ESCAPE Smax SR 25

“ESCAPE” a new brand, motivated people, new ideas, and new possibilities.

Laying the glider on the floor showed impeccable details and construction. Plastic inserts on the leading edge, no Mylar reinforcements on the cells like all the new generation designs. All the lines are unsheathed, a true 3 liner, looks very slick and sporty.

A new innovation for that class is the WTS (Wing Torsion System) Two lines each side connected to the stabilo edge of the wing that let the pilot steer the wing in accelerated mode or at trim if they wish without touching the brakes, when they pull the small handles located each side.

In the air:

The weight range for the 25 is quite large (85-110)  But the designer Pierre-Yves Allois ,recommends to fly the 25 at 97 all up practically in all conditions. Above that weight you will gain in speed and penetration but will loose in weak thermals.

Launching the glider is a non-event for the category. It even launches with 1 km/h wind easily as the glider feels very light and steady above your head.

First thermal and the turning abilities are average to good, similar to an M4.The brakes have medium pressure .A bit more than the M4.

I flew the glider in few occasions, first time the conditions were turbulent below an inversion. Strangely the glider seems stable and comfortable for the ‘D’ category.

I steady moderate thermals the glider climbs very well and you can steer it precisely inside the core. In disorder weak thermals it needs a bit more skill to re-adjust the turn radius and place the wing wherever you want.

In very weak thermals below 0.2 m/s I found the Smax to be less efficient .It feels that the nose is entering but the vario doesn’t beep.

Now the strong point of the Smax SR is its glide at trim. My own feeling tells me that this glider has better glide than the old ‘D’s !

Its performance is a step below the IP6 that I have also to test fly in parallel.

ESCAPE stated that this glider is for the regular ‘D’ pilot. Indeed, the Smax SR is easier to handle in turbulent conditions. It will give its pilot more time to react under it. I think it is similar to the M4 in comfortable behavior.

Applying the bar is easy and the pressure is a bit more than the M4 but still light enough. Big ears have medium stability, and with the speed bar the sink rate is around 2.5 m/s .

The (WTS)

I have tried the WTS at trim and accelerated. Inducing the small red handle at trim I could easily turn the wing 360 degrees on a large radius. Nice…

In accelerated mode it is better to let the brakes on your wrists and try to pull the red handles with no brake pressure. (Elbows must be a bit higher)

In that configuration the WTS woks more efficiently but needs some time to adapt…and have the feeling to trust the wing …

Playing with the wing speed limits, the Smax SR showed an incredible distance between low and high trim speed ,that enabled me to play around in high wind top landing.

In nil wind landings, it is better to keep the Smax SR with a bit of speed before braking it to land.

Conclusion:

Excellent glide and a comfortable ride. That’s the Smax SR.If you are an experienced pilot whose aim is the ‘D’ category, and don’t want to go for extreme machines, a test fly of the Smax SR is a must.

 Pictures:https://picasaweb.google.com/110040226962521480605/EscapeSmaxSR25

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U-Turn Blacklight SM

U-Turn Blacklight

In 2010 a successful manufacturer made an impressive EN-B wing that can out glide some higher rated gliders.

Since then, many manufacturers worked hardly on something to beat it…

Last month, I had a U-Turn Passion EN-C to test fly it. I was very impressed by the total package this glider offers, especially its capacity to absorb turbulence for its 6.85 ar to keep its passenger quite comfortable. I was eager to find out what U-Turn will bring to the market in the B segment especially that they claim for the new Blacklight a glide of 10 !

The test:

Like the Passion the Blacklight SM is quite light with its ± 4.5 kg! Plastic inserts at the leading edge and inside the glider are (a la mode) these days ;-) as with all the gliders. Each thin riser hold 7 lines + the brake line.

Launching is easy for the category wherever in light or in strong breeze.

In the air:

The first impression after the first turn is that the Blacklight has one of the best handling a B glider could have!

Describing the handling of the Blacklight is like eating my favorite ice cream with caramel, vanilla and chunks of delicious brownies. The excellent taste will let you sometimes tighten your eyebrows ;-) and that’s exactly how you will feel inside a thermal with the Blacklight .

Flying against the best B’s of the moment, the Blacklight showed an excellent climb especially in weak thermals even loaded at max!

Being targeted for the high end B pilot, the Blacklight is fairly comfortable in the air. It surely moves in turbulence but it is easily manageable inside the hot B category.

On long glides (more than 10 km) in relatively smooth conditions against a Mentor 2 S, the Blacklight showed similar glide may be 0.1 L/D better than M2 and same at full speed with may be less than 1 km top end speed for the BL .

The advantage of the Blacklight is when racing in lift lines by its ability to float better and climb easier as some higher rated gliders do.

