PHI Maestro ( The wish maker )

PHI Maestro  ( The wish maker ) 

PHI is a new brand founded by Mr. Hannes Papesh. The team behind PHI is one of the most experienced pilots like Mike Kung for instance, who’s in charge of testing and fine-tuning the gliders. Hannes Papesh is a legend when it comes to designing gliders. His favorite class is the B class. I still remember the beautiful Mentor 2 S size at the time, as it was delivering a spice feel with a very competitive performance that was close to some C or even D gliders at the time! It was a special dynamic glider with a competitive spirit. Will Hannes be able to manage the new Maestro? Let's see…

The Maestro 21 75-95 arrived. It has 2 lines per side on the A’s, 3 on the B’s 2 on the C’s. Very minimalistic, thin line configuration. There are lots of cells, and looking at it reminds me of the Phantom.  All that package scream for performance. 

The finish details and construction are excellent! 

In my past testing, I learned that gliders that have fewer lines and especially 2 lines per side are likely to be flown slightly on the far end of their weight range in order to put a load on all the structure and keep it well homogenous in rough air.  I found out that the sweet spot in overall conditions of the Maestro 21 is around 92, 93 all up.   In moderate conditions, flying it at 90 or slightly below could be quite efficient also. 

At 93 all up with an X-rated 6 harness, the launching of the Maestro 21 is super easy and well behaved, without any forward surge or hanging back. 

After being airborne I immediately felt and understood the DNA inside this Maestro!  

Let’s begin with the brake pressure that feels ‘perfect’.  Not hard at all, nor too light! For my personal feel, it's just ‘perfect’  The response on the brakes are immediate! I could steer the Maestro inside the core with 10 cm of travel in a linear brake response, especially for a B !!  The Maestro with its short brake travel reacts immediately and carve inside the thermals in a tight radius, with a high degree of precision, that is rare to find on a high B glider!  Pure pleasure for the pros !!   Going lower on the brakes is forgiving, but it’s not needed while coring, as around 15 cm max will let you core the meanest of thermals!  

The day was special. It was windy and a bit turbulent at times. I was also surrounded by my expert flying friends, each one on their respective gliders. XC-Tracer small(2liner) , Klimber S, and a Swift 5 MS. All pilots are very well experienced. We did manage all-together, to make some small XC’s and to compare our little toys. ..Yes…I mentioned a 2 liner, and a D glider also…Just keep cool… No sudden conclusions ;-)  I’m just spicing the write up a bit ;-) …

I also flew with a friend on the excellent Swift 5 MS, *my reference* for the B cat, (same size) and exactly same load! (93) as the Maestro 21.   

After 4 hours of extensive flying, with the whole group, I can flawlessly confirm the excellent climbing abilities of the Maestro 21! This glider behaves and delivers exactly like a competition glider with D certificate in its climbing properties in strong air as it converts thermals into an efficient lift. 

In very weak conditions, the swift 5 has the edge in float ability. 

The Maestro surges forward in a good climb, without any pitch back at all. I mean it moves forward very quickly in climbing mode and coring the well built thermal. In windy and challenging conditions or facing the valley breeze, the Maestro will deliver good climbing when encountering strong thermals! Those characteristics are rare to be found on a B glider!

Letting it fly forward is super rewarding while climbing. I can confirm that it climbs very close “to say the least and keep you cool…  :-)  “  as the higher certified gliders in strong thermals. 

I will comment later on accessibility, but I have to mention that keeping it flying is very rewarding, but swift and fine controls on the brakes are needed to keep it leveled. Just like flying some high rated gliders. A delight! 

Now comes the gliding part.

I have to be clear that the top three B’s for 2019, have a very close gliding power as the C’s. For example, gliding with the Swift 5 against an Artik 5 showed me that the only difference is finding the next thermal !! 

Even in difficult conditions, flying either glider, a pilot can only make a difference, with the extra 2 km on the top end of a C and the feel of a higher aspect ratio glider which also helps in marginal conditions. 

Doing some long glides with the Maestro 21 at trim and at full bar showed me a super competitive glide angle similar to the best reference B, putting the Maestro on the top regarding gliding power. 

It’s gliding in moving air and difficult conditions that the Maestro could be quite rewarding. 

Now comes the accessibility part.

The Maestro is definitely ‘not’ your first B glider. Not even after one small season on your first low B glider… The Maestro has some super fine qualities and delivers impressive and valuable information for the keen pilot.  It takes an experienced pilot to appreciate it and to use it at its full potential. 

Talking for the B category, the Maestro is like a Samurai sword if you know what I mean.  It can cut swiftly and cleanly if you seek it or know how to use it.  

Pilots flying some C’s and even D’s wanting a great weapon for XC with B certification will cherish the Maestro feel and qualities. 

