Mojo PWR 2 Review
What is the Mojo PWR 2?
The Mojo is Ozone’s most successful and popular beginner glider. It is the glider that countless pilots have taken their first flight on and the glider that many schools use for training across the world. It has a proven track record and continues to be an excellent choice for beginners.
I personally have a lot of experience flying the Mojo, collapsing the Mojo, and teaching my friends to fly with the Mojo.
Who is the Mojo PWR 2 for?
The Mojo serves a few roles. First, it is a popular choice for schools to train students on. For many people, the Mojo is the first glider they will touch, kite, and fly. From its simple risers, passive safety, and docile handling, it is a very welcoming glider for new pilots. It is a great platform to learn the basic skills of launching, landing, and maneuvering.
By the time students have gained 25-50 flights, most are ready to graduate to something a little more advanced like a Spyder or Roadster. However, some pilots prefer to stick with the Mojo to continue refining their skills. Maybe that is a nice way of saying “pilots who aren’t naturally gifted.” For these pilots, the Mojo is the first glider they will purchase in order to gain confidence and skills outside of training.
The Mojo is a great option for pilots that just want the safest possible option. The type of pilot that doesn’t care about maximum performance and advanced maneuvers but prioritizes safety above all. The type of pilot who is content with just seeing the world from above. The Mojo can serve as a comfortable forever wing for those pilots.
The Mojo can also be a great crossover glider as it can be used for unpowered freeflight. Whether you are ridge soaring or thermalling, the Mojo can be a one wing solution for pilots looking to do both. I have used the Mojo for some midday motor thermalling flights and it is a ton of fun. The passive safety of the Mojo puts your mind at ease when trying to find thermals. I wouldn’t want to use a glider like the Spyder or anything more advanced for a flight like that.
Price, Colors, Options, and Sizing
The Mojo comes in at $3,800 and is available in three different colors. Ozone is still using the classic color scheme with a white bottom skin. Custom colors can be added for $250. There are no other special options for this glider.
If you are taking your very first flight on the Mojo, I would recommend loading it at 60-80%. Being at this loading will make the launches easier and the landings softer. If you are purchasing a Mojo to be your first glider out of training, I would aim for the 80-100% range. This will help improve the handling and make the glider feel more dynamic.
Risers, Lines, and Cells
The risers on the Mojo are extremely simple. It has a 3 liner design which means there are only As, Bs, and Cs, all of which are color coded. The As are split in two, leaving the inner As for inflation and the outer As for big ears. The trims come locked from the factory, presumably so new students are not able to mess with them. The locking mallion can be easily removed to enable the trims. Unlike other Ozone gliders, the neutral position is fully closed. I prefer to fly this glider half way out in most circumstances. The trim range is very small so you will only notice a slight increase in top speed. More notably, you will find that the glider inflates faster and has less of a tendency to hang back with the trims open. You will also notice a more powerful flare if you land trimmed out. You are allowed to pull the brakes throughout the full trim range. The speed bar is also relatively short but it makes for a very safe platform to become familiar with speed bar use.
The lines on the Mojo are all fully sheathed and color coded. The sheathing protects the lines and makes them less likely to tangle. The brakes do come a little long from the factory. I have no problem flying them at the stock length, but you may like to shorten them as you gain skills. Just don’t make them too short!
The Mojo has a flat aspect ratio of 4.9 and a cell count of 40. This means it is pretty “boxy” which contributes to its passive safety. The cell openings are large. They just want to fill with air and reinflate the glider if a collapse were to happen. The Mojo uses a “classic” profile meaning there is no reflex in the airfoil.
Inflation and Launch
The inflation of the Mojo is one of the best when compared to other beginner gliders I have tested. It does not have that tendency to get “stuck” at the three quarters point and fall behind. Still, you may find the Mojo a little slow to inflate in zero wind conditions. To overcome this, I sometimes let the trims out to half or full and use a little power on a forward launch.
