Nova XENON

Technical data

Colours

Blue, Lime, Red

Package

• Concertina bag light
• pack roll
• windsock
• repair kit
• manual

Optional extras

• Nova Backpack
• Speed system

XENON: Pure racing spirit

• Two-liner
• cells: 65
• aspect ratio: 6.7
• weight: 3.15 kg size 17
• EN/LTF D

Reliable in extreme situations

Challenging launches, long flights in changeable conditions and spot landings in rough terrain - this is what the worlds famous hike & fly races are all about. The XENON (EN/LTF D) was designed to rise to these extreme situations. It offers pilots who want to get the most out of an XC day the perfect package of performance and safety. Thanks to a clever mix of materials, the superlight XENON is also extraordinarily durable.

Achieve top flight

Even at launch you will notice the simple handling, which ensures effortless thermalling for many hours. In accelerated straight flight, the XENON impresses with its glide performance and speed. The great stability and moderate pressure on the B-area allow this performance to be utilised in a relaxed manner, even in lively air. Therefore collapses are really rare. If the XENON does collapses, the reaction is tame for a glider of this aspect ratio. It does not tend to reopen abruptly, responds well to input during asymmetric collapses and shows no tendency to stall during a frontal.

Smart use of materials

With the XENON, we spared no effort to increase performance -including with the choice of materials. Nitinol rods fitted throughout the wing depth of the upper surface increase stability and thus performance. Nitinol is kink-resistant due to its shape memory and has better length stability than conventional nylon reinforcements. When it comes to the cloth, we rely on robust and dimensionally stable cloth in the front area of the upper surface. On the trailing edge we also dispensed with the lightest cloth available in favour of greater stability. This cloth is used for the entire undersurface and the main parts of the upper surface. Optimised in this way, the weight of the XENON is 3.15 kg in size 17.

No compromise with the risers

We use 8 mm slim Kevlar webbing for the risers, which twist very little despite their narrow width. Thanks to their great length stability, the clearly arranged risers make a significant contribution to the trim stability of the XENON. We are happy to accept that the risers weigh about 30 g more per pair than, for example, ultra-light Dyneema "shoelaces". After all, high trim stability and easy riser and line sorting before take off are essential.

The Height-Adjustable B-Handles (HAB-Handles) can be adjusted to six different heights and thus optimally adapted to pilot size and harness geometry. The individual adjustment of the B-handles enables more effective glider control in accelerated flight. For weight reduction, we use carbon as an extraordinarily light material.

For even more performance, the XENON offered a special solution for the riser: due to a moveable pulley on the B3 main line, the optimum wing twist is maintained even when pulling on the B-handles.

Pilot target group

The XENON (EN/LTF D) was designed for experienced XC pilots and hike & fly competitions. It is also perfect for those who are flying a two-liner for the first time. The XENON is as challenging as its aspect ratio of 6.7 would suggest. To meet the requirements for the pilot target group, we recommend experience in the safe control of gliders with an aspect ratio of at least 6.

New Features

Optimal combination of cloths

For the nose we use the dimensionally stable and UV-resistant Dominico 20D (34 g/m2). On the upper surface trailing edge we also prioritised stability over minimal weight and chose Skytex27 C2 (29 g/m2). On the entire undersurface and most of the upper surface, we use Dominico 10D (25 g/m2), which is outstanding in terms of weight, packing volume and UV resistance. The entire internal construction is made from Skytex27 hard (27 g/m2), and has been additionally reinforced at particularly loaded points on the profile ribs and diagonal ribs.

Efficient risers

Despite the slim width of 8 mm, the Kevlar risers have an extremely low tendency to twist. Thanks to their great length stability, they make a significant contribution to the trim stability of the wing. The Height-Adjustable B-handles can be adjusted and optimally adapted to pilot size and harness geometry. Due to the moveable pulley on the B3 main line, the optimum wing twist is maintained, even when pulling on the B-handles.

Speed optimised aerodynamics

The development of the XENON focused on speed. The profile ensures a high degree of pitch stability even at low angles of attack. In numerous simulations, the ballooning or stress distribution was refined to minimise the deformation of the glider at full speed. The cell openings are designed so that the internal pressure remains perfect even in accelerated flight. The result of these measures is excellent glide performance with exceptionally high stability.

Video: Development and testing phase

X-Alps 2021

Pilots Théo de Blic, Nick Donini and Ken Oguma competed in the Red Bull X-Alps 2021 with the XENON.

Quote from Theo de Blic: "During the X-Alps there are many variables, for example the weather forecast, the strategy and your physical condition on the day. But one really important factor doesn’t change - your wing. Therefore it is essential to be flying the best possible glider. For me, the XENON clearly fulfilled this criteria. When we arrived at the race, it was immediately obvious that the XENON was completely competitive. In terms of performance, we could easily keep up with the others. And the safety of the XENON is unsurpassable. After the race I heard many of the other pilots talking about scary situations in challenging conditions, where it was hard to control the glider. With the XENON I was never scared, because I could handle it perfectly in all situations. I think its great safety - even in accelerated flight - is one of its greatest assets. This means it is possible to get the maximum potential out of the XENON."

