technology
As described above, everyone thinks, logically foam out, the boards must become lighter! This is also correct, this was known and tried out long before airinside. But nobody has managed it yet. Why? There are many reasons, here is a brief summary.
Shape: In the noughties, shapes became shorter, wider and thinner. This is bad for airinside because the volume/surface ratio becomes unfavorable, i.e. flat and wide shapes have a larger surface area for the same volume. An example: a 2m long tube with a volume of 100l has a surface area of approx. 1.7m2. A cuboid with a volume of 100 liters, a length of 2 meters and a thickness of 8 cm has a surface area of approx. 2.9 m2. This means a surface area that is more than 70% larger. Of course, boards are never a tube or a cuboid, but the larger surface area must first be compensated for.
How does that work?
Carbon technology: All manufacturers have been working with carbon for a long time. But there are different qualities of carbon. The airinside/Flikka construction only works with the highest quality carbon, which is 70% stronger than the “normal” carbon found in commercial fabrics, for example. Airinside/Flikka manufactures the carbon fabrics themselves, so fiber direction and fiber quantity can be optimally incorporated. This is Americas Cup technology applied to airinside/Flikka.
Resin technology: airinside/Flikka has many years of know-how in resin technology. Here too, there are many different qualities of resins. It’s not about “better or worse”, it’s about being able to use the right adhesive correctly. Airinside/Flikka manufactures the resins in the right formulation itself, which is the only way to ensure that we can produce lightweight and durable boards.
Prepreg technology: all airinside/Flikka boards are manufactured with prepreg at 170°C in an autoclave (overpressure chamber). Over 30 years of prepreg experience is in airinside/Flikka production.
Material technology: all airinside/Flikka boards are made of carbon and honeycomb, the boxes for the foil and the boxes for all footstraps are made of full carbon.
Construction technology: Since the advent of shape CAD programs, you know immediately how large the surface area and volume of the shape is. You can also calculate how heavy the board will theoretically be in the end. The difference between theory and practice was huge in terms of weight, and too little account was taken of this fact in all hollow constructions. The unique Airinside/Flikka avoids this problem with ease!
What use are all the beautiful and lightweight prototypes if you can’t produce them in series?
Prototyping capacity: special knowledge, experience and own CNC machines and other tools allow for quick prototypes development of boards, and various parts (carbon mast boxes, custom vario position strap fixing boxes…
Production technology: Producing one board is not that difficult, producing 100 boards in a short time is another dimension! Flikka has long experience in manufacturing surfboards of all kinds. Flikka/Luka Jures is one of the few remaining surfboard manufacturers in the world, and this in Europe! How does that work? Only with skill, passion, motivation, perseverance and the ability to keep up with the times!
Shape technology: airinside/Flikka has unparalleled experience in wing-foil board shape know-how. Markus Schüpbach and Luka Jureš are pioneers in wing-foil board shape development and have been involved since the beginning. And they are passionate foilers themselves…