SUPAIR Step X size 80-100

Disclaimer:

Please note again… that tests will always differ with other sizes. At first, if flown with seatless harnesses, or must I say a completely different harness. Also if the same sizes are flown at different loads, lighter loads will get the weakest climb but will be penalized in control in heavy air or pushing through a heavy airmass. Bigger sizes have more gliding performance and also better climb in weak conditions.  In my small tests, I always state the size, the total flying weight, and afterward IMHO, the optimum weight I found in that particular glider.

SUPAIR Step X  size M flown from 93 to 97 all up. 

The Step X is the new 2023 high EN-B from Supair. I will let you visit their website for the construction details and materials. https://supair.com/en/produit/aile-parapente-supair-en-b-step-cross/

The Step X has an aspect ratio of 5.65 made with Dominico, has 3 rows of lines, and the overall weight of the M size is around 4.3 kg with very nice construction details! 

It is a relatively light EN-B and launches easily without any wind without any hard point. A straightforward glider to launch. In the stronger breeze, I didn’t find any nervousness or dynamic surges, but a smooth and easy-to-launch glider.

I flew the Step X at 97 all up in one turbulent very strong day, in our Cedars range (Explained down below) 

Comfort and accessibility.

I found that the Step-X managed well all the harsh conditions without any tip fluttering, and still delivered a very prompt brake authority for the pilot to stay in control. Alternating flights and test flying the Mentor 7, I think that the Step-X is also a highly comfortable glider for that category! I was really surprised by the educated feedback and balanced movements of the Step-X in overall conditions. The Step X has slightly more feel than the Mentor 7 while remaining very comfortable to fly.  To place it even further, I think it resembles the Swift 6 accessibility for the same size. 

Handling and agility:

The brake length on the Step X is slightly longer than the Mentor 7 and slightly less than the Swift 6, which place it in the sweet spot. You need just around 15 to 20 cm to steer the glider after the first 10 cm gap. 

The Step X is quite an agile glider and coring tight thermals are easily doable. The pressure is on the moderate side with its effective brake range to control the surges in active air, and flying it for hours is not tiring for the arms. 

While the Maestro 2 could deliver more dynamic handling, the Step X is close in agility while being more user-friendly for the new high B pilot in that class, and calmer in thermals while coring every bit of lift.

Climb rate:

I flew next to higher-rated 2-liner C class gliders in thermals, and the climb rate in weak thermals was very good on Step X around 95 all up. It floats well! For real, this glider climbs very well comparing it with the B class.

It is for sure slower to enter the airmass as the 2 liners but for a high B with 3 lines, it climbs extremely well! 

Gliding through the moving airmass and comparing it to other high B’s the Step X showed me also that it matches the best ones out there! Usually, when a glider has fewer lines like 2.5 ..etc..they should glide more, but flying the Step X near, I didn’t notice any disadvantages… What can I say…when a new creation seems really good and competitive!  I was impressed! 

I will update my B comparison for the little details in climb and glide, but I confirm that the Step X has a very efficient glide through the airmass for the high B category. 

The speed bar has a moderate pressure, and the C steering has acceptable efficiency while on the bar for the 3 liners glider. Perhaps the Maestro 2 and the Rush 6, have swifter C controls, but nevertheless, the Step C controls are manageable and easy to use to control the overall movements. 

The top speed is around 12 km/h over trim. 

Ears are stable and reopen without pilot intervention. 

Conclusion: 

The Step X can be flown easily at 93 all up but it would be slow to enter the airmass. I found out at 95 to be nice overall, and to be even more efficient and more compact with good penetration fly it at 97,98. 

When a product is nice, readers are expecting the testers to find the negative points, when they are difficult to find… My B comparison will shortly be updated. 

Easily placed among the high B’s in terms of good overall performance, the Step X is an enjoyable glider to fly while being well-balanced and quite comfortable during long XCs. The passive safety seems quite high for that category delivering a solid and light-to-carry companion for your adventures. Supair never stopped to amaze me… It would be quite an interesting high B to test fly! 

