Atair Aerodynamics - Cobalt Canopy

About the Cobalt

[ Cobalt pic ]

The Cobalt canopy is the result of 7 years of engineering and refinement by renown German and Slovenian engineers. The Cobalt is an exceptional computer-modeled and field-refined canopy design, possessing many technical advances that set it far apart from other elliptical canopies.

Special Features of the Atair Cobalt

Stable Elliptical:
The center of gravity is centered on the wing (as compared to the Stiletto where the weight of the jumper is suspended out near the leading edge of the airfoil) this makes for high performance with consistent easy-to-control flight. This also modifies the angle of attack creating a canopy with superior performance in turbulence.

Cross Porting:
The ribs 4 lines from each side are substantially solid with no cross-ports. What this does combined with several other design variables is to create a distinct staged deployment. The center cells will open first, they do not snivel. Several seconds later the slider will move down and the end cells will inflate. Openings are on-heading, soft, and almost robotic. Two stage, on-heading deployments, greatly eliminate the tendency for elliptical canopies to have spinning malfunctions on deployment. We have video available showing the deployment of the Cobalt compared to the deployment of the Stiletto. Ask for a copy; Seeing is Believing!

[ cobalt pic ]

Airfoil & Inlet Design:
The airfoil design creates more lift than competing canopies. Because of the placement of the inlets this lift is available in both high and low speed flight. You can fly a 95 Cobalt, load it over two pounds per square foot and land it in a straight-in approach, without building up speed, without running it out, and have plenty of flare. Or you can dive it and surf it out 200' , flare and pop back up again. The added lift gives an advantage to pilots favoring carves as well as makes for a slower forward speed. Typically experienced pilots will choose a Cobalt one to two sizes smaller than their chosen size of Stilletto. This makes for the performance you want at a smaller pack volume.

Tail and Control Line Design:
The tail and control line design are such that canopy is not sensitive to canopy collapse on over-flaring. Some competing canopies will bow-tie and collapse when slightly over flared.

Rib Design:
Canopies are flexible structures: the shape, the fabric, and the seam stitches. The shape one computer models and assembles is not the shape the canopy will inflate to under pressure. This has been extensively studied by Atair. The top skin of the Cobalt is manufactured from 18 panels as opposed to 9 as are our competitors'. This means the same type of stitching is used on every rib. Additionally, the airfoil shape has been modified so that the modeled optimum shape is present under pressure when the fabric stretches. This is quite complex as pressure distribution is not equal across the canopy and the fabric has a grain and does not stretch evenly in all directions. The unloaded ribs are shaped differently and shorter to account for above factors and to partially spread out force from the loaded ribs. This makes for a smoother airfoil without having to resort to separate cross braces.

The Cobalt canopy is available in the following sizes:
65,75, 85, 95, 105, 120, 135, & 150

All canopies come standard with the Atair double diamonds trademark on the bottom skin. Custom designs are also available. See our Dealer Locations page.

$1450 street price. For more information on the Cobalt, please contact us.