Pilots flying high B gliders for a season will find in the B certified Maestro, the educative feedback that will allow them to understand and fly later higher rated gliders.

I also flew the Maestro at 89 all up. In weak conditions, the Swift 5 still have an edge. In strong air, the Maestro climbs well even at that load as I said earlier, but I felt that at 93…94 could be quite rewarding in strong and heavy turbulence. Loading it up is a good option in alpine conditions. 

Big ears are stable, very efficient as only 1 line is left on the A’s, and they open without pilot intervention.  

Wing overs are quickly very high. The Maestro has good energy, and the structure if well loaded is compact and homogenous. 

Full speed is around 14 km/h over trim taken at 1000 ASL.  Trim speed is slightly faster than to the Rush 5, Swift 5.  Top speed is around 2 km/h more than the Swift 5 similarly loaded. 

Conclusion: The best impressions you get is immediately after landing.  Right? 

This is one of the fewest times, I enjoy test-flying a B glider. It’s not like driving an 8 cylinder family car.  It’s like driving an “every day” Sportscar! Comfortable enough but pleasurable to drive.    

Today’s top high B gliders deliver impressive performance, and it’s a blessing for many pilots to get those performances for free…But some commented getting bored when flying B gliders, probably because of their very comfortable and dampening behavior on all axes and sometimes lesser brake authority. It’s not the case with the Maestro that responds swiftly and precisely to every input.

Pilots who feel too much dampening under a certain glider or seek more sporty feel will eventually seek the higher classes. 

Every pilot has a different level of experience and totally different taste regarding gliders. 

The Maestro has a complete package of top overall performance, the agile feel of a dynamic but “balanced” high B glider.

Flying pleasure awaits you with spices for the refined gastronomist!  :-) 

For those flying qualities, test flying it is a must.  

UPDATE for the Maestro 19 

I flew the size 19 ( 70-85) at 84 all up. The size 19 feels very different for the bigger size in the test. It does have a pitch back before entry. It's very agile and nice to fly. The glide is also at the top NB category. It does require a good high B pilot level. 

This is only my opinion. Make your own !

OZONE Buzz Z6 SM

Ozone Buzz Z6 SM

I flew the Buzz Z6 75-95 at 92 all up. 

The launch behavior is better than the Buzz Z5. The glider does not pitch forward on take off. 

First turn felt a mellower Buzz. This version seems easier to manage than the Z5. The climb rate in weak and strong is very good. Climbing next to a Rush 5 shows me a very competitive climbing behavior. 

The agility is good for the low B category. Overall it seems more friendly user with less movements inside the thermals than the Z5. 

Doing some glides in moving air, showed me that the glide angle is of course not similar to the Rush 5..but still competitive enough for the low B category. 

ears are stable, top speed is fully usable. The glide angle at full speed seems more efficient than the Z5. At full speed the glide remain quite interesting. 

Conclusion: A stable, mellow, easy to fly low B glider for the majority of low airtime pilots. More than enough glide and climb for that category. The Z6 is a more ‘friendly user’ glider than the Z5 with the glide at speed improved. 

This is only my opinion. Make your own !

BGD Riot S

BGD Riot S

Taking off is super easy with the light cloth. First turn showed a very agile glider, with swift, direct handling.  If i want to compare it with my new reference, the Swift 5 S, i can say it has a slightly more agile feel in turns. 

Overall, very agile and pleasure to steer.

The brake pressure are similar to the Swift 5. 

The climbing properties, in weak or strong, with a Swift 5 S fully loaded for both, i can sense that the Swift 5 climbs are a step higher. 

 Doing some glides with my reference glider, showed a higher trim speed for the Riot by nearly 2km/h ! So the Riot is faster at trim. At full bar, they have similar top speed. 

The glide angle is nice for the Riot, and its loosing slightly to the Swift 5, which remain at the top of the B category.  At full bar also after many glides of 4 to 5 km run, the Riot S comes slightly around 10 meter lower. 

Not really important, and still good gliding properties. Overall the Riot has a nice glide angle in the B category.

Conclusion: Light, fast at trim, agile, pleasurable to fly, good glide performance. That’s what describes best the BGD Riot S.

This is only my opinion. Make your own !

ADVANCE Lightness 3 M

ADVANCE Lightness 3 M

I already flew the Lightness2 in M size. My size is 1.81 and my weight  is 73 kg.

Both the Lightness 2 and 3 suit my size perfectly.  The Lightness 3 offers a superb back comfort, as much as the Lightness 2 did. 

It’s a very comfortable harness for supporting the back and the legs are naturally supported. The Lightness 3 is indeed one of the most comfortable seatless harnesses for back and hip comfort. 

The finishing details of this harness is second to none.  

I have other ADVANCE harnesses, the Progress 3, success 4, easiness 2 and the Bi pro. They all share that exceptional finish ! As if they were all made in a very independent (Apple factory)  ;-) 

The very good quality finish is very clear to one’s eye. 

I also sensed that for my shape, the harness has a snug fit and feels also quite robust if you look at the attachment points versus a GTO Light for example. The straps looks slightly wider and feels quite close to a normal harness in that matter.  

The Lightness3 has a left channel for a relief tube. A camel back pocket on the rear. The pocket under the seat would fit a 5 L ballast. The back compartment is a bit small. I found out that only a glider bag can fit inside. 

All the strap adjustment can be reached very easily and swiftly modified while flying, unlike the GTO light or the Forza for example.

The speed system has a two step design with small stepping insert acting like pedals…Now goes my explanations in english :-)   

The rescue compartment feels a bit small also. I think for the M size, a light (±1kg) rescue for 100 KG max would fit perfectly. I tried to open the rescue 2 times while hanging the harness in my room, and when pulling the handle horizontally (sideways) it needs a slight pressure, more than the GTO light one. The rescue compartment doesn’t seem very big. But in both cases, the rescue was out immediately with a snap feel.  

Comparison with the Lightness 2 in the air:

I flew the Lightness 3 with a Q-light S size at max weight. I also flew a Supair Delight 3 M with a seat board on the same glider. The most comfortable one in turbulent air was the Delight3 and followed very closely by the Lightness 3, and +50 % more feedback was delivered by the Lightness 2.

when it comes to being thrown around in turbulent air, the difference between the Lightness 2 and 3 are very clear. 

When the chest strap of the Lightness 3 is a bit more open, then the information about the air is superb! The Lightness 3 delivers just the necessary amount of feedback, without any useless movements that were found earlier on the Impress 3.  

I also found an interesting efficient option on Lightness 3 regarding the chest strap.  In turbulent and strong air, when closing the chest strap, the Lightness 3 locks you in a firm position and becomes a roll stable seatless harness. Of course, all harnesses will be more stable when chest straps are closed, but the difference between open and closed is sometimes huge in one specific harness. 

The stability was felt more than any seatless harness I have tested!   So the Lightness 3 has a sensible chest strap adjustment efficiency for a wide choice and pilot taste.

In the air while the pod was already closed, a little wind was entering between the layers, that could probably need more tuning (later)  

Now for the picky pilots (like me ) and performance-oriented ones, I could say that the Delight 3 (seat harness) with a (chest open) can deliver quite a precise input for placing gliders with any pressure on any muscle of your lower body! That option of putting yourself on a seat board and sensing every bit of air and efficiently reacting is only available on a seat board. For instance, The GTO light, Forza, Lightness2, Lightness3 can deliver the best back comfort versus a seat harness, and glider feedback, but will never let you react as fast and efficient as a seat board will, IMHO. 

Conclusion: Seat or no seat, is a matter of taste. The seatless harnesses like the Lightness3 offers exceptional back comfort for long flights, light with superb quality equipment! 

The seat harness delivers imminent body reaction, precise feedback and control you can induce to a high aspect ratio glider.

For my personal feel, the Lightness 3 is indeed a superb piece of equipment which also holds all the required options for the pilots of today. 

Construction quality at its best, very high degree of back comfort, comfortable enough in turbulence, light to carry after long XC’s, and I think it looks quite robust for a light harness.

https://www.advance.ch/en/products/harnesses/lightness-3/

https://www.advance.ch/fileadmin/user_upload/Gurtzeuge/LIGHTNESS/PDF/LIGHTNESS_3/181213_HB_LIGHTNESS3_EN_2.pdf

This is only my opinion. Make your own !

Ozone Swift 5, S size

Notes: In 2018-19, lots of manufacturers are delivering very nice gliders. In the B category, it’s difficult sometimes to say which glider has a better glide or better climb as they are very close. At least among the top 5 of the category .

The tests are becoming sometimes awkward to write, when new gliders still open my eyes for their better overall behavior…But we are lucky to have them, and i’m also super pleased to fly them :-) 

Ozone Swift 5  size S 

I already test flew the Rush 5 in size S. The Swift 5 is the light version. 

The cloth used on the Swift 5 is really light ! The glider weights 3680 grams on my scale !

The Swift 5 launches without any effort even in nil wind. The Rush 5 heavy cloth needed a steady pull, but the swift 5 launches effortlessly.

There are also many differences with the Rush 5 concerning agility, brake pressure and feel. 

The Swift 5 has a softer feel through the brakes, more precise, and linear. It is also more agile than the Rush 5 size S similarly loaded. Coring thermals is direct and a real pleasure. The turning radius could be done very tight. Flew the Swift 5 with the GTO light and then with the Delight 3.

The GTO light delivers a super agile feel and great handling. The Delight 3 is more stable in roll, but the Swift 5 still feel quite agile in turns on it also ! 