Cedars range: 

 Cedars range divides the country in half horizontally from north to South. The peaks are facing east and west. They reside above the very hot Bekaa Valley, situated inland of the country. If the thermal breeze is from the west, you will get nice conditions, but if it comes from the east, which it always does afternoon, then the challenge arises especially at noon, and preferable to fly only hang gliders as the very strong breeze literally limit your forward speed with sudden powerful thermals, and since taking off from the east side, a mix of strong valley east breeze and southwesterly wind coming from the sea side toward inland makes the word turbulence a bit undermined …   

When I fly gliders there, I often feel many times I’m just a puppet underneath even on the easiest glider!  Not a good feeling as sometimes, the workloads are extreme and need lots of endurance over the time spent and quite tiring.  At 11 am +6 m/s thermals are common, with a high cloud base over 4500 m, but since there’s a commercial flight line passing over from 4000 m and up, so controlling your height is also very crucial!  

Flying 2 hours from sunset to dark is the best experience a pilot would have. Smooth lift everywhere with a high cloud base. 

UP Trango-X

In 2016, UP launched the Trango X-Race, with a 7 aspect ratio.  If you have already read my test, then you would probably know that I fell in love with the handling, and overall performance at the time. 

Many EN-C gliders have emerged since then, but I can assure you not one has satisfied my spoiled and picky nature for breaking authority and handling. Yep…That’s me…

Until PHI got the Maestro 2 as an EN-B size 21 and flew at 95 all up, to find a slightly similar feel and I was really happy to fly it and still, just to feel that handling taste. 

Now UP has released the 2023 Trango-X in the EN-C category, and my only concern even in my dreams was: “Please I really hope that they didn’t change that brake authority and feel…”

It was indeed in my mind all the time! Believe me!  :-)

And there it was…I opened the box, the Trango-X in SM size 85-100. 

The Risers… Franta’s configuration (Frantisek Pavlousek ‘designer’)…Since he left Axis a long time ago.  At that time I had a Venus 1 and 2 and the RX version. The risers configuration always had the B risers longer than the A, and C risers or D at the time.  The Venus 2 S size in 2009 was for me a favorite. 

It was gliding much better than very well-known brands at the time, and few pilots tasted that, unfortunately…

Now came the 2 line era! The Trango-X has been released with a hybrid option 2.5 Lines. 

If you are that special pilot who is looking only for a pure 2-liner C glider and just reading this test for fun…Then you are completely mistaken my friend! 

Read further down to see what the surprise UP has prepared for you! 

UP uses a mix of the excellent Porcher Skytex 32 Universal and Porcher Skytex 27 Classic II on top and bottom, with a mix of Edelrid 8000U-090/070/050/230/190/120 (Aramid unsheathed) / Liros DC60 /120/100 (Dyneema unsheathed). 

The construction and details are really good with a total weight of 4.5 kg in a semi-light build. 

As you see in the picture the leading edge has a pointed shark nose and small openings. 

UP opted for a 2.5-line riser setup. 

Launching the Trango -X with no wind is very straightforward and very easy to lift with no hard point. In the stronger breeze, no shooting forward with a little brake. 

I flew the Trango-X from 93 to 97 and it flies really well at 93 without the feel of less load. At 97 it's also perfect in strong air! 

Still on my beloved X-rated 6 XL. First turn….A WIDE smile on my face !!! YEEEPEEEEEEEEEEE !!!  UP didn’t fail me by the delivered brake authority and feel !! The brake pressure is on the moderate side, with 10 cm to steer the glider and from 10 to 20 cm a super ‘linear’ input very precise to put the Trango-X  ‘as you wish’ option!  

That’s what I’m talking about! A really nice steering glider gives good authority for the pilot even in strong air, and a very pleasurable one. 

The feedback has a slightly mixed feel that comes from the brakes 30 % and 70% from the glider. The perfect blend! 

Behavior in strong air:

The Trango-X is easier to fly than its predecessor the Trango race, needing less than 30 % pilot input that was required by the older version.

