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Showing posts sorted by date for query base. Sort by relevance Show all posts

Friday, March 11, 2022

DRIFT Hawk S 70-92

DRIFT Hawk S 70-92


Drift is a new paragliding company. https://driftgliders.com/  

If you want to know about the designers and team, please follow that link: https://driftgliders.com/about  



Hawk is their high EN-B. 

The construction details are very well made. Skytex 32 and 28 were used on the Hawk with Liros and Edelrid lines with very few lines and width. With a shark nose (beak) the glider looks like it was designed for performance. The weight of the Hawk is a bit less than 4 kg and could be narrowly packed. 


In this test, I will compare it with some B’s, and mainly with a Base 2 Slight.

Launching the Hawk S from 89 to 92 all up is very straightforward without any hardpoints to delays. It resembles the Base 2  light launching behavior which is really easy with its lightweight and very simple to inflate even in nil wind.


I flew the Hawk (S size) from 89 to 92 in weak and strong thermals and could do some XC in our current winter condition. 


The brake pressure on the S size at my all-up weight is on the moderate light side. Not as long light as the Swift 5, and not as short as the Rush 6 for example. It could be a bit similar to the Base 2 light in brake length and feel. The Hawk can be steered on a narrow core. So I think 35 cm is needed to crank it in a small core, after the 8 cm brake gap. Overall, I can say that the Hawk is a glider with good agility and could promptly be steered into the lift. The Base 2 S size simply loaded could have a slightly narrower radius in turns. But still, the Hawk has very good agility.


In weak thermal conditions, the Hawk seems to be quite efficient, perhaps like the Mentor 6 efficiency if both are loaded the same. In strong cores, it climbs also very well. 

In strong and turbulent air, the Hawk S is an informative B glider. It moves a bit more in roll and slight yaw than the Rush 6 in strong turbulent air.  The feedback comes from the risers, and some pilots would find it quite interesting rather than boring. 

I’ll update my B comparison table https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/ziad.bassil/viz/BGlidersPerformance/Dashboard_Comparision for the little details if needed. 


Gliding through the calm morning or evening air, I can say that the Hawk has an outstanding glide angle similar to good B’s. Doing some glides in moving air when low against a valley breeze, the Hawk in S size slows a bit and needs slightly a bit more time to enter the airmass. So I think loading it at 93 could be a good option to move forward a bit better.  It will still retain a good glide like the Base 2, Mentor 6, Rush 5.  The C steering is quite efficient in controlling pitch movements. I think it is one of the nicest C steerings on the B’s. Moderate pressure, linear pressure on the C handles to receive and give good control.  


Pushing the bar on the S size gave me around 10 km's over trim with a good and competitive glide angle at that speed. The pressure on the bar is moderate. 

So overall the gliding in most conditions is very good and could be also very similar to the Base 2 light S I have over here. 


Big ears are very stable and efficient. They reopen very quickly. 

Conclusion: Today’s high B category is loaded with lots of impressive gliders. With the Hawk, DRIFT has created a relatively high B glider with good overall performance that fits well in the top 10 of very well-made gliders.

 It needs active pilot control in strong air, as I’m test flying the S size. The More L would differ.  The handling is sweet, as you can turn it inside any core. 

I’m sure that a test flight would be more than anything is written. So getting a demo is always the best way to see if it fits your requirements. 




Sunday, December 19, 2021

BGD Base 2 Light size S 65-85

BGD Base 2 Light size S 65-85

I already flew the normal version of the Base 2 in two sizes M and S, and the review has been written on my blog. Here is the light version in size S flown at 84 all up.

The visual difference is the light risers with also a C steering capability, and thinner webbings. as seen in the picture attached.

Launching the Base 2 light S is really nice. The base 2 light launches even if you don’t touch the A risers! I mean it's really easy and very straightforward even in no wind conditions! 

Launching the Rook3, R-Light, was difficult, also the Rush 6 seems nicer than the R5 but still, the Base 2 and especially the Base 2 light is very straightforward even in a very small take-off area.