As i already mentioned in my earlier writings, that the Rush 5 doesn’t have that super agility, but still very efficient in thermals. The Swift 5 is now an agile glider while it retains the excellent climb rate of the Rush 5. 

The efficiency in thermals are second to none ! In very weak stuff on the loaded S size at 84 all up, i could benefit from every little scrappy thermal. In strong thermals, the Swift 5 compensate the turbulent air, by a stable, well balanced glider behavior. All that leads to a quick climb, without any bad reactions of pitch, or dive and loosing height. Probably, the light fabric smoothen the reactions.  That’s why, IMHO, the Swift 5 has a high efficiency in the air. 

I flew and glided next to my reference 6.3 high-end ‘C’ gliders, and I was impressed by the excellent glide ratio of the Swift 5 even comparing them at half the speed range ! A marvel indeed ! 

Like the Rush 5, the Swift 5 efficient glide in moving air seems extraordinary ! The Swift 5 floats and advances through the airmass with flawless efficiency. 

To put it into simple words, the Swift 5 self-automated movements through moving air, seems to glide very close to the class above ! 

For sure the top C class gliders will have that slight edge to dig through and move forward faster, like the Q-Light or the Delta 3.  Comparing the Swift 5 to a top C is not fair, but i just want to make a point that those high B’s are super close and quite efficient in the hand of good pilots. and the decision for week end pilots to change for a C glider just to have ‘more performance’ is not always a good choice unless the pilots can extract those performances and wants more feel that a C can deliver.    

The trim speed though is not as fast, and could be slightly around 38 km/h. The top speed is 12 km/h over trim on the S size taken at 1000 ASL.

The Swift 5 gives informations about what’s the air is doing more than the Rush 5. The Rush 5 feels more as a block and sometimes well dampened. The Swift feels more as a butterfly and needs slightly more active piloting in rough air. For a high B pilot, it’s easy to fly. 

Ears are stable, and reopen without input. 

Conclusion: This review was written after talking with three of my friends who also  flew the Swift 5 ! Not because i wasn’t sure what to write, but in order to see their faces after landing and to listen to their interesting  comments :-). They were all fascinated by what that glider was doing in the air. 

Some gliders deliver a complete package of handling, comfort, glide and climbing efficiency. The Swift 5 holds that package but in ‘premium’ !

As i always say, the above written letters remains just letters on a screen. My humble small suggestion, is to get a demo Swift 5, load it near the top, then please write your opinion !  :-) 

I’m really curious ;-) 

This is only my opinion. Make your own !

Podcast

Recently i made a podcast with Cloudbase Mayham, thanks to Gavin McClurg  !

https://www.cloudbasemayhem.com/episode-83-ziad-bassil-and-dust-of-the-universe/?fbclid=IwAR0Saa7Dmy5KWWKXP3u60IWmqU9r56aAbDwNWP4LEvphPjk-YTkm7k9LI_g

I missed to understand the last question, and responded hastily. I think it’s an important one about what should i do if i want to rewind my flying career and also an advise to new comers to the sport. 

Here it is :

Since i was pretty alone and new to the sport at that time, it was difficult to act differently. The best thing i did is that i  kited my glider and played on the sea cliffs several hours every day, even when there was no wind to lift the glider. 

At that time i purchased a movie “Flamengo dunes” and tried to discover little by little how to soar in strong wind. These were the old days without any proper guidance. I know it shouldn’t be done like that but it was my only way to move forward. It actually gave me lot of excitement and pleasure in discovering. I also bought “Gerald Delorme” illustrated first books about how to fly. Those were super cool, funny and by far my favorite books to read and read again every day…

Paragliding is an easy sport to learn. Its quite easy for a student to fly in the first days ! But that’s not the point and it’s not recommended if the pilot doesn’t know how to control his glider on the ground. 

Any new comer must kite his glider for many hours in order to understand how it works. With a little bit of wind later, playing with the glider will never have to end. 

Even for me after 30 years, my best spot is a small cliff with the right wind, i would float weightlessly and fly just a few centimeters from the ground. 

“Mastering your glider in soaring and kiting is your strongest point in the air” (Patrick Berot) 

Anyone taking the stairs down without looking carefully where to step, can fall with serious consequences.  As paragliding is an easy sport to learn, there’s lots to understand before taking off into the sky. But once the teachings are understood by qualified instructors and also by serious passionate students, then flying will become safe, enjoyable, and the most beautiful dream you will ever have.  

Low B gliders or gliders that has around 5 aspect ratio for 2019 which are marketed by their manufacturer as an easy intermediate B glider, will be mostly enough to begin your first XC, after your school glider. 

Even in the hands of good pilots, those cool B’s will deliver impressive and long cross country flights. 

So when to change a glider for a newcomer ? 

When you have mastered your ‘first’ glider in every condition for two seasons or for more than 100 hours with the use of bar in turbulent air with your foot controlling the pitch, plus going XC, then considering getting a slightly hotter B will be a logical evolution. 

