The size 26 is ready for take off at 99 all up. It looks like a big glider on the ground. The construction details are superb ! The rods on the leading edge of the Aspen 5 are not very long. The A attachment points on the glider are slightly back .
Risers are skinny and sporty, and the Aspen 5 has all unsheathed lines.
Launching the Aspen 5 in nil wind is easy just a steady pull … In stronger wind above 25 km/h be ready to control it as other C gliders…
Flying the Aspen 5 26 at 99 all up, in some turbulent cores showed a moderate roll response ,slightly more than Aspen 4 with some movements on the yaw axis. However at that load, entering some thermals the Aspen 5 pitch back a bit then stabilize above the pilots head. It is very different in behavior from the Aspen 4 .
The brake travel is similar to the 4 with light pressure , and the turning radius is flatter. It is surely more efficient in climb than the Aspen 4 ,but with less agility for the same loadings.
The Aspen 5 gives this feeling of performance efficiency where the Aspen 4 was more oriented for fun. Surely Gradient wanted to get maximum performance out of a C.
Talking about performance lets begin with the climbing ability. After many flights and comparison with my reference glider in the C category, and with the same loadings,i can see that the Aspen 5 is very competitive with the top ones.
The efficiency in the weak coupled with a flat turn is very good ! In punchier thermals the Aspen 5 will surely climb very well also, but will need just a second to settle after the back pitch.
In gliding power, at trim speed the Aspen 5 also showed similar performance as the top ones, but at top speed which is ±15 km/h over trim at 800 ASL, the Aspen 5 has a very interesting glide angle that could place it on top.
Big ears flap a bit, and it is better to sit in the middle or use the speed system symmetrically with this maneuver to avoid turning left or right.
It is clear that the Aspen 5 was built for efficient flying rather than a freestyle wing to throw around. But still flying it heavy can improve that feeling.
Conclusion: With the Aspen 5 ,Gradient has successfully built an efficient XC machine to compete with this category.
Choosing a glider comes always to a personal choice of multiple feelings and sensations that comes after a test flight .
The lightning little sister for the B entry level. Launching is super easy, with just a slight pull on the A’s. The Infinity 4 feels relatively very light. Once airborne, the Infinity 4 react with the environment with moderate roll movement and a nice neutral pitch behavior. Much less than the one on the Lightning. The trim speed is a bit slow . It could be around 37 km/h. The handling inside thermals is excellent. The brake pressure is light and the wing reacts quickly and precisely on input ! I could say easily that it has one of the finest handling among the low rated B’s. Climb rate inside the thermals showed a similar efficiency as the Blacklight which is excellent in this category. The Infinity 4 could be slowed down inside a small bubble and it can efficiently core it to base. Doing some glides puts the Infinity 4 in the middle to high of the category . With the low trim speed, doing some long glides with bar is efficient. The Infinity 4 doesn’t loose much at full bar ! It stays well on a good glide angle. Big ears are stable and reopen by themselves. Conclusion: The Infinity 4 S at 90 all up move a bit in turbulence but stays surely in the low B category and can be described as a sweet glider…Light on the brakes ,light on the bar, efficient on glide and especially on the climb . I wish it had a faster trim speed…
History: At first i was afraid of getting a Tequila 4 for testing as i thought it could have the same long brake travel as the Chili 3, especially being a low B, then some pilots reported that it was completely different....i was curious...i ordered it...waited ... a ... lot ... Skywalk delay...then it came. The test: The last Skywalk glider i have flown was a Chili 3. That glider amazed me by its overall performance especially the climb rate. The only negative point for my personal taste was its long brake travel. Now its smaller sister the Tequila 4 in size S (70-95) is smiling at me at the take off.... Quality is now a competitive race between manufacturers, and a Skywalk wing has its place on the higher steps among the best ones available. Talking about quality can be sometimes like poor literature on paper . The eye is the key that unveils the perfection of the work that has been done on a paraglider .The Skywalk Tequila 4 much like the Chili 3 has a neat finish coupled with refine construction details. Launching the S size at 92 all up, i found the first pull on the A's to be relatively calm ,smooth and the lift from the first steps was quick. In the air: I still remember perfectly my last test flights on low B gliders . Ion 3, Atlas, Buzz Z4, etc... Flying the Tequila 4 in thermals surprised me ! The maneuverability in this low B category is unique by a "short" quicker brake response and immediate turning behavior which puts a large smile and even more happy humor the whole flight...