Nova ION 5 Light (PAST MODEL)

Technical data

Size	XXXS	XXS	XS	S	M	L
Number of cells	51
Projected span	7.75	8.07	8.50	8.90	9.29	9.66
Projected area	16.86	18.52	20.51	22.49	24.51	26.52
Projected aspect ratio	3.52
Flat span	10.18	10.67	11.20	11.74	12.26	12.74
Flat area	20.00	22.06	24.31	26.69	29.12	31.44
Flat aspect ratio	5.16
Line diameter	0.7 / 0.8 / 1.0 /1.2 / 1.3
Line length	5.95	6.24	6.57	6.87	7.17	7.46
Total line length	203	215	227	239	248	259
Max. chord	2.44	2.57	2.70	2.82	2.95	3.05
Min. chord	0.45	0.47	0.50	0.52	0.54	0.56
Weight	3.1	3.35	3.6	3.85	4.1	4.3
Recommended take off weight	50-70*	55-80	70-90	80-100	90-110	100-130
Certification (EN/LTF)	B	B	B	B	B	B

*certified from 50-80kg with EN B.

Colours

Standard colours: Blue, Lime, Melon (red)

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

Options

Risers

• Standard
• Student
• Speedbrake

Rucksack

• Nova Rucksack S (110L)
• Nova Rucksack M (145L)
• Nova Rucksack L (165L)
• CITO fast packing bag

Scope of delivery

NOVA Rucksack. The wing and harness will determine the size of the rucksack. Nova are offering thier high quality and comfortable to carry models in size S (110 litres), M (145 litres) and in L (165 litres).

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.

NOVA windsock. So you know where the wind is coming from, Nova has added a NOVA windsock. With a length of approximately 80cm it is large enough for a take-off site.

Repair kit. Everyone hopes it will never happen: a hole or tear in the paraglider. Nova has included a minor damage repair kit in the right colour for such an eventuality.

Manual. Nova has enclosed a very detailed manual which contains everything you need to know about your flying equipment. Please study it before flying your gear for the first time.

Student Riser (optional). As an option, Nova offe a Student Riser made of 20mm Nylon webbing. It is more wide, coloured and is more comfortable on the ground.

ION 5 Light – little weight, big performance

The ION 5 Light combines a low weight, with the stunning characteristics of its heavier brother: outstanding glide, precise and agile handling and an exceptional climbing performance. Its light weight and forthcoming launch behaviour make the ION 5 Light an excellent companion both in the air and on the ground.

A light, high-tech wing. Structurally optimised slots in the wing's interior, high-quality lightweight materials and slim risers allowed a weight reduction of 800 g compared to the ION 5.

The canopy construction uses mainly the latest generation of the Porcher Skytex 27 light cloth. The double-sided coating of this cloth provides the same proven UV resistance as current standard cloths that are significantly heavier.

Performance included. On launch the lightweight wing impresses with its good-natured take off behaviour. In flight, the precise and agile handling allows an easy entry into thermals and facilitates an intuitive flying style. The canopy provides clear feedback that is easy to understand, making it a pleasant companion for beginner and experienced pilots alike. The performance in glide across the entire speed-range is well above its predecessor the ION 4. It is the combination of these features that make the ION 5 Light a good choice for long but relaxed cross-country flights.

One wing for all occasions. The ION 5 Light is a glider for all occasions: whether it is a long thermal flight, a hike & fly adventure or simply soaring with friends. The ION 5 Light supports you in achieving your goals whilst giving you the peace of mind of a wing with a high degree of passive safety.

Target Group

The ION 5 Light is suitable for a wide spectrum of pilots. On the one hand, it offers a high degree of passive safety and is therefore suitable for the use in most flying schools. On the other hand, the glider has impressive performance, which makes the ION 5 Light a wing for every occasion: fun to fly but with inspiring climbing capabilities and an agile handling. The wing is suitable for talented beginners as well as experienced pilots with cross-country ambitions. From each ION generation to the next, the demands on the pilot have remained the same. The ION 5 Light stays true to its low-end EN B roots whilst offering the performance of a cross-country machine.

Small XXXS size for flyweights

It is important to us to build smaller sized wings with a weight range starting at 50 kg. Instead of just scaling down a larger wing, Nova considered in great depth the technical peculiarities of small wings to ensure that the XXXS had a balanced and suitable brake configuration which matches the size of the canopy. Therefore, the ION 5 Light XXXS is a wing with its own, fully-fledged specification allowing both women and men to enjoy its excellent performance, safety features and impressive agility. This is Nova's contribution to equal opportunities in flying.

Motor

According to the DGAC (France), the ION 5 Light will be registered for powered flight. The glider is suitable for both free flying and paramotoring. You can find the certification documents in the Downloads section. Especially for powered flight, Nova has developed a riser with two mounts. It is suitable for two different hook-in heights.