In the air at 82 to 84 all up, the Base 2 light gives a softer feel than the Rush 6 in size MS. It feels more comfortable to fly than the R-Light S and the Rook 3 and for sure more than the Rush 6. 

The overall movement in pitch and roll are smoother and more forgiving for a newcomer to the high B. Much like the normal version, the light seems to have the same overall feel, with probably a slight mellower feel if I’m going to compare the Base 2 normal S and the Base 2 Light S. 

The brake travel of the lighter version seems quite shorter than the normal S size with only 10 cm to steer the glider in a thermal! That’s quite good for a high B.  But it seems that I found the brakes too short to my taste in the factory settings. So I top landed, readjusted the brakes two times…to find that releasing 12 cm of travel gave me a slack of ± 6 cm before the brakes has direct contact on the trailing edge. 


The Base2 Light S can be steered very tightly into the core with a linear response through the brakes and a short response. The pressure is similar to the Base 2 S which is lighter than the Chili 5 of course, or even the Rush 6. Probably similar to the Swift 5 S but with shorter and more precise brake control. 


Off again, I flew next to other high B gliders to understand better the overall efficiency. The glide angle resembles the Base 2 with probably a slightly slower glider to enter the airmass than the normal S, but still puts the Base 2 light on par in performance with the normal version.  The top speed with pulleys overlapping gave me an 11 km/h increase in speed. (Video later on)

The Base 2 S climbs well in thermals. It slows slightly upon entry but climbs well.  Hands up when entering will allow the glider to breathe better.  The B comparison is updated for pilots looking for more details.  

Big ears are stable and reopen quickly. Landing in a tight spot is easy as the glider can be slowed down quite well. 


Conclusion:  The Base 2 Light S is a pleasure to fly with its very nice handling and authority on the brakes for a high B. The overall performance in climb and glide are among the good ones in that category. 

I think if you privilege fun, ease of use, with also plenty of cool performance, and especially a relatively comfortable glider to fly for the high B category, then the answer is simply the Base 2 Light.  


Tuesday, August 31, 2021

SKYWALK CHili 5 XS 75-95

Skywalk Chili 5 size XS 75-95

After the excellent Chili 4, Skywalk released the Chili 5 for 2021-2022 and perhaps a little more.

One of my favorite gliders at the time in the B category was the Chili 4. It had a wonderful brake authority, climbs beautifully, and has one of the best glide angles for the category, and is still very competitive. Some pilots reported that the extra movements in the air were too much for them, and some appreciated each moment. Always a matter of taste.

Let's begin with the construction which shows very clean work. Skywalk uses a mix of TX-Light and Dominico 30 DMF. The jet flaps are of course still present on the Chili 5, 3D shaping, shark nose, and all the new features of a modern B class paraglider. The risers have a C steering speed control that allows the pilot to stay on the bar while limiting the pitch movements. 

So, what’s the Chili 5 have to offer? Let's see…

Launching the Chili 5 XS at 93 all up with my good old X -rated 6 harness is very direct, easy and inflates without any hard point or even any shooting forward. It launches easier than the Rush 6 and is similar to the Base 2 which is excellent. The light materials offer a straight forward uncomplicated launch. The take-off is immediate and smooth.

I flew the Chili 5 in multiple conditions, from our strong higher Cedars sites to the lower humid sites with 35 degrees hot and turbulent summer weather! 

In the air, I immediately felt like I’m sitting on a comfortable couch despite what’s going around me. In the same weather, the Chili 4 would have been like a go-kart. The pitch movements are nearly absent but when encountering a strong bullet, the Chili 5 pitches slightly back, but…with a positive vario and it slides through the rising air mass.  There’s some bad pitch back that doesn’t really get inside the thermals, and a good pitch back. The Chili 5 has very good behavior in thermals.

That’s a rare feeling for me, and I find it really interesting in a very positive way. To explain that feeling, in most turbulent air some B gliders surges forward, some pitches back losing the climb, and require pilot management with the brakes that could delay a bit the climbing efficiency, but I rarely see a glider that climbs and still climb well, with a very reassuring little pitch back that is quickly gone when inside a thermal. That pitch back doesn’t need anything to do for the pilot underneath. The Chili 5 just climbs effortlessly without too much control from the pilot. Interesting point. 

