design as shown in this article...

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INTENSE DEVELOPMENT

GIN worked on the system with a large team from a Korean university.

In practice, this system not only improves performance, but decreases the stall speed by reattaching the boundary layer.

Interesting: even in the event of a collapse, the pilots at GIN say they have noticed that the wing is better behaved.

During the Coupe Icare 2022, GIN presen ted a great video about this new develop ment…

VIDEO WLE

The Genie X-Lite: there is a beautiful fairing behind the pilot when flying this harness. It weighs as little as between 2.99 and 3.48 kg. We are testing one at the moment, and we will bring you our report as soon as we can... Below, the

harness developer at GIN, Howoong Lee.

Photo: Jérôme Maupoint/GIN

Photo: Sascha Burkhardt

Photo: zooom / Sebastian Marko

AIR DESIGN

The lightweight Sock harness weighs bet ween 2.6 kg and 2.9 kg. It is streamlined at the rear, but also, following a new trend, the nose in front of the pilot’s feet is well rounded too. It is even equipped with a zip to be able to store things in this part of the cocoon!

The new concept of the seat should pro vide both comfort and precision piloting. The airbag must be inflated before the flight.

Photos: Sascha Burkhardt

The long awaited StayUp 2.0 from Neo has finally showed up nicely sculpted thanks to the rods! The Koroyd protector under the buttocks is easier to remove, for example for a very lightweight hike & fly outing, and an optional Neo Koroyd Pro Pack plate can be used to protect the back (as with the Shorty).

It is clearly a lot more comfortable; we are waiting to test one to confirm this.

The weight, nevertheless, remains below 2 kg, and the packed volume is surprisingly small.

Expected release date: end of November 2022.

Photo: Sascha Burkhardt

Photo: Sascha Burkhardt

Photo: Arthur Burkhardt

The Stay Up 2.0 reserve is in a better position to enable a faster release. Part of the Neo team: Mathias Francou, Maxime Pinot, Eric Roussel Photos: Sascha Burkhardt

ALAIN ZOLLER

A few interesting things to note about the new wave of EN C 2 liners: first, keep in mind that 2 liners are often not true two liners, since the anchor points of each line are not actually aligned.

The other important point to note, which may seem obvious: the certification tests only cover a very small proportion of the possible situations which can happen in the air.

The pilot therefore needs to be wary of what he or she could encounter by way of a collapse “in real flying conditions”, and which can lead to reactions which are very different to those expected.

Below, as a reminder, here is our most re cent in depth article on the subject: 2 lines vs 3 lines.

Photo: Sascha Burkhardt

Photo: zooom

Sebastian

SUPAIR

The Delight 4 has just been released in a version with a fairing, and a standard ver sion.

Identical in all respects except for the fai ring (and, consequently, also for the rear storage volume), the two versions are on sale, with a distribution that can provisio nally be fixed at 60% Sport and 40% Stan dard.

There are therefore, visibly, more enthu siasts for the sportier version. According to Supair, the sportier version would be as suitable as the Standard one for a pilot en tering the world of cocoons.

A possible disadvantage: after a reverse stall, the faired version is probably a little more prone to twists.

On the other hand, if pilots flying an entry level EN B are not able to benefit from a real gain in performance, the comfort of the increased stability, for example in the yaw, will still undoubtedly be a real plus for them.

At Free.aero, we have a Delight 4 Standard that we are currently testing. The geometry offers comfort and control, the final verdict will be available shortly!

Identical except for the rear fairing: the Supair Delight 4 Sport (faired, €1750), and the standard version (€1590).

At the Coupe Icare, Clément Latour and Laurent Chiabaut from the Supair team.

Photo: Sascha Burkhardt

Photo: Supair

Photo: Sascha Burkhardt

Under an intermediate but very strong wing like the Phi Maestro 2 light, the difference, in terms of performance, between an upright harness or a completely faired one, is quite significant.

On the other hand, the cocoon harness shown here is probably adjusted to be pointing downwards too much.

This summer, the Phi Maestro 2 light obtained EN B certification. It remains a powerful wing at the top of this category.

According to Phi, “the large increase in the number of cells (76 cells compared to 60 in the previous version) combined with optimized 3D shaping, the new high-stability structure rods and the additional mini-ribs in the leading edge, offer a marked reduction in the amount of creasing in the part of the wing which is essential for lift and speed.“

Despite this complexity, the Phi Maestro 2 light only weighs 3.6 kg in size 21.

