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 :-) 

Woody Valley GTO Light size M

My main and long tested harnesses were the GTO in L and XL ,The connect race XL, which was the WVGTO slightly modified for more options, The X-rated 6 in L and XL. 

I personally liked the configuration of those harnesses and the way they transmit roll movements in the air. Probably the GTO and Connect race transmits a bit more the turbulent and sharp airmass sometimes, but in overall conditions they are really nice to fly. 

I have here the GTO Light in size M and L. Woody Valley changed their sizing and the new GTO Light in M size is ‘slightly’ bigger than the old GTO L size ! 

For my 1.81 and 73 kg, the GTO Light M size suits me perfectly. I also tried the L size but it seems a bit big for me. Could be ok…But i prefer the snug fit of the M size. 

The GTO Light doesn’t have a seat board, but the pilot sits on a firm and flat back protection which gives more or less a good solid sitting feel. But it’s not a solid seat board feel. 

The rescue compartment seems large enough for big rescues. A Rogallo type, can fit easily. 

The comfort sitting position of the GTO Light for the back, hips is excellent. It resemble the best comfortable harnesses. The GTO Light is much more comfortable to sit in than the old GTO, Connect race, X-rated 6. It comes very close to the Forza and the Lightness 2 in terms of back support and comfort. 

As for the roll movements, they seem to be less informative than a Lightness 2 for example and quite close to the old GTO. Weight shift capabilities are excellent ! 

I could really weight shift efficiently by balancing my weight to the turning side much better than the Supair Delight 1 or 2 and for sure better than the X-rated 6. 

I can say that there’s some balanced roll movement in the GTO Light to ensure a pleasurable flight as the movements are precise and accurate. In the Lightness 2 and the Impress 3, the induced roll movements by entering thermals were not really homogenous, as i already mentioned it in those tests, but in the GTO Light, they deliver exactly what’s the air is doing without parasitical or unnecessary yaw movements. 

The legs are naturally supported and doesn’t require any effort form the pilot to keep them straight. 

The speed system is the same as the old GTO with 3 steps, and still easy to use. 

The chest strap is easily adjustable as the adjustment lays flat on top on the front strap. The Cockpit is placed on the right angle, the adjustments can be altered in flight if they are not secured by a loop. But it’s preferable to adjust them before the flight. 

The pod seems warm enough. But must wait until winter to be sure... 

The GTO light doesn’t look as fragile as it weight. I mean it look solid enough for a light harness. There's also good back compartment for storage. 

I have added a small ball with an elastic on the front pod to ensure proper entry into the pod like the one on the Forza, because i had difficulties to enter. 

Conclusion: Overall i like that harness. I think Woody Valley has created a very nice light and comfortable to sit, harness with a rear inflatable for more aerodynamics and has practically everything a pilot needs.

Cheers, 

Ziad 

ADVANCE OMEGA 8 25

As usual unfolding an ADVANCE glider has been for me a revelation.May be because they are more expensive than others ;-) ,but for sure the quality and the neat details are a step above the competition still.

Test:

OMEGA 8 +Impress 2 harness.Total weight 93 kg

Launching:

That 's one strong point of the Omega 8.It launches perfectly,showing a very good behavior when kiting the glider.Even in low wind the glider rises perfectly without any strange movements.

Turning &Handling :

For an aspect of 6.8 the OMEGA 8 has a moderate brake pressure,and a very good turning behavior ,if helped by the pilot in keeping the forward speed and leaning in the harness.It can really turn very tight .Much better turning than the GTO M. More homogeneous ,linear and precise. Exquisite !!Even in strong cores the ability to turn becomes even better! very nice glider to handle! A bliss in this category !

Feeling in the air: 

Comparing the feeling in the air between GTO M and OMEGA 8 25, goes in favor of the OMEGA 8.

It is easy and predictable with comfort to the pilot below !

The stall point of the GTO M is early on the hips and the glider became unstable.The stall point on the Omega 8 is more lower and accept without any nasty surprises the low speed approaches or the sudden changes in directions.Both are dampened and both climb fast with pitch stability,but i felt that the OMEGA 8 is more balanced and has more friendly user ability + the precise brakes won my heart.

