Paragliding Ion 3 - 2015-2016

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ION 3 FLIGHTS BELOW

11/15/2016 gold hill 2:15 launch, nice conditions, pretty strong thermals, my ears popped once going up. Flew 1:40 hours. up to 14k next to Palmyra Peak. Large group flew, probably last drive up this fall. 118 Ion 3 flights, last Ion 3 flight before sale, 255 total flights since 2013 on Mentor 4, Ion 3, Bright 4 wings. 54 flights in 2016, 584 total flights since 1988.

11/9/2016 gold hill 1:45 pm launch, very light conditions, launched a bit early and could not climb up much, but stayed for a while above lift 9. About 1 hour. 117 Ion 3 flights, 254 since 2013, 53 flights in 2016, 583 total flights.

10/21/2016 gold hill 1 pm launch, low ceiling, nice mild mostly wind lift. 1 hour, with KS, Ann, Paul drove 116 Ion 3 flights, 253 since 2013, 52 flights in 2016, 582 total flights

10/8/2016 am gold hill 1.5 hours, to 14.5k, all good, mild. 114 Ion 3 flights, 251 since 2013, 50 flights in 2016, 580 total

10/7/2016 pm hike n fly gold hill. hour, to 13k

9/25/2016 nice pm fly gold hill, mellow, about 50 minutes, flew over a wedding 112 Ion 3 flights, 249 since 2013, 578 total flights

9/18/2016 - 2x today yesterday gold hill but no fly. Other big, but iffy conditions, dano big ears not going down, nice hawk soaring no effort. Rock climbed so no energy to go back gold hill this perfect evening

9/10/2016, 1 hour pm gold hill, 4 paragliders, 3 hangliders, stronger 10-18 mph gusts. all nice, 111 Ion 3 flights, 248 since 2013, 577 total flights.

9/8/2016, 1 hour pm gold hill flight, up to 14.5 k, with 4 hg and 3 pg, nice up, two tip fold, one in spiral over pearl, wind layer or shift, same time wind went 180. all very nic. 110 Ion 3 flights, 247 since 2013, 577 total flights. One flight per every 5 days so far in 2016.

August 21, 2016 50 minute gold hill am flight, up at launch then needle rock, plenty of up, had enough so spiraled down, do to ridgway. 109th ion 3, 246 flights since 2013, 576 total flights.

August 20, 2016, nice 1.5 hour gold hill am flight, thermal spirals with Kevin M over lift 9. 108th, 245 flights since 2013, 575 total flights.

August 14, 19, 2016 107th Ion 3 flight, gold hill am. Each flight about an hour. Lift everywhere today, went up over lift 9, then fly around clouds over mountain village. Valley floor landing, NM higher.

August 1, 2016, 105th Ion 3 flight, milkrun, early am, 243 flights since 2013, 573 flights total.

July 24, 25, 27 - 104th Ion 3 flight, 242 since 2013, 572 total. MR/LO to pearl and town park, 1 visiting pilot.

July 23. 22, 21 - 100th Ion 3 flight, 238 since 2013, 568 total. Today MR then GH east for an hour, 10 am nice launch, good lift chair 9, landed as conditions building up.

July 16, 2016, 96th Ion 3 flight, 234 since 2013, 564 total. LO, a tiny bit of lift...

July 12, 2016, 95th Ion 3 flight 233 since 2013, 563 total. MR to town park then pearl, all good, no lift, south wind.

July 9, 2016, 93rd Ion 3 flight, 231 since 2013, 561 total, see forever morning launch

June 26, 2016, 92nd Ion 3 flights, 230 since 2013, 560 total flights. Today am 2 milk run flights some up.

June 25, 2016 90th ion 3 flight, 228 since 2013, 558 total. Today 8am See Forever launch, then was able to thermal above Milk Run, gentle broad thermals. Flew an hour to about 12,000 feet then nice landing. Evening gold hill 6pm take off, waited for gusty wind to die down. Launch good and thermic but rough, slow to penetrate, stayed west of see forever ridge and went low over san sofia to a rough valley floor flying and good landing with south wind

June 24, 2016, 88th ion 3 flight, 226 since 2013, 556 total. Today milkrun to town park to pick up mail. Kinda thermic after launch.

June 3, 4, 5, 17, 18-19 x 2, 2016 87th Ion 3 flight, 225 since 2013, 555 total flights, MR-LO sledrides. Good steep launch, good landing after flying above hot air balloon(s), bluegrass etc.

https://youtu.be/L_ayYbjKsoc

May 30, 2016, 79th Ion 3 flight, 217 since 2013, 547 total flights, today hike and fly with Mic Key and 2 visiting pilots. Sled ride, nothing thermic.

