· Home · Paragliding Wings · Paramotoring Wings · Speed Riding Wings · Galery · Sport Wear · Accessories · After Sales Service · News · Press · Downloads · Company Select Interface Language: Papoose AWAK ANNAPURNA AWAK Dolpo Tsampa Voyage Dolpo Dakota Pil-Pit 2 Dakota Sport BIP-BIP LAPOON ANNAPURNA LAPOON Turquoise Thanka Dakota Sport Bi Awak Tandem [Go Back] published in Parapente Mag N°127 The mini-wings magic ..."14, 16 and 18 m2 for this mini-paraglider offered in three ( 3 ) sizes ( 5,5 aspect ratio for 46 diagonal cells, a killer look at a 3,6 kg. weight for the large model, only one certified ( EN C ). A few flights under this little Go Kart of the air, only to mention something about the amount of nice surprises paragliding wings have in storage for us in the near future : great glide, max speed close to 50 km/h, excellent behavior and precision. Buffered and moderate wing feed in roll, while precisely playing with a short brake line travel. The carved turns are superb, tight, the accumulated energy is felt and entices the pilot to place the wing on the its edge. Landing is reminiscent of a hang glider's, but with a superb ground effect before a well rounded clean touch down A neat toy !..." published in Vol Libre n°400 Solidity and simplicity To design a great performing tandem glider for both free flight and powered, in other words, a heavy load fun carrier, is a true feat of engineering ITV has managed to achieve ! WARNING REFLEX ! I take off with the Dakota Sport. The trimmers are slightly released due to a weak wind speed and a shallow slope. The glider bites the air and symmetrically rises quickly without overshooting me. […] It truly is a "reflex " profile when the trimmers are released ! I immediately realize the benefits for paramotoring : speed, stability during pitch, self correcting under power. And what about free flying ? Well,… it is fun to fly at full blast after releasing the trimmers and play under a solid wing blessed with a superior behavior than what we usually are accustom to use. TAKEOFF The risers length facilitates inflation and does not create a problem whatsoever in any condition with the trimmers fully pulled in. The canopy rises quite quickly with a slight overshoot easy to sblock, which brings along an initial excellent lifting capacity for a clean takeoff. The wing immediately becomes stable and reassuring. With the wing's stability in mind and a few trials in a mild south wind speed at the Saint Hilaire chapel takeoff, I noticed the tendency to overshoot can easily be dealt with toggle input and the "spinnaker effect " is only lightly felt. A well behaved wing during powered flights and trike takeoffs in a straight in wind direction. FLIGHT AND TURBULENCE In strong turbulence, the dampening effect is massive on the roll axis. On the pitch axis, the Dakota is reassuring and toggle input will not much disturb its flying capacities. Speed control of the wing is fully implemented by a brake line pull on the first twenty ( 20 cm ). The glider rather feels like a " flying beam " without noticeable contour deformation while keeping a stable profile. Upon releasing the trimmers, the pitch stability is reinforced by an important dampening effect. Same with toggle input where the pitch effect is even less pronounced and barely noticeable. TheDakota knows how to fly fast without pitching behavior. A well appreciated gift in turbulent situations. The trimmers offer up to 12 km/h in gained on a GPS reading as average speed flying back and forth on a set course. It is more then enough play for an analytical estimate. When slowed down, the Dakota asks for a bit of muscle power, requiring a five ( 5 ) kg. pull on the toggles and a fair traveling distance to reach below a 30 km/h air speed. Flirting in small conditions at slow speed will require the pilot to lock his brakes in hands on the risers or spreader bars. The resistance to stalling is fierce and the toggle exerted force will reach a dissuasive ten ( 10 kg. ) pull. A high angle of attack will stall the wing with a full toggle pull and a line hand wrap. No possible misinterpretation of what would come to be ! In slow wind speed flying, the canopy only tries to regain more air speed as soon as the brake pull is lessened. The Dakota is bullet proof and stable in turbulence and certainly is the goal to reach under power. It is a definite advantage for the occasional free flight pilot. TURNS The Dakota prefers a fair amount of speed in turns to keep a good glide while flying in bumpy air. Optimal thermal flying conditions will only get better as a result. EARS Not a problem if the trimmers are full-in. The " Ear kit " does its job as it should. With open trimmers but due to the " reflex " profile at work, the " ears " will take more time to reopen by themselves but sink is definitely there ! LANDING No problem landing with trimmers set to full-in position ! The ground effect arrives by mid braking phase, offering enough play for a long gradual flare. Coming to a stop still is comfortable even with a more pronounced braking input. BIVALENCE Easy inflation, immediate stability, good lifting capability and landing qualities, are given pluses under power use. In free flight, the same advantages will be appreciated. Its stability and a turbulence fighting character will become added bonuses which will dissipate and make forget a little the Dakota's typical " tandem " behavior. Dakota = stability and simplicity !... published in Vol Libre N°399 AWAK 18 Powered Paragliding Awesome ! … " Flying with an 18 m2 with an engine ?,… Yes, then what ?… Under the Awak, it works almost as well as under a standard wing. What's the trick ?… Having fun ! Carving curves in the sky, that's what ! Flying 3D ! Flying on the wing's edge and play in higher wind speeds. … The take off is interestingly surprising. No need to yank the front risers harshly, the canopy begs to fly… … In nil wind speed, a reverse inflation is totaly feasible. The Awak's small size and feather light weight truly help the procedure. With an engine on my back, the running take off phase is practically as identical as when executed under my standard size wing, only requiring a few additional steps. In flight …In flight, the Awak does not bring out the same sensations felt with a Speed-Flying wing. As for example, even with a mild thrust, it will easily climb at a 1,20 m/s,… not bad for an 18 m2 surface area ! At higher elevation, several round trips confirm my feelings about the speed,… the glider is fast : 46 km/h for a 122 kg hooking weight. Playing in turns with the Awak is a delight. Be careful not to be overwhelmed by its playful behavior !… The kick is to turn, carve, "S" turn or place the wing on its edge,… Landing Do not hesitate to let it fly hands up for a short final approach. The ground effect is pretty obvious and can be partially initiated at about ten meters AGL prior touch down. The wing then arrives with enough air speed to burn for a final long flair and stop, punctuated with little leftover horizontal forward motion. This sportive toy provides incredible sensations when motorized… for experienced pilot only though ! published in Vol Libre n°398 ITV Dolpo, the sure bet "...Esthetically pleasing, the new ITV wings are 'hot' with superb color schemes, design and effectiveness"... An exemplary inflation " ...The thin lines do not ask for special attention. Trims in all the way is the best default setting for an inflation. As with many light wings, the Dolpo comes up with ease and by itself with no tendencies to overshoot or show any hard points. It does show exemplary behavior during motorized inflations. In case of an asymmetric inflation, the wing can easily be corrected and set back on track by recentering it during the running phase. I would bet on the fact that many schools should and could become keen believers of this perfect teaching tool"... In flight "... The Dolpo brings forth a feeling of easiness effortlessly equipped and safety. Its speed is noteworthy with a 39 km/h hands up nod trims full in. In this configuration the engine's rpm is very low and fuel consumption reduced to a bare minimum... ... The trims can be manipulated from the finger tips with ease. Release them all the way will bring an additional 6 km/h. Not bad for a wing in this category. In turbulence, the behavior is healthy and predictable. The glider can take whatever the weather throws at it without any wing tip misbehavior. No need to hang on the brakes to counteract, the Dolpo takes care of itself... In turns "... One must really go at it to enter a 360º spiral dive. A full turn is necessary to initiate an entry. With a stable spiral, the Dolpo will exit the dive by relaxing the toggle pressure without showing excessive tip play, making it a totally manageable glider by a beginner coming out of school to handle. Soft, precise with clean responses give the Dolpo its signature name. The engine torque as little effect on the wing's behavior. In Vz, the numbers confirm and demonstrate a good overall performance with a 6.2 glide. While in free-flight mode, the glider will reach a 8,2. Landing is a cinch, with enough leftover energy to dissipate and easy burn for a smooth landing. Come in hands up for landing, let the Dolpo fly a short distance while taking advantage of the ground effect before touch down. Speed = Safety ! "... Conclusion "...The Dolpo is typical of a machine recommended to beginners or more advanced pilots alike, wanting to experience pure flying joy at its best without sacrificing safety or performance. During motorized takeoffs, the glider will demonstrate obvious abilities to do the job right with great air speed ready to be tapped into at anytime. The Dolpo is as well perfectly adapted to free flying. The best of both worlds,… thank you ITV!"