(In the past low B gliders were dull and some pilots will be bored) Not on the Tequila 4 ! I was enjoying my test flight :-) Farewell to the long brake travel on the Chili 3. The Tequila is ssssspicy :-) Small bullet thermals can be out-cored !!! Is that english ?? :-) The Tequila 4 doesn't dive in the thermal. It just turn quickly as we use to say "on a dime" ! After several occasions flying next to my usual friends .I can confirm an excellent climb rate for that tiny Grey/green dot ! ;-) ...In fact i think Skywalk has managed to inherit the Tequila 4 'some' of the fine climbing qualities of its bigger sister the Chili 3 . Doing long glides against some gliders in the same category did in fact surprised me even more ...The Tequila 4 stand on the higher shelf of the performance scale for a low B glider and could even match the best one up there touching the heart of the high-end B category supremacy... The trim speed at my total weight was very good for a low B. May be 39.5 km/h at 800 asl. Some difficult glides were made against the sea breeze and showed some impressive behavior for the Tequila 4 enabling it to always search forward and float rather than to bump against the airmass. And that is totally brilliant for a low B glider. Who's the glider for? The 'Spaghetti salad mixture' dilemma of the higher categories,D,C and finally touching the high-end B's with the appearance of the high aspect ratio ones has already made heads spinning faster than ever...to say the least... This race for better performance or should i say better numbers ? ;-) as some pilots are still looking for those !! Yes and they are many still...unfortunately... This big salad mixture seems to be tasty ...and i 'm afraid it will hit the lower categories soon. Back to my green Yoda friend, I found that it has the ability to please pilots in the category above who will appreciate its relatively dynamic but reassuring attitude. The Tequila 4 is not a tamed or dull low B glider. It is a glider for talented pilots searching for their second wing and will find real fun without loosing the 0.2 figure... in L/D on the higher B's. In fact wing overs on the Tequila 4 are awesome ! In the second weight shift i found myself above the wing...Looking at the small aspect ratio glider ,i wouldn't have thought i will have fun like that! It could possibly be and i don't encourage it...but ....a good baby learning acro wing :-) for the basic maneuvers of course. Big ears are stable and a good way to get down,if coupled with bar. Speed over trim is 11 km/h with a medium to soft pressure push. The glide is still good at ± 44 km/h ,then the Chili 3 will prevail. Low speed characteristics are present with a forgiving 75 % brake pull ,but the glider will keep a certain float-ability before top landing...It's polar seems good . Conclusion: Low aspect ratio B glider , true 3 liner design , top gliding and climbing performance , handles like a toy, a blissful machine , That's the Tequila 4 in size S .
Hi,
UPDATE : Hi,
I am been flying the Tequila 4 S those past weeks, and more feedback are available to share.
In my flying years ,there were some special gliders. Flying them gave me an impression that they stand near perfection in their respective categories.
After each flight on the Tequila 4 S , those impressions began more and more to settle in.
When laying this glider for folding it after each flight , my head always ask the same question:
How come that a low aspect ratio glider that looks relatively small over my head round and compact ,having all over regular covered lines ! can in fact fly beautifully each time i took it for an air challenge.
In 85 % of difficult conditions , the T4 always kept it’s magical powers saving me again and again to regain some heights, and float away, where some other gliders next to me seems to reject the conditions of the day by their excessive bumping, surging, diving , jumping around and loosing heights.
Indeed there are some special gliders, and the T4 S is one of them.
It is in fact the whole package that is successful . Where the brake response of the Chili 3 and Cayenne 4 were long and in stronger ,punchier conditions, the brakes weren’t that efficient to control the strong surges, the Tequila 4 is the golden boy! The brake travel is short, and very precise. Yes it moves a bit more than an average low B ,but the precision of the brakes will tame immediately the sudden movements of the glider.
In weak thermals it is a bliss to steer it. No B or C pilot would be indifferent toward this precision and pleasure to fly it, and they won’t loose that joyful feeling under it that is not usually available on some low aspect B’s...
For me the Tequila 4 S is a special glider and the main cause is ( low aspect ratio - Normal lines-B glider - High trim speed ! - Pleasure handling - Outstanding performance ‘efficiency' for a regular B ! )
Many did asked me if the glide matches the Chili 3 S. May be the manufacturer won’t say it…But i will…Yes it has the same glide angle until 44 km/h and the glide in moving conditions is ….b.t….impressive ;-)
Designing gliders sometimes don’t bear the fruits that manufacturer are aiming for. A glider replacement is not always better…Too many things involved for success...
But the Tequila 4 S design for the easy B category is indeed a success. Too many things involved for success...
IMHO unless there’s a competition for speed , a good pilot can fly the T4 where his imagination leads him .
Laying on the glider is UP new 6.3 aspect ratio B glider.
Seven lines per side all are unsheathed + brake line, Sporty looking
risers, with a shark nose profile…or whatever they call it today …
It has everything of today’s innovations and requirements…
Launching is straightforward, easy and take off couldn’t be easier on a 6.3 ar glider !
First turn in a thermal showed that the XC 3 has a moderate to light
pressure, linear, precise and direct .The thermalling ability is nice
and a joy to fly.
Climbing felt as good in efficiency as a Mentor 3 S loaded at 96 all up.
Surprisingly, the 6.3 ar XC3 felt much more comfortable than a Carrera S
at same loadings. The XC3 is much more coherent with a solid
structure.The roll movements that i felt on the Carrera S were nearly
absent on the XC3.Even the pitch movements are very dampened.
The internal structure feels very solid and i couldn’t sense i am on a
higher rated glider…It feels like i am (nearly comfortable) on a Mentor 3
S.
Trim speed at 93 all up on the S 80-98 size is around ± 40 km/h .
Just ± 0.5 km/h more than a Mentor 3 S (80-100) at 96 km/h .
