The Falcon 3 represents a significant design upgrade to what has been the most popular glider in Wills Wing’s history. Since 1994, the Falcon line has been the overwhelming favorite first-purchase glider for new pilots, as well as a very popular choice for more advanced pilots looking for the easiest, most convenient access to soaring available.
With the Falcon 3, soaring potential, ease of use, and convenience have all been enhanced once again.
Notable Features of The Falcon 3 - Can be short-packed to under 7 feet (2.1 m) for transport
- Quick – attach nose cone enhances performance
- Optional Litestream performance control bar can be bolted on with no change to flying wires
- Transverse batten extends washout support provided at wingtips, allowing for reduced number of reflex bridle lines and lower cable drag
- All main frame tubes are 7075 – T6 drawn seamless tubing for maximum strength to weight ratio
- Expanded double surface and improved sail cut yield enhanced aerodynamics
- Handling is light and quick, yet remains comfortable and reassuring
Falcon 3 Performance Less than ten days after the first production Falcon 3’s left the factory, a demo Falcon 3 170 had been flown 205 miles by Davis Straub for a new single surface cross-country world distance record. Davis’ flight is certainly unique, but it speaks to the performance potential of the Falcon 3. With its improved aerodynamics and superb handling, the Falcon 3 provides the easiest access to soaring performance in the widest variety of conditions. For developing pilots, this is a glider that will allow you to have longer flights more often, and as a result will help you improve your flying skills more rapidly. For experienced pilots, the Falcon 3 will remind you of just how simple and how enjoyable soaring flight can be.
Falcon 3 Sizes The Falcon 3 is in production in four sizes: 145, 170, 195 and Tandem. The Falcon 3 Tandem is now also the recommended Falcon model for solo pilots who are outside the top of the recommended weight range for the 195. (The Falcon Tandem handles and performs exceptionally well for solo pilots as light as 185 lbs.)
Falcon 3 Options Control Bar
All Falcon 3 145's, 170's and 195's will be produced and shipped with round downtubes and a round, speedbar (comfort bar) basetube. (Note that these control bars are different from, and not interchangeable with AT type control bar used on earlier Falcons - see the article Falcon Control Bars Not Interchangeable for more information.) This control bar configuration will accept either the 5 inch diameter Hall wheels or the 8 inch diameter Finsterwalder wheels, mounted directly on the basetube. As an option, Falcon 3 170 and 195 owners can purchase for $600 an additional Litestream Control bar kit – consisting of a complete Litestream performance control bar – streamlined downtubes and streamlined basetube, along with all fittings, that will bolt right on to the Falcon 3 using the same flying wires that came installed on the glider. The Litestream control bar will accept the Wills Wing Streamlined Wheel Kit as an additional option. (The Litestream control bars that fit the Falcon 3 170 and 195 are the same Litestream control bars that fit the corresponding sizes of the Falcon 2).
Sail Colors
All panels in the Falcon 3 sail are available for use of colored sailcloth. Inventory gliders will have factory selected colors on Panel One (top surface leading edge) and Panel 5 (bottom surface), and customers can select their own colors for these panels for the normal $150 custom color choice charge. When custom color choice is selected, additional color choices can be selected for Panel 3 (mid-chord panel) and Panel 4 (trailing edge panel) for an additional $75 per (full span) panel. The tip panels on the Falcon 3 are separate panels to accommodate the shaping in the sail. These panels will normally be white, but if the custom color choice option is selected, colors can be chosen for these panels at no additional charge.
Sail Materials
All panels in the Falcon sail will be made normally with 4 oz woven sailcloth. There is no option for the use of heavier woven materials. There is an option, on custom color choice sails on Falcon 3 170's and 195's, for a the use of PX05 Mylar in Panels #3 and #4 (the single surface portion of the sail), for an additional charge of $150.
Optional Falcon 3 Short Pack Deluxe Transport / Storage Container
The Falcon 3 can be broken down to a short pack length of seven feet (195), or six and a half feet (170) for transport, shipping or storage. Wills Wing offers an optional protective container, specially designed to provide maximum protection and transport convenience for your Falcon 3. The overall dimensions of the container allow shipping by most common carriers such as UPS, and allow you to check the glider as baggage on most airline flights.
The Deluxe Transport / Storage Container consists of a protective corrugated plastic box / liner inside of a heavy duty, ballistic cloth zippered bag. The entire glider – sail, airframe, battens and cover bags – fits inside the container. The internal box provides shape to the container, maintains the specific dimensions of the package and protects the airframe tubes of the glider from damage. The ballistic outer bag provides additional damage protection for the sail and airframe.
Falcon 3 Short-Pack Instructions (excerpt of Falcon 3 manual)
Wills Wing 