Also new at Phi, and still a little bit confidential: the manufacturer will be adding harnesses to their range; see the next page...

Hannes Papesh at the Coupe Icare 2022: visibly very satisfied with the progress made since the launch of Phi more than 5 years ago!

PHI, ALSO SITTING DOWN!

Phi is one of the manufacturers who offer a very wide range of wings. Soon, har nesses will be added to their range, initially with upright ones.

Hannes Papesh has entrusted this task to the Ukrainian Yevhenii Zakharchenko. Ori ginally from the region of Izium, which is sadly famous today...

He now lives near Phi in Austria with his partner Katerina.

Between 2017 and 2021, he worked on GIN harnesses.

The first 3 models at Phi (no release date announced) will be classic harnesses wi thout a cocoon: a very comfortable model weighing less than 4 kg, and two reversible harnesses, one weighing 3.5 to 3.8 kg, and a lightweight version weighing less than 3 kg.

The Volt 4 from Air Design was the first on the market, but other manufacturers had also done a lot of tests prior to that. Right: the Volt 4 line plan.

EN C 2 LINER

Two liners are, in principle, more efficient due to the reduced drag of the lines, but they are flown differently to normal wings.

On the one hand, the wings are very stable, especially when accelerated, and offer more direct feedback through the controls, but on the other hand, large collapses can be significantly more extreme, since the rest of the wing is hardly supported any more. In addition, the reduced number of attachment points is often compensated by the presence of rods along the entire chord of the wing on almost all the cells, a cravat due to a collapse is therefore some times difficult, if not impossible, to recover from. Remember that the first two liners became certified (in EN/D) as recently as 11 years ago!

One can certainly criticize the fact that it is now possible to pass collapses induced by folding lines for EN/C certification (which allows the designer to adapt the geometry of closures in a targeted manner for the test)

One can also object to the fact that pilots perhaps don’t use the folding lines during SIVs, and therefore don’t practice col lapses.

Nevertheless, manufacturers have fully

embraced the trend launched by the Volt 4, and many have announced the launch of their next EN/C two liners:

Air Design, available, Volt 4 Flow will be bringing out a two liner EN C wing in 2023 which will be called the Ad venture

Mac Para, planned 2023, no name Niviuk, 2023, Artik Race, already in the air Nova planned 2023, no name Ozone, advertised for 2023, Aura Skywalk, planned 2023, no name SOL, advertised 2023, LT 2 Swing planned 2023, no name UP planned 2023, Trango successor to the X Race

The new certification standard has not really entered the competition regulations yet, which is why some wings are certified as EN/C and EN/D. There is currently also speculation about the creation of a new sport class specially intended for the EN/C two liners so that they can access the Pa ragliding World Cup.

Read more in Free.aero: everything you need to know about 2 liners Below, our article about 2.5 liners...

An undeniable trend for 2022/2023.

Photo: Air Design

Stefan Ungemach

NIVIUK

One of the very first photos of the Niviuk Artik Race, the first EN C 2 liner at Niviuk (aspect ratio 6.5). The Artik Race will appear in 2023, as will the Peak 6. Niviuk, as always, had a big team at Coupe Icare 2022.

Photo: Sascha Burkhardt

Photo: Niviuk

The Koyot 5, EN A is aimed particularly at pilots at the start of their flying career.

With a more modern design it should be, above all, more comfortable to fly.

5 sizes (45 kg -135 kg), weight of the wing 4.5 kg - 5.2 kg. It also exists in a light version P.

Niviuk

Photo:

The Hook 6P (top, EN A+) and the Hook 6 (bottom, EN B): the best-selling wings in a new version that promises improved performance, more stability (less roll), more control, comfort and performance. Obviously cocoon harnesses also have their place coupled with accessible EN A+/EN B wings… Photos: Niviuk

The Niviuk Arrow and the Hawk: The chassis and geometry are identical, it’s all in tune with the current trends, as is the rounded nose. Only the rear is different! Visibly well-finished harnesses that we are looking forward to testing. Dominique Cizeau, founder of Niviuk, waited a very long time to release a new cocoon harness. (The last one was the Drifter 1)

Photo: Sascha Burkhardt

Photo: Niviuk

Photo: Niviuk

NIVIUK: MERYL DELFERRIERE ON BOARD!