May 29, 2016 78th Ion 3 flight, 216 since 2013, 546 total flights, today hike and fly with visiting pilot and Mic Key.

May 28, 2016 77th Ion 3 flight, 215 since 2013, 545 total flights. Today hike and fly with 3 visiting pilots, surprising lift over milkrun. Launch on snow.

click photo to enlarge

April 3, 2016, 75th Ion 3 flight, 213 since 2013, 86 gold hill, 543 total flights. Today launched noon GH, good up, went to 13,900 ft., felt the thermals were getting strong so decided to land after an hour. Did a dozen spirals over the valley floor without losing much altitude, due to north wind. Easy landing, flew between trees at the round about, nice landing. NM flew afterwards, big.

April 2, 2016, 74th Ion 3 flight, 212 since 2013, 85 gold hill, 542 total flights. Today launched 11:30 GH, good thermals in front and above launch. About an hour fly. Pearl 5 w easy landing. Later in the day NM and DO flew. DO high.

March 20, 2016, 73rd Ion 3 flight, 211 since 2013, 84 Gold Hill, 541 total flights. Today 11am take off GH, flew an hour, smooth, though lots of sink over the ski area and valley floor. Easy landing.

March 10, 2016, 72nd Ion 3 flight, 210 since 2013, 83 Gold Hill, 540 total flights. Today with JC, waited an hour for wind direction, light lift, mellow, about 50 minutes due to appointment. https://youtu.be/brp36t4kZE0

Feb 28, 2016, 71st Ion 3 flight, 209 since 2013, 82 Gold Hill, 539 total flights. 2/26 with RT, JC, Glider Bob in a thermal. Today a GH to pearl cruise, a few turns. The wind was variable direction, including NE. Smooth w 5 pearl landing. Flew with a 360 degree video camera, boot mounted. https://youtu.be/TosdLlZRP1Y

Feb 25, 2016, 69th Ion 3 flight, 207 flights since May 2013. 80 Gold Hill. 1 flight today. Waited 11:30 to 12:45 for wind to turn from north to west. Very buoyant air, rising and bumpy over the valley floor due to north wind component. good landing. https://youtu.be/D-6yKpVeaAA

Feb 21, 2016, 68th Ion 3 flight, 206 since May 2013, 79 Gold Hill. 1 flight today. gentle conditions, but clouds showed high upper winds so stayed lowish for about 50 minutes, spirals above the ski area. Easy west wind landing.

Feb 12, 2016, 67 Ion 3 flight, 205/may 2013, 535 total, 78 gold hill. 2 flights today. https://youtu.be/XsrkX19v9lg

Feb 10, 2016, 65 Ion 3 flights, 203 flights since May 2013, 533 total, 76 gold hill. 4 pilots inc me did not fly gh today due to gust speeds. 3 flights since dec 18.15. All 50+ min. Small thermals on the way down. Easy pearl landings. 3 or 4 no flys due to higher alt. or north winds. not great videos: https://youtu.be/rQJ8ea8-JGE https://youtu.be/gwotvWeRYRE

Dec 18, 2015, 63rd Ion 3 flight, 201 flights since May 2013, 531 total, 74 gold hill. Flew Gold Hill today noon launch, 5mph west wind, easy launch, not much lift, landed on Pearl.

Oct 14, 2015, 62nd Ion 3 flight, 200 flights since May 2013, 530 total flights, 73 gold hill flights. Flew milk run Oct 10/11/14 & gold hill 10/10 am, Nice GH fly, launched 1st out of 7, up for an hour, up to 13.5k landed after small increase in turbulence. No prob. Felt great.

Oct 8, 2015, 59th Ion 3 flight, 197 flights since May 2013, 527 total flights. Today a sled run from Gold Hill east morning launch. Snow at launch, weak lift, got un-motivated to try to fly long due to nay-say pilots, north wind component and late take off. Jeff C and Neal flew somewhere, maybe Lizard Head...

Sept 29, 58th Ion 3 flight, 196 f since may 2013, 526 ttl - Lookout autumn am flight.

Sept 26, 57th Ion 3 flight, 195 flights since May 2013, 70 Gold hill flights, 525 total flights, 1 lookout, 2 gold hill, am/pm, 2 hour pm, over see forever and mountain village core, bumpy pearl air 1000-200 feet, due north component of wind 5-12mph.