... published in article Nino Muelas Test Tandem Dakota-Sport Après 5 championnats du monde et 5 championnats d’Europe, je peux vraiment dire que c’est au dernier championnat, organisé en Chine que je me suis senti le plus à l’aise. La Dakota-Sport 38m2 transmet une sensation de sécurité à n’importe quelle vitesse, y compris à vitesse max avec les trims relachés (sans accélérateur à pied en biplace) : 62 km/h avec une charge alaire de 6 kg/m2. Cela a été un plaisir de voler à grande vitesse, même en zones turbulentes, sans jamais perdre la sensation de piloter et de contrôler son parapente. C'est dans les turbulences que se faisait la différence: Certains pilotes étaient obligés de freiner alors que nous pouvions aller très vite. Personnellement, je pense que le système 'semi-reflex'(reflex modéré) de la Dakota- Sport est amené à se développer dans le futur. Bien évidemment la possibilité d'avoir une bonne stabilité à grande vitesse grâce au système réflex est un atout indéniable, mais aussi le fait de conserver la fine sensation de conduite avec un très léger toucher de pression sur les freins est pour moi le 'must' en terme pilotage. Trimée, c'est une voile qui permet de moduler le virage selon le goût du pilote et qui transmet toutes les sensations nécessaires pour aborder les thermiques. Lors de l'épreuve d'endurance nous avons pu profiter avec succès de thermiques forts et étroits qui par ailleurs étaient régulièrement cisaillés par une brise marine changeante. La seule gêne que j'ai ressenti au niveau du pilotage a été la dureté des freins dû à l'importance de notre charge alaire. ITV semble déjà réfléchir à une solution pour les pilotes, qui comme moi, chargent beaucoup les voiles. En conclusion, je pense que c'est la voile de paramoteur la plus complète que j'ai pu tester. En outre, ses prestations en vol libre m'ont parues excellentes.' Nino Muelas published in Parapente-Mag n°123 Test ITV -Dolpo A textbook inflation ... " A ground handling session in the wind to start with. The Dolpo handles with remarkable ease, an effortless inflation with no hard point and with no tendency to overfly. An absolutely faultless wing to inflate thanks to its overall light weight. In the event of an asymmetric inflation, the wing realigns itself as a whole on the desired trajectory. In strong winds, the Dolpo lends itself to all sorts of manoeuvres, and without blushing. In either full reverse or in the Cobra sideway inflation, the wing displays enormous training qualities. An invitation to travel ... ... " Within a few steps the Dolpo gets me airborne. I carefully fly away from the slope, hands up at 38km/h. The glide angle is as one would expect for this type of wing but the handling is especially sweet: soft, precise and responsive. Straight away you feel reassured by the predictable pitch control, suitable for any pilot with a minimum of experience. Solid in turbulence ... " Rough conditions today on the ridge near Gourdon, with strong thermal climbs up to 7m/s that stop with no warning. The typical washing machine conditions in which you would expect to suffer a few deflations. The Dolpo however, proves to be a doddle to fly, with no unwanted pitch oscillation, with a smooth roll to bank into the turns. The speed bar is light to start with then progressively firmer up to a maximum of 48km/h when touching the pulleys. The wing can be slowed right back with brakes, with a minimum speed of around 24km/h and a very forgiving stall point. Thermalling is eventless, the Dolpo just gets on with it, climbing with ease. Big Ears are very easy to implement thanks to the split-A risers and they re-open by themselves straightaway. Tight 360s or spiral dive are typical, quick to dive and with a dynamic exit all by itself, but easy to dissipate. I head for Les Courmettes, mistaken in the belief that the wind is light. Big mistake! I end up fighting the strong turbulence but the Dolpo with its fast trims absorbs all the punches without the hint of a collapse. Quite remarkable! ..." Summary ..." A serene feeling fully justified, an easy handling, a joy to forget the wing you hang from, a long braking range, an excellent slow speed, a light weight both in the air and on the ground.... Utter bliss! With a glide ratio of circa 8.2, everything is possible, even in light scratchy conditions. In my opinion, the Dolbo is a very nice wing that will help to broaden one’s horizon, on foot, in flight, by train or by boat. I love it and I can only recommend it to the travelling pilot but equally to anyone who simply wishes to fly without holding back. Essayez ! Vous ne serez pas déçu..." published in Parapente-Mag n°123 Test ITV -Dolpo A textbook inflation ... " A ground handling session in the wind to start with. The Dolpo handles with remarkable ease, an effortless inflation with no hard point and with no tendency to overfly. An absolutely faultless wing to inflate thanks to its overall light weight. In the event of an asymmetric inflation, the wing realigns itself as a whole on the desired trajectory. In strong winds, the Dolpo lends itself to all sorts of manoeuvres, and without blushing. In either full reverse or in the Cobra sideway inflation, the wing displays enormous training qualities. An invitation to travel ... ... " Within a few steps the Dolpo gets me airborne. I carefully fly away from the slope, hands up at 38km/h. The glide angle is as one would expect for this type of wing but the handling is especially sweet: soft, precise and responsive. Straight away you feel reassured by the predictable pitch control, suitable for any pilot with a minimum of experience. Solid in turbulence ... " Rough conditions today on the ridge near Gourdon, with strong thermal climbs up to 7m/s that stop with no warning. The typical washing machine conditions in which you would expect to suffer a few deflations. The Dolpo however, proves to be a doddle to fly, with no unwanted pitch oscillation, with a smooth roll to bank into the turns. The speed bar is light to start with then progressively firmer up to a maximum of 48km/h when touching the pulleys. The wing can be slowed right back with brakes, with a minimum speed of around 24km/h and a very forgiving stall point. Thermalling is eventless, the Dolpo just gets on with it, climbing with ease. Big Ears are very easy to implement thanks to the split-A risers and they re-open by themselves straightaway. Tight 360s or spiral dive are typical, quick to dive and with a dynamic exit all by itself, but easy to dissipate. I head for Les Courmettes, mistaken in the belief that the wind is light. Big mistake! I end up fighting the strong turbulence but the Dolpo with its fast trims absorbs all the punches without the hint of a collapse. Quite remarkable! ..." Summary ..." A serene feeling fully justified, an easy handling, a joy to forget the wing you hang from, a long braking range, an excellent slow speed, a light weight both in the air and on the ground.... Utter bliss! With a glide ratio of circa 8.2, everything is possible, even in light scratchy conditions. In my opinion, the Dolbo is a very nice wing that will help to broaden one’s horizon, on foot, in flight, by train or by boat. I love it and I can only recommend it to the travelling pilot but equally to anyone who simply wishes to fly without holding back. Essayez ! Vous ne serez pas déçu..." published in VOL LIBRE n°381 For fun... Launching with the wing below on the slope: "… On a steep slope or with a tail wind, you prepare the wing below you. Launching the ITV Pil-Pit in these conditions is a doddle…. " Dynamic launch : "… And the winner is...the Pil-Pit 11 m², with its high launching speed. The 13 m² version is a similar story… " Launching with the wing above on a shallow slope with a tail wind: "… Another very good mark for the Pil-Pit 11 m² and the Savage 12… " Straight gliding flight: "… Both the 11 and 13 m² Pil-Pits and the Savage 12, pull away from the rest with a good forward surge hands up, without pitch oscillations and an ability to stick to the snow with a gentle use of the brakes. Very useful to absorb the variations in contours. When raising hands, the 11 m² Pil-Pit dives forward into a steep glide building loads of kinetic energy. The wing returns at will to the usual shallow glide with the brakes. Very useful when skimming the steep slopes!…" "… The Pil-Pit delivers a remarkable glide angle with half-brakes, albeit with a heavy pull. " Handling and manoeuvrability: "… The 11 & 13 m² Pil-Pits and the Savage 12 give the best response in roll, from the smallest input…" "… Weight-shifting movements are effective on the Pil-Pit, with no inverse yaw, allowing to fly precise curves, in the air or along the ground alike… " In the turns, with skis: "… No contest, the Pil-Pit 11, the Pil-Pit 13 and the Savage 12 are ahead!" "…The 13 m² Pil-Pit is slightly more forgiving with the brakes than the 11 m² and this helps when performing nice skiing curves…" " As I put the last touch to this article, ITV sent us the Pil-Pit 16 m², their largest speed-riding wing. Usually in speed-riding, too large a wing surface means a behaviour closer to flying a “paraglider”, not ideal to use with skis. This time however, the Pil-Pit 16 comes as a bit of a surprise. Although not as “tight” as the smaller sizes, it nevertheless feels like a speed-riding wing. A proficient paraglider pilot will feel at home straight away on this wing, and with no worries about launching. Roll inputs are perfectly dampened. Finally, the performance on half-brakes is remarkable and allows further gliding across the valley before catching a lift back up. A good link between paragliding and speed-riding. The ease of use with skis at low speed with predictable launching behaviour makes it an excellent introduction to speed-riding. Finally, the launch with the wing below on the slope, is as easy as with the smaller sizes. A great wing for speed-riding and for flying…" So, which one? "… The Pil-Pit is clearly the jewel in this test. The acceleration in the turns and the loss of height are phenomenal. The wing banks easily into high angles on skis. The brakes are very powerful, ideal for dynamic launching. Inflation is quick and launching tends to be at high speed down the slope. The trims allow to stick to contours efficiently. A wing for expert hands. One feels at home straightaway on the 13 m². François Maire, our photographer, felt quite happy to give demos by night, from day one!