Nova have replaced the highly-acclaimed EN B Mentor with an all-new design, the Mentor 2.
Nova say the original Mentor dominated its class in the online contests, and was renowned for its excellent performance, uncomplicated handling, and high safety. To build an even better successor designer Hannes Papesh had his work cut out, and the finished Mentor 2 is a very different design.
It has a new suspension system with just three line levels, fewer attachment points at each line level, and load optimised line diameters, meaning a 30 percent line drag reduction. A new aerofoil gives increased pitch stability, and the wing also has long brake travel and a high collapse resistance, giving pilots a huge amount of peace of mind.
Mini ribs at the trailing edge help to improve the surface finish, thereby increasing performance. There is no Mylar in the leading edge, sturdy polyamide rods being used in their place. These are lighter than Mylar, and offer good support for the wing shape without being fragile or requiring fussy packing techniques. In fact, this is how Nova say you can pack your Mentor 2.
The wing curvature has also been increased for more stability and better handling, and Nova say it means it is easier to centre in thermals.They have also actually reduced the aspect ratio compared to the Mentor, which makes cravats much less likely.
All of these improvements to safety have not reduced its performance. In fact, Hannes claims “it performs like a wing that’s two categories higher…”
The Mentor 2 is available in four bright colour schemes. Sizes XS (70 – 90 kg), S (80–100 kg) and M (90–110 kg) have already passed the certification tests and are in production. Sizes XXS and L will follow soon.
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