No need to step further unless you do the same with your hot B. Then if the pilots wants more, a C certified glider will take you anywhere, not because it performs much better than your hot B. But because you will have the skills to fly it efficiently. Otherwise forget any C or D. 

Any pilot stepping far from a beginner wing to a C will regress and loose interest in the sport. There are a few rare exceptions, but for the majority, it is better to move step by step.

For an educated pilot who flies regularly, C and D gliders will deliver more what the air in doing. The feel on the brakes is different and the movements of the glider in the air allows a very good pilot to enjoy surfing the air catching every thermal and also to guide the glider efficiently into long cross country flights. 

Happy and safe flights,

Ziad

Swing Agera RS SM

The Agera is Swing’s new C glider with RAST. 

Taking off is quite easy, and i didn’t find any particular problem in inflation in nil wind. In strong windy take off, the Agera RS also inflates quite nice and stays easily above the pilots head.

I flew the Agera RS from 96 all up on the SM size (88-100) 

The brakes have medium to light pressure and the Agera turns with very little action on the brakes. The turning radius inside weak and strong thermals are fairly agile. It turns inside a core but stops in the middle and needs to re-power it by releasing the inside brake in order to give it more energy, then lower it again smoothly inside a small core in order to get a tight radius. The Agera RS tends to stop inside one complete tight turn. But i can say that it has a fair agility and needs to get used to.    

Inside a tight core, i tried to keep my inside brake low and tried to lower it slightly more to keep it on track like i tested the other C’s like the A5, Alpina 3, Volt 3. In that matter, the Agera RS doesn’t really accept lowering the brakes near the hips to crank it…It will go into a mild spin. Nothing alarming here…It’s easy to sense for a C pilot, and when releasing the brakes a bit, the glider flies smoothly. So Swing was very keen to announce that this glider is intended for high end C pilots in terms of piloting level. So i felt that the best way to turn it tight, when the glider stops inside a turn, is to give it more energy by releasing the brakes a bit and re-apply it smoothly with weight-shift. 

I made some glide comparisons with an Artik 5 which is a very good glider in that matter, and found out many times that the Agera RS has IMHO, the highest glide on a C ever seen. Indeed, the glide is simply amazing, with a trim speed that’s slightly faster than an Artik 5 fully loaded. I even tried some glides with an LM6 size SM and found out that the Agera RS plays in that class in terms of gliding in moving air. I also felt that when there’s turbulence and difficult windy conditions, that the Agera RS performs at it’s best. So when i let it fly ! the glide angle is superb for a C certified glider. I forgot to say that the Agera RS doesn’t seem to have a shark nose, and the leading edge looks similar to the Nyos RS, with more cells of course, and smaller openings.

I also tested the climb rate in weak stuff. With a Delta 3 SM loaded art 91, and with an LM6 SM loaded at 95. In weak thermals, the Agera RS didn’t feel like a floater. It climbs ok thought, but those tiny bits of lift (-0.5 m/s) , were better smelled by the Delta 3, Artik 5, LM6. So i was hovering a bit more to find a slight steadier core to climb. In stronger cores, the Agera RS climbs really well. It has that power to dig through and climb. 

The speed system has moderate pressure and the top speed seems 12 km/h over trim. Racing a bit with half to full bar, the pressure on the C’s was very ,very light…And considering controlling it in turbulent air like a 2 liner is quite different. Flying the Zeno, a two liner for example, has immediate swift contact via pulling the rear riser, even in turbulent air.  But of course, the Agera RS is not a two liner ! 

It needs a longer input and a  bit more refined C pulling as the Agera RS will be slightly talkative at bar in turbulent air. It surely needs some hours to get use to it, especially to keep the glider from shooting forward in strong air if the pilot is only using the C risers control when going from half to full speed in turbulent air. 

Conclusion: For me the Agera RS properly loaded from 96 to 100 could be very efficient in Alpine racing. The Agera RS glides very well, and convert the bumps in an efficient way. It’s also a comfortable glider to fly in active air. I mean the roll movements are dampened, and ressembles the Volt 3 ones. The glider pitch forward a bit in turbulent air especially at bar but nothing difficult for a regular C pilot. The pilot must be smooth on the handling and refine his feeling on the brake pressure when the cores are very small and when very tight turns are needed. Otherwise European conditions are far different from ours, with larger radius thermals ! 

Probably the RAST system could have gave me that comfort overall feel, like on the Nyos RS, but surely more pronounced on the Agera, but still smooth feedback from the surrounding air is well provided.

UPDATE:

Swing Agera RS (revised version)  Size S.

After the issue of some lines on the Agera RS, Swing revised their C glider. This is the S size of the Agera RS flown at 88 all up.

