Dudek Snake

You are an experienced paramotor pilot, who tried the slalom flying and now is going to challenge the best.

You look for a fast and agile wing with perfect handling, turning on a dime. It has to be turbulence-proof too, so practically only a reflex wing counts.

If you complete that wish list with small paraglider size, there is only one answer to your dreams: the Snake.

Snake is designed for experienced pilots excelling in slalom tasks, or those just loving dynamic manouevres and rapid speed changes.

As standard it is fitted with 2D steering and PA system (Power Attack, also known as the Paap Kolar system).

Basic difference between Snake and Hadron is profile geometry that can be altered with trimmers, speed and Power Attack system, like it was in the Nucleon and Plasma.

At 5,9 aspect ratio its 59 cells look relatively modest, allowing for easy inflation and perfect internal pressure distribution. Synthetic rods on its leading edge (Flexi Edge Technology) bring considerably better launch characteristics and stability at high speeds.

The paraglider has the SL rigging (mostly sheathed lines, with some bare threads in the upper gallery).

2D steering system (featured as standard) is well known to the competitors, who have been using it with sport version of the rigging in some of our paragliders. It consists of two main steering going out of one handle, i.e. inner line, led through the pulley and affecting middle 2/3 of the trailing edge, and the outer one (outside of the pulley), connected directly to the outer 1/3 of the canopy.

Due to such division, experienced pilot can modify steering progression according to his own preferences. Everything depends on the pilot’s wit and experience. Those, for whom the Snake is intended, will be able to customize the steering system to their own liking.

Although Snake was designed as retaining features of the classic paraglider, use of the reflex airfoil added a couple of new traits. First of all, reflex airfoil means that stability of the canopy is no longer tied to the pilot only. The paraglider remains stable, rising or sinking when passing through lift or turbulence it stays over pilot’s head and does not require any action.

Action of the trimmer and speed systems brings lowering of the attack angle and uplifting the trailing edge, resulting in reduction of projected surface and chord of the wing by ca. 15%. This in turn increases paraglider’s wingload and speed. Accompanying forward travel of the centre of pressure adds better longitudinal stability. Such a change of loads makes the Snake collapse-resistant and simultaneously increases its projected aspect ratio, thus increasing its performance too (especially at high speeds).

Reduced reflexivity of the Snake with closed trimmers is at least partly compensated by its reduced size as related to maximum take-off weight, resulting with increased load factor.

Snake, as all other paragliders by Dudek is manufactured wholly in Europe, at our Polish production plant. In addition to our standing policy “quality first”, this allows the designer to directly control complicated production process (Laser technology) from the very beginning to the very end.

Pilots flying Snakes dominated 1st FAI World Paramotor Slalom Championships.

Concepts and technologies:

FET – Flexi Edge Technology

Snake’s canopy features Dudek Flexi Egde technology. Precise shape of the leading edge is closed to airflow, and its precise shape is guarded by reinforcements of laminated cloth combined with synthetic rods, which significantly improve launch performance and protect the paraglider against collapses at high speeds.

CSG – Canopy Shape Guard

Entire body of the Snake was designed under our CSG (Canopy Shape Guard) system, comprised of many subsystems resulting in exceptional coherence and durability of the canopy.

The Snake has an elliptical planform with slightly rearward swept tips. The cells are divided with ribs additionally supported by diagonal VSS (V-shaped supports) system. Such arrangement ensures a smooth top surface, exact aerofoil reproduction across the entire wingspan and yet more importantly,
minimal number of suspension points.

The lower surface features RSS (Reinforcing Strap System) applied in the wing’s interior. RSS is an ballooning-independent reinforcements system, made entirely of paragliding fabric, stiffening and stabilizing entire canopy structure.

Most of all, the CSG oversees three key factors:

• it forms the canopy, so that its shape remains as close to design as possible, with equally distributed loads. Lack of attention here would result in irregular surface with balloons instead of flat cells (unfortunately, stil quite a frequent sight, even on wings of ‘renowned’ manufacturers).
• CSG stabilizes canopy in flight. Not a single pilot likes to see his wing moving like an accordion, especially as it does significantly hamper its performance.
• CSG improves durability of the paraglider. Simple designs fairly quickly pay for locally accumulated stress with deformations – the most dangerous are those visible as lateral faults on the upper surface between suspension line rows. With the Nucleon Cabrio WRC that danger is practically eliminated.

DRA – Dudek Reflex Airfoil

Snake’s aerofoil is another product of our DRA (Dudek Reflex Airfoil) technology. It was calculated with our previous experiences in mind and thoroughly tested with numerical methods. It is a full bred reflex profile, with accordign characteristics.

Areas close to suspension points are reinforced with laminated cloth, and the cloads are equally distributed on three planes: vertical (through the ribs), diagonal through the VSS system and level through the RSS.
All crossports have been prepared using OCD (Optimised Crossports Design) technology. Carefully  designed shapes of the openings and their optimal placement between stress lines guarantee very efficient pressure distribution in the canopy and its quick inflation. These openings are scaled together with the ribs, so that their replicability is flawless and they do not disturb the aerofoil in any way.

Laser Technology

Snake is manufactured in new technology, utilising capabilities of precise laser cutter. The enitre production process takes place in Poland under strict supervision of the designer, ensuring highest European quality.

Cloth

The upper surface is made of Dominico Tex, 41 g/m2 weight.
The lower surface sports the same cloth, but weighing 34 g/m2
Ribs are made of Dominico Tex 41 Hard.
Reinforcements of the suspesion points and the leading edge use Porcher SR-Scrim cloth.

Rigging

Almost all suspension lines have coloured polyester sheath, with but a few of them unsheathed. Due to low number of lines we’ve made sure they are strong enough by choosing brown Technora inner core. In this way rigging remains strong and reliable.

Metal parts

All quick-links between risers and suspension lines are made of polished stainless-steel, with proven durability and resistance to corrosion. We use exclusively the attested quicklinks of French Peguet company.

ACS – Auto Cleaning Slots

On the wingtips you can find dedicated slots, automatically removing dirt and rubbish from the canopy.

Risers:

Snake features four-way risers, equipped with:

• 2D – multi-role steering handle (regular brakes)
• SCT (Sport Comfort Toggle) with Easy Keeper system
• ELR (Easy Launch Riser) – launch assist system. This is specially marked A riser (yellow cover)
• speed system affecting A, B and C risers, equipped with ball-bearing pulleys and specially suited line,
• comfortable speedbar of the Easy Catch system,
• trimmers with red trimmer tape, sporting a scale,
• PA (Power Attack) system – a merger of the trimmers with regular speed system, so that pushing your speedbar automatically and simultaneously releases the trimmers,
• various levels of steering line pulleys, depending on the suspension height used,
• TCL  (Tip Control Line) – allows for heading adjustments and turns even at high speed, without distorting reflex profile too much. Steering is done with dedicated red line, fixed to the corresponding stabilo steering line.

Some parts may work as well known from our other canopies the ALC and TST systems.

Complete kit you receive includes:

• Moto Bag (a backpack with separable quick-pac)
• Transport bag with compression strap.
• Easy Catch speedbar
• etui with documents and repair kit (self-adhesive cloth, spare line)
• wind ribbon or windsock
• small gifts

Total worth of these additional items amounts to almost 200 Euro.

– See more at: https://www.dudek.eu/en/paramotor-ppg/snake.html#sthash.T1HEMsGP.dpuf