…" published in Vol Libre n°377 DAKOTA-SPORT: Beautiful, safe and with a nice handling, a wing for the discerning connoisseurs. ..."Following in the Dakota’s footsteps, the Sport model inherits the same type of semi-reflex profile, but with even more auto-stability. At the same time the wing gains a few precious km/h as well as a more dynamic feel"... ..."The sail work is consistent with the rest of the range, as good as it comes..The way this wing is constructed is generally far less complex than your typical reflex wing! Here, everything is light and simple, around 5 kg for the medium size in the test!"... ..."The suspension lines are particularly fluid. The risers are narrow and flexible, allowing a quick set up, at the flick of a wrist"... ..."When it comes to launching, the Dakota-Sport is a doddle, getting me airborne on the third step. Easy peasy and with a good climb rate too"... ..."The Dakota-Sport is proving ideal for flying around on a light throttle.. It banks in the turns easily and the short brake travel gives a direct feel. It responds instantly... On the whole, the brake pressure is a bit physical throughout its range"... ..."In rough air, the Dakota-Sport’s auto-stability is utterly convincing, cutting through turbulence whilst staying on track! The wing transmit good feedback about the air mass, without too much filtering"... ..."The landing and the flare are straight forward with an instant reaction to every small brake input. It is the first wing on which I have experienced such a direct response, reacting on the very first centimetres of brake input! On full brakes, the wing comes to a stop and I land on the tips of my toes. When heavy-handed, the Dakota-Sport has no tendency to forward surge, as often is the case with a reflex profile. Both the design and the chosen technical details are allowing the Dakota-Sport to explore the slow flying speed, inherent in our foot launched activity"... ..."ITV is once again at the forefront of wing design with its Dakota-Sport: A guaranteed success for paramotoring, and a real pleasure free-flying, the perfectly compatibility"... published in Aerial n°53 Essai DAKOTA Sport "...The inflation is smooth and predictable..." "... Pure pleasure! On slow trims, the wing is nippy and playful.... The turn is positive..." "...On fast trims it remains very manoeuvrable and the pilot keeps a useful wide range of movement... A healthy behaviour, equally good on slow or fast trims..." "...The speed range is useful, starting at 38 km/h on slow trims with hands up. The fast trims are more suited for cruising along, claimed to be 55 km/h and verified by on my own GPS..." "...When it comes to stability, all the pilots who have flown it seem to agree: “rock solid” in turbulence..." "...Very nice work! We are familiar with ITV’s quality for wings that appear to evolve with the pilots’ needs..." published in PARAPENTE MAG n°114 Tsampa-Voyage flight test... "...As implied in the name, this wing has been designed with travel in mind, with minimal bulk but without compromising too much on performance. It’s a wing that is easy to drag along, when travelling by plane or by road..." "...In flight, the good dampening in turbulence is reassuring. Handling is good with a wide range of movement in the brakes, with a progressive reaction to brake inputs. The Tsampa-Voyage is suitable for newly rated pilots who often seek a basic peaceful glider that can bring them comfort when flying in rough air..." "...Our opinion: A good choice for a wing that is light and solid, easy to fly and efficient. Its performance level will satisfy those pilots who seek a lightweight multi-use wing for mountain flying for instance. A great wing for travelling..." published in article Fred Mallard In China with my Dakota-Sport A great experience, flying in the Worlds Championship in China, on my Dakota-Sport! I was particularly pleased with my result (12th out of 72), taking into account that just as last year, I was flying standard equipment with no particular modifications. The competition was tough and rewarding, and at no time did I regret my choice for the Dakota-Sport. - For the inflation, the Dakota-Sport keeps the same lightness and ease of its little sister and I did not fail a single launch! - The top speed is good but I could not compete with some of the hot ships specifically designed for speed. Maybe I should have chosen a smaller size.. However, this kind of top speed is only needed in a couple of competition tasks throughout the year. For the rest of the time I find it fast enough to not even warrant using the speed bar on top of the trims. - I have particularly enjoyed its performance in thermals! I am not an expert thermal flyer, especially in mountains as I tend to fly mainly on flat land. However, I did manage to score well in the pure economy task (staying airborne as long as possible with 2 litres of fuel), not far behind the top pilots, some of whom had more economical engines than mine. - Stability-wise, it gives me a reassuring feel, no worries when having to concentrate on the map, flying straight whilst cutting through all the air movements. - The handling on this wing is a real pleasure: vivacious and utterly precise. There is little inertia in the turns and the wings can be returned to level instantly to regain straight flight. In summary, a real pleasure to fly. A constant feeling of being able to progress on this easy and playful wing. Fred Mallard published in Dakota-Sport flight test, an article by Bernard Sonzogno, an instructor from Besançon Essai de la Dakota Sport I test flew the Dakota-Sport in light wind conditions and in an unstable air mass. With the wing prepared in a crescent shape, the wing gives good feedback throughout as it inflates smoothly, stopping overhead, as it starts lifting. The launch is predictable and requires a slightly longer run than on the Tomahawk. In flight, the brakes are very direct, the wing is very manoeuvrable with a good impression of speed with fast trims. The wing is on rails with a good overall stability through the variable air movements, without masking completely what the air is actually doing. When solicited on the brakes, it can instantly become very playful, banking can rapidly reach high angles and the wing can dive deep within a few 360s. Landing: a nice flare with an instant response to every input on the brakes, it is the first time I feel such a direct reaction on a wing. In summary, it is a winner for pilots with a minimum of experience who enjoy wings that can be flown with finger tips! Good performance, lots of pleasure and nice feedback, without any of the over-complication that usually comes with some of the “pure reflex” wings that can now be found on the market. published in Vol Moteur n°254 Flight test : Tsampa Paramotor Flight test : Tsampa Paramotor. … « unpacked and spread out, the wing appears to be surprisingly light. The Tsampa weighs less than 5kg (4.7kg) in the medium size! … a magnificent sail cut and a beautiful design… … The Tsampa is well equipped for paramotoring use and its finish is as we can expect from ITV, top grade. … Preparation is straightforward and with a single movement of the wrist all the lines and the different cascades get untangled… … Well centred at the middle of the wing, the Tsampa scoops the air and inflate as a whole, rising progressively thanks to its light weight. In calm conditions (5km/h), this wing shows no tendency to overtake, allowing the pilot to pause before committing to launch. The Tsampa can then accelerate and soon lift the pilot. I was pleasantly surprised to see this despite my AUW of 120kg and the wing’s 26 m². …Once the wing is inflated overhead, you have plenty of time to admire how pretty and taut it is, to turn around and to start launching, the Tsampa staying put, eager to fly! In three steps, as by magic, I am airborne!. …Having climbed to a thousand feet, I fly level to start with my various tests. I notice straight away how playful the Tsampa is, ready to have fun, to turn on a six pence. Banking in the turns is initiated with a brake and optimised with a light weight shift action. Once banked, the Tsampa carves a nice turn with a low sink rate, perfect for thermalling. If I apply 10 cm more brake, the Tsampa reacts immediately with precision and increases its bank, with moderate and linear inputs. The Tsampa is proving to have a precise and playful handling. What a lot of fun, the wing turns on its own. In tight 360s, the Tsampa nose dives, accelerates and can be controlled with the outside brake. The wing stops its rotation as soon as the controls are back to neutral with a clean yet dynamic recovery, easy to control. …Later in the day with a 15km/h wind and an increasing thermal activity, the wing hardly affected by the rough conditions and by holding the brakes normally, the wing shows some dampening in pitch although remaining quite lively, giving plenty of feedback about the airmass. With such good behaviour, I feel that ITV have once more privileged safety and ease of use!... … On slow trims and flying level at 7900 rpm, several out & returns upwind and downwind indicate an acceptable speed of 31km/h. On full speed, I calculate the top speed at an average of 46.9km/h, taking into account the correction for altitude and temperature. I note the low revs needed to fly level, even on full speed, hence the excellent glide ratio. When on full speed, pushing the speed bar with my toes, pulley against pulley, the leading edge keeps rigid and the wing appears stable along its trajectory. The speed system is not particularly physical but personally I prefer the use of trims for long distance flying. …Very difficult to criticise the Tsampa, which clearly is a winner. This wing from ITV, is the perfect example of a good paragliding wing that can be easily motorised. Available in various versions for free flying, light weight mountain flying and paramotoring, the Tsampa with satisfy you if you are looking for an efficient wing, playful and dampened, to indulge in both powered and free flight. The perfect combination! …Success is inevitable when you hear the pilots’ praises for this wing and I must confess my reluctance to hand it back… published in Parapente-mag n°109 Essai DAKOTA ..." Très bon comportement dans les phases de décollage : La Dakota s'élève progressivement et une fois au-dessus de la tête, elle ne double pas. La levée est facilitée par le faible poids de la voile et il n'est pas nécessaire de tirer fort les avants. Une fois au-dessus du pilote, une poussée du moteur modérée permet de décoller rapidement : La prise en charge est rapide. En vol, la Dakota s'avère très sereine et sécurisante : bon amortissement en roulis et en tangage, les commandes de freins ont un débattement important et l' effort augmente progressivement"... ..." A mi chemin entre les voiles standard conventionnelles et les nouvelles voiles à profil réflex, cette ITV Dakota est ludique, facile à piloter, et surtout très sécuritaire grâce à son profil semi-reflex"... published in NEWS FROM EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP 2006 The French Paramotor team, 2006 European Champions! Fred Mallard, a very happy Dakota pilot! First of all, I am very satisfied with the results for my first year of competition, without real expectations and flying standard production equipment with no modifications. I have enjoyed inflating the Dakota, a rather lightweight wing with which I have not failed a single launch, especially in Spain where the nil wind launches at 900m altitude resulted in lots of broken propellers. I have enjoyed its performance in thermals and how easy it is to centre the lift. The behaviour at slow speed is pleasant and efficient (my best score was in the slow speed task!). The top speed on fast trims is good but cannot compete with some competition wings that have long trimmers and a speed bar. However, the fuel consumption and the sink rate remain competitive at maximum speed, which is really useful. The behaviour in rough air is very reassuring, the wing dampens well the movement of the airmass, thus allowing to concentrate fully on navigation without stress when encountering every single turbulence. It took me some time to get used to the Dakota in the low level tasks (highly banked turns without changing height) as it does not handle like my Polaris. Once I got used to it, I was soon improving on my elapsed times. In conclusion, I have really enjoyed this wing, which is perfect for leisure flying and that has allowed me to sample the pleasures of competition, even surpassing my expectations, and so without having to take undue risks. published in Parapente Mag N°108 Essai Tsampa Voyage …" The finish of the wing is impeccable…" …" The Tsampa is very playful to ground handle with. Two steps whilst accelerating and we've got "lift off"…The Tsampa is fun and it conveys very well through the harness what the air is actually doing… It is a real pleasure to initiate turns with precise and very progressive inputs throughout the range of the brakes. The handling in the turns is very intuitive…" …." For soaring flights, once again, the Tsampa feels at home, as it is so easy to fly at min sink and to initiate turns with the outside brake or with weight shift…" …" A nice little wingover session at ridge level. The wing feels easy and predictable through its paces. Big ears and wingovers to lose height before landing on a slope close to some mountain goats. The Tsampa remains easy and precise to handle in this configuration…" …" The speed bar can be used on full without the wing showing any tendency to collapse…" …" Hands up, my Flytech displays an airspeed of 37 kph for my all-up-weight of 94 kg. As soon as I accelerate, airspeed increases progressively up to a stabilised speed of 46/47 kph, pulley to pulley. The best glide ratio of the wing is around 8.2/8.4 to 1 and early hints about the performance of the wing in the first third of the speed bar range are confirmed with a glide ratio that only goes below 8 when flying over 40 kph…" …" The Tsampa confirms that it is fast and easy to thermal with. After flying this Tsampa-Voyage for about 7 or 8 hours, I can say that it is the ideal companion for the hiking pilot who seeks an efficient, easy and very playful wing…" published in Aerial N°47 Essai DAKOTA... ..."After several flights in rough windy conditions, the Dakota proved to be a wing that inflates cleanly above head, with no tendency to overfly the pilot. I was able to inflate this wing without holding the risers in front of many pilots at a recent gathering.... The wing goes up effortlessly. In nil wind conditions, the inflation is second to none, simply by holding the A risers!"... ..."The Dakota is a fast wing, with a slow trim of 38kph and a top speed of 52kph on fast trims...It behaves healthily in turbulence and when I simulated an assymetric collapse on slow trim, the wing kept its heading.... The turns are well defined and positive although nothing like a competition wing!"... ..."The Dakota is very efficient paramotor wing and yet so easy to use. Its inflation is one of the best in its category, hence its popularity with experienced pilots and novices alike. The speed range and the rigidity of its profile contribute to an even more attractive wing"... published in Vol Libre n° 360 Vivante Précise Ludique ..."In nil wind, a light pull on the A risers results in a quick inflation... Launching at slow speed presents no difficulty...In a steady wind, there is a slight tendency to over-fly the pilot...It is easy for the pilot to remain firmly on the ground when handling the Tsampa in gusty conditions, even with large inputs on the brakes"... ..."In rough air, the wing is stable on all axis with a light dampening at the start of an oscillation... Feedback is clear and instantaneous.... The speed bar delivers the goods: one third of the way you fly at 40kph and on full speed bar you peak at 47kph... When on "big ears", using the easy kit, you lose 1 or 2 kph"... ..."In the turns, there is no need to use weight-shift as the Tsampa reacts well to brakes alone. However, the relative independence of both half wings facilitate weight-shifting, if desired....When coordinating the turn with the outside brake, the wing shows no signs of sideslip and is able to climb well in an optimised manner... No surprises with the B-riser stall, a fast and very stable descent....Landings present no problems: a classic flare following an approach at a steady speed"... ..."The Tsampa is playful and nippy, but gentle enough to suit most pilots, however experienced. It looks at home when banked into a turn and that is exactly what is demanded of a paraglider... The Tsampa is a nice flying toy, it is well designed, and it really deserves a test flight!"... published in Vol Moteur n°243 Essai DAKOTA "...On fast trims, the wing is dampened and filters the turbulence with real ease . Within a few minutes, I feel at home and am seduced by its stability. Unlike other 100%-reflexed wings, the Dakota is clearly softer in the rough air and absorb the turbulence in a more gentle and supple way..." "...When turning with fast trims, the handling is stunning! The legendary heaviness of autostable profiles is simply not there, and soon enough I surprise myself with a series of turns with short brake inputs, and so with formidable precision..." "...Later, whilst having fun beating up the whole microlight strip inches off the ground, the Dakota confirms its very precise characteristic. The local weather conditions are by now rather worsening with some overdevelopment near-by so I decide it's time to land. I switch off and keep the fast trims to start descending with a 360°..." "...Once I pull more than the first few centimetres of play in the brakes, the Dakota banks and turns promptly. After the first rotation, the wing dives and accelerates. As I raise the *outside????* hand to exit the turn, the Dakota slows its rotation and the forward surge that follows is just as easy to handle as if it was a school glider..." "...I am stunned by so much efficiency and safety on finally such a simple wing..." "...When it comes to speed, one advantage of autostable wings, the Dakota scores well. On fast trims, flying tip to tip with the Paramania Revolution, reputed for its top speed, the Dakota keeps up, to eventually overtake me!..." "...The Dakota finds itself in that elite group of wings that are both fast and stable..." published in Vol Moteur n° 243 Essai DAKOTA... "...On fast trims, the wing is dampened and filters the turbulence with real ease . Within a few minutes, I feel at home and am seduced by its stability. Unlike other 100%-reflexed wings, the Dakota is clearly softer in the rough air and absorb the turbulence in a more gentle and supple way..." "...When turning with fast trims, the handling is stunning! The legendary heaviness of autostable profiles is simply not there, and soon enough I surprise myself with a series of turns with short brake inputs, and so with formidable precision..." "...Later, whilst having fun beating up the whole microlight strip inches off the ground, the Dakota confirms its very precise characteristic. The local weather conditions are by now rather worsening with some overdevelopment near-by so I decide it's time to land. I switch off and keep the fast trims to start descending with a 360°..." "...Once I pull more than the first few centimetres of play in the brakes, the Dakota banks and turns promptly. After the first rotation, the wing dives and accelerates. As I raise the *outside????