First 20 Scorpion harnesses being reserved now for 'Trendsetters in flight'.
Comfort - Visibility - Safety
Add comfort to your flying gear
Innovation and testing have been central to our mission
Innovation and testing have been central to our mission
Easy Rotation into and out of the seated position keeps you ready for action.
Pilots are able to comfortably fly the Scorpion for hours as it is optimized for Suprone (seated above the base tube) flight which gives the pilot heads up posture yet still allows you to preform maneuvers in the prone and upright positions when needed or desired.
Innovation and testing have been central to our mission
Innovation and testing have been central to our mission
Innovation and testing have been central to our mission
Right from the start ideas like the rotation point and support had to pass function and flight tests to ensure that a concept or feature was adding value to the overall design objective. As all development work remains curiosity-based we are able to keep exploring and let ideas manifest as needed.
The Carbon Rigger configuration will allow upgrades to new fabric harnesses as they evolve with features. Future iterations will have fitted options such as pilot fairings, increased storage compartments and pilot supports.
The prototype weighs in at 27 lbs. and we anticipate that we will be able to shave off a few lbs. in the next iterations.
Mobility gives you control
Innovation and testing have been central to our mission
Test pilot feedback helps you decide...
Seated flight is more comfortable than prone for most pilots for long flights and provides the added benefit of being in a more natural position to view the sky in the pursuit of airtime. We find that people can readily imagine themselves flying in the seated position as it is consistent with activities they currently take part in like driving.
The Scorpion is changing the way we will be seeing sport flying in the future.
When you attach the Scorpion harness to your wing it becomes a Sportwing flying machine!
Test pilot feedback helps you decide...
Test pilot feedback helps you decide...
Test pilot feedback helps you decide...
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A major step has been soliciting feed back from top pilots and instructors to validate the concept and execution. So far the response has been favorable with reviews that indicate that the design is suitable for demo flights by other pilots when adequately briefed.
See the flight reports below from Chris Bolfing and Joe Greblo
Instructor reviewed and approved
Test pilot feedback helps you decide...
Instructor reviewed and approved
Instructors Andy Beem and Bob Bendetson of Windsports spent a day at Dockweiler with the Scorpion on the Falcon trainers and appreciated the ease of keeping in the upright position for take off and landings. Not an ideal training harness but an example of functionality.
Currently, with most harnesses, it is difficult to maintain the upright position which makes takeoffs and especially landings more challenging. The Scorpion makes this easy.
The safety factors of a reduced tendency for neck injuries and spine protection, built into the seat is of high interest to both existing and new pilots entering into the sport flying world.
Your SportwingZ Team
Extensive R&D
Custom Parts & Processes
Custom Parts & Processes
Development began as a result of teaching people how to fly the Doodlebug Suprone power harness. The 'go cart in the sky' seated position is incredible. Weight shift when you lead with your hips is as straightforward as walking. With pendulum mass consolidation the pilot is able to make smaller but more effective control inputs for pitc
Development began as a result of teaching people how to fly the Doodlebug Suprone power harness. The 'go cart in the sky' seated position is incredible. Weight shift when you lead with your hips is as straightforward as walking. With pendulum mass consolidation the pilot is able to make smaller but more effective control inputs for pitch and roll.
However, the vertical webbing straps inhibited the transition to and from the launch / landing positions which created problems i.e.: body parts snagging during and slowing the transition, interrupted control and reduced visibility.
As I began to construct this vision of what it would take to eliminate side straps I would hit roadblock after roadblock and if I could go no further I found assistance by making a phone call and collaborating with fellow pilots and other friends.
Getting to this point and moving forward has been and will continue to be a collaborative process. Without the support and work of Betty, Dan, Bob, Lucien (shown in picture with the 'Buck Mold'), Jeff, Julann, Bob, Rod, Floyd, Chris, John and others this project would have just been a crazy idea. Now it is a crazy cool product!
Custom Parts & Processes
Custom Parts & Processes
Custom Parts & Processes
As we have entered into an area of flight that has not been fully explored many of the fittings and fixtures have had to be custom designed. Our Pivot Point Plates needed extensive analysis to get right. The result is the pressure you do not feel. Construction of the carbon Riggers continue to consume the majority of the R&D resources t
As we have entered into an area of flight that has not been fully explored many of the fittings and fixtures have had to be custom designed. Our Pivot Point Plates needed extensive analysis to get right. The result is the pressure you do not feel. Construction of the carbon Riggers continue to consume the majority of the R&D resources to ensure that they are as robust as needed with the necessary safety back ups.