Doing some tip to tip glides at trim first next to the same M3 S at 96 ,
with a 15 km/h head wind showed a close or similar glide angle .
Pushing the accelerator at full bar on the XC3 (Pulleys overlapping) and
racing the same M3 for a 3 km glide showed that both have the same top
speed with also very close glide.The M3 was finally ± 5 m higher at the
end of the glide which is very small.
The glides were repeated 2 times with same results.
Like the exceptional M3 the XC3 cuts forward through the sea breeze better than a Blacklight or a Lightning.
Conclusion : Flying the XC3 felt very easy …Ears are stable and -3m/s
were reached with bar. They open quickly.Wing overs are nice but needs
some input to throw them around.It shows that the XC3 is a calm glider
for the given aspect ratio.
ADVANCE Sigma 9 25 Test flying gliders and putting my personal findings into words is the most difficult thing to do. Even flying the gliders in different conditions i can only give my personal opinion. But if i don’t write exactly what i felt and seen, then why should i write tests anyways ! Here’s what i found flying the Sigma 9 25 (75-100) from 92 till 97 all up.
Opening an ADVANCE glider is always a moment of excitement. The quality
of workmanship, cloth, sewing, are beyond a doubt the best you could
find. The Sigma 9 has a mild shark nose profile ,3.5 liner, all
lines are unsheathed with small relatively diameters that resembles the
best C gliders. Launching the Sigma 9 felt very easy from 5 km/h
wind to gusty 30 km/h .The glider rises smoothly and stay above the
pilots head showing its docile behavior even on ground handling.
In the air, the Sigma9 gives immediate feeling of confidence.It gives
the sensation when flying it at mid weight or near max weight of a very
coherent and solid, compact glider ! First day in weak thermals
at 92 all up and first turn .The brakes could be described medium to
short, not that light after 30 cm, not really linear…but direct. The
Sigma 9 respond calmly and turn on pilot order. Very weak
conditions are not the Sigma 9 strong point even with -8 kg from top
weight. I found it difficult for the Sigma9 to breath in those small
conditions (-0.5 m/s) thermals. The next day i took the Sigma 9
to a spot in the north were the dry season gave strong conditions with
sometimes +30 km/h on take off, making the day a good one for evaluating
a glider. I flew the Sigma 9 25 at 97 all up, and getting upward
like a sling-shot, i still felt surprisingly a very comfortable ride
under it ! The glider became even more compact on my wing load and
wasn’t even wobbling or shaking…as if i am on a lower rated glider. The structure felt very solid and coherent ! That’s the strong point of the Sigma 9. Even in broken lift, the direct brake contributed to a clean turn. Thermals were easily cored by the Sigma 9.
My observations were that the Sigma 9 was pitching back remarkably when
entering strong cores. It doesn’t surge forward at all. In strong
valley breeze, it struggle a bit to go forward.
The trim speed is
visibly reduced and the only way to give it a boost is by applying the
bar which is actually an efficient tool.
Some B gliders in these
head wind conditions even on bar will still be stuck, but the Sigma 9
accelerator is changing the equation. Doing some glides with another reference C glider shows an excellent glide (in calm air) for the Sigma 9 ! It is in difficult and head wind conditions that places the Sigma 9 in the middle of the C category in terms of glide angle. Some new C gliders have the ability to cut through more and go ahead. The Sigma 9 is not a floater rather than a fighter (for strong conditions). Wing overs are quickly built, and 360’s are a fun way to go down. Ears are very stable and a good and easy way to descend.
Conclusion : From all the Sigma’s that i remember, the Sigma 9 is the
most solid and coherent, as the Sigma 4 was the most agile.
Pilots coming from the low B category (2 seasons) could in fact get a
Sigma 9 as a first C glider. In fact i think that it is the only C i
have tested that could pass for a B rather than a C…hope you know what i
mean ;-) But i leave this to the authenticity and philosophy of ADVANCE.
U-Turn Lightning S Having had some happy times flying the
Blaklight S and SM size, here is the Lightning in size S ,a light
version of the Blacklight for a test flight. Of course lighter cloth…It weights around 4 kg risers included.
The risers are very thin and the line attachment point are covered with neoprene and linked with a thick Dyneema line.
Taking off with 88 all up on the S (70-90) is simple.The glider rises
quickly and need just a small brake pressure to keep it overhead.The
launching is fast. Turning behavior is among the best i have
flew.Like the Blacklight,the lightning is agile with very linear and
crispy handling to keep the pilot in control of every movement inside
the thermal. The Lightning can be steered very precisely in the core for
an outstanding climb ! (The reference) in the B category until now.
The slight pitch back in entering the thermal of the BL has gone and
replaced by a neutral pitch that slows the glider a bit in entering.Much
better than the BL. It seems that the light cloth + the red plastic
long inserts have done this small improvement. The roll movement
of the Lightning is the same as the one on the BL S.It is a lively
glider ! It jumps in the turbulence to find it’s place ,and needs a good
pilot under it. The glide seems very good at least the same as BL but in some long lines the less pitch movements gives a better glide angle.
