The prototype of the ATOS VX was made in either solo or tandem (dual) configurations however, the VX is now available only in the tandem form. So earlier ATOS models can add the tail if desired. вЂњWith the additional dihedral, the glider flies more stably in turns.вЂќД®very ATOS can be easily fitted to the latest point of development, a laudable quality for any product. вЂњWings with higher aspect ratios tend to tighten in turns,вЂќ RГјhle explained. The VXвЂ™s canted-up wingtips are also designed for added stability. During a stall, the ATOS may drop one wing slightly, but it will recover gently on its own. According to AIR, yaw stability is also improved, and it is more difficult to induce a spin on the glider. Thanks to the unique tail, an incipient stall is easily recognized, as the control bar will begin to shake as the glider approaches stall speed. It permits pilots to fly in strong winds and turbulent conditions, and reduces the risk of a tuck (a nose-under condition that often causes structural failure it can occur in tailed aircraft as well as flying wings). The moderated pitch response makes the wing more pleasant to fly and expands the flying envelope of the glider. The result is a glider that has improved handling as well as a reduced stall speed. This has the advantage of producing some additional lift (unlike most horizontal tail surfaces), while increasing pitch damping. But the fixed ATOS tail is set for a positive angle of attack. Most hang gliders use no tail and, indeed, the ATOS can be flown without one. Like the wing D-cells and internal ribs, the ATOS tail is also built of carbon fiber with a fiberglass exterior finish that is then painted white. Inside the van, computers record the results of wing testing such as load limits and pitch stabilityat various angles of attack.

A powerful vehicle with a tall structure built on top of it positions the wing in clean air (see photo).

The German DHV (the German Hang Gliding and Paragliding Federation, a government-sanctioned private organization) performs testing of hang glider wings and awards certification-actually a GГјtesiegal, which means Seal of Approval-to those wings that pass these challenging tests. Hang glider wings have long been vehicle-tested to load the wings in a dynamic situation thought to be more effective than upside-down static loading of wings, and the ATOS has survived testing to 2000 pounds. Some of these changes come because this large wing, the biggest of the series, is built for large pilots, two-place operations or for use on lightweight trikes. With the VX model, that component is now also carbon fiber, and the material is also used on the leading edge D-cells and in the wingribs. Earlier versions of the ATOS (the C, V and VS models) employed an aluminum tube for the keel (the central fore-to-aft structure at the wingroot). It also gave him the confidence to abandon familiar aluminum tubing for an airframe structure built of 90% carbon fiber. This experience helped RГјhle obtain precise calculations and provable experimental arrangements for the ATOS project. The design is produced by Aeronautic Innovation RГјhle (AIR) and is the creation of Felix RГјhle, who worked with composite materials for many years in his role with the German governmentвЂ™s Center for Research and Development in Aerospace Technology in Stuttgart. The latter number makes this wing competitive with many sailplanes, even though the pilot hangs in the airstream. The ATOS VX can achieve a glide angle of 20:1 and a sink rate of only 118 fpm. The ATOS VX I flew in late 2004 illustrates a radically different approach to wing design. Even as they gained efficiency, the wings havenвЂ™t changed a lot in appearance.Д«ut not all of the changes are so subtle. In fact, many subtle changes have occurred as these wings have steadily progressed from a glide angle of 4:1 in the 1970s to the 15:1 glides that are common today. After all, the wings donвЂ™t look much different from one another, so the changes must be subtle, right? That may come as a surprise to KITPLANESВ®В readers.

In the last 10 years there have been significant developments in hang glider wings. This view under the nosecone shows the many custom-designed components that hold the wing halves at the proper angle. The ATOS VX is a fully cantilevered wing.

Metal gear 2 hang glider