* hand to exit the turn, the Dakota slows its rotation and the forward surge that follows is just as easy to handle as if it was a school glider..." "...I am stunned by so much efficiency and safety on finally such a simple wing..." "...When it comes to speed, one advantage of autostable wings, the Dakota scores well. On fast trims, flying tip to tip with the Paramania Revolution, reputed for its top speed, the Dakota keeps up, to eventually overtake me!..." "...The Dakota finds itself in that elite group of wings that are both fast and stable..." published in Aerial n°45 Essai Pawnee "...Le gonflage est franc..." "...Montée de l'aile rapide et sans effort...Le contrôle en roulis est aisé..." "...Aile rapide et performante, même avec une charge alaire élevée. Elle occasionne une faible conso d'essence..." "...Le virage est précis et dynamique, ce qui rend la voile très ludique...L'aile noyaute sans effort en thermique..." "...Une voile vive et très ludique pour pilotes confirmés : un vrai petit vélo qui fait que l'on ne s'ennuie pas du tout au moteur..." published in Gleitschirm, oct.2005 Essai Papoose ..."Nous avons été enthousiasmé par cette mini-voile qui se situe entre le parapente et le kite "... ..."La voile monte vite et se cale bien dans le vent "... ..."Des heures de jeu garanties "... ..."Pour les débutants ou pilotes confirmés, la Papoose offre beaucoup de plaisir et permet de progresser dans la bonne gestuelle"... published in Parapente Mag n°101 Essai Pawnee paramoteur " ITV s'est investi dans le paramoteur. Aujourd'hui, le constructeur d'Annecy est incontournable dans le milieu. Après le best seller Tomahawk , voici la Pawnee..." ..." Son allure ne laisse personne indifférent, elle ressemble à un petit bolide haut de gamme "... ..." La montée est rapide, trims au neutre"... ..." Le décollage survient rapidement, sans effet de couple moteur "... ..." Une vitesse bras hauts nettement supérieure aux autres ailes de la catégorie"... ..." Trims relâchés, la Pawnee pique et accélère instantanément, bord d'attaque solide"... ..." La dureté de la commande est dans la moyenne des ailes standards mais le débattement est assez court, au bénéfice de la précision : l'aile répond à la moindre sollicitation du pilote. En 360°, elle accèlère dès le premier demi-tour pour ensuite devenir redoutable en descente verticale !... ..." Le vol en atmosphère turbulente est assez confortable, malgré les 5.7 d'allogement : on a l'impression de voler avec un aile rigide. L'attérissage est classique"... ..." Cette Pawnee est un outil formidable pour voler au moteur comme en vol libre. Elle correspond parfaitement au cahier des charges d'une aile de loisir pour pilotes d'expérience. Si vous voulez un beau joujou, n'hésitez pas, vous ne serez pas déçu. Moi, j'ai adoré"... published in Vol libre Magazine n°345 (France) ITV Tomahawk: Let's go! The Tomahawk is a new ITV wing rated "Standard", with lots of drive, very pleasant and efficient both for paragliding and paramotoring. The finish is superb. With the new un-clattered suspension line distribution, it really is child play to untangle them by simply flicking the risers, so definitely a wing with no problems in this area. A major improvement that demonstrates how this manufacturer listens to feedback with a view to improve its products. Laid out without the need for a particular shape, the Tomahawk2 scoops some air instantly then rises progressively in a predictable fashion without tendency to over-fly at the top of the inflation. On a shallow slope, with a slight pull on the brakes, the wing starts lifting by the third running step. Directional stability is good and when not inflating straight into wind the Tomahawk2 repositions itself at the top of an asymmetric inflation. A remarkably easy wing to launch, equally appreciated with a paramotor. In flight what sets this type of wing apart from others is its will to go for it, fully motivated. Anything but lazy. The wing doesn't slow down when entering thermals, a sign of adequate dampening in pitch, up or down, without any tendency to dive when exiting thermals either. When flaring firmly, due to its natural speed, the wing tends to climb, so a progressive flare is best. In a turn, as soon as one brake is pulled, the Tomahawk2 reacts in a linear fashion and precisely according to the pull and the amplitude of the brake. This wing flips on a six-pence and can turn around narrow cores. The turning curve is precise and without too much yaw dampening. The controls are light throughout the usual range of brake travel. The Tomahawk2 is a pleasurable wing with a good polar curve "hands off" and accelerated up to half way, thus opening the doors to long distance flying. This is the kind of fast wing one would like, easily launched, nice and precise in turns, light to handle and with that "go for it" attitude. Just a delight for paragliding and a guaranteed success for paramotoring, which clearly is not always incompatible. published in Vol libre n°345 ITV Tomahawk: en Avant! " La Tomahawk est une nouvelle ITV de classe standard, pleine d'allant, très agréable et performante aussi bien en vol libre qu'en paramoteur."... " La finition est très belle"... " Avec le nouveau suspentage fluide, le démêlage est devenu une simple formalité effectuée d'un coup de poignet depuis l'élevateur ce qui place la machine dans les ailes définitivement sans aucun problème de ce côté là. Un progrès majeur qui prouve que le concepteur sait écouter et faire évoluer ses machines !"... " Disposée sans artifice particulier au sol , La Tomahawk 2 écope franchement puis monte progressivement de façon régulière sans montrer de tendance à dépasser en fin d'apogée. Sur faible pente, la prise en charge est sensible au 3ème pas de la course avec un léger freinage. la tenue de cap est bonne. Avec une brise pas franchement dans l'axe, La Tomahawk 2 se recale d'elle-même après une montée légèrement dissymétrique"... " Un décollage exemplaire, également très adapté au paramoteur"... " En vol, ce qui différencie ce type d'aile de la plupart de ses consoeurs est sa volonté à toujours vouloir aller de l'avant, motivée. Tout sauf une paresseuse"... " L'entrée dans le thermique ne ralentit pas la machine qui est donc bien amortie à cabrer comme à piquer car elle ne plonge pas non plus en sortie d'ascendance. A l'arrondi franc, du fait de sa prise de vitesse facile , on obtient une belle ressource, ce qui impose un appui progressif"... " En virage, dès le début de l'action à la commande, la Tomahawk 2 réagit très linéairement et précisemment en fonction de la traction et du débattement"... " Elle vire facilement très court et peut serrer des noyaux étroits"... " La courbe est précise, sans amortissement du lacet"... " Elle est globalement peu physique sur la plage de débattement généralement utilisée"... " La Tomahawk 2 est une aile réjouissante avec une bonne polaire bras hauts et accélerée au premier barreau ce qui lui ouvre les portes du vol de distance. C'est une machine rapide comme on aime, qui décolle bien, vire facilement, précisemment, at avance toujours sans rechigner avec des efforts plutôt doux pour les bras"... " Que du plaisir en vol libre et un succès garanti en paramoteur ce qui est totalement compatible !"... published in Parapente-Mag n°100 Un compromis très sympathique A Notre avis : Un compromis très sympathique alliant performance, plaisir et esthétique. Homologuée CEN Standard, la Pawnee n'est pas une aile débutant. Avec son bel allongement, elle vient jouer dans la famille des Nova Tatoo et autres Advance Sigma 6, pour n'en citer que deux. Son ambition se confirme avec une voûte techniquement très aboutie. Les élévateurs à 5 branches (A2, A'1, B4, C3, D2) sont remarquablement bien faits, l'écopage est franc. Quelques minutes à jouer dans le vent, face à elle, suffisent à vérifier le travail de voilerie, impeccable : l'intrados est tendu, très propre. Au décollage,la Pawnee se manie avec précision. Quelques pas dans la pente et vite un premier constat : elle vole vite, 39 km/h stabilisés, mains hautes, sans aucun roulis. L'effort à la commande n'est ni léger ni fatigant avec un débattement assez court : l'essentiel du pilotage se fait sur les 40 premiers centimètres de frein, avec une réponse immédiate et une inclinaison homogène et linéaire, dès le début du freinage. D'où une sensation très agréable de finesse de pilotage, par petits gestes précis, et surtout une relance immédiate en remontant les mains. La Pawnee a du mordant, dégage de l'énergie et la restitue très volontiers, en trajectoires tendues. D'autant qu'elle montre un caractère maniable, à la fois à la commande et à la sellette. Au jeu du tangage provoqué, la Pawnee part plus loin en arrière qu'elle ne shoote sur l'avant. Un bon point donc pour sa qualité d'auto-amortissement sur cet axe. En thermique, je me trouve immédiatement très à l'aise sous cette aile qui obéit docilement, sans effort, avec un bon taux de chute. La communication est très présente, avec un échange constant entre le bout d'aile et la sellette, par petits-à-coups à décoder. L'aile démontre une belle capacité à bien se tenir dans le gros temps : mouvements simples, d'un bloc, qui s'anticipent aisément. Je n'ai d'ailleurs pas du tout le sentiment de voler avec une aile si allongée ! Le bout d'aile reste solide. Quelques longues transitions plus tard, en ayant abusé de l'accélérateur qui propulse la pawnee à 48 km/h, au bout du 2ème barreau, avec peu d'effort au pied, et c'est reparti pour quelques montées et descentes en thermiques. La Pawnee correspond bien à ma vision du pilotage parapente : de la vitesse, de la maniabilité sur peu de débattement, et de la communication efficace. A aucun moment, je n'ai ressenti un manque de performance, bien au contraire. Pour les oreilles, c'est classique. Tiré facilité par l'élévateur spécial et réouverture à aider un peu pour accélérer la remise en forme. La voile demeure maniable à la sellette, et permet aisément une descente efficace en associant oreilles, accélérateur et 360. C'est joueur, une Pawnee. Ça cause, ça envoie vite de beaux mouvements pendulaires. Plutôt très agréable pour qui aime les arabesques. Côté fermetures, rien à dire, la Pawnee se montre classique dans ses comportements, prévenant beaucoup et rouvrant simplement : rien de piégeant. La Pawnee m'a séduit pratiquement sur tout : plaisir de vol, plaisir du beau matériel, maniabilité et sérénité associées. Avec cette aile, un pilote sensible et affûté possèdera un véritable distributeur de plaisir. J'ai adoré. Au fait, elle fera sûrement une excellente aile de paramoteur ! published in Parapente-Mag n°100 Un compromis très sympathique A Notre avis : Un compromis très sympathique alliant performance, plaisir et esthétique. Homologuée CEN Standard, la Pawnee n'est pas une aile débutant. Avec son bel allongement, elle vient jouer dans la famille des Nova Tatoo et autres Advance Sigma 6, pour n'en citer que deux. Son ambition se confirme avec une voûte techniquement très aboutie. Les élévateurs à 5 branches (A2, A'1, B4, C3, D2) sont remarquablement bien faits, l'écopage est franc. Quelques minutes à jouer dans le vent, face à elle, suffisent à vérifier le travail de voilerie, impeccable : l'intrados est tendu, très propre. Au décollage,la