Advance Lightness 4 size M.

Advance Lightness 4 size M.

The lightness harness series from ADVANCE is famous for its highly comfortable seat-less sitting position and its light weight of around 3 kilos. ADVANCE released the Lightness 4 in June 2024, and many pilots wonder if the Lightness 4 will also be an enhanced product over the Lightness 3. Let's find out...

The Lightness 4 is created with a rear moderate-size fairing in a nice light blue color with a relatively good space inside the back pocket. 

At first sight, the construction quality seems close enough to the Lightness 3. 

The side zippers of the pod are small, and perhaps a bigger one could be sturdier as I was in a hurry to sit in it, I didn’t check the pod's main left attachment point that wasn’t inserted inside the left carabiner, and as soon as I pushed on my leg the left zipper snapped. It was my mistake, not to check it, at first. Check yours! 

 The Lightness 4 as its predecessor is a seat-less harness without having that seat-board feel even from the underneath foam protector.  

Some harnesses deliver a similar seatboard feel with their still protector, like on the Arrow P. Having said that the overall feel of the Lightness 4 is very similar to the Lightness 3 which many pilots cherish and use. The side adjustments can be fine-tuned in the air. The seat adjustments are better fine-tuned before flying with a new metal adjustment part that was added for durability and replaces the old rounded plastic adjustments. 

Seating position comfort:

ADVANCE added a thick pad on the back sitting position to enhance comfort. 

I have sat and flown the Lightness 4 in different conditions and under different gliders from B, C, and D gliders. 

Here’s my personal opinion which mainly depends on my specific body measurements. (As I always mention: Every pilot must try a harness before they buy, just because everyone has a different body shape) .

Let’s break down the sitting position into two parts:

From the lower back to the upper back and shoulder area, I think I was even more comfortable than the Lightness 3, which is probably due to that new thick comfort foam.  That part is the most comfortable in a harness light or normal similar to my Impress 4. 

The other part from the lower back to your sitting position resembles Lightness 1 or 2 a bit more. In the M size, with my back perfectly comfortable, the sitting position covers 3/4 of my thighs with moderate to good comfort. There are two lower straps from each side, a bit thick, (see pic) that put a slight pressure on the Pelvic area just on the top of the Femur. So perhaps I might need a Large size.  

The legs are naturally supported, like sitting on a sofa. 

Underneath the sitting position, I found out that you could insert a small seat plate (Type Forza2) and a bit longer one that could reach the ballast pocket (Width 30X30 cm). And that could give, the seatboard lovers, about +50 % more reaction and feel.  I was happy in that configuration, but that only concerns my personal feelings...

The ballast pocket under the seat can easily fit a 4 kg water ballast.    

On the other hand, the Arrow P M size, and only when using the foam protector (not with the inflatable) has a more direct seat-plate feel and position support from the lower back to your thighs.  From my personal view, I would say, If only I had the sitting position of the Arrow P and the back of the Lightness 4 mixed in one harness :-)!  But for 90 % of pilots, who are looking for seat-less feel, the overall sitting position of the Lightness 4 will be considered as (very comfortable). 

And to be clear on the comfort it delivers, I can confirm that the Lightness 4 hammock style harness is one of the most comfortable to sit in, much like the Lightness 3 in that matter. 

Roll comfort:

Having flown the Lightness 4 with different gliders I feel that the roll is slightly more tamed than the Lightness 3 and slightly less tamed than the NK Arrow. 

Comparing it with the Woody Valley GTO 2 Light, I would promptly say that the Lightness 4 is much more roll comfortable. 

I also felt that the ABS configuration is quite balanced and offers a very nice turning behavior. For example, flying the Lightness 4 and NK Arrow or the NK Arrow P, on the same glider with the same weight, gave me that slightly tighter radius on the Lightness 4 which gave me a high-quality flying time in thermals! 

Having said that, tight turning those thermals, I thought what a harness it would be if the seating position gave slightly more authority on the outer thighs for that pressure you long for as if you are sitting in a seat harness, or probably on a slightly harder sitting position like on the Arrow P for example. 

