After investigation of the Mantra M7 leading edge lower surface deformation, we now have a better
understanding of the phenomenon and can give an explanation.

Under certain specific circumstances the leading edge plastic reinforcements can remain inverted on the lower surface, even during flight. This is not created by overtight plastics but is caused by a lack of tension in the middle part of the leading edge during the inflation process. If the wing tips are allowed to inflate before the middle section of the wing, the plastics in the centre may become inverted and can remain so even once in the air. This normally only affects the central part of the wing occurring either symmetrical or to just one side, the extent of the deformation or whether it occurs at all depends exactly on how the wing inflates.

To avoid this situation, always ensure the wing is in a good position before inflation. When launching in
wind make sure the wall is well built with the middle higher than the tips, in nil-wind conditions lay the wing in a pronounced arc so the middle is more likely to rise before the tips. We recommend to only take hold of the central A risers, there is no need to hold the outer riser to which AR3 is attached. Whatever the wind conditions or launch method you use, always try to ensure the middle of the wing inflates first, like this the phenomenon will practically not occur. If you do find yourself in the air with inverted plastics, do not worry; the wing can be flown as normal. From the testing we have made we believe it is not a safety concern, the wing can be flown perfectly safely and remedied in-flight. To do so use a short, sharp symmetric jab of the brakes. The action is not the same as the input used to recover from a collapse - a deep long pump is generally not effective - rather, use a shorter, sharper, harder input to provoke the plastics to right themselves. When jabbing the brakes like this, push
your hands to the outside, that way the central brakes are engaged early, this is the most efficient technique to encourage the plastics to pop in the very middle of the wing. When using this method, we have found the plastics can be righted 100% of the time, we have never been unable to right inverted plastics whilst in the air.
We have conducted a thorough flight test procedure with the plastics inverted and have not experienced
any significant detrimental effects to the behaviour of the wing. Parachutal stalls are unaffected, the wing enters and exits a parachutal stall in the same way whether with the plastics inverted or correctly orientated. Collapse recovery is also unaffected.
We do believe however that it will have an slight impact on performance and possibly reduce the inherent stability of the wing, although this is something that is hard to quantify. Even with the plastics inverted, the M7 can be thermalled and ridge soared as normal and when flown actively still remain open in strong turbulent air.
Please watch the video for a clear visual explanation and if you have any questions do not hesitate to
contact one of the test team.

Extra-Lightweight, Extra-Innovative
The Ultralite series from Ozone has offered pilots the lightest certified paragliders in the world for four years in a row, but we wanted to take the idea of “Ultralite” to the next level: XXLite.

The XXLite is a single surface paraglider constructed from the most modern lightweight materials. It packs small enough to fit into a waist-bag and weighs a total of just 1.2kg for the 16m and 1.37kg for the 19m size. In flight, the XXLite is somewhat “special” to fly, although the launch is the easiest we have ever seen – the wing seems to come up entirely on its own.

The XXLite is currently for sale from your local Ozone dealer.

The OZONE Angel SQ Pro:

- 920 grams (size 100)
- Designed to maximise weight volume savings
- Increased stability
- Improved sink rate
- Rapid inflation

The Angel SQ Pro is the same proven concept of the Angel SQ, made from even lighter materials. It was developed for hike and fly adventures like the Red Bull X-Alps, and for anyone looking to save weight in their pack without compromising on safety.

The Angel SQ Pro is a top-of-the-line option for pilots who want to carry a fast-opening, stable, and safe reserve parachute that packs in a low volume, and is ultra-lightweight.

The two main factors in reserve parachute performance are sink rate and stability. A reserve parachute with an acceptable theoretical sink rate can easily deliver a hard landing if there is pendulum instability. The principal advantage of the Angel SQ Pro over a traditional round is in its increased stability. The increased stability combined with the Angel SQ Pro's excellent sink rate makes it a higher performance reserve than traditional round designs.

The Angel SQ has a relatively large surface area, yet is ultralight, giving exceptional sink rate and stability performance with fast opening times. The large surface area is the principal ingredient in its excellent sink rate — all sizes of the Angel SQ Pro provide plenty of margin within the weight ranges they are certified to carry. Where the Angel SQ Pro really shines is in its high pendulum stability, which can be even more important than sink rate performance. During the development process, which included many real-life test deployments, the Angel SQ Pro's low sink rate and high pendulum stability delivered consistently safe and comfortable descents.