It needs around 10 % more active pilot control than the Artik-R.  But that spicy and balanced feel under it will be cherished by the educated pilots that would fly it! 

The roll movements are on the moderate side, delivering exactly what a pilot must feel.  The pitch has a slight and smooth pitch forward. 

Climb rate:

In surfing that airmass the Trango-X doesn’t have a pitch back at all, nor a neutral pitch. Just a very slight forward pitch into the airmass! A delightful feel when flying through the air! 

The climb rate in strong thermals is really good. I flew with my friends on the Artik-R 23, and we were inseparable in weak and in strong thermals.  Just to let you know that the Artik -R climb is really good, and probably just slightly more efficient in climb rate than the Photon, in weak air. Yes, there was also an Ozone Photon ML flying near all the time…As I was also test-flying the Photon with Trango-X, Artik-R, LT2, and Bonanza 3. at the same time. 

Alternating gliders convinced me that the  Trango-X climbs superbly well!  

That feel of the Trango-X leading edge that pulls you gently into the thermal without any pitch-back back is a delight!  You can feel that efficiency in surfing the air. When you fly a pleasurable glider, that urge to find thermals just to get the ‘pleasure of the turn’!   Now you know that I’m hooked ;-) …

Ok, that’s it…I’ll stop. 

Let's talk about the surprise! I mean the glide…

One day, there was a strong north headwind with a really high cloud base for the day. It was the time to test the ability of the Tango-X versus the other pure 2-line competitors! 

While my friends on a Bonanza 3 S flown at 94, Artik-R 21 flown at 94, and Photon ML flown at 102 all up, were flying also near. 

 We decided to go on a glide facing the wind, at trim and then at the half bar and later on full bar… The glides were repeated 3 days in a row to be sure before I write anything. After all, this is a 2.5-line configuration glider and anything written should be very accurate, at least for my personal peace of mind.

What would you think of the outcome?  

After many glides wing tip to wing tip, the Trango-X with the 2.5 line configuration is nothing but excellent right next to the top ones of that EN-C category …believe it or not. 

At half bar, it is also very competitive. The C riser controls work well in controlling the glider movements. They have a moderate to hard feel and are quite usable. The pressure is harder than the Artik-R ones or the Photon. 

At full bar, the Trango-X has 18+ km/h over the trim with an incredibly good glide angle!  The speed bar is heavy on the second bar. The leading edge is still solid at full bar. 

The details will be published on my 2-liner C comparisons, for tiny details. But prepare to see it very close to the top ones! 

Ears can be done with outside A’s and reopen without pilot intervention, or with outer B’s which opens quicker. Both are efficient to get down. 

Wingovers on the Trango-X can become very high after two turns! Showing its playful behavior. 

Conclusion:

The Trango-X has an excellent and efficient glide through a moving airmass and converts any lift to climb without slowing, bumping, or losing the glide. Sometimes it is difficult to describe that feeling, but I can say that the UP TRANGO-X surfs the air with an efficient ‘attitude’ … It likes to fly. 

UP has created a 2.5-line EN-C glider that can easily compete in climb and glide flawlessly, against all the current 2 liners I am currently test flying.

All that with delightful and pleasurable handling. 

It would be a shame if at least you can test fly that glider if it suits your pilot needs! Don’t let it slip your ‘list’ like that old 2009 Venus 2 did to many! 

I found out that the optimum weight for that glider is around 95…96. 

Happy testing !! :-) 

Ziad

Ozone Submarine M size

Ozone Submarine M size

Ozone released a harness for minimizing the drag produced by the pilot/harness combination, and the main purpose is the extra glide angle in competitions.

I received one Submarine in `M’  size for a test flight. 

The base harness is an exoceat that has been modified a bit. A thick wooden seat board is installed, and the chest strap width is fixed at around 50 cm. My personal feel and imagination, look like it is made to fit a pilot in a ‘Formula 1’ seating position! 

The soft envelope surrounds the harness and both hands are inserted like wearing a jacket with also a Zipper that comes from the end of the pod to the cockpit, and another one from the cockpit or the main deck to be secured at the pilot's neck exactly like zipping your warm jacket. The air enters by the front and when it inflates in this efficient aerodynamic shape, only the pilot's head and arms can be seen outside the Submarine. 

