6) Swing Helios RS Paraglider: Lightweight & Easy EN-C

Purchase Inquiry Price Quote (Click Here): Swing Helios RS Paraglider

The name HELIOS is a tribute to the sun, which is what makes cross-country flights and flying adventures possible in the first place.

Helios RS is the name of Swing's new C-class lightweight performance glider. With the Helios RS Swing has addressed the dogma that more performance means a less comfortable flight. With its unique construction, lightweight no longer needs to mean there will be a sharp drop off in performance over time.

Even during its development phase, the XC all-rounder became Swing's test pilots’ absolute favorite wing with its direct and precise handling.

Having a lightweight glider with the Helios RS level of performance, low pack volume, combined with incredible comfort will encourage you to experiment with alternative launch sites and new routes away from the beaten track. And should conditions ever become more demanding, the HELIOS RS is very easy to control for a glider in the C-class, thanks to the RAST system.

Where the Agera RS is designed for fast and uncompromising gliding, the Helios RS is a totally new and uniquely designed glider. The precision tool in the box, with agile and precise handling, it is happy in all conditions.  It will deal calmly and confidently with difficult situations, temperamental thermals and strong turbulence: making it the perfect lightweight glider for all your adventures.

• One of the lightest C Class gliders on the market with weights from just 3.6 kg

• Combines the sportiness of the C-class with the highest level of flying comfort

• Minimal degradation in performance because of Nitinol reinforcements and intelligent line geometry

Technology and Features

RAST

The RAST system has proved very successful across the Swing line of paragliders, now in the Helios RS, it gives that same inimitable and comfortable feeling, as well as additional levels of stability, control and performance.

Swing's patented bulkhead partition system is cleverly positioned in the Helios RS, for force distribution as well as to control internal pressure. The new arrangement allows the RAST wall to replace many standard diagonal ribs. This gives a lighter RAST glider, where the small weight penalty incurred by the addition of RAST, is more or less completely offset by the reduction in the number of diagonal ribs required.

So for anyone for whom pack size and weight are important considerations, they no longer have to miss out on the advantages of RAST.

This new approach for the design of the HELIOS RS uses far fewer internal components.

This was possible because of the innovative way Swing combined the use of reinforcement tape and diagonal rib-tapes, with an optimised line geometry and the positioning of RAST.

An increased number of line attachment points in combination with very short top lines means that the HELIOS RS needs only 5cm wide diagonal rib-tapes, and still the canopy maintains all of its rigidity.

Swing was able to do away completely with the C level reinforcement ribs.

This concept has the following advantages:

• reduction in weight and pack size

• greater stability in turbulent conditions

• easier handling on the ground and when packing up

Nitinol Leading Edge Battens

Nitinol is a high-strength, temperature and corrosion resistant shape memory alloy. The name Nitinol is an acronym for Nickel Titanium Naval Ordnance Laboratory. This material is well-known in medical technology, and for some time Swing has been using it as leading edge reinforcement in paraglider design, one of the first paraglider manufacturers to do so.

In contrast to nylon reinforcement, this high-quality material is tolerant to fluctuations in moisture and temperature, and thus has greater longitudinal and dimensional stability.

What this means for you:

• a razor-sharp leading edge with maximum aerodynamic quality, even at high speeds

• a consistent level of tension over its entire lifetime

• “cell to cell” packing is not absolutely necessary and the reinforcements will not be damaged even if the glider is left packed up tightly for a lengthy period

C2-B Rocker Control

In the Helios RS, Swing replaced its proven C-bridge for pitch control by a rocker linking the C2 riser with the B riser.

Thus, by pulling down the C-riser during accelerated flight, the pilot has a much more effective and efficient control over the angle of attack, without having to ease up on the speed bar.

Performance-focussed pilots are thereby able to actively control and steer the Helios RS at speed.

For changes to direction or emergency steering, we recommend steering independently using the C1 riser.

Tailing Edge Mini-Ribs with Internal Stitching

In paragliding, the trailing edge’s aerodynamic quality has a considerable influence on performance.

For this reason, in the Helios RS, ballooning at the trailing edge was reduced to a minimum using 3D shaping, in addition to the reliable mini-ribs.

The trick here is that the mini-ribs have internal stitching on the top surface so that none of the threads can get caught up on the ground and pulled out, even when launching in difficult terrain.

Technical Specifications

Swing Helios RS Paraglider Manual

Purchase Inquiry Price Quote (Click Here): Swing Helios RS Paraglider