NIVIUK Hiko-P

NIVIUK Hiko P size 22

After some good learning hours on an A glider, a friend got her new Hiko and was keen to know what it would be like in comparison to another B glider. Since I can fly the size 22 at 84 all up, I got a brand new Hiko P, which is the light version of the original Hiko.
Construction and details are excellent on today’s Niviuk gliders, and the Hiko P is no different with that light cloth.
My first pink-colored Hiko with my Arrow P at 84 standing on launch.
Even in nil wind, the glider inflates flawlessly. In light wind, it's so straightforward to launch. The light fabric inflates well, and the Hiko rises above my head, waiting for me to step forward.

Usually, and 90% of the time, when I fly low-rated gliders, I don’t expect to be satisfied by the reactivity of the glider. First turn under the Hiko P and I’m already amazed by that brake smoothness and coordination. The HIko-P is an agile mid-B glider with amazing turning abilities. It can core tightly any thermal, without hesitation.
Light to moderate brake pressure, with linear and direct brake response enabled me to guide that glider everywhere I wanted in turbulence and inside thermals.
That light Mid-EN-B glider gave me and to my surprise a very nice time testing it handling-wise. A pure joy to steer in the air.

The climb rate is on the high side under that glider. Even though I was on the top end, the Hiko-P climbed very well, and I think I could place it easily among the best ones in that category. In strong thermals, there’s no high-pitch back considering that category. On the contrary, it slips through the air smoothly but, of course, slowly compared to the upper classes.
Gliding through some difficult air surprised me with the Hiko-P's ability to dig through slowly but efficiently! The Hiko-P behaves quite nicely in the turbulent airmass with a highly homogenous feel, and a very good efficient profile for a mid-B glider.
The feedback is smooth are well balanced with the right amount of feedback, without any parasital movements, letting the pilot concentrate on his flight.

Speed over trim is around 11 km/h at 900 ASL. Ears are stable, easy to induce, and efficient.

Conclusion:
For me to land with a smile on a mid-B is rare. Because when you fly higher-rated gliders that give you that extra efficiency, you will feel grounded in flying lower gliders sometimes. It wasn't the case flying the Hiko-P as it delivered above expectations glide and climb, and above all excellent handling with smoothness in turns, which resulted in a big smile after landing!
I think that glider can be flown as the main glider for (low-mid EN-B) pilots looking for a comfortable, easy to use, light, compact to pack, well mannered, hike and fly glider, without losing on performance and especially on fun!

New gliders !!!

 There are lots of interesting newcomers!  :-)

I'm trying to get those:

OZONE Delta 5  / 2-liner EN-C

OZONE Light harness 

NIVIUK Artik R 2  / 2-liner EN-C 

BGD Cure 3  /  2-liner EN-C 

NOVA Vortex  / 2-liner EN-C 

GIN GTO 3. / 2-liner EN-C 

MacPara Eden 8 /  EN-B 

GIN Fuse mini 35 Tandem (90-210)

GIN Fuse mini 35 Tandem (90-210)

GIN introduced that special line of tandems to cover more pilot accessibility on strong and windy days. Here's the link:
https://www.gingliders.com/en/paragliders/fuse-mini/
What would the Fuse Mini offer? Here is what I found…

History: Back in the days, in the mid-90s my first tandem was an Eden Space. I didn’t fly commercial tandems, but only to get my family and friends airborne. Later I flew many tandems probably around 20…from SOL, NOVA, UP, U-Turn, Gin, BGD, Eden, etc…But I didn’t write any report as I was obsessed with the solo wings. To this day, I have had a GIN Fuse 4 recently from my family and friends, but I haven’t flown commercial tandems. Therefore to give you the best idea, after I flew the GIN Fuse mini, I also gave it to my professional friends and each one owned a different school. They have an extended knowledge of tandems and fly at least 1500 tandems per year, to say the least.