Sept 20, 54th Ion 3 flight, 192 flights since May 2013, 68 Gold Hill flights, 522 total flights. 1 today each milkrun and Gold Hill morning flights. Gold Hill video https://youtu.be/pGL_Ir8GfzQ

Sept 13, 2015, 52nd Ion 3 flight, 190 flights since May 2013, 520 flights total... 3 Lookout am, 1 Milkrun am, two pm Gold hill flights, 1 GH am flight, kinda bumpy, cautious and all went fine, gusty at Pearl landing several evenings, folks struggled a bit, I stayed south side and no turbulence, all good. https://youtu.be/zG7g7MhakHU and https://youtu.be/CVHcqbuTD10 and https://youtu.be/JcvooMfI7JM and

https://youtu.be/hl5cevCr2U4

Sept 7, 2015 45th Ion 3 flight, 183 flights since May 2013, 513 flights total...Milk Run am sled ride, all good, no flights since Sept 2 due to rain. video...https://youtu.be/f6csNS2uAjs

September 2, 2015, 44th Ion 3 flight, both am sled rides, from Lookout and Milk Run. Rainy weather has prevented Gold Hill flights for the last week. The Milk Run flight had a cravate at take off, could not clear, did not cause flight problems, video documented https://youtu.be/pdzCtYonz-c

August 24, 2015, 42nd Ion 3 flight. Two flights yesterday/today from GH bear creek am and 1 today GH pm. Today pm bumpy, big sink over the valley floor. I stayed away from clouds and all was good. Recent am sled rides 2 MR, 2 from Lookout. 65 total Gold Hill flights, 182 flights since mid May 2013, 510 flights total. Replaced my 14 year old Perche harness with a Skywalk Cult 3 foam harness. Passed the P4 exam so I can guide pilot in Telluride for the Telluride Airforce members and visiting pilots. https://youtu.be/VqMmflyU8aI

August 15, 2015 update, 36th Ion 3 flight, 62 Gold Hill flights, 504 flights total. 2 GH am fly on 14 & 15 August, thermaled up both days on a launch thermal, bumpy higher up, small wingtip collapses 2x and 1 20%+- collapse, no directional change. 1 hour each flight. 1 GH pm fly on 14 August about an hour in weak conditions. All good Pearl landings.

August 9, 2015 update, 33rd Ion 3 flight 59 Gold Hill flights, 501 total. Bear Creek am, 1:20 fly, GH West pm, 50 minutes, good fly. 5 pilots am, 3 pm, JC to Ridgway... https://youtu.be/Xu29zNIUqWU

July 29, 2015 update, 31st Ion 3 flight, 57 Gold Hill flights, 499 total flights. Bear Creek Launch GH am. Launched first, a bit early, thermaled up between lift 9 and needle rock. 50 minutes, nice landing video. Jeff C flew to silverton. video: https://youtu.be/TplOK2O3iNw

July 25, 2015 update, 30th Ion 3 flight, 170 flights since May, 2013, 498 total flights. 2 Lookout launches, town park and pearl landings. Today's flight from Gold Hill PM flight, 1 step reverse launch after JC, good thermals, flew to Ballard & Lena Basin, smooth pearl landing. 1 hour+ flight. video: https://youtu.be/7m_fSqC3sis

July 17, 2015 update, 27th Ion 3 flight, 167 flights since May, 2013, 495 total flights. Completed the 3 precision landings for my p4/guide pilot rating. My usual landings are full speed, straight, no turns and deep brakes as the glider stops. For precision landings I keep enough energy to overshoot the landing and dissipate it with turns and at the very last few feet some flapping of the wing using the brakes. This lets me reliably land in a 10 foot area. The landings are video documented https://youtu.be/wEtvG4mdVPQ

town park precision landing photo...

July 15, 2015 update, 24th Ion 3 flight from Lookout, Telluride, the first of 3 video documented precise landing my p4/Telluride Guide Pilot rating (within 10 feet, 3 different landing sites...). Fun 20 minute uphill hike, fly, precise land...

July 13 2015 update, 23rd Ion 3 flight, 3rd recently from milk run. Great set up, launch, precise landing... 164 flights since May 2013, 55 Gold Hill flights. About 491 flights since 1988.

July 4, 2015 update 22nd Ion 3 flight, 2 recently from milk run, Telluride. 163 flights since May 2013. 55 Gold Hill Telluride flights. About 490 flights since 1988.