To add to my comments on that climb, and while I was testing it with the best B’s of the moment, like the Base 2 and the new Rush 6 and with the same loadings, I can confirm that the Chili 5 is one of the best climbing machines!  To explain why it climbs so well, I must say again, that no touching of the brakes is needed while hitting a thermal or just a slight bit, and that enables the Chili 5 to float in a rising air mass. On those testing days, my friends on the new high B gliders were stunned by the efficiency of the Chili 5! 

The Rush 6 is different in entering the airmass and jumps forward into it. The comfort under the Chili 5 is IMHO, 30% less than the workout on the R6 in strong turbulent air and it is even just slightly more comfortable than the Base2!  It is really compact and homogenous! 

The brake travel and pressure of the Chili 5 is slightly more firm than the Chili 4 on the first 15 cm after the 10 cm of a gap. The agility and authority on the brakes are really nice also. Not as dynamic in turns as the Chili 4, but really good and efficient. I could turn the Chili 5 in a very narrow thermal. The Chili 5 doesn’t dive in turns, and if you want to make a wing over you need to build it. 

In these testing hours, I was completely satisfied with the handling. And that’s an important issue for my personal preference.

After pulling 15-17 cm which I don’t think any pilot will use then much unless there are heavy conditions, the Chili 5 brake pressure became a bit hard. It could be a relief for some pilots to feel secure when things go wild, just because they could hang on to something…

Gliding….

That part is interesting…Flying many new gliders, I’m still amazed at the new ones! I lately test flew the Rush 6, and it was also available to compare it with the Chili 5. I also brought the excellent Base 2 M which has a very good glide angle. Test flying against the Base 2 at the same weight showed me that the Chili 5 has what it takes to be awesome! The top speed is 3 km/h faster than the already fast Base 2 M. I did some glides also with the Rush 6, and I can say that the glide is very close and competitive. For that matter, I’ll update my B comparison for the little details if needed. 

C steering while on the bar is efficient, moderates pressure, and keeps the glider overhead. 

Ears are stable and reopen slowly without pilot intervention if loaded at the top. 

Conclusion: Skywalk has built a very comfortable high-performance B glider. The Chili 5 doesn’t require a lot of active control while delivering excellent overall performance for the B category. I can confirm that I can put it with some mid-Bs in terms of comfort and accessibility.

The Package of the climb, glide performance, and huge comfort are very wide in the high B category. The top speed is really good and a bit hard to push at the second bar. Other than that… Fly the Chili 5 near the top weight for efficiency, and you will experience an excellent XC machine that saves you a lot of energy, keeping you gliding toward the sunset.  



 

Saturday, July 10, 2021

Gliders and...

After some time, and talking to friends and exchanging wings, in the C category, 

I would humbly like to share my personal feel and opinion from all my tested C gliders, here is my choice for the most complete ones in 2020,2021, until 1st July is:


1- Delta 4, Alpina 4, 

2- Sigma 11, size 24 , 

3-Fusion Light, S, and M.  

Why?  Just because they offer the most relaxed flying with top-end performance without going out of trim in the first 30 hours. 

4-Cure 2, which offers excellent performance but needs a little workload than the others. 

5- Q-Light S ( needs active control) 

All those gliders didn't get out of trim before 30...35 hours. (Data from 12 other pilots) but will eventually go out of trim later.


IN the B category, 


1- BGD Base 2, GIN Explorer 2 (superb performance with a very conservative line width) Rush 6 (performance of the C category) 

2-Rook 3, R-Light 3  ( But I don’t like the take-off in nil wind ) 

, Rush 5, Swift 5, Mentor 6 Light XS! Love that one! , Maestro 21.



There are more good gliders that don't go quickly out of trim OF COURSE,

But they will eventually after 30, 35 hours but the above is my personal choice for overall behavior. 


Important notice that I would like to share>

I have already written that testing a new B, C, or especially D, won’t give accurate results since many gliders go out of trim before reaching 30 hours! even some B’s! more often C’s and D’s. ( Dyneema line shrinkage problem, mainly..) 