My flight on the Fuse Mini 35 at 162 kg all up.
Taking off in nil wind was surprisingly very easy as I thought at first it would be difficult, but the Fuse mini 35 at 162 all-up launches effortlessly at that weight even in little wind.
In stronger winds, the Fuse mini just inflates without pushing both pilot and passenger backward! It stays above our heads waiting to run.
I found the brakes to be on the moderate/ light side for a tandem! The Fuse mini is an agile tandem and can be turned quite fast into cores. For my preference as a solo test pilot, I found that the Fuse mini is more on the solo side of handling, rather than on the tandem side. It is nice and pleasant to turn, and I don’t think it is tiring at that weight for long flights.
The glide next to a normal Fuse 4 is very acceptable, as I could keep it alongside for a good time. For sure the Bigger size has more float ability in weak stuff, but I didn’t find any issue getting the smaller lift with the Fuse Mini.
Opening the trimmers at full is like that feel( Pedal to the metal) kind of muscle car feel 
The Fuse mini has around 16 km/h over the rim! Which is quite high for a tandem. At that speed, the Fuse mini has some little vibrations without consequences. Just tighten the trims one centimeter less and the vibration stops, the speed stays high and fast she goes!
Landing without any wind with my weight was very easy! It is like a dream. That glider is made for big wind! But it flies beautifully with no wind!

Feedback from Elie Mansour) Club Thermique Lebanon
(Elie is a very skillful pilot with a long tandem carrier) He flies solo and helps me with my tests when he has time. His actual tandem BGD Dual 2/ and solo glider (Diva 2)

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Fuse mini
Takeoff:
very easy, Fast inflation in light wind. In strong wind, no push back even in 25-30 km/h wind helps the pilot a lot and makes life easy. A few steps and you are airborne, no need for a long takeoff can be used in the smallest takeoffs.

In-flight:
Here comes the strong characteristic of the wing, very fast even at a 150 kg load. No need to be max loaded to feel the speed and to Penetrate the strong sea breeze a delight to fly on strong windy days.
Close the trims and you can thermal to the cloud base without any problem. It’s an all-around wing that can be flown in all conditions safely.

Handling is very direct it turns effortlessly, with light brakes no pressure or hard points, and keeps the pilot relaxed and focused on the flight.

If trims are released to the max, the Fuse mini shakes a bit but is very solid. Just pull 1-2 cm less, and it will be super stable.

Landing: normal landing nothing special just like any other wing. Can be slowed on the approach to
Land easily or with a nice flare if you have a heavy passenger.

Conclusion:
A very useful wing made for professional tandem pilots who don’t want to miss a single flying day at work in any conditions all year long, nonstop

Club Thermique (Elie Mansour)

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He kept the Fuse mini with him, and refused to let it go  )

My next friend is Milo Daou from Phoenix paragliding Lebanon.
Milo is a very talented pilot, he flies tandems all year around with a FLOW Panorama 2. He flies in competitions, and his latest gliders (Boom 12/ Klimber-P/ Kode 12)
He helps me sometimes with my tests when available.

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Test at 165 kg all up.
The day I tested the Fuse Mini was windy.
taking off in 27 km/h wind is a piece of cake. I didn’t get pushed back. The Fuse Mini rises gently above my head. Soaring was not only good but also very pleasant. I was able to play with high wingovers and I could stay next to the lift area. I found the handling to be nice and responsive,
When I opened the trimmers the wind that was present was deleted. You forget about the wind!
I liked that glider very much because of its versatility and high usability. I didn’t find any negative comments to share.
Milo Daou
Phoenix paragliding.


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Chris Habis (from U-Fly) Lebanon He flies the Takoo 6 from Niviuk
Chris is a full-time tandem pilot in Harissa Bay. Chris likes to give his passengers good airtime.
He flew the Fuse Mini 35 at a high load of 190 all up! And in little wind.

