Microlighters

Who can provide me with some info on where to buy a topless wing and do caa allow them by now.Heard there was a testing period to pass.How is the performance and is it worth the while to get one.

I know that Solowings have a topless wing and that it is currently being flown. Given them a call.

Jenja - oh 828538239

REDROMAN,
Jenya is building these topless wings (probably not the only manufacturer in SA). They are really something. He is based at Petit Airfield (AEROSSA). He is currently very busy with the certificatication process with CAA.
Couple of topless wings lying in his factory - amazing stuff.

Come visit us and see for yourself.

Regards.

I have a Jenya Wing, (Brilliant) Enjoyed from day 1
I am coming down Desember to PE, through Aliwal North. The Old Windlass with the Topless wing is coming with, if you want to arrange something ??

The new Pegasus QuikR has a topless wing, but with a price to match!!

It has only just got certification in the UK so probably a while before it gets to SA, not sure on that though.

My friend bought one through Solo wings more then a year ago. Give him a call. James 0833054389. Caledon Western Cape.
Peter

We have bee flying the first production Topless from Solo Wing for almost two years now. It is not designed for speed, but is targeted at the go everywhere type of triker who wants to take his trike with - especially on 4x4 trips. I have often driven past a beautiful piece of scenery and wished I could quickly rig the trike, fly a bit and continue on... now you can. The wings rigs in 15 minutes - on the trailer, push it off and you can be flying in 20 minutes flat! The wing we got is a 16sq meter wing to get out of and into small spaces - and it does that very well with the 582 Rotax. Handling is very light and rate of climb fenominal.

I am not one of the long distance, bash on regardless types, so I prefer to de-rig the trike, take it where I want to fly from, and fly it there. This way I am my own ground crew, I can keep my own beer cold and see the same places the long distance oaks see, but without the stress. Yes, I still don't like flying in turbulance over long distances...still scares the crap out of me.

It won't keep up with the GT450's, so if speed is your thing in a trike, stay away.

Chris

A trike is an aircraft with a lot of drag. Glide ratio of 7:1 means that for every seven units of lift, you have 1 unit of drag. Compare that to gliders which is over 25:1, you can start to realize that a trike is a very unefficient type of airplane to fly. Regardsless, drag can be your friend.

To the point: The flying wires and kingpost on the wing, is a very small component of drag. And for that reason, the topless wing does not give that much extra speed, because the drag is a result of the undercarriage.

To see what chris wrote on the rigging in 15 minutes, I envy that. I am pretty fast on rigging my wing, but it still takes at least 30 to 35 minutes of intensive labour.

Althought they do look very nice, the advantages is not significant enough to justify the change for me.

regards,

One big advantage is the hight of the topless wing is that the hanger does not need to be that high .We only have hangers that are built as to accom fixed wing aircrafts only and i had to build a hanger and that cost me just as mutch as a topless wing.

I think it would be a good idea to keep the trike's original wing assembled on the trike and have a topless wing stored in the garage at home. When you want to transport the trike when going on safari for instance then it is a matter of lifting the original wing off the trike and leaving it in the hanger. This to me would be the best of both worlds; no compromise on speed when at home base and the ease and convenience of the topless when away from home base. I also like the idea of the previously mentioned use of a 16 sq.mt. topless wing for use in those difficult to get in and out of places where one would typically find oneself on trips into the veld.

Are most attachments/fastenings between the trike and wing universal? Is my idea viable? Comments!!!

The wings rigs in 15 minutes - on the trailer, push it off and you can be flying in 20 minutes flat! The wing we got is a 16sq meter wing to get out of and into small spaces - and it does that very well with the 582 Rotax. Handling is very light and rate of climb fenominal.

Chris, thanks for your post - I must say after owning 4 trikes I finally found what I was looking for in an Aquilla 2 wing - I like LIFT and a good glide ratio, + ability to carry 450kg no problem - I also don't ever fly very far - Sounds like your wing has all this with the added benifit of being able to rig quickly - Mmm, reckon this will be my next wing

Besides all the other stuff - those topless wings just look so much better - not all those ugly cables and stuff looking like a lightning conductor on the top

Talk to Oupa G and Vliegvark, they both fly Topless.