Useful information

• Like the MENTOR, the ION has become a class of its own. For many years, Nova has been making wings for pilots with great ambitions that demand a high level of passive safety. While Nova keep improving on the performance, handling and feel of the ION range, this has not made their wings more demanding to fly.
• New wing tip design: The profile has been optimized, the chord has been reduced and an additional cell has been added. The result is increased glide performance.
• Latest cloth innovation: Porcher Skytex 27 Classic 2 cloth is coated on both sides and therefore offers high durability at a low weight.
• Latest line materials: The PPSL65 from Liros are the thinnest sheathed lines on the market. Nova use them for the brakes and stabilo lines where they help us to reduce drag and make it easy to check lines before take-off.
• Optimized ballooning calculation: The wing’s ballooning significantly influences the stability, performance and handling. The ION 5 Light benefits from new modelling and simulation tools which helped us to improve the wing’s stress distribution.

Weight comparison ION 5 vs. ION 5 Light

Impressions

On the 19th of July, NOVA team pilot Berni Pessl flew the longest FAI triangle ever flown in Slovenia (244.37 km) on a NOVA ION 5 Light: With this flight he proved yet again how high-performing a low-end EN B wing can be in the hands of a excellent cross-country pilot. On the 16th of June he was already able to do a 145 km flight from the Stallersattel – with an average speed of over 30 km/h! Until he was washed down near Sterzing due the northerly wind, the Austrian pilot was able to keep up with several high-performance wings piloted by some world-class pilots. Read the full story here

Technology

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.

Optimised cell widths. 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.

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. Nova's 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.

More compact. The aspect ratio of a glider is not the only factor in passive safety, but still a very important one. A high aspect ratio favours cravats after asymmetric collapses, generally shortens brake travel and normally makes wings more difficult to fly. Nova's analytical tools permit us to build performance wings even with a low or moderate aspect ratio.

Light and durable. Paragliders in the Weight-optimised category are lighter than conventional paragliders - but offer the same mechanical stability and durability. These wings are lighter to carry, easier to launch and are therefore suitable for hike & fly. Weight-optimised is aimed at pilots who appreciate light weight without compromising on durability.

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.

Materials

Leading edge:	Dominico 30DMF (WR), 41 g/m2
Top surface:	Skytex 27 C2  29 g/m2
Lower surface:	Skytex 27 C1 27 g/m2
Profile ribs (suspended):	Porcher Skytex 32 Hard, 32g/m2
Profile ribs (unsuspended):	Porcher Skytex 27 Hard, 27g/m2
Main lines:	Liros PPSL 191 / TSL 140
Gallery lines:	Edelrid U-8000 series
Brake lines:	DSL70 / PPSLS65
Risers:	Kevlar 12mm

Speedbrake Riser

The NOVA Speedbrake Riser is the first three-liner riser which permits the glider to be accelerated as well as decelerated. It brings an end to pulling the C-lines, which killed performance.

Nova recommends the Speedbrake Riser for cross-country pilots. If you prefer relaxed recreational flying, hill soaring or frequent ground handling Nova recommend the standard riser without the Speedbrake strap. 

This NOVA wing can be ordered with Speedbrake Risers for a reduced extra cost. This offer is only valid for new wing purchases which are not yet delivered to the customer. More about Speedbrake Riser.

Downloads

• Lineplan
• Manual
• Certification
• DGAC

Nova service info & FAQ

Read Nova service info and answers to FAQ.

Nova Ion 5 Light reviews

"The wing is very forgiving of pilot inaccuracies, whether on the groundor in the air." "A very reassuring wing, no matter what the conditions." "For a first purchase, it’s a great, semi lightweight wing! In addition, it's a fun, go anywhere wing for every pilot who is more interested in pleasure than performance!"

"The Ion 5 light XXXS... has been specially developed by the Nova team." ... " can confirm that this mini Ion 5, weighing 3.1 kg, is almost unique in this category: it combines a good maximum speed, excellent handling and behaviour, without being embarrassed in front of its larger siblings." "At last we have a wing designed for our young and/or lightweight pilots." "When used as a mountain wing or for speedflying (without worrying about the wingloading this time) it’s great as well."

- Philippe Lami, Free Aero Magazine (full review)

"With the ION Light 5 XXXS, NOVA has designed a wing with which 50 kg girls - and light boys - can have a relaxed hike & fly experience, without the hassle of having to carry water ballast!  
Finally, we have the opportunity to dart like an arrow, rather than be blown like a leaf in stronger winds. And that on an EN B wing! I feel so safe on this wing that I have flown in thermals with just one hand whilst taking photos and videos with the other. With the XXXS we don’t land 5 km behind our larger colleagues, because the glide is unusually good for this little size. Another advantage: it turns very well without digging in.
And for the heavier pilots amongst us: the ION Light 5 XXXS is surely also a brilliant fun wing for strong wind days on the dune or hike & fly in strong wind conditions."

- Vera Polaschegg, para-mountaineer, XC and competition pilot, weight < 50 kg

The ION 5 Light is the light version of the ION 5, no surprise there!

Read our written review of the Nova ION 5 and watch our accompanying review video: