Calipt'Air Vectis

Last updated
Vectis
Role Paraglider
National origin Switzerland
Manufacturer Calipt'Air
Status Production completed
Produced mid-2000s
Unit cost
€2,675 (Vectis L, 2004)

The Calipt'Air Vectis is a Swiss single-place, paraglider that was designed and produced by Calipt'Air of Spiez. It is now out of production. [1]

Switzerland federal republic in Western Europe

Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a country situated in western, central and southern Europe. It consists of 26 cantons, and the city of Bern is the seat of the federal authorities. The sovereign state is a federal republic bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland is a landlocked country geographically divided between the Alps, the Swiss Plateau and the Jura, spanning a total area of 41,285 km2 (15,940 sq mi). While the Alps occupy the greater part of the territory, the Swiss population of approximately 8.5 million people is concentrated mostly on the plateau, where the largest cities are to be found: among them are the two global cities and economic centres Zürich and Geneva.

CaliptAir

Calipt'Air AG was a Swiss aircraft manufacturer based in Spiez. The company specialized in the design and manufacture of paragliders and also produced a line of emergency parachutes.

Spiez Place in Bern, Switzerland

Spiez is a town and municipality on the shore of Lake Thun in the Bernese Oberland region of the Swiss canton of Bern. It is part of the Frutigen-Niedersimmental administrative district. Besides the town of Spiez, the municipality also includes the settlements of Einigen, Hondrich, Faulensee, and Spiezwiler.

Contents

Design and development

The Vectis was designed as a performance intermediate and competition glider. The models are each named for their relative size. [1]

Operational history

Reviewer Noel Bertrand described the Vectis in a 2003 review as the company's "top of the range wing". [1]

Variants

Vectis S
Small-sized model for lighter pilots. Its 11.68 m (38.3 ft) span wing has a wing area of 24.8 m2 (267 sq ft), 63 cells and the aspect ratio is 5.45:1. The pilot weight range is 65 to 85 kg (143 to 187 lb). The glider model is DHV 2 certified. [1]
Vectis M
Mid-sized model for medium-weight pilots. Its 12.16 m (39.9 ft) span wing has a wing area of 26.9 m2 (290 sq ft), 63 cells and the aspect ratio is 5.45:1. The pilot weight range is 80 to 100 kg (176 to 220 lb). The glider model is DHV 2 certified. [1]
Vectis L
Large-sized model for heavier pilots. Its 12.63 m (41.4 ft) span wing has a wing area of 29 m2 (310 sq ft), 63 cells and the aspect ratio is 5.45:1. The pilot weight range is 95 to 120 kg (209 to 265 lb). The glider model is DHV 2 certified. [1]

Specifications (Vectis L)

Data from Bertrand [1]

General characteristics

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 53 km/h (33 mph; 29 kn)
  • Rate of sink: 1.1 m/s (220 ft/min)

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Bertrand, Noel; Rene Coulon; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2003-04, page 14. Pagefast Ltd, Lancaster OK, 2003. ISSN 1368-485X
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