Triton 2 S
Finally and after a loooog wait the TRITON 2 S has arrived …
As usual the quality of construction of NOVA wings is beyond a doubt a class of its own. Excellent workmanship and robust feel …
This test concern ONLY the S size ! It will not reflect any other sizes as the M and L size could be slightly different in some ways…
My first flight with the Triton 2 S at 98 all up was made in turbulent, punchy conditions… enabling me to open my senses, understand, and feel the glider .
Flying my usual harness the X-rated 6 with some ballast to reach 98 all up, i launched the Triton 2 S. The launching is easy for that glider and immediate.
First turn in a small bullet thermal , the Triton 2 S has a moderate to pronounced roll movement .The pitch behavior is average to dynamic especially in those sharp edges where the Triton 2 S would like to cut and surge ahead in the strong thermal. Catching it quickly with the brakes is no problem for a good pilot.
In turbulent and strong conditions the Triton 2 S is indeed a lively glider.
It moves in the air with sharp surges and quick responses to the airmass and the pilot could feel it’s energy, but luckily the brake fan is optimized to dominate this overall energy with an active pilot underneath.
A good pilot and after some hours to acclimatize, has the power and the advantage to control every movement of the glider which at the end gives surprisingly a certain feeling of passive safety for the high C class as the whole structure seems coherent and supple sometimes .
Describing the handling and maneuverability of the TRITON 2 S is like driving a Ferrari in turns.
Cornering is sharp and easy with precise and direct input .
This very good handling is the key to control the TRITON 2 S movements in order to keep it in this particular box of the targeted group of pilots it is designed for !
Doing some long glides with one of the best C’s of the moment, the Triton 2 S showed first a slightly higher speed than most C’s equally loaded, and a slight better glide at trim putting it in the higher top performance by a very small edge. This performance is increased when the conditions are more difficult and especially in the presence of a head wind or strong valley or sea breeze. In those conditions the TRITON 2 S has a clear advantage over the current C’s .
Reference glide :
Doing some long glides with an Aspen 5 26 loaded at 99 all up showed that the Triton 2 S has a faster trim speed of +0.5 km/h and a better glide angle.
Pushing the bar for both with pulleys touching showed exactly same top end speed over a run of 5 km
The climb rate of the Triton 2 S loaded at 96 is average to good in very weak lift .
In more steady thermals over 1.5 m/s and choppy conditions, the Triton 2 S has the advantage to dig and climb much quicker and more efficient than C gliders .Like it’s another class …
The top speed for the Triton 2 S with the pulleys touching, loaded at 98 and at 1000 ASL showed a ± 13 km/h over trim. I have tried it many times and i couldn’t read more on my GPS. May be i have to change it
I felt that the Triton 2 S into wind glides are it’s strongest point where i could feel it’s ability to surf the air and move higher and forward like no other C could do…
I am convinced now that it has the performance that could easily tickle the D class.
Big ears are stable without pushing the bar. The pilot must pump them to open. Ears with bar are unstable.
Then, i flew the Triton 2 S alone in another spot and then landed and flew another new C glider…and so on…all day… Alternating gliders help me to see the differences in the air.
Flying the Elan 26, Delta 2, SM Alpina 2 SM , Sigma 9, Queen M ,Aspen 5, etc.. in the past year gave me an idea about their behavior in turbulent conditions. The Triton 2 S stands more demanding in terms of piloting .
Conclusion:
For sure the Triton 2 S is (Two step) higher than a Mentor 3 in terms of piloting ! It stands strangely between a high C and a D !
The Triton 2 S IMHO is aimed for experienced pilots with multiple hours in different conditions in order to feel at home and surely needs some respect and understanding in order to extract every bit of the outstanding performance it delivers.
NOVA has built a C with today’s D performance, but the TRITON 2 in S size IMHO could be welcomed and cherished for a D pilot profile.
Cheers,
Ziad.