Subject : Nova Carbon
Date : Avril 2002
Source : NOVA Vertriebsgesells mbH
Bernhard Hoefel Str.14
A-6020 INNSBRUCK
Web : http://www.nova-wings.com/
Phone : +43/(0) 512.361.340
Fax : +43/(0) 512.361.342
E-Mail : nova@ping.at
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- Informations under author responsability.
- Informations sous la responsabilité de leurs auteurs.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Probability of having faulty Carrington Cloth on Carbon (11.4.2002)
To estimate the probability of having a faulty Carbon:
We sold 1400 Carbons in 2001 and got 20 bad ones until now (1.4%).
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Faulty Carrington Cloth on Carbon (10.4.2002)
We're always trying to use the best material, even when it's more expensive.
It's a pity that after 10 years of very good experiences with the Carrington
cloth, we finally got some bad rolls, which we could not sort out before
production.
The fault appears after some flights.
We got some Carbons, having problems in launching.
After having analysing those gliders, we found that cellulites like cloth.
It's necessary to check those Carbons to avoid further problems.
(see pictures at page bottom)
As seen on the pics, it's not possible to stretch the cloth to get flat.
The wrinkles stay.
The coating also feels harder and more crispy as normal.
Porosity is also worse as normal.
We gave the DHV a The is a airworthiness advisory.
Please check it out:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TYPE CERTIFICATION Serial Number
---- ------------- -------------
CARBON M GS-01-0807-00 21942 à 23419
CARBON S GS-01-0809-00 21942 à 23419
CARBON L GS-01-0849-01 21942 à 23419
CARBON XS GS-01-0949-02 21942 à 23419
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(translation by DHV)
Some paragliders of the type Carbon have an increased tendency to deep-stall.
Only recently Nova got to know from Carrington,
that the cloth manufacturer was forced,
to get the basic fabric manufactured by different weaving mills,
after the close down of their own weaving mill in autum 2000.
Between November 2000 and April 2001 the cloth "Grey Fabrik" was obtained
from five different external weaving mills.
Therefore qality variations of the delivered clothe material occured.
These quality flaws of the cloth could not be detected by Nova´s internal
quality control, when the cloth was new, because it occures only after
several flying hours.
In this time period mostly flawless cloth has been delivered,
only a few rolls turned out to be faulty in retroperspective.
Especially with cloth in the colour royal (blue) lumps occured (cellulitis like).
The cloth can not be streched out over a level surface,
it has got wrinkels in itself.
This unevenness disturbs the airflow. Affected paragliders are hard to
take of, they fall back during inflation when the A-risers are released
and are not airworthy.
The so far affected Carbon are serial number 21942 to 23419.
This roughly equals the time period between November 2000 and Juli 2001.
In agreement with the manufacturer
the DHV has decided on the following precautionary safety measure:
All Carbon up from Serialnumber 21942 have to undergo several
inflation tests by the pilot.
All Gliders where the take off inflation is conspicuous
have to be checked by the service places
Nova Int.,
Bernhard-Höfel-Str. 14,
A-6020 Innsbruck,
Tel: ++43-512-361340
E-Mail : nova@ping.at
or Nova Germany, Am Osterösch 3, D-87637 Seeg, Tel: ++49-8364-1286 .
Bevor the test according to Nr. 2 or after a negative test resulter
the paraglider must not be used.
This airworthiness instruction comes into force when published in the NFGH
(paragliding and hanggliding news).
The safety measures must be carried out before the next flight with the equipment
The check will be done according to information from Nova Int.
quickly and without charge.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Flash sécurité concernant certaines ailes NOVA modèle "CARBON":
(Traduction FFVL)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TYPE HOMOLOGATION NUMERO SERIE
---- ------------ ------------
CARBON M GS-01-0807-00 21942 à 23419
CARBON S GS-01-0809-00 21942 à 23419
CARBON L GS-01-0849-01 21942 à 23419
CARBON XS GS-01-0949-02 21942 à 23419
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
En raison de défauts dans un lot de tissus Carrington,
certaines ailes de type "Carbon" de la marque Nova
commercialisée entre Novembre 2000 et Juillet 2001
dont le numéro de série est compris entre
21942 et 23419 doivent être contrôlées.
Contrôle à effectuer:
plusieurs tests de gonflages doivent être effectués par le pilote,
en cas de doute sur le comportement au gonflage,
les ailes doivent être vérifiées par Nova.
Comme on peut le voir sur les photos suivantes,
il est impossible de rendre le tissus parfaitement plat en le tendant.
L'enduction rend aussi le tissu plus "craquant" que la normale,
la porosité est aussi supérieure à la normale.
Cette "peau d'orange" sur le tissus empêche un bon écoulement de l'air
ce qui provoque des problèmes de gonflage
(l'aile retombe en arrière lorsque les A sont relâchés)
et peut engendrer des déccrochages en vol.
LB+
Sylvain Piroche
Tel: 04 79 69 91 41
Fax: 04 79 96 27 60
E-Mail : nova.fdi@logbox.com
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- Informations under author responsability.
- Informations sous la responsabilité de leurs auteurs.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------