The handling has indeed improved a bit. Now pushing the brakes into the core doesn’t spin easily the Agera RS, but funnily the tips tends to go back without any consequences. The agility is quite similar to the one i tested before, and inside the core i had to release the brake and pull it again to be able to tight turn some narrow cores. Otherwise it will flatten and gets out of the turn. 

The glide ratio is the same and its pretty nice.  Landing on a tight spot is a bit difficult and needs a good pilot probably because of the flat polar of the glider. 

The Agera RS doesn’t like to be slowed much, so care must be taken on super small landing fields.

This is only my opinion. Make your own !

Merry Christmas

Wishes for a safe, long XC's  and happy flights !  :-) 

Queen 2 light size S

I already have tested the Queen 2 MS in normal cloth. Here’s the Q-light 2 in size S. 

The Q-light is delivered with soft skinny risers and the whole weight of the glider is around 4 kg.  The brakes will go only through a rubber loop to ensure their locking position. (no stainless steel or magnet holder)

Launching the Q-light, in light breeze need a slight pull. The light cloth helps a lot in keeping the glider overhead. For a C pilot, even in the strong breeze, the Q-light is relatively easy to launch in tricky areas.

I flew the Q-light Small (65-85) at 85 all up, with a Woody Valley GTO Light. 

In this test, I will compare the Q-light Small to the Alpina 3 Small. They both have the same weight range.  I also flew the Artik 5 size 24 (75-95) at 95 all up next to the Q-light Small that was given to a friend who also gave me his feedback of that interesting glider. 

Each time a new glider is out, it’s weird to read tests that go toward “this is the best glider..” kind of talk…But sometimes they truly are quite exquisite!  And test flying them will be a great joy. 

The brake pressure of the Q-light S at 85 all up is toward the light side. It resembles the Alpina 3 S ones at the same load.  The brakes are precise and the Q-light is very agile!  No matter what quality the thermal delivers, the Q-light can be steered inside the core quite efficiently. That’s a really cool feature in a glider that gives a swift, snappy feel through the brakes, and also a pleasurable and smooth one in turns!

The brakes are to be used moderately as sometimes the Q-light S will dive quickly into a turn. 

Saying that flat turns are also doable and efficient even on a loaded Q-light S.

What impressed my friend and I on the Q-light S is its ability to cut through the air smoothly and very efficiently for a C! 

Doing some glides next to an Artik 5 24 loaded at the top, showed me many times that this small Q-light has an impressive surfing power into the airmass. For pure gliding in moving air, I could easily confirm it’s efficiency for its amazing gliding properties that I could place high up in my C comparison table. 

The trim speed of the Q-light S at 85, is faster by 1 km/h than an Artik 5 24 loaded at 95. And also faster than an Alpina 3 S.  

The Artik 5, 24 and the Alpina 3 S are both super fine gliders, but they have this very slight pitch when entering thermals and surfing the air as I already mentioned in my tests. This wasn’t felt at all on the Q-Light S, as it was sliding through the airmass and moving forward with that fine quality to climb like stepping up on stairs. 

   

In my queen 2 MS test, I wrote that the Q2 climbs fast. The Q-Light S is also very similar. When catching a steady, well built thermal, the Q-Light S jumps upward like a spring, and it cores beautifully, responding to every pulled centimeter on the brakes.   

In very weak thermals, (0.2 m/s…0.5 m/s…) the Q-Light S is also efficient, like the Alpina 3 S. Probably the Artik 5 24 also loaded could have a slight edge probably be because of being a larger size. I didn’t have an Artik 5 22   to compare, but for me, the Q-Light S has already fulfilled beyond my expectations the excellent climb and glide for a C glider. 

The working load on the Q-Light S is slightly higher than the one on the Alpina 3 S as it moves slightly more in turbulent air. To place it accurately, the Q-Light is easier than the 6.4 aspect ratio, Skywalk Spice for example. For more details, please see the C comparison already updated.   (https://public.tableau.com/profile/ziad.bassil#!/vizhome/CGliderComparison/CGliderComparison)

The speed system is toward the light side, and the glide seems even more efficient after 5 km/h over trim. Controlling the Q-Light S with the C risers is quite efficient for a 3 liner. 

Ears are stable, sometimes they shake a bit. Smaller ones are more stable. They reopen quite fast.

Conclusion:  When the complete package of overall performance and especially pleasurable feel and handling and strongly present, it’s the heart that influences the writings.  

For me it was indeed rewarding, to test fly this Q-Light S!  A must test fly if you are looking for a light companion for a hike and fly adventures or XC performance flying. And of course a very strong contender for the sports class competitions. 

Happy flights,

Ziad

This is only my opinion. Make your own!

ADVANCE XI

ADVANCE XI  size 23 

The XI is ADVANCE light high B glider for 2018.  

Launching the XI is effortless and at 86 all up, the glider stays overhead in a slight breeze. The take off is immediate .

