MACPARA Magus (2020)
And here it is…A beautiful looking 7.05 aspect ratio, glider with 2 liner technology and an EN-D certification.
I flew the size 22 (88-99) at 97 all up with my Xrated 6 harness.
The Magus construction seems super neat. A mix of Skytex light and heavier materials were used.
A mix of Edelrid Aramid/Kevlar lines was used on this construction.
Launching the Magus in nil wind is a bit difficult to get it overhead. The glider must be laid down in a proper way and better to be centered when pulling the lines. Even in 20 km/h, the raise is slow but manageable for the intended pilots in that category. The Magus doesn’t snake around at all. It comes at a whole, but a little practice and patience are needed to launch it in narrow areas as we have here.
At my takeoff weight, the Magus seems to have a fast trim speed that matches the Peak5 one with the same size and load. My first contact with the brakes gave me an early smile for that nice given authority. I can describe the brakes to have a short, precise, and linear feel through the range for the 2 liner category. It resembles the Zeolite brake authority which puts the Magus among the best ones in the 2 liner brake authority.
I could get a short turn radius on the Magus in small bubbles, and still, be very efficient. The pressure on the brakes are on the moderate side and won’t be tiring after some hours. The feel of a firm precise pull is present. In very weak thermals, I sensed that I must concentrate to be efficient, but the overall efficiency of that glider enabled me to stay afloat.
In a more homogenous thermal, the Magus climbs like a rocket. It matches the Peak 5 climb.
I flew the Magus in different conditions. In turbulent air, It is more comfortable than the Peak 5 and slightly less than the Zeno. It is somehow similar to the Leopard in dampening behavior.
I could confirm that I was really more than satisfied with the incredible performance the Magus had to offer! In one particular flight, I was gliding in a very well known place for my routine flying, and gliding through difficult air, the Magus ability to float and move forward is superb…It glides really well upwind, and I experienced a very efficient upward sliding through the air!
My god, how I miss the 2 liner efficiency! And that Magus revived my senses even more! Flying the Zeno, OXA3, Leopard, Peak 5, is also rewarding for performance, but I must add that flying the Magus is like having your best meal with the exact spices you wished for! At least that’s my personal feel…
Gliding next to the top 2 liner D’s at trim speed, showed me that the Magus is definitely among the best ones at the very top.
At full bar, the gliding performance place it among the top 3
The B handles have moderate and precise pressure. I like that! Finally, I can feel and control that Magus at bar.
In some turbulent air, I felt that the Magus have a strong and homogenous structure, but only the tips were slightly collapsing without any consequences. I think more hours on it could clear those small cell deflations.
Landing in tight spots can be achieved with that Magus, just because I could slow it quite well, before stalling. It is for sure a delicate matter.
Ears with A’s are small. I need to pull them long enough to be stable. And while pushing the bar, they have around 2.0 m/s descent rate.
The top speed is around 19 km/h over trim.
Conclusion: Just a small piece of information, that you probably know between 3 liners and 2 liners… Flying one of the best 3 liners of today example (M7) …etc…and flying the 2 liners Magus, is like driving your regular car then switching to your every day MAC Ferrari!
The difference between ‘efficient feel and performance’ is breathtaking! When test flying other categories in nice days….Imagine how I’ll miss that Ferrari feel! :-)
The new Magus has everything a 2 liner pilot could dream of. Nice handling, a very efficient gliding machine, that shows you proudly how well it glides through the airmass. A relatively comfortable and solid companion for XC.
Saying all that, it is still a 2 liner that needs all the respect and the pilot knowhow to fly it with peace.
