0
HUPRA

Fluid Wings Airwolf

Recommended Posts

Thanks for sharing your experience/thoughts on the Airwolf. I'm still waiting to get one to try. Looks like I'll probably be able to borrow a friend's 79 before I get a 75 demo to compare to my VK75PS. Sounds like the Airwolf is way more my style than the Helix.

I agree, comparing a VC79 to an Airwolf 71 seems a bit pointless to me as well. The Airwolf is better. It's not a fair comparison because they're not really competing products.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
HUPRA

Anyone jumped the new Fluid Wings Airwolf yet and care to share their opinion of it?

Made 15 jumps with [email protected]. Swithced to AirWolf from [email protected].
No shit - AW is completely different wing and AW is much MUCH better. Yes, it is faster and have sharper controls because of smaller size, but it flies different, feels different and controls different. And it is much much better than VC does.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Out of curiosity, is your AirWolf all ZP or hybrid (ZP and sail)? Same question for the VC you were flying. If the AirWolf is a hybrid and the VC was all ZP, I would expect a difference. There is a reason that everyone wants the hybrid VCs and the all ZP VCs are sitting on the shelves at PD.

Note: I've never jumped the AirWolf or VC and don't have an opinion on which is "better."

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Crispy.

Out of curiosity, is your AirWolf all ZP or hybrid (ZP and sail)? Same question for the VC you were flying

AW is hybrid (ft30 for top skin and ribs), VC is zp.

Crispy.

There is a reason that everyone wants the hybrid VCs and the all ZP VCs are sitting on the shelves at PD.

PD do not produсes hybrid VC. May be you mean VK (valkyrie), not VC (velo comp)? I have no experience with VK.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
I have been flying a VK 96 PS, but have not jumped a Airwolf. I would say that the VK PS vs ZP you will notice a difference in the bottom end for sure. The sail will give you lots of shut down.

Some have posted that the H1 airwolf vs H2 airwolf, is the difference in walking out of the landing vs running the landing, on a loaded wing no wind hot day ect.....

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
So, I ended up being able to jump an AW75 I believe it was FT30 top and ribs but, I may be misremembering. Definitely some combination of FT-30.

I enjoyed the openings, they were nice and low stress. The wing had a reasonably good feeling and seemed to carry across the ground well (aerodynamic efficiency).

I have been told that FW detuned the harness input on the AW, the reason I'd been given was to make it a more approachable wing for the advanced CP competitor. Having said that, for me, the harness was detuned a lot and I didn't enjoy it as much as the other HP wings I've flown (VK, VKPS, Hybrid Leia, HKTx3).

I think if you owned one, you probably really enjoy it, definitely a nice wing just flying my VK75PS back to back meant I was always going to notice the harness input.

My buddy tells me I'm flying it like a wing that it isn't which is probably true but, Leias, VKs, HKTs and, PIs are fun in part because of their response, IMO. If you're looking for something a little more chill, with great openings and otherwise up there, maybe the AW is for you but, I can't say I was all that into it.

https://vimeo.com/album/5496165

I've also jumped 3 different HKTs now, and a couple of Peregrines. I still need to get a Leia with the mini-ribs and try a Petra at some point.

Edit: I should say thank you to Davi for loaning me the wing, much appreciated.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
You don‘t, by any chance, have a comprehensive writeup about your experiences with the HKTs? Especially with any combination of FT30 build into those wings?
I‘d really love to hear about them as I‘m looking for an alternative to my Petra. And here in Europe I have a hard time getting demos to try them out as much as I‘d like.

Keep on rocking, your posts are always well appreciated :)
-------------------------------------------------------

To absent friends

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
TBH, I've been struggling to get my thoughts together on the 3 different HKTs I've flown. Removing the outliers, it's probably a nice every day, super high performance wing for someone with the appropriate experience. Get a new one, make sure it's got the most current updates and you'll have a blast. I haven't flown a Petra yet (have some friends who'll loan me theirs) which I definitely want to try now that I have my PI67 to compare it to.

I have a lot written up about the various HKTs I've flown but, I don't want to put it in this thread, I suppose I'll go make another comparison thread. :-)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

This weekend I jumped my AW-96 all FT 30, back to back with my VK 96 PS.  I will be jumping both back to back for a bit, but I just thought I would put my first impressions down so that it is more raw.  

Openings: 

The AW has a longer snivel and the openings are well staged, soft, and on heading.

The VK PS has a short snivel and opens fast, but soft and on heading.  

Toggles:

The AW has a very crisp feel on the toggles.  The best way to describe the feel is firm.  I noticed this right away when I released the brakes, and the control range is shorter.

The VK PS has a longer control range and the toggles do not feel as crisp.  

I only had one jump on each back to back, so I am going to keep this short.  The wind was about 10 knots, and the AW with ALL FT 30 drove well over my spot.  I set up the same way as I did on my VK PS, and all I can say is the FT 30 material is legit and it drives.  

Fluidwings is building an amazing product.  The build quality is excellent, and the FT 30 material feels like it could last a lifetime.  I ordered a Hybrid 1 96 because I am so impressed with the wing, materials, and build quality.  The only downfall to the all FT 30 AW is it does pack big.  I think in the long run this will be a advantage to those who are downsizing because they might not have to downsize their containers.  For those who already have small containers, you might have to stick to the H-1 Hybrid.  

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks for your thoughts!  Nice to see a single jumper wing comparison with same size canopies.  As wings get smaller its ever too often to read a comparison between wings with sizes that are close, but not the same.

If you don't mind a follow up with a comparison of the all FT-30 AW96 and H1 AW96 when you get it, that would be awesome! Thanks!

Did you buy that all black AW96 on FB? The one with the full moon?  :-p

 

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

As I get more jumps back to back I will post more, but I can tell you right now the All FT 30 AW is a step above the VK PS for sure.  

Once I get the AW H1 96, I will do the same.  

No I did not buy the full moon AW, but I did jump with those folks this fall.  

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I spent some time on the all AW FT 30 this weekend.  I was able to get ten jumps on the AW, and I was having some much fun I didn't want to jump the VK.  

I noticed that I am on version P4, and I am not sure what changes have been made.  The harness sensitivity is very intuitive and does not feel detuned as the version that Daniel jumped.  

Yesterday there was zero wind so I got a chance to do some 90 harness turns, and the airwolf was very responsive.  

I have to come back to the openings, because they are so nice.  I was using the snaps on the sliders, and I was getting really consistent perfect openings every time.  Such a pleasure, and during the opening sequence if it did start to turn all I had to do was load the other side of my harness a little bit and it would open strait every time.  

The FT 30 material is so impressive.  The drive I get out of this wing is so impressive.  I got a chance to fly with a HK similar wing loading, both at 2.7, and I was holding half brakes!

This is a great wing!

  • Like 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

0