The XC Tracer Maxx III is here! In the coming days you'll find continuously updated information, screen examples and technical details about our newest flagship vario here. The page will be continuously expanded – check back regularly!

 

Maximum for all

Whether beginner or pro – with the XC Tracer Maxx III you fly more intuitively than ever before. It is not that XC Tracer Varios are only suitable for professionals, rather the opposite. Professionals like Chrigel have been flying for so long that it doesn't make such a big difference to them if the beeping from the vario and what you feel don't match. For pilots with not so much flying experience, flying with an XC Tracer Maxx III becomes an intuitive experience. Because what the vario indicates with beep tones and what you feel match perfectly.

Try it out at your dealer or flight school! You will be amazed how easy it is to fly in thermals with an XC Tracer.

 

Maximum precision

Conventional variometers have the disadvantage that climb and sink rate are always indicated with a more or less large time delay. With the XC Tracer Maxx III, the data from different sensors are combined with a complicated mathematical procedure and this time delay is eliminated. Thanks to lag-free indication of climb/sink rate, finding and centering thermals with a Maxx III is much easier than with a conventional variometer.

And you can set the tones of the variometer as you like, please use our tone simulator tone simulator for this.

 

Maximum intuitive

Screens reduced to the essentials enable intuitive flying. Icons instead of text for effortless interpretations – you don't have to read any manual. We designed the screens to be as easy to read as possible - you just take a quick look and you've already grasped the essential information, so you can get back to scanning for traffic and concentrating on flying. For the display we use a hardened special glass, which avoids disturbing reflections and at the same time is very robust.
You can choose which screens you want to have displayed. You can choose from the following screens:

Standard: Vario analog, Vario digital, altitude, speed over ground, compass, wind, glide ratio, flight time
Thermal: Vario analog, Vario digital, altitude, wind, thermal assistant, altitude curve of the last 30 seconds
Buddy: Displays altitude, vario, position and status of up to 8 buddies, as well as position and status of up to 100 devices via ADS-L and Fanet.
Airspace: Display with side view and top view, zoom levels can be selected. Screen update rate is up to 10Hz, warnings are integrated.
Topography: Top view display with adaptive hillshading, only terrain is displayed, no maps in the conventional sense

Screens are fixed and cannot be changed. Functions for competitions and XC are not planned at the moment.

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Maximum orientation
Thanks to the clear representation of the topography, you can always see precisely where you are in the terrain, where suitable landing options are within reach, and how terrain features influence thermal development and valley winds. The adaptive hillshading adjusts to the current sun direction, showing you the terrain features in a particularly vivid and intuitively understandable way. You can see at a glance where a valley becomes narrower or wider – important information for assessing the strength of valley winds when searching for landing sites. Ridge faces in valley winds for soaring and dangerous lee areas with possible rotors can be identified more quickly thanks to the vivid terrain representation. This allows you to fly not only more safely, but also more tactically.
 

 

Maximum social

You can always see where your buddies are. The Maxx III has ADS-L and FANET built in, which means Maxx III can receive data from other ADS-L and FANET devices. If you see a buddy at the launch site and want to add him as a buddy, it's as simple as a few clicks on the red button, only the vario with ADS-L and FANET from the buddy must be switched on and no further than 30m away.

You can add up to 8 buddies, so you always know how far away they are, how high they are, the vario display is also transmitted. And then also if the respective buddy is still flying or not. The buddies and up to 100 other paragliders are displayed with hillshading on the topography - as small dots for pilots flying higher than you, and as small circles for pilots flying lower. This way you can immediately see which ridge or mountain the other paragliders are flying at and whether they are flying above or below you.

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Maximum safety

The position of your buddies is continuously stored. In the worst case, if a buddy doesn't show up in the evening, you can look up in your XC Tracer Maxx III where your buddy was the last time an ADS-L and FANET signal was received. You will find latitude, longitude, altitude and status. This information can be very helpful to locate a missing paraglider. You can also use your XC Tracer Maxx III as a search device, as all nearby ADS-L and FANET devices are displayed.

 

Maximum simplicity

The vario has only one single button for the entire operation. The operation is super simple, you will be surprised how easy it is. You can adjust almost all settings with just this one button. With the remote control on the riser, you can operate the vario without letting go of the brakes - it works exactly like the button on the vario. And for the final details there is always the possibility to connect the vario to the computer or smartphone.

 

Maximum proven

Red Bull X-Alps, World Record and countless other flyers swear by the XC Tracer technology. Take a closer look at the photos from Red Bull X-Alps 2023, where two-thirds of the pilots flew with an XC Tracer Maxx II.

 

Maximum compactness

To make the vario as compact as possible, we have spared no expense and developed an internal radio antenna. This antenna is so broadband that it works all over the world, no matter if you fly in Europe, USA, Australia or anywhere else. And to make sure you can fly legally, the vario will be CE and FCC certified (in progress).

 

Maximum endurance

The vario has a built-in lithium polymer battery, which is fully charged for 60 hours of continuous operation, including data transmission via BLE and recording of IGC and KML files, and of course the operation of the ADS-L, FANET and FLARM radio with transmission of ADS-L, FANET and FLARM data as well as reception of ADS-L and FANET data. The battery can be recharged via the included USB-C cable if needed.

 

Maximum light

The XC Tracer Maxx III weighs only 158 grams, so it is easy to take along on hike & fly.

 

Technical Specifications

• High resolution MIP LCD, 800x600 pixels, 80x60mm, perfect readability

• Tempered and anti-glare glass for LCD cover

• Size: 101x81x18mm

• Weight 158g / 171g (with silicone protective case)

• 60h battery life

• Easy operation with included remote control attached to your risers

• Display of topography, various zoom levels

• Delay free display of climb/descent

• ADS-L, FANET, FLARM, integrated antenna

• ADS-L and FANET display of position and altitude of buddies

• Open source obstacle database

• Data transfer via BLE to mobile phone/tablet/e-reader

• IGC and KML logger, approved by FAI for competitions

• Many compatible apps for Android/iOS

• Freely configurable sound settings/sound simulator on xctracer.com

• Accelerometer/Compass/Gyro/Baro/GPS/BLE/ADS-L/FANET/FLARM

• GPS module with simultaneous reception of GPS, Glonass and Galileo

• Firmware updates with webapp directly from smartphone via BLE

• USB-C connection

• CE & FCC certification (In progress)

• Swiss made

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