The speed bar can be pushed easily at full with a solid and pressurized
glider. The C riser become a bit light but can be used for preventing
any pitch forward in turbulence. Speed gain over trim seems over +13
km/h at 800 m ASL. Ears are stable, nice way to descend,as there only two lines on the A’s . Conclusion :
Light, superb performance, climbs like a devil ! Handles
beautifully…Needs a "skilled approach" in turbulent conditions ! A
floater ! That’s the Lightning.
Looking the the new Mac para Elan, showed a more clean and better construction than before. The sewing are very neat and the finish is excellent !
The Elan has a shark nose, with a new and simple interesting construction.
The lower lines are sheathed and the upper ones are unsheathed.
The thin risers looks very sporty, with the handles on the C risers very well placed !
Launching the Elan is straightforward and simple.
In the air : The Elan takes it’s pilot quickly in charge for a quick take off. Once in the air i could sense an immediate feel of comfort as the Elan gives that nice confidence inspiring feel !
Flying the Elan at 97 all up on the 26 gives an average brake travel that enable it’s pilot to be in charge whatever the conditions throws at him.
The brake pressure is also medium to light and the brake response are quite good, with a description as precise, crispy, direct…Finally…A joy to steer !
I felt that once i encounter a thermal the Elan react as a spring immediately going upward without any delay !
Flying the Elan in turbulence is quite disconcerting for a C.You have to ask your friend later if the conditions were rough…or not…Because under the Elan the pilot is always a VIP on a couch.
Saying that doesn’t mean that the Elan is very dampened. It does inform it’s pilot exactly enough about the conditions of the day without being too hot to handle ! The Elan reaction and comfort in turbulence goes more on the Eden 5 side rather than on the Marvel side ! It could clearly be a pilot first C as it’s movement in turbulence are rather soft and the overall reactions are rather smooth and not stiff !
Later i gave the Elan to my friend who flew it at 100 all up just on top. And i took the Delta 2 SM at 92 all up, 3 kg below max. Trim speed is the same for 4 km. The glide also in head wind. The top speed is on the Delta 2 side with +1 km/h only .The glide at full speed is also the same !
Climbing together in weak thermal showed that they are also inseparable. My friend bought another Elan immediately after landing ! His large smile was better than any comment…
Performance : After many glides with my reference top C glider, showed that even with it’s thicker normal lower lines, the Elan finally stands equally performant ! In glide at trim, accelerated and in climb ! The plus comes in favor of the Elan for it’s much more comfort use. I asked the designer for the purpose using the thick sheathed lower lines His explanation is a longer use with the same stable performance for the Elan without pilots fearing for 'an out of trim' situation !
An idea came to my mind...Imagine a lighter ,thin line version !!!
Conclusion : Yes they did it ! If you are looking for a comfortable C glider with very nice coordinated handling, and excellent overall performance on the top of the C category for the time being, then you must get an ELAN for a test flight. May be you won’t return it back ;-)
SKY Argos !!!! The new light C glider from SKY arrived .The Argos ! Laying the glider on the ground show a superb finish construction to the last detail… Thin risers are equipped with ‘FOUR’ lines A,B,C,D ! No plastic rods anywhere ! No shark nose, air scoop…whatsoever… Normal lines on the lower part ! Unsheathed lines on the higher part ... "finally"
A clean and ‘normal’ paraglider…very difficult to see in those days… So…what should we expect from such a design… Flying the Argos ML 85-100 at 96 all up.
Launching : Just a small pull and the glider rises without any hard
point .In strong wind a little brake is needed to stop the glider from
overshooting.Normal for a C. In the air : First contact with a rough and turbulent thermal, and the glider has that very little pitch back in entering it. In smoother conditions the pitch back is not felt. Argos brakes has a moderate to light feel, and little more pressure than the Atis 4. The Argos smoothly follow with a moderate to agile behavior. In narrower cores the Argos needs slightly wider circle than the Atis 4, as the glider keeps surfing the air.
The Argos has a more pronounced roll response than the Atis 4. In
strong thermals the pitch stability is very good without any shooting
forward. Sometime it slightly pitches back with a quick return and efficient cutting through.
The Argos feels like it is always surfing the air and the authority on
the brakes doesn't quickly slow the glider inside the core, for very
tight turning, so in weak conditions the pilot must be keen to prevent
it from slipping out of the thermal. Overall it is a good climber ! Now the part that impressed me the most with the Argos classical construction is the glide angle !
After many glides in difficult head wind conditions, i can confirm that
the Argos with its 4 lines, no rods, no shark-nose ...stand
surprisingly very close to the best ones in it’s category ! With the Argos, any C pilot would make the same flight as the more complicated or lesser lines full unsheathed new C machines. The performance is there.
The Argos is not a dampened C glider as it require good skill for a C
pilot, nor a very lively one, but exactly in the middle of it’s category
in terms of comfort and until that moment among the top three in terms
of glide performance. Ears are stable and re-open by themselves. The speed system has a moderate to light pressure in the first part and a bit harder on the second part. Conclusion : Some things in life makes you wonder…
Once again, the SKY designer has proven by taking a unique path, far
from the trend and fashion of today's often followed concepts, that,
simple and genius creations can be reached !
