For more pictures and other reviews, please check out my own webpage .... www.flayhay.com
	Eventyrsenteret is the place to check out the availability of these gliders in Norway
	Nova homepage for additional information and technical data
	Destination Harstad for more info on accommodation, travel; culture, food, activities and much more
Nova Aeron and Artax in action...... The brand new Aeron on top of the highest summit in Lofoten and Vesterålen, northern Norway..... Join me while I try to describe the feel and properties of these very promising new creations from Nova. Story and pictures by Lars Sletten if not otherwise stated. ( Reprint only with permission ) Please refer to Nova homepage for techincal data and other information Email me.

Have you seen a sand pendulum, the kind where a pendulum is drawing arcs in a bead of sand below its suspension?
The arcs orbit the center, drawing consentric circles, eventually reaching equilibrium after a long time,
getting closer all the time. The pendulum points right at the bullseye !

Imagine that the bullseye is the image of the perfect, flawless high performance paraglider.
A glider where no special skill and technique is required, perfect design and build quality, and killer performance + gooood looks

Now you have an idea on how I look at the evolution of the paraglider. ??? Well, I guess an explanation is appropriate…..

  Since I started to fly paragliders in 1991, I have flown a large number of makes and models, mostly high performance and
even testing prototypes during mid 90`s for Falhawk.
Some flown just for a brief test, others, like my personal gliders flown around 150 hours before being replaced by a new glider.

  In the early 90`s, every new glider always triggered a need / urge to modify and improve. Some aspects of the new design were great, while others were not so great. Usually the improving part dominated.
Then, a new generation of certified gliders emerged. Gliders like the Edel ZX, Nova phantom, UP katana, Flight design B3,
Falhawk Apex and many more lead the way towards the performance we were longing for…
…but…. There were always something to improve on

  In the beginning we had poor performance, good handling and varying stability, then as performance improved, stability suffered along with handling. Stability was improved while performance was not improving greatly, then performance gained and so on…

 In 93, I received a very radical design from Falhawk.

The Falhawk VT 501 proto had a revolutionary design with extremely high aspect ratio.It had a very good glide ( around 7 ) 
and a superb sink rate.
However, it had a bad tendency to spin, and huge asymmetric collapes were common.
Handling were heavy and slow. But it lead the way towards better designs, like V-cells, mesh ribs and closed cells.
It` successor, the VT 2( 94 ) took the design a good step further,. Sadly, the VT family were discontinued. I still have both,
and still enjoy flying them from time to time.

Falhawk VT 2 proto ( 1994 )	Falhawk VT 501 proto ( 1993 )

 From 96 on, the gliders had developed performance that sometimes could outfly a hangglider

The shining star of the era was the magnificent Nova xenon and the Nova xyon, a glider witch probably will never be surpassed in terms
of competition results….others like the Advance Omega, Up Kenda, Edel Sector were all good designs.

Common for them all was that they required a skilful hand in rough conditions…..

 After the VT 501 and VT 2, I switched to Firebird`s Genesis. Good glide, good sinkrate but slow and insensitive handling coupled with
sometimes impulsive reactions in turbulence.
After some tweaking, the handling improved ( The sewing machine was quite busy at the time… )

 Then came the Nova Vertex, a glider that looked very sharp and racy…. It was not so.
The glider has excellent performance, predictable stability, reasonable (but somewhat insensitive handling ),
but it had a drawback – the launch properties in calm and flat sites. This was the best I had seen to date and only the launch left wishes….

Nova Carbon achieved DHV ½ and presented performance almost as good as the Vertex, while the Argon surpassed my
Vertex in most cases …. the year was 2001, and for the first time, those gliders left very little to wish for……
close to the bullseye !

 Now it is 2003, and Nova`s Aeron is here – are we looking at perfection ?

  ….. moving in random patterns around the bullseye …. “ the perfect paraglider “

	Picture by Nova
Nova Artax, not very many wrinkes to see .....	Nova Aeron, the world record ..... superglider.... ??

Background
This article is primarily a review of my Aeron M, not compared with any other glider in it`s class.
I will compare it with the slightly detuned Artax and my old Vertex.
I have around 25 hours and 35 flights on the Aeron ( Including 6 hours PPG ), and a few altitude flights on the Artax +
some comparison flights Aeron - Artax.

My old Vertex is well used and has close to 175 hours flight time.

Myself.
I have been flying hanggliders since 1986, paragliders since 1990. Roughly 1200 hours total HG / PG.
I also hold commercial pilot licences and ATPL written theory. It is my proffession.