 Big ears: 

The OMEGA 8 25 can do big ears (finally) and are 80 % stable .The weight shift on the harness become more responsive .

Accelerator:

Very light,like butter,very efficient and the glider is on rails.

CLIMB RATE(in weak thermals):

Loaded at 93 all up,the OMEGA 8 25 suffers a little in very (very) weak conditions (0.2m/s) thermals,vs the GTO M loaded at 100 kg and a VENUS 2 M loaded at 102 kg.The OMEGA 8 25 is a little lazy in climbing in those weak thermals.

CLIMB RATE (in strong thermals):

The OMEGA 8 climbs very beautifully,like a spring.It has to do with the aspect ratio of those gliders USPORT, GTO, OMEGA 8,that they climb quickly upward.But i have noticed that the OMEGA 8 is a competition glider with excellent glide rather than a floater with excellent climb .The GTO M is more of a floater than the OMEGA 8 25.

PERFORMANCE: 

At trim speed ,the Omega 8 is similar to the Peak ,GTO M. At first bar,it has very good glide with a stable profile and very easy and manageable speed bar.May be the GTO M has the edge but i think they are very close with a difference of ± 0.1 in glide at 46 km/h .

GRADIENT GOLDEN 3 80-100

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tX9eTiTLgE



After some flights in thermal conditions, loaded at 95 kg all up ,with an impress harness, here is what I found.

Construction and quality are very good ,to the last detail in simplicity and GRADIENT style .It inspire confidence just by looking. Regular risers and lines , excluding the thin lines on top.





Launching the glider is easy, in all conditions. Nothing special on that.

In the air, at my wing loading I found the brakes long as the Aspen 3,but the wing is agile in smooth conditions. When it is turbulent and bumpy, I need to insist keeping the brakes in a low position in order to turn the glider faster.

Hitting a thermal the glider pitch back a little, after it settles inside, it cores perfectly till cloud base.

The GOLDEN 3 is a little talkative glider for an EN-B glider without excess. It moves but stays overhead showing the thermal direction.

The brake pressure is a little heavier than the Aspen 3,but it remains in the light cat.

The accelerator is efficient and the wing remains very stiff fully accelerated. Induced collapses are soft in recovery.

Wing overs are nice and could be high, and coordinated.

The feeling in the air is like a typical GRADIENT glider.

Performance...


Today was perfect for testing the performance vs the ORYX. My friend Moni took the GOLDEN 3 with a total weight of 100 kg and flying a pod samurai harness.
Myself flying the ORYX with an impress 2 + harness and an all up weight 93 kg.

Gliding in a little shaky air but without any headwind ,shows that the glides are nearly the same with a slight advantage in speed to the ORYX loaded only at 93 !!.

In the weak thermals ,and even loaded at 100 kg ,the GOLDEN 3 is really great.I think it has the edge in climb in the weak stuff. We were practically together all the way up,and I could feel that the climbing of the GOLDEN 3 is catching up… Then Moni missed a small thermal by going further left to the ridge ,and I waited up a little (see video)

When he got up again we settle on a small glide headwind ,heading north. Here the ORYX shines…No comment how it is really good in headwind glides !!!

Knowing that , we did return to land on take off and Moni got the ORYX to try at 98.5 all up (Weight of ORYX is 4.5! ) and I took the Artic 2 Small (EN-C) loaded at 95 all up for a test glide also.

Launching and going up, surely the advantage of quick climb is for the Artic 2(EN-C) .This glider is a reference between (EN-C) gliders. Now the good part is the 2 km headwind glide with the ORYX .

We were both surprised as you will be, seeing the video! They were both equal in this glide...(NO more Comment,see the video)with an advantage for the ORYX in trim speed. But when I pressed the bar headwind with the Artic 2 ,the difference is of course in favor of the EN-C glider.

Finally our conclusion is:

Our thoughts were that we really were amazed to see such performance gain in the EN-B cat + the ease to fly them without the stress of a high performance glider. It was such a joy…We felt that the GOLDEN 3 has an outstanding climb rate and a very easy feeling in the air.


