Three-Liner | Cells: 33 | Aspect Ratio: 4.4 | Weight: 1.65 kg - Size 12 (EN/LTF D)

BANTAM – Made for para-mountaineers.

Small, compact, dynamic - the BANTAM is the perfect miniwing for all mountaineers who prefer a flight with plenty of speed to a descent on foot. Only 1.65 kg (size 12) makes the BANTAM the lightest certified non-single-surface wing on the market (as of October 2019).

A little rebel in its own weight class. At only 1.65 kg (size 12), this little power pack can be carried in a conventional hiking backpack and it has enormous fun potential. Its excellent glide was demonstrated at the Dolomitenmann 2019, when Chrigel Maurer and his team won the overall rankings. If you like it less dynamic or have a higher take off weight, the BANTAM size 14 is the ideal partner for para-mountaineering adventures. Our 320 grams MONTIS harness (size M) is the perfect match for the BANTAM. In size 12, wing and harness have a combined weight of only 2000 grams.

Let your ambition fly. Climb high peaks and instead of descending on foot, why not opt for a few barrel rolls on your way to the valley. If that’s your thing and you have the BANTAM in your pack, you can experience the mountains more intensively from now on. The low aspect ratio and extremely short lines make the launch simpler and the handling more direct. Even at trim speed, the BANTAM is fast and the speed increase at full acceleration is impressive. Nevertheless, the stability in turbulent air remains remarkably high. Even if you are not a Dolomitenmann, Rise&Fall, etc. competitor, the BANTAM can help you achieve your hike & fly personal best. And the best thing… in comparison to single-surface gliders, its flare characteristics are a particular advantage of the BANTAM. This offers a safety reserve even during adverse landing conditions.

By professionals for professionals. The BANTAM was weight-optimised where possible without neglecting any of the technical details. It features extra short mini-ribs and an upper surface vector tape. With a line length of only four metres (size 12) - a best value in this glider class - the glider can be laid out well even on the smallest launch site. The focus in terms of brake geometry was on precise handling and optimal flare behaviour. This of course helps during landing, but also during take off, because with some brake the glider generates a lot of lift and takes off even at low speed. And once in the air, it’s full speed ahead. Speed-bar travel is very long and its top speed is correspondingly high.

Pilot target group

The BANTAM (EN/LTF D) is not suitable for beginners or instruction and is aimed at experienced pilots who want to be on the move with as little weight as possible during hike & fly, mountain running, vol biv or competitions. Flown with a high wing-loading, its very direct handling and dynamic flight characteristics enable manoeuvres such as barrel rolls. Also in extreme situations, the BANTAM requires precise control inputs and active intervention by the pilot. If you are unsure whether EN D paragliders are right for you, you can get advice from your flying school or your NOVA dealer.

Short and compact

Weight-optimised cloth. We only use the highest quality sail cloths in all our wings, and we not only test the cloth for durability (high porosity or reduced tear resistance through UV damage or wear) but also for mechanical robustness, for example stretching. For quality control purposes we regularly take samples during serial production. The BANTAM is made from the lightest cloth currently available on the market. It is also characterised by its small packing volume and high UV resistance.

Mini-Ribs. Mini-ribs increase the number of cells in the rear wing area and thus provide an aerodynamically optimised trailing edge. The mini-ribs of the BANTAM are particularly short - another measure to keep the paraglider as light as possible.

Upper surface vector tape. This tape reduces the crease that is created when braking. This markedly increases climb performance and handling. In the BANTAM, this vector tape runs just in front of the mini-ribs, which, for the sake of weight optimisation, are as short as possible.

Light risers. The Light Risers are ergonomic and like the paraglider itself, are designed to save weight on equipment. A pair of risers weighs only 160 g.

Holding pins. By means of small loops and wooden pins the paraglider can be easily secured for take off in very steep and slippery terrain - e.g. on snow. This prevents the glider from sliding down while being laid out. If you inflate the canopy, the pins will release automatically. Detailed instructions on how to use the holding pins can be found in the manual.

The BANTAM – tested by “Thermik“

“With the Nova BANTAM, the successful manufacturer has succeeded in combining two glider concepts. It is just as suitable for the podium at the Dolomitenmann as it is for the sporty hike & fly pilot who can master an ultra-light glider with dynamic flight behaviour, but still does not want to do without certification.“

The English PDF can be downloaded here. There original article is in German. Thanks to the team of “Thermik“ for the consent to share their test!

Technical data

    10 12 14
Number of cells   33
Projected span m 5,8 6,3 6,9
Projected area 10,2 12 14
Projected aspect ratio   3,3
Flat span m 7,3 7,9 8,5
Flat area 12 14 16,6
Flat aspect ratio   4,4
Line diameter mm 1 / 1,4 / 1,85
Line length m 3,55 3,95 4,49
Total line length m 156 173 190
Max. chord m 2 2,2 2,34
Min. chord m 0,9 1 1,1
Weight kg 1,5 1,65 1,8
Recommended take off weight kg - 65-90 55-100
Certification (EN/LTF)   - D D

Materials

Service

Colours

Peacock

This 3D model will assist you to see the approximate appearance of a custom colour. But please be aware: the actual colours may vary from the 3D model. For any queries, please contact your NOVA Partner or email us directly at info@nova.eu.

