What to do on a nil wind day or one of those days that is just barely flyable - Do what I did on Saturday and jump on a Gin Nano and go tear arsing down a hill at max speed applying heavy sudden brake inputs flying as close to the ground as you dare. Just provides that adrenaline input that makes you contemplate buying one of these things and taking up hill walking. The anticipation of getting to the highest summits in the lake district and finding some nice gullies and steep slopes to fly down makes the walking worth it
A very little wing indeed that requires a 100metre sprint to take off, but once airborne provides an adrenaline fuelled ride
Thanks Gordie..........think it provided much entertainment for your students as well as me.
Gary when you're recovered how do you fancy going halfers on one
Having tried again on skis this year, I still think it needs more development. Having been around in the early days of windsurfing and kite surfing I realise how quickly these sports can change by taking ideas from their 'cousins'. Five years down the line this will be a totally different beast and worth while spending the money, in the mean time keep borrowing. As for using one without the possibility of a slippy landing ...even managed a few bruises with the snow approach.
You will be amazed how well these little wings fly when you get them going. I have done a number of flights on it now first in a wind when people were soaring and the last in nil wind with a paraglider packed up on my back.
They do fly very fast approx. 60k's + and have a glide of about 4/1 with no brake but when you start to apply the brake it turns the glide into a sustained 6/1. We have been using the most ideal slope, the east side of Clough head for practicing which is perfect with a huge soft sloping landing area after a steep hill. When you do come into land they convert energy amazingly and change from a speed wing into a paraglider in characteristics and the last time I landed in nil wind I took one gentle step and that was it!. Admittedly you need to be well switched on to use one, that's why I let Chris with his skydiving experience have a go, and if you can handle it they are very controllable and safe, but if your reactions aren't the fastest then don't bother.
As for the future well I have a demo nano available and will be offering training for anybody I feel is up to it and mad enough, but don't knock it until you have seen it as it is not as dangerous as you may think, more to do with the person who's strapped to it. And as Chris said I can't wait to to a number of first descents down Blencathra, Skiddaw e.t.c.
So if you want to put the biggest grin you have had on your face for years then have a go on a Nano.
Great for the crazy mountain goats who I have seen running up and down Jenkin Hill, with smiles on there faces I might ad!. Even during my heaviest periods of hedonism I don't recall any substance available that resulted in that level of loonacy. How out of touch am I now.
Not really suited to the sloth who once has dragged his lazy arse up the hill trys his damnedest to stay in the sky for as long at possible.
I guess its all about the well known equation.
2(3x - Big Hill) + 4 (3 x + Shagged out) = 6 (5 x + Time ) + Enjoyment Level
Still only one way for me, skis and a ski lift!
I was talking to one of Gordies pupils today at work who had seen Chris in action, he said it look great fun and all the landings were good. He's got a couple of pics of Chris in action, must get them on the board.
I've only tried the K2 version and the Salomon version, but I'm told the Salomon is the nano, just badged for Salomon. I would think you need to be a regular Linford Christie to get them going by foot, but as you say, when you start to throw them into the turns they begin to fly a lot better.
Look forward to seeing them in action.
why not go certified and go ibex 15. only 2-3 rating but got all the speed and glide with all the agility you will ever need after all there is no rating for nanos. so this where i see the future where there is no snow and high wind. you can go safe and get the 19 but you start loosing the point. i have heard the swoop 14 is a great cross breed and super stable.
Weight is not a significant issue for me. I am not about to hike up a mountain and fly down. Even if I did I would not mind a couple of extra kilos.
Packup size is fairly important. The Ibex 15 packs up quite small and fits into the harness pocket. The main reason I wanted a smaller wing was to be able to throw it into the car when going on trips with other luggage. So many times I have been to places when it was flyable and I have not had a wing, or even worse, lugged a paraglider thousands of kilometres and not taken it out of the bag. The fact that the wind range of the Ibex perfectly overlaps my kiteboarding gear is a huge bonus.
To an extent I don't really care how long the glider lasts. I generally get a new wing long before the old one has worn out because the newer wings are so much better than the older ones. The Nova guarantee is more than enough to ensure the wing lasts a reasonable time. Having said that, I did spend about an hour checking out various landing options so I did not risk getting sand or salt or seaweed or risk tearing my nice shiny new Ibex.
Day to day robustness is very important. I would not be happy if I missed out on flying because I kept tearing my wing. I think in itself the small wing will help because it is so much easier to launch. There is less risk of being dragged into the bushes at coastal sites. With the minimal lines on the Ibex it will be relatively easy to avoid damage from sticks and roots.
A cheaper price Ibex would be very welcome. It would be easier to convince people they needed a second smaller wing if it was substantially cheaper than a full size wing.
The only problem I have with a small wing is that when the wind got stronger all the paraglider pilots went home. I had no-one left to fly with except a hang glider ... and they smell funny.
I have to say how bemused I was by the conditions yesterday. The very good pilots had no trouble. Other people were being popped off launch and dropped on their butts being dragged around. People were doing height loss manouvers and everyone landed on the beach because the wind was getting stronger.
I very casually top-landed because I wanted to get a closer look at the tight-rope walking efforts of a hang glider pilot trying to launch over a fence.
Small wings can give you more wind upper range to fly in, but more importantly they make the upper wind range of a normal wing much safer and easier to fly in.
Well these little wings really fly! Managed just short of 5 minutes soaring on it yesterday evening at a steep sea bank at Maryport. We were flying the paragliders and the wind picked up to about 23-mph plus compression. Had a couple of goes at ground handling the glider up the slope and into the lift band before finally connecting and up we went. Had to keep it right on the crux of the lift band but soared up and down until I was boared....yes I did say board on a wing like this! Once out of the lift band you come down like a rocket and I am still recovering from disappearing into load of thicket full of nettles and brambles on one landing, more practice needed.
So they do soar but they are very twitcy and if you lose anything but bionic lift you will be down quicker then you can say "0hh f@*$". Had such a good time even Chris 'foghorn' could not resist a go, the look on his face when he took off and started falling out of the sky was priceless but after much panicking he landed it perfectly......shame.
- Do what I did on Saturday and jump on a Gin Nano and go tear arsing down a hill at max speed applying heavy sudden brake inputs flying as close to the ground as you dare. Just provides that adrenaline input that makes you contemplate buying one of these things and taking up hill walking. The anticipation of getting to the highest summits in the lake district and finding some nice gullies and steep slopes to fly down makes the walking worth it 
...even managed a few bruises with the snow approach.