To reach that aerodynamic streamlined shape, you must adjust all the side and front adjustments to keep it horizontal while being convenient for your liking. Ozone made a very nice video following that link (   https://flyozone.com/paragliders/products/harnesses/submarine   )  explaining how it is done.  But for sure, to sit in that harness, you must be a hard-core resilient competition pilot with one focus on the finish line. 

The harness weighs around 8.3 kg for the M. There are two side rescue pockets, rather small pockets to fit a normal rescue with a bit of patience.

The triple -Bullet-pedal accelerator has a long cord, that should pass through the riser pulleys of your competition glider while you need to remove the original Dyneema line on the risers or at least wrap it around the riser. The video and pics show it well. 

I spent a whole day trying to find the best comfortable and horizontal position to my liking, and finally, I succeeded. The next day, was to try it in 30 km’h windy take-offs,  which to my surprise was really easy while holding the rear end under my arms before launch. My buddies were amused taking some pictures :-) attached…

Overall, when you get used to it, it’s easy to take off and land like any other harness out there. It’s just the time preparing it to fly that has to be a bit tricky. There are two cockpits to install the higher cockpit holds the flying instruments that can be seen through the plastic window, and the lower cockpit can also hold lots of instruments and a 5 kg water ballast.  

In the air, the Submarine feels and looks exactly like a Submarine !! :-)  As only the pilot's head is outside with his eyes near the long front surface, the air feels really smooth! That’s a description all the Submarine pilots would feel! The sound of the wind is calmer and the impression you get is a smooth aerodynamic efficiency…At least that’s a first feeling…

Later I flew with my friend both of us on Zeno 2 and the same size and same load. My friend with the Submarine M size and I’m on my X-rated 6.  

I really don’t want to get into lots of discussions and that’s just my small humble opinion.

On trim glides and about 5 km, I didn’t see any difference.  Above 53 km/h there’s a very slight improvement for the Submarine after 5 km.  

I think, for winning competitions you need to save every meter you gain after your long glides. So, 5 meters….10…15 meters…adding those meters after several glides could be your winning ticket to achieving your goals.  

Conclusion: 

I was amazed by the ingeniosity of that design. All the small details were studied to have that streamlined shape and efficiency.  It is a bit delicate to handle, and landing on a tree isn’t a good idea and will eventually destroy the outside envelope.  I don’t see how the rescue lines will pass near the collar without damaging the cloth…in case of a rescue opening. But it could happen without damage. 

The difference in efficiency to gain gliding performance between a normal seated harness and a pod harness with rear fairing is greater than comparing the same pod harness with fairing to a Submarine. 

But there’s a difference in speed and on long glides. 

Every pilot will find a whole complete set of harnesses from pod to simple ones to his liking. The Submarine is a complex harness for a purpose. 

If you are a very good competition pilot, and you need those extra meters that will help you get closer or be on a podium, then the Submarine is definitely for you if your competitors have a similar harness, then getting a high-end stream-lined harness like the Submarine, will keep you close in the game!

NOVA Mentor 7 Light - XS / 75-95

 

NOVA Mentor 7 Light  XS (75-95) 

Disclaimer:

As many of you know me very well, I always follow the new upcoming gliders and new releases, and in  April 2021, I heard about the Mentor 7 and rushed quickly to order one.  In this lapse of one and a half years, I received many emails asking me about that glider, but I wasn’t able to receive it…while all the magazines, Cross Country, FlyBubble, (Tests and videos on their well-respected websites), and lots of other pilots around the world got one or at least flew a demo one, of the Mentor 7 Light!  So despite my many emails, and discussions with NOVA, The Mentor 7 light didn’t arrive until today. 

I was indeed unlucky ;-) …

The tests:

Mentor 7 Light size XS flown at 92 all up. 