.... And always when reading a test like this - remember that it is MY impression ( as objective as possible )
and use the information as reference and it is always a good idea to try one for yourself !
Experience level, personal preference, conditions during testing and many other elements come in to play when
making up your impression of a glider.

I feel certain that this review is the most thoroughly documented I have ever done, so I hope you enjoy reading on ..

after1000 hours in the air last year, do I look fed up ????	... Jet A1 is a pretty good substitute for thermals....

Elements of flight
My naked weight is 75 kg
Including 17 kg equipment adds up to 92 KG

Wing loading is a measure of how much weight each M2 has to carry.
More load means a higher airspeed is required to produce the necesseary lift.
The formula L = CL x 1/2 p V2 x S are given for the physics freak... understand it, and you understand aerodynamics.......!
Cl - coefficient of lift 1/2 p V2 - Dynamic pressure - S surface aera

Span loading is a measure of how much weight each spanwise meter has to carry.
Low values corresponds to a high aspect ratio and the associated low induced drag values.
Very high aspect ratio ( Span2 / aera ) will give a wing that is efficient at low speeds,
high angles of attack. It is NOT the best solution for a high speed wing, as parasite drag is high
( more lines and surface friction )

Generally, the low speeds of a paraglider favors higher aspect ratios.
But only up to a point, as angle of attack is not very high at the range we normally fly. ......
and there is a less known factor in the equation........

Reynolds number
Think of this as a value of the "stickyness" of the air. Usually, as airspeed declines,
parasite drag decreases by the square of the airspeed reduction.
At low speeds, a strange phenomena occurs as sometimes parasite drag starts to increase again......
This fact is that at low RE numbers, the air will "stick" to the surface and increase drag.
Worst case factors : Low airspeed - Short wingchord.
This means that a very high aspect wing, with it`s shorter chords, can encounter problems with air "sticking to it .. "

Nova`s statement on this matter

Did you know.......
That an impeller type airspeed probe ( the little propellor ) actually measures TRUE AIRSPEED.
It means that at high altitude ( where TAS is high due to less air density)
if you keep a constant, say 3 km`h indicated above stall speed ( IAS ) as you climb,
you will eventually stall out, because your INDICATED airspeed ( dynamic pressure ) will be reduced........
Look at the planes, they have pitot tubes for airspeed measurements ( like the Hall venturi ), and indicated
stall speed remains fairly constant at altitude.

This is how it looks during my flights !

Aeron M ( DHV 2 )	Artax S ( DHV 1 / 2 )	Vertex 26 ( DHV 2 / 3 )
Projected span : 10,35 m Projected surface : 24,16 m2 Surface loading : 3,8 kg/m2 Span loading : 8,9 kg / m DHV test report	Projected span : 9,53 Projected surface : 23,08 Surface loading : 4, 0 kg/m2 Span loading : 9,65kg / m DHV test report	Projected span : Projected surface : 25,8 Surface loading : 3,6 kg/m2 Span loading : DHV test report

In addition, Nova is also producing the RADON, it is basically an AERON with unsheeted lines,
and different brake geometry.

The Radon has the same DHV 2 rating as the AERON, but is more demanding to fly, mostly due to the brake setup,
I expect it to have more brake pull on the tip region, making the handling more responsive, but also more spin prone....
The Aeron engages the center section of each wing half first, then the inner and outer parts simoultanously
I have not had the opportunity to try the RADON ( Sadly.....)-; )

Nova`s statement on this matter

Aeron in flight over Gavltind, Andoya

Build
This is something you should consider carefully before investing quite a bit of money in a new glider.
The level of performance on today`s gliders means that you probably will not change glider as often
as we used to in the "old days"

Math excercise :
Okay.... at first we had gliders with glide 4, then just over a few years, the glide improved to 6....
That was a 50 % increase in glide....
.... now we have glide 9.......in order to increase glide the same amount, we need a glider with 13.5....
so you see, it will be harder and harder to improve performance a significant bit,
and you will most probably keep your glider longer.......

As usual, the overall build quality is outstanding, a feature I have seen on all Nova gliders since the
"Phantom days "
My 5 year old Vertex shows very few signs of wear and tear on the craftsmanship itself.
Of course, the cloth is softer and slightly faded, but must be distinguished from the build qualty itself.

The new Aeron / Artax / Radon is built slighly different from the "common" Nova way of building gliders.

The Aeron risers looks racy, do not worry about strenght, as even the C riser with the grommet, will hold 1300 kgs...	Dyneema unsheeted - holds 70 kg ! Undersurface sewing is internal Note the solid suspension point !

The Vertex has external underseams	And the reason for changing from the thinner loops of the Vertex to the new one`s is that a tremendous amount of internal suspension is incorporated into the Vertex / Artax The load on the suspension points is much higher !