I flew the Gin fuse 4 35 at 190 kg. Takeoff with closed trims in a very light wind was very easy, and once above head height, lift was quite fast. In the air, the tandem is very responsive, and the brake pressure is light for a tandem. Wingovers build up very fast! Landing in light wind and closed trim was also good. With open trims, the glider is very fast, which explains its good behavior in high winds.


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The new look for the pilot and passenger harnesses has a very neat construction with a grey color. Very easy to sit after take-off and very comfortable in the air. An inflatable protection for the passenger and a foam protection for the pilot.


Conclusion:
I think GIN has succeeded in getting something quite special! A sort of game changer for the tandem category. A tandem that you can use upon your flying weight for different purposes.
For me, the Fuse Mini is a total success for those windy days! It is a complementary tandem wing for pilots who want to fly all year round without missing a windy day.
I also believe that the Fuse mini could be a main tandem for pilots and passengers around 140 to 150 even on weak days! With a red button for extra speed. 
Sea level soaring gets easier with 25-30 km/h wind without getting blown back.
Of course, in stronger winds and at any level, all pilots must be well-trained to evaluate the air and land safely.
The fuse mini? A new era of possibilities 
Fly safe!
Ziad

SKYWALK Sage 85 & 95

SKYWALK Sage 95!    (The art of flying)  

Skywalk introduced for 2025/26 the new light 2 liner C class glider. The light version of the Mint ( Handling enhanced) 

The Sage has a 6.4 aspect ratio and is certified in the EN-C category. Its overall construction is very neat, and the glider looks beautiful! The risers are made with Cousin Freres 7mm webbing.   

https://skywalk.info/project/sage/

I have over here two sizes the 85 and 95. 

I flew the Sage 95 from 90 to 93 all up. And the Sage size 85 at 85 all up. 

Launching:

The light material makes launching very straightforward even in no wind. In a strong breeze, the Sage comes quickly after 75 %, and control is needed to stop it overhead. Overall it is very easy and straightforward to launch. 

In the air:

First contact with the brakes, and I’m already a happy pilot! Short, moderate pressure, super direct! Linear! high authority on the brakes for the pilot, like (never) seen on a 2 liner yet!  :-)

And I thought I had seen them all…  

I felt that there was a slight feedback coming from the brakes, a bit similar to the Trango-X, with even more dynamic turning behavior. A bit of weight-shift and pulling the brakes is a "ballet dance”! 

The Sage with 92 all up delivers a high authority on the brakes to place it inside any core, and any thermal, with a pleasurable linear feel!  Now I can enjoy the rest of the test :-) 

After test-flying the Artik 7 P and experiencing nice handling, I was blessed by test-flying the Sage which took handling and agility to even another level! 

The Brakes feel exactly like an extension of your arms. Any movement on the brakes are prompt command to the glider that responds immediately in moderate air. In strong stuff, it is logically better to load the glider at max, and this will give you the needed authority to control it in strong turbulent air. Of course, the aspect ratio of 6.4 and the 2-line design need sometimes in heavy turbulence a little more patience and control. If I was in the same conditions on a super agile high B, perhaps I could turn it swiftly.

But again, the difference between a Photon and a Sage in turbulent strong cores, is that the authority on the brakes on the Sage gives you more control over the speed range with lower inputs, rather than longer inputs and slower reactions on the Photon. I described those two because, for a week, I was alternating flights, sometimes in one day, in the same conditions, to see and experience that big difference in handling. Saying all that, I find that the Photon handling gets better after 40 hours, and it is quite responsive only in moderate and homogenmous thermals. 

Moving back to the Sage, I think the description (pleasurable, agile and obedient handling is its highlight) 

Overall feel:

In moderate air, the Sage delivers nice feedback, allowing you to be aware of what’s going on without too much information. I mean, the Sage is not a dull glider, and it will be much appreciated by the keen pilot, as it gives the right spices with a very taught and homogenous structure.   

In stronger conditions, the Photon/Lyght and the Sage deliver the same amount of pilot demand. It's in the weak and moderate thermals that this nice feedback is delivered clearer on the Sage. 

