flysurfer sonic3, any news?

[tizzleberg]

Looking into it they all have the same aspect ratio (Speed4 lotus) but in the commercial it says 5.8 instead of 4.8 but they do not state what that compares too, was speed3 4.8?

Thats referring to the older Version of the Speed 4 with standard or deluxe fabric which was only available in 8 and 10m.

[joriws]

Well I remember that about that time "speed4 era" Flysurfer got new CAD software which gave the same CAD-models new aspect ratio *while flying in the air* and Flysurfer corrected ARs on their web site and stating here that the kites are the same. At the same time they started weighting kites with bridles and mixers attached instead of pure canopy. It was also stated here @KF by Flysurfer.

Wind ranges are just guidance and like stated here depends on so many attributes what the real user wind range is, starting from comfort of the rider on pulling force. It was very hard to select Peak4 with wind range and my added weight from "standard kiter" how it adjusts the range. So I just pulled purchase trigger with 5m like most of Peak4 ppl recommend. It was nice at Finnish "alpine" snowkiting with almost zero wind at the valley to 10-14m/s / 20-28kn at tops.

[kiter4fun123]

Hi!

Could anybody elaborate on this wing flapping of the sonic3?
In the reviews people both state that the kite is as stable as the soul but also that you have to get used to this wing flapping

When does this flapping occur? while looping, after a jump?
Is it similar to the speed5 behavior, ie if you don't redirect the kite correctly in the air (or too little pressure on the back lines) it gets 'loosy' in the air and needs to recover?

would be great with a comparison to the speed 5 as I guess sonic 3 is closer to this kite than to the soul family.
(AR is just a little higher as compared to the speed5)

Is it a more difficult kite then the speed5?

lot of questions but it's always exciting with new stuff

[Horst Sergio]

would be great with a comparison to the speed 5 as I guess sonic 3 is closer to this kite than to the soul family.
(AR is just a little higher as compared to the speed5)

Is it a more difficult kite then the speed5?

Yes, Sonic3 is closer to Speed5 than Soul, which stays the easiest kite of last years.
Yes, Sonic3 is more difficult than Speed5 as it has much higher performance and AR, something that you can compensate with newer development but never completely.

Could anybody elaborate on this wing flapping of the sonic3?
In the reviews people both state that the kite is as stable as the soul but also that you have to get used to this wing flapping

When does this flapping occur? while looping, after a jump?
Is it similar to the speed5 behavior, ie if you don't redirect the kite correctly in the air (or too little pressure on the back lines) it gets 'loosy' in the air and needs to recover?

Simplified there are two ways you can design stability of a wing tip:

1. The wing tip stays in turbulent conditions as long completely stable till it collapses to a big part without warning:

In the picture collapse up to 70% provocated during paraglide safety training, where it is no problem as beginner wing opens up by it self long before falling into the drink.
In kitesurfing this behaviour wouldn't be good if you standing in front of a tree or riding full speed on a race foil, as in both cases no more time to react until kite flies into tree or you will be pulled onto hydrofoil when it reopens.
Some older racekites as Chrono, Sonic1 and still a bit Sonic2 are significant more designed that way in comparison to Sonic3. And on top those kites will more likely tangle even after a just 20% collapse which means you have to immediately react the right way to untangle or ... go into the tree or the hydrofoil.

2. The Sonic3 tips are more designed the way that they start to collapse earlier, but with a smaller percentage rising continously the more "wrong" the angle of attack is and in this way more predictable.
When you see your Sonic3 starts to have 10% collapses in front of a tree it wants to tell you to better go away from it before the next collapse is 70%. And the Sonic3 will reopen in nearly all cases by it self when the turbulence or the wrong angle of attack goes away. But as this is a different behaviour you got to get used to it.

Personaly as said I prefer nr. 1. black and white behaviour, but easier and for most better for sure is nr. 2.
And if tips shake to much your shop can trim the wing tips towards higher stability thanks to the features flysurfer provides in his kites, but bevor doing this to much and landing at a significant lower performance a Soul or a Speed5 will be the better choice as already in general easier and more stable.

[Regularkiter]

Hi!

Could anybody elaborate on this wing flapping of the sonic3?
In the reviews people both state that the kite is as stable as the soul but also that you have to get used to this wing flapping

When does this flapping occur? while looping, after a jump?
Is it similar to the speed5 behavior, ie if you don't redirect the kite correctly in the air (or too little pressure on the back lines) it gets 'loosy' in the air and needs to recover?

it happens when you are about to land a jump and don't have enough tension on the bar. Same with kiteloops. This is why the kite is more technical to fly as you need to compensate for that. It takes maybe around 30 minutes to get used and then the folding tips will go almost completely away. It is kind of similar to speed 5 behavior. Soul does it too sometimes. If you make a mistake and land the jump without properly redirecting the kite (having equal tension on both steering lines) tip will fold, but it recovers 99% in a split second. Otherwise just backstall the kite and reinflate, and kite on hope this clarifies.

[Séb]

I had a wonderful lw session of snowkite yesterday with my Sonic3 18m and had none of the wing folding. Jumps where incredible, very smooth and long hangtime, loved it. Landing with line tension is probably key to avoid wing foldings like any high aspect foil kites. Kiteloop are not as powerful as the Soul 18m but it turn very smoothly and accelerate faster at the end of the loop. Can’t wait to try my 11m

[Adventure Logs]

I was hoping to be able to sneak down to the Gulf to do a couple quick sessions on my new Sonic3 11m but it doesn't look like I'll have the time before my next work rotation. So instead I did a quick unboxing with some first impressions. Here is it.

[a99]

Still, looking to launches of S3 no big changes, unpredictible as always and with uncontroled moments when you can be downwind dragged easy.

[kitexpert]

Simplified there are two ways you can design stability of a wing tip:

There is also a third way, to design wingtips they never collapse.

[foilholio]

Which is practically impossible on a foil kite.