Where we've come from
Custom Parts & Processes
Where we've come from
Sailing since a young boy Ken was introduced to flying in the spring of 1980 when he started working after school for Flight Designs in Salinas Ca. It changed his life. Trained as a beach pilot he quickly got the racing bug and leveraged himself into an opportunity to fly with Team Delta Wing on the Streak series. Soon he began to work w
Sailing since a young boy Ken was introduced to flying in the spring of 1980 when he started working after school for Flight Designs in Salinas Ca. It changed his life. Trained as a beach pilot he quickly got the racing bug and leveraged himself into an opportunity to fly with Team Delta Wing on the Streak series. Soon he began to work with his 'SkyBrother ' Chris Bulger to import the UK Airwave Gliders line into the USA becoming the largest importer of gliders until a merger created Pacific Airwave in 1987. He eventually became President of Pacific Airwave by driving international and domestic growth with new product development and production streamlining from a new factory. After a brief stint working on an amphibious flying craft in 1997 Ken returned to importing, this time the Moyes brand from Australia. Ken was bitten by the suprone flying bug when importing the Doodlebug powered harness. He continues to fly recreationally while mulling over new options for Suprone flying and the opportunities it brings to the sport flying community. Ken is now pursuing commercial interests in sport flying through SportwingZ and has kept his passion for sport flying alive since learning to fly!
Flight details and Glider rigging
Flight details and Glider rigging
Flight details and Glider rigging
With the Scorpion a prone rigged glider is optimum for foot launching and landing with high control authority. Adding control bar extenders gives a comfortable bar position for soaring flight. Northwing fittings that are used for two place training provide a solid platform that can be customized for pilot preferences.
Pitch and roll con
With the Scorpion a prone rigged glider is optimum for foot launching and landing with high control authority. Adding control bar extenders gives a comfortable bar position for soaring flight. Northwing fittings that are used for two place training provide a solid platform that can be customized for pilot preferences.
Pitch and roll control inputs are reduced due to the shorter distance to the hand position ie: The weight shift control input effect of a 6” move while prone can be accomplished with a 3” move while suprone.
While the Scorpion has not yet been aerotowed preliminary stationary winch towing in 'high speed ground skim' mode validates the ease of launch while prone or Suprone on a cart and showed good directional stability. As with the DoodleBug trainer, high speed towing is rock solid straight. The tow attachment points at the hips and third point bridle to the keel creates a nice aerotowing experience due to the near elimination of PIO (pilot induced oscillations). This is due to the pilot mass (legs) being at or forward of the pilot attachment point and not aft where they are harder to control from roll inputs.
Test Pilot Report
Flight details and Glider rigging
Flight details and Glider rigging
Joe Greblo First flight prototype review / unfiltered comments-
Note: Joe did not have the control bar extenders installed on his first flight.
PRO’S:
Little to no glider modification required Very Functional in flight
Very Comfortable in flight
Seems to reduce pilot fatigue, including roll control forces and possibly neck fatigue.
Legs a
Joe Greblo First flight prototype review / unfiltered comments-
Note: Joe did not have the control bar extenders installed on his first flight.
PRO’S:
Little to no glider modification required Very Functional in flight
Very Comfortable in flight
Seems to reduce pilot fatigue, including roll control forces and possibly neck fatigue.
Legs and feet can be used to augment control if desired.
CON'S:
Bulk will make transport difficult and discouraging.
Awkward to put on and hook in.
Limited mobility while hooked in restricting hang check and hook in checks
Stirrup interferes with parachute and side of helmet when flying fully upright Requires control bar extenders when suprone in order to fly efficiently.
Test Pilot Reports
Flight details and Glider rigging
Test Pilot Reports
Chris Bolfing First flight prototype review / unfiltered comments-
Note: Chris did not have the control bar extenders installed.
Preflight Inspection: Encouraged by the presence of the safety strap/parachute bridle routing to carabiner and the 1000 lb. load test.
Take off: It was easy just like pod harnesses with the entire harness behin
Chris Bolfing First flight prototype review / unfiltered comments-
Note: Chris did not have the control bar extenders installed.
Preflight Inspection: Encouraged by the presence of the safety strap/parachute bridle routing to carabiner and the 1000 lb. load test.
Take off: It was easy just like pod harnesses with the entire harness behind and out of the way for a clean launch run.
Transition to seated- Easy and straightforward. Rocking feet over base tube smooth and intuitive.
Foot stirrup: When attempting to get into stirrup allowed glider to stall away from hill. With Chris’s feedback we have added an extender to the foot stirrup and refined the pilot briefing for test flights i.e.: Wait until away from hill for first foot stirrup attempts and use your right hand to position the stirrup on the left foot as this seems to be more easily coordinated.
Flight coordination: Found the handling on his glider was better when using feet to initiate and coordinate turns. Thermaling with feet and found it to be easy. The sound was very different in flight when seated. (due to different helmet angle/exposure?)
Landing coordination: When rotating upright I found that leg holsters loosened up causing me to slip down in the leg holsters. Long arms and aggressive flair mitigated the potential issues
Harness comfort: Pressure points from the Pivot Point Plates (current padding is minimal due to need to keep areas accessible for prototype work) Overall I want to fly again with the control frame extenders and knowing what I know now about harness adjustments in flight. The transition should be no problem for others.