Again, many of you might have seen the Mentor 7 light, the construction and details are really nice with a hybrid configuration, meaning that there are a few attachment points on the C risers reducing drag, and probably NOVA was aiming for more performance, and also getting more interest for pilots who are looking to get the latest design closing the gap to a 2 liner feel…

The take-off is really easy with a moderate pull without any hard points in weak windy take-offs. In stronger wind, the Mentor 7 seems also very smooth to launch. 

That day, I shared the flight with my friends on their Swift 6 gliders. One  Swift 6 size S (65-85) flew at 84 all up, and another Swift 6  sizes MS (75-95) flew at 93 all up. I was at the same load as the pilot on the Swift 6 MS size, and it was a superb way to experience all the movements, and see the real-time efficiency of the glider in the test. 

I flew that glider in relatively strong and turbulent conditions to later weaker and smoother conditions.

I must say….The Mentor 7 Light felt like flying a tandem in the positive side of the meaning. I never felt that dampened behavior on a high B wing, and probably very close to some low B gliders in terms of ‘air information’ and roll and pitch movements. The Swift 6 feels as I test flew it is an easy and smooth glider for the high B category. The M7 light has probably twice the comfort of the S6 !! especially in moving air.  It's even more comfortable than the Swing Nyos 2 RS !!  Is it too much?  Each pilot will decide! 

There are pilots who will adore that feel, and some could reach for a more spicy feel like the Maestro 2, Rush 6, for example. Lots of different tastes for all the pilots to choose from. 

But I have to say! With this 2.5-line configuration, I think NOVA has really worked hard on the internal structure of the Mentor 7 light in order to achieve that solid and compact feel. 

After the comfortable and smooth Air Design Volt 4 as a 2-liner C glider, here’s the Mentor 7  with its 2.5 line configuration, with high comfort for a high B glider.  

The Mentor 7 light XS at 93 has a faster trim speed than a brand new Swift 6 size MS at 93 also by +1 km/h. 

The brake travel is short with moderate, to slightly hard pressure. The Swift 6, Maestro 2, and Mentor 6 are slightly lighter. And again, some pilots would appreciate that solid feel in their hands.  The agility is quite ok on the M7. Probably a bit less agile than the Mentor 6 XS tops at 90, but still quite good, close enough to the Swift 6 agility in thermals. In some small thermals, I was able to core very tightly without missing the core. 

If you want it more agile, try to pull the B3 at half pull inside a thermal, and you will experience a super agile B glider! :-) It's funny to try! 

My tests are not only about performance, so I will try to describe the feeling under it as much as I can and that could help you decide if you also cannot get one.

In strong cores the Mentor 7 has a nearly absent pitch behavior, the roll also is very dampened. It slides efficiently through the airmass calmly and the climbing ability is surely present but slow. 

I mean it climbs ok but needs time to reach the cloud base as the other gliders in the air.  In weak thermals, this insane stability erases the small information about that tiny lift, so it is very difficult to feel that tiny lift, and also the climb is there but needs time to get to higher altitudes. 

Some gliders could be described as having a good float ability in the rising airmass. The Mentor 7 size XS, that I flew has a moderate float ability if flown at 90 all up. 

The turning behavior inside any thermal allows the Mentor 7 to stay on rails. It never gets thrown outside the thermal, and with its brake authority, I could place it immediately whenever I wanted inside a core.

Gliding with my friend on his Swift 6,  ( I think your eyes are more open now? … :-)    Hmmm…Ok, So in gliding in the same airmass my friend pushed a bit on the bar to stay close to my trim speed on the Mentor 7 Light. The glide is close enough and I will update my B comparison as soon as possible for the little details if needed…

Trying again and again in many types of conditions, showed me that the Mentor 7 light has a very good glide efficiency that is close to the best ones in that category.

Pulling half the speed system showed me a glide improvement on the Mentor 7 light which is really interesting and will place it at the top of that category. At the full bar, the Mentor 7 Light is a fast high B with probably 2 km/h more speed than the Swift 6 with the same load. I think maybe I got a 16 km/h over the already fast trim speed.

Ears while pulling the B3 are really cool! They are very efficient! I could get down nicely on this configuration. Moderate 360s don’t deliver high G’s, and less than many B’s. 

Conclusion:

NOVA delivered a different Mentor.  It has a completely different feel, a different design, and a different approach! NOVA aficionados will give their own judgment after a test flight…

I only Wished it had more lift ability and a more nimble feel, but that’s me and my picky bad habits ;-), but for strong alpine conditions, the Mentor 7 Light will let you concentrate on the task, on the scenery, on your favorite snack, chocolate bar, while gliding through that abundant lift.

The combination of accessibility/performance ratio is really high on the Mentor 7 Light. 

UPDATE:
Today was a good day to try and fly the Mentor 7 Light, XS at 86 all up.
I changed my harness under the Mentor 7 XS to the Genie light 3 size M which gives slightly more roll and nicer weight shifting. My overall weight was 86.
I have flown on a generous day with some turbulence that my friends informed me later on landing… I thought it was really calm under the M7.

Flying the Mentor 7 light XS at 86 all up, gives even more comfort and still with a very coherent and taught feel. In turbulence, the glider stays well connected. I have flown many gliders, and I think this is not an evolution in feel, but a revolution since this high B glider is calmer than some EN-A gliders. Pilots coming from the low B category will immediately feel at home under the Mentor 7 Light which is targetted as an intermediate glider for pilots who already have flown lower-rated gliders, and like to move a high-performance glider.

In weak conditions, less than 0.5 m’s, the overall movements in pitch and roll are super dampened that I needed to concentrate more on the vario sound to core efficiently as the overall movements are nearly absent in those small conditions.
And of course, being at the middleweight does favor slightly the climbing ability and in a moderate 1m/s thermal, the Mentor 7 light flown at mid-weight will climb close enough to many high B’s. My comparison is updated for the little details.

   

OZONE Swift 6 size MS flown at 93 and size S flown at 85 all up.

I already reviewed the amazing Rush 6 in MS and S size. Here’s the review of the Swift 6 in both S and MS sizes.
The takeoff of the Swift 6 in both sizes is easier to inflate than the Rush 6 as all lighter materials behave in that area.
The take-off was immediate on the MS at 93 all up, while the S size heavily loaded needed just two more steps.
Overall launching and easiness of steering on the ground go to the Swift 6.

I have flown the size MS at 93 all up on my X-rated 6 I think I should replace it soon…Waiting for both new releases, the NK Arrow and Ozone Forza 2…Let's see…
So back to the Swift 6, I can immediately confirm a much mellower feel under it than the Rush 6 which was a bit spicier when completely new. The brand new Swift 6 MS size is for sure more comfortable than the R6 with the same load. I felt that the overall movements are smoother in roll and the pitch is nearly absent. After 2 hours of flying it in moderate air, I felt a high degree of comfort as that glider was really relaxing to fly.
One day, my friend who was flying a Boomerang 12 size M less than 5 kg from the top, ( yes, a Boom 12…CCC ! and I’m not comparing it to the B class  …But it was just next to me…what to do?  )

The Boom 12 was next to me in the early thermals of that day, and we were tip-to-tip trying to find the better weak lift to climb.
Staying very close together, I was really surprised about the Swift 6 ability to float in weak air! I was able to keep a little height in the 15 mn we were stuck in a tiny thermal. So the Swift 6 seems very floaty.
Once we reached the cloud base, my friend took off on a glide going north, with a very slight headwind of 5 km/h, and he also pushed the first bar!
Oops….stuck on the Swift 6 with my stubborn head, I thought lets follow  … That’s me when I’m very optimistic 
But in order to keep the same distance I needed to push the speed bar to make the pulleys overlap, and with this configuration behind him by 20 m, I was at the same speed as my friend Boom… After a small 3 km glide, I arrived 10 m less !!!! at the same point in the mountains.
Later when the weather and windy conditions needed an efficient glider to get through the airmass faster, he disappeared in front! Not a match at all when going upwind and surfing the air. It was time to wake up!
Afterward flying with some high-end B’s, the Swift 6 showed me a similar glide to the Rush 6 and a really competitive one if comparing it to the C-class gliders.
The S size was flown with the new Delight 4 sport harness from Supair, which will be reviewed shortly this week. The Swift 6 S at 85 all up felt a bit different from the MS size as all the smaller sizes do.
It was a bit more alive for sure, but the climb and glide were equally efficient to the Rush 6 of the same size. The turning ability of the Swift 6 size S at 85 can be described as quite direct, agile, and could core thermals with a narrow core. The Swift 6 size MS was a bit more subtle and smoother in turns! I liked the MS size better at 93 for the smoothness and tight coring ability. The brake travel was slightly longer on the MS but really nice and quite agile also, and I was able to core every narrow thermal like a dream. The difference between the turning behavior of the R6/S6 is that the S6 felt a bit smoother and needed less input in the same air. The Maestro 2 size (75-95) felt more intuitive and more direct with a sharper feel through the brakes if flown at the same load or even at 90 all up. It is a matter of taste…

