The RamAir was a high-performance Wills Wing design of the early 1990s. Like other Wills Wing gliders of its era, it used the keyhole tang quick-connect hardware — a system first introduced years earlier on the Wills Wing Duck (1981) and still used on Wills Wing gliders today — which simplified glider assembly without bolts or wrenches.
Available in two sizes — 146 and 154 — the RamAir was rated for advanced pilots and represented the state of the art in high-performance hang glider design during the early-to-mid 1990s.
Specifications
| Specification | 146 | 154 |
|---|---|---|
| Area (ft²) | 146 | 154 |
| Hook-In Weight (lbs) | 145-260 | 160-270 |
| Pilot Rating | USHPA Advanced (IV) | |
| Va (mph) | 52 | |
| Vne (mph) | 60 | |
| Vs max (mph) | <25 | |
| Vd min (mph) | >46 | |
Specifications from Wills Wing placard data, circa 2000.
See Airworthiness Certifications for complete HGMA and DHV records.
Features
- Keyhole tang quick-connect system for rapid, tool-free assembly
- Advanced airframe construction for its era
- Double-surface sail design
- Kingpost-mounted configuration
- High-performance VG system
History
The RamAir was a notable high-performance design of the early 1990s. Like the Wills Wing gliders before and after it, it used the keyhole tang attachment system — first introduced on the Wills Wing Duck in 1981 — which allowed pilots to assemble their gliders quickly and securely without tools.
Paul Voight, in his 1997 review of the Ultra Sport, noted that his only complaint about Wills Wing gliders "since the RamAir" was the retention of the two nose battens — a testament to how the RamAir established the hardware platform that persisted through subsequent generations.
The RamAir followed the HP AT — Wills Wing's flagship competition glider and the platform for Larry Tudor's world records — and was itself succeeded by the Cross Country.
Reviews
Read the full reviews: RamAir 146 by Mark Stucky and RamAir 154 by Paul Voight
Originally published in Hang Gliding Magazine, June and November 1994.
"'Stiletto,' was the name that came to mind as I screamed along. The RamAir cuts through the air like a knife through butter — fast and clean." — Mark Stucky
Mark Stucky's technical review of the 146 applied formal flight test methodology, while Paul Voight's review of the 154 told the full story of the RamAir controversy, the grounding, the modification, and the glider's ultimate redemption.