RizzyWizzy

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Best Gibbo wing for an HKS700e motor: Revision

Last updated by RizzyWizzy

Categories: Trike Talk

This is my dilemma, I really like Gibbo wings, in pictures they look like they are built like a tank. But every time I muster the courage up to think about buying one (even though Gibbo has a great loyal following), I get a lot of opinions from the people that swear by Northwing (but everyone is entitled to their opinions). I am hoping to make a rational decision here not based on just the opinions. I think Gibbo wings are priced very fairly too (almost 3k less than a Northwing). 

So I have two questions for Gibbo wing flyers. I have an HKS 700e motor with a 19 meter strutted Northwing. The other day I was flying near Payette, Idaho and the air was very turbulent so it required some effort on my part to fly.  

My question is this what Gibbo wing is best matched to a HKS 700e motor which many say is a little bit stronger than a 503. For the most part I fly by myself, but my dad is moving to Idaho next year and I will be flying him quite frequently and wanted a Wing that can accommodate two 200 pound people. I think my trike (Northwing Navajo) empty weight with the HKS motor is about 540 pounds. Put two 200 pound passengers and now we are looking at 940 pounds. With all that weight and an HKS motor. What Gibbo wing is the best match? 

I am not a cross country pilot, I am a patch flyer. But I am looking for a wing that I can fly by myself in strong turbulence (and it doesn't require as much effort as a 19 meter wing) in turbulent air or thermals but which also has the ability of hauling two passengers occasionally with an HKS 700e motor and not overwork the engine (with one or two passengers). 

I still love my 19 meter Northwing, it also is a blast to fly in calm conditions. At one time I thought of getting a Gibbo 17 meter RST wing (instead of the more popular 15 meter RST) to give me better ability of hauling two people (a pilot and a passenger). But then I thought, what if the difference is not significant between a 17 meter Gibbo and a 19 meter Northwing? One of my all time favorite wings was an Aeros  Stranger (maybe a Stream) (I believe it is 16 meter double surface) I loved the way it handled.

 

What are you suggestions? Is there anyone by Boise, Idaho or nearby areas that flies Gibbo wings, I sure would like to test fly the wing to get a better feel for it. Please help me out make a good decision here.

 

Rizzy