NOVA ION (90-110) LOW LTF 1-2

I had the opportunity to fly the ION Large 90-110,for an hour

GRADIENT GOLDEN 3 80-100

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tX9eTiTLgE



After some flights in thermal conditions, loaded at 95 kg all up ,with an impress harness, here is what I found.

Construction and quality are very good ,to the last detail in simplicity and GRADIENT style .It inspire confidence just by looking. Regular risers and lines , excluding the thin lines on top.





Launching the glider is easy, in all conditions. Nothing special on that.

In the air, at my wing loading I found the brakes long as the Aspen 3,but the wing is agile in smooth conditions. When it is turbulent and bumpy, I need to insist keeping the brakes in a low position in order to turn the glider faster.

Hitting a thermal the glider pitch back a little, after it settles inside, it cores perfectly till cloud base.

The GOLDEN 3 is a little talkative glider for an EN-B glider without excess. It moves but stays overhead showing the thermal direction.

The brake pressure is a little heavier than the Aspen 3,but it remains in the light cat.

The accelerator is efficient and the wing remains very stiff fully accelerated. Induced collapses are soft in recovery.

Wing overs are nice and could be high, and coordinated.

The feeling in the air is like a typical GRADIENT glider.

Performance...


Today was perfect for testing the performance vs the ORYX. My friend Moni took the GOLDEN 3 with a total weight of 100 kg and flying a pod samurai harness.
Myself flying the ORYX with an impress 2 + harness and an all up weight 93 kg.

Gliding in a little shaky air but without any headwind ,shows that the glides are nearly the same with a slight advantage in speed to the ORYX loaded only at 93 !!.

In the weak thermals ,and even loaded at 100 kg ,the GOLDEN 3 is really great.I think it has the edge in climb in the weak stuff. We were practically together all the way up,and I could feel that the climbing of the GOLDEN 3 is catching up… Then Moni missed a small thermal by going further left to the ridge ,and I waited up a little (see video)

When he got up again we settle on a small glide headwind ,heading north. Here the ORYX shines…No comment how it is really good in headwind glides !!!

Knowing that , we did return to land on take off and Moni got the ORYX to try at 98.5 all up (Weight of ORYX is 4.5! ) and I took the Artic 2 Small (EN-C) loaded at 95 all up for a test glide also.

Launching and going up, surely the advantage of quick climb is for the Artic 2(EN-C) .This glider is a reference between (EN-C) gliders. Now the good part is the 2 km headwind glide with the ORYX .

We were both surprised as you will be, seeing the video! They were both equal in this glide...(NO more Comment,see the video)with an advantage for the ORYX in trim speed. But when I pressed the bar headwind with the Artic 2 ,the difference is of course in favor of the EN-C glider.

Finally our conclusion is:

Our thoughts were that we really were amazed to see such performance gain in the EN-B cat + the ease to fly them without the stress of a high performance glider. It was such a joy…We felt that the GOLDEN 3 has an outstanding climb rate and a very easy feeling in the air.


A glide in still air is not important because the gliders fly always in active air.Just for fun.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8P-Y7gqzHfU



Video in weak thermals.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Im8un92L7h4

NOVA ORYX S (80-100)

Finally after a long wait I received the ORYX at 1:30 noon and rushed for our soaring site for a quick 0 gravity feeling.
The wind was sideways and fairly strong ±30 km/h, but the glider was very easy to inflate and handle. It does not have the tendency to be pushed out of gusts and thermals. It keeps getting forward smoothly. I really like that in a glider regardless of the category they represent.
Speed stall is very far beyond seat position. (I could not reach it with the factory settings)





The ORYX is a light glider .I have weighted the S size at 4.7 kg + compression strap.





The risers are normal and not too skinny, like all NOVA gliders.




Playing on the ground is a child play. Very easy and forgiving .A small tendency if you let completely the brakes the glider could frontal collapse(only when kiting on the ground). That’s normal for a high performance EN-B glider. It is nice to see after a long period of time that this category of gliders is even easier to handle than its predecessors and playful at the same time.

