[Darbbb]

Unless I mis-read something, WW is demoing a Falcon 4 in Utah. Anyone know any particulars? How is it different from a Falcon 3?

[danmoser]

I just demoed the Falcon 4 195 this morning at the south side, in fact.
What a sweet, easy flying glider ... I thoroughly enjoyed it !!
It instantly made me smile & giggle at how ridiculously EASY it was.
I immediately felt comfortable scratching next to the hill in weak ridge lift .. all while dodging a Saturday swarm of paras & hangies trying to do the same.

Compared to Falcon 3 195, Steve Pearson reported that it has a smaller diameter X-bar (52mm with 50mm inner sleeve) for lower drag, a greater batten density (more camber support near the root), and a couple other sail tweaks here & there.
Supposedly this allows it to fly 1-2mph slower.

They also had a 170 size Falcon 4 being flown there as part of the "demo days".
Steve said the 195 size has passed all structural tests.

Another new single surface glider prototype was out there as well.
I'll let the WW boys tell you more on that one ..

[knumbknuts]

Interesting.

I've been thinking about getting a new Falcon. This almost cinches it.

[ChattaroyMan]

Can't wait to hear more about all of this. It sounds like the Falcon 4 would be a great ship for light & variable days. It would also be quite interesting to see 2 SS designs offered by WW - if that's what the prototype is about????

[Manta_Dreaming]

[ChattaroyMan]

[Manta_Dreaming]

[tom emery]

Was talking to the Wills Wing guys at AJX/Crestline a few weeks ago. They were demoing a prototype transitional glider easier to handle than the Falcon. I have a picture of it flying with a T2C.

[Manta_Dreaming]

A bunny glider?

[knumbknuts]

I wonder if it's basically a condor with luff lines, or close to a condor. It would kick ass to have a wing for normally pg-only days at Torrey.

They should call it the Albatross.

[soaring]

[Manta_Dreaming]

The Ellipse has washout tubes while the WW in the photo doesn't appear to have them.

Well, it will be interesting to hear the release info.

[ChattaroyMan]

Stuck at home right now due to a sick driver so dreaming/speculating/wondering/etc. ...... looks like the 'prototype' is something between training and the Falcon 4 (remember - I'm speculating on limited info. in this thread). To take a much different train of thought - just on prototypes and designs, etc. - what about a topless Sport 2 or topless U2? Along the Sport 2-ish lines, what about a glider designed primarily for an excellent sink rate and handling and gets any speed it can purely from a low drag design - maybe a topless Sport 2??? - something that gets rid of the crossbar and kingpost, is relatively light, has a quick roll rate (lower tip area???) and with a good pilot could thermal a fart.

[davisstraub]

I've been flying what I think is the Wills Wing Falcon 4 demo since the Rob Kells meet. I really didn't know that it was any different than the 3 until it was pointed out that the tip wand was connected to the sail in a slightly different manner.

The handling is relatively poor compared to the T2C (my reference point). It's a lot more work to push out and thermal. I didn't see another location for putting back the hang point. Maybe I just missed that. The sail has some creases in it which I wish I could iron out. I assume that it wasn't folded correctly at some point before I got it.

I've been having a good time flying it and appreciate very much the use of it (I trade for Oz Report ad space). I have the aero control frame on it now and hope to break my world record for single surface set at 205 miles on a Falcon 3 170.

[Wonder Boy]

[Paul H]

[AIRTHUG]

I shouldn't say much...

but the goal of the prototype they're working on is EASIER TO FLY than a Falcon. Yes, you read that right. (and they've done it, too!)

But it's no condor.... the condor is training-specific, and this will be a very real hang glider. I actually think I might need one for myself, whenever they become available

I'm super excited about this project... I think making hang gliding easier is just going to make it that much more FUN for new pilots. Getting back to the focus on how magical it is just to be able to launch, fly around, and land.... remember when that was all we ever wanted out of life?

Seeing all the advanced pilots demo-flying the Falcon 4 and giggling about how fun and easy it was is a real eye-opener..... as great as the newest performance wings are, sometimes I think we're losing more than we're gaining. If the end-goal is fun....

[Avnav8r]

Hey,

In May, Paul Thornbury flew what WW was calling the Alpha at LMFP. He said it was around 215 square feet and flew fairly slow. He said that he was able to slow down enough to utilize lift that he would have bypassed in his Sport 2. Reminds me of the older floater days in the late 1970s when every manufacture had their on floater type of glider like the Moyes Maxi and Electra Flyer Floater. Maybe slower is better, at least that is what my wife tells me

John Stokes

[psuguru]

[red]