Scope of delivery

FAQ

  • Avoid UV rays: minimise its exposure to the sun!
  • Store the wing open or loosely folded, dry, in a ventilated dark place.
  • Store the wing loosely folded, in a dry, dark place.
  • Never store a damp wing.
  • Don't drag the wing across the ground (especially the leading edge and rods).
  • Avoid sand and dust.
  • Never clean it with a hard brush or detergents.
  • If it is dirty, use a soft sponge and lots of water.
  • Allow a damp or wet glider to dry completely before storing.
  • Keep the wing away from acids and acid vapours (car battery).

The best person to contact is your authorised NOVA dealer. If there are no paragliding schools in your country, contact the NOVA importer. A list of our dealers and distribution network can be found here. If you have specific questions you are welcome to contact us directly.

During the initial flights the lines are first subjected to load. This load induces a small degree of stretching and shrinking. These are not associated with the line manufacturers or the quality of workmanship - in the factory all NOVA paragliders are trimmed and pre-stretched to within a very low tolerance. To adjust this stretching or shrinking, we recommend that the wing is taken for NTT (NOVA Trim Tuning) after ten to twenty flights - after one year at the very latest. Generally, the line lengths remain constant after the first ten to twenty hours. To make full use of the NTT, NOVA encourages all pilots to have their wing checked after ten to twenty flying hours.

The very light cloth is a little more sensitive to damage than a heavier paraglider cloth. Unnecessary mechanical stress (dragging the wing over the ground, intensive ground handling) and unnecessary UV exposure should be avoided. In general, wings should always be folded when dry and loosely stored in the glider bag. All NOVA paragliders – whether light or standard – are covered by our comprehensive guarantee package.

The higher the wing-loading, the more dynamic it feels. This means the wing will respond quickly and energetically to all inputs. This can be used deliberately, e. g. for maneuvers like a barrel roll. However, for exactly this reason, gliders with very high wing-loading are not suitable for beginners. If the wing-loading is low, the paraglider reacts more slowly and less dynamically to control inputs. The best flying feeling is achieved by a wing-loading suitable for the individual take off weight, as shown by the weight range of each glider which is specified in the certification.

We recommend laying out the glider in the normal arc way, making sure the leading edge is open and the lines carefully sorted. When taking off in rough terrain, it is also worth checking that there are no roots or similar that can catch the lines/canopy when inflating, or that there are any tripping hazards directly in the pilot's take off path.

The legal regulations where launching is permitted are different in each country. In Germany for example, you may only take at official launch sites; in Austria you can take off anywhere where the property owner permits it (no responsibility is taken for the correctness of the information). As a rule, neither launches nor landings are permitted in nature reserves. Please familiarise yourself with the laws of your respective country, pay attention to no-fly zones as well as notices of the local clubs and always consider nature & fellow human beings. That way we can all enjoy this wonderful sport for years to come.

The pins can be attached to the specially provided tabs of the wing using the loops provided (the exact instructions can be found in the manual of the glider.) If used correctly, the pins are pulled out of the ground or the snow when taking off and they fly into the valley attached to their loops. If one still get lost, it is no drama - our holding pins are made of wood and therefore biodegradable. It is very important to remove the pins when packing to avoid any damage to the glider.

If you are unsure which class of wing you should fly, then you should work your way up the certification levels slowly. After all, you have the most beautiful flights with a paraglider under which you feel comfortable - and you also avoid negative experiences where the flying characteristics of the glider are clearly beyond your skill level. The safe way to progress is to get personal advice from your instructor or a NOVA dealer, and consider additional coaching through your club or the Skyperformance Center.

With regard to the BANTAM, the comparison with classic EN D wings (i.e. XC gliders) only has limited value when assessing this wing. Firstly, the BANTAM has a much lower aspect ratio, and secondly a much higher wing-loading, than classic EN D wings. The demands on the pilot for these different glider designs differ considerably:
the BANTAM is very easy to launch and land. In nil wind, you have to run faster than with bigger gliders. It also converts control inputs very cleanly and quickly - which also means,  that due to the increased speed and the very large sink rate in turns, you have to fly with even more foresight. Just as you should not immediately change from a low aspect ratio glider to a very high aspect ratio wing, we advise against doubling the usual wing load from one wing to another. If you have only flown gliders with a projected area of more than 20 square meters you could be overwhelmed by the BANTAM.

Test flight
Check-In / Test Flight

Please provide all the requested information.
One of our colleagues/local partners will contact you shortly.