jtroc67

OK, here are my thoughts on the ITV Boxer L: Tested with Fly Products Power Gold 115 and Trike Flash. Elevation: 200' ASL, grass airstrip Weather Conditions: Flights 1 and 2: Mostly cloudy, light crossing winds on the ground, stronger winds aloft with turbulence. Flights 3 and 4: Mostly cloudy, light winds on the ground and aloft, little to no turbulence. Construction and Preflight: Very lightweight materials with good quality construction all around. Risers are very thin and lines tend to tangle more easily after removing from stuff sack. Glider seems fairly water repellent but is affected by damp grass. I had to take extra time to clear all my lines after laying out the glider. Other than that preflight is very straightforward. Finding the center of the glider was confusing as there is no central dot but instead the ITV logo so I used that as my reference. I liked the dual hook in points and found them very useful for using backup caribiners as the two hangpoints are very close and a caribiner failure would not have much affect with the backups hooked in to the free flight hang point. Brakes seemed a little short with not very much slack available for extending, even with the motor hang points but they were usable thoughout the entire trim range. Launching: Launching was good although I had trouble with getting even inflations 3 out of 4 times. Even so, it was fairly easy to center the glider with some gentle adjustments on the brakes while rolling with the trike. Take off was very smooth with good lift and nice climbout. If I had more time with this glider I am sure I would find the inflation characteristics to be excellent. Flying: Once airborne the handling is sublime. A gentle pull on the brakes initiates a nice authoritative turn with little diving tendency. A harder pull produces a diving turn which is incredibly fun and very effective. I can actually feel the blood rushing from my head when pulling hard on the brake! There is less torque tendency than on my Arcus but I still found it necessary to offset with the trimmers for straight flight when climbing. In turbulence this glider feels very solid and dampens the bumps very well. It communicates the turbulence with feedback to the pilot without moving around so much to make it unsettling (like my Arcus). With trimmers half out there is a noticeable increase in speed without a significant degredation in efficiency. The brakes are still fairly easy as well with effective turning ability. With trims all the way up this glider was quite fast while not requiring a lot of extra power and the brakes were not too heavy - suprisingly! Still very good turn authority although my hand position was a little high for my liking so I would prefer to have longer brakes. With the trimmers out this is a great XC glider! I measured about 28 - 29 mph average airspeed with my GPS over the course of several measurements upwind and downwind. With trimmers full in (or slow) I measure about 23 - 24 mph airspeed. Really super for an EN-A wing! Landing and Conclusion: Landing was great too with nice efficiency on glide. This glider was so efficient that when I did a power off landing I overshot my target by quite a bit! I guess I'm not used to that yet! All in all this is an excellent glider either for carving it up around the patch or for going XC to a faraway destination. It's hard to believe that it is EN-A (beginner) certified even with the trimmers out! I recommend this glider to anyone who is looking for a good performing solid intermediate wing that they can throw around or simply wants something that is very stable and is comforting while still offering a lot of excitement. -Jeff T. Bedford, MA USA

I flew a demo of this glider recently and will post my impressions shortly (very nice wing!)

Great. My dealer has one available for demo and I'm thinking of giving it a try. Sounds like it is a lot of fun. What size should I get with all up weight around 300 lbs. (136 kg) with motor and trike? Probably a large? Currently flying a medium Arcus 2/P with the trike so I like to fly a little heavy on the wing. Thanks, - Jeff T.

