75% scale. Features aluminum tube & rivet construction, CAD designed and detailed, rigid bracing, quick build (400 hrs), engine options, and light, responsive controls. If building as experimental VW or ½ VW options are available.
The AIR’G Sophie 2 is a wing for freestyle flying. The Sophie 2 helps to progress in freestyle flying – First stalls, Misty Flips, Helicopters as well as single Tumblings or radical Mc Twists are possible. An easy wing to progress thru the first steps in freestyle paragliding without the aggressiveness of a competition acro glider.
Richard Gallon began flying in 1985 in Hilaire du Touvet and by 1989 had begun to experiment with the new sport of acro paragliding. Alongside Andy Heidiger, Sebastien Bourquin and the Rodreguez brothers.
Richard went on to work for UP, Edel, Skywalk and many others. While working as a test pilot for Skywalk, Richard was in need of an acro wing. Skywalk weren’t interesting in making one so Richard decided to do it himself “just for fun”:
“I gave it the name of one of my daughters, it was like a personal pleasure for me, just for fun… Afterward some friends tried the wing and said ‘not bad, can I have one?’ and I said yes, why not and it continue and I fell in the trap…could not run away. So my team got bigger and I got a lot of help from all around… it motivated me.”
3 years on airG had grown, but was still a small player in the paragliding world. Asked how involved he is in the design and manufacturing process these days Richard says “It’s just me and RR (Raúl Rodriguez).”
The XP Racer 503 SL was called the world’s highest performance series produced flexwing microlight.
XP Racer 503 SL
By limiting the weight, fuel and equipment, Air Creation managed to put a single seat wing on a two seat chassis to create the XP 12 Buggy.
XP 12 Buggy
XP Clipper
The XP 17 Clipper 912 was new in 1998, with a similar structure to the previous two seaters, but totally faired in, including the engine. The wing surface is larger to keep the stall lower.
XP 17 Clipper 912
XP-15 GT 503 Engine: Rotax 503, 52 hp HP range: 40-70 Speed max: 80 mph Cruise: 50 mph Range: 150 sm Stall: 28 mph ROC: 1100 fpm Take-off dist: 150 ft Landing dist: 175 ft Service ceiling: 15,000 ft Fuel cap: 10 USG Weight empty: 312 lb Gross: 750 lb Height: 12 ft Length: 8 ft Wing span: 33 ft Wing area: 189 sq.ft Seats: 2 Landing gear: nose wheel
XP Racer 503 Height: 9.7 ft Length: 7 ft Wing span: 33 ft Wing area: 124 sq.ft Max speed: 84 mph Cruise: 60 mph Range: 110 sm Rate of climb: 1320 fpm Takeoff dist: 120 ft Landing dist: 150 ft Service ceiling: 15,000 ft Engine: Rotax 502, 52 hp hp range: 40-52 Fuel capacity: 5 USG Empty weight: 271 lb Gross weight: 568 lb Seats: 1
XP Racer 503 SL Empty weight: 128 kg Wing span: 9.2 m Wing area: 11.5 sq.m Fuel capacity: 38 lt Engine: Rotax 503, 52 hp MAUW: 257 kg Seats: 1 Max speed: 135 kph Cruise speed: 110 kph Minimum speed: 45 kph Climb rate: 6.7 m/s Fuel consumption: 9 lt/hr Price (1998): 90 740 Fttc
XP 12 Buggy Empty weight: 175 kg Wing span: 9.2 m Wing area: 12.5 sq.m Fuel capacity: 38 lt Certification: Vz Engine: Rotax 582 DCDI, 64 hp MAUW: 350 kg Seats: 2 Max speed: 140 kph Cruise speed: 80-120 kph Minimum speed: 55 kph Climb rate: 6.5 m/s Fuel consumption: 9.5 lt/hr Price (1998): 118 240 Fttc
XP Clipper Empty weight: 192 kg Wing span: 10 m Wing area: 15.5 sq.m Certification: Vz, BCAR S, CASA Engine: Rotax 582 S, 64 hp MAUW: 450 kg Seats: 2 Max speed: 140 kph Cruise speed: 80-120 kph Minimum speed: 54 kph Climb rate: 5.3 m/s Fuel consumption: 9 lt/hr Price (1998): 144 600 Fttc
XP 17 Clipper 912 Empty weight: 209 kg Wing span: 10 m Wing area: 17.3 sq.m Fuel capacity: 60 lt Engine: Rotax 912, 80 hp MAUW: 450 kg Seats: 2 Max speed: 135 kph Cruise speed: 90-25 kph Minimum speed: 53 kph Climb rate: 6 m/s Fuel consumption: 7 lt/hr
The GTE Clipper 582 model is essentially the top of the Flexwing range. Designed to meet the BCAR/S standard, the GTE grosses out at 479 kg and has a composite pod and windshield that encloses the Trike body. It has a full range of in¬strumentation including NAVMAN electronic fuel consumption gauge, radio, Garmin GPS and dual controls. Manufactured in France, the Clipper 582C features the XP-15 wing.
XP-15 wing Max wt: 479 kg Cruise: 60 kts Vne: 73 kts
Clipper 582C Max speed: 87 mph Cruise: 55 mph Range: 190 sm Rate of climb: 1044 fpm Takeoff dist: 200 ft Landing dist: 200 ft Service ceiling: 15,000 ft Engine: Rotax 582 Fuel capacity: 10 USG Empty weight: 342 lb Gross weight: 913 lb Height: 12 ft Length: 8.2 ft Wing span: 33 ft Wing area: 167 sq.ft Seats: 2