The three athletes also flew the lightweight ARTUS harness, which will be available in a modified version in 2022.

Quote from...

Philipp Medicus (Head of R&D, Nova): "The development of the XENON was particularly exciting because we have enthusiastic XC and hike & fly pilots in the development team who are fascinated by the X-Alps and bivouac flying. From a technical point of view, the XENON is interesting because the target group demands a purist concept. You have to weigh up - literally - exactly what the glider needs and what is omitted to save weight."

Toni Bender (Nova test pilot): "To fly this glider I happily drive to Bassano for the day and then back home in the evening. It really is fun to fly. In terms of potential, the wing reminds me a little of the 1995 XENON. The 'old' XENON was by far the most successful competition glider in its day."

Technology

Smart stuff.

What we mean by that is, for example, Nitinol. This material can be bent when packing the equipment, but it always returns to its original shape. This characteristic can be very useful! In paragliders, the high-quality Nitinol rods replace the usual nylon rods. They are even more robust and ensure an optimally shaped airfoil contour. In harnesses, the properties of Nitinol are used, among other things, to ensure that the airbag fills with air before take off.

Fewer lines, more performance.

One obvious advantage of two-liners is the reduction of drag caused by the lines. More important is the increased stability and the possibility of B-steering. The B-handles can be used to increase the angle of attack very directly and quickly without deforming the airfoil. Consequently, you can fly faster with the two-liner in lively air than with a three-liner.

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.

Smooth profile nose.

Triple 3D-Shaping could be called an anti-wrinkle treatment for the nose of the wing: with three seams across the entire span of the top sail, we reduce the number of creases which are a consequence of the curvature over two axes. Two axes, because the sail cloth has to align to the profile form and the ballooning also determines a radius which the cloth also has to follow. It is as if trying to fold a piece of paper smoothly around a ball. It is impossible without creases. Triple 3D-Shaping divides the sections to be folded into smaller subsections. This allows us to get close to achieving the ideal crease-free form. The result: the creases on the profile nose are clearly reduced and this leads to better performance.

FAQ

What are the advantages of a two-liner?

A two-liner has the advantage of less line drag. Even more important is the so-called B-steering, which is particularly relevant to accelerated flight. With it, you can very directly change the angle of attack of the paraglider and thus compensate for turbulence. Ultimately, this enables faster flying through turbulent air than would be possible with a three-liner.

What is B-steering?

B-steering means controlling the wing using the Height-Adjustable B-Handles (HAB Handles). As an alternative to control via the brake lines, pitch and direction control can thus be carried out in accelerated flight without deforming the airfoil in a way that reduces performance.

What is the advantage of the B3 deflector?

For even more performance, the XENON offered a special solution for the riser: pull the B-handle and the outermost B main line shortens only half as much as the two inner ones. Consequently, the B-steering has the same effect as releasing the speed-bar. The wing twist and thus the glide performance remains optimised in both cases.

Memory materials – what are they?

Rods made of Nitinol, a nickel-titanium alloy, can be bent (e.g. when packing up the equipment) but always return to their original shape. As if they could remember… This is why they are called “memory materials”.

What is the difference between Nitinol and nylon?

Compared to the nylon rods often used in paraglider construction, the Nitinol rods are characterised by their shape memory and they are also particularly resistant to kinking. Nitinol is also very stable in length and lighter than nylon with the same stiffness. With these advantages, the price for Nitinol is accordingly higher.

How durable is the XENON?

Light, high performance, yet still durable. That is our aim, which we have realised in the construction of the XENON. For this reason we did not pursue lightness at all cost. In parallel we always kept an eye on the durability of the wing. This includes good UV resistance of the cloth. With the XENON we refute the cliché that an competition glider only lasts for one race. It will accompany pilots on long cross-country flights far beyond a competition. Its durability is comparable with our classic lightweight XC wings like the MENTOR Light in our EN B range. In addition, our comprehensive guarantee "NOVA Protect" also applies to the XENON.

How do I pack the XENON?

The best way to pack your XENON is to use the Concertina Bag Light which is included in the delivery. Please check the manual for more information.

What is the difference between the TRITON 2 Light and the XENON?

The TRITON 2 Light (EN/LTF C, EN CCC) was designed by NOVA for the 2015 X-Alps race and has since been discontinued. The TRITON 2 Light and the XENON (EN/LTF D) are distinguished by the glider class and their respective construction as three- or two-line gliders. Both are designed for cross-country flying during competitions. However, the XENON is superior to the TRITON 2 Light in terms of performance.

Downloads

• Presentation
• Manual
• Lineplan

Certification: 17 | 18 | 20 | 22