NIVIUK GLIDERS IKUMA 21, User Manual

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1. CHARACTERISTICS
1.1 WHO IS IT DESIGNED FOR?
The IKUMA has been designed for those pilots who want to improve their
flying skills. This glider opens the door to the world of cross country for
those pilots seeking to improve their performance without compromising
safety.
The IKUMA has a completely new design compared with all the other
Niviuk gliders. A new concept designed for those pilots who want a new
category glider to practice Cross Country without thinking in nothing
else than enjoying. It has a very good passive safety and easy piloting.
Sportier than a standard EN B glider and less demanding than an EN C,
but with its same high performance.
The IKUMA has a better gliding. Its aspect ratio has been increased and
its profile has been designed to become a faster glider. It has less air
resistance due to his new and optimized suspension line structure.
All these improvements in the new IKUMA, have been made with the
latest materials and the best innovation technologies based on the
competition gliders to provide the best performance to our pilots.
1.2 CERTIFICATION
The IKUMA has successfully achieved the European EN/LTF certification.
This test was carried out in the Swiss Air-Turquoise laboratories in
Switzerland.
All the commercially available sizes passed every required test with
excellent results and the IKUMA received EN B / LTF B certification for all
sizes.
The IKUMA passed the essential load test of 8g without experiencing any
problems.
We recommend paying special attention on the flight test report made
by the certification laboratory, and specially attention to the test pilot
comments (Point 25 on the flight test report).
On the flight test report there is all necessary information to know how
the new paraglider will react on each maneuver tested.
It is important to take into account that each size can have a different
reaction on the same maneuver. Furthermore, the same size on maximum
load o minimum load can experiment a different behavior.
Check the certification results and figures on the last pages of this
manual or at
www.niviuk.com
1.3 IN-FLIGHT BEHAIVOR
With progressive, predictable and efficient handling the IKUMA effectively
reads the air mass, seeking out and coring thermals with efficiency and
ease. The IKUMA remains agile, light and predictable in all conditions of
flight and behaves impeccably during turbulence.
The IKUMA was designed with the latest innovations in materials
and technologies, and that aspect provides the glider with a better
performance in all phases of flight.
With an aspect ratio of 5.7 it is a 3 liner profile that provides clear and
useful information to the pilot; it situates itself into the centre of the thermal
or it follows the ascendant air flow. Its air entrances have been replaced,
so the application of the RAM Air Intake turns the leading edge in a
powerful and key element to its performance. While flying the IKUMA the
pilot feels that can reach his full potential.
If you already are a Niviuk pilot the improvements of the IKUMA will
surprise you. If this is the first time you pilot one Niviuk glider, just enjoy it!
1.4 ASSEMBLY, MATERIALS
The IKUMA has all the technological innovations as used on other Niviuk