The accelerator is smooth and light. Big ears are stable and reopen with a touch on the brakes.

Conclusion:

With the Blacklight U-Turn has made a new serious challenger in the B category. It has marvelous handling, brilliant climb rate that will manage low saves easily, very good performances coupled with a fairly comfortable glider in the ‘hot B’ segment making the Blacklight a sure success.

https://picasaweb.google.com/110040226962521480605/UTurnBlacklight

Blacklight S size on video !  Even more beautiful ....!

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UP Trango XC 2 S/M

 

_{UP Trango XC 2 S/M 80-95}

_{Swept wings,6.8 A/R glider, thin risers, unsheathed lines everywhere, aggressive look, nylon rods on the edge and more in the back, beautiful design .That’s the Trango XC 2 S/M EN-C ,lying on the take off and ready to be airborne.}

_{I flew the glider with the Genie Lite harness size M, with a total weight of 90 kg all up.}

_Launching:

_{Pulling the inside A’s ,and the glider rises quickly without any delay. In strong breeze, it is better to stop it a bit at 75 % of the rise.}

_{The conditions of the day were first turbulent and punchy with very small cores with an easterly wind above take off. All you need to get an uncomfortable flight, and to understand better the glider I am testing.}

_{In the air:}

_{I cannot say that the XC 2 is a dampened glider like the ‘C’s I was testing before. Immediately after take off the XC 2 showed a more “performance” behavior in the air, as I may say that reminded me of the old ‘D’s.}

_{I remembered reading at the UP website that the glider is intended for D pilots not wanting to go to that class at the moment but with a ‘C’ rating for safety.}

_{That’s exactly what the XC2 feel like in the air.}

_{Flying the Trango XC 2,feels like a samurai solders slicing and fighting with his Katana!}

_{Going forward “very efficiently” in an XC flight, the Trango XC 2 is the key to success. No thermal will make the XC 2 reluctant to enter it.}

_{Going forward is the name and XC is the game  J !!}

_{The Trango XC 2 feels very pressurized, and it feels like a solid, complete wing above your head .Its coherent and moves as a whole .It needs precise input to dissipate its energy and put it on track.}

_{In the thermals:}

_{The strongest point and very noticeable of the Trango XC 2 is its brilliant climb rate!  And that is a direct statement after flying nearly all the new ‘C’s even with some high aspect ratio ones…}

_{Encountering a sudden lift or a small bubble, punchy thermals, the Trango XC 2 is the queen!  it will climb like a spring!}

_{Immediately visible to the eye, and there’s a difference.}

_{In very weak “smooth” stuff <0.3 m/s the glider must be lightly loaded at mid or a bit less to be as efficient.}

_Handling:

_{Surprisingly, the Trango XC 2 with its 6.8 AR is very agile. In “homogenous” thermals it’s a delight to turn! Very narrow and efficient. Just a dab on the inside break releasing completely the outside, the wing feels like a speed glider going up !!   ;-)}

_{In a more turbulent “non-homogenous” core, it needs a more precise input to control the energy of the glider and re-put it on its path. But it is much easier that some ‘D’s.}

_{I can describe the brake travel as short, precise with average pressure.}

_Performance:

_{Gliding with the best ‘C’s of the moment, the Trango XC 2 is well placed on the top. Gliding in calm air the difference is negligible, but when gliding on a ridge with lifts and going into wind, the Trango XC2 may have the upper hand.}

_{The speed bar is relatively light and pulling it at the max, the glider remains very stable with speed near 56 km/h at 2500 ASL and loaded at max but with an impressive glide angle!}

_{(Video soon)}

_{Big ears are stable and easily doable. Coupled with the accelerator the descent rates are around 4 m/s.}

_Conclusion:

_{A new generation of UP gliders is born!}

_{Frantisek Pavlousek designs and glider behavior is strongly implemented in the Trango XC 2! Like the Venus 2 was, efficient and dynamic.}

_{The Trango XC 2, with its superb climb and fast reactions will be a performant tool in the competitions.}

_{It has indeed a ‘C’ rating but it’s not for everyone!}

_{It needs a good pilot to fly it, but I can assure you that the feeling under it is a pure joy to the educated pilot wishing to fly a high end ‘C’.}

_{You can drive your Ferrari or your Bmw ! Everyone has a choice.}

_{The Trango XC 2 is now the glider to beat in the ‘C’ category in terms of “climb and efficiency”.}

UPDATE:The XC2 SM size with a total weight of 90 all up has a low full speed of 53 km/h at sea level .If you are loaded at max and you fly at + 2000 m altitude then it is a bit better....

https://picasaweb.google.com/110040226962521480605/UPTrangoXC2SM


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