But that concerns only me who is addicted to precise weight shift authority which logically can be delivered with a hard seat sitting position. 

Cockpit:

The Lightness 4 has the nice feature of opening the cockpit and reaching its contents as the one found on the Arrow. There are some magnets and also a center clip. For that kind of light harness, I found that the space inside it is quite enough though it is half the size of the normal NK Arrow.. There’s a place for your power bank. 

The angle is somehow steep, but sometimes it is preferable to prevent at some specific daily hours, the reflection of the sun in the instruments into my eyes.

I just have one remark to make for the cockpit, It needs a center clipping system on the main strap, that will prevent it from swaying down when I push the bottom on my instruments. I need a stable cockpit. But that can be easily fixed if anyone adds some kind of clip. 

I saw that ADVANCE updated it with a strap. But a simple carabiner will do ( see pic) 

Packing:

The Lightness 4 can be packed quite small even with its foam protector, but surely any light harness with an inflatable protector would logically pack smaller.  

The rescue pod is large enough to accept a Rogallo-type rescue system which I have already installed. 

I also felt that the Lightness 4 delivers a lighter pressure on the speed system over the Arrow. 

Chest strap:

The Lightness 4 chest strap's tighter position is around 45 cm between the carabiners. If you choose, you can release it 3 cm with a better roll. But if you release more, the result would stay the same as it wouldn’t affect the ABS. It can be easily adjusted in the air. 

After take off it is easy to enter the pod with the use of a small ball or hook inserted in your shoelace. ( see pic) 

Conclusion: 

The Lightness 4 delivers good roll comfort for a seat-less harness. The comfortable seating position is very good, and the turning authority could be enhanced depending on your current harness.  

This is a written test, but I strongly suggest that you make the effort to try and harness it before buying, and don’t rely only on any tests…They will only cover a shallow layer of the actual product. Harnesses are based on your body structure. I am just writing you one half, you have to cover the other one by a test flight.

Happy and safe landings.

Ziad

BGD DIVA 2 -S

BGD Diva 2 S

The first certified EN-D glider from BGD has been released with an aspect ratio of 7.
https://www.flybgd.com/en/paragliders/diva-2--paraglider-2021-2188-0.html

Nice color combination for a refreshing look. The DIVA 2 construction and details are excellent. The lines are minimalistic to reduce drag as best as possible.

The DIVA 2 S size I have for the test goes from 75 to 90 all up.
I flew it at from 86 to 88 and could be easily flown at 86 and preferably in strong air at 90 all up.
Launching the Diva 2 for an aspect ratio of 7 needs a steady pull but the DIVA 2 rises well easily like the Zeno 2 for the category.
In the air, the brakes have a longer gap from the pulley about 13 cm to act on the trailing edge. That gap is important to stay that way, to get the DIVA 2 at full speed with a loose trailing edge, with no brakes. At full speed, the DIVA 2 reaches 21-22 km/h over trim and the gap of 13 cm on the pulleys returns to zero.

Handling and comfort:
One day, I flew that glider in some bad air, with inversions, and large turbulence as tandems weren’t that comfortable in the air. Earlier I flew a Zeno 2 MS to feel the air and see the difference. The first turn after a half wrap on the brakes, immediately acts on the trailing edge with a nice turn. It didn’t feel as sharp as the Zeno 2 in turns, but the turns were smoother. I needed 15 to 20 cm to turn the glider in any core in moderate air. It has a moderately long gap, but still a relatively linear and direct travel to steer the glider.
When conditions are nasty with inversions and difficult areology, the Diva 2 works in itself in yaw, but the pilot underneath doesn’t feel much of the yaw movements.
In those bad conditions, there’s a slight pitch back, and then a quick surge through the thermal. The brake authority is quite satisfying in keeping the glider where the pilot wishes.
When conditions are more normal, and homogenous, the Diva 2 pulls you inside the thermals, and the turning is more straightforward.