So it is very important to trim back those gliders to regain their correct flying properties.

 Some manufacturers are more serious than others…

Happy flights,

Ziad. 



The NEW  Elan 3 is not yet evaluated. And will need time to see ...

Wednesday, May 12, 2021

Triple seven R-Light Size S


Ok…Let’s begin with:   I’m very happy and content to have flown that glider. Bye 

For the readers who want a swift and direct-to-point conclusion!  😆


Details:

The R-Light S is the light version of the Rook 3. The same everything besides the light fabric used. Now it can be folded smaller and for sure, lighter to carry. 


Launching: 

The small openings on the leading edge require a slight wind to fill the R-Light properly. With the light fabric, it feels lighter when pulling the A’s but still needs a steady and patient pull to fill it. It is slightly better to fill than the Rook 3, but little patience is needed in nil wind.  In 10 km/h wind, it is easier to fill it. Some B’s like the Base 2 for example fill faster, but this is definitely not an issue for any high B pilot. Just to be precise about it. In nil wind, I was able to launch in a 10-meter take-off, before the cliff. Others B’s in 5-7 m. 


I flew the R-Light S at 84, 85 all up, and that was just the optimum weight in all conditions in order to feel it and to dig through any conditions from super weak to strong air.  At my side of testing was a Base 2 M at 93 and a Swift 5 S at 84 also.  I tried the R-Light 3 S with two harnesses ( Delight 3 M and Genie light 3 M ( which both are different).

When flying next to the Swift 5 S I used my Delight 3 harness as the Swift pilot did also. When flying next to the Base 2 M I used the Genie light 3.

Now I can write about both harnesses and the difference under the R-Light S at 84 all up.


Let's talk about the Genie light 3 / R-Light S.  The Genie light 3 harness gives a nice weight shift authority with any used glider. With the R-Light S, it was indeed a pleasure to fly! In strong air, the R-Light S with both harnesses showed me a relatively comfortable ride for a High B. Some will prefer more dampening like the Swift 5 or the Base 2, but for me the R-Light S was perfect. Not too boring nor alive. Perfect feedback for a keen pilot. If you used to fly a low aspect ratio very comfortable C, you will be comfy on the R-Light S with the added large passive safety. The feedback on both harnesses is what a keen pilot would require from a high B without erasing the pleasure of feeling the airmass and getting the bits and pieces from it!

The difference between the Delight 3 and the Genie Light 3 under the R-Light S is that only in very strong conditions, the roll movements are more dampened under the Delight3, but the important thing to know is that under both harnesses, the R-light S had a swift and direct authority on the brakes that enabled it to put it exactly where you want inside the turbulent air mass. So no need for a specific harness to be very precise of turns. 

I have to add that the R-Light S has a short, precise, linear feel (each cm pulled react the glider), medium pressure( Harder than the Swift 5, less than the Artik 6, or the same as the Rush 5, to give you an example…and crispy feel (The little more centimeters you pull, the more you feel the brakes in your hand)  To finish my description, I have to say that the movements coming for the glider are felt 70% from the risers and probably 30% from the brakes. Just because it happened that when entering a core the R-Light S leading edge pulls slightly forward, and surprisingly one hand is being slightly pulled where the most powerful lift is!  (left or right)  But a very gentle pull, that you need to listen to it informing where the core is. I really liked that!. That feel was present in a much more pronounced way on the UP Trango Race! which had an amazing brake feel! 


Climb rate:

Flying the R-Light S at 84, 85 all up was the best to surf through the airmass. Flying at that load never altered my efficiency to climb in weak air. Some pilots feel that flying at mid-weight will give them a better lift. Of course, but they will miss every steady core of the thermal, just because you need to enter the air mass and find the best and stronger lift in every thermal, and for that, you need to be in the best part of the total weight in your aircraft. 