I made a small introduction video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqbSIEvAH1M



Today was weak on thermals. I flew the ORYX and the GOLDEN 3 .

The ORYX loaded at 96 all up.

Launching was very easy and quickly the glider lift me airborne.
In the past NOVA gliders were lacking of handling. from the Argon…to the Tycoon.
The Tattoo was nice to fly but the ability into wind was absent. Even with the Mamboo ,i was always pushed out of thermals. The handling was not to my liking and lost interest…(I did not try the FACTOR yet which NOVA claims to have a nice feel).

Today was something new…I never felt happier flying this ORYX. It is like a NEW NOVA era !! Hope so…To describe the handling of the ORYX ,is a revelation to me. The brake travel at that loading was perfect .Not long anymore and very efficient .I felt (near)flying my best high performance glider in efficiency and in response. The glider turn on a dime!!! Coring perfectly every thermal with ultimate precision. In head wind conditions + thermals the wing is not pushed out of the thermal…Incredible efficiency for that EN-B glider. If you have flown the ARTIC 2 S,then the feeling of the brakes is the same(but a little longer).

That's a glider with a 'soul'

Flying it again in stronger conditions showed a very good behaviour. Still very agile and precise in turns even the air is bumpy.I could place the glider easily wherever i want.

The ORYX inspire confidence in the strong stuff.The feeling of security and happiness is great.


The performances are for sure on top of the EN-B cat.A high trim speed of 39km .It has an outstanding ability upwind matching the EN-C cat.(We did a glide test with the ARTIC 2) The ORYX loaded at max has a higher trim speed of 0.5 km more . Video in process.

Taking from the GOLDEN 3 tests:
+++++++++++++++++ Knowing that , we did return to land on take off and Moni got the ORYX to try at 98.5 all up (Weight of ORYX is 4.5! ) and I took the Artic 2 Small (EN-C) loaded at 95 all up for a test glide also.

Launching and going up, surely the advantage of quick climb is for the Artic 2(EN-C) .This glider is a reference between (EN-C) gliders. Now the good part is the 2 km headwind glide with the ORYX .

We were both surprised as you will be, seeing the video! They were both equal in this glide...(NO more Comment,see the video)with an advantage for the ORYX in trim speed. But when I pressed the bar headwind with the Artic 2 ,the difference is of course in favor of the EN-C glider.++++++++++++++++++++


To conclude my test ,i could describe the ORYX like a butterfly. Light ,performant and beautifull .
Surely the best EN-B glider i have ever tested till 20/3/2010.


Video number 2:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LdREBD-xFw



A small glide comparaison just for fun.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8P-Y7gqzHfU


Another comparaison with the ARTIC 2 EN-C !


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmbv6UFQJEA



A video bettween Goden 3 and Oryx in weak thermal flying

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Im8un92L7h4

AIRCROSS USPORT FR 24.5 (90-105)

USPORT 24.5 FR (90-105)



On the ground the Usp FR looks impressive. Besides having a flat aspect ratio of 6.8 and 5.0 projected, it is a true 3 liner. It has those reinforced plastic inserts on every cell RFE, and all lines are unsheathed with risers having 3cm negative and 5 cm positive trimmers.
It really does look impressive!!!




The Usp is rather a heavy glider. It weights around 7.5 kg on the M size. Its weight is around the leading edge .You can feel it by lifting the cells.



I flew it at 98 kg all up with an Impress harness.

Surprisingly, the glider launched very easy and evenly, finding me quickly airborne.

Having flown many high performance gliders, this one is unique.
Pitch movement were nearly absent or should I say soft. The glider cuts and climbs smoothly into the thermals. Roll movement were like all EN-D gliders .May be like the VENUS 2 .
At trim speed the Usp flies around 40 km/h .


I felt somehow, that this glider has a different character .
In the thermals the glider imposes that unique and strong character into the pilot. It does not like to be pinched much ;-) (By the brakes) .







