The Sun Sail Swift used a sophisticated airfoil design to give delicate balance and handling characteristics. There is a special high strength baked-on epoxy on the control bar and kingpost. Injection molded spar saddles and kingpost fittings and standard, and quick change links for seated to prone flying are fitted. The Swift is fitted with a dowelled and sleeved precision bent keel and the ability to breakdown to 12 ft. Options included soaring windows, custom sail patterns, 5 x 5 control bar, and a ball variometer.
The airframe is made from 6061-T6 1.5in x .049 clear anodised aluminium alloy. Exterior sleeving is 6063-T832. Spars are precision drilled with exterior hardwood dowel. Rigging cable is 3/32in 7 x 7 302 stainless steel aircraft quality, with all rigging vinyl coated. Continuous top rigging is fitted and lowr rigging is individual with no weak links. All cable ends are double nico pressed.
Tangs, control bar box, kingpost bracket, shackles and nose plate are stainless steel. Nuts, bolts and turnbuckles are aircraft quality. The wing struts are 4130 chrome molly with machined cable guides.
The sail is Howe & Bainbridge 3.8oz stabilised dacron, then available in 11 colours. Fully reinforced with unique roach tip design, three tapered fibreglass battens per side, control batten attached to leading edge for positive washou control. Panels run 90 degrees to the leading edge.
A seated harness has full height adjustment, rigid seat with leg loop security. Made from 5000 lb test web that includes a back support and spreader bar. Prone harness has full adjustment, three position suspension system with knee hangers.
Swift A Leading edge: 19 ft Keel length: 12 ft Wing span: 30.3 ft Wing area: 170 sq,ft Aspect ratio: 5.28 Nose angle: 104˚ Weight: 40 lb Stall speed: 13 mph Max speed: 40 mph Best glide ratio (L/D): 7-1 Best L/D speed: 26 mph Min sink: 255 fpm
Swift B Leading edge: 20 ft Keel length: 12 ft Wing span: 32 ft Wing area: 190 sq,ft Aspect ratio: 5.38 Nose angle: 104˚ Weight: 41 lb Stall speed: 13 mph Max speed: 40 mph Best glide ratio (L/D): 7-1 Best L/D speed: 27 mph Min sink: 255 fpm
The Sun Sail Corp Sun Standard was regarded as easy to take off, with good parachuting and stall charastics. It has a distortion and noise free sail.
The Sun Standard airframe is made from 606-T6 1.5 in x .049 clear anodised alloy, and exterior sleeving is 6063-T832. Spars are precision drilled with exterior sleeve and interior hardwood dowel. There are full bushings throughout.
Rigging cable is 3/32in 7×7 302 stainless steel aircraft quality, with all rigging fully coated. There is continuous top rigging, individual lower rigging with no weak links. All cable ends are double nico pressed. Tangs, control box, kingpost backet, shackles and nose plate are stainless steel. Nuts, bolts and turnbuckles are aircraft quality.
There is a powder coated baked-on epoxy on the kingpost, injecrion moulded spar saddles and kingpost fittings. The glider came with a seated harness.
The sail is Howe & Bainbridge 3.8oz stabilised dacron in 11 colours. All seams are double zig-zag stiched and stress points reinforced. The sail is cut for wing spar deflection and has utilised keel pocket construction.
The seated harness has full height adjustment, rigid seat and leg loop security, made of 5000 lb test web that includes a back support and spreader bar. An optional prone harness had full adjustment, a three position suspension system with knee hangers and sheepskin padding.
The Sun III has a higher aspect ratio for an extended glide ratio. It has a hyperbolically, non-symmetrical cut trailing edge to reduce drag. It has an extremely slow take-off speed, soars in marginal conditions, its control is light and responsive, and it has good parachuting capabilities.
Sun III
The Sun III has powder coated baked-on epoxy on the kingpost, injection moulded spar saddles and kingpost fittings. The airframe is made from 6061-T6 1.5in x .049 clear anodised alloy with 6063-T832 exterior sleeving. Spars are prcision drilled with exterior sleeve and interior hardwood dowel. Full bushings ae throughout.
