Moyes Litespeed Explained

The Moyes Litespeed is a series of Australian high-wing, single-place, hang gliders, designed and produced by Moyes Delta Gliders of Botany, New South Wales.[1]

Design and development

The Litespeed series was designed as a top-level competition class glider. The entire family of gliders are "topless" designs, lacking a kingpost and upper rigging. The company also builds a derivative aircraft with a kingpost, the Litesport.

The aircraft is made from aluminum tubing, with some models making extensive use of carbon fibre tubing. The wing is covered in Dacron sailcloth, with many models using Mylar reinforcing.

Operational history

Litespeeds have placed highly in world and national competition since their introduction. For instance at the Australian Forbes Odyssey competition in 2001, Gerolf Heinrischs won flying a Litespeed, Litespeeds took the first four places and eight of the top ten. At the Flytec 2002 Championships Litespeeds captured ten of the top 25 spots.[2] [3]

At the 2003 World Hang Gliding Championships, held in Brasilia, Brazil, six of the top ten pilots flew Litespeed gliders.[4] The Ceara Hang Gliding Race and Rally was an invitational event held between 3–7 September 2003 and took competitors across the Brazilian state of Ceará. Five of the top six places went to Litespeed pilots, including first place, which went to American Curt Warren.[5]

At the 2005 Flytec championships Litespeeds finished in five of the top ten places.[6]

At the 16th FAI World Hang Gliding Championship held in August 2007 at Big Spring, Texas, USA, Litespeeds captured the first three places and captured 17 out of the top 25 places.[7]

In the 2007 Rob Kells Memorial competition Litespeeds took second and third place as well as seven of the top 13 places.[8]

The 2008 World Hang Gliding Champion, Elio Cataldi won flying a Litespeed RS 4, as did fourth-place finisher Filippo Oppicci.[9] At the 2008 European Hang Gliding Championships held between 7–21 June the men's event was won by Elio Cataldi, with Tomas Weissenberger and Michael Friesenbichler second and third; the women's champion was Corinna Schwiegershausen, all of them flying the Litespeed RS 4.[10] The 2008 World Women's and Rigid Hang Gliding championships held between 19 July – 2 August in Sigillo, Italy was won by Corinna Schwiegershausen of Germany flying a Litespeed. Second and third places were won by Francoise Dieuzeide of France and Britain's Kathleen Rigg, both also flying Lightspeeds.[11] Also in 2008 Jonny Durand Jr won the Australian Gulgong Classic, flying a Litespeed RS. Second and third places went to Curt Warren and Blay Olmos, flying Litespeed models RS 4 and 3.5 respectively.[12]

In Namibia on 16 December 2008, Jean Souviron set an unofficial world record for an out-and-return flight of 3500NaN0, between the Namib and Kalahari deserts, flying a Litespeed RS 4.[13]

In the January 2009 Australian Corryong Cup competition Steve Crosby placed second flying a Litespeed 5.[14] In the 2009 Bogong Cup, flown in nine days ending on 21 January all of the three winners, Curt Warren first, Jon Durand Jr second and Steve Blenkinsop in third place, were flying Litespeeds models.[15] The Dalby Big Air 2009 competition, held in Queensland, Australia between 8–14 March, was won by Australian Curt Warren flying a Litespeed RS 4. Warren also completed a remarkable 3380NaN0 flight in the face of Cyclone Hamish as part of the competition.[16] Giovanni Vitola won the 2009 Guatemalan Hang Gliding Nationals held in March, unusually at Roldanillo, Colombia, while flying a Litespeed.[17] The 2009 Forbes Flatlands competition, held in New South Wales, Australia was won by Spanish pilot Blay Olmos, flying a Litespeed S. Second and third places went to Jon Durand Jr and Attila Bertok, both also flying Litespeed S models.[18] In August 2009 Thomas Weissenberger placed second in the Slovenian Open Hang Gliding Championship flying a Litespeed.[19]

