Roadrunner Review

What is the Roadrunner?

The Roadrunner is a kiting specific glider made to practice ground handling. It is not rated for flight but has become a staple glider for schools training new students. The Roadrunner is a great tool as it makes kiting easier. The risers are simple and easy to understand. The characteristics mimic a full sized glider, but at only 14m, you are able to safely kite in much higher winds.

Who is the Roadrunner for?

If you attend training at a school like Aviator Paramotor, the Roadrunner will be used as part of the training process. It will be the first glider you learn to kite on before moving up to a full sized glider. Previously, small speed wings were used for this role, but they didn’t mimic the characteristics of a full sized glider as well. The Roadrunner bridges that gap better.

If you are someone who is signed up for training but wants to get a jump start on your progression, the Roadrunner is a great tool for you. I highly recommend watching Aviator’s kiting video to learn all of the fundamentals. Because of its smaller size, it doesn’t present the same risks as kiting a full sized glider.

If you are already a pilot but want to keep your kiting skills sharp without putting the stress on your full sized glider, the Roadrunner is a great tool for you. Between UV exposure and the friction of dragging your glider across the ground, kiting can add more wear and tear than actually flying.

Price, Colors, Options, and Sizing

The Roadrunner costs $1,700 and comes in three color options. You can also do custom colors for $250 extra. There are no special options and it comes in one size, the 14m.

Riser, Lines, and Cells

The risers are extremely basic and easy to understand. It uses a 3 liner system with split As and magnetic brakes. This is perfect for learning. The lines are sheathed and color coded. It has a flat aspect ratio of 4.3 and a cell count of 27.

Inflation and Launch

The inflation characteristics are similar to a regular glider, just on a smaller scale. The Roadrunner doesn’t have a tendency to hang back. It will overshoot and collapse if you don’t check a surge, just like a full sized glider. You can also practice zero wind forward launches which is crucial for training.

In Flight Handling

I know everyone is tempted, but don’t fly this glider.

Safety and Collapses

Kiting in high winds is so much safer on the Roadrunner than a full sized glider. I have taken it out in conditions that were absolutely nuking. I was afraid to even pull the glider up, but was surprised how little it pulled in such strong conditions.

Landing

Not applicable.

Trike Use

Not applicable.

Free Flight Use

Not applicable.

Advanced Skills

This is the perfect glider to learn advanced kiting skills on. Tip touches or ground heli maneuvers are entirely possible to learn. The leading edge is reinforced specifically to take the abuse of learning these skills.

Cons

The Roadrunner doesn’t come with an easy bag, just a small bag that requires folding for it to fit. If you want to pack the glider up quicker, I would suggest picking up an easy bag as well.

Conclusion

If you have the funds available, I totally recommend picking up a Roadrunner prior to training. Kiting is a lot of fun and helps with your piloting skills, even long after training.

Roadrunner Review