Sun III cabling is 3/32in 7 x7 302 stainless steel aircraft, with all rigging vinyl coated. Continuous top rigging, lowr rigging individual with no weak links is fitted. All cable ends are double nico pressed.
Tangs, control bar box, kingpost bracket, shackles and nose plate are stainless steel, and nuts, bolts and turnbuckles are aircraft quality on the Sun III. A seated harness has full height adjustment, rigid seat with leg loop security, made of 5000 b test web that includes a back support and spreader bar. A prone harness has full adjustment, three position suspension system with knee hangers.
The Sun III sail is Howe and Bainridge 3.8 oz stabilised dacron which was available in 11 colours. All seams are double zig-zag stitched and stress pointts are reinforced. The sail is cut for wing spar deflection and has keel pocket construction.
With the same materials and construction as the Sun II, the Sun IV is a high aspect truncated tip flexible wing Rogallo. It has low take-off speed and will soar in winds under 15 mph. It features a sail cut to improve airflow characteristics, a factory cambered keel and rigid strut supported trunks.
Sun IV
The Sun IV BC is a high aspect ratio Rogallo hybrid with an ‘S’ shaped keel, fully battened sail and finite tips. It is controlled solely by weight shifting. It is reported as having a slow take-off speed and it will soar in wind conditions under 15 mph.
Sun IV BC
Some available options were soaring windows, aerodynamic streamlining, custom sail patterns, and a variometer.
Take down and set up times should be less than 10 minutes and the Sun IV BC can be transported like a standard.
Sun IV BC
Sun Standard 16×16 Leading edge: 16 ft Keel length: 16 ft Wing span: 21 ft Wing area: 160 sq,ft Aspect ratio: 2.75 Nose angle: 82˚ Sail billow: 4˚ Weight: 33 lb Pilot weight: 110-155 lb Takeoff speed: 14 mph Stall speed: 17 mph Max speed: 37 mph Best glide ratio (L/D): 4-1 Best L/D speed: 25 mph Min sink: 480 fpm
Sun Standard 17×17 Leading edge: 17 ft Keel length: 17 ft Wing span: 22.5 ft Wing area: 181 sq,ft Aspect ratio: 2.75 Nose angle: 82˚ Sail billow: 4˚ Weight: 34 lb Pilot weight: 120-170 lb Takeoff speed: 14 mph Stall speed: 17 mph Max speed: 37 mph Best glide ratio (L/D): 4-1 Best L/D speed: 25 mph Min sink: 480 fpm
Sun Standard 18×18 Leading edge: 18 ft Keel length: 18 ft Wing span: 23.8 ft Wing area: 203 sq,ft Aspect ratio: 2.75 Nose angle: 82˚ Sail billow: 4˚ Weight: 35 lb Pilot weight: 130-185 lb Takeoff speed: 14 mph Stall speed: 17 mph Max speed: 37 mph Best glide ratio (L/D): 4-1 Best L/D speed: 25 mph Min sink: 480 fpm
Sun Standard 19×19 Leading edge: 19 ft Keel length: 19 ft Wing span: 25 ft Wing area: 228 sq,ft Aspect ratio: 2.75 Nose angle: 82˚ Sail billow: 4˚ Weight: 36 lb Pilot weight: 145-225 lb Takeoff speed: 14 mph Stall speed: 17 mph Max speed: 37 mph Best glide ratio (L/D): 4-1 Best L/D speed: 25 mph Min sink: 480 fpm
Sun III 19 x 18 Leading edge: 19 ft Keel length: 18 ft Wing span: 27.25 ft Wing area: 180 sq,ft Aspect ratio: 4.13 Nose angle: 90˚ Sail billow: 6˚ Weight: 40 lb Pilot weight: 125-165 lb Takeoff speed: 13 mph Stall speed: 15 mph Max speed: 40 mph Best glide ratio (L/D): 6-1 Best L/D speed: 29 mph Min sink: 422 fpm