It likes to be left flying,weight shifting with the harness with a little touch on the brakes from time to time.
It does have some movements in the air but it is a glider who will solve all the turbulence and move forward and up, as quickly as possible .

If the pilot will try to brake the glider or enforce his flying style, then the Usp with its strong energy retention will be like a wild horse by forward or back movements .It is simply trying to fly …


Depending on the thermals strengths, I felt that on weak cores I let completely the outside brake and using only the inside brake ,the glider turns on a dime. Very agile glider, with a climb rate to match the best EN-D gliders.


The brakes are soft to medium more like the Aspen 3 feeling .I would loved to have them more direct and precise.


In turbulent conditions, and different thermal cores, it is difficult to place the glider precisely with the soft brakes. It felt like flying the PEAK 25 (loaded)but with a shorter brake travel and faster response from the glider in settling inside the thermal.
To turn efficiently the glider must settle inside the thermals before I could turn it .
In strong "well built" thermals ,it is a pleasure to turn and climb. You feel having a knife and cutting your way .

Stepping on the bar is very easy with the most soft accelerator I have tried .Even mellower than the Aspen 3. The efficiency on bar is the strongest point of the Usp.
It is the most performing racer machine I have test (till 01-2010), especially in head wind glides and when using the bar!!!


In our earlier tests, I found when flying the VENUS 2 RX beside the USPORT, that the more we have head wind + strong cores and strong conditions; the USPORT was moving forward better and climbing like a loaded spring.


I felt that flying the USPORT at 98 was very efficient in the weak.
If loaded at +103, the glider will loose that efficiency especially when the conditions are tricky and very small.

However I think that in the strong conditions I would much more be efficient in gliding into wind and racing at +103 all up.



Activating the trimmers negatively reduces the glider speed and is good when you are loaded at 103+. Flying at 98 I did not feel the need to use them in negative position because the glider was climbing easily the weakest thermals .


Big ears are instable, but reopen fast .The tension on the ears lines is like a well tensioned string .You can play a song…Pommmm…pommmm… ;-)
The whole span looks well tensioned ,very stiff and like concrete.



Conclusion: High performances are on the menu . I wished the handling would be more linear and precise. I felt this glider is not intended for flying in a small restricted spot .It needs open spaces and long glides . This is for sure an XC machine with top end performances for the experienced regularly flying pilot.

ADVANCE BI-BETA 4 38

I could be one of many who likes quality and superb details in a glider, and always when I unfold an ADVANCE glider ,my eyes are wide open for the excellent finish and details .




Of course they will all fly, but it is nice and funny "sometimes" to feel that you are flying in style :-) .
Even the attachment points are fitted correctly and properly, (see pic)




The launching of the BiBeta is really easy in weak or even in strong wind. The take off also at 175 all up was quick with a weak head wind of 5 km/h .

The first thermal ,and I looked up to see really if I was flying the BiBeta 4 and not my solo glider ;-) !! The brakes were very moderate for a tandem and the agility surprised me. The aluminum bars on the handles allow a good pressure point for easy and nice thermal precision.




The BiBeta 4 38 loaded at 175 climbs moderately in weak thermals. The size 42 should be much better in climb. In the strong stuff the 38 moves with roll movement (Not dampened).It has lots of energy and you feel like you have a toy glider (for a tandem) .

Opening the trim is a pure joy. The BiBeta accelerates really well and you feel that acceleration. May be going up to 47 km/h or more…(not sure)

Always respecting my passenger for a calm and nice tandem flight to enable him to feel the magic…But The passenger that day was looking annoyed and asked me if I could make the ride for him more interesting…That's all what I wanted to hear ;-)
Wing over's were high and very energetic, and the 360's were really nice and centrifugal, with a loud and long voice in my ears!! Mammaaaaaaa !!

It was my passenger who really was having "now" a cheerful ride.
Big ears on this tandem are easy to induce and the recovery is fast.
The BiBeta 4 38 lands nicely with a good energy and long brake travel.

