Tuesday, December 25, 2018
Sunday, December 16, 2018
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.
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 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!Thursday, November 15, 2018
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 !
Wednesday, October 31, 2018
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 !
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