Pawnee se manie avec précision. Quelques pas dans la pente et vite un premier constat : elle vole vite, 39 km/h stabilisés, mains hautes, sans aucun roulis. L'effort à la commande n'est ni léger ni fatigant avec un débattement assez court : l'essentiel du pilotage se fait sur les 40 premiers centimètres de frein, avec une réponse immédiate et une inclinaison homogène et linéaire, dès le début du freinage. D'où une sensation très agréable de finesse de pilotage, par petits gestes précis, et surtout une relance immédiate en remontant les mains. La Pawnee a du mordant, dégage de l'énergie et la restitue très volontiers, en trajectoires tendues. D'autant qu'elle montre un caractère maniable, à la fois à la commande et à la sellette. Au jeu du tangage provoqué, la Pawnee part plus loin en arrière qu'elle ne shoote sur l'avant. Un bon point donc pour sa qualité d'auto-amortissement sur cet axe. En thermique, je me trouve immédiatement très à l'aise sous cette aile qui obéit docilement, sans effort, avec un bon taux de chute. La communication est très présente, avec un échange constant entre le bout d'aile et la sellette, par petits-à-coups à décoder. L'aile démontre une belle capacité à bien se tenir dans le gros temps : mouvements simples, d'un bloc, qui s'anticipent aisément. Je n'ai d'ailleurs pas du tout le sentiment de voler avec une aile si allongée ! Le bout d'aile reste solide. Quelques longues transitions plus tard, en ayant abusé de l'accélérateur qui propulse la pawnee à 48 km/h, au bout du 2ème barreau, avec peu d'effort au pied, et c'est reparti pour quelques montées et descentes en thermiques. La Pawnee correspond bien à ma vision du pilotage parapente : de la vitesse, de la maniabilité sur peu de débattement, et de la communication efficace. A aucun moment, je n'ai ressenti un manque de performance, bien au contraire. Pour les oreilles, c'est classique. Tiré facilité par l'élévateur spécial et réouverture à aider un peu pour accélérer la remise en forme. La voile demeure maniable à la sellette, et permet aisément une descente efficace en associant oreilles, accélérateur et 360. C'est joueur, une Pawnee. Ça cause, ça envoie vite de beaux mouvements pendulaires. Plutôt très agréable pour qui aime les arabesques. Côté fermetures, rien à dire, la Pawnee se montre classique dans ses comportements, prévenant beaucoup et rouvrant simplement : rien de piégeant. La Pawnee m'a séduit pratiquement sur tout : plaisir de vol, plaisir du beau matériel, maniabilité et sérénité associées. Avec cette aile, un pilote sensible et affûté possèdera un véritable distributeur de plaisir. J'ai adoré. Au fait, elle fera sûrement une excellente aile de paramoteur ! published in Parapente-Mag n°100 Un compromis très sympathique A Notre avis : Un compromis très sympathique alliant performance, plaisir et esthétique. Homologuée CEN Standard, la Pawnee n'est pas une aile débutant. Avec son bel allongement, elle vient jouer dans la famille des Nova Tatoo et autres Advance Sigma 6, pour n'en citer que deux. Son ambition se confirme avec une voûte techniquement très aboutie. Les élévateurs à 5 branches (A2, A'1, B4, C3, D2) sont remarquablement bien faits, l'écopage est franc. Quelques minutes à jouer dans le vent, face à elle, suffisent à vérifier le travail de voilerie, impeccable : l'intrados est tendu, très propre. Au décollage,la Pawnee se manie avec précision. Quelques pas dans la pente et vite un premier constat : elle vole vite, 39 km/h stabilisés, mains hautes, sans aucun roulis. L'effort à la commande n'est ni léger ni fatigant avec un débattement assez court : l'essentiel du pilotage se fait sur les 40 premiers centimètres de frein, avec une réponse immédiate et une inclinaison homogène et linéaire, dès le début du freinage. D'où une sensation très agréable de finesse de pilotage, par petits gestes précis, et surtout une relance immédiate en remontant les mains. La Pawnee a du mordant, dégage de l'énergie et la restitue très volontiers, en trajectoires tendues. D'autant qu'elle montre un caractère maniable, à la fois à la commande et à la sellette. Au jeu du tangage provoqué, la Pawnee part plus loin en arrière qu'elle ne shoote sur l'avant. Un bon point donc pour sa qualité d'auto-amortissement sur cet axe. En thermique, je me trouve immédiatement très à l'aise sous cette aile qui obéit docilement, sans effort, avec un bon taux de chute. La communication est très présente, avec un échange constant entre le bout d'aile et la sellette, par petits-à-coups à décoder. L'aile démontre une belle capacité à bien se tenir dans le gros temps : mouvements simples, d'un bloc, qui s'anticipent aisément. Je n'ai d'ailleurs pas du tout le sentiment de voler avec une aile si allongée ! Le bout d'aile reste solide. Quelques longues transitions plus tard, en ayant abusé de l'accélérateur qui propulse la pawnee à 48 km/h, au bout du 2ème barreau, avec peu d'effort au pied, et c'est reparti pour quelques montées et descentes en thermiques. La Pawnee correspond bien à ma vision du pilotage parapente : de la vitesse, de la maniabilité sur peu de débattement, et de la communication efficace. A aucun moment, je n'ai ressenti un manque de performance, bien au contraire. Pour les oreilles, c'est classique. Tiré facilité par l'élévateur spécial et réouverture à aider un peu pour accélérer la remise en forme. La voile demeure maniable à la sellette, et permet aisément une descente efficace en associant oreilles, accélérateur et 360. C'est joueur, une Pawnee. Ça cause, ça envoie vite de beaux mouvements pendulaires. Plutôt très agréable pour qui aime les arabesques. Côté fermetures, rien à dire, la Pawnee se montre classique dans ses comportements, prévenant beaucoup et rouvrant simplement : rien de piégeant. La Pawnee m'a séduit pratiquement sur tout : plaisir de vol, plaisir du beau matériel, maniabilité et sérénité associées. Avec cette aile, un pilote sensible et affûté possèdera un véritable distributeur de plaisir. J'ai adoré. Au fait, elle fera sûrement une excellente aile de paramoteur ! published in Parapente-Mag n°100 Un compromis très sympathique A Notre avis : Un compromis très sympathique alliant performance, plaisir et esthétique. Homologuée CEN Standard, la Pawnee n'est pas une aile débutant. Avec son bel allongement, elle vient jouer dans la famille des Nova Tatoo et autres Advance Sigma 6, pour n'en citer que deux. Son ambition se confirme avec une voûte techniquement très aboutie. Les élévateurs à 5 branches (A2, A'1, B4, C3, D2) sont remarquablement bien faits, l'écopage est franc. Quelques minutes à jouer dans le vent, face à elle, suffisent à vérifier le travail de voilerie, impeccable : l'intrados est tendu, très propre. Au décollage,la Pawnee se manie avec précision. Quelques pas dans la pente et vite un premier constat : elle vole vite, 39 km/h stabilisés, mains hautes, sans aucun roulis. L'effort à la commande n'est ni léger ni fatigant avec un débattement assez court : l'essentiel du pilotage se fait sur les 40 premiers centimètres de frein, avec une réponse immédiate et une inclinaison homogène et linéaire, dès le début du freinage. D'où une sensation très agréable de finesse de pilotage, par petits gestes précis, et surtout une relance immédiate en remontant les mains. La Pawnee a du mordant, dégage de l'énergie et la restitue très volontiers, en trajectoires tendues. D'autant qu'elle montre un caractère maniable, à la fois à la commande et à la sellette. Au jeu du tangage provoqué, la Pawnee part plus loin en arrière qu'elle ne shoote sur l'avant. Un bon point donc pour sa qualité d'auto-amortissement sur cet axe. En thermique, je me trouve immédiatement très à l'aise sous cette aile qui obéit docilement, sans effort, avec un bon taux de chute. La communication est très présente, avec un échange constant entre le bout d'aile et la sellette, par petits-à-coups à décoder. L'aile démontre une belle capacité à bien se tenir dans le gros temps : mouvements simples, d'un bloc, qui s'anticipent aisément. Je n'ai d'ailleurs pas du tout le sentiment de voler avec une aile si allongée ! Le bout d'aile reste solide. Quelques longues transitions plus tard, en ayant abusé de l'accélérateur qui propulse la pawnee à 48 km/h, au bout du 2ème barreau, avec peu d'effort au pied, et c'est reparti pour quelques montées et descentes en thermiques. La Pawnee correspond bien à ma vision du pilotage parapente : de la vitesse, de la maniabilité sur peu de débattement, et de la communication efficace. A aucun moment, je n'ai ressenti un manque de performance, bien au contraire. Pour les oreilles, c'est classique. Tiré facilité par l'élévateur spécial et réouverture à aider un peu pour accélérer la remise en forme. La voile demeure maniable à la sellette, et permet aisément une descente efficace en associant oreilles, accélérateur et 360. C'est joueur, une Pawnee. Ça cause, ça envoie vite de beaux mouvements pendulaires. Plutôt très agréable pour qui aime les arabesques. Côté fermetures, rien à dire, la Pawnee se montre classique dans ses comportements, prévenant beaucoup et rouvrant simplement : rien de piégeant. La Pawnee m'a séduit pratiquement sur tout : plaisir de vol, plaisir du beau matériel, maniabilité et sérénité associées. Avec cette aile, un pilote sensible et affûté possèdera un véritable distributeur de plaisir. J'ai adoré. Au fait, elle fera sûrement une excellente aile de paramoteur ! published in CROSS COUNTRY | EDITION 98 Gentlemen...start your engines! "JW: The all-rounder The Tomahawk has a huge useable speed range at trim. It is prone to torque effect, but special offset attachment points negate this completely and the light speed bar and great agility make for excellent in-flight comfort. This wing will satisfy most long-haulers, speed freaks, fun flyers and will more than hold its own in competitions. KP: High-speed comfort The Tomahawk is a seriously sporty wing for the experienced pilot. If you can handle the conditions, this wing will too. Comfort, solid handling and predictability are its hallmarks, and unless some serious innovations come along, the Tomahawk will remain hard to beat. The Tomahawk is best suited to a pilot who is confident in his own capabilities...." Summary The inclusion of the