Wills Wing glider production history


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Wills Wing glider production history

Steve Pearson launches in a prototype
Steve Pearson launches in a prototype in early 1978

Wills Wing has been the largest manufacturer of hang gliders worldwide since at least 1984(Ref). The grand total of 29,368 gliders manufactured over 48 years equates to an average of about 606 gliders per year or nearly 12 per week.


This page contains two tables. Each contains the same data, but they are ordered differently:

Bob Wills was originally the main designer at Wills Wing, aided by his brother Chris Wills and their old school friend Chris Price. After Bob was killed in 1977, Steve Pearson designed every Wills Wing glider, although Mike Meier co-designed the 1978 215 Alpha (the 155, 185, and 245 sizes are Steve’s), the 1980 Harrier 187 (the 177 and 147 sizes are Steve’s), and the 1984 Skyhawk 188 (the 168 is Steve’s). (Ref)

These statistics are dated 31/08/2021. This was when Wills Wing ceased manufacture at its Orange County, California, factory in preparation for moving production to Valle de Bravo, Mexico.

Chronological

Year Model subtotal total
1973 Standard Rogallo 400 400
1974 Swallowtail 270 670
1975 Super Swallowtail 1016 1686
1977 Cross Country 157 1843
1978 Alpha (78/79) 633 2476
1979 Omega 101 2577
1979 Omni 11 2588
1979 Raven 1498 4086
1980 Harrier 978 5064
1981 Duck 1438 6502
1984 Skyhawk 307 6809
1984 HP 170 (I & II) 1204 8013
1986 Sport (E & AT) 2616 10629
1989 HP AT 2008 12637
1990 Spectrum 558 13195
1991 Super Sport 929 14124
1993 Ramair 814 14938
1994 Falcon 5780 20718
1995 Cross Country (1995) 736 21454
1996 Ultra Sport 718 22172
1997 Fusion 598 22770
1999 Eagle 396 23166
2000 Condor 247 23413
2001 Talon 453 23866
2003 U2 1259 25125
2004 Sport 2 & 3 2033 27158
2005 T2/T2C & T3 1927 29085
2012 Alpha 283 29368

In order of quantity made

The following table ranks each glider model according to the number of that type manufactured (using the subtotals in the preceding table). Most models are superseded after a few years. However, the Falcon, which leads this table, has been in production continuously from its introduction in 1994.

1 Falcon 5780
2 Sport (E & AT) 2616
3 Sport 2 & 3 2033
4 HP AT 2008
5 T2/T2C & T3 1927
6 Raven 1498
7 Duck 1438
8 U2 1259
9 HP 170 (I & II) 1204
10 Super Swallowtail 1016
11 Harrier 978
12 Super Sport 929
13 Ramair 814
14 Cross Country (1995) 736
15 Ultra Sport 718
16 Alpha (78/79) 633
17 Fusion 598
18 Spectrum 558
19 Talon 453
20 Standard Rogallo 400
21 Eagle 396
22 Skyhawk 307
23 Alpha 283
24 Swallowtail 270
25 Condor 247
26 Cross Country (1977) 157
27 Omega 101
28 Omni 11

Reference

Steve Pearson of Wills Wing provided these statistics in August 2021: E-mail exchange with the author of this web site

2 thoughts on “Wills Wing glider production history

    1. Wow, hard to believe that Bob Wills and I were Test Pilots for Each SST that came off the assembly line back in 1976-1977. I believe I tested about 20 a week for almost a year while working for Wills Wing. That didn’t even seem like a job but we sure had fun. I really do miss Bob and wish he were around today to see all the cool Electronics that have come along since he passed away. AND Thank Chris Wills, Linda and Mike Meier and Steve Pearson for holding the company and making it as successful as it has been for well over 40+ Years!! David Vincent

      Like

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