Ozone Rush 4 SM
And finally, the long awaited glider came to my house this morning.
Being a Rush 4 SM ,i rushed to the take off to get a taste of its features.
Laying it on the ground and as an SM with 25 sqm, it looks a bit smaller than the Delta 2 SM which has also 25 sqm.
Today i flew at 92.4 kg all up on the SM size (75-95)
Launching : Reverse launching at 15 km/h wind on a relatively 30 degrees
slope, the Rush 4 doesn't overpass it's pilots, and needs a steady but
gentle pull all the way.
In the air : Once airborne and having flown the Delta 2 SM for the last
days at 92.5 also, i can confirm a quick 'feel' of a more smaller but
'compact' glider.
The air today was turbulent and there was some 15 km/h North/west head
wind with very poor visibility. I have flown many years into those
conditions to understand better glider reactions.
The Rush 4 is not a tamed glider in the high-end B category like its predeccessor the Rush 3 nor it is a wild one.
It has a 'balanced' but dynamic feel and moves as a whole reminding me
the Mentor 2 with ‘slightly less’ overall feedback but with a moderate
spicy feel that some experienced B or C pilots downgrading will find
this EN-B a cherry on the cake.
The authority on the brakes reminded me also of the Mentor 2 that i
liked very much at the time. The Rush 4 has a relatively short and
direct handling with a precise and linear travel. The turning radius at
my loadings can be very narrow, so the pilot can core the thermals
instantly without any delay.
Entering some rough thermals, the Rush 4 doesn't surge forward, but
pitches 'very slightly' backward and immediately regain balance
overhead.
360’s are easy to enter and they are a very efficient descent method when settled in, as the loss of altitude is very quick.
The exit is relatively energetic but still in the B certification.
Ears are made with the outer A's .They are stable with a -3m/s descent
rate. If the pilot takes more lines for bigger ears, they will flap.
The opening of normal ears are very quick and sometimes with a bang ! They are very pressurized !
Pushing the speed system in rough air surprised me for its very solid
behavior ! I really wanted to see if the leading edge would soften a bit
being pulley to pulley. But it didn't ! The Rush 4 SM at my loadings
was very solid and coherent .The foot pressure is similar to the Delta 2
one which is relatively medium to light.
Measuring the top speed at 1000 asl /temp 25 C/ humidity 80% gave me a 13 km increase over trim !OZONE RUSH 4 SM
Performance UPDATE : Launching : Like any high-end B i found that the take off is very easy…and sometimes in nil wind a little steady push on the A’s is welcomed.
In the air : Flying the Rush 4 in different conditions from weak to strong with some glides made in head wind conditions, showed me a average comfort behavior for the high-end B category. There are some low aspect B’s that require more pilot input and some require less. So the Rush 4 is in the middle of the category in terms of comfort. The handling is the strongest point of the Rush 4.It has a relatively short, direct and precise brake control that a pilot could place it exactly where he wants inside the core. On top of that the Rush 4 informs its pilot about those movements needed to locate a thermal letting him aware where the thermal is. Some high end B’s are too dampened in pitch that sometimes you loose a weak thermal by missing it. That’s not the case with the Rush 4.
Climb rate : Flying the SM at 93 all up showed me that it has similar climb rate to a similar loaded Mentor 3 S even in all thermal conditions …form weak to strong…to head wind thermal-ling…They are very similar in climb. (My M3 reference friend flies with me for the last 20 years)
Glide : We did in fact make some interesting into wind glide … With similar loadings for both.
At trim speed the Mentor 3 S has ±1 km/h forward speed .To reach the same speed as the M3 i had to push the bar slightly. The glides are impressively the same at that configuration.
After many attempts of glide measurements : The glides were made in moving air (Video soon) in 15 km/h head wind and on 5 km run. I was on the Rush 4 SM at 93 all up, pulley to pulley to reach the M 3 S speed which has still 3 cm more pushing travel. After some kms, we both agreed that the M3 is still one of the best contenders to beat in glide in the high-end B category by a little insignificant margin…As the Blacklight and Chili 3 are the best in climb !
The M3 pushed the full bar and had + 3km/h more top end speed.
What’s special about the Rush 4 ?
The thing is that the Rush 4 combine many features in one glider : Superb handling, top end glide in the high end B cat, very good climb, Overall very pleasurable to fly, And that in « one » comfortable complete package.
Not to forget the solidity and the use of full bar is a fine achievement ! I was able to push the full lengths in some turbulent air and the glider was indeed « Rock solid » !
Conclusion : For the last year and a half i never sold the Delta 2 SM.For me it was the best glider in the C category and i kept it as reference for comparing and above all for my flying pleasure !
With the Rush 4, Ozone has created close enough the same feeling under a glider that the Delta 2 had, but with a more compact and more solid glider to fly safely in strong conditions.I felt that +92 on the SM (75-95) is a good weight for overall (rough and soft ) conditions to combine good climb and glide.
My findings are personal and i recommend that you get a test flight on this nice machine to evaluated yourself ! Comparing ‘only’ very small performance gain is useless if the glider doesn’t give you the joy to fly… I am sure that the Rush 4 will give a smile to many faces as it has many qualities to get any high-end B pilot the best XC’s he dreams about with the safety and pleasure he gets flying it. More videos soon !!