The Mojo has a massive amount of pitch stability which is great for beginners. At the neutral trim setting, it does not have a tendency to overshoot which can lead to the glider unloading and the pilot face planting. If you choose to trim out for an easier inflation, be aware that it may want to slightly overshoot.
Once the glider is overhead, the launch comes with no surprises. A touch of brake pressure will smoothly lift you from the ground once you are at take off speed.
In Flight Handling
Compared to the original Mojo, the handling was much improved on the newest “PWR 2” version. It is still very docile which is what you want in a beginner glider, but you don’t feel like you need to man handle the glider nearly as much. It does take quite a bit of brake range to achieve step turns, but again, this is what you want on your first flights. A beginner glider is meant to keep you safe so the handling should not be dynamic. The Mojo actually makes a great platform to learn wingovers on because you really have to understand the timing and outside brake pressure to achieve them. Compared to the Moxie PWR, the Mojo PWR 2 has slightly better handling. This glider is not a speed demon, even with the addition of trims and speed bar. If you are flying with a group of reflex gliders, you will certainly be the slow guy.
Safety and Collapses
The Mojo has a large amount of passive safety. It is designed to recover from collapses with minimal pilot input and is a glider I would trust in strong thermals, rotor, or any gnarly air. However, compared to the original Mojo or the new Moxie, I did find it to not recover as well from induced collapses. While it falls into the “A” category, Ozone only technically rates the 24-28m as A rated within the PG weight range with the trimmers locked. That being said, it is one of the safest gliders Ozone makes with only the Moxie being safer.
Landing
Coming from the original Mojo, Ozone significantly improved the flare. Much like all Ozone gliders, it is very predictable and does not have a tendency to give out at the last moment. In zero wind conditions, I do wish it had a little more power in the flare. To compensate for this, I often land it trimmed out. This makes the glider come in with more speed, but as long as you know how to convert that speed into flare power, it will lead to a softer landing.
Trike Use
The Mojo is a pleasure to fly on a trike. Its pitch stability and symmetrical inflation makes learning how to fly a trike much easier with the Mojo. Launches and landings are stress free. I would recommend loading the Mojo around 80% for fixed hang point trikes. I found that the combination of fixed hang points and higher loading can lead to oscillations. If you need a beginner glider specifically for heavy trike use, I would go with the MojoMax.
Free Flight Use
With the classic profile and passive safety, the Mojo makes a great beginner free flight wing. I have mostly used it for motor thermalling to get the best of both worlds. It inspires confidence when flying in thermic conditions, especially for someone who isn’t familiar with free flight.
Advanced Skills
The Mojo is a great platform to safely build your skills on. Instead of jumping to an advanced glider that will basically do wing overs by itself, I encourage pilots to learn on something like the Mojo. It will make you work for wing overs, it will teach you the importance of timing and outside brake, but will not punish you if you make a mistake. The passive safety of the Mojo makes it an excellent choice for learning wing overs. Honestly though, you will have a hard time making it barrel roll as the handling and energy just isn’t there. It will do a nice SAT and foot drag.
Cons
The biggest con is the presence of oscillations at the max loading. If you are a capable pilot that knows how to handle oscillations, this is no big deal. But for a new student, I recommend staying at or below 80% loading in order to avoid this.
To nitpick, I wish the flare was a little more powerful while trimmed in and the inflation was a little easier. Gliders like the Moxie and Spyder spoil you in this regard.
Conclusion
If you are a beginner pilot, you cannot go wrong with the Mojo. It is such a proven platform that will keep you safe and allow you to gain the basic skills of paramotoring. The Mojo strikes a great balance between safety and handling which makes it ideal for those first 25-50 flights. If you are an advanced pilot looking to dabble in the world of free flight, the Mojo can be a great fit for you.
Original Mojo First Impressions
Mojo PWR 2 First Impressions
Mojo PWR 2 Official Review