Light Performance for All

Lightweight comfort intermediate

The Ion 3 light In has the same basic philosophy as the Ion 3: the wing offers a lot and demands little. For this reason, it is the perfect all-round wing for mountaineering, cross-country and having fun. You can't get more out of a lightweight paraglider.

Noticeably lighter. The Ion 3 light is approximately one and a half kilograms lighter than an Ion 3 and approximately half a kilogramme lighter than its predecessor, the Ion 2 light. This weight reduction was made possible through an intelligent mixture of materials and an optimised wing interior. The robustness of the wing remains basically the same. The advantage: the wing is lighter to carry and the reduced canopy weight has a positive influence on its extreme flight behaviour.

Dependable and powerful. The Ion 3 light offers everything that one expects from a lightweight wing - sorting the lines is easy; thanks to the light material the launch characteristics are even simpler and in the air the wing is pleasantly restrained. In climbing and gliding the Ion 3 light convinces completely. The brakes have been optimised for precise handling in thermals.

Packed with innovations. SmartCells, Air Scoop, 3D Shaping - the Ion 3 light has all the technologies we have developed through our experience of making performance intermediates. Thanks to its low aspect ratio (5.05), the Ion 3 light offers a high degree of passive safety. These innovations are the result of an intensive development process which has led to high-performing and simultaneously safe wings.

Target group

The Ion 3 light is a paraglider suitable for a wide range of pilots. It offers a high degree of passive safety and is suitable for use in schools (so long as your country sanctions the use of EN B wings for training). On the other hand, its performance is impressive which makes the Ion 3 light a wing for all occasions: it is a fun wing which turns like a dream; a cross-country machine, tutor and gentle acrobat all in one. It is suitable for gifted beginners as well as experienced pilots with cross-country ambitions.

The Ion 3 light is a wing with high passive safety and at the same time it has a lot of performance. Simply, performance for all. Your Nova dealer will be delighted to advise on the correct wing!

Wings for flyweights

As with its predecessor, the Ion 2, we wanted to produce an Ion 3 in the XXS size, with a weight range beginning at 55kg. It was important to us not just to scale down a large wing, but to take into consideration the technical peculiarities of small wings. For example, our designers and test pilots modified the curvature of the wing and paid particular attention to ensuring that the XXS had a balanced and suitable brake configuration which matches the size of the canopy. Therefore the Ion 3 XXS is more than just a scaled-down large wing. It is a wing with its own, fully-fledged specification. This allows women and lightweight men to enjoy a performance all-rounder. Even at the lower end of the weight range the Ion 3 XXS shows its impressive agility. This is our contribution to equal opportunities in flying. Simply, performance for all.

Technology

Optimised cell widths. Intelligent cells. Why build all the cells the same when the load on them is different? Irregular loading leads to warping and deforming during flight and this adversely affects the performance of the wing. Smart Cells counteract the variable force distribution within the wing that are caused by the line attachments. In NOVA paragliders constructed using SmartCells, the cell widths have been adapted to the load - basically, intelligent cells. Wings with SmartCells fly more calmly, are more compact and glide better. Smart Cells give you a tangible benefit.

Performance under pressure. NOVA Air Scoop is an optimised air intake, which increases the internal wing pressure. Nova's Air Scoop principle is similar to the ram-air inlet duct on a sports car: increased airflow produces higher pressure. Higher internal pressure in a paraglider means improved performance through increased structural stability and collapse resistance.

Flat profile nose. Anyone who tries to fold a piece of paper around a ball will notice that there are always creases. The nose profile of a paraglider is the same - the sail cloth has to adjust to both the profile and ballooning effect (cells are round, not straight). Double 3D Shaping uses additional seams to reduce creasing and therefore increases the performance of the wing.

Light as a feather and robust. Very light but still durable: Light weight NOVA wings weigh little but are still robust enough to withstand the hard conditions of the mountains. The profiles are made out of durable cloth, so that this highly-stressed component does not deform - like it can with ultra-light material. This means we are able to guarantee consistent flying characteristics.

Less is more. Our idea of a three-liner with a reduced amount of line length allows us to construct wings with very good performance and a high degree of passive safety. The way we have conceptualised the lines has made it possible to manufacture wings which are collapse resistant; but when they do collapse, the collapsed area is generally less extensive. This significantly improves the wing's extreme flight behaviour.

Comfort on the ground. All NOVA paragliders are made to be easy to use. For packing you can use a concertina bag, but it is not essential. Our extensive experience with rods has taught us that the packing method has little influence on the durability of the wing. Bent rods quickly spring back into their original shape.

Technical Data

		XXS	XS	S	M	L
Number of cells	-	49	49	49	49	49
Projected span	m	8,17	8,62	8,99	9,39	9,8
Projected area	m²	18,56	20,65	22,58	24,63	26,82
Projected aspect ratio	-	3,58	3,58	3,58	3,58	3,58
Flat span	m	10,61	11,19	11,73	12,25	12,78
Flat area	m²	22,1	24,59	26,99	29,44	32,06
Flat aspect ratio	-	5,09	5,09	5,09	5,09	5,09
Line diameter	mm	0,6 / 0,7 / 0,8 / 1,3
Line length	m	6,22	6,56	6,89	7,18	7,49
Total line length	m	219	232	243	254	265
Max. chord	m	2,56	2,7	2,83	2,95	3,08
Min. chord	m	0,74	0,78	0,82	0,86	0,89
Weight	kg	3,55	3,8	4,05	4,3	4,55
Recommended take off weight	kg	55-80	70-90	80-100	90-110	100-130
Certification (EN/LTF)	-	B	B	B	B	B

Materials

Leading edge:	DOKDO 20 DMF WR 35 g/m²
Top surface:	DOKDO 20 DMF WR 35 g/m²
Bottom surface:	Porcher Sport Skytex 27 Universal 27 g/m²
Profile ribs (with line suspension point):	Porcher Sport Skytex Hard, 32 g/m²
Profile ribs (without line suspension point):	Porcher Sport Skytex 27 Universal 27 g/m²
Main lines:	Liros PPSL 160 (Dyneema)
Gallery lines:	Edelrid A8000-U70 (Armaid); Edelrid A8000-U90 (Armaid)
Brake lines:	Edelrid 7850-240 (Dyneema); Cousine 85 (Dyneema)
Risers:	Cousin Trestec PES/Armaid CSAR, 12 mm

Colours

Standard Colours: Petrol; Yellow.

Custom Colours: Choose your colours here then email us the NOVA colour code with your order.

Scope of delivery

• NOVA Rucksack. The wing and harness will determine the size of the rucksack. We are offering our high quality and comfortable to carry models in S (110 litres), M (145 litres) and L (165 litres).
• Repair kit. Everyone hopes it will never happen: a hole or tear in the paraglider. We have included a minor damage repair kit in the right colour for such an eventuality.
• NOVA windsock. So you know where the wind is coming from, we have added a NOVA windsock. With a length of approximately 80cm it is large enough for a take-off site.
• Speed system. Your paraglider is fitted with a high quality speed system. Thanks to three holes in the cord attachment point, it will flexibly and simply adapt to your harness and leg length.
• Manual. We have enclosed a very detailed manual which contains everything you need to know about your paraglider. Please study it before flying your wing for the first time.

Service Info & FAQs

Read Nova Paragliders service information and answers to frequently asked questions here.

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