A glide in still air is not important because the gliders fly always in active air.Just for fun.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8P-Y7gqzHfU



Video in weak thermals.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Im8un92L7h4

Ozone Ozium

Ozone Ozium
First, i am not an expert in super light pod harnesses !
I can only compare it with the Advance lightness.
Because this one is super ‘duper’ light and i could find just the necessary things to hold me into this pod harness.

Seat adjustment with folding lines, and no seat board.
Sitting in the L size harness and M pod, with my 1.81 and 75 kg is just ok.

Proper time is needed to adjust it.
I could only say that it was a bit less comfortable than the Lightness i had, but not everyone could agree as we all have different body shapes…

This is surely a very light pod harness with back protection for fly and hike around the world with just the needed items to be airborne.
Feels like you’re in the X-Alps

----------------------------------------------------

Lightness pluses : comfort, feels solid.

Lightness minuses : Back protection, chest strap adjustments, getting on board.

-----------------------------------------------------

Ozium pluses : Light, Back protection, Chest strap adjustment, Getting on board, rescue system.

Ozium minuses : Feels very minimalistic (May be it’s me), hard seat adjustments, a bit less comfortable than the lightness.

                                                                                                              

Saint Hilaire (Coupe Icare ) FRANCE 2014

Hello,
Some news ...

I have made lots of video interviews with the manufacturers, so you can hear your answers directly from them.
Here is some small infos before the videos are finished....Much more details...

-Triton 2,it needs more time to work on it. Not yet any date...
-Mentor 3 Light will be available to the market in Sept /October...
-Nova don't have at the moment a Factor 2 replacement. Some other options could be better as may be a 'C' triton 2...
-Nova will may be try to make a tandem based on the M3.
-Advance is focusing on the new Sigma 9 at the moment and should be released soon with a similar feeling in the air of the S8,with much better performances.
-Omega 9 still needs some work, and won't be released soon until they are satisfied with the protos.
-BGD are thinking of a high speed high end B glider...New category ( See video soon with Bruce explanation)
-BGD also have released their tandem the dual.
-Ozone M6 will be a 3 liner. OZONE say 'the perfect 3 liner' intended for M4 pilots with D certification. Handling and performances never seen yet on a certified D glider.
-Rush 4 is also on its way with a shark nose . It replaces the Rush 3 as a high end B ,but still with a comfortable use.(much more infos on the videos...)
-Ozone Geo 4 as a light wing and the Alpina 2 will be available in early 2014.
-Ozone harnesses .The Ozium as a light harness and the Exocet as a full on competition harness with two rescues. They say it is very comfortable !
-Triple Seven Queen is now released in M size .The S size is still in process. The Queen like to be flown at 75 % of the weight range for everyday use, and in competitions where the pilot needs the speed ,it is better to be on top weight.
-Triple Seven Pawn EN-A glider will be soon on the market, with some impressive performance for a starting glider with shark nose technology.
-UP Makalu Light EN-B , is also introduced and the Ascent 3 as a school glide.
UP is working on a C glider but still too to tell for any release dates.. Depending on the findings as they could aim for a comfortable C with maybe more perfs than the TXC2...But it is too early...
-Sky (Alexander Paux)30 years of designing wings !! Alexander is sure that if he found for example that a 4 liner glider is having more performance than a 3 liner ,he will immediately put it on the market regardless of the 'trend' going on around him. He simply explained that few supported lines implies sometimes thicker profiles....Meaning less forward moving. In the Atis 4 he could make a thinner ,well supported profile that cut through better. 



Niviuk:
-Artik 4 is still under work,with a shark nose and will emerge in spring 2014.
-Icepeak 7 will have two versions .One a replacement for IP6 with better overall usability, and one with higher aspect ratio as a full on race comp wing !
-A Takoo 3 is also emerging soon
-Two paramotor gliders ,the Cougar 2 and the Doberman.

Gradient:
-Aspen 5 is under serious construction,and will be ready hopefully in spring 2014.
-Avax XC4 is not yet on the menu...More time is needed at the moment.