The Photon and Lyght feel more dampened in all axes in weak to moderate air.  Both the Photon/Lyght and the Sage need a good 2-liner pilot when conditions are rough. 

In the strong punchy lift, the Sage informs you about the conditions, in a very healthy matter, and under the Sage, you are the master of the moment by having higher authority on the brakes to guide, and place it wherever you want! 

Climb rate:

Flying the Sage, in weak and moderate thermals, I found myself very efficient, and I was able to stay near the best climbers in the 2-liner category. 

Glide:

I did lots of glides with a photon, a Lyght, and different gliders in the C or D category. In that aspect, I think the Sage is very similar to the Mint, with very good glide capabilities and slightly better float-ability. I will update my findings in the C/D chart.

Ears are made with outer B’s. They are efficient in descent. 

The B steering is efficient in controlling the pitch and has moderate pressure. 

The speed over trim is around 15 km/h, and the pressure is moderate, as on the Photon and Lyght. 

Sage size 85.

If the Sage 95 has nice and pleasurable handling with an Impress4 harness...what to expect from the Sage 85 with an Arrow P light harness! 

Well… Just the purest form of flying pleasure. No more comments!  :-) 

Glide and climb are very similar, and the top speed is around 14 km/h over trim. 

Conclusion:

Skywalk moved the brake attachment points on the Mint far back to the trailing edge. They are now sweeter, with moderate pressure and nice handling! 

The Sage joins the 2-liner C lass elite gliders, and of course, requires the pilot level for that 2-liner class. 

The overall performance, and float-ability, at trim and at the speed bar is quite usable and efficient for the C class pilot! 

 It can packed small for serious Hyke and fly adventure. A lovely piece of equipment! And it looks beautiful in the air :-) 

NIviuk Artik 7 P size 23

Niviuk Artik 7 P  size 23

For 2025/26 Niviuk released a new light construction, 2/3-, hybrid ine version of the EN-C certified glider.

When I test-flew the Artik 6 three years ago, I still remember its pleasurable and direct handling and its subtle character for the C category. 

The Artik 7 P has a light construction and weights around 3.25 kg 

https://niviuk.com/en/artik-7-p 

I flew the Artik 7 P with my Arrow harness from 89 to 93 all up to find out later that 90–91 is good in all conditions. 

Launching the Artik 7 P couldn’t be as straightforward! In nil wind, the rise is immediate without any hard point, and the take-off is fast and smooth. In windy take-offs, the Artik 7 P handling keeps it well controlled. Taking off in any condition is bliss. 

Turning abilities.

First turn…And… OMG! 

What a beautiful turning behavior that glider has !! :-) I really missed those turns! Short brake, precise input, moderate pressure, linear feel, immediate response!   I don’t know what a pilot would need more to be an extension of his invisible wings!     

In a weak climb, the pilot can guide the Artik 7 P with a 5 cm pull and high precision inside the core. 

Even in strong thermals, the pilot has the authority on the brakes to place the Artik 7 P immediately inside any core.  

Each time I fly that glider, I pray to catch as many thermals in order to get that turning feel! It's like snacking on your favorite cake and hoping it doesn’t finish :-) !! 

Climb rate:

Flying the Artik 7 P  from 89 to even 93, gave me a very efficient climb rate in weak thermals. The Artik 7 P is a good floater in the 2/3 hybrid line C category. In strong thermals, the pitch is nearly absent and the climb is immediate. I believe that the Artik 7 P has a very efficient climb rate in that category, and perhaps, close enough to the 2-2-liners with slower to enter the airmass which is logical for the 3-line concept. But still, if flying for fun with your buddies on their 2 liners at trim speed, you can stay very close in climb and by pushing slightly on the speed bar in transitions. 

In moderate to turbulent air, ( winter time over here) I found out that the Artik 7 P is very coherent and homogenous, and underneath you feel that high passive safety, by the slower movements the glider makes when you hit turbulence. 

Glide and speed.