On the DIVA 2 S, the overall movements are similar to the Zeno 2 MS size, but smoother and less dynamic than a small Zeno 2 (same size as the Diva 2 I’m test flying).
From another pilot perspective, the DIVA 2 S looks like it moves and snakes in turbulence, but those movements are not felt as described.
Saying that it doesn’t mean that it is close to a C glider at the pilot level. Certified in the D category, with its 7 aspect ratio, the DIVA 2 surely needs a D pilot under it.

The pitch stability is high in moderate air, but when hitting strong turbulence it pitches forward like any 2-liner D, but the brakes help a lot by keeping it above the pilot's head. It also delivers a moderate to good authority on the brakes in difficult conditions!

Doing some glides with a Zeno 2 MS size at 96 all up, which is a higher size than the DIVA 2 S 75-90, showed us a really superb glide angle, at trim, at half bar, and at full bar.
We believe that the DIVA 2 S size could have a slight edge on the same size as a Zeno 2 S size if both are equally loaded especially at trim and at half bar. With the Zeno 2 MS at 96, the gap in performance was super small for the Zeno 2 MS. I think, I will get the DIVA 2 M size for an interesting comparison.

Climbing next to a Zeno 2 MS the DIVA 2 S climb rate looks quite similar. In a weak climb, it felt also very efficient.

Pilots asking about the Photon /DIVA 2/Zeno 2.
High aspect ratio gliders like the DIVA 2 /Zeno 2 fly differently than any 2-liner C. When flying in smooth air, or even in moderate air, all those gliders C and D are very close, but this conclusion is false. As soon as you fly in a moving airmass, the ability for those D gliders to get the most out of the lift lines is yet above any 2-liner C.
When you are pushing on the speed bar in a headwind, and especially in tricky air with sudden lift and thermal lift areas, then not one EN-C at the moment has the power to outperform the Zeno 2 or the DIVA 2. They are from a different level.

While on the speed bar, the B steering has a moderate, efficient pressure, as it acts swiftly on the profile.
Ears can be done by the outer A’s (they are stable and reopen with pilot action) as well by the outer B’s.
Energy is very high doing wingovers.
The stall point is a bit far, but the DIVA 2 informs well before going into a stall.
Surprisingly, it can be slowed down quite well in tight places.

Conclusion:
The DIVA 2 is a solid contender for the 2-liner D category. It holds a very high-performance package with a sweet handling in moderate air. It is quite fast, without roll movements near the full speed. It requires a D pilot to extract all those performances. I think the M size would have a little more performance while being calmer, as the logic implies. A special and interesting product to test fly!


Cheers,
Ziad

Gliders for sale new prices

UP Kibo-X   4 hours.  2500 EU  (Like NEW)

BGD DIVA 2 S size (red) 4 hours. 3200 EU   

FLOW. Mullet 18. 30 hours  in excellent condition ( 1900 EU ) 

OZONE Photon MS (custom color)  Blue /Green stripes). 30 hours  2800 EU 

Air Design VOLT 5 MS 80-95  only 1 hour (used for comparison (NEW)  3200 EU 

Triple Seven Rook 4 MS. 80-98

Triple Seven Rook 4  MS.  80-98

I finally got the new high B glider from Triple Seven, the Rook 4 which replaces the amazing Rook 3.

Back for my Rook 3 review, I mentioned an excellent climb rate in weak and strong, with very good handling. The only issue was the launching behavior and the little hump on the leading edge which was noticed later on. Could 777 manage to make a better version? Let's see…

First here is the 777 link for the Rook 4 as you can see all the details. https://777gliders.com/gliders/rook-4/

The construction, details, lines stitching, etc, seem on the higher end of quality. The new risers look really nice, robust, and refined all together. 

I flew the Rook 4 MS at 95 all up, and I could feel that this would be an optimum weight for everyday use. You can of course fly it at max if you need the edge in speed and efficiency. But it seems that at 94…95 everything looked very smooth. 

Launching:

Even in light wind, the Rook 4 launches smoothly without any hard points. The launching characteristics have improved a lot over the Roo 3. Problem solved. 