Certified EN, the Angel SQ Pro is available in sizes 100 and 120. Supplied with a short bridle designed for harnesses with an integrated reserve bridle, it pairs well with the Ozium and F*Race series but may also be used with any other type of harness.

As speed flying and speed riding wings have evolved, so has pilot skill, experience, and methodology. The Rapido is a new design for pilots who are pushing the limits of steep carving flights, low barrel rolls, and long swoops. With a slightly higher aspect ratio and a more dynamic and agile character than the Fazer series, the Rapido is designed specifically for experienced speed flying pilots. A wider glide range and a higher trim speed and wider acceleration window set this wing apart from the other speed wings in our range.

The Rapido is meant only for experienced speed flying and speed riding pilots, and is not acceptable for beginners or pilots who are new to speed flying, speed riding, or paragliding.

The Rapido requires active piloting: even though the wingloading of speed wings generally contributes to stability, the Rapido is meant only for experienced pilots who are able to effectively pilot their wing in active air. Skydivers without paragliding experience or low-airtime paraglider pilots may not have the skill and experience to safely pilot the Rapido in active air. The Fazer series remains the optimum choice for pilots who are entering this exciting branch of paragliding.

Life in the mountains is not always easy...

A film by Felix Rodriguez and Mathieu Lee

Squash shows off the Ozone Ultralite and Oxygen harness.

In mid-August, Felix called us to say that the weather forecast over the weekend looked very favorable for a Mt Blanc summit landing, and to say that he had a plan. He had decided to launch his new Ozone Trickster, thermal up to about 5000m, and then top land our newest acro wing on the summit. Then, he said, his plan was to re-launch from the summit, and fly out over the valley to break the world record for Inifinity Tumbling (foot launch). We said that sounded like a great idea ;-)
And a few days later, Felix did exactly what he said he was going to do. Congrats Felix!

The Alpina 2 is based on the Delta 2, but weighs 800g less! The Alpina 2 retains the comfort, safety and ease of use of the Delta 2 but increases the overall performance, fun and handling in a lightweight package. Suitable for Sport Class pilots who are looking for a light weight wing with uncompromised performance. The Alpina 2 is for serious adventures and XC missions in real conditions anywhere on earth.

In December 2014 the Ozone PPG Team (& friends) traveled to Qatar to fly together during a seven day event. The Ozone pilots were graciously invited by the Qatar Air Sport Committee to perform a paramotor and acro paragliding show during Qatar National Day. Emilia Plak and Hany Shaker organized the visit, which resulted in an inspiring knowledge exchange between local and visiting pilots. The Ozone Team expected a bit of fun PPG flying in the desert, but were surprised by perfectly soarable dunes, playing together with off-road vehicles, some D-bag action and even a gyrocopter. Thanks to the Qatar Air Sport Committee for their hospitality, the fun flying, and some new friends.

Visiting Pilots: Emilia Plak (POL), Alex Mateos (FRA), Chad Bastian (USA), Pal Takats (HUN), Felix Rodriguez (SPA), Filip Peremans (BEL), Raffaelle Benetti (ITA), Dean Eldridge (UK), Manu Malaguita (SPA), Javi Malaguita (SPA)
Qatari pilots: Mohammed Al Yafei, Ali Al Yafei, Saeed Alnaimi, Abdullatif Alqahtani
Sponsors: Qatar Air Sport Committee, NAPT, DCI, AK&Partners

The new Slalom is a fast and agile wing for intermediate and experienced pilots who want to carve tight turns at high speeds. Based on our highly successful Speedster design, the Slalom provides a stable base for pilots who want to take their PPG flying to the next level, at competitions or just for fun. Although the Slalom was designed for competitive pylon racing pilots, it is ideal for any experienced pilot who is searching for new levels of agility, coupled with ease of use, stability, and excellent launch characteristics. The Slalom’s high-speed stability and comfort also makes it an ideal choice for high-speed XC flights.

On September 20th, our friend Veso Ovcharov set a new Infinity Tumbling World Record in the North of Bulgaria. He was flying his OZONE SESSION 17m.

With the help of a hot air balloon, Veso reached an altitude of 6500m before he performed a roll-over exit from the basket to begin the attempt. After nineteen minutes, he had completed 612 consecutive tumbles, setting a new world record.

Veso says of the Session 17m: “It flies stable and doesn’t need major corrections, just resting on the risers. In maneuvers it almost doesn’t bend at all”

Congrats Veso for an amazing achievement, and cheers from all the Ozone Team.