If you look at the Aeron and the Artax, the way they are built looks basically identical
except for a few details.

Aeron ( top ) and Artax ( bottom ) risers	The new floating brakeline suspension of the aeron It will keep the brakelines at constant lenght while accellerated

Artax ( left ) and Aeron ( right ) air intakes are identical in shape and intake aera, Aeron intakes slightly more on the undersurface. Note the difference in line type !	Artax S ( left ) and Aeron M ( right ) Artax lines : 1 - 1,3 - 1,8 mm Aeron lines : 0,6 - 1,2 - 1,45 mm

I am happy to see that Nova once again uses solid mylar reinforcements on the trailing edge and
the top leading edge.
It adds to the overall very high feel of quality!

The standard Nova backpack	... and the very low suspension system

Nova`s backpack is also of the same high build quality, but has a rather unusual feel when being carried.
You carry the pack high on your back, and needs some adapting.
Rule No. 1 when packing - fill it up completely, and tighten the compressor strap fully, otherwise it misforms.
Secondly, make sure that the cargo is well centered in the backpack, otherwise it can fall to one side.

Done correctly, it has very high carrying comfort, arguably the highest on the market.
I have walked 6 hours in sometimes very steep and technical terrain. I had no problems doing that...
.... and that works for me !

Build quality on Aeron	Build quality on Artax
Honestly, I simply can not find anything to point a finger at ..... simply flawless !	Ditto !

---

How does it feel...
Now, to the good stuff, flying the gliders and gathering experience to share with you !

Aeron
First impressions...
I recieved the glider during the midnight sun Cup at Bodø, Norway.
That evening, there was a fresh NE breeze perfect for steady slope soaring .. and boy did I slope soar the glider....
After liftoff, it instantly became evident that the handling was very different from my old Vertex.
It was like I was flying an aeroplane with control surfaces connected to a stick ! So sensitive and direct that I
instantly felt at home under the glider. Turning on a dime and with fingertip precision.
Pitch control like a dog on a tight leash and HIGH wingovers like a blast.

Penetrating the breeze like never before and effortlessly slowing down to negative groundspeeds.

Brake tension, reasonably tensioned until high angles of attack where it becomes very stiff, telling the tale of the oncoming stall.....
.... Talking about stalling, because it will definetely stall.......and spin.....
but does that in a very vell behaved fashion.
Entering the spin, the stalled tip twists backwards in a funny way, just soooo evident to see .....
The stalled tip twists backwards before the spin follows.......

My old Vertex have been a thrusting friend through many a rough thermal, leeside and high wind adventure:
I know it`s ways intimately and can tell when it will give me a few extra heartbeats.....
Now, the Aeron is here and with it, I have gotten higher static and dynamic stability.
Where the Vertex would continue a forward surge and sometimes collapse,
the Aeron "hits" a "surge limiter" and simply stops surging..........

I landed after 2,5 hours, feeling utterly impressed and in love with my new friend........

Yummy.....	The line suspension and air entry. Air entry pratically on the bottom surface !

It launches like a dream !,
And unlike my old Vertex, I was stunned by the superb pullup and launch properties.
It is simply very easy to get airborne with style......
I have launched at a flat slope with 0.5 wind from the back, and the Aeron rose like nothing at all, amazing !
I frequently use the Aeron for alpine flights, hiking up, and often launching from not perfect sites in the high country,
and am very happy with my Aeron in that respect.

Then I encountered some problems...
As I flew close to 9 hours during the next 3 days, I had the opportunity to enjoy all kinds of conditions, booming thermals;
weak thermals, long slow montain climbing ( witch I simply love to do ) and glides into strong headwinds.
I flew close to 60 km XC total, and did some amazing high speed runs on a 10 km course.
The Aeron showed it`s caliber and I had the feeling that it was outperforming everything in the sky those days in Bodø....

..... Still, a feeling of uneasiness developed, like I was not fully in sync with the glider, as it constantly entered bank angles not intended.
I fell out of some weak thermals in a spiral kind of manouver......

Strange, the Aeron gave me the first impression of a glider I could fly perfect from day one,
just sooo easy on all aspects of the envelope, but yet should turn out to be one of the hardest of
all to make sweet music with.....

I knew what was happening, I flew it like my old Vertex ( and many other current gliders ), a way that normally would produce the nice, well balanced flat turns and stable behaviour and performance.
...... I was flying a paraglider, the "paraglider way ", but in reality I overcorrected it all the time, too fast and too much , just out of sync.....Even when I was fully aware of my problem, I coulden`t really get it to work for many flights.

