MYTH or REALTY ...!!
THE TEST
To be direct ...If you want a glider that can be the best in all conditions get a comp glider like the R-10 or similar...If you want the best "labeled" glider get the best EN-D glider from a 2 years cycle.
I am convinced that most manufacturers are really competitive and have an excellent R&D team. That's why every year there will be a breach in designing gliders.Everyone will not forget the 1995 Xenon,the 2007 Mentor from NOVA (Papesh), the 2006 Peak from NIVIUK (Nef) ,the first boomerangs from GIN, the 1996 Xmx from AIRWAVE (Goldsmith) and now the 2010 R-10 from OZONE and many more ....
There is no miracles but a glider sometimes could only be the best in its own category for the time being ! .
DETAILS:
If you have looked at the work done on the R-10 then you will notice a resemblance with the DELTA .Plastic inserts on the leading edge,the lines are a mixture of both sheathed and unsheathed lines that are very well balanced to meet the EN-C criteria .The brake lines are really thin .A little bigger than the brakes on the R-10.The cloth on the leading edge of the R-10 is much thinner than the one on the DELTA.The risers are very beautiful and the glider looks having a top quality finish.I wish that the attachment points on the canopy would be more aerodynamic like on the GIN or ADVANCE gliders..but that is only a small detail...
Total weight of 94 with an impress harness,the glider launches very easy,and i am airborne in a weak but turbulent conditions.
First turn reminded me of the agility of the ASPEN 3 ,which is a very nice handling glider with a precise turn. As for the brake travel it is longer than the ARTIC 2 Small but with better agility (only when inside the thermal) because you can even core the inside of the thermal much tighter with your hands being a little lower to squeeze that extra turn....Exquisite !!! :-)
In headwind gliding the ASPEN 3 was fast but had this fraction of a sec to climb when hitting this thermal.The ARTIC 2 Small was very effective immediately in climbing without any delays or any pitch back and the glider would better climb at hands up (fast).
The DELTA M seem to have a very little pitch back in the weak bubbles,but would climb efficiently after the brakes are applied .If the thermals are strong it climbs fast,like a spring .It is also much dampened than the ASPEN 3 or even the ARTIC 2...Amazing...It moves with the risers without being busy and the glider seem to be very gentle and above your head,even that the conditions would left me probably busier on another EN-C.
The handling and the brake travel + the overall feeling of the glider when entering the thermals reminds me strongly of the GOLDEN 3. It has the same feeling and handling. But a little more roll .
As for the performance of the glider ,it seems when pressing the first bar ,the glider is more solid and the performance is superb.
NOW for the real condition flying:
Launching at 2600 m in a strong wind with gusts up to 35 km/h .A little window and up in the sky.At 2900 m a layer of strong headwind put my GPS at 0-2 km/h with a kind of waves hammering the leading edge.With no option ever to go downwind due to higher peaks and higher wind Have to get lower to be able to continue my flight. Big ears and 75% of bar and my GPS read 5-6-9 km/h forward speed,with the wind gusts still ,like a hammer puts the glider in all directions .After that i can surely confirm that the glider is very docile with little and forgiving pitch forward and the leading edge is very strong and may be i should not be in the air ;-) .
Later i joined my friend Moni on his Venus 2 M and Alain on the GTO M and FADY with his Summit 3 visiting us from RSA.
Cruising on the ridge with thermo-dynamic lift ,the advantage in glide was to the GTO then to the Venus 2 and the Delta a little behind.
I can say here that in