Firebird Z1 and to a lesser extent the MacPara Muse in our test emphasises the huge difference between wings designed for free flight and those dedicated to motor flight. The Z1 and the Muse felt decidedly different to the rest of the field - very agile, more fun, but not as fast as the rest. This places them in the "first motor wing" category, where the Muse got the thumbs-up from both of us. The rest of the contenders are faster and more performance-oriented, requiring more experience and skill at high speeds. Choosing between them boils down to either the amount of agility you prefer, or what degree of high-speed stability you demand. We were hard pressed to pick a favourite. The tight finish between the gliders on test is indicative of the level of competition amongst designers out there - all of which counts in your favour in the form of greater choice. In the end one's choice is hugely influenced by harness set-ups and flying style preferences, and should always be read as such. That said, we both preferred the Tomahawk and PAP (virtually identical wings) due to their all-round ability, high speed range and stability at speed. They were certainly not the fastest, nor necessarily the best climbing or launching wings, but given our paramotor and harness setups, these were the two wings that got hauled out of their bags for "just one more go" most often! published in OJOVOLADOR Tests de Parapentes ..."Ayant volé en libre et en paramoteur, je me suis fait une idée précise de cette voile: La Tomahawk est un bon choix pour le pilote qui vole aussi bien en libre qu'au moteur"... ..." Parapente facile à gonfler, qui monte bien, sans avoir tendance à retomber...Gonflage propre, ce qui est appréciable en paramoteur"... ..." En vol, la réponse des commandes est assez directe, sans être agressive...Le virage est doux et assez plat"... ..." En pilotant bien, on arrive à 1,1m/s de taux de chute... Vitesse max de 46/47 km/h, intéressante à exploiter car la voile reste solide"... ..." En paramoteur, la Tomahawk est une voile divertissante. Décollage facile, prise en charge rapide, vitesse exploitable sur toute la course de l'accélération"... ..." Sensations en l'air très bonnes ; tout de suite je me suis senti suffisamment en confiance pour prendre l'appareil photo et lâcher les commandes en toute tranquillité. Je pouvais sans problème garder la trajectoire et virer avec le corps."... ... " Ce qui m'a réellement plu fut de naviguer accélérateur à fond, obtenant une bonne vitesse max. La stabilité en tangage est énorme"... .." C'est surprenant de voir une voile aussi facile donner d'aussi bons résultats en compétition. Peut-être parce que le pilote n'a pas d'autre préoccupation que celle de voler, sans se soucier du comportement de la voile."... ... " La Tomahawk est simple et facile à piloter. Ses réactions sont saines, et ses prestations ne décevront pas les pilotes de paramoteur, qui sont sans aucun doute ceux qui en profiteront le plus."... Remarque: -"PAP RACING: le fabricant espagnol de paramoteur PAP a intégré dans sa gamme de produits une version personnalisée de la Tomahawk, appelée: "Pap Racing ". L'équipe PAP a choisi ce parapente considéré comme la meilleure option pour le vol en paramoteur, et parce que ses propres distributeurs au Japon et dans d'autres pays connaissent une importante demande de ce modèle pour le paramoteur"... published in Parapente -Mag N°97 Essai paramoteur THANKA " Remplaçant de l'excellent Turquoise 43m² (Le Turquoise 38 reste au catalogue). Le gonflage est très facile, sans aucune tendance à dépasser. La prise en charge est très bonne..." "En l'air c'est un vrai régal avec ses commandes légères et progressives sur les premiers centimètres..." " A l'attérissage, c'est un bijou : Très facile, juste un peu physique pour bien enfoncer les derniers centimètres de commandes. Un bon biplace pour débuter sa vie de biplaceur sans se prendre la tête..." published in PARAPENTE MAG n°77 We loved it. "The magnificent, beautifully taut leading edge lifts up easily along its entire length without any tendancy to overfly the pilot, and rapidly lifts your weight." "No wasted vivacity, a large amount of movement in the controls, a very good tolerance of different pilot weights, with no tendancy to roll in the upper weight limit, rather good performance and more importantly very agreable to fly, thanks to the moderate effort required on the controls. It's very easy to do the ears using just one suspension line, and the wing reopens occurs automatically." "A good beginner's wing, easy to use, an original look, a no problem paraglider. We loved it." published in VOL LIBRE n°289 enjoy yourself in safety "Untangling the lines is particularly easy. At take off, suspension lines taut, the Polaris inflates evenly, all of a piece, the cells filling up very efficiently." "No sticking point and no tendancy to overfly the pilot." " With a 10km/h wind on a gentle slope, the rear inflation is exemplary." "Very good at take-off" "This wing offers you all you need to have a great time in safety. " published in PARAPENTE MAG n°75 the no complex cross country wing "This wing just asks to be inflated and comes up cleanly every time" "A perfect inflation for this category of paraglider. No wind, or a well established breeze : the inflation is a delight." "The Polaris V2 handles really quite perfectly ! Good precision in a turn and a large range of movement in the controls allowing me to approach at very low speed, and land right on target." "The Polaris V2, which is such a change from competition paragliders, allowed me to live a good many fantasies : Hands high position during transitions, accelerating to the maximum without fear of the leading edge collapsing on to my head. Super low speeds, right on the stall limit. Very reassuring and surprisingly performant ! I get where I want to with ease, everywhere, thanks especially to its good hands high speed and pitch stability . " "tight 360's : The Polaris V2 gives you the impression that you can tighten a turn without limits . The pendular effect as you come out of the turn is frank, and controlling it poses no problems." "The Polaris V2 can be flown instinctively, without excessive concentration, in fact quite the opposite !" "The ITV Polaris V2 appears to me to be very simple and ludic in all phases of flying. It's intended for pilots who've finished their schooling and who want a little punch in a turn. Thanks to its calm manners and good hands high speed, the door to no complex cross country flights opens right up." published in AILES MAGAZINE n°190 a superb machine "The Polaris is perfect to inflate. It seems difficult to imagine something better." "It is a superb wing for doing motorised distances" "It is a superb wing for doing motorised distances" "The Polaris V2 always seemed to do it right, no matter what the pilot's level : the inflation, and the stability both in pitch and roll." "The inflation and the speed of the paraglider are excellent. Lively, manoeuvrable, precise and homegenous, its wide speed range and its vast potential make it a paraglider difficult to tire of." published in AERIAL n°21 a sport wing "The wing is very neatly designed, reflected by the risers which are really well finished." "The inflation is very staightforward and sound , the wing rapidly lifting you off the ground. In flight, the paraglider is compact, reacting as one with the pilot, giving an instant sensation of well being." "In a turn it is very effective, with a rapid response to control input, and the turn angle can be controlled with precision, making the Diamant especially pleasant and effective in thermals, with exactly what it takes to really pack a punch." "The Diamant is a sport wing, along the the lines of all that is best, enough to reignite the flame of desire of all the old adepts of the triangular insignia." "Strong points : piloting precison, effectiveness in thermals." published in VOL LIBRE n°315 ITV Diamant: A bright light ! "The Diamant allowed me to do some amazing flights with a great feeling of safety, in some strong conditions. Turning in thermals is very precise and effective. It is very stable, true, homogenous"... "It really is a great high performance paraglider, more like a standard class wing in its reactions"... "This user-friendly wing is well performant in its category"... "The glide ratio is very good, constantly greater than 8 in the hands high position. In fully accelerated flight it still glides very well and remains very stable. Without doubt the reason for good recent competition results with the Diamant !" published in parapente mag n°86 Rapid, for an easy intermediate wing "The finishing of the wing is exemplary"   "In flight you can really hear the wind whistling in your ears: a good 38 km/h! Rapid, for an easy intermediate wing. It must be pretty useful for motorised paragliding, in light of both its simplicity and its speed"   "In frank thermals, the Tomahawk's temperament is highly educational:reassuring, forgiving, the perfect tool for progressing in a wide range of conditions"   "At the low speed game, the glider has 70cm of play in the controls with a very predictable stall point and absolutely no tendancy towards a brutal rearward motion. Great for learning top landings."   "Tolerant and yet fun at the same time, this wing allows a newly formed pilot a smooth progression and the confidence to explore" published in Ailes-mag n°203 The Tomahawk scores a point in the world of motorised paragliding "The Tomahawk scores a point in the world of motorised paragliding..."   "Everything has beeen thought through with comfort in mind, even the controls which attach magnetically...   "The ground handling is fabulous, with a ridiculously feeble wind of maybe 3 or 4 km/h, and with hardly any pressure on the front risers, it inflates quickly and neatly..."   "Rapid, the Tomohawk reaches around 47 km/h trims released, without a distinctive modification   of the profile (reassurring).   Fully trimmed, the top speed is about 38 Km/h. A 10 km/h   difference while remaining safe is a pretty good performance..."   "The wing needs no strong impulse during inflation, quite the contrary,   a regular forward motion is enough to inflate the wing effortlessly and   after a couple of steps it'll be right above you..."   "Even trimmed, the inflation is perfect..."   Two experienced pilots, we can count ourselves high in the bracket of destined users for this type of paraglider, that is   "standard"...   "Sound, rapid and forgiving, this really is a paraglider adapted for motorised flight.   Add to this a serious after-sales service and you know you're with   a make that'll support you during your flights...ITV"     UN PILOTE COMBLE   " Pascal Calcinari bought his Tomahawk 28 m2 in december 2002 when it first came out.   He talks of his paraglider as a talisman against mediocrity...   A revelation!After more than 40 flights with his new paraglider in the north   of France, he is convinced that with products of this type, instructors   might as well go on the dole ! In fact, after having flown   the Equinox, another very good paraglider, he had the impression that the   quality of his inflations had improved significantly, as well as the ease of piloting   and landing. Take off easy (fully trimmed) even in nil   wind conditions, lively response to the controls, and yet flexible and forgiving. To date he had had no closures   and feels totally safe under his wing. He remarked that it was so easy and sound   that a begiiner could use it with no worries, pointing out nevertheless, that it is very lively in a turn"... published in parapente-mag n°93 The Bi-Turquoise really is a great tool "Very involved in motorised paragliding, this long-standing make offers a tandem model much appreciated by professionals in the motorised scene (...) (...) Untangling the lines is easy (...) The passenger's weight is supported pretty much instantaneously : after a year of intensive use across the globe, I haven't missed a single take-off ! Turning is hardly more physical than with a solo paraglider. In turbulence, the 38m2 is pretty lively around the roll axis : a big toy that's easy to handle. Paradoxicaly, the 43m2 is just as incisive as the 38 in a wing-over, at the same PTV ! (...) The Bi-Turquoise really is a great tool not just for professionals but also for tandem pilots on the lookout for an idiot-proof and fun paraglider. The pilots I lent it to are unanimous in the pleasure they took in flying with it." published in Vol Moteur n°219 Essai de la Tepee "-... Le sac de transport est somptueux...L'assemblage de la voile est très soigné..." "-...Gonflage : C'est là que la Tepee démontre sa supériorité et, comme c'est le point critique du paramoteur, on comprend son succès grandissant. Nul besoin de chiader le déploiement au sol..." "-...Dès qu'il y a un souffle d'air, on peut gonfler face à la voile. Elle monte gentiment et s'arrête sans correction au-dessus de votre tête et ne demande qu'à y rester..." "-...Dès l'envol, on sent la précision des commandes et la bonne stabilité de l'aile...Le palier est stable et, même en turbulences, l'aile ne se balance pas en tanguage... Le virage est très agréable..." "-...Parfaite stabilité spirale donc qui ne rassurera pas que les débutants. Le taux de roulis est très bon pour un paramoteur à accrochage haut... Afficheurs totalement relachés, la voile garde son bon comportement en tanguage..." "-... Pour l'attérissage, c'est du fastoche. Bras hauts à 10 mètres du sol et freinage progressif jusqu'à amener les poignées de frein sous les fesses..." "-... Cette excellente voile de début de progression en vol libre s'est transformée en une parfaite aile de paramoteur qui conviendra à tous ceux qui ne font pas de compétition. Pour ces derniers, la Tomahawk du même constructeur devrait le faire. Elle vient d'ailleurs de remporter les championnats d' Espagne de paramoteur. ITV tient là deux beaux succès et met un grand pied dans le plat du paramoteur..." published in paraworld japan a paraglider accessible to anybody and everybody "The tepee is a paraglider accessible to anybody and everybody. Both for easy flights and more ambitious propositions, it'll seduce a lot of pilots who take pleasure in flying. Adepts of motorised paragliding will equally appreciate the easy to use and fun nature of this model." published in Vol libre n°334 a real joy ! "Right from the start, the glider's very prescence conveys a sense of reassurance..." "...The wing stops quite naturally above the pilot's head, quickly supporting his weight for a sure take-off. No need for temporization, it won't overshoot the pilot..." "...The Tepee was designed to be very reassuring, with massive stability in terms of trajectory, allowing for pretty much anything at take-off... " "I really appreciated its serenity during inflation with excellent dampening, simply waiting for the pilot..." "... On skis? Impossible to get it wrong ! A few steps back towards the trailing edge to give a good impulsion at the start and the rest is a real joy ! Stops autonomously above the pilot, good, progressive acceleration and take-off even at low speed..." " ... At all speeds there is massive stability both in pitch and roll, with little destabilization even with brusk input on the controls..." "... Pitch is very dampened leaving the pilot safe from the worries of a closure. The tendancy to yaw is hardly more marked. Regarding roll, you can sleep easy ! We're in the "super stable" category here..." " Making a 360 is possible with just the controls alone, exiting assured as soon as the inside hand is lifted. Even with a massive weight shift in the harness, there's no tendancy to stay in a spiral. Reassuring for instructors..." "... Above all mild mannered, the Tepee is aimed at easy flying..." " ITV has above all concentrated on the the safety factor for its pilot. The ease of take-off is a huge plus, progressive inflation followed by a rapid supporting of the pilot's weight. You'll also appreciate the comfortable use at slow speeds in light conditions..." published in PARAPENTE MAG n°77 On a aimé! "Son magnifique bord d’attaque, bien rigide, s’élève facilement, d’un bloc, sans tendance à dépasser. La prise en charge est rapide." "Pas de vivacité inutile, un gros débattement, une très bonne tolérance à la charge, pas de roulis en haut de fourchette, des performances plutôt bonnes et surtout, beaucoup d’agrément de pilotage grâce à un effort modéré aux commandes. Les oreilles se font facilement avec une seule suspente, réouverture autonome." "Une bonne aile de début, facile d’utilisation, au look original, sans problème. On a aimé." published in VOL LIBRE n°289 pour s'amuser en sécurité "Le démêlage est particulièrement évident. Au décollage, suspentes tendues, la Polaris monte régulièrement, toute d’une pièce, sur un écopage très franc." "Aucun point dur et pas de tendance à dépasser." "Avec 10 km/h de brise sur pente faible, le gonflage inversé est exemplaire." "Un très bon décollage" "Cette aile a tout ce qu’il faut pour s’amuser en sécurité. " published in PARAPENTE MAG n°75 le cross sans complexe aucun "L’aile ne demande qu’à se gonfler et monte à tout les coups" "Un gonflage parfait pour cette catégorie d’aile. Sans vent ou avec brise bien établie : gonflage régal." "La Polaris V2 se manie vraiment à souhait ! Bonne précision de virage et grand débattement qui m’autorise une approche à très basse vitesse, dans un mouchoir de poche." "La Polaris V2, qui me change tellement de ces engins de course, m’autorise bien des fantaisies : vol tout lâché en transition, accélération maximale sans crainte de se prendre le bord d’attaque sur la tête…Vol hyper lent, à la limite du décrochage. Très sécurisante et surprenante en performance ! Je passe bien, partout, grâce notamment à cette bonne vitesse mains haute et cette stabilité en tangage. " "360 serré : La Polaris V2 donne l’impression de pouvoir visser à l’infini son virage. La ressource en sortie est franche, sans difficulté." "La Polaris V2 se pilote intuitivement, sans excès d’attention, au contraire !" "L’ITV Polaris V2 m’apparaît comme une aile simple et ludique dans toute ses phases de vol. Elle se destine aux pilotes sortant d’école, qui veulent un peu de punch en roulis et permet par son côté tranquille et sa bonne vitesse mains hautes, le cross sans complexe aucun." published in AILES MAGAZINE n°190 un superbe engin "Le gonflage de la Polaris est absolument parfait. Il paraît même difficilement envisageable de faire mieux." "C’est un superbe engin pour faire de la distance au moteur…" "L’atterrissage est régal de connaisseur." "La Polaris V2 a su prendre ce qui est toujours utile, quel que soit le niveau du pilote : gonflage, et stabilité en tangage et roulis." "Elle est souveraine en vitesse et gonflage. Vive maniable précise et homogène, sa grande plage de vitesse et ses possibilités étendues en font une aile dont il sera difficile de se lasser." published in AERIAL n°21 une aile de sport "Le travail de voilerie est soigné, à l’image des élévateurs qui présente un très bon niveau de finition." "Le gonflage est franc et sain, l’aile prenant en charge rapidement. En vol, l’aile est compacte et fait corps avec le pilote, procurant instantanément une bonne sensation." "Le virage est efficace avec un faible débattement et l’inclinaison se régule avec précision. Cela rend la Diamant particulièrement plaisante et efficace en thermique, avec juste ce qu’il faut de mordant." "La Diamant est une aile de sport, dans la ligne de ce qui ce fait de mieux, propre à raviver la flamme de tout les anciens adeptes de la marque au triangle." "Point fort : précision de pilotage, efficacité en thermique." published in VOL LIBRE n°315 ITV Diamant: Bel éclat ! "Cette Diamant m'a permis de beaux vols avec une bonne sensation de sécurité en conditions fortes. Le virage est propre et éfficace en thermique. Elle est très solide, cohérente, homogène"... "C'est vraiment une bonne aile de performance, plutôt typée standard en comportement"... "Cette machine conviviale a des performances largement dans le coup pour sa catégorie"... "La polaire est très belle, en permanence à plus de 8 dans la zone bras hauts/1er barreau. Elle plane encore très bien et reste solide accélérée à fond. De là sans doute quelques bons résultats établis en compétition ces derniers temps par des Diamant !" Web site is Copyright © 2004 by MosAiles. All Rights Reserved.