Comparing air intakes, Aeron and Vertex. The Aeron`s intakes are larger....	Aeron Profile... Typical northern Norway higland..

2 fingers....
The Aeron will slide up a mountain slope like a cat, silky smooth, caressing the ravines with
deadly precision.
Climbing in the thermals effortlessly, nailing the core, floating upwards like a float through water...
Pitch control is NOW and very progressive
Precision is the word !

Precision.... a term that can mean more than one thing...
For those of us that has a passion for motorcycles, we know the difference between the razor sharp handling of a Ducati 996 and the rather slow moving Harleys.
Precision is definately in the favor of the Ducati as far as I see it !

The Aeron is very responsive for the input given, especially in ascending air, more so than the Artax,
but only up to a certain turn rate ( The normal thermalling range ) where the Artax again surpasses the Aeron.

The brakeline tension on the Aeron becomes VERY heavy when reaching "yellow" angles of attack and at
the same time sensitivity and agility suffers.
This means that even a semi concious pilot should get some kind of warning of the impending stall / spin scenario...
The Artax does not posses this heavy resistance when braking hard..... however, it has a longer travel before the stall ....

So for aerobatics, I would probably favor the Artax. Within the Thermalling range of turn rates,
the Aeron is king !

Put 2 fingers into the brakes and feel it, work with it, gently, gently, this is a glider that will turn almost by means of telepathy. The turn is there, instantly.
Not more, not less, exactly what you put in is what you get !
Seat of the pants feeling, or using the prioproceptive sensory organs is vital on the Aeron !

Low time pilots will surely be able to enjoy the Aeron, but really, it`s a glider for pilots who love to spend many hours of quality air time.
There is always the Artax, who is more straight forward in most aspects and will fit the occacional pilot better.

So be prepared to spend some time becoming best friends, and when you get there, you`ll love it !

Note how the brake pulls on the centersection of the winghalf first, then the center and tip follows. Brakes becomes very heavy when reaching critical angles. Looking towards Bjornskinn on the island of Andoya	I usually lay out the canopy like this if the launch is flat and not very windy. ... A heritage from the Vertex days... Probably not required for the Aeron, as launch properties are simply great !

High performance made easy !
When you look at the recent gliders ( including the Aeron ) in the high performance segment made by Nova,
they doesen`t look "scary" in terms of long lines, high aspect ratio and so on.
Aeron has a projected aspect ratio of 4.43, and it is not even close to some of its rivals.
But don`t be fooled by this fact, as the Aeron is simply a brilliant performer, no doubt at the top of
its class..... and does this with a very reassuring level of stability.....witch brings us to the next subject.....

Inflight stability
Like I stated earlier, the Aeron has lifted high performance stability to a new level, and also with a quite
different feel than anything I have flown before.

First, pitch stability is higher than my old Vertex. The Vertex could dive into the ground from 20 meters, as
it had a rather weak static stabilty. Coupled with the very high energy in the wing, nasty surprises was lurking
for the pilot not used to this, especially during "show offs " close to the ground.
Once in the dive, the rather insensitive pitch control had somewhat limited ability to control the dive....


The Aeron has superb and very direct control of pitch.
The glider feels "powerful", energized and agile around it`s pitch axis, even more than the Vertex.
For the experienced pilot this "fly by wire pitch control" will only bring advantages, however it can
surely be highspeed stalled if the input is too abrupt and out of sync with the glider.

I appreciate that a glider will give me as much information as possible in flight, it will increase my possibilities for finding new aeras of lift.
However, this fact should not lead to a nervous, difficult to fly glider.
The aeron balances this perfectly, sensitive and stable at the same time .... but, not for the inexperienced !

What surprises me the most, and has stunned me from day one, is how the glider will surge forward only
so far, and not further !
Of course, I am talking about "normal" flight conditions, as the Aeron also has it`s limit.... ( - :
...So please think about the flight conditions before you launch.... any glider...!

BUT, this is a property you will learn to appreciate in everyday flying.
The Aeron can take a "beating" and I have not had any " real " collapses during my flights
.....and I have ventured into a few leesides......

Bottom line is that I have learned to thrust the glider, for it`s level of performance;
stabilty is nothing short of remarkable.....

Aeron .... A little bit more stretched out, a little bit flatter canopy equals quite a difference in performance....	...and Artax. The family ties are easy too see, they are 2 of a kind, yet still different !

Shoulden`t drag much .... suspending 1 side...	Vertex - Aeron - Artax

 

Artax
I have only did a couple of altitude flights on the Artax S, witch is really a bit too small for me, so look at this section
as a "general impression" and comparison with the Aeron.
I concentrated on performance measuring, and the various manouvers commonly used for comparison.