For me, I was very efficient at that loading feeling the light lift, and moving forward to get the better and stronger lift. Next to one of the best B’s in terms of climb rate which is the (Swift 5) I found out that the R-Light S at that load is inseparable in climb! So with my reference, the Swift 5, I felt that the R-Light S is matching it in weak, strong, and all conditions. The difference between the two is that the Swift 5 has a longer brake travel and slightly less responsive in turns than the R-Light S if both flown at 85. The Swift 5 S needs to be flown at 87 to be equally efficient in surfing the airmass, while the R-Light S was cool at 84 all up.  

Flying next to the Base 2 M at 93, I didn’t feel also any advantage for any glider. The Base 2 had a little better trim speed, but we were inseparable in the climb.  The Base 2 M was a bit more comfortable to fly. I think I will get a Base 2 S size to see the difference in comfort also. (Later) 


Gliding:

Again gliding many times, next to the Base 2 M and the Swift 5 S, there was not really a noticeable difference in glide. I can strongly confirm the R-Light S glides really well and doesn’t lose its gliding efficiency in diving when encountering moving and sinking air. The glide at half-bar is very usable and offers also the best glide in the B category.  The top speed is around 15 km/h over trim. The difference of the glide at top speed with a Delta 4 MS is very very little!   The difference that can be seen in moving air is that the Rook 3 and the R-Light 3 are slightly slower to enter the airmass than a C glider. That’s it. So there will be always a little advantage for the C’s.

I felt that going on the half bar in all the crossings will reduce slightly that effect if the c’s are not pushing on the bar often. 


Pleasure:

I added that just because it is so important.  Who does benefit the most from flying the R-Light S?  Pilots are very different in character. With the same B performance, some would like a free of movement and very dampened glider. They couldn’t care less about brake fans and would prefer pure performance over anything else, which I do respect and understand. 

The R-Light 3 S, moves less in turbulent air than the PHI Maestro 21 for example but needs a good B pilot that favors the exact spices of feedback it delivers, a sensible pilot for the responsive brake fan, who appreciates the authority given to him by the glider to place it accurately in the airmass, and finally, the pilot who needs that cocktail of a ‘light’, agile, high-performance B glider. If you are that pilot, then definitely there will be a guaranteed smile on your face.  



Conclusion:  

Like the normal version, the R-Light S packs small and offers the best performance in climb and glide for the B category. The top speed is very good for the category. Ears are stable on this light S size and reopen smoothly without pilot control.  It needs a sensible pilot to appreciate its thermal behavior.  I found that flying it at max load is the optimum load to get it efficiently into the airmass. My test describes accurately only the ’S’ size flown at 85 all up. I really had a very nice time test flying it!  Try it if you can, or other sizes, at max load, and your comments will be highly appreciated!  Happy flights :-) 



Saturday, March 20, 2021

BGD Base 2




BGD Base 2 M


After the Cure 2 EN-C here is the new Base 2 from BGD. The new generation BGD gliders seems to be developed with very good software, a new designer ‘Tom Lolies’ and it seems that they are quite different from the past creations.


My friend lends me his new glider, and I flew it from 92 to 96 all up.  Launching the Base 2 in nil wind requires a steady pull. It slows a bit at 45 degrees, and a little more pull to get overhead. The inflation in more than 5 km/h is easy and the take-off is immediate. 


I flew the Base 2 on several occasions, and once with the company of two Rook 3 MS at the same load for all 3 gliders! 94,95 all up. 


The brake pressure is on the moderate side. A bit longer than the Rook 3 or the Rush 5  but reactive and linear.  The turning behavior is quite good, with good agility for a high B while having a very calm character.  I could turn the Base 2 inside any thermal while lowering slightly further the brakes in order to get a tight radius. Overall, I can say it has a very balanced turning ability, with no diving in turns and relatively a flat turn.  At 95 all up, I could apply only 15 cm of the brake, and guide the Base 2 in an efficient flat turn, in weak conditions. 


In weak thermals, it seems that the Base 2 has a very good float ability, that enables it to climb really well in the weak stuff even loaded at max weight!   Facing a mellow valley breeze the pitch movements are absent and the Base 2 rises effortlessly and moves forward in the airmass. In stronger conditions, the Base 2 pitch back a little but still climbs very well when I flew it at 92 all up.  That’s is why I felt that the Base2 needs to be loaded at the top all the time for good efficiency in the air, and while loading it, it still delivers one of the best climb rates in the high B category.  The glider feels big, and very calm, even near the top and that’s why loading it at max felt much better.  


