surfimp

The Sig Ninja came out in the mid 1980s as was marketed to intermediate to advanced glider pilots looking to try their hand at slope aerobatics. Its marketing capitalized on the martial arts trend made popular by the kung fu movies of the late 70s and early 80s.

As a kid growing up at this time, before the internet and with only paper hobby magazines like “Radio Control Modeler” to inform me, this marketing tactic hit me like a ton of bricks. I swooned at thoughts of flying the “Black Belt of Slope Aerobatics” (that was literally how they sold it).

Fast forward 30 years and I’ve dedicated a significant portion of my life to learning and practicing slope aerobatics. I run a website dedicated to the hobby, have designed a commercially-successful slope aerobatics glider (Le Fish), and have traveled all over the world to meet and fly with other slope aerobatics enthusiasts. It all started with the Ninja.

This video is my tribute the glider that inspired me so powerfully.