In the air:

Brake feel:

The Rook 4 brake travel is slightly longer than the Rook 3 but still quite direct and efficient. The pressure on the first part after the 10 cm gap, with + 10 cm is moderate to light, then after +10 cm, they are moderate.  I can describe the Rook 4 as an agile glider for the B category. The handling and authority on the brakes are very well balanced for a clean performance turning radius. The brake feel has the right spices to get a good pilot well satisfied while coring. The Rook4 can turn tightly into the core, and also flat turns can be achieved flawlessly. 

Despite my high regard for the Maestro 2 handling, I was impressed and very satisfied by the Rook 4 brake authority which seems calm, and more educated for performance and feel. 

For example comparing the handling (Rook4/Mentor 7 S), while the brake authority on the Mentor 7 S size is very good, those tiny linear feel in the centimeters you are pulling on the brakes are much more available on the Rook 4. 

Comfort:

I flew the Rook 4 in multiple conditions on my Impress 4 harness. For a high B glider the overall movements and roll, are slightly less than the Maestro 2 and slightly more than the Rook3. 

The Rook 4 is more comfortable to fly than the Maestro 2, and also it has a feel of a much-taught structure without any soft tips, plus a very homogenous feel. 

Perhaps the Mentor 7 S feels more comfortable in movements, But I personally favor a high B balanced movements as the Rook 4 delivers.

Some pilots reading this will immediately misunderstand what I implied. I meant a high B pilot should get a well-balanced feel of the right spices under a glider rather than perhaps a too-dampened one. 

Glide:

I flew the Rook 4 next to my friend ‘Boudi’ on his Rook 3 MS 75-95 at 94 all up. We did a lot of glides and climbed together all the way. This was a marvelous test for both of us to see and feel if there were improvements or just a new model. I also flew with my friend ‘Sayed’ On his Photon ML ! while he flew loaded at 105 all up. Of course, it's another category, but it was also a good idea to see where the Rook 4 stands out in multiple conditions! 

With the Rook 3 next to me the glide in a relatively calm air at trim speed after 5 km always got the Rook 4 with around 5…7  m higher. 

Other glides were also made in lift areas facing the sea breeze, and we both could see that the Rook 4 seemed to get even higher clearance. 

Pushing on the speed bar with moderate pressure on the rook 4 also gets the same height clearance. 

At full speed with both gliders next to each other, the full-speed glide seems very close for both. 

Flying next to the Photon ML, showed that at trim speed the Photon is +1.5 km faster. Applying the speed bar to match the Photon ML I could lose a few meters after 5 km in calm air. 

Once facing the sea breeze, the Photon is from a different level for sure, but still, the Rook 4 with persistence on the speed bar could follow at a much slower rate. I was having fun with my friend teasing him a bit on the Rook 4, but knowing that if I pissed him a lot...he will probably push the speed bar and disappear ;-) 

Climb:

In very weak air, like -0.3 m/s thermals, we could both see that the Rook 3 still has that excellent float ability, but the Rook 4 is super close. When thermals get around 1 m/s, the quality of thermal entry of the Rook 4 immediately puts it upward. It slides more efficiently through the airmass. That feel of the nose pulling you through that thermal is experienced with the higher categories. 

C steering: 

The pressure on the C steering is on the firm side. Not too soft, a bit moderate to firm, but since the Rook 4 is stable on the bar in transitions, I think there would be little corrections from the C steering.  

Pulling the outside ears seems slightly unstable sometimes. When pulled a little bit, they are somehow stable, but the more lines you pull, they show a tendency to reopen, flap, and not stick underneath. 

The speed bar has moderate pressure even at full speed, with 14-15 km/h over trim at 1000 ASL. 

Conclusion:

I always comment on efficiency, rather than a glide number.  In terms of performance, the Rook 4 has those fine flying qualities to be very efficient for a high B glider, and with the exact spices that keep it on rails in thermals. The high B category is considered ‘intermediate’ gliders. The Rook 4 embodies perfectly that description in delivering a fairly comfortable glider for the category, and a high efficiency in glide through the airmass. A lovely glider to test fly if you aim for good XC flying. 

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New website

 Hi, 

I am working on a new website that will hopefully be running in a few days with the B /C chart working as well...

Sorry for the current inconvenience!   💗

Ziad.

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