We introduce our latest creation, the Royal Vessel in
our brand for the new season. The Zenith is a
Sport intermediate wing rated EN C for the ambitious XC pilots searching for
glide and speed without compromising safety.
It replaces the
Tecno but maintains the
same famous handling and stability in accelerated flight meanwhile the glide and
speed is simple amazing for its class.
We firmly believe this is the most cutting edge cross country Sport wing
in the market many pilots will be attracted to fly it in spite of the high
performance of this wing. You will find a lot of confidence due to the massive
passive safety and extra comfort in flight.
Many new features are reveled here: 3 risers, a record low line length, a high arch giving more pressure and tuck resistance, trapezoidal
leading edge entries and AR of 6 with a new profile to enhance an accurate
handling to get the most out of weak days and poor thermals.
For sure you will be at the bubble's peak when flying a
Zenith from Windtech.
Windtech «Zenith»
This is the replacement wing for the Tecno of this Spanish brand. It did
surprise everybody when it passed the certification in Class B. Remember this is
a high intermediate wing very ambitious.
It is fast and has a great handling. Only three risers although the rear
one is doubled in the top floor and the front one has a split riser for big ear
maneuvers.
The line set up is only in two floors (the top one unsheathed). Each cell
out of three has a line. It has a thick profile with the center of pressure well
advanced and an elliptical vault short and compact. V risers and no battens.
Thin risers and a soft and very effective speed system. It comes with a 4 colors
design very original and it profits from the bottom surface transparence to show
the brand image "flyman" of the top surface.
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The
virtues are speed, handling and performance unheard on the Class B gliders
(Class Club pilot must watch out for this glider). The secret: few lines, a good
profile with the torsion well adjusted in the wing-tips and a correct vault and
canopy definition.
It was a surprise that the swiss certification manager, Alain Zoller,
rated the new Windtech intermediate wing in Class B. The B rating is associated
to advanced beginners gliders but not for an expected class 2 glider with such
performances. Whatever the case is this is a guarantee of the high passive
safety and the well behave of its reaction in collapses, shooting forward, turns
and so on.
The XS is missing but the other 3 sizes are B rated (spin , frontal and
asymmetrical collapse), all the other maneuvers are A.
How this
wing is?
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The
plan-form has an elliptical leading edge and a straight trailing edge. Both
converge in a straight stabilo producing a compact shape for an aspect ratio of
six with a central part quite thick. The vault is elliptical with a short radius
and arch.. The profile is thick with the center of pressure well advanced and a
big curve near the leading edge and a small refex near the trailing edge. The
front openings are now rectangular placed in a zig-zag way to become better
oriented to all the different angles of attack and therefore smaller in surface
than the traditional ones. Double dacron reinforcements in the inside. Windtech
has not joined yet the nylon wires trend. the line setup is placed each 3 cells
as the competition wings and has only two floors. The result is a wing with a
small line consumption. To multiply the positive effects of this the top floor
line are unsheathed. In order to joint the lines load so much distant ones from
others the inner structure has load webbing across the wingspan. On the bottom
there are only three risers although in the canopy the top floor branch off in C
and D rows. However you will see four risers since the A riser has a baby A for
big ears manoevers. The risers are thin with a double pulley speed system very
soft and effective. All the fabric is Skytex 44 and 40gr. (it wears well long
term and the weight increase is minimum).
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The
profile wash out in the wing tips is quite positive quite a contract with the
center torsion a bit negative. This is reflected in a high trim speed of 40
km/h, almost reaching 60 km/h at full speed.
The top surface is quite flat, clean and well defined.
The brake handle is rigid has a swivel and is connected to the riser with
a clip. These ones are long and well separated making B descents quite simple.
The big ears reopen by itself and the stall arrives first in the wing tip, going
backward and twisting before the full canopy goes backward. This arrives below
23 Km/h (depending on the size and load).
In flight
Inflation is very easy. It has a good preinflation very ligh and does not shoot
forward when is above your head staying still and stable. You only need then to
load your weight and go forward then you are airborne.
When there is nil wing you need to run fast since the trim speed is high.
The brake does respond quickly it is not hard but neither soft. You fell
very well the wing and has a quick answer to side movement with a light pitch
control during the first degrees. This is very welcome when turning and enter
the thermal, it bites it very effectively.
The canopy is very solid and you don't feel the wing tips going forward
or flying on their own. The wing goes in the turn quickly and maintains one of
the best Windtech quality, this is the ability to turn tighter without changing
the inclination. To achieve this you have to apply more brake input during the
turn and when the wing goes slower apply more inside brake without changing the
angle of inclination. This does work much better with low angles of inclination
and is a perfect solution to center quickly and grasp firmly the thermal core.
This is not a panacea but brings forward a surplus in handling when
piloting with accuracy.
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Aspect ratio is not big but is a fast and agile glider
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When
flying at full gas it keeps the stability even when the airflow is above the
front openings.
The best virtues of the Zenith are the speed and the high glide angle for
such a moderate aspect ratio. Also the handling is great.
Some details need to be improves, for instance all lines are the same
color (although this will change in next production units). Some wrinkles are
visible around the frontal attachment points probably due to the separation
between lines and also the rises fun out loosing the aerodynamic advantage of
the thin risers well in line.
However the glide is quite remarkable, it belong to a high intermediate
but with a B rating (you can compete in Class Club).
4 sizes (the big size is removed) but with a good weight range between
one another between 60 and 115 kg so you can choose the prefered weight load.
If flies really well with the maximum load but since it does not need
more speed it also flies great at the middle of the load. You have to forget
about the B rating and think as this is a high intermediate with performances
and piloting of a 2 wing but with a high passive safety.
Windtech's experience of 15 years.
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Technical Specification |
Marks out of 3 |
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Inflation : light
you. Very compact |
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Initiation of
the turn : efective, good
handling |
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Turn reversal
: quick answer |
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Turns in very
slow flight : it
maintains, no problem |
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Handling |
Marks out of 3 |
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Slow flight : not
nervous |
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Normal flight
: confort, perfect |
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Accelerated
flight : stable fast,
acceleration |
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Pitch : turning
fast, you have to brake |
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Roll : confort,
stable |
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Turns : agile |
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Stall : in
the brake trable |
|
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Tension : stabilo
may loose tension |
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Performance
(Zenith)
|
Wing loading |
110 Kg (3,8
kg/m2) |
|
Min speed |
23 Km/h |
|
Speed 50%
brake |
32 Km/h |
|
Trim speed |
40 Km/h |
|
Max speed
(100% accelerator) |
58 Km/h |
|
Min sink rate |
1,1 a 32 km/h |
|
Best glide |
9,5 to 40 km/h |
*Measures at 1500m QNH and 28ΊC
Manufacturer Windtech
(Gijσn, Spain) Designer Αlvaro
Valdιs
Production Gijσn
(Spain) and Sri Lanka