Artax over "my" beloved mountains. 1 am, may 31

Launching the Artax
..... in low wind conditions is similar to the Aeron with the exeption that Artax rises
a little bit more slowly and delayed, no "hard points", just a nice and very controlled
pullup into its flying position.
I prefer the more swift rise of the Aeron in low wind, you will get airborne a little bit faster.
That is important on sites with a limited gound run, like cliff launching and alpine flying.
But then again, the Artax is a detuned glider for a broader range of pilots, and they will for sure like the
easier to control Artax pullup.
I did launch the Artax in 0 wind and rather flat slope - it lifted me flawlessly off the ground, and I could not
sense the high wing loading at all.
Fact is that I probably would have had a faster liftoff speed with the "in range" Aeron.
The Aeron needs a solid groundrun, it likes to be flown fast, and the casual pilot should be aware of this.
Flat, low wind launches requires a fit pilot.....

Higher wind conditions will favor the Artax over the Aeron,
it has absolutely flawless reverse launch properties.
If you can not get into the air with the Artax, it is either too windy or something wrong with your technique ..(-:

Experienced pilots launches the Aeron with style in any wind conditions

In the air,
the Artax feels softer and more damped in all its axis. Something often felt when gliders are detuned.
It has a very, very high built in stability, and this will produce the softer, more "rounded edges" feel.
For instance, the Aeron will transmit more "information" through its risers for the pilot to use.
Inexperienced pilots will think of all this "information" as nervousness and instability of the glider, while the more seasoned pilot can use this to predict witch side the lift core is,
what the canopy will be doing next and so on..
Once again, 2 gliders built for different pilot segments, and the Artax feels very calm and reassuringly stable
in flight - just what the majority of pilots needs....

I have many a times circled a good thermal toghether with the eagles, and also seen how they leave a perfectly
good 3 ms thermal, fly a few hundred meters and bang - outclimbing the previous thermal .....
I am pretty sure that they can sense "something" in the air, telling them where to go.
Just super sensitive wings and body, knowing exactly what to feel for and where to fly
.... I don`t think even eagles can see the thermals .... or can they...??

The handling properties of the Artax is just soooo easy to become best friend with.
Unlike the Aeron, it can be flown "out of the box" in a very efficient manner by most pilots.
Both pitch and bank response is straightforward, and I will say somewhat above average agility.

Brake travel is longer than the Aeron, and more pull is needed for equal response at lower angles of attack:
The Artax retains a linear input - response relationship all the way up to the stalling angles.
More resistance is felt towards the end of the pull, but not as much as on the the Aeron.
good for less experienced pilots !

It feels so easy to fly, that performance may be underestimated......
so stay sharp on approach to that small field...
Fly at trim speed, and you are most likely experiencing real 8 + glides in (no wind conditions)
togheter with above average descent rates. Numbers unheard of; a few years ago....

Performance of the Artax should be enough for most pilots.
Long Xc`s - no problems !

World class soaring.... Artax. Looking east towards Narvik and Sweden.