Kortel harnesses:
-Kuik 2 with Pod is ready (Picture available very soon) No seat board but Denis Cortella said that there's a new connecting device that removes the shaking of a seat less harness with lesser roll movements...

BDG :
High end EN-D Diva (Pic soon) is under work...Very good looking glider. Today it was flown on a small funny glide comp by 'TYR' Bruce's smaller son ! and placed 2nd overall ! It showed indeed a super glide in calm air ( Fun Comp)

U-Turn:
-One class A glider replacing the bodyguard.
-One low B glider as the Infinity 4.
-a new C glider with shark nose is under study and development, but very early for now.
-Two new acro wings.

GIN:
-The light EN-D ,Boom X-Alps(The same Aaron used for the X-Alps) is ready for delivery with D certification.
-The Carrera in size M is ready for delivery. The S is still under work from GIN himself.
-The Rage ,is a freestyle and acro glider. 

More videos being uploaded now....

Interview ADVANCE 20/4/2020 MM, Valery Chapuis, Simon Campiche, Kari Eisenhut, Silas Bosco, Christian Proschek

Interview ADVANCE  20/4/2020 

MM, Valery Chapuis, Simon Campiche, Kari Eisenhut, Silas Bosco, Christian Proschek

1-  What can the R&D team comment about the internal structures of current paragliders? Are we still far from a more solid and cohesive structure in order to produce a 6 AR or lower glider with 2 line design?

The engineering of two-line gliders does not require excessive solid structures. Much more important is the right balance between sufficient stiffness for a clean surface on the one hand and enough flexibility to absorb the energy of possible turbulence on the other hand; this is the goal to strive for. Actually, this logic applies to every paraglider design, but we will have to find quite innovative airfoil shapes to satisfy the requirements made at a low aspect ratio wing with merely two suspension line rows (or groups of line rows). Certainly, it would be imaginable to realize a very stiff wing that only needs two rows of suspension lines. For instance, one could think of reinforcing the ribs with loads of plastic or Nitinol wires. Or very stiff but foldable materials for the ribs could be used. Such an engineered glider would probably fly very well. But the problem is that, as soon as it comes to extreme situations the glider still has to have the ability to absorb the energy of turbulence in order to ensure safe and comfortable operation.

Probably in the next couple of years, the manufacturers will accomplish to create new low aspect ratio designs that satisfy the criteria stated above. First, we'll see such design in the C class and someday even B gliders won’t be special having just two rows of suspension lines.

2- I think every pilot in the world question ADVANCE ’Winglets”. Could those winglets be removed in the future? as there’s a lot of wingtip designs with swept wings that have good aerodynamic efficiency, and they do also reduce the vortex effect.  Or ADVANCE will insist on keeping them for the future?

Nobody can imagine an ADVANCE wing without its winglets! Only ADVANCE is using winglets in the paragliding construction, but winglets are well known in general aviation for reducing the vortex. We made very serious aerodynamical research and we are sure that the benefit is higher than the drag they generate. Some years ago we analyzed the effect of winglets carefully by CFD methods, and the result was that they reduce the drag by about 2.8 % depending also on the model. This corresponds to a glide ratio improvement of about 1.5 %.

3- Before releasing a new glider in a B, C, or D category, does ADVANCE R&D try to get another good glider from a different brand with similar certification in order to fly it, feel the difference and see if their new product will have a difference regarding comfort, agility, climbing abilities, or gliding at speed? Of course in moving air?

Of course, it is of immense importance to know what our competitors are creating. To see where are their strengths and which behaviors clearly would need improvements. Not knowing which other good or bad gliders are around would bring the risk of running into a tunnel and very likely overestimating the quality of our own gliders compared to the totality of paraglider designs.

4- What about light materials? It seems that the light materials are becoming more durable, and it's now being used by many manufacturers in their regular everyday glider use. Does the light material help in faster recovery after a collapse? What is the benefit of light materials besides reduced weight?