Looks like a very favorable review. My attempt at a translation: ITV BOXER TEST Following on from the Dakota, a very good price/quality ratio, the ITV Boxer is ideal for inexperienced pilots, particularly through a high inherent stability. FOR ALL AND ALL TERRAIN… Look + Convenience, accessibility + Steering playful handling + Passive Safety - Simultaneous use of throttle and trim not recommended ITV had marked its first foray into the semi-reflex market with the Dakota, its first paramotor wing dedicated to introducing the semi-reflex in its range. The Boxer comes to market with large assets to attract pilots right out of school and, much later, for those who want to fly for fun in peace. The Boxer is available in the traditional ITV paragliding bag of 130 liters. It is equipped with multiple pockets, a large front, small on top and a stretch mesh on the side wall. A bag and a UV compression strap and a small bag for the risers are also provided. VERY SECURE DUE TO INHERENT STABILITY Approved for EN-A certification, the Boxer is a wing with high passive safety and a pronounced semi-reflex profile. Understand the inherent stability introduced into the design is more significant than for the Dakota. Equipped with 42 cells, the wing is equipped with 4 risers with lines for trimmers, each color-coded. The mallions are equipped with plastic safety devices. The brakes are generously large and comfortable. Nice development in magnets that have been replaced since the Dakota with more powerful ones and are no longer failing when handling risers. This does not let go! We are no longer plagued to recover brakes that have fallen into the lines. The binding order / halyard swivel is equipped with pulleys that avoid getting twisted with use... The lifting of the Boxer trims are equipped with calibrated markers. Two sewn yellow markings indicate neutral and 2/3 trim. Between each one marking gray stitching provides a means of tracking precise adjustment of the trim. These contain a strap at the end for convenient handling. LIGHT: BETWEEN 5 AND 5.6 KG ITV offers an optional riser set exclusively for free flight use. The Boxer lends itself nicely to it. The upper lines are made out of Aramide 160 and the lower ones are Aramide 240. The risers are different colors, convenient for a quick identification and implementation preflight. Anchoring the suspension lines on the underside is a lark's head knot with cloth reinforcement. Velcro openings are implemented in the trailing edge to remove debris. Next the sail cloth used for the manufacture of the Boxer is Dominicotex coated, 40 g in the upper surface and 35 g for the lower surface. An excellent textile says Bertrand, the boss of Rip'Air, consulted on the subject and who’s enlightened opinion is invaluable. The wing is lightweight with 5 kg for the S version to 5.6 kg for the XL. The Boxer is available in four sizes (S, M, L, XL) for PTV (flying weight) from 80 to 180 kg. Heniu Dyduch, the boss of ITV, has proposed the M for this test. With 26 m2 surface area and a PTV of 120 kg, wing loading for the test was 4.61 kg/m2. Color-coded suspension lines and location of the trimmers makes the pre-flight easy; a first advantage to address the flight without stress and with serenity. There is only a single length of grip on the trimmers but a double loop. Split rings for the speed system are fast and easy to implement. QUICK SUPPORT Facing forward or reverse, with or without wind, inflation is a treat! The wing effectively comes up easily and uniformly to rest over the head. Inflation is child’s play! With a little air over the wing, without even touching the risers, the wing settles comfortably above the head. Its control is easy and predictable. On takeoff, the management is quick and straightforward, no need here to run yourself ragged. Also a real evolution from the Dakota. The rate of climb with our dazzling Moster 185 is 2.5 m / s at ¾ of engine speed. A fact that was confirmed throughout the test, the Boxer is not power intensive and will suit pilots with standard motors. The need for a monster is not necessary. A WING WHICH ENCOURAGES PROGRESS The Boxer exudes a feeling of solidity. In turbulent conditions, the wing absorbs turbulence, it feels cushioned and comfortable. Here we find a part of the philosophy of speed flying wings like the Bip Bip, its cousin, also by ITV. Their profiles specifically tailored to fast flight, often in windy conditions, some violent, and are particularly robust in turbulence. The controls are smooth and range of travel to turn is much lower than the Dakota. The entry into a 360 is obtained quickly after a quarter turn and maintaining the control input. The wing then dives into the turn. Effective, the descent obtained can be easily maintained without precise control of this technique being necessary. The resource is free and easily manageable with a little practice. It will be necessary for the pilot not seasoned with the technique to release the brake gradually coming out of the spiral so as not to cause a situation difficult to manage. This type of wing is, in any event, most tolerant for the training of these techniques of piloting. A nice tool for progress and development... GOOD RESPONSE TO COLLAPSES Trimming the wing past 50 km/h does not require an excess of power, and is responsive in most configurations of reflex. We pushed the beast to its limits, causing a front collapse at full capacity in conditions a little rowdy. Its behavior is very healthy. The Boxer reopens immediately without the intervention of the pilot, without changes in its course, and without significant loss of altitude. The following surge when it reopens and returns to flight is easily manageable. Good to know we can trust in times of crisis! Regarding asymmetric collapses, no surprises again, the wing also holds its course. We must, in this configuration, frankly sink in the hot seat to get it to turn. Behavior is generally quite in line with the specifications of a wing suitable to a wide audience. Although dampened, the Boxer is very playful and maneuverable. A very good alternative to hone your skills before going under a more dynamic wing or well suited to fly long and peacefully. The Boxer is more playful than a sailor on shore. To each his Garden of Eden. LANDING: THE VELVET With or without wind, to put it down is without surprise and is made in carpet slippers! It is important not to abuse the brakes, especially in windy conditions, do not over control! The wing is amortized at will, as in roll pitch, and retains the best trajectory without requiring pilot intervention. There are no unpleasant surprises. In conclusion, the Boxer has a strong number of advantages that should enable it to meet with success just like the Dakota offered in its time and which it will inevitably succeed. Accessible, it offers all the qualities that match the category for a very good price/quality ratio. This should delight many pilots willing to fly in peace under a wing with ease, fun and safety.