Conclusion: I really liked the 38 for the overall feeling in the air .Easy and great handling.

ADVANCE SIGMA 7 26 (70-95)

I was testing the SIGMA 7 26 loaded at 95 kg all up the last summer. Here is what I found.

One cannot deny the excellent finish and details.
When you open the glider bag you find yourself looking at an ASTON MARTIN car.
Very neat and classy details.

The risers are thin and look like a piece of art. RATE 9.8/10

























Launching is a child job and getting airborne is easy and quick. RATE 9.8/10



















In the thermals the SIGMA 7 is a pleasure to fly .Very crisp and moderate pressure, with outstanding precision puts the glider in a mosquito path !
RATE 9.5/10

Flying the SIGMA 7 26 at 95 kg loaded at top , in moderate to weak thermals, was
pure joy and happiness with comfort. RATE 9.5/10

When landing, the glider forward speed could be reduced to none, even heavily loaded, and enabled me to land in narrow places without any funny behavior. RATE 9.8/10 !

In transitions the SIGMA 7 could match any EN-C glider without any trouble. The glide is close to 9.3

the trim speed is around 39km/h much like the ARTIC 2 or exactly! and the glide also is same.

But what i really like about the SIGMA 7 is the accelerator!!The bar is really light, but when you activate it, you find yourself sitting in the TGV.

Very fast and on "RAILS" Wahooooo!!with the impressive feeling of total security and superb "efficient" glide at first bar !RATE for bar efficiency 9.7/10

Pressing the bar is like you have in the kitchen a delicious piece of chocolate cake, whenever you enter you should taste it ;-)

Having said that, it also differs from other newly gliders is that when pressing the bar ,the roll feeling stops.

Now for the very strong summer thermals in our 3000m spot. Well the glider behaved very well in the strong stuff (+9 m/s) ,but it does really need quick and precise imput to stop the surges as the glider needs very active flying in the "houla houla" stuff !! You surely cannot sleep below any glider but this one needs attention!.

Conclusion: The SIGMA 7 is a superb EN-C glider with great "usable" performance. It needs an educated active pilot to fly safely far away.

SOL TORCK (80-98) KG

SOL TORCK
After flying the TORCK for a while at 96 all up , here what I found.

The SOL TORCK is made from Gelvenor, which make the glider as little heavy. The front part of the wing is made from light gelvenor, so you can feel quickly the difference in weight between the front and the heavy back of the glider.

The lines are made of Kevlar lines unsheathed on the top, and main treated vectran lines.

Launching the glider in nil wind would need much energy, to get the glider overhead. In moderate wind it is a pleasure to launch, and in strong wind it is an advantage to have that characteristic.

Once in the air the glider inspire confidence .Comfortable ride is on the menu, only if you have your total weight near upper limit. Then you will enjoy a very smooth and really cool ride .The glider has the tendency to eliminate parasite movement of the air without being too dampened.

First thermal and brake applied opened my eyes to a new dimension of turning behavior! The glider is exquisite! It cores the thermals with such easiness and coring power like no other. This glider is built to thermal. Very easy to stay in the core and what a pleasure….!

At trim speed the TORCK is not that fast, less than the VENUS 2 by 1.5~2 km/h .It could reach 38.5 km/h. The glide at that angle is really good (In calm air) .When using first bar, I could nearly match the glide of the VENUS 2.It is really close.
In head wind glides and turbulent condition, the VENUS 2 is unreachable and it cuts better and goes much further.

I felt when hitting a thermal that the glider would stop or even get behind a little bit than move forward. That fraction of sec is the one that let the TORCK little behind. But this is something a pilot can adjust by pulling the accelerator all the time. And pushing the accelerator is fun. The glider keeps on rail and very controllable in this situation.

In the weak stuff without any turbulence or headwind, the TORCK is a thermal beast. You cannot miss any thermal. It is very efficient and climb really well.
Spirals and wingovers and fun and easy to make.