Interesting news which was announced just after the Coupe Icare: the international champion (Winner of the World Cham pionships and World Cup) Meryl Delfer riere is now flying the Niviuk Icepeak X One! Her first competition in the NK Ra cing Team: the Pre World Cup in Tenerife in early November, where she landed on the top spot on the women’s podium and third overall.

Meryl flying her new Icepeak X-One in Tenerife

Photo: Vytautas Žibikas /@retyras

Photo: Niviuk

Photo: Niviuk

2! Photos: Niviuk

The women’s podium in Tenerife at the beginning of November:

Meryl Delferriere - Niviuk Icepeak X-One

Constance Mettetal - Niviuk Icepeak X-One

Celine Lorenz - Niviuk Peak 5

Amongst the men, Loïs Goutagny was first flying the Niviuk Icepeak X-One with a Drifter

THE BATTLE OF THE SUBMARINES

We have already seen the famous Ozone submarine, now on sale in three sizes. The airship (weighing more than 8kg in all three sizes) wraps the pilot in an aerodynamic fairing, which inflates shortly after takeoff through an opening in the nose at the pilot’s feet. There is room for two reserves and a Neo Koroyd protector; this is ob viously a new collaboration.

Below, the Ukrainians from Nearbird have also released a prototype of this type of harness.

At the moment we don’t have many tech nical details, except for the name, which is in keeping with the times: the “ATACMS”. This is also the name of a tactical surface to surface ballistic missile that the Ukrai nians are awaiting impatiently...

Photo: Ozone Photo: Nearbirds

Photo: Stefan Ungemach

OZONE

As always, a very original stand put together by Matthieu de Quillacq from Ozone France (right). Sharing a toast with David Dagault, head of R&D. Top left, Fred Pieri, who has worked in the R&D department for more than 10 years. Emilia Plak is a former paramotor world champion and responsible for all of Ozone’s paramotoring business. Of course, the centre piece of the stand was the Submarine, finally on sale.

Photos: Sascha Burkhardt

The Swift 6 is the lighter version of the Rush 6. It is an EN B+ wing with 62 cells, 2.5 hybrid lines, and weighs 4.11 kg in size MS.

Photo: Olivier Laugero/Pilot Thomas Jeanniot

The Swift 6 has the same hybrid line layout as the Rush 6. As a reminder, here’s our last article on hybrids and the line plan for the Rush 6.

Photo: Olivier Laugero/Pilot Xavier Blanes

The EN D Zeno 2 is, like the first Zeno, a two liner. A two line EN C, the Aura, is currently being manufactured at Ozone. On the Zeno 2 line plan, it is also possible to see the anchor points for the folding lines, which the pilot is supposed to set up before an SIV course... A unique feature of the Zeno 2: a profile with more reflex than on the Zeno 1, which should therefore increase its maximum possible speed.

Photo: Olivier Laugero

This backlit perspective of the Zeno 2 shows a lot of the structural details...

Photo: Olivier Laugero

WEATHER REPORT... AVERAGE

Against all the odds and forecasts, a considerable part of the Coupe Icare 2022 aerial program was able to take place. Here the Rodriguez brothers in a synchronised spiral...

... sometimes it was just possible...

... but when the clouds lingered, the show still continued...

Photo : Claytone Carpe

Photo: Claytone Carpe

Photo: Stefan Ungemach

SKYWALK

Since the spring, the X Alps 5 has been available. This is a 2 line EN D wing. It was also the first 2 line at Skywalk. The German manufacturer will soon also be releasing a 2 line EN C. Other news: the Cumeo 2 is about to be launched, as is the Poison 5. We will talk about them in the next issue!

course, Jean-Baptiste Chandelier is still a very

middle, Arne Wehrlin, head

Hennes, communication.

Of

important member of the R&D team. In the

of the paragliding division at Skywalk. On the right, Annika

New to the Skywalk team: Tim Alongi.

Photo: Skywalk

Photos: Sascha Burkhardt

SUGAR & SPICE

The Bolero 7 marks a step-change in the Bolero series, with a completely new planform, arc, profile and 3rd generation EPT (Equalised Pressure Technology) system. The result: a supremely balanced wing that o ers both reassurance and delight in equal measure.

