SKYWALK Tequila 4 S (YODA ! The Jedi master :-) )

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 .

Cheers,

Ziad.  

UP Summit XC 3 S

UP Summit XC 3 S

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.

Cheers,
Ziad

Advance Sigma 9

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

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.
 

Mac Para ELAN 26

Mac Para Elan 26

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

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

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 !!

 

NOVA ION 3 S (80-100)

NOVA Ion 3 S (80-100)

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 …

 

Triple Seven Queen M

Triple Seven Queen M

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

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

----------------------------------------------------

Lightness pluses : comfort, feels solid.

Lightness minuses : Back protection, chest strap adjustments, getting on board.

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Ozium pluses : Light, Back protection, Chest strap adjustment, Getting on board, rescue system.

Ozium minuses : Feels very minimalistic (May be it’s me), hard seat adjustments, a bit less comfortable than the lightness.

                                                                                                              

Gin Carrera M & S

Gin Carrera 

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.

Ozone Geo 4

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.

Ozone Alpina 2 SM

OZONE Alpina 2 SM

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.

 

OZONE Mantra 6 SM

Ozone Mantra M6 SM 80-95

After a long stormy weather and low temperatures, the sun finally appeared on Sunday ! It was a bliss for all the paragliding pilots as they all rushed to the take off.

Conditions were very generous with 7 m/s thermals and some moderate turbulence enabling us to get easily some 900 m gain over take off. The north wind was present to limit our XC escape on the Harissa spot.

Taking off with the OZONE Mantra 6 SM at 93.5 kg all up.

My friends were on :

Rony flying his IP6 23 today at 101 all up, and Mony on his new Carrera M size at 103 all up.

Taking off on our very small area is quite nice with the M6 .Nothing particular for a 6.9 AR glider ! Just waiting for a straight wind direction, a gentle steady pull and hop, i am in the air.

Differences in the air between an LM5 SM and a Mantra 6 :

The differences in comfort goes rapidly for the M6 with a solid structure that feels like a more compact and homogenous wing. Much coherent than the LM5.
It confirmed today my first impressions, that it goes toward the M4 in terms of comfort and accessibility.

The brake authority is also much enhanced on the M6 ! It turns quicker than an LM5 without any hard point inside the core and with a lighter brake pressure similar to the Delta 2 .

The handling and brake authority is a two step higher than the M4 !

On a Delta 2 SM at 92 all up which has a much better handling than a Delta 2 M at 102 all up ,i found that the Mantra 6 has a similar feel with just slightly less authority control than a Delta 2 SM.

Saying that i found excellence in the M6 handling with its 6.9 aspect ratio ! And i don’t remember finding from the D’s i have tested that amazing package of compact feel and handling !

Climb rate in weak conditions :

At my loadings i found that the M6 could be similar to a Mantra 4 in efficiency with a slightly wider turning radius, as the M6 has always the tendency to move forward without the ability to make a stationary turn like a Mantra 4 could have done.But i think it is quite ok.

In a much more stronger thermal the M 6 behave like a loaded spring, going up quickly with excellence.

Now if i want to compare it’s performance with the competition, i must look for a 2014 new D glider that is meant for the regular D flying pilots.

We all know that there isn’t any new regular D glider for the moment, so i have to compare it with an IP6 23 which is probably not fair….but that was the only glider available here that my friend flies and that glider as many pilots know, is an excellent two liner that has won many comps and XC competitions and it was targeted for the high-end D pilots doing XC or competitions.

Here we are now flying side by side again today.

The trim speed with our earlier mentioned loadings is in favor of the IP6, but after many km the glide is almost identical.

On half bar around 52 km/h which was set with identical speed for both was also very very close or should i say the same for 3 km…

The differences were seen at the second bar, that was also set to match the speed of both, and which the M6 now looses a bit against the IP 6.

I was on full bar pulley to pulley with a speed close to 60 km/h and noticed a better float-ability for the IP 6.

My friend on the IP 6 was still short of 2 cm pull on his IP6 to reach more max speed.

The presure at the second bar is noticeably higher than the Delta 2.

In some racing with the pulley’s stuck i encountered some sharp thermals and i was surprised that they don’t trouble much the glider structure that remained strong and solid with even the cells looking a bit deformed.

Flying the Mantra 6, i tried some glides with the Carrera M, just for information.

The climb and glide of the Mantra 6 are clear to the eye much better. Of course the Carrera is an excellent glider in its category, but it was just for our own information.

Tomorrow we will try hopefully the Alpina 2 SM with the Carerra.

Big ears on the M6 are stable and pushing the bar, a pilot can reach
- 3 m/s.

Wing overs are a delight and show the immense pressure in the profile.
360’s strangely don’t have a strong centrifugal force, for a D of course, and can drop easily down.

Conclusion :
The gain in performance coupled with ease of use for a 2014 D glider is outstanding !
OZONE again has managed to create a balanced D glider with exceptional performances.
Of course, in very strong conditions those new D gliders needs lots of attention and control.
The Mantra 6 with its relatively comfortable and homogenous feel, for a D category glider, is indeed a superb Mantra 4 replacement !
Many D pilots will feel immediately at home ! And some flying a high-end C will be welcomed aboard this magnificent machine !

Surely it is not a marketing hype. This is a fine achievement !

Another video soon.....

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 !  ;-)