[wingspan33]

The headline reads -

"MIT makes compressed graphene sponge material that is 20 times less dense than steel but 10 times stronger, light as stryofoam but stronger than steel"

After reading this article I envisioned a hang glider frame that weighs half of its sail weight! Imagine, a high performance hang glider that only weighs 30-40 lbs.

Certainly this material is not a year away, but the article describes how it could be made by 3D printers! The graphene could even be substituted with other substances (like some form of aluminum alloy?) coating a polymer substrate, resulting in a lighter weight, stronger material. Imagine Wills Wing 3D printing their own LEs, keels, cross-spars and down tubes!

See here - http://www.nextbigfuture.com/2017/01/mi ... ponge.html

[Rick Masters]

Think rigid wing.

[wingspan33]

Think rigid wing.

I did give that some thought. However, it could be tough to make a "flex" wing totally out of the new graphene material. I'd bet that a 40 or 50 to 1 ridged wing hang glider could probably be produced and weigh in at maybe 40 lbs. ( ? ? ? ) or less! But who knows.

The advantage to making the frame only from this graphene material is that the complete wing could still be broken down into a smaller package for transport.

After all, we all know how collapsible canopies have increased in popularity because they can be easily crammed into a large pouch and thrown into a car's trunk. We don't need to make hang gliders much lighter with better LD, but even harder to transport.

This graphene material initially made me think about how the interiors of birds' bones are a kind of calcium foam with a relatively thin outer calcium shell. Therefore, why not HG frame members made out of graphene!

Lots of stuff to think about here!