The pressure on the brakes are average to light. With a half wrap on the brakes the XI turns quite fast and it’s quite an agile glider to core very narrow thermals.

The brake feel is linear and fairly precise. To compare this feel to a Mentor 5 XS(70-90), the XI brake pressure has a more ‘pilot connection’ feel and more linear response. 

The M5 XS reaction is direct and prompt. On the XI it’s also direct with more feel thought every pulled centimeter.  Compared to a Rush 5 S, the brake pressure is slightly less, a little longer brake travel, but a more agile glider for the XI in thermals.

The roll feel is more pronounced on the XI than the M5, with a glider that connect the pilot with informations through the airmass not really as the M5 which moves more as a block.  Compared to a Rush 5 S (65-85 ) the XI transmits more what’s the air is doing with a more agile glider in thermals.  The B comparison ‘chart’ is updated for small details if needed. 

Climb rate seems very nice even in weak stuff, and i was able to stay quite close to a Mentor 5 XS similarly loaded in the same thermals we encountered. I felt that loading the XI would still be efficient and quite rewarding to surf the airmass.  The XI seems to cut through the airmass a bit less than the Iota 2, and that’s why i felt that when loaded it up,  i got a better forward push.

Going on some glides next to a Mentor 5 XS showed me that the XI are quite similar with a slight edge in surfing the air without loosing much in sinking air, at trim and at half bar for the XI. 

Comparing it to a Mentor 5 (light) XS, which is much different than the regular version in the way it bumps more into the airmass.(i don’t know why…) I would possibly lean slightly toward the XI for it’s overall performance and glide through turbulent air if both ‘light’ gliders are similarly loaded. 

Pushing the speed bar will give a +12 km/h over trim at 1000 ASL, and the pressure is moderate and very usable. 

Ears are stable and reopen quickly without pilot intervention. 

Conclusion: For a light high performance B, the XI is a nice companion for travel, hike and fly, and XC. 

The overall performance is among the top B’s. Nice handling, pleasure feel in thermals, and a small packing volume.  

This is only my opinion. Make your own !

GIN Bonanza 2 S (75-95)

GIN Bonanza 2 S (75-95) 

I received the Bonanza 2 S at noon and called Elie to meet me at the take off with an Alpina 3 SM (75-95) 

We flew the gliders at 93.2 all up exactly for both !  Elie on the Forza, took some ballast to match my all weight on my X-rated 6. 

This test concerns ‘only’ the Bonanza 2 size S with that loading. Other loadings as i will mention later, or other sizes that i didn’t try could have other feedback or feel. Example: ( many pilots reported different behavior and brake feel on a Sigma 10 size 27 than the Sigma 25 i have tested which i consider to have a very good agility when flown at 97 all up) 

On take off with a slight 10 km/h breeze, the Bonanza inflates moderately and stabilises gently above my head. Take off was immediate !   

First thermal, and first turn showed me a good agility to place the Bonanza 2 exactly between the Artik 5 and the Alpina 3 in terms of agile turning behavior. The brake pressure however are lighter than the Artik 5 and slightly smoother. It’s like having a hydraulic steering wheel in a 4X4 car ! The brakes and feel are exquisite. They are slightly long perhaps, but after the 10 cm from the pulleys the fan reacts. They are trimmed quite precise. I use a half wrap on my brakes so for this style, they are ‘perfect’ !  A real pleasure to fly that glider !  Every centimeter reacted to my command with a linear nice response. Coring some small thermals will be very swift if the pilot releases completely the other side and pulling the inner brake inside the core, could lead to a cork screw turn !  

In turbulent air and choppy thermals, i needed to control the other side, but overall the Bonanza 2 S have a nice agile handling for a 6.4 AR C glider.

I flew also at 96 all up on the S and could confirm that the climb in weak is still very efficient. The leading edge does cope better with a turbulent airmass, cutting through better. The handling at that load also is exquisite ! After so many C’s the handling and the way to steer and control the Bonanza 2 S with it’s aspect ratio of 6.44 could be described as ‘power steering’ at it’s best  :-)   Very smooth  ! 

Flying the Bonanza 2 S at mid weight could be ok..but in order to feel every bits of air and turn it sharply…then flying it at top weight is ‘best’   !! 

The feel of movements under the Bonanza 2 is really similar to the one of the Artik 5 !  The structure is even more homogenous in turbulent stuff. It feels more balanced as it works itself quite comfortably in turbulent air. The Bonanza 2 compensate with a high degree of comfort ! In my humble opinion , i think it’s easier to fly than the already easy ‘Artik  5 ! when conditions are hazardous and choppy. 

In rough thermals, it jumps quite fast toward the core, but still very manageable for a C.  

Even though having an aspect ratio of 6.44 that doesn’t really show…It’s like flying a 6 AR C glider ! 