EN A / 5 sizes / 55-130kg

INDEPENDENCE

Stefan Kurrle (right), the boss at Independence and Skyman, is very pleased about the numerous comments from pilots praising the qualities of the Geronimo 3 (EN B).

Our test pilot, Philippe Lami, also has it on test at the moment, his first comment: “After a few flights on the Geronimo 3, I discovered a really nice wing, bursting with fun, agility and colour. Very precise and super playful, while remaining compact, and relaxed in turbulence… an excellent surprise in its category…”

Photo: Independence Stefan Kurrle

Photo: Sascha Burkhardt

Another new item in preparation: an EN A + from Independence. The wing does not have a name yet. Here, Independence test pilot (and also Skyman founder) Markus Gründhammer tests the wing in preparation for certification.

Photos: Markus Gründhammer

SKYMAN

Skyman is also a specialist in Single-Skins. Here the Shark (EN B), whose sizes 20 and 23 have just been approved.

SWING

The Serac, the first classic wing really intended for hike & fly due to its light weight (this doesn’t include the numerous speed flying/riding wings at Swing).

We have a model that we are currently testing: even if the pressure in the controls is unusually light, it is a very pleasant and efficient EN B wing.

The RAST is undeniably felt, for example, when you have to force collapses at large angles. More details and our conclusions will be in a future issue, but one thing is already certain, that it is a successful wing.

ADVANCE

At Advance, the DLS (Durable Lightweight System, a structural compromise between lightness and durability) technology already present in the Iota DLS, will also be applied to the Epsilon DLS, to be released in 2023. There will also be the Omega ULS (Ultra Lightweight System). More info in the next issue.

U-TURN

The “Highschool” EN/LTF A Emotion 4 wing from the German manufacturer U Turn will be launched, as always, in 7 sizes, from 50 kg to 160 kg (PTV mini/PTV max extended).

Despite robust materials and construction, it remains between 3.75 and 5.4 kg.

Above, Lukas Schellenberg, one of the directors of this company.

Photos: Sascha Burkhardt

There are many new instruments, hence the need to present them in detail in the next issue. Above: Stodeus released the “Ultrabip”. This solar powered mini-vario replaces the old top of the range one at Stodeus. Improvements, amongst other things, include a Bluetooth connection to communicate, for example with a tablet in flight. We are currently testing a model. Stunning, as always: the very natural and very audible voice announcing flight parameters such as altitude, speed...

INSTRUMENTS

The communication trend continues: both the XC Tracer Maxx II and the XC Tracer Mini V are equipped with FLARM and FANET (Flying Ad-hoc Network)

Same news here: the Air 3 offers FLARM and FANET as new additions. More info in the next issue!

Photos: Sascha Burkhardt

Photos: Sascha Burkhardt

IN THE NEXT ISSUE

In the next issue, watch all the trailers for the 2022 Coupe Icare award winning films.

The cinema marquee at the Coupe Icare. Below, the Golden Icarus and the Public Icarus, Lumdo Kolola:

FREE.AERO IS BACK

In the next issue, we will also talk about all the other news from the show that we didn’t have space for in this issue, together with the news that appeared in October and early November…

Thank you to all the readers as well as the manufacturers who came to see the stand, we were able to benefit from some very fruitful exchanges. This event will always remain the best opportunity to keep an eye on what’s going on in our sport!

The next edition will be out in a months time!

The Free.aero stand with Claytone Carpe and Sascha Burkhardt.

Photo: Arthur Burkhardt

Photo: Arthur Burkhardt

AD ADVENTURE CROSSOVER 5 AD CAMELEON EXO 59 AD GIN BOLERO 7 19 AD GIN GENIE X LITE 50 AD KORTEL DESIGN KRUYER 3 3 AD NEO LOVE WHAT YOU DO 12 AD NIVIUK ARROW 36 AD NIVIUK HOOK 6 HOOK 6P 28 AD NIVIUK KOYOT 5 /5P 16 AD OZONE SWIFTSIX 43 AD OZONE ZENO 2 42 AD PARAGLIDING MAP REDEEM 38 AD PHI MAESTRO 2 LIGHT 14 AD PHI MAESTRO 2 LIGHT 33 AD SKYMAN DISCOVERING FOOTPATHS 15 AD SKYMAN DISCOVERING FOOTPATHS 39 AD SKYWALK X-ALPS 5 34 AD SKYWALK X-ALPS 5 64 AD WINDSRIDERS 2