Light material’s durability, in fact, is much better than its reputation. This is the reason why even the “heavy” versions of gliders are being designed more and more with light materials. Mostly the interior design is the first way to go for when optimizing the weight of gliders. The weight of used materials clearly has an impact on the behavior of gliders in extreme situations. However, we would be careful stating that light materials generally improve behavior in extreme situations. As light materials are often softer than the heavier materials the stability is clearly affected. There are cases where this can have positive effects but there are also cases where the resulting behavior is influenced in a bad way. Collapses can recover faster but do not always in each and every design. Also, we have to mention, that fast re-openings of collapses are not always good. So we often try to slow down the re-opening process by just a bit. In terms of safety, it is more important that the glider flies straight and doesn’t stall accidentally after a collapse than re-opens as fast as possible. Gliders with lower weight canopies have a lower moment of inertia. This means that their resistance against angular accelerations about every axis in space is also lower. This can make the glider stop earlier when shooting forwards after a collapse because it needs less force to stop the unwanted movement. 

5- I’m an old fashion pilot…So excuse me if I personally find that hammock harnesses despite their superb back and support comfort, do not offer the best precise weight shift in strong and turbulent air. Will ADVANCE consider a harness that can be used both ways to please everyone? but with a seat board that can be placed “above the seating straps “, not just sliding it over the protection, which doesn’t really change much.

A hammock harness is a possible choice for a pilot, not an obligation. Some like it, some don’t. At ADVANCE we know what the benefits are and we love flying with hammock harnesses, like thousands of pilots all over the world flying our Impress and Lightness models. It’s reducing the weight and the volume of the harness, it eliminates the problem of a too large or too narrow seat-board. But more important than this, it gives the pilot a precise feeling coming from the wing, but not exaggerated like it can be with a seat-board. The feeling is something personal and we cannot tell “this is good or this is bad for you“. With the new IMPRESS 4 the pilot can decide to fly with or without seat-board, depending on the wing and the mood of the day. In the end it is the pilot’s choice.

6- What can you say about the future Sigma11 ? in terms of brake authority in turbulent air versus the Sigma10. In rough air, some pilots commented that longer brake pull was needed on the S 10. And I have received emails about bigger sizes of the S 10 that I didn’t fly that was not that agile!

Comparatively the upcoming SIGMA11 benefits from direct and progressive handling and we are very satisfied with it. The canopy is more compact but also more reactive to steering inputs. This results in excellent controllability, not only in turbulent air but in every situation from ground handling over long-distance flights to the top landing. The pilots for which the SIGMA11 is intended are the same as those for the SIGMA10, there is no change about this: it's for an experienced pilot, no doubt.

7- Can you please also comment about the “usable” performance of the S 11 protos in moving air + speed, if you have already measured for an S 10 similar size.

We are proud of being able to say that the performance of the SIGMA11 is even higher than that of the SIGMA10. We massively improved the feeling whilst flying in turbulent air. The canopy feedback is softer and the pitch is very stable. This results in a very high usable performance.

8 - It is super difficult to improve a successful model with the same aspect ratio and a 2 years' time. Any future Iota 3 on the draw boards? Does the same aspect ratio imply?  Any comments?

Yes, you are right it is a very hard and difficult challenge to improve a well-appreciated wing. But between a new model and its predecessor, there are 2 or 3 years and we could learn a lot making protos and research for the other models of our range. The IOTA 3 project start is in the near future. We can tell you more about that at the beginning of the 2021 flying season, just be patient!

9- When to expect the first Impress 4 harnesses?  And could you please comment a bit about the latest and final version?

The production of the IMPRESS4 started and we may deliver from June, but you know that the actual world health situation makes everything more complicated. It is a competition and XC harness with an extremely high level of comfort and equipment, and a very low weight starting at about 6 kg. Another very special point of the IMPRESS4 is that it can be used with or without a seat-board. It will come as a complete set with a rucksack, a carbon plate, a windshield and 2 pod-handles for the reserves. More information soon on our homepage.

10- Can ADVANCE elaborate on the future design and what pilots must wait for? A new 3 liner D for example ?  or a daily use 2 liners?

We have with the OXA3 such a simple and easy two-liner that we are of the opinion that there is no need for three-liners in the D-class at the moment.