So comparing a 6.4 AR Cayenne 5 XS(75-95 kg)  to a 6.44 AR Bonanza 2 S (75-95 kg ) is unreal…The bonanza 2 has a much higher ratio of comfort in turbulent air, and needs much less pilot capability to keep the glider overhead.  It ressembles the Delta 3 MS in those terms with the extra spices for a better feel, an educated pilot would love ! 

Climbing next to an Alpina 3 MS gave me quite a large idea about the Bonanza2 climbing properties. The Bonanza 2 S climbs as well as the Artik 5 24 at the same load. Flying close to the sea level, the weather sometimes feels heavy with a present sea breeze with sometimes bullet thermals that won’t last for a half turn. In those difficult conditions, i could say that the best load for the Bonanza 2 S is +95 all up, very similar to the Artik 5 size 24 that needs to be flown at 95…96…All that load was needed on the Bonanza 2 and the Artik 5 in order to minimize the pitch back delays when encountering those thermals.  When loaded, the feel of less pitch with a lading edge that slices better into the airmass. 

Overall i felt that the Bonanza 2 S even loaded at 95 would be quite efficient in weak thermals among the best C’s of the moment.

Gliding for 2 hours, next to an Alpina 3 MS with same load showed me a faster trim speed for the Bonanza 2 S of about +1 km/h  km/h !  The glide was very close if the Alpina 3 MS was to accelerate to match the B2 trim speed. At full bar ,the Bonanza 2 have also 2 km/h more speed than the Alpina 3 MS. Overall the Bonanza 2 S have a very nice glide angle among the top C’s. 

If you are keen to know the 0.1…0.2 plus or minus LD…you can check my C comparison already updated !  

But for any pilot in the ‘C’ Category, the Bonanza 2 will deliver very good gliding properties. 

Big ears are stable, quite efficient, usable with bar, and reopen slowly sometimes without pilot assist. Sometimes one ear need a small dab on the brakes. But super efficient and stable.

The pressure on the bar is moderate. It has much less pressure on the second bar than the Artik 5. the overall pressure is slightly more than the one on the Alpina 3, or the Sigma 10 but quite comfortable to use.

The leading edge in a full bar, with pulleys overlapping, still have some centimeters to spare. At that speed pulling the A’s 2 cm doesn’t collapse the wing immediately. There’s some reserve…Pulling some asymmetric collapses are really easy, and holding them is a child’s play. like on a B glider ! counter steering inside the harness is sufficient to keep it horizontal while holding the A riser ! 

 The opening is fast.

Conclusion: 

The ‘C’ category holds many gliders, but if you are looking for a complete and balanced one, there are only a few to look at …The Bonanza 2 S is surely one of them ! 

A homogenous, well balanced, easy to fly, confidence inspiring glider, with smooth, good handling and top overall performance. Any pilot looking for the C category will find a successful overall package to fly XC with enough efficiency and pleasure.  

This is only my opinion. Make your own !

ADVANCE Interview

I asked Mr Valery Chapuis of ADVANCE a few questions. He was so kind to reply.

Ziad: Any new releases for 2019 ?
Valery: A new EPSILON 9 coming early next year, in 5 sizes, all B certified ; a new X-Alps 3 coming in the middle of the year ; a new ALPHA 7 coming in the end of the year, in 5 sizes, all A certified.

Ziad: What month could we order the Lightness 3 ?
Valery:
From October, the first deliveries are expected before the end of the year (Rolf will be in our factory soon to check the latest details).

Ziad: Any new D class project?
Valery: No new D project, only our research prototypes. But in case we think we have the best wing in this category, we’ll think about a serial model.

Ziad: Why the Lightness 3 is without rear fairing?
Valery: Because the weight and volume are priorities with the Lightness 3, even if we can make a light fairing, it will be heavier than without. It will come with the Impress 4.

Ziad: Any Impress 4 with rear fairing soon?
Valery: Yes, coming next year, maybe before summer. We are testing a lot now.

Ziad: Are Advance considering a harness with both possibilities of seat and seatless option in one design?
Valery: No, it doesn’t make sense, to complicated, and it’s much better without seat-board…! But we understand and agree that some pilots may prefer with a seat-board.

Ziad : Anything you would like to add?
Valery: Yes, we thank a lot all the pilots who trust us and made the success of ADVANCE and we tell them Happy Birthday, Happy 30 years…!

Ziad: Thank you very much for your answers ! 


UPDATE and more comments.
About OXA 3 and Impress 4. 

We made different prototypes to develop the OXA3 and nothing is definitive. We have 2, 2.5 and 3 liner protos. Aspect ratio around 7. We still have time to test and the final version will be decided next year.

About the Impress 4, it should come with a seat board, the final decision is not made yet, but our protos are with a seat board.

I cannot be more precise now, it’s too early as these products are still under development.