The key to life is not accumulation. It's contribution. Hands that serve help more than the lips that pray.

Friday, October 18, 2013

Thoughts of nothingness ! ;-)

Considering that free flying or paragliding as one of the purest form of freedom, i could not but write the following:

Money makes the world go round.
In the world paragliding community, and over the years, we all encounter some incredible conscienceless pilots that will eventually lead the in-experienced new comers to very bad experiences, to say the least …Intended or not.

Selling their top performer old para gliders or dysfunctional free flight articles to new pilots without even caring to properly explain the limits of their usability, as if those poor souls don’t have any meanings in their in-satiate minds!

Knowing that our areal sport is to be taken with care, and understanding, I always wondered how is it possible to ignite their conscience space?

Not to mention the ferocity brand ‘flag holders’ that engages the wildest fights for their heart and mind obsession, letting us wonder sometimes if they could be 'brand' blood related …

Couldn’t still imagine how irresponsible some pilots would act, sharing the sky without any guilt.

Up there in the sky, pilots are gravity free equals…
Each one individually can have his best or worst moments.

I thought of sharing humbly those little insights:

(A)
-All brands are equally and safely comparable if EN certified.
-Don’t get lost…It’s a big business and lots of marketing…To me it looks like a woman’s make up.
-Some can turn quicker or just feel slightly more comfortable. Some having a slight edge in climb or +3 to 4 km speed (In a same Category) But that’s just it. It all depends on the pilots taste.
-For a pilot flying (less than 80 hours/year) .It is definitely NOT the higher rated glider that will make him go further…It is ‘only’ his skills when used correctly.
A low airtime-flying pilot could find a slight advantage in weak conditions under a high-end glider but will be totally handicapped in strong conditions.
The same low airtime-flying pilot will work slightly harder on his trusty B glider in weak conditions (Improving his skills) But will find himself totally confident in strong conditions enabling him to go further!
-For non-competition pilots flying (less than 100 hours/year)
Nowadays high-end B gliders have enough performances to reach some impressive XC records. Humility toward nature is deliverance…!

(B)
-Don’t buy any used wing unless you know the exact history or it’s control sheet!
-All reserve must be checked every 6 months, if you want them to open as quickly as you did invest.
-Repack your reserve with a professional! Latest testing of the rescue opening in a French magazine showed a 6/10 of the reserves don’t actually open!
-Have to practice safe descent techniques in order to use them when needed.
-Always kite your glider in a safe 15-25km/h wind ‘with a helmet’ (Even if you have +3000 h)
What you will experience when kiting on the ground and correcting it, will be a relatively similar experience of control in the air.

(C)
-Always fly with a helmet!
-Always connect your accelerator bar!
-Watch your rescue pin if sealed before each take off !
-Control your leg straps before take off (Today pilots use their mobiles on take offs several times before airborne … ! )
-A certified back protection is a must! (Believe me!)
-Always fly in your limits (Not that of your pro friends)
And try to make the ‘wisest' decision rather than the boldest one.
Remembering the old saying: Better to be on the ground hoping to fly, rather than being on the air hoping to land.

After all ...No flying ? ...Bad weather... You can watch some videos on :
http://www.youtube.com/user/ziadbassil 
Or read some reviews: www.dustoftheuniverse.com  :-) 
or www.ziad.bassil.blogspot.com  :-) 
Fly safe !
Warriors of the light !  ;-)

Sunday, September 29, 2013

NEO The String !

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itIUM9lc73o


Cheers,
Ziad.

Monday, September 23, 2013

Saint Hilaire (Coupe Icare ) FRANCE 2014

Hello,
Some news ...

I have made lots of video interviews with the manufacturers, so you can hear your answers directly from them.
Here is some small infos before the videos are finished....Much more details...

-Triton 2,it needs more time to work on it. Not yet any date...
-Mentor 3 Light will be available to the market in Sept /October...
-Nova don't have at the moment a Factor 2 replacement. Some other options could be better as may be a 'C' triton 2...
-Nova will may be try to make a tandem based on the M3.
-Advance is focusing on the new Sigma 9 at the moment and should be released soon with a similar feeling in the air of the S8,with much better performances.
-Omega 9 still needs some work, and won't be released soon until they are satisfied with the protos.
-BGD are thinking of a high speed high end B glider...New category ( See video soon with Bruce explanation)
-BGD also have released their tandem the dual.
-Ozone M6 will be a 3 liner. OZONE say 'the perfect 3 liner' intended for M4 pilots with D certification. Handling and performances never seen yet on a certified D glider.
-Rush 4 is also on its way with a shark nose . It replaces the Rush 3 as a high end B ,but still with a comfortable use.(much more infos on the videos...)
-Ozone Geo 4 as a light wing and the Alpina 2 will be available in early 2014.
-Ozone harnesses .The Ozium as a light harness and the Exocet as a full on competition harness with two rescues. They say it is very comfortable !
-Triple Seven Queen is now released in M size .The S size is still in process. The Queen like to be flown at 75 % of the weight range for everyday use, and in competitions where the pilot needs the speed ,it is better to be on top weight.
-Triple Seven Pawn EN-A glider will be soon on the market, with some impressive performance for a starting glider with shark nose technology.
-UP Makalu Light EN-B , is also introduced and the Ascent 3 as a school glide.
UP is working on a C glider but still too to tell for any release dates.. Depending on the findings as they could aim for a comfortable C with maybe more perfs than the TXC2...But it is too early...
-Sky (Alexander Paux)30 years of designing wings !! Alexander is sure that if he found for example that a 4 liner glider is having more performance than a 3 liner ,he will immediately put it on the market regardless of the 'trend' going on around him. He simply explained that few supported lines implies sometimes thicker profiles....Meaning less forward moving. In the Atis 4 he could make a thinner ,well supported profile that cut through better. 




Niviuk:
-Artik 4 is still under work,with a shark nose and will emerge in spring 2014.
-Icepeak 7 will have two versions .One a replacement for IP6 with better overall usability, and one with higher aspect ratio as a full on race comp wing !
-A Takoo 3 is also emerging soon
-Two paramotor gliders ,the Cougar 2 and the Doberman.

Gradient:
-Aspen 5 is under serious construction,and will be ready hopefully in spring 2014.
-Avax XC4 is not yet on the menu...More time is needed at the moment.

Kortel harnesses:
-Kuik 2 with Pod is ready (Picture available very soon) No seat board but Denis Cortella said that there's a new connecting device that removes the shaking of a seat less harness with lesser roll movements...

BDG :
High end EN-D Diva (Pic soon) is under work...Very good looking glider. Today it was flown on a small funny glide comp by 'TYR' Bruce's smaller son ! and placed 2nd overall ! It showed indeed a super glide in calm air ( Fun Comp)

U-Turn:
-One class A glider replacing the bodyguard.
-One low B glider as the Infinity 4.
-a new C glider with shark nose is under study and development, but very early for now.
-Two new acro wings.

GIN:
-The light EN-D ,Boom X-Alps(The same Aaron used for the X-Alps) is ready for delivery with D certification.
-The Carrera in size M is ready for delivery. The S is still under work from GIN himself.
-The Rage ,is a freestyle and acro glider. 





More videos being uploaded now....

Sunday, September 8, 2013

NEW WEB !

Dear all,
The new Website  :  www.dustoftheuniverse.com   has been launched.
It contains all the details and its easy to find your wing.
The information are still in process of getting uploaded.
Check it out.
The Blog  www.ziadbassil.blogspot.com will still be working in parallel.
Hope you like it   :-)