The Spiruline is the big succes of Little Cloud and for a good reason, from the begining, the Spiruline has been a good solution for any pilot who wants a wing for soaring, hike&fly, and for light weight pilots or people who just want an easy and funny wing.
There is now two kind of Spiruline :
– The GT is a performant wing with the accessibility of an EN B wing, and the fun and simplicity of the Spiru.
– The EZ is the very fun and easy one. Depending on the size, the possibilities are huge.
The EZ is available in many sizes :
7,5 m2 (proto) – 9 m2 – 12 m2 – 14 m2 – 16 m2 – 18 m2 – 20,5 m2 – 24 m2 et 26 m2.
This review is about the 12 m2, because each size has a very different behaviour depends on the wing loading.
The 9 is very close to the 12 but more « extreme »
The 14 comes this year to complete the range of sizes and gives a good compromise between the 16 and the 12.
Design
The Aspect ratio of 4.2 is quite big for 12 m2 but not extreme, combined to the number of cells, it gives to the Spiru a very good glide and performance but some sensitivity on wicked conditions.
The lines are short, strong and very easy to untangle which is nice for hike&fly rough take off.
Risers 3 lines, simple and good quality finish, the button to connect the risers is very handy.
The trims are high enough to be manipulated while keeping the handles in hand.
The speed is between 45-47 km/h trims closed, and 55-57 km/h full open for a 80kg AUW (All Up Weight).
The weight of the wing itself is 2.6kg, which is pretty light for hike&fly and can be lighter if you change the risers.
A light version is also available but only in ordering.
Behaviour
The take off is obvious, you just have to walk a few steps to rise the wing up above your head. It needs some speed to take off but nothing extreme, just give a good acceleration and here we go !
In flight, the handle control is very responsive and precise.
The break pressure is hard and the wing is very reactive on the roll axis.
However the break range is long and the handles become very hard before the stoll point but once you find it, it comes fast.
The roll barrels are amazing, the first one may need a little turn before, but then, the next barrels will turn very fast with a little G-force feeling.
The harness control is surprising. It’s also very reactive on roll, so reactive that you can just play on piloting only this way, you’ll even need a bit of break to calm down the energy of the wing.
The impression of many pilots who try the EZ12 and 9 for the first time is ambivalent.
You feel that it’s a high potential wing but ask yourself if you got the skills to fly it.
After a few flights, you feel confortable with it and realise the potential of this wing.
The glide ratio is just crazy for a 12 m2, we measured 6.5 with a gps for a 80kg AUW. This is the biggest strength of this EZ, you can soar even if paragliders are not flying backwards, climb up in strong but not extreme thermals or gently glide to a far landing after linger on a grassy slope you wanted to ride until the end.
Trims closed, the wing is quite nose-up, so it has tendency to pull-up (swing) after little turns, it’s easier to keep flying close to the ground with the trims a little bit open.
Trims full open, the wing’s behaviour changes, it dives more but not as much as a speed-riding wing. It could be good to pilot with the harness and the C risers with open trims because handle piloting have tendency to make the wing spin on big turns.
For landing, the Spiru EZ doesn’t need any extra speed.
With trim closed, it could even be tricky if you make a big turn at landing, because the pull-up may get you quite high. Then the ensuing diving might make you land a bit hard. To avoid that, a paraglider’s approach is a good way. You can also open a little bit the trims to “break” the pull-up (swing).
Land open trims is even easier and the swoop becomes amazing. You still don’t need any extra speed, just wait to get very close to the ground an pull a bit on C or handles, and cross the whole landing zone to finish by a smooth walk in front the astonished paragliders !
The EZ is not a speed riding wing, eventhough, it’s very confortable on skis. The short lines make the wing easy to control and follows you as a speed riding wing. But you need to be good on controlling your speed and ride smooth slopes otherwise the glide will take you off.
Characteristics
Applications
WE LIKE
- Versatility
- Glide ratio
- Fun
- Simplicity
- Lightweight
WE LIKE LESS
- Lack of dive
- Spinning on big turns full trims open
Video review :
