Flightgeist
Anton Sisa Don Ropers
FLIGHTGEIST
Abstract of the degree project by Anton Ropers for the exam session e.g. 2024/25, 25.1
at the Faculty of Design and Art of the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano in cooperation with unibz
Supervisor: Dipl. Des. Klaus Hackl – Second Supervisor: Prof. Aart van Bezooijen
FLIGHTGEIST is a hybrid functional paragliding and lifestyle cockpit bag, that allows the target audience (young modern pilots, with multi-functional needs) to exercise this ever growing alpine sport, in a safe and practical way. Paragliders often have the problem of having to carry a lot of small singular equipment such as their; variometer, gloves, helmet, sunglasses, ski masks, drop weight for tree rescues, etc., that often don’t have space in the highly engineered backpacks and harnesses. The nylon bag(s), aim to be sling bags, that can be worn in a fashionable way at work, university, and while commuting or hiking up to the take-off site, while also having the secondary function of being rigified with fiberglass tent poles, that can then consequently also be expanded over the pilots legs in the paragliders two main carabiners, to then allow the pilot to VELCRO ® their variometer, and GPS to the flight instruments panel (bag) over their legs, in their seated position. Through possible partnerships with the above named registered trademarks or an established paragliding brand, FLIGHTGEIST has been developed through the phases of research, design, development, prototyping, and finally the realization, to invent and create a functional and aesthetically pleasing final paragliding product, backed by the ethos of a photographic documentation, and a design documentation.
The Bag in flight mode, to which the user can attach their flight instruments.
The power frame unfolds with the use of fiberglass tent poles. The user can then attach the velcro sleeves, to which they can attach their flight instruments on the horizontal bottom face of the bag.
The bag and the power frame can be folded super small and be hung on the back of the paragliders rucksaeck, when commuting or hiking to the takeoff spot.
unfolding the powerframe
Photoshop montage over the pilots shoulder while flying. The bag could serve as a way to get a snack and the velcro powerframe, as a place to attach navigational instruments.