Having flown the Ion 1 and Ion 2 here is the Ion 3 test flight.
Nova has already proven with the Ion 2 its ability to make some long XC
flying with a large passive safety. They claim that the Ion 3 is
targeted to the same group of pilots wanting more performance without
the stress of a high aspect ratio glider.
The glider just arrived and I am already on the take off.
Construction:
On the Ion 3 unsheathed lines are found at the top and normal on the
bottom main lines. I could see a clean 3 line construction without any
splits on the C .
Digging my ‘hard nose’ inside the NOVA ‘Air scoop’ cells of the Ion 3 to check the construction,
I can see that you could expect a quality beyond questioning on the
ION 3. The workmanship on this glider and on recent NOVA gliders is
really remarkable.
Launching the Ion3 is straightforward and at 95 all up I was immediately airborne even with a light breeze.
In the air:
First thermal and first contact in the air on board the ION 3 S size loaded at 95,showed a very quick brake response.
After the first 10 cm slack from the pulleys, the glider can be turned on the second 10 cm travel and it doesn't need more !
It is weird for me to experience that on a low B glider.
I have tried to dig the brake 40 cm lower just to make sure it doesn’t spin…. But it does seem to be a forgiving B glider.
The pressure on the 10 cm travel needed to steer the glider is average,
just like on the Ion 2, but pulling +10 cm more showed a hard brake
pressure.
In thermals the glider is easy to place inside the core with just those 10-12 cm .
Roll response is present on the Ion 3 slightly more than on the Ion 2.
But the pilot feels its passive safety, as it doesn’t have some high
angle surges. Just moving above the pilot’s head…
In entering the thermals, the Ion 1 would pitch back a little, the Ion 2
would have a slightly more neutral pitch, but the Ion 3 has a slight
forward pitch, as it seems to reach for the thermals. A nice feature for
discovering the higher rated gliders.
The Ion 3 seems to have its entire load on the A’s and B’s. At trim
speed, the C lines are nearly loose. It is another concept from the Ion
2.
The speed travel is long for the category and I was able to get +12 km/h over trim speed.
The pressure is similar to the Ion 2, which has a relatively average pressure.
Big ears are stable and reopen on their own.
The performance seems nice for this low-end B.
I have to make more flights along new low-end B’s to be more sure.
But it seems that at second bar the glide doesn’t deteriorate like on
the Ion 2 ! It feels more faster with a more interesting horizontal
glide !
More feedback,
Today i was hoping to get a long glide with the Buzz Z4 with same
loadings, but the conditions weren’t so ideal for comparing. But after
some hours in the air, here is what i found more :
Climbing :
Flying the Ion 3 S today with ballast at 96 all up.
First it was a bit windy and in those conditions when on a thermal and
facing the wind, the Ion 3 as a low B glider behaves like the class
above in surfing upward the air with each turn.It means that the leading
edge would convert the lift to a nice climb.This characteristic was not
really found before on the low B gliders i have tested.
Going in some turbulent conditions the Ion 3 moves above the pilots head
but won’t go far, and after a while the pilot will get a solid
confidence !
At the end of the day, i dropped the 3 kg ballast to get to 93 all
up.The brake pressure felt a little less tiring and the glider was
surely a better floater, that could easily be compared to the class
above ! in terms of climbing efficiency.
The Ion 3 doesn’t require a heavy approach. If the pilot will let it
fly, without too much brake input, it will ‘surf’ the air in a very
efficient glide for its low B category ! I think it is designed for XC
flights in mind.
The glide test is coming soon, but it seems that the Ion 3 has some
impressive glide angle for its category, especially into wind
transitions and at bar !
Just to tease you a bit
Soon…
AND more interesting feedback !!!
I was very excited to do the Mentor 3 Ion 3 glide for the past month !
As i knew there was something special here …But couldn’t write anything
before, being sure.
Now after many glides at trim and accelerated in headwind and difficult
conditions, I can confirm that the glide at trim and at 45 km/h are
identical !!
-In climbing ability the Mentor 3 still has a light edge.
-The overall handling and maneuverability is also on the M3 side..
-The total comfort and smoothness in flight is on the Ion 3 side.
IMHO, ‘Any’ low en-B pilot looking for some top performance in the
(High and low B) category would miss NOT to try that Ion 3 just to feel
what i talking about !
And i wonder how it could be done .... and why there are still some
'very' high aspect ratio gliders other than for top high speed gliding …
Finally the Queen arrived. Directly for the box to the take off…I saw
the size 85-104 . Being a bit far form the ideal weight, I ballasted up
to 102 !
Conditions of the day were …amazing !!! Thermals lifted us to +1000m above take off , and long glides were made…
Takeoff : I didn’t find any particular thing to say ! The glider has a very quick and nice take off behavior !
In the air : Having flown the carrera M, and S size with the Delta M and
SM size plus also 90% of C glider, ☺ I could describe the Queen very
precisely !
