Ozone Performance > BBHPP - FAQ

BBHPP – Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Can Ozone make the same performance gains without the use of carbon?

A. We have several protos that show we can and maybe go one better, we just want the possibility to explore all materials, including higher tech materials, within a reasonable context of the paraglider. It is an exciting time for us and we are eager to show more of our ideas in the following season.

Q. Does going from 3 lines to 2 lines really make that big of a performance difference?

A. This design transition (provided that all other parameters are identical) saves about 25-28% in line length including brake lines. The strength of a line increases as the square of the diameter, but drag increases in linear proportion to the diameter, which means that this is a very significant reduction in line drag, which translates to improvements in glide and speed.

Q. Do I have to set it up like a Hang Glider?

A. No. the carbon mini rods are inserted during production and never need to be removed from the wing. They are extremely light and small, and the total amount of carbon in the wing is just 150gms, which is not very much! The BBHPP is as fast and easy to lay out and launch as a normal PG, if not easier

Q. Does it fit in a rucksack?

A. Yes, no problem. Because the mini rods are so short and only in part of the wing’s chord, the BBHPP folds up very small.

Q. How long does it take to pack up?

A. Packing the BBHPP is easier than a normal wing, as accordion folding the Leading Edge is a cinch. It fits into a normal backpack, even with your huge competition harness, very easily.

Q. Does it collapse?

A. The BBHPP has proven to be more resistant to collapse, but the Ozone Test and Design Team have experienced collapses in free flight and have also induced large collapses in testing flight. The glider behaved very well in all scenarios.

Q. Can the carbon break?

The carbon is strong but brittle and care is needed. No rods have ever been broken in the air, but a few have been broken on the ground. They are easy to replace, and the glider flies normally even with a few broken rods; Russ won a PWC task after flying with 3 rods that were broken on the ground.

Q. How much does it weigh?

A. It only weighs 5.7kg, which is less than an average LTF 2 / EN C!

Q. Has it been tested?

A. Like all other PWC Comp wings, the BBHPP passes the theoretical load test and the flight testing that we have completed in real conditions has more than proved the usability of the wing. The development of carbon in paragliders is still in its infancy and we, as others, will continue to test all aspects of this new technology.

Q. Can it do big ears and spiral?

A. Yes it can. Although all high aspect ratio comp wings do not descend very well in big ears, the BBHPP can perform this maneuver as well as spiral dives. However, with so much glide and speed it’s usually easier to use it to your advantage and fly away from the areas you wish to avoid.

Q. Can it traverse the entire length of the French Alps and make it home as easy jet carry-on baggage?

A. Yes, it can! Just ask Dav Dagault, who took the BBHPP for a routine test flight in August 2009 and landed 333kms away for a new Alpine Distance Record.