---

Direct comparison Aeron VS Artax

Aeron	Artax
Pullup is even and quick, no hard points. No overshoot in low winds High wind requires some braking to prevent overshoot. Has a tendency to lay down flat on it`s belly and not reveal the air openings again if reverse launch in low wind failed.....	Pullup is even and slighly delayed, no hard points. No overshoot High wind pullup very easy to control, and minor braking is required. Has a tendency to lay down flat on it`s belly and not reveal the air openings again if reverse launch in low wind failed.....
Launch is straighforward, but the glider requires higher than average airspeed before safe liftoff is assured. Low density takeoff conditions ( high altitude, hot, humid ) can be demanding on flat and short launch sites.	Launch is straightforward, average airspeed at liftoff.
Energy is plentyful, the glider feels energized and solid. Sometimes it feels "hard" in turbulence and can go right through the swirls. Canopy feels very vell inflated and stretched out laterally, never any tendency to oscillate around the normal axis. Can take massive amounts of turbulence before it collapses if flown actively ( like you should ... )	Energy is average for the DHV 1/2 class, glider feels solid, but not hard in turbulence, swallows the swirls, and rides with the waves more so than the Aeron. Canopy feels very vell inflated and stretched out laterally, never any tendency to oscillate around the normal axis, but overall feel is "softer " than the aeron, and canopy is sometimes "alive" I have a feeling that it will only provide marginally better collapse resistance, but will behave more relaxed when it happens.
Handling is an experienced pilot`s dream.... like before stated, it`s level of steering precision is amazing, and I sometimes have the feeling of flying with stick and rudder instead of steering lines... What you put in is what you get, nothing more, nothing less ! Light on the brakes during first 2/3 of travel, then turns hard ... Can enter a spiral dive within 90 degrees of turn, and will SAT you into extacy......if you so desire.... Slowly climbing a ridge in weak conditions will give you wet dreams...( - : It`s so cool !	Handling is a casual pilot`s dream .... Just sooo easy to fly right out of the box, light, responsive and probably a superb aerobatics glider. Not much more to say .... some say that the Artax S is the best handling Nova glider of all times..... ... They might be right....but personally I favor the Aeron ( -:
Performance is impressive for such an easy to fly, relatively stable glider. Unless you are an absolute hardcore competition freak, it`s performance should be enough to put YOUR abilities to the test... Using the Garmin Vista/ IQ GPS combo, I constantly see numbers around 9 on the glide, confirming this with actual ground covered, and comparing with other known gliders. 9 is for real ! Sinkrate is definately below 1,0 ms, even when loaded up to 130 kg and a draggy paramotor, it avarages 1,1 ms in still air ....yummmy. Speed potential will leave the already fast Artax way behind....	Performance should be enough to satisfy anyone considering a glider in the DHV 1/2 class. It has proven itself capable of beating DHV 2 class gliders with a glide around 8.3 and sinkrates around 1.0 ms If you glide 1 km in still air, you will arrive around 10 meters lower than the Aeron... BUT almost 90 meters shorter. There is a noticable difference in glide between the two. Speed is the key, and it can not keep up with the slippery Aeron..
Stability / saftety is one of the great assets of the Aeron, not once have I experienced an " unjustified collapse " and the collapses I have noticed were reopened instantly without having to open manually. Experienced pilots will have no problems handling this glider ! ...... for it is NOT a beginners glider.... For a glider with such a performance potential, a major step forward for saftety has been achieved on the Aeron !	Stability / safety is ( as one might expect ) reassuring and positive. It is a an even higher level than the Aeron, but please note that the artax definately has a limit too....

The leading edge of the Aeron with it`s underside air intakes. If you miss a reverse launch in low wind conditions.... You might want a friend to open them again....	The tip section of the gliders are more densely suspended than the center parts. It retains it`s shape very nice indeed !

 

Inflight manouvers

Aeron	Artax
Assymetric collapse using the A riser If left uncorrected, the glider will turn about 45 degrees, where it stabilizes. Motion is spontaneous and 40 % of the wing folds in. It pitches forward moderately, and then stabilizes. I have never entered a spiral dive from this manouver, it always reopens slowly. If flown actively, only a very minor disturbance of heading is possible, and it then reopens positively. I always use long, slow pumps after collapses	Assymetric collapse using the A riser Unbelievable docile bahaviour ! Even rapid and long A riser pulls could provoke a major collapse. Only a kind of deformation laterally, and minor heading change will follow. Motion is slow and predictable, always reopened without active inputs . Excellent !
Assymetric collapse accellerated using A riser If left uncorrected, a rather hefty and spontanous turn to about 90 degrees follows. Pitching forward, then slowly stabilizing, but it can enter a spiral dive from this manouver if not controlled. If you release the accellerator, and steer actively, the manouver is easy to control for an experienced pilot.	Assymetric collapse accellerated using A riser Not tested on the Artax
B stall Piece of cake ..... ( -: Easy entry, stalling , and release without any deep stall tendency. Moderate pull force is required.	B stall Same.....
Spin stop manouvre Very easy to see how the tips will bend backwards before it spins. Brakeline tension is very high. Moderate braketravel, and time before stall happens. Spin developes quickly. Just release the brake positively, and let the glider fly again. I often use a spin stop to initiate very cool and very high wingovers! Enter a spin, say 45 degrees, then as the glider recovers and surges forward, apply opposite brake and weightshift - then watch ! Always instant recover, but it can surge forward some after recovery.	Spin stop manouvre Tips will not bend backwards as pronounced as on the Aeron, but the tendency is there ! You will have to pull a long way, and then wait some before something happens. Spin will develop quickly once initiated. Always instant recovery at brake release, moderate forward surge. Easy to control.
Negative spin The Aeron is a high performance glider, and despite mellow and safe flight characteristics, it will for sure spin...... Spin developes quickly and with a fairly high rate of rotation. If initiated with outer wing at trim speed, it oviously spins much faster than from slow speeds. Have not experienced twist tendensies. Recovery has always been promt after brake release, I have never had to use the more dramatic full stall method... Recovery is not impulsive like the Artax, more progressive. Forward surge is moderate, but is easily controllable for the experienced pilot.	Negative spin I was surprised when I did the first spin with the Artax...... ( Remember that I am outside the weightrange ) The Artax actualy spun just as fast as the Aeron and with the same if not more, tendency to surge forward after a very impulsive recovery... No twist, but high rate of rotation. Easy to control using the brakes and active inputs. It would be interesting to try the Artax M, and see how it will behave. I suspect it to be more slow in spinning, but will still give the inexperienced pilot his hands full.... Even though at DHV 1/2, this is still no glider for the beginner, and this might be the "crux" of the Artax`s flight envelope. With proper situational awareness, and flight technique noone should accidentally enter a negative spin on a glider like this ...
Slow flight deccellerating to stalling The "slow flight" manouver is one we use a lot when learning to fly a new type of fix wing aircraft. You learn to control the plane / PG in the critical angles of attck you often use when close to the terrain and on approach. I spend much time flying around on a ridge at the highest possible angle of attck - just before stalling, and even slightly beyond. Turns to headings, straight and level until I know intimately what the glider is doing and never looking at the canopy. Feel is the key ! I think more emphsis should be put on actually flying the glider at slow speeds, and NOT just pulling hard to get into a full stall: ... Oviously something "bad" is happening in the full stall..... In normal flight, where we are schratching the terrain, the clues to an impending stall can be much more subtle. So learn to control the glider at slow speeds ! The Aeron developes very high control forces at high angles of attack, and thus will give a warning..... Stalling point is just above where the hipbone is No tendency to enter deep stall, and can easily be brough back to slowflight after a moderate stall. Fullstall itself is like most high performance gliders of today. Once initiated, keep going, and DO NOT release the brakes to early or too quickly....but you guys know that....	Slow flight deccellerating to stalling Less pronounced control force increase, but longer ( app. 10 cm ) longer brakeline travel before stall No tendency to enter deep stall, and can easily be brough back to slowflight after a moderate stall. Fullstall not tried on the Artax, but I expect no surprises... The fullstall manouver will put much stress on the glider, and is easily avoidable in normal flight. BUT - the manouver should be tried, as it can save the situation in some rare circumstances- Spin not recovering Cravatte - line slung over the top of the glider Deep stall not recovering
Big ears Easy to initiate, using the outer A line. Folds in about 20 % Pilot needs to hold A line pulled, otherwise the ears "pop" out again. Use accellerator, and ears stays " in " and descent rate increases. Average descent rate increase, and very efficient weightshift only steering.	Big ears Easy to initiate with some more resistance than the Aeron: Split A riser makes this easy to do. Folds in less than 20 %. Pilot needs to hold A line pulled, otherwise the ears "pop" out again. Use accellerator, and ears stays " in " and descent rate increases. Average descent rate increase, and very efficient weightshift only steering.

Look at all that internal wizardry....	A classic Nova shape !

Nova and its swept wings

Many Nova gliders have the tips slighly swept back.
This design feature has extensive impact on the aerodynamic properties.

In theory, a swept wing will

This is all theory, but it seem to work great for Nova....

Vertex with it`s sweepback...same as the Aeron and Artax

Speed ...

Aeron M	Artax S	Vertex 26
Hands off trim speed - 39 km /h Max speed accellerated - 54 km/h Accelerator gain - 16 km /h	Hands off trim speed - 35 km /h Max speed accellerated - 48 km /h Accelerator gain - 13 km/ h	Hands off trim speed - 35 km /h Max speed accellerated - 50 km/ h Accelerator gain - 15 km /h

The Artax has 5 % higher wing loading, yet has 12% less top speed than the Aeron.....

Elements of the speed measurements

Glide on Aeron	Glide on Artax
Glide will be sufficient for all my XC and competition needs for a long time !	Glide is undoubtly at the top of the DHV 1 / 2 bunch of gliders, but can NOT match the Aeron

 

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Conclusion
Aeron
So, here we are. The end of my story on the Aeron and Artax.
Remember the sandpit pendulum ? Are we looking at perfection ?
....It is my opinion that perfection should be close to impossible to achieve.
Perfection means that nothing can be improved further, and that evolution stops......
No, the Aeron is not absolutely perfect .... BUT it is so close, that all that remains to wish for is insignificant.

I has the looks, launches flawlessly, stable and secure, handles well, gildes like on rails and is fast....
Add that to good build quality and you have a great glider.

A glider for experienced pilots, spending above average time in the air, so make no mistake about it;
it is still a high performance glider, witch I would not reccomend for the casual pilot !