At the 2010 Forbes Flatlands competition, Australian Jonny Durand placed first flying a Litespeed RS 3.5. Nine of the top ten places went to pilots flying Litespeeds.[20] The top three winners of the 2010 Mexican Hang gliding Championships, held between 16–24 April at San Marcos, Jalisco and Tapalpa, Mexico, were Rodrigo de Obeso, Rodrigo Russek and Erick Salgado, all flying Litespeed RS 4s.[21]

On 3 July 2010 Tom Weissenberger completed a new European hang gliding record of 3450NaN0, flying a Litespeed RS 3.5.[22]

Rodrigo de Obeso came in second in the 2011 Panamerican Hang Gliding Championships held in Tapalpa, Mexico, flying a Litespeed RD.[23] At the 2011 Montegrappa Meet in Italy, German pilot Corinna Schwiegershausen won the Women's category flying a Litespeed 3.5S.[24]

In reviewing the Litespeed RX 3 in January 2012, world level competition woman pilot Evgeniya Laritskaya concluded "In comparing the RX3 with the S3 (keeping in mind my 50 kilos weight), I think that the S3 is more conservative and forgiving, while the RX3 is faster and more dynamic, more like a racing machine. And that I like a lot."[25]

Variants

Litespeed 3
  • Small sized model for lighter pilots. Its 9.61NaN1 span wing has a nose angle of 132°, a wing area of 12.6m2 and an aspect ratio of 7.2:1. Pilot hook-in weight range is 55to.
    Litespeed 4
  • Medium sized model for mid-weight pilots. Its 101NaN1 span wing has a nose angle of 132°, a wing area of 13.5m2 and an aspect ratio of 7.4:1. Pilot hook-in weight range is 59to. Certified as DHV Class 3 and HGMA.
    Litespeed 5
  • Large sized model for heavier pilots. Its 10.41NaN1 span wing has a nose angle of 132°, a wing area of 14.5m2 and an aspect ratio of 7.5:1. Pilot hook-in weight range is 68to. Certified as DHV Class 3 and HGMA.
    Litespeed RS 3.5
  • Small sized model, redesigned by Gerolf Heinrichs to incorporate a higher aspect ratio wing for improved gliding performance at the cost of maneuvering performance. Its 10.31NaN1 span wing has a nose angle of 130–132°, a wing area of 13.7m2 and an aspect ratio of 7.7:1. Pilot hook-in weight range is 68to and best glide ratio is 15:1.[26]
    Litespeed RS 4
  • Large sized model, redesigned by Gerolf Heinrichs to incorporate a higher aspect ratio wing for improved gliding performance at the cost of maneuvering performance. Its 10.41NaN1 span wing has a nose angle of 130–132°, a wing area of 14.1m2 and an aspect ratio of 7.7:1. Pilot hook-in weight range is 68to and best glide ratio is 15:1.
    Litespeed S 3
  • Extra-small sized model for lighter pilots. Its 9.71NaN1 span wing has a nose angle of 130–132°, a wing area of 12.9m2 and an aspect ratio of 7.3:1. Pilot hook-in weight range is 60to and best glide ratio is 15:1.[27]
    Litespeed S 3.5
  • Small sized model for lighter pilots. Its 101NaN1 span wing has a nose angle of 130–132°, a wing area of 13.6m2 and an aspect ratio is 7.5:1. Pilot hook-in weight range is 68to and best glide ratio is 15:1.
    Litespeed S 4
  • Medium sized model for mid-weight pilots. Its 101NaN1 span wing has a nose angle of 130–132°, a wing area of 14m2 and an aspect ratio is 7.3:1. Pilot hook-in weight range is 68to and best glide ratio is 15:1.
    Litespeed S 4.5
  • Large sized model for heavier pilots. Its 10.41NaN1 span wing has a nose angle of 130–132°, a wing area of 14.4m2 and an aspect ratio is 7.6:1. Pilot hook-in weight range is 75to and best glide ratio is 15:1.
    Litespeed S 5
  • Extra-large sized model for heavier pilots. Its 10.41NaN1 span wing has a nose angle of 130–132°, a wing area of 14.8m2 and an aspect ratio is 7.4:1. Pilot hook-in weight range is 75to and best glide ratio is 15:1.