For a 2/3 hybrid liner C class glider, The Artik 7 P seems to get the highest rating in glide. I flew next to some 2 liners in calm air, and the glide seemed good. It is in a headwind and difficult air, that the 2 liners will logically have the upper hand, but for the 3 line class, the Artik 7 P shines. 

The top speed of the Artik 7 P is 13 km/h over trim, with moderate pressure on the speed bar, very stable and accessible all the way. 

Artik 6/ Artik 7 P:

The Artik 7 P reminded me of that beautiful Artik 6 handling.  The Artik 7 P has the right spices to make you feel and appreciate every thermal. Not too dampened but also not chatty. An easy-to-fly 2/3-liner C with exceptional handling and agility!  

The B/C system allows you to control the glider overhead in most cases, while on bar with a moderate and steady pressure. 

Packing and volume:

Built with nitinol rods and with its light structure, the packing is quite small and can fit into a 75 to 90 L bag with an Arrow P harness. 

Big ears are largely stable and very efficient which could get you with a speed bar of around (- 4.5 m/s).

Wingovers are easily done with good energy inside the glider. 

Landing:

Hitting a tight spot is easily done with the Artik 7 P, as it can be slowed down well, and the stall point is below your hips. 

Conclusion:

The Artik 7 P offers a wonderful feel underneath. It is playful, agile, direct on the brakes, and loads of performance in climb and glide. Light and able to pack small! 

A tool of pure joy! It is very difficult to separate yourself from such a glider!   Even for someone who must test fly different ones every week…   ;-)

If you are a sensible pilot who wants pleasurable handling and good comfort in all conditions and doesn’t want to get into the 2-liner category for a more passive safety feel and mellower recovery after collapses, knowing that it will get as far as you want, this is the glider you must test-fly! 

Happy and safe flights,

Ziad

website

 Hi everyone,

I was working on a new website. https://dustoftheuniverse.com/

The B, C comparison works in that website.

it is still in progress with lots of work to be done.

Please tell me your thoughts on ziad.bassil@gmail.com

Happy and safe landings,

Ziad 

FLOW Vissta XC size M

FLOW Vissta XC  (harness) Size M. 

This harness has been in development for 3 years, with Felipe Resende and Bach le (architect and designer) with lots of ideas and development. The Vissta XC has a long fairing for aerodynamic purposes. The interesting part is that the shape of the pod, and the shape of the rear fairing are narrow. In designing that harness, Flow said: We aimed for a fully featured conventional competition harness that offers the best low drag coefficient in the market with around 5 kilos and especially for packing it small to fit in a large bag. 

The Vissta XC shape was created after working on CFD (computational fluid dynamics), to find the most optimized low-drag shape which is implanted on that harness. 

FLOW installed clips on the shoulders (see pic) and those are for future low-drag speed arm connections!  

Two rescue systems on each side, with a steerable reserve, are possible. There’s also a nice feature covering the pins of the pod to prevent them from tangling with the lines when pulling the pod. 

Two zippers for the drag chute are also reachable on each side, Two little openings for the pee system also on each side, and two lower zipper pockets (13cm width) under the seat on the rear side that can be used for the hose of the water ballast and to control damping the water in competitions, or even if you want to put inside some gloves, chocolate or else… 

The Vissta XC holds also one removable radio pocket inside and in another side a detachable pocket to insert any items of your choosing ( see pics) 

The cockpit is wide and the angle is perfect. Attached to the cockpit, is a thin but long compartment with a zipper to fit a battery pack, your cellular, Chocolate bars..etc… Easily reachable in the air! 

Perhaps FLOW will introduce a detachable cockpit with possibly a below storage? that opens from above? I wish... let's wait and see what the future brings...

As I always mention before writing a test flight of a harness, every harness is very difficult to describe just because each pilot has different body shapes and geometry. 

The FLOW Vissta XC M size fits perfectly my height of 1.81, and 75 kg weight. 