Sun III 20 x 19 Leading edge: 20 ft Keel length: 19 ft Wing span: 28.25 ft Wing area: 195 sq,ft Aspect ratio: 4.13 Nose angle: 90˚ Sail billow: 6˚ Weight: 42 lb Pilot weight: 150-210 lb Takeoff speed: 11 mph Stall speed: 15 mph Max speed: 40 mph Best glide ratio (L/D): 6-1 Best L/D speed: 17 mph Min sink: 422 fpm
Sun IV Leading edge: 19 ft Keel length: 15 ft Wing span: 31.25 ft Wing area: 180 sq,ft Aspect ratio: 5.1 Nose angle: 105˚ Sail billow: 3˚ Weight: 43 lb Pilot weight: 150-220 lb Takeoff speed: 12 mph Stall speed: 14 mph Max speed: 40 mph Best glide ratio (L/D): 7-1 Best L/D speed: 22 mph Min sink: 250 fpm
Sun IV BC Wing span: 31 ft 6 in Wing area: 185 sq.ft Aspect ratio: 5.1 Keel length: 12 ft sail – 3 ft stinger Leading edge length: 19 ft Nose angle: 105 degrees Billow: 2.5 or 3 degrees Empty weight: 44 lb Max flying weight: 257 lb Useful load: 213 lb Best L/D: 7.5 – 1Min sink: 235 fpm Stall: 12 mph Cruise: 25 mph Max speed: 45 mph
The Strato is a high aspect ratio, high performance glider that replaced Sunbird’s discontinued “Standard” and “Cut-Keel Standard” designs. In addition to expected improvements in L/D and sink rate, roll rate, response, roll control power, pitch stability, and stall charastics were improved.
As a third generation Standard, it was used by flight school students, intermediate and advanced pilots.
Unique Tensor trailing edge mormalises distributed sail loads and helps to control washout. Roaching of the outboard wing sections results in improved low speed performance and control. The centre f gravity is adjustable and no specific hang rating was required.
The leading edges are 6061-T6 or 6063-T835 1.75in x .049 seamless drawn aluminium tubing, reinforced with inner sleeves of 6061-T6 1 5/8in x .058 tubing. The 6061-T6 1.5in x .058 tubing is used for the keel and crossbar. All tubing is bright anodised.
The rigging is nylon coated 3/32ib 7 x 7 stainless steel cable, double swaged. Quick-release tensioners were optional.
The sail is 3.9oz Bainbridge stabilised dacron. Fully battened with light-weight tapered fibreglass battens. All seams are stitched double zig-zag with stress points reinforced. Custom colours were standard, and airbrush and sail painting optional.
Saddles, tangs, and noseplate were by UP. Bolts, nuts, clevis pins etc were all AN or MS standard.
The pilot support was the original Hammock Harness. The body of the harness is constructed of a closed cell, high density foam pad, covered with strong, abrasion resistant 22oz Cordura cloth. The primary support web is constructed of 1.75in nylon web with a minimum breaking strength og 6500 lb and the knee hangers are constructed from an extra wide 3in herringbone web with a velro closure designed to stay closed.
Leading edge: 20 ft Keel length: 14.5 ft Wing span: 31 ft Wing area: 175 sq,ft Aspect ratio: 5.5 Nose angle: 101˚ Pilot weight: 135-175 lb Best glide ratio (L/D): 7.5-1 Min sink: 250 fpm
A 1979 hang glider, this glider was very popular in the San Francisco Bay Area and flown by a number of great aerobatic pilots, most notably Dan Racanelli and Dan Murphy.
The Ursa is the result of the desire of Roberto Stickel to improve the Fledges.
The tensioning of the drag cables takes place automatically when the rear mast cable is installed. The marginal edges are tensioned thanks to a lever that does not require push pin or bolt. The lower tensioning tension is also made by a lever located at the top of the trapezium and intended to lower the trapezoid, thus straining the cable ties.
All Aero 