    Notes and References

    1. Bertrand, Noel; Rene Coulon; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2003–04, page 47. Pagefast Ltd, Lancaster OK, 2003. ISSN 1368-485X
    2. Web site: Hang gliding: Forbes Odyssey 2001. 4 March 2012. Cross Country Magazine. 2001.
    3. Web site: Flytec Championship 2002 - Class 1 Flex Wing. 4 March 2012. Sonoma Wings. 2002. https://web.archive.org/web/20090710162039/http://www.sonomawings.com/archive/fl2002/q1-tot.htm. 10 July 2009. dead.
    4. Web site: World Hang Gliding Championships 2003: Manfred’s Mission. 4 March 2012. Cross Country Magazine. 2003.
    5. Web site: CearAr Hang Gliding Race and Rally 2003: Route 555. 4 March 2012. Cross Country Magazine. 2003.
    6. Web site: 2005 Flytec Championships. 4 March 2012. Cross Country Magazine. 2005.
    7. Web site: 16th FAI World Hang Gliding Championship. 4 March 2012. Hang Aid. 15 March 2012.
    8. Web site: Dustin Martin Wins Rob Kells Memorial. 4 March 2012. Wills Wing. 4 May 2007. https://web.archive.org/web/20101201114309/http://willswing.com/news.asp?newsSeek=713. 1 December 2010. dead.
    9. Web site: Elio Cataldi Italian Hang Gliding Champion. 4 March 2012. Cross Country Magazine. 2008.
    10. Web site: European Hang Gliding Championships 2008: Elio Cataldi wins. 4 March 2012. Cross Country Magazine. 2008.
    11. Web site: 2008 Hang Gliding World Championships. 4 March 2012. Cross Country Magazine. 2008.
    12. Web site: Jonny Durand jnr wins Gulgong Classic 2008. 4 March 2012. Cross Country Magazine. 2008.
    13. Web site: Unofficial flexwing Records. 4 March 2012. Cross Country Magazine. 2008.
    14. Web site: Rohan Holtkamp wins Corryong Cup. 4 March 2012. Cross Country Magazine. 2009.
    15. Web site: Curt Warren wings Bogong Cup. 4 March 2012. Cross Country Magazine. 2009.
    16. Web site: Curt Warren wins Dalby Big Air 2009. 4 March 2012. Cross Country Magazine. 2009.
    17. Web site: Giovanni Vitola wins Guatemalan HG Nationals. 4 March 2012. Cross Country Magazine. 2009.
    18. Web site: Blay Olmos triumphs at Forbes Flatlands 2009. 4 March 2012. Cross Country Magazine. 2009.
    19. Web site: Primoz Gricar wins Slovenian Open HG Championship. 4 March 2012. Cross Country Magazine. 2009.
    20. Web site: Jonny Durand wins Forbes Flatlands 2010 hang gliding competition. 4 March 2012. Cross Country Magazine. 2010.
    21. Web site: Rodrigo de Obeso wins Mexican hang gliding Nationals 2010. 4 March 2012. Cross Country Magazine. 2010.
    22. Web site: Tom Weissenberger’s 345.4km triangle hang glider flight. 4 March 2012. Cross Country Magazine. 2010.
    23. Web site: Video: Panamerican Hang Gliding Championships 2011. 4 March 2012. Cross Country Magazine. 2011.
    24. Web site: Luca and Christian win Montegrappa Trophy 2011. 4 March 2012. Cross Country Magazine. 2011.
    25. Web site: Litespeed RX3 - Review. 14 March 2012. Laritskaya. Evgeniya. 14 January 2012.
    26. Web site: Litespeed RS - Specifications. 4 March 2012. Moyes Delta Gliders. 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120814082651/http://www.moyes.com.au/hang-gliders/litespeed-rs/specifications.html . 14 August 2012.
    27. Web site: Litespeed S - Specifications. 4 March 2012. Moyes Delta Gliders. 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120211215703/http://moyes.com.au/hang-gliders/litespeed-s/specifications.html . 11 February 2012.

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