May 17, 2015, 20th Ion 3 flight, 13 in Chamonix, France, Aguile Du Midi & mid station, now sent wing for NTT tuning and Beemer 3 reserve repack at Parafreddo Canada. All nice flights. Some Chamonix thermal/wind soaring, even above landing. Used the Red Line harness with a backpack, after checking with Red Line maker about strength over time and use. One asymmetric collapse, felt but no directional turning, popped out before could see it. 161 flights since May 2013. About 480 flights since 1988.

Chamonix flying, May 9, 2015

April 03, 2015 update 55 GH flights, 7th Ion 3 flight. Waited 1pm to 3pm before launching, waiting for winds to move from NW to W. 5-11 mph. Nice reverse take off, 13,500 ft above Gold Hill, some strong thermals, some bumpy air, landed Pearl in 5-10mph NW wind, very nice, landed exactly where wanted. About 1 hour flight.

March 22, 2015 update, 54 GH flights, 6th Ion 3 Pinky flight. Pre-frontal odd high altitude clouds. KS at launch when I arrived. I took off first, reverse, good thermals, but did not fly above 14k. It was bumpy, some wing tip closures, no direction change. Wing moving a bit overhead. Flew about an hour, landed valley floor, mostly since KS had landed there. Used big ears, speedbar over valley floor, impressive stable quick descent. Photo is of KS at Gold Hill launch.

March 21, 2015 update, 53 flights Gold Hill, latest today. Again changing wind. Launched great reverse west 5mph shortly after Jeff Cristol. Flew above Palmyra Peak and Lena Basin to 16,000. about 1.5 hours. Valley floor easy landing since above the floor it was bumpy so avoided Pearl and town park. JC flew to Ridgway! Photo below about 14k ft., above Palymyra, looking at photo left at San Joaquin Coulior

March 18, 2015 update. 52 flights Gold Hill, 146 total since May 2013, 4th Ion 3 flight. Last flight 3/16/15 from Gold Hill. Very changing wind, waited 2 hours to reverse launch at 2:30pm. Kinda bumpy, some north winds so avoided possible Pearl landing rotors by landing on the valley floor.

March 11, 2015 update. 51 flights from Gold Hill, 145 flights total since May 2013. Flights on 2/15, 2/19, 3/6,7,8/2015, take off noon-2pm. The last 3 flights on my new Nova Ion 3 retro pinky color. Great flights on the Ion 3, about 1:20 each, up to 15k over See Forever. I like the 3 line risers as it is easier to check. A faster and more responsive wing than the Bright 4, it seems to climb better also and the increased glide is very noticeable above landing. A 1kg heavier wing than the Bright 4, making me strong and considering using the light weight thin red line harness for hike-to-fly and travel...

February 10, 2015 update. 47 flights from Gold hill since spring 2013. 141 flights total since May 2013. Last flight on Feb 8, very nice and thermic.

Click here for video of a Jan 16, 2015 paraglide off of Gold Hill, 12,200 ft, Telluride ski Resort

January 8, 2015 update. 40 flights from Gold Hill, most recent today 134 flights total since May 2013. Nice winter ski area flight today, not so far above skiers on See Forever ridge and ski run.

Ion 3 paraglider sold, April 14, 2017

Keith Brown, 970.417.9513 keithtelluride@gmail.com

wing was in Telluride, CO 81435 USA

• Medium, 90 - 110 kg

• Manufactured in February 2015

• Special anniversary color, pinky magenta

• 118 flights, about 80 hours, click here for flight log, one owner

• NTT tuned, certificate below and attached.

• Sold with a new nova concertina bag, can give used speedbar and foot rest

• The wing has one repair outside fabric, near the pilot right wingtip, 1 inch tear patched from the inside. Near invisible, photos below.

• Ion 3 medium manual is attached as a pdf file

• Keith Brown 970.417.9513 keithtelluride@gmail.com

Click photos to enlarge

First photo is a nova ion 3 image, same colors as the wing, shown as I do not have a flying front image of the wing.

All photos below are of the actual wing for sale, click to enlarge

fabric color is pinky magenta, the first photo of the wing certificate looks red due to flash

NTT tuning certificate with date of manufacture

click photos to enlarge

below shows new nova concertina bag and used speed bar and foot rest included with wing

below shows 1 inch tear on the 2nd cell from pilots right wing tip, outer fabric before repair

below shows patch and tear before repair

patch was applied to inner fabric surface

photo shows repair from outside, repair made on 4/8/2017 by keith brown

click photo to enlarge