The difference between the Swift 5 and the Swift 6 S and MS if flown at the same load is that the pilot will feel more connected through the brakes under the S6 with a much sharper and shorter brake distance. The agility is similar but the brake authority is more present under the S6. I also felt that while you needed to fly the Swift 5 at max load or slightly 2 kg overloaded to get the best efficiency, the Swift 6 can be flown 2 kg less than the top for maximum efficiency, and that goes also for the S6 S which I felt that it could be better at 83 all up.

Ears are stable with outer A’s, and they reopen without pilot intervention. Landing is a non-event and the Swift 6 could be slowed down in a tiny spot landing. Some of our X-large landing spots go from 5 meters X 10 Meters!  It could be tricky to land a Zeno 2 for example in moving air, but the Swift 6 can be slowed down accurately.

Conclusion:
A light, agile smooth high B glider that has all the necessary tools to make your hike and fly, or XC experience at the max! The performance package is on top of the B category, and the ease of use is outstanding for the delivered performance. Now it's up to you to see if it fits your personal requirements! Happy flights,
Ziad

BGD Epic 2 65-85

Reminder:

The B category is a very wide and the most purchased category. In this one category, you can find gliders with a real aspect ratio from 4.8 to 6.3  ! which gives a huge gap in usability and performance.

BGD Epic 2  65-85

The Epic 2 is BGD's new low B glider for 2022-23 with a real aspect ratio of 5.2  and 3.8 projected.

I flew the Epic 1 and will share in this review the differences between those two, and will insert some low B wings to compare.

Launching the Epic 2 size S (65-85) at 84 all up in no wind needs a slight pull, no hard point, no surge forward, just an easy glider to inflate. In windier take-offs, the inflation is calm as if the Epic 2 is waiting for you to be ready. 

In the air, the Epic 2 has a relatively long brake travel, with a moderate linear feel for a low B. The brake travel is aimed to be forgiving.  It also turns well in thermals with an agility a bit similar to the Epic 1. 

The roll movements are very smooth and stable, and the pitch behavior felt also quite tamed. It enters thermals quickly, and the climb is straightforward. In turbulent air, I felt that the tips are softer than the center. They lose some pressure without any consequences, and a long pull on the brake refills them.

One day, I had on my side a friend which is a very good pilot on his brand new Rush 6 size S with the same load. 

The Rush 6 is a high B that I honestly consider, among the top high Bs in terms of overall efficiency.  But, I thought …why not share this flight and see how the low aspect ratio Epic 2 will hold on…

Flying together in weak thermals, I was amazed by the capability of the Epic 2 to float quite well! I think I had a tiny advantage in very weak stuff…But that doesn’t really matter, only that I can now confirm that the Epic 2 is a great climber in weak thermals. 

In some strong cores, and when I completely ease up on the brakes to let it fly through the rising airmass, I think we both have the same climb also. But for sure the ability for the high B,  R6 to dig through the airmass faster is logical and it shows when thermals are above 3 m’s. 

The slow turning behavior of the Epic 2 in strong cores requires a bit more time to place it inside the core than an Ion 6 for example, but its quite ok, and I consider it fairly agile.   