Thank you very much for your time in answering those questions! Looking forward!  :-) 

NIVIUK KLimber 3 P size 21

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.

NIVIUK KLimber 3 P

Glider: Klimber 3 P size 21 for a certified weight range of 73-93, and NIviuk stated its optimum weight is 84-90.

Harness used: Woody Valley X-rated 6 size XL, slightly modified to fit my taste. 

Test flown at 88, and 92 all up. 

TEST:

Here is the new super light competition/hike and fly EN-D paraglider from NIVIUK. 

After my test on the Advance Omega ULS, I will give my thoughts about the two gliders in the air. 

At first, I cannot begin before I comment on the beautiful construction and details that were made on that Niviuk glider! Guys…really impressive! From the delivered light black/orange bag that holds the Klimber3 to that precise sewing of the  N10 DOMINICO TEX CO that is used both on the upper and lower surface. The profile and diagonals are made from Porcher 70000 E91.  It weighs less than 3.0 kg as announced! Here's the link for the details: [url]https://niviuk.com/en/klimber-3-p[/url]

Laying it on the ground imposes gentle handling, as it has even lighter cloth than the Omega ULS. The Overall construction with the nitinol rods, and the risers, is nothing but excellent! A really beautiful piece of equipment! 

The Klimber 3 rises smoothly and effortlessly without any wind. It is one of the easiest 7-aspect ratio gliders to inflate. 

Flying the Klimber 3 at 92 all up, in turbulent conditions gave me a complete idea about its usability. After a few hours, I think considering the 7 aspect ratio, the Klimber 3 P is an easy EN-D to handle. Of course, it needs slightly more active pilot control than the 2 liners C’s, but still easy for a D. It resembles the Omega ULS with perhaps a little more movement inside the glider. The Kimber 3 moves slightly more in itself but is still very easy to manage. 

The brake length is shorter than the Omega ULS and as agile.  The pressure on the brakes is slightly firmer than the Omega ULS, but still on the moderate side. I think that pressure is perfect. 

I can say that the authority given by the brakes in turbulent air is quite nice, enabling the pilot to place it accurately in tiny cores. I liked the Omega ULS turning abilities, but I can tell you that I also enjoyed very much the shorter and sharper brake authority on the Klimber 3 as the responses were immediate and quite satisfying. I’m really lucky to be able to test-fly those new light gliders.

If you have flown the Artik R, and understand how it flies in the airmass, how it moves, how it enters thermals, then you will immediately understand the Klimber 3 behavior which has the exact feel but with more than 25 % workload. NIVIUK gliders have their own flying characteristics. The Klimber 3 like the Artik R, just slows slightly before entering the thermal, but the climb is quite nice for the category. In weak, and strong air, it is quite satisfying even at 92 all up on that size. If flown at 88, it will still fly as well but slows slightly more before entering. 

Please remember that those super light gliders, are built with lots of optimizations to reduce weight to let you carry the little possible and let you extract the maximum of their abilities. So don’t expect them to perform like the X one for example! But they will deliver high-end performance for that special light EN-D class especially when you push the speed bar. 

The speed travel of the Klimber 3 is quite long and delivers a higher top speed than the Omega ULS. The glide at 57 km/h is quite competitive. I think I will mix and update the 2 liner C comparison and add those lights D’s inside…Just to get an idea…(soon…)

While on the speed bar, the B steering has a moderate pressure similar to the Omega ULS and is quite efficient to keep the Klimber 3 on track.  Flying at 75 % of the speed bar, the Klimber 3 profile seems taught, and the speed is quite usable. 

Lots of stored energy inside the glider to play around, as it is addictive! but it is better not to get used to throwing it around too much!  

Ears with outer B’s are efficient, stable, and reopen quickly. 

Conclusion:

The look and the streamed line are very beautiful! the handling is sharp, precise, and joyful! It is a relatively easy 2 liner EN-D for that class of pilots. If carefully chosen, the complete package harness and glider, Vario, phone, helmet, water, and chocolate…will not exceed 7.5 kg!  A blessing of perfection, if you can fit in your weight!   

If you can…exciting moments await!  Happy flights :-)