The glider can be slowed down to an accurate landing.

Conclusion: The TORCK dhv 2-3 gets a very clean dhv, as you would thought it is near a dhv 2 glider .The induce asymmetric collapses and frontals are benign and very easy to handle.

Excellent job on performance and great "teddy bear" glider if you are on the upper limit.

SKY COUNTRY MYSTIC 2 (80-100)

SKY COUNTRY MYSTIC 2 (80-100) EN-D

This is an Ukrainian manufacturer. My first SKY COUNTRY glider ! The size 26(90-110) got the EN –C certification !!!

http://www.sc.com.ua/en/news/?action=novelty&id=21&page=1

I have heard also that Alain Zoller ,the manager and tester of PARATESTS EN certification, has purchased a MYSTIC 2 for his flying pleasure, I had the curiosity to get one to test fly…

Opening the glider showed a very well finished work. Very neat. The lines are a combination of Vectran lines and Dyneema. The cloth is made from Porcher.

Kiting the glider felt pretty easy for this 6.5 flat aspect ratio glider. It gives you already a nice feel.







Once in the air the glider inspire confidence, dampened enough trough the bumps, it give you a smooth ride. If you have flown a TRANGO 3, you will have that exact feeling of comfort with of course a much better climb and glide..




The handling however puzzled me…It was very agile when coring the thermals. I never would expect a 6.5 AR to turn that way. Even better than the VENUS 2 .I liked it very much.



When the thermals get stronger, the agility is increased! Very good !
RATE for agility: 9/10 !

The pressure of the brakes is medium .It feels like the Venus 2 Small. The brake travel is similar to the ARTIC 2.




Precision of the brakes at 97 kg all up is ok. I was hoping for better. RATE for precision: 8/10
Glide in calm air is very good .Not better than VENUS 2, but very close. Maybe 9.5

This glider is very efficient in weak climb.






Conclusion: The MYSTIC 2 is intended for EN-D pilots .But it got a C on the size 26!.I believe that it is a very docile wing to fly. So If you are not looking for the most performant glider in the EN-D class ,but a very close one with the pleasure and comfort in the air +a very good climber when the conditions weakened. That 's the glider to test fly.

VENUS 2 (70-95) --VENUS 2 RX (70-95)

AXIS VENUS 2 (70-95) @ 95 all up
AXIS VENUS 2 RX (70-95) @ 95 all up

Launching the glider is moderate but easy when there is a gentle breeze. In strong wind the glider come up fast and it should be stopped before it goes far.

In the air the normal version and RX version feels very well loaded. The glider is very well pressurized. You can feel its power, but without the aggressive surges .The RX version has a more sharp feeling due to the thin lines. The normal version felt softer.
Both are excellent in finding lift as the VENUS 2 has an outstanding and easy way to find lift and climb effortlessly, without any struggle from the wing regardless of the turbulent conditions .Even in smooth air the VENUS 2 climb like no other wing in its category. Very close to the PEAK.

RATE for climbing strong conditions: 9/10. RATE for climb in very weak conditions. 9.5/10.


If I would like to rate this glider for comfort in the air, I would give the VENUS 2 Small normal version 8/10, and the RX version 7/10.

The handling and brake pressure of the VENUS 2 certified version is perfect .Not hard like the TRANGO 3 ,and not soft like the ASPEN 3 .It feels more like the ARTIC 2 in terms of brake pressure. As for the RX version it is a little hard than the normal version, but with a direct feel and a shorter brake travel, and a much better precision.
RATE for the normal version for precise turns: 8.5/10 and for the RX version 9.5/10

The glide performance of the two versions looks similar with a slight advantage for the RX version at 45 km/h and more.

After testing some latest EN-D gliders till(07-2009), the VENUS 2 could have the edge in glide and especially "efficiency" in racing. Glide in calm air looks close to 9.6

To describe the VENUS 2 in one word: "EFFICIENCY" in all conditions! at its best.