Talking a bit about the pleasure in flight, I can say that the Base 2 handling and brake authority allows a newcomer to the high B category to understand and cope better under that machine while having fun. As for expert pilots who desire a direct feel and more dynamics on a high B, they will still feel the reactive brakes but probably will miss a shorter and sharper feel. But I think 90 % of high B pilots would be very happy with the handling and turning behavior. 


The Base 2 comfort in roll and pitch is very high! I sensed that I’m flying a low B glider in that matter. The Base 2 despite the 5.7 AR, absorbs very well the turbulence and the overall movements in active air are present, informative, very dampened, and very calm. The Base 2 delivers a smooth ride all along in XC condition.  The Rook 3 has more pronounced feedback in overall conditions.  It resembles the Rush 5 in calm behavior. 


The trim speed with the same loading as the two Rook 3 beside me is slightly higher on the Base2. The gliding in moving air done more than 4 times and 5 km glide while the Rooks pushed slightly on the bar to match my trim speed, showed me exactly the same glide as my reference in the high B category. The full-speed glide of the Base 2 which seems to have a shorter distance between pulleys, has the same top speed as the Rooks. The glide at full speed showed me also very close gliding results after 5 km the rooks arrived 5m higher…So practically the same and insignificant. 


While at bar, it seems that the C steering is quite smooth, efficient, and easy to use, and I was able to control the glider quite well with total tranquility in most conditions. 

Big ears are easy to hold, stable, efficient, with around -3m/s with bar. The releasing of the ears will enable the Base 2 to reopen by itself in a gradual and smooth way. 


Conclusion: With the new Base 2, the BGD team has succeeded to raise the level of their products as they did on the Cure 2. BGD managed to produce a very comfortable high B, with good handling and top-end overall performance in both climb and glide. I believe that those new high B’s can get their owners to new dimensions and long XC flights while being easy and relaxing to fly. That combination of performance and accessibility is the strong point of the Base 2, and I think it will be quite interesting and rewarding for pilots to test fly it.  But please remember to load it at the top or even at 96 to feel the efficiency in overall conditions. 

BGD Base S at 85 all up

A few words flying the Base 2 S at 85 all up with the new Genie light 3. 

My friend just got him, but as he was busy today, I had the privilege to test fly it! :-) 

The Base S rises easily without any hardpoint. Take-off is immediate. 

I flew in some difficult stable conditions below the inversion, and then I got some two good thermals that pierced the inversion. I will mainly comment on the handling of the S size. The brake travel is moderate, not too short nor too long. A bit longer than the 777 R-Light S. A Bit less than the Swift 5 S, and more firm. 

The pressure on the brakes is firm and not moderately light like the Swift, but very linear and precise. The Base 2 S is more dynamic to fly than the M size which is logical. That little more dynamic feel is what I really wanted from the Base 2 M!  Incredibly perfect feedback and agility! The feedback comes from the risers, not the brakes, in a polite way that enables the high B pilot to follow the movements. 

Getting the super narrow thermals was super-pleasurable, as I could place the Base S exactly where I wanted. The pitch movement of the leading edge is super neutral, with the feeling that the Base 2 S is going through that airmass quite efficiently!  I like that trim speed, quite fast for a high B! The accurate feedback and the glider response in the airmass feel like a higher-rated glider!   In all those tricky, and turbulent conditions I never had any tip collapse. I think flying the Base 2 M or S at max load is the way to go. I didn’t feel any problem in weak thermals, and I felt that I’m gliding quite efficiently at that load. 




Saturday, March 28, 2020

Interview Michael Nesler

Hi,
In those difficult times, I'm trying to send glider designers some questions in order to give you a more comfortable way to spend the time at home. Here's is a very interesting interview with Michael Nesler.
I knew about Michael Nesler's designs since I began to learn paragliding. He is from the “golden era”
His exceptional profile!
https://profly.org/Nesler/?fbclid=IwAR2BWVXaBxlExeTXrozwoC
( Click personal)


Dear Michael,
At first, I hope that you and your family are doing ok! The conditions in Italy are critical, and hats off to the Italian doctors, nurses and everyone involved…God be with you all!
Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions.