Like you might have already guessed; I am very impressed by the Aeron, and anyone considering a new
high performance glider, should not leave the Aeron untried before you buy!

Artax
Simplicity par excellance......
Open the box, head out and hit the sky, just like that ......
The Artax in a nutshell, a great glider for a wast majority of the pilots.
Has the same build quality and good looks of the Aeron, added to more straightforward handling together
with good performance.

BUT ... the glider should NOT be looked upon as "fool proof", and although it`s ways are docile and easy,
it has rather high energy and quick handling, so do not fall into the "classifictaion trap", like you shoulden`t
on any glider.... please know that the weather god is responsible for most mishaps....
( ...or is it the deciding pilot..???)

LIke the Aeron in the performance class, you cannot miss the Artax in the DHV 1/2 class......

I have had the opportunity to fly the Aeron for some months now, and I have enjoyed every moment of my
flights. It has expanded my pleasure in flight, challenging me, allowing me to reach further and opening new
possibilities.
Many a time, I have had the feeling of invincibility, "can do anything " type of impression, and THAT .....
..... is a great feeling ........

Rodmoldheia to Gammen : 180 m / 3400 m = 0.053 ^ inverting = glide 19...... Some tailwind, but ....... great flyable performance!

Many thanks to Britt Helgesen for letting me use her Artax as much as I wanted ... (-:

Odd`s luftsport and Thor Solø in Bodø provided the Aeron....
Call 905 07749 in Norway to get the latest info from Thor.

.... and of course, you can call me ( Lars ) on 913 75158 to hear more..

...... And if you think i am bragging too much ....... check them out for yourself .... ( -:

Pictures
Some pictures from the region where I live.....
You can find a comprehensive site chart at www.flayhay.com, then enter the "adventure" site and then flying sites.
So if you want to come up and see for yourself, please do so....

..... and the pendulum points very, very close to the bullseye..........

September 6. 2003
Lars Sletten

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Appendix

The Aeron with a prop in the back ...

I have been a fan of the powered paraglider for some time, and I really enjoy the ability to go anywhere on
those nice, calm summer evenings....

You just got to love the freedom of the PPG.....

I have about 6 hours with the Fly Castelluccio Mach 1 light ( 120 cm prop ).
This combination will enable climb at around 2 m/s and 2500 m ++ ceilings

Launch
Grab the A risers 10 cm below the minilink, and launching is as straighforward as it could possibly be....
Then ease on the power SLOWLY, and accellerate smoothly. Do this too fast and the Aeron will "jump" into the air,
due to the rapid lift buildup - you simply won`t be able to run very far before you fly.......and become too dependent on
thrust to sustain flight.

Check out these slides on basic propeller theory. Slide 1 - Slide 2

Flight
The Aeron under power will enable cruise speeds of 50 - 60 km/h with a light tailwind, and 43 km/h in calm air.
The very low power required to maintain level flight will save fuel and increase range.
Simply an awsome combination, and will cruise farther than anything I have flown under power before.

Believe it or not . The thing will average 1,1 ms sinkrate and a glide of around 8,5 with the prop not turning....
That`s a big chunk of drag and weight back there, but the Aeron seem to like to be overloaded.....
125 kg total .... no problem!

I have even did powerline patrol during a power out emergency, the glider behaved flawless in quite turbulent,
15+ km/ h winds, flying very close to the ground for long periods of time.
As I will explain more, the pitch control is extremely direct and precise, so the angle of attack can be controlled
extremely accurate by an experienced pilot, but the newcomer can enter trouble if overcorrecting the pitch .....
Handling under power is positive, but damped. Not an acro PPG glider!

All aspects of powered flight remains solid and well behaved for an experienced PPG pilot, and as long as one
are aware of the high performance nature of the glider...........

Did U know ...
That the speed that will take you over an obstacle fastest is called Vx and is linked to THRUST.
This speed will be somewhere less than the speed for best glide, and increases with altitude

The speed that will provide the best climb rate is called Vy, and is linked to POWER ( Thrust x TAS )
This speed will be your most efficient speed, or somewhere around L/D max, and decreases with altitude

The altitude where Vx and Vy is the same, is when you can`t climb anymore..... The absolute ceiling !

If long power XC`s are the objective, then the Aeron will open up destinations further away than ever before,
if you fly local and just for fun, the Artax has a slightly more gentle launch and more responsive steering and
is probably the better choiche.
I have not flown the Rotor, anchestor of the DHV1 Pheron. It is Nova`s dedicated PPG glider.

Cruising the 20 km`s back from a successful powerline patrol. Grovfjord in northern Norway	Cruising over a mountain lake .. PPG weather !

 

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