20/02/2016

CCC gliders

Delegates vote for 90kg

It looks like at the CIVL Plenary meeting, delegates have passed their vote on a number of important subjects, notably the manufacturing and testing of the CC class or “CCC”.

It has been agreed that CCC gliders will be scaled using the XS size and maximum take-off weight of 90kg in order to pass certification. All other sizes will use linear scaling from this XS size to produce other gliders in this class.

Existing gliders are not affected by the new standard and their configuration will stay the same, and it is unlikely that there will be further scaling down from the mandatory XS size, however in the event that a manufacturer wishes to do so, this will now be possible.

The new certification standard will open doors for other paraglider manufacturers to produce competition wings, as well as enable lighter, smaller competition pilots to fly CCC class gliders.  In the past the lighter pilots and indeed female competititors have been deprived from flying a comp wing because of sometimes having to carry up to 33kg of ballast.

There will be many happy faces amongst the manufacturers and the competition pilot community. CIVL will be no doubt be releasing a full report soon.