Easy controllable glider with outstanding performances .

The trim speed is around 40 km/h .The glider cuts through the air like a knife and converts very easy the small bubbles and thermals into lift, without back and forward oscillations.

It is very difficult to miss a thermal flying this excellent machine.

I keep wondering why this wing is not so popular…It should be purchased like no other…

Conclusion: Could be the most efficient and performing glider in 2009.

NIVIUK ARTIC 2 (75-95)

ARTIC 2 (75-95)
Test at 95 kg all up, with an Impress 2 + Pod harness.
Launching this glider is amazingly easy in all kind of wind. It inspire confidence even before takeoff.
After flying this glider for 50 hours, here is what I have to say.
In thermals the wing is very precise .The brakes are not long just perfect. You can place the glider whenever you want and the precision is great. The agility is just perfect for this cat. RATE for agility: 9/10---Rate for precision of the brakes: 9.3/10.

The climbing ability is very good .The glider quickly converts any lift to a wonderful climb. Even in the choppiest of lifts. Head wind, no wind, weak lift, strong lift, the glider is a wonderful piece of flying machine….RATE for climbing ability in weak conditions: 9/10. RATE for climbing ability in turbulent conditions +head wind: 8.8/10.

The glide in calm air is very close to 9.3

Security: Asymmetric felt very soft, with no change of direction if you only counter steer with the harness. Frontals reopen fast. Overall a very nice and safe glider in the LTF-2 cat. RATE for comfort: 8.8/10

I used the speed bar at the fullest in turbulent conditions and the wing just kept its path at a very good glide.

In turbulent conditions the glider moves a lot ,but not over a high angle ,so you feel that it moves but just keeps above your head all the time.

Overall RATE:9.5/10

Conclusion: Since 1991 this glider is the best I have ever flown in the LTF-2 cat. Cannot say more than that!!!

GRADIENT ASPEN 3 (80-100)

ASPEN 3 M 80-100
I flew the Aspen 3 in rather medium conditions at 96 kg all up, with the impress2 + pod harness.
The construction and the finish of the glider looks very good and neat .RATE: 8/10.
From the moment I launched, the glider felt very fast on trim. Measurements after that showed a 40 km/h at trim speed.
First thermal and I tried to turn and feel the brakes .They look rather long and not that precise after flying the Artic 2 S. But the glider turns very nicely and very agile, so you can core every thermal really tight, with the feeling that you are turning faster than any thermal core!!! I liked that feeling, but I wished for a more precise turn through the brakes like on the Artic 2 Small. Rate for handling precision: 7/10---RATE for agility: 9.8/10

It climbs fairly moderate. I felt that when catching a thermal the glider needs a fraction on a second for converting that to lift. Rate for climb ability: 7/10
The Glide at trim is excellent…May be the best there is to this moment in the LTF-2 cat. RATE for glide in calm air: 9.5/10
Glides through head wind and turbulence showed that the glider keeps its glide at med to high level of performance. RATE for racing upwind: 7.5/10
Flying with speed bar gives a very good glide and speed for this Cat. RATE for racing upwind +accelerator: 8/10
As for security: I could not test the glider properly with asymmetric etc…I didn't have time.
But when flying I never felt any odd behavior. On the contrary, the glider inspired confidence. RATE for feeling comfortable inside the LTF-2 cat: 7.5/10.

What I did not like is the low speed characteristics: If I want to land the glider in a very small place, and I would try for that to dig the brakes in a low position, little lower than the hips, the glider in subjected to spin, because it has the tendency to always fly forward .So it became unstable and rather technical to land in a very small place due to the spin tendency ONLY if your brakes are very low, (Lower than your hips)
Conclusion: The Aspen 3 (80-100) at 96 all up is a serious weapon for braking records and moving forward fast for an LTF-2 cat.OVERALL RATE : 8.5/10

Trying new gliders...

It has been a dream and still is ,to always try new gliders.It gives me new wings every time i take off.The feeling in the air is exceptional...