Ozone Mantra M6 SM 80-95
After a long stormy weather and low temperatures, the sun finally
appeared on Sunday ! It was a bliss for all the paragliding pilots as
they all rushed to the take off.
Conditions were very generous
with 7 m/s thermals and some moderate turbulence enabling us to get
easily some 900 m gain over take off. The north wind was present to
limit our XC escape on the Harissa spot.
Taking off with the OZONE Mantra 6 SM at 93.5 kg all up.
My friends were on :
Rony flying his IP6 23 today at 101 all up, and Mony on his new Carrera M size at 103 all up.
Taking off on our very small area is quite nice with the M6 .Nothing
particular for a 6.9 AR glider ! Just waiting for a straight wind
direction, a gentle steady pull and hop, i am in the air.
Differences in the air between an LM5 SM and a Mantra 6 :
The differences in comfort goes rapidly for the M6 with a solid
structure that feels like a more compact and homogenous wing. Much
coherent than the LM5.
It confirmed today my first impressions, that it goes toward the M4 in terms of comfort and accessibility.
The brake authority is also much enhanced on the M6 ! It turns quicker
than an LM5 without any hard point inside the core and with a lighter
brake pressure similar to the Delta 2 .
The handling and brake authority is a two step higher than the M4 !
On a Delta 2 SM at 92 all up which has a much better handling than a
Delta 2 M at 102 all up ,i found that the Mantra 6 has a similar feel
with just slightly less authority control than a Delta 2 SM.
Saying that i found excellence in the M6 handling with its 6.9 aspect
ratio ! And i don’t remember finding from the D’s i have tested that
amazing package of compact feel and handling !
Climb rate in weak conditions :
At my loadings i found that the M6 could be similar to a Mantra 4 in
efficiency with a slightly wider turning radius, as the M6 has always
the tendency to move forward without the ability to make a stationary
turn like a Mantra 4 could have done.But i think it is quite ok.
In a much more stronger thermal the M 6 behave like a loaded spring, going up quickly with excellence.
Now if i want to compare it’s performance with the competition, i must
look for a 2014 new D glider that is meant for the regular D flying
pilots.
We all know that there isn’t any new regular D glider
for the moment, so i have to compare it with an IP6 23 which is probably
not fair….but that was the only glider available here that my friend
flies and that glider as many pilots know, is an excellent two liner
that has won many comps and XC competitions and it was targeted for the
high-end D pilots doing XC or competitions.
Here we are now flying side by side again today.
The trim speed with our earlier mentioned loadings is in favor of the IP6, but after many km the glide is almost identical.
On half bar around 52 km/h which was set with identical speed for both
was also very very close or should i say the same for 3 km…
The
differences were seen at the second bar, that was also set to match the
speed of both, and which the M6 now looses a bit against the IP 6.
I was on full bar pulley to pulley with a speed close to 60 km/h and noticed a better float-ability for the IP 6.
My friend on the IP 6 was still short of 2 cm pull on his IP6 to reach more max speed.
The presure at the second bar is noticeably higher than the Delta 2.
In some racing with the pulley’s stuck i encountered some sharp
thermals and i was surprised that they don’t trouble much the glider
structure that remained strong and solid with even the cells looking a
bit deformed.
Flying the Mantra 6, i tried some glides with the Carrera M, just for information.
The climb and glide of the Mantra 6 are clear to the eye much better.
Of course the Carrera is an excellent glider in its category, but it was
just for our own information.
Tomorrow we will try hopefully the Alpina 2 SM with the Carerra.
Big ears on the M6 are stable and pushing the bar, a pilot can reach
- 3 m/s.
Wing overs are a delight and show the immense pressure in the profile.
360’s strangely don’t have a strong centrifugal force, for a D of course, and can drop easily down.
Conclusion :
The gain in performance coupled with ease of use for a 2014 D glider is outstanding !
OZONE again has managed to create a balanced D glider with exceptional performances.
Of course, in very strong conditions those new D gliders needs lots of attention and control.
The Mantra 6 with its relatively comfortable and homogenous feel, for a
D category glider, is indeed a superb Mantra 4 replacement !
Many D pilots will feel immediately at home ! And some flying a high-end C will be welcomed aboard this magnificent machine !
