Development and Concept: 

Since the development of the TATTOO we were able to set the pace with several gliders their classes, and we could also noticeably improve upon our own predecessors. So the goals for our new DHV 2 wing were quite ambitious:

We wanted the performance of the TYCOON, combined with a more dynamic handling and of course with much more security. It is clear, that it was not enough to do some slight modifications on the TATTOO to achieve such goals. That's why we decided to build a completely new design, instead of trying to "update" the TATTOO.

The key features of this new design are the high flat aspect ratio and the extremely reduced line geometry. Based on these two characteristics, we built many prototypes, to experiment with different airfoils, arching and surface tensions to realize the big potential, the computer simulations predicted for this design. The first prototypes were so good, that we had to substitute the TATTOO as a reference wing for performance comparisons with a TYCOON.

In addition to the performance improvement, we also didn't want to accept a step backwards in the handling aspect, which was an important factor for the success of the TATTOO. So we put a lot of effort in achieving enjoyable handling for the RA. Our test pilots flew a lot of prototypes in different conditions and tried different airfoils, different trim settings and various brake geometries to find a precise and well balanced handling. Of course the judgment of a wing's handling is subjective to a certain level: However, we believe to have made progress also in handling compared to the TATTOO.

The RA can be flown even more precisely than the TATTOO and reacts immediately on small brake input: Very sensitive without being nervous. We also were able to avoid too much feedback through the risers in strong thermal conditions, to avoid the feeling of being "pushed out" of a thermal.

The RA was originally intended for the upper end of the DHV 2 class. However, during the end of the development process we achieved significant progress in the wing's reaction to collapses and other extreme maneuvers: The RA collapses late, but still softly. The reopening occurs quickly, but without impulsiveness. Overall the RA became even safer, than the TATTOO!

Performance:

The main reason for the outstanding performance of the RA is the reduced drag from the lines. The RA "M" has only 286m of line consumption, which means more than a hundred meters less than a TATTOO of the same size. This advantage is further increased by the thin upper cascade lines with a diameter of 0.6 mm. The very efficient line geometry leads to a performance gain of about 0.5 L/D.

Of course there is also some performance advantage added by the new high aspect ratio wing. Our performance comparisons showed that the computer simulations were right: The RA is flying in the performance league of the TYCOON!

By the way: When flying accelerated, the advantage of the reduced line drag is even bigger than at trim speed. We have never been able to achieve such a big step in performance in this class before! 

Handling:

Enjoyable handling was a very important issue during the development and we dedicated a lot of attention to this aspect. We followed a new path by developing new airfoils: On the middle part of the wing, the RA has an airfoil which is quite different from the airfoil which is used near the tips. The result of these specially adapted airfoils is, beside advantages for performance and security, a smooth and direct handling with excellent climbing performance.

The RA immediately reacts to small brake inputs and can be flown very precisely in thermals. We were also able to find a good balance of roll damping and agility: The wing turns with a very small brake input. Nevertheless the RA doesn't seem to be nervous at all.

Another concern was to reduce the feedback from the risers to a useful amount, to just provide enough feedback for the pilot to fly the wing. To achieve this, we experimented with some changes in the suspension geometry.

Our test pilots flew the RA with different harnesses and different harness settings to verify the effectiveness of these construction changes: The enjoyable handling of the RA can also be experienced with harnesses having a high suspension point and little weight-shifting effectiveness, without excessive feedback from the risers.


Safety:

We have succeeded with the RA, in constructing a very collapse-resistant wing. Above all, the wing's center collapses very late, from which the security is significantly raised in practical flying. In addition, the airfoils used distinguish themselves by allowing soft collapses and reopenings.

We believe that impulsive reopenings lead to instability in the paraglider-pilot system. A soft, but still quick reopening, interferes less and is felt as more comfortable by the pilot. We were able to benefit from our experience with ROOKIE and MAMBOO and build a wing which stands out due to its easily manageable reactions for experienced pilots. Therefore, it was very easy to stay within the DHV 2 limits without any performance-decreasing modifications to pass the DHV tests.

Technical Changes:

The following characteristics have been changed, compared to the TATTOO, its predecessor:

Main characteristics: