FreeFlight LARA Reserve Parachute
Wills Wing now offers the new LARA (Low Aspect Ratio Annular) Emergency reserve parachute for hang glider and paraglider pilots. The LARA is a higher performance alternative to conventional Conical and PDA (Pulled Down Apex) configurations. The LARA’s aerodynamically efficient shape produces a higher drag coefficient and corresponding lower descent rate during an emergency deployment. It also offers the best value (price/performance) available today.
The LARA 250 was drop tested eight times by the United States military. Data was gathered at the rate of five samples per second utilizing a SOMAT data logger with on-board altimeter instrumentation. The average descent rate (corrected to sea level) with a 200 pound payload was only 17.5 feet per second! The US military uses 24 feet per second as a maximum allowable descent rate for emergency reserve parachutes. This low descent rate is comparable to the 24 gore PDA being manufactured by Free Flight Enterprises for tandem use.
Free Flight has drop tested all LARA models, with payloads 25% above nominal weight, at 90 knots. No canopies were damaged. These tests also verified the exceptional descent rate performance. (Note: Descent rates shown in the table below are based on average descent rates obtained in drop tests from airplanes conducted by Free Flight Enterprises. There is characteristically a significant amount of scatter in parachute drop test data).
There are no structural differences between the HG and PG canopies. The PG canopy can be converted for hang gliding applications by adding a bridle extension, however we strongly recommend a Paraswivel which is integral on the HG configuration. Without a Paraswivel, a spinning broken hang glider can close the canopy by twisting the bridle and shroud lines.
The LARA is available in three sizes (175, 250, 400) and four configurations.
The LARA Gold utilizes a Kevlar bridle and Spectra lines to reduce weight and pack volume. The “Gold” designation was chosen because the use of these materials increases the cost rather significantly.
The standard LARA has a Type 18 Nylon bridle and conventional lines.
The HG configuration includes a 24 foot bridle and integral Paraswivel.
The PG configuration includes a 4 foot bridle.
The LARA was designed by Vertigo Inc., and is fabricated 100% in America by Free-Flight Inc. The combination of Wills Wing, Free-Flight and Vertigo assure the highest standard of quality available.
Free Flight Enterprises LARA/PDA Parachute Manual -2012
Tech Bulletin #TB20060320 - Free Flight Parachute Packing Inspection (PDF file)
Paraswivel Advisory, May 2000 (PDF file) |
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Imperial Units: Change to Metric Units
| Specification |
LARA 175 Gold HG |
LARA 175 HG |
LARA 250 Gold HG |
LARA 250 HG |
LARA 400 Gold HG |
LARA 175 Gold PG |
LARA 175 PG |
LARA 250 Gold PG |
LARA 250 PG |
LARA 400 Gold PG |
| System Weight (lbs) |
4.7 |
6.3 |
4.9 |
6.8 |
7.8 |
3.9 |
5.2 |
4.1 |
5.7 |
6.8 |
| Pilot Weight (Max.) (lbs) |
175 |
175 |
250 |
250 |
450 |
175 |
175 |
250 |
250 |
450 |
| Descent Rate (f/s) |
18.5 |
| Comparable PDA Pack |
18 |
20 |
20 |
22 |
24 |
18 |
20 |
20 |
22 |
24 |
| Comparable PDA Desc. |
22 |
22 |
24 |
24 |
28 |
22 |
22 |
24 |
24 |
28 |
| Bridle Material |
Kevlar |
Type 18 Nylon |
Kevlar |
Type 18 Nylon |
Kevlar |
Kevlar |
Type 18 Nylon |
Kevlar |
Type 18 Nylon |
Kevlar |
| Bridle Length (ft) |
24 |
24 |
24 |
24 |
24 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
| Shroud Lines |
Spectra |
Conv. |
Spectra |
Conv. |
Spectra |
Spectra |
Conv. |
Spectra |
Conv. |
Spectra |
| Paraswivel |
Integral |
Integral |
Integral |
Integral |
Integral |
Optional |
Optional |
Optional |
Optional |
Optional |
| Sugg. Retail |
$930.00 |
$672.00 |
$969.00 |
$697.00 |
$1425.00 |
$777.00 |
$612.00 |
$816.00 |
$635.00 |
$1262.00 |
Key to Specifications
Note: Retail prices listed are Wills Wing's suggested retail prices not including packaging for shipment from the factory, freight costs to the destination, import and local taxes, and dealer preparation and delivery charges. For safety reasons, any products shown that require any particular expertise to install or use safely must be purchased through, and personally delivered to the end user by an authorized Wills Wing Dealer. Retail prices listed for gliders are applicable to gliders selected for purchase from the web site inventory glider list. For any glider not selected from the inventory list, at a minimum, a charge of $150 for customer selection of colors will apply, (except for the T2C where customer color choice is included in the price), in addition to any applicable upgrade charges for extra cost options selected. Inventory gliders are created in the process of balancing sail cloth inventory and selling used demo gliders or gliders resulting from cancelled orders. Inventory gliders may not always be available in all models and sizes.
Note: Wills Wing authorized dealers are independent business entities, are not employees or agents of Wills Wing, do not directly represent Wills Wing, and are not authorized to enter into contracts, agreements, or commitments on behalf of Wills Wing. Although Wills Wing safety policies require that certain items be purchased from an authorized Wills Wing dealer, those policies do not require that an order be placed with any specific Wills Wing dealer, and any such order that is placed with a Wills Wing dealer is considered by Wills Wing to be an agreement entirely between the dealer and the customer. Although Wills Wing policies state certain expectations of authorized dealers, Wills Wing does not evaluate dealers with respect to either their ability to meet or the degree to which they customarily meet such expectations. Customers are encouraged to conduct all appropriate due diligence in evaluating any authorized Wills Wing dealer with whom they plan to do business.
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