The overall efficiency in thermals and getting through inside them is clearly much better than the old Epic 1 !!! 

The trim speed of the Epic 2 similarly loaded as the brand new R6 with the same size and load showed me a faster trim speed for the Epic 2 by 1 km/h! 

The Epic 2 is fast at trim speed for a low B glider!

At the full bar, I got 9 km over trim, with locked pulleys. 

The glide at trim on the Epic 2 seems also very good! Of course not like the Base 2 and the Rush 6, but still an interesting glide, and after some comparisons, I can surely put the Epic 2  near the best ones in that (low B category). It glides really well!

ears are stable, and efficient with -4m/s  when using the speed bar. Induce asymmetries are very soft and very easy to recover.

Conclusion: BGD released a very easy low B that can be a logical move after school but with a high-performance package for that category. Going far on an XC day while flying the Epic 2 will be an easy task for weekend warriors! Try it to see if it fits your piloting taste and requirements :-) 

Cheers,

Ziad

GIN Avid 75-95

GIN Avid,  75-95 

I already flew the Explorer 2  https://ziadbassil.blogspot.com/2021/07/gin-explorer-2-size-s-75-95.html

Now GIN released the AVID which is a more robust version of the Explorer 2 and the use of new cloth. GIn quote: The Myungjin MJ40MF and MJ32MF fabrics are intended to withstand harsher, more abrasive environments.

Flying the Avid in different conditions and most variable ones ! from 90 to 95 all up with my grated 6 harnesses as usual… That way I can describe the feeling of that glider versus any other glider I flew for the past 6 years easily having still the same harness! 

I think flying it at 95 all up, is the way to go on the Avid.

Launching the Avid is super easy without any delay. very straightforward and easy to take off in all conditions. 

Once airborne I could feel the very high degree of comfort underneath the Avid that I also flew in some nasty places and in dry mountains. Despite the aspect ratio, Avid is tamer than many B’s with a lower aspect ratio. It delivers smooth feedback without being too demanding to fly. Probably a little more than the Chili5….and possibly less or similar to the Maestro 2 or Rush 6. Overall an easy B to fly.

It feels exactly like the Explorer in terms of pilot demand. 

The turning ability is quite good. With 15 -20 cm and moderate pressure on the brakes, I could turn the Avid inside any core! Very efficient and again (Smooth) turning behavior. 

What surprised me is the climb in weak to marginal conditions. This Avid really climbs well! It shares the same climbing properties as the Explorer 2 which is excellent! 

It is indeed a floater like no other Gin the B segment. It is difficult to land first while flying the Avid unless you make a mistake! 

In good conditions, you quickly find yourself at a cloud base! The Avid climb well! confirmed! 

Gliding will take a bit more explaining:

Doing some glides in calm air, without any wind, or sea breeze the Avid has a nice glide angle similar to the Explorer 2. which is also very very good! 

What surprised me is when doing some glides in windy, difficult conditions, while I’m at 95 all up, I didn’t feel I was efficient that much in going forward as I should be… I felt a bit pinned. Pushing the on the bar didn’t really improve my digging forward through that tricky airmass also. I just felt like sliding a bit.   I did many glides in different areas when low in some valley breeze and the result was as felt before. I think flying it a bit overloaded could be better… But I don’t know…

While pushing the speed bar, the C controls are really nice, they can stop and control the surges while being efficient and having a moderate feel. Quite nice! 

Ears are stable, they reopen sometimes without pilot intervention.

Full speed gave me 11 km/h over trim.

Conclusion:

The Avid is a calm, smooth B, not really demanding to fly, and could be good for upgrading after two seasons on a low B glider. I was hoping for an efficient cutting through the airmass high B glider.

However, this high aspect ratio B is very different from the Carrera series. It is much more forgiving. I flew that glider in strong air and it gave me a comfortable feel. The handling is very nice, as it turns as the pilot wishes with very good brake authority. And of course, the climb in weak air will crown you “Skygod’ of the day ;-) 

In the end, a test flight is worth a thousand words. and words.