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Description of the frame
The frame is constructed from the finest aluminium tubing available on the market today: 7075 aluminium alloy, identical to that used in the aeronautical industry.
Our tubing is exclusively drawn aluminium, which offers the best possible characteristics in terms of weight/strength ratio and durability.
Crossbar junction
Icaro2000 is the only hang glider manufacturer in the world to manufacture, for all its topless models, a central crossbar junction block in Ergal 7075, made by the digitally-controlled machining of a solid block.
This process yields a strong, light component, in which stress is uniformly distributed throughout the structure of the unit.
The cost of this technology, when compared with the conventional system used by our competitors (two aluminium plates bolted to the central slider) is far higher, “but it is the only system that offers the correct safety margin over the years”, as stated by the Aermacchi engineer and designer Montalberti, who designed this component in 1998.
Crossbar/leading edge junction
Just as for the central crossbar junction, the
crossbar/leading edge junction, another important component, is
made in Ergal 7075, and again, by machining a solid block.
As mentioned above, this system, as well as being more visually
attractive, offers a better strength/weight ratio.
The unit
manufactured using this system is highly compact, and this has
made it possible to optimize the wing profile at all VG
configurations.
Sprog
The carbon fibre sprog in the central section of each wing half
is slightly pre-tensioned, to ensure the correct degree of warp
at different VG settings.
The sprog, together with the tip, supports five battens. This
increases the wing surface dedicated to stability control.
In other words, considering equal performance, your Z9 has a
greater stability than another wing with a lesser degree of warp
control.
Twist Tips
The Twist Tips system is an exclusive solution created by
Icaro2000, enabling the outer swivel tips (which support battens
n°s 10 and 11) a degree of contrary motion, even when the sail
is in contact with the tips.
This situation occurs in Variable Geometry configurations from ½
to full on.
At these VG settings, wings of the previous generation did not
permit any sail movement, and this caused a drop in handling
qualities.
In the Icaro2000 system, the tips are directly interlinked by
means of a cable, so that they do not prevent the necessary sail
movement.
Handling is notably improved when VG is half or fully tight.
In addition, stability is not affected, because the tips’
compensatory function – another exclusive Icaro2000 feature –
operates equally effectively in these configurations.
Outer leading edge section
The configuration of the outer leading edge section has been
changed. In order to improve coordination of the hang glider’s
flight behaviour, the axis of the outer leading edge section
runs parallel to that of the internal leading edge section, and
it is no longer swept forwards.
The pretensioning effect that was previously attained by means
of the latter design is now achieved by means of a different
sail cut.
Variable geometry
In wings with Bainbridge LSP sail, the VG range has been
increased.
This further improves performance when VG is fully tight.
In addition, towards the rear of the keel pocket there is a
small sheath that avoids any contact between the sail and the VG
cord.
Batten ends
The “snap lock” system is efficient and practical, and it also
permits the precise regulation of sail tension.
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