Surely it is not a marketing hype. This is a fine achievement !
Another video soon.....
After a long stormy weather and low temperatures, the sun finally appeared on Sunday ! It was a bliss for all the paragliding pilots as they all rushed to the take off.
Conditions were very generous with 7 m/s thermals and some moderate turbulence enabling us to get easily some 900 m gain over take off. The north wind was present to limit our XC escape on the Harissa spot.
Taking off with the OZONE Mantra 6 SM at 93.5 kg all up.
My friends were on :
Rony flying his IP6 23 today at 101 all up, and Mony on his new Carrera M size at 103 all up.
Taking off on our very small area is quite nice with the M6 .Nothing particular for a 6.9 AR glider ! Just waiting for a straight wind direction, a gentle steady pull and hop, i am in the air.
Differences in the air between an LM5 SM and a Mantra 6 :
The differences in comfort goes rapidly for the M6 with a solid structure that feels like a more compact and homogenous wing. Much coherent than the LM5.
It confirmed today my first impressions, that it goes toward the M4 in terms of comfort and accessibility.
The brake authority is also much enhanced on the M6 ! It turns quicker than an LM5 without any hard point inside the core and with a lighter brake pressure similar to the Delta 2 .
The handling and brake authority is a two step higher than the M4 !
On a Delta 2 SM at 92 all up which has a much better handling than a Delta 2 M at 102 all up ,i found that the Mantra 6 has a similar feel with just slightly less authority control than a Delta 2 SM.
Saying that i found excellence in the M6 handling with its 6.9 aspect ratio ! And i don’t remember finding from the D’s i have tested that amazing package of compact feel and handling !
Climb rate in weak conditions :
At my loadings i found that the M6 could be similar to a Mantra 4 in efficiency with a slightly wider turning radius, as the M6 has always the tendency to move forward without the ability to make a stationary turn like a Mantra 4 could have done.But i think it is quite ok.
In a much more stronger thermal the M 6 behave like a loaded spring, going up quickly with excellence.
Now if i want to compare it’s performance with the competition, i must look for a 2014 new D glider that is meant for the regular D flying pilots.
We all know that there isn’t any new regular D glider for the moment, so i have to compare it with an IP6 23 which is probably not fair….but that was the only glider available here that my friend flies and that glider as many pilots know, is an excellent two liner that has won many comps and XC competitions and it was targeted for the high-end D pilots doing XC or competitions.
Here we are now flying side by side again today.
The trim speed with our earlier mentioned loadings is in favor of the IP6, but after many km the glide is almost identical.
On half bar around 52 km/h which was set with identical speed for both was also very very close or should i say the same for 3 km…
The differences were seen at the second bar, that was also set to match the speed of both, and which the M6 now looses a bit against the IP 6.
I was on full bar pulley to pulley with a speed close to 60 km/h and noticed a better float-ability for the IP 6.
My friend on the IP 6 was still short of 2 cm pull on his IP6 to reach more max speed.
The presure at the second bar is noticeably higher than the Delta 2.
In some racing with the pulley’s stuck i encountered some sharp thermals and i was surprised that they don’t trouble much the glider structure that remained strong and solid with even the cells looking a bit deformed.
Flying the Mantra 6, i tried some glides with the Carrera M, just for information.
The climb and glide of the Mantra 6 are clear to the eye much better. Of course the Carrera is an excellent glider in its category, but it was just for our own information.
Tomorrow we will try hopefully the Alpina 2 SM with the Carerra.
Big ears on the M6 are stable and pushing the bar, a pilot can reach
- 3 m/s.
Wing overs are a delight and show the immense pressure in the profile.
360’s strangely don’t have a strong centrifugal force, for a D of course, and can drop easily down.
Conclusion :
The gain in performance coupled with ease of use for a 2014 D glider is outstanding !
OZONE again has managed to create a balanced D glider with exceptional performances.
Of course, in very strong conditions those new D gliders needs lots of attention and control.
The Mantra 6 with its relatively comfortable and homogenous feel, for a D category glider, is indeed a superb Mantra 4 replacement !
Many D pilots will feel immediately at home ! And some flying a high-end C will be welcomed aboard this magnificent machine !
Surely it is not a marketing hype. This is a fine achievement !
Another video soon.....
