What is the difference between the KEA and the previous mountain glider from Sky Paragliders the CIMA ?
The two gliders have not much in common. Different airfoil, different planform, different vault, they are as much unlike as two paragliders can be. But they have at least in common the partial V-ribs construction. In flight, the KEA is offering a lot more than just better performance, next to higher trim speed and a lot better maximum speed (+10%), the polar of the gliding ratio has been improved on the whole speed range and the ability of the KEA to keep its glide in head winds is worlds apart compared to its predecessor.
Did you use the « 3D shaping technology » on Kea ?
How darts, common to the whole textile industry, suddenly became « 3D shaping technology » is a mistery, but we allow ourselves to think that there has been some marketing genius who had the idea to rename something so natural to make it look a technological revolution.
So the answer is, yes, we use technical darts or cuts on the leading edge on all Sky Paragliders’ models since 2005. If for some of our competitors, shaping the leading edge with technical darts is the highlights of their latest model, for us, it has just been part of our know-how for a long time.
What is the lifespan of Kea compared with a glider manufactured with 36 g/m2 to 38 g/m2 fabric ?
Skytex 27 from Porcher Sport is a fabric woven in warp and weft with 22 dtex high tenacity nylon 6.6 yarns. These yarns are one third lighter than the yarn usually used to weave paragliding material. As a result they are more sensitive to UV and to abrasion. The aging of a KEA will therefore depend in priority on the behaviour of its owner. Carefully handled, packed and stored, the life span of a Kea can be close to the one of a standard paraglider. Vandalized, crushed rather than folded, uselessly exposed to the sun before take off or after landing or stored damp, its life span will shrink dramatically. Detailed recommendations are listed in the owner’s manual.