The Vissta XC pod features a split line adjustment option on each side that could make your adjustments infinite for the incline foot pad, or high lengths of the pod. This feature with those lines makes it more appropriate to adjust for many individuals. 

The Vissta XC has a seat plate but with very easy access on the seat plate to fit narrower ones if the pilot wishes to!   The seat position has also an angle front adjustment on each side that you can lower or raise the seat position. 

The back seat position has three adjustments! easily reachable in the air. Those adjustments make the back and the sitting position very comfortable and also very precise to adjust!  

The video I’m attaching also will cover all those features and will let you see that for better understanding. 

The ballast pocket under the seat holds around 4 kg of water. You can also install ballast in the back compartment. I found also that it would be possible to add a 2, or 3 L liter of ballast water ballast under the cockpit as FLOW installed two side pillars for support without letting it rest on your lap. It hangs on those points. 

The back storage bag under the fairing is bigger than the Impress 4, and a bit less than the Arrow. 

Inside the bag storage, there’s a pocket for installing the water camel for drinking during the flight.

The pod closure has two magnetic pieces to close tightly. In the air, no wind comes in. 

Getting inside the pod requires placing the already installed strap on the edge of the pod and also it has a red ball to insert it into your shoe laces. That is the most efficient way to get inside the pod, otherwise, without that strap, it would be difficult to enter after take-off.  

When setting the shoelace strap, make sure also that your main chest strap connections to the seat plate ( also adjustable red, and green stripes going to the seat plate ) are not too loose to prevent you from slipping forward too much when you take off, because it will require more knee bent to catch the pod if you are too way forward. (I’ll explain it in the video) 

My usual harnesses are the Impress 4 L size pod M and the Arrow L size. I found that the Vissta XC M size fits me like a glove after my adjustments. 

The comfort for the back is quite high resembles the Impress 4 for that matter, knowing that the Impress 4 offers one of the most comfortable rides.  I found myself inside the Vissta XC sitting in my preferred chair! The legs are naturally supported, and there’s no pressure on the body whatsoever! FLOW installed a 35 X 15 cushion on the lower back which provides good back support. It can be moved by a few centimeters to your taste. 

The weight shift capabilities are slightly above the Impress 4 and close to the Arrow with slightly more weight shift capabilities! For an XC/Comp harness, it has an excellent balance. 

The roll movements can be described as balanced.  More stable than the X-rated 6/ WV GTO 2. Close to the Impress 4 and Arrow in that matter. 

The chest strap has an adjustment, is flat on the upper side for sure, and is reachable easily in the air. ( Resembles the Genie race 4 chest adjustments)  

The shape of the harness and pod stays streamlined with the air with difficulty in getting the pod lower down or higher up unless it has been badly adjusted. So the pod stays streamlined. The rear fairing is big, and the take-off reminded me of when I test-flew the Submarine. I had to put the rear fairing on windy days under my arm to keep my vision clear.  The rear fairing stays well inflated in the air and doesn’t move if you have secured both zippers at their max edge. That way the rear fairing is pressurized. 

There’s a foam protector of 15 cm on the Vissta XC.  https://para-test.com/storage/app/media/certificates/flow-paragliders/harne/visstaxc-l/PH_438-2024_IP_VisstaXC_L.pdf

Conclusion:

The Vissta XC checked all the boxes for me. The very high comfort for long flights, the excellent weight shift capabilities, the aerodynamic shape, two side rescues,! All that with slightly less weight than my Impress 4 L.  

The construction is very neat and it seems to resemble the Niviuk Arrow construction details.  

It can be folded like the Impress 4 to fit in a large bag, which is difficult to find these days… 

I had some nice and comfortable flights with the Vissta XC. landed with a good feel, and relaxed body. 

I think from the conventional harnesses in the market (except Submarine types) The FLOW Vissta XC could be one of the most interesting harnesses as it joins the Useful and pleasant in a foldable harness. Business and pleasure at the same time :-)

An interesting tool for test flying if you aim for that type of XC/comp harnesses.