sam Posted November 9, 2009 Share Posted November 9, 2009 Hi all, I am a newbie saving like mad to get into what looks like a fantastic sport. I have been given an Edel Orion wing which I have been told has not flown for many years. The wing looks clean and undamaged and still feels crispy. I was just wondering whether or not it was worth getting 'The Loft' or 'Aerofix' to give it the once over? The reason for my doubt is due to the wing being manufactured in 1999. Do they only have a certain life? Am I going to be throwing my money away by getting it checked? So far I have only used it for ground handling and would appreciate any advice from more experienced people. Thanks all. Sam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frazer1981 Posted November 9, 2009 Share Posted November 9, 2009 Get it checked but you gotta go with your instincts as it would be you flying! ten years old is quite old and you cant tell what it history has been. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 A 10 year old Para'gliding' wing, should have a lot less hours on it that a Paramotor wing of the same age would. If you are thinking of flying it, get it tested by Airofix. (It will cost you around £100 to get this done.) SW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fanman Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 The wing may be 10 years old but the design is 17!!! It has a glide ratio of just 5.5 at which it is sinking at 1.6m/s and at min sink is still only achieving 1.4m/s. I suspect that the cost of the Aerofix inspection is higher than the value of the wing. Even if the fabric is still ok I don't think I'd want to trust my life to old lines. A replacement set would cost a fortune and the glider would still be worth nothing because it will always be a 17 year old design at best. A mate of mine nearly made this same mistake but was talked out of it by Aerofix. Don't get suckered into a moneypit, leave it for ground handling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sam Posted November 15, 2009 Author Share Posted November 15, 2009 Thanks for all the advice guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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