Load distribution optimization – Triple Seven LDO technology

One of the main challenges in paraglider design is to make the aircraft, sewn from soft materials and filled with nothing but air, into a “solid” wing that will maintain its optimal shape even while flying through midday thermals and wind shears. Making this even more complicated is the fact that to improve performance, there is no way around reducing drag; after all, we all know that the common name for gliding performance of unmotorised aircraft is L/D – lift to drag ratio. As lift for a wing equals aircraft weight, the only way to make it go further is by cutting drag, so we keep reducing external things which help the wing maintain its shape, not least by reducing line consumption.

Canopy wrinkles also cause drag; just one more reason to make canopies as wrinkle-free as possible.

Enter the Triple Seven Load Distribution Technology

Consisting of a thin Nylon “rod” sewn into each cell wall in a carefully designed wave pattern, the Load Distribution Technology distributes the loads from each line level across the whole chord of the wing, making the wing so much more true to its shape regardless of what the air is doing around it. This translates into a higher resistance to collapses, better energy retention, and not least, significantly improved gliding performance through turbulent air – and the best part is, the very thin diameter of the “rods” doesn’t impede the packing of the wing at all.

Pictures

Other technologies

TOP