Ziad: I have flown your designs recently. Let's take for example the Nyos RS EN-B.  It doesn’t have a shark nose, or the back positioning A’s, the lines are not that thin as some high B competitors, but it seems to glide as good as the best!  In your opinion for the moment, is positioning the A’s far back, for a high B is a must for selling? or there’s some benefit in that category in cutting through the airmass? Will this work for a B? Knowing that the latest Ozone R5 doesn’t seem to have the shark nose of the older models.

Michael: What ultimately determines the performance of a paraglider is very complex. Let me give you an example: If I have the Nyos RS made in China, it will fly like the one you've been flying. If I have it built in our factory in Croatia with the same files and materials, it will fly much better.
According to the experience of the last years, the dependency of performance is roughly distributed like this:
* 35% project
* 25% material
* 40% manufacturing quality (cutting, sewing, control)[/i]
Of course, the media and customers get off on technical, tangible details such as shark nose, A-loops, etc., but precision is much more important.
The fact that the Shark-Nose cost performance has meanwhile been accepted by other manufacturers. That's why they still install the rods crossed at the opening, but when you look at the profile shape without opening, there is little left of real Shark-nose.
In summary: If you could make any model you wanted with better materials, individual cuts, and very good sewers, it would be vastly superior to mass production. But no manufacturer can afford that.
The position of the A-Loops is not important for performance, only for safety and durability. And this is contrary to each other: Either more safety and shorter service life - or vice versa!



Ziad: I’m impressed! I never knew that it would differ that much! There are companies in Srilanka doing a clean job on paragliders. Do you still think that if it's done in Croatia or should I say in a more delicate and precise way it would fly better? How better please? What are those differences?

Michael: No, factories in Srilanka, China and other places are doing a clean job for economical serial production. But they are far away from the maximum possible.

Ziad: You said earlier that they can't afford that?  why? Can you comment, please?

Michael: Simple to calculate: Cutting 16 layers (8 gliders) on rotating knife cutter or high power laser needs nearly 8 hours = 1 hour/glider. If you make a single cut with high precision, you need also 8 hours = I glider!
A good sewer needs 30-40% more time to finish a perfect wing. So in the end, the glider will cost, also using the best material, quality control, individual trimming, ca. 60-80% more. Nobody will pay for this!


Ziad: You also said: On a competition glider, no one will use a shark nose if its cost performance! The Enzo 3 and B11 use it. What are your thoughts, please?

Michael: They are far away from real Sharknose: if you don't watch the crossed ends of the rod in the vent, but the real shape of the profile, you will see that there is nearly no shark-nose anymore! Only simulating a step on the vents you don't get a real shark-nose: te vent area is filled with a compressed air cushion!


Ziad: There are lots of nice ideas for designing paragliders. I always wondered if we put all them together in one glider, would that be beneficial? Some could be for marketing purposes, but some works quite well… I mean for all the classes, probably a shark nose, RAST, a 3D clean leading edge, and all the internal technologies, optimized unsheathed lines, etc, etc…  or there’s something that today's designers cannot overcome.

Michael: I am currently working on an EN-D two-liner, which we have both with and without a shark nose. In the lower speed range of the certification, the Sharknose doesn't make sense, it just causes disadvantages.
If I were given the job of building the perfect glider, I would:
- Take this material here: https://www.extremtextil.de/dyneema-composite-fabric-ct03e08-12g-qm.html (I've built a couple of base wings with this, brilliant!)
- Cut the glider individually by laser
- Glue all panels before sewing
- Accompany the sewing personally
- Use Vectran lines
The absurd thing is that such an existing model would fly better than a new, allegedly improved one of conventional design.


Ziad: Why Vectran lines?

Michael: Vectran has less elongation, is more stable during aging, am stronger. It would be perfect as main lines, also with cover. But till today nobody is producing Vectran baselines for Paragliders (with colors, coating/cover). But they are used for many years in high-performance skydiving canopies.

