Wills Wing U2
{{Short description|American hang glider}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2022}}
| {{Infobox aircraft begin
| name = U2 | image = File:Despegue Puliji Ecuador "piloto Skeymo Jacob Espinosa Chalén".png | caption = }}{{Infobox aircraft type | type = Hang glider | national origin = United States | manufacturer = Wills Wing | designer = | first flight = | introduced = 2003 | retired = | status = In production (2016) | primary user = | more users = | produced = 2003-present | number built = | developed from = | variants with their own articles = }} |
The Wills Wing U2 is an American high-wing, single-place, hang glider, designed and produced by Wills Wing of Orange, California since 2003. The aircraft is supplied complete and ready-to-fly.Bertrand, Noel; Rene Coulon; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2003-04, page 50. Pagefast Ltd, Lancaster OK, 2003. {{ISSN|1368-485X}}
Design and development
The U2 was conceived as a recreational intermediate glider with performance nearing that of competition gliders, like the Wills Wing T2. The U2 is made from 7075 aluminium alloy tubing, with the 84% double-surface wing covered in Dacron sailcloth. The U2 includes a variable geometry (VG) system that tensions the sail for higher glide performance.{{Cite web|url=https://www.willswing.com/hang-gliders/u2/|title=U2|work=Wills Wing|access-date=9 March 2016}}
The two models available are each named for their wing area in square feet.
The glider is also sold by Tecma Sport of France as the Techma Sport U2.{{Cite web|url=http://www.tecma-sport.com/produits.php?id=61|author=Tecma Sport|title= Tecma U2|work=tecma-sport.com|access-date=9 March 2016}}
Variants
;U2 145
:Small-sized model for lighter pilots. Its {{Convert|31.3|ft|m|1|abbr=on}} span wing is cable-braced from a single king post. The nose angle is 125–128° depending on VG setting, wing area is {{Convert|145|sqft|m2|abbr=on}} and the aspect ratio is 6.8:1. The glider empty weight is {{Convert|63|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}} and the pilot hook-in weight range is {{Convert|140|to|220|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}}. The glider model was HGMA certified in 2003.{{Cite web|url=https://www.willswing.com/hgma-certified-wills-wing-gliders/|title=HGMA Certified Wills Wing Gliders|author=Wills Wing Support|work=Wills Wing|access-date=9 March 2016}}
;U2 160
:Large-sized model for heavier pilots. Its {{Convert|33.1|ft|m|1|abbr=on}} span wing is cable braced from a single kingpost. The nose angle is 125–128° depending on VG setting, wing area is {{Convert|160|sqft|m2|abbr=on}} and the aspect ratio is 6.8:1. The glider empty weight is {{Convert|68|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}} and the pilot hook-in weight range is {{Convert|160|to|260|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}}. The glider model was HGMA certified in 2003.
Specifications (U2 145)
{{Aircraft specs
| ref=Bertrand and manufacturer
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| crew = one
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| span ft = 31
| span in = 4
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| wing area sqft = 145
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| aspect ratio = 6.8:1
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| empty weight lb = 63
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| never exceed speed mph = 53
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References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category|Wills Wing}}
- {{Official website|https://www.willswing.com/hang-gliders/u2/}}
- [http://willswing.com/wp-content/uploads/manuals/U2_3rd_July_2007.pdf Official U2 owners manual]
{{Wills Wing aircraft}}