samalb Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 Hi, I'm new to paramotoring and was wondering, what is your opinion about learning on the reflex wing? Cheers, Sam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan_k Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 If you're learning to paramotor go for a reflex. All modern designs are easy to launch and give great stability when flying. 'nuff said Cheers, Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miromst Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 This topic is quiet interesting. I would love to read opinions of experienced instructors and pilots as well. Miro Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
outkast Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 If you're learning to paramotor go for a reflex.All modern designs are easy to launch and give great stability when flying. 'nuff said Cheers, Alan could not agree more, theres no reason if you buy a modern reflex wing wich is aimed at beginners/intermedite pilots, that it will cause you any problems learning to fly, they are easy to launch, very stable, wich will inspire confidence and you can explore their potential as you grow as a pilot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miromst Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 Hi all, When I saw this post I thought that most instructors and experienced pilots will share their advices and opinions. I think this can be useful topic for all pilots who want to collect some information before they approach qualified instructors and/or will buy their toys. Thank Alan and Outkast for their posts. When I made my research ( I might miss a lot) most reflex wings don't have a certification or are certified in EN-C. Outkast what wings you meant when you mentioned beginner/intermediate reflex wings? Thank you. Miro Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan_k Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 Hi Miro, All manufacturers make a range of wings, starting from beginner, beginner/intermediate, intermediate then right through to competition and uncertified wings. The single letter for certification can be a little misleading for a novice, a modern reflex wing that is rated C may only have one test that rates a C, with all other tests rating A. The overall rating given is always quoted with the worst test result letter. The flight tests performed are descended from pure paraglider test regimes. Some of these tests are extremely difficult to perform on a reflex wing, such as full frontal collapse, given the stability of a reflex profile. The tests are generally fairly extreme manoeuvres, which you won't be getting anywhere close to as a trainee pilot. The best approach is to go onto wing manufactures websites and see how they classify their wings: http://www.dudek.eu/en/classification/ Cheers, Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil1975 Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 Sam, I recently learned (& am sitll learning something every time I fly) & the vast majority of my training was on a Dudek Synthesis (reflex wing). If you are reasonably physically fit you shouldn't have a problem learning on a reflex wing. When you start flying with other pilots it will soon become clear that reflex is the way to go. The only real downsides are if you are not so fit a non reflex wing would be a bit easier to launch. Reflex wings (from what I've seen) tend to land a bit faster - this caught me out a few times until my brain became accustomed to the ground rush, but that's something I enjoy the sensation of now. In my personal opinion a non reflex wing may be a good idea for your first few flights then I would move to a reflex wing as soon as you got your take offs & landings sussed. BTW the Synth is a C rated wing (with trims out & on bar) but is widely regarded as a safe,benign starter wing) so the ratings don't always tell the whole story. Hope this helps Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miromst Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 First of all, I have to admit that I'm not really experienced in paramotoring, but I have googled and tried to read as much as possible about it and more I read about it, more confusing it is. Some people says that reflex wings are the best you can buy and some people say that it is only very good sales PR and this type of wings are very dangerous and are not even certified. I would suggest for everyone to consult it wit Instructor and try both standard and reflex wing what will suit personal needs. Miro Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
outkast Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 why not take advice from those who have actually gone from a non reflex wing to a reflex wing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aquatix Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 BTW the Synth is a C rated wing (with trims out & on bar) The Synthesis is actually C rated with closed trimmers only. With trimmers out and on speed-bar it is uncertified, like the majority of reflex wing designs. At least Dudek takes the step of selling wings with trimmers buckled closed, so the owner must physically remove a tab if they choose to fly it in uncertified mode. There seems to be an undercurrent of opinion that a wing which scores mostly A's (with a few B's and occasional C) can somehow be regarded as an A/B wing - when in fact it is rated C without question. This makes a mockery of the testing procedure, which is a shame as when studied (beyond just a letter) the test reports can give a valuable insight into how a wing is likely to behave in flight. Of course there are no paramotor specific tests as they were designed for paragliders to show recovery characteristics back to stable flight - not the actual stability or resistance to collapses that would be of great interest but difficult to measure with accuracy. In calm air and with gentle inputs a beginner 'might' be OK flying a high rated or even uncertified glider - but is this a situation we should be encouraging ? How would a risk averse insurance company view this after an incident if they could show there were safer rated wing options available to beginners ? Of course nearly all modern wings are relatively safe, and reflex does offer some advantages to the more experienced pilot who understands the changes in wing profile (ie, releasing a few cm of trimmer does not magically make the wing safe and stable, even if it does increase speed and resistance to collapses by a certain amount). Forum opinions are useful, but just that - opinion (although better to trust a large number of real pilots than one persons rants on YouTube) Manufacturers (and designers) also offer useful guidance notes on what type of pilot / experience level their wings are targeted at - although even this information can be distorted by sales pitch when they produce a number of different models. Of course they would like people to buy a beginner wing then purchase different models as they progress ..... Anyway, just some points to consider when making an expensive purchasing decision ..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dantheman Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 If you're learning to paramotor go for a reflex.All modern designs are easy to launch and give great stability when flying. 'nuff said Cheers, Alan +1 If you are going to Paramotor then a reflex wing is best, so why not learn on one, that's the way I got into the air. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Porter Posted July 10, 2017 Share Posted July 10, 2017 I know this topic is a little old but I've been offered a Dudek synthesis 2 in 29 size. I'm 83kg motor approx 28kg plus kit etc probably another 10kg =121kg the wing is rated 95kg to 140kg I know I'm within the range but so many are saying you should be at the end of the range (heaviest). Would be interested to know peoples thoughts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyB Posted July 10, 2017 Share Posted July 10, 2017 I have 28 m wing and am 83 kg (snap!)....although I was 92 kg a year ago! Being light makes it easier to launch in no wind, which us older more knackered people need. The downside is the wing is less responsive, so not as good for pulling those high g stunts....I am told. I have never tried a smaller wing as completely happy and I have found it absolutely fine for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
papagyo Posted July 10, 2017 Share Posted July 10, 2017 Hi, I learned on reflex (Dudek Universal) with trimmers buckled from factory so no messing with them and then went on to fly my own non-reflex. Only flew the non-reflex 4 times then bought a reflex. Either one worked fine for me...still quite a beginner but I did not think there was a huge difference...but then again I fly like grandma in calm conditions only. Brian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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