Ziad: What are your thoughts about a super designing tool? Will a futuristic superior software help in the design of our flying machines? Or are we still limited by the materials?

Michael: We have long been outside the reasonable tolerance with regard to production and material. It will hardly be possible to increase performance with conventional and inexpensive solutions.

Ziad: I was always fascinated by the internal structure of a glider. For example, the UP Escape had some cross reinforcements that were never been seen lately?  Is it right to believe that internal structure is the main key to performance and safety?  Are we still far in this field?

Michael: I know the Escape very well, I made it. But this construction has one main disadvantage: too much waste, too expensive!
The inner life serves only one purpose: Less lines! There is one clear limit: the strength required by the certification. Most high-performance gliders push this to the limit. So you couldn't have less lines. A highly complex inner life is interesting and light, but it is certainly not a parameter with which you can improve performance.
Unless you build gliders with over 100 cells, they would become too heavy without 4 or 5 cell spacing.

Ziad: What are the benefits of using very light construction of RAST on a 7 AR 2 liner glider? I think you surely thought of that!

Michael: I have been flying it for 3 months now and it feels like an EN-B paraglider to me. I fly it here in the Dolomites in conditions where others prefer to stay on the ground with the B-gliders, and I feel comfortable. What I miss is better take-off behavior in snow and tailwind and big ears.
But I have now found a solution for this, including certification without folding lines.


Ziad: What are your future projects? Any new harnesses? certification for the 2 liner?

Michael: I am working on a harness for pilots who like to fly very precisely with weight and want to be a perfect unit with their equipment.  This will be a niche product: Ultralight, high strength (with Kevlar fabric and Dyneema), with seat board and no cross bracing. So completely against the mainstream. This is not a Swing order, but a Profly project.
EN-D is in work and should be approved according to Corona.


Ziad: What do you think about seat and seat-less harnesses? Rear fairing or not?  Which do you think is more appropriate to your liking?

Michael: We have several harnesses here for testing our gliders. And have found that flight behavior, performance, and safety are more influenced by the different harnesses than by the trimming.
I am surprised that the manufacturers of harnesses do not even adhere to the requirements of the certification regarding the height of the main suspension. Most of the current harnesses have a much higher main suspension than the certification requires. In addition, the newer harnesses are being cross-braced more and more. This allows weaker pilots to fly with higher classified gliders, but it reduces performance significantly compared to flying a simpler glider with a good harness.
In all comparisons, I still find the old Woody Valley GTO-Xalps Race (2.2kg, with a board) the best for me.


Ziad: what if we were all flying the same model and there were no other models?

Michael: Then no one would be able to blame the material for bad flights, no one would be able to boast of being an unpaid brand ambassador, and no one would be the hero anymore for flying such a great, dangerous glider.
Ziad: Would this be less fun then?

Michael: Let's face it: the whole discussion about performance is only needed by the manufacturers, the salespeople, and the media. After all, what else would they be able to captivate us, pilots, with?
I still like to build high-performance machines on commission, but nobody really needs them.
Most pilots would be better advised to work on their technique, perception, and psyche instead of constantly stunning themselves with new material.


Ziad: You mean like one design glider for "Olympic games"? But that will also be branded somehow...
Michael: Here we have been shortsighted! If we got a one-design class for competition (ok, different brand, but very strict parameters like in sailing or formula one) we would be since many years in the Olympics! The same model means, that the results come from the pilots and not form the glider (and the money to buy always the best wing)


Ziad: A message for the pilots staying at home?

Michael: This is a good time to start thinking about flying:
* Why am I flying?
* What's in it for me?
* What would give me more performance?
* What are my goals and wishes when I fly?
It is best to write (on real paper!) because this keeps all-important channels of perception involved (sight, hearing, touch).

Thank you very much for your time!

Best regards,
Ziad



PS: Every designer has his own perception and futuristic ideas. The above interview was made to show a different and interesting point of view.
IMHO, the best glider you seek is the one that makes you feel good, and that special 'you' is a very personal matter Smile
Stay safe!
Ziad


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