Handling is …a dream. Oups…
Ok…Lets explain. The Queen doesn’t dive in turns .The handling versus the Delta M size is on the side of the Queen.
As it could be described as : Linear, crisp, precise and easy to induce the turns. That’s with homogenous thermals.
In some nasty sudden and swift cores, it needs some little more time to get it in the right turn.
Strangely, and i wasn’t expecting it…I found that the Queen is more
comfortable to fly in most conditions than a Carrera M, S, or a Delta
SM… Saying that, i felt that the Queen stays always above the pilots
head with some impressive passive safety for this class of gliders.
I thought that it would have some sharper reactions, but it is a tamer glider to fly than many C’s i have tested.
Doing some long glides with a Carrera M loaded at 99 all up, and taking
into account that the Carrera M have a very small or slight better into
wind glide than a Delta 2, I found at first that the trim speed of Queen
at 102 is less by some insignificant amount…May be - 0.15 km/h,only
showed on long glides.
But surprisingly and after those long into wind glides…The queen has
the upper hand with also that slight edge over the Carrera M !
Other pilots would find them all alike..But long glides will show that very small edge !
Climb rate :
Loaded at 102 on the M size Queen, i found that it has a very slight, or
small delay to cut through the strong thermal in head wind, with the
glider being very docile to handle!
But i would have preferred a more leading edge attack !
The Queen also doesn’t like to be loaded at 102 in weak conditions. I
found after a the 3rd hour that i should dump the ballast a bit.
Getting rid of ±3.5 kg, the Queen showed some excellent climb in 0.3 m/s
…and helped me some crazy low saves in order to get back home !
Flying the Queen at 99 all up, the handling becomes even smoother, and
the ability to core the weak thermals did in fact put a smile on my face
as it reminded me of my old Airwave Xmx comp glider. The feeling is
like a glider that doesn’t loose anything in one narrow thermal with
always a positive vario with no loss in climbing efficiency.
Gliding at first and second bar showed some excellent performances that
puts the Queen on top of the C category for now or should i say ‘easily’
on par with the best C gliders out there !
The top speed on the M size Queen loaded at 102 i have here has ±3 km/h
faster than a Delta 2 SM and ±4 km/h more than a Carrera M size loaded
at 99.
Wing overs are nice and are also a fast descent method !
Big ears are easy and relatively stable ,they open with a slight brake touch.
Conclusion : Easy to manage, comfortable, coupled with amazing
performances. Triple seven has indeed a winner in the C category.It is a
shame that i didn’t get one before !
On this glider, no one will have an excuse on long XC’s for messing up if ‘carefully loaded’ !
This video below is from yesterday's flight.
It is a long one but the pilot can see the gliders in the air.
Today i have flown the Queen at 99 all up and flew also with my friend
on a longer flight with his Carrera at 99 also. If the climb rate is not
the strongest point of the Queen, we are more sure today that the Queen
has the 'BEST' glide into wind at first bar (48-50 km/h) of the speed
travel in the C category !
And this my fellow pilots is a real fact
Cheers,
Ozone Ozium First, i am not an expert in super light pod harnesses ! I can only compare it with the Advance lightness. Because this one is super ‘duper’ light and i could find just the necessary things to hold me into this pod harness.
Seat adjustment with folding lines, and no seat board. Sitting in the L size harness and M pod, with my 1.81 and 75 kg is just ok.
Proper time is needed to adjust it.
I could only say that it was a bit less comfortable than the Lightness i
had, but not everyone could agree as we all have different body shapes…
This is surely a very light pod harness with back protection for fly
and hike around the world with just the needed items to be airborne. Feels like you’re in the X-Alps
I flew a bit the M size but will wait for the S size to get a larger idea for a more accurate test report.
Gin Carrera S 92 all up on the S size with a Woody Valley GTO
harness, here i am flying the Carrera in a relatively weak to turbulent
conditions sometimes especially on the higher layers, with 10 km/h north
wind, making it interesting for discovering the ability of the flown
gliders. Having flown the M size at 98 all up, i found the S size at 92 to have a more direct handling of course ! And a bit more alive.
But the glider was completely pressurized and it wasn’t susceptible to
deflation whatsoever like the lesser loaded M size i flew earlier.
Describing the handling is light on the first part with a 50 % more
tension after 40 cm of travel. It is lighter than the Delta 2 SM with
same loadings. And i could also confirm the same agility in thermals. Both gliders are efficient in climb with no diving in turns.
I only could sense a slight float ability for the D2 in very weak
thermals -0.2m/s …But the Carrera felt more floater in headwind glides
or on its ability in searching forward for thermals ! Strangely the Atlas had that superb ability as if this technology is indeed present on those new generation Gin gliders. If you ask me which is the most comfortable in overall conditions ?
The Delta 2 feels more compact above your head, but when the conditions
get rough, sharp surges must be controlled to prevent the collapses.
On the same conditions the Carrera moves even in small conditions
letting its pilot immediately presume that it is more alive. Actually i
found that even in strong and bumpy conditions the Carrera doesn’t have
that sharp quick reaction in turbulence like the D2. It just roll a bit
more, but in a smoother way, letting its pilot feel that it is still
above his head giving him that increased passive safety feeling. Both are pitch stable, and the roll is more pronounced on the Carrera.
The movements are different from a sharp reaction like the Trango XC2,
and closer to a Cayenne 4 with more ease and prompt brake control.
The glide is similar or slightly better in lift lines than a Trango XC2
or a D2 with the ability to cut through the valley breeze even better
than some 2012 ‘C’ gliders …Letting the Carrera free to surf the air
without too much braking is the way to go. However the top speed is only 11 km over trim speed, even with the pulleys over-passing.
In this configuration, the Carrera seems solid and usable with the
first part of the travel which is light but the second part of the
travel is a bit hard. Pulling a bit on the A’s in full accelerator
mode showed that an average pull is needed to get the leading edge
lowered a bit but without any sign of collapse. Gin may have reduced the top speed for certification purposes. Big ears with the outer A’s are easy to pull .The opening is required by the pilot. Big ears with B3 are easy doable and practically has the same sink rate as the outer A’s but the opening is quite faster. 360’s get you down quickly .No real surges in getting out. Wing overs on the S are nice to make and could be very high. Conclusion : Over the years, gliders has evolved in design and technology. Marketing also has caught up. Seeing and flying many high-end B’s, it seems logical that this leap in marketing strategy will eventually be present. The Carrera is for me a superb glider that has everything a good intermediate pilot could wish for, except for the top speed… The ‘psychological B rating effect’ could have a positive impact on the ‘C’ category pilots flying the Carrera. There’s no ‘B’ available yet that has the same into wind performance or the same roll understanding… One season on a high-end B, is needed before jumping on a Carrera. Happy landings, Ziad
Small clarification: The Carrera got a B certification. What does that
mean ? ...Only that it has very good reactions and behavior in a
simulated collapse in calm air .
This is an excellent glider that must be respected as it is.
A pilot with enough experience and + 75 hours / year , can (extract) safely its performances.
The others with less experience will be busy keeping it controlled
overhead in strong conditions and won't eventually use it's performance !
That's why there's a lesser AR glider and manufacturer guidance that can
allow many pilots to go for the Atlas which in my humble opinion is one
of the best well balanced B glider of the moment ! as it has enough
performance to satisfy nearly all Low B and some high B pilots.
Difference in comfort the air between Carrera M, Mentor 3 S, Chili 3 S,
goes in favor of the M3, then the Carrera and Chili 3 are comfortably
equal in punchy air with better authority control for the Carrera to
place it exactly by the brakes. (must be loaded at 98 - 100 on the M )
To compare a Carrera M to a Mentor 3 or a Chili 3 would be unfair
,because the Carrera will show it's potential in head wind glides and
move forward like high aspect ratio gliders do...
The Carrera is intended for experienced pilots who needs the
psychological safety of a B with the superb performance of a C glider.
The Geo 4 is the light version of the Buzz Z4. I found it very similar in flight which is superb !! despite the lighter cloth. Handling , brake pressure , comfort, pleasure in thermals, light speed bar ....really superb combination of light and efficient low end B. A must to try ! See Buzz Z4 for a full review if needed.
Launching :
I don’t think it could get easier than that !! The lighter cloth helps
positively with the glider lift. The Delta 2 was easy, the Alpina 2 is
even easier !
In the air :
I flew the D2 SM often to confirm that the feeling under the Alpina 2 SM is ‘different’
How different ?
On the SM size i could feel that the Delta 2 liked to cut through
thermals and it felt like a more compact solid glider going slightly
positive searching the thermals, where on the Alpina 2 is more like a
softer glider with neutral reactions when entering a thermal with a
pitch zero response…
In fact the Alpina 2 moves a bit on its extremities a little more than a
Delta 2 which moves more as a whole. Despite having slightly more roll
movements in the air than the Delta 2, it has a softer reaction to
turbulence.
The handling with similar loadings is a bit or should i say slightly
less sharp than a delta 2 .It is very reactive to brake input but with a
small dive in turns. So another approach a bit different than a D2 in
turning is required by braking a bit the other side.
However the climbs are still brilliant…
Gliding on the Alpina 2 gives it’s passenger a pillow feel…Where the
Delta would feel more rigid, the Alpina 2 looks like a soft cotton ball.
( I am being picky because they practically are the same gliders with
different cloth) And there’s a difference !
Two years ago when i tested the Delta 1 and the Alpina 1, the sharper one was the Alpina 1.
Now the sharper feel comes more from the Delta 2, rather than the Alpina 2.
Gliding power is there ! It floats nicely in the air.
Big ears are stable, but slightly less than a D2 and open also slightly faster.
Slow speed characteristics are also found exactly on the Alpina 2.
Conclusion :
Similar performance and lighter. As i am a handling freak, may be i am
toward the sharper feel and efficient handling of the Delta 2, but the
Alpina 2 delivers the same amount of superb performance with a lighter
package.
Update: After some flights,i realized that the Alpina 2 has a slight better climb rate than the Delta 2 SM with same loadings.
I can see that you could expect a quality beyond questioning on the
ION 3. The workmanship on this glider and on recent NOVA gliders is
really remarkable.
