The 2015 Coupe Icare at St Hilaire experienced mixed and unsettled weather; however the vibe from the people was buzzing more than ever before. The market, from manufacturers to customers, were very happy and in great spirits.
I am very happy to report that the industry is still flourishing and continuing to be innovative and fresh.
So, what went down?
We unveiled our new clean, vibrant image. Along with our new B+ glider, the APOLLO and our new specific paramotor wing series.
Also present was our new logo, catalogue, T-shirts plus more of our striking Blue colour schemes throughout the range. Our free new stickers and wind streamers which were a massive hit, got gobbled up by eager fans. Look out for these freebies from your local dealer.
The increase in the number of Paramotor suppliers was very much evident and it seems that this sector of the market is clearly growing.
We released the previews of our specifically designed range of Power Series wings; CIMA PWR, FLUX and SL 60 and our power project continues to develop at a rapid rate.
Just check out the photos of Paco from the Parabatix team putting The FLUX through its paces at St Hillaire.
Our long awaited B+ glider, the APOLLO, was introduced at the show. A very different design from our previous gliders, it drew much attention.
The new glider is aimed at experienced pilots who are looking for a glider at the top of the B class and who are comfortable flying with a high level of performance and responsiveness.
It is introduced at the same time as our new product „Lines“ series.
Sport Line, Comfort Line and Light Line.
It may come as some surprise to many, but the APOLLO is designed with a new composite nose construction and intake configuration (LEO Leading Edge Optimisation), 5.5 aspect ratio, small nylon rods (unconventional, they do not need to run along the top seam), less lines.
All this and we still manage to make a 25sqm M size at 4.6kg
More specific details will be released very soon but needless to say, we are extremely excited about this glider and the performance that we have managed to produce from it has been astounding. Based on 30 years of design experience, we pulled together our design team of young and old, blended the experience and dreams and produced a truly exciting glider. The apollo is aimed to be released this side of Christmas.
Our harnesses have gone from strength to strength and attracted the eye of many customers. We had many complimentary comments on the quality and finish and are very proud of our harness range which continues to grow.
We must say a huge thank you to all our customers and friends from around the world who came to see us and took the time to chat and laugh and share a drink and also to those who could not make it to France this year but continue to support Sky.
Until next year!
Happy flying.