Hybrid Sail

When a glider ages, it is the leading edge of the top surface that ages faster than any other part of the wing. There are two reasons for this: Firstly, this is the area that receives twice the UV exposure compared to other surfaces of the wing. The bottom surface gets exposed to the sun when the glider is laid out on the ground. The top surface gets exposed to UV in flight, and only the top surface close to the leading edge gets exposed to UV in both situations.

The other reason that the leading edge of the top surface gets worn out faster is that the there is the most tension in this area, and also the biggest pressure difference across the cloth caused by aerodynamic forces. Gelvenor cloth has proven itself to be one of the very best cloths for long life. This is because it is silicon coated, and is also heavier than most other cloths used to make paragliders, weighing in at a hefty 50gm/sq m. It is not surprising that Gelvenor has gained an excellent reputation for long life in the paragliding industry. However, the increased weight of Gelvenor means that the glider becomes heavier, leading to more inertia in the wing and sluggish launch characteristics, not to mention the fact that you have to carry that extra weight around on your back as well. For a period of 18 months we tested the concept of mixing cloths on the top surface, putting Gelvenor on the first stripe of the leading edge and 39 gm/sq m of Porcher 9017 E38A on the rest of the top surface.

The objective was to make a glider that lasts just as long as a 100% Gelvenor wing, but with the lighter overall weight. The result is the Hybrid top surface. The Mustang2 M for example weights in at a mere 6kg, approaching the weight of a mountain glider, but with a sail that is without compromise in terms of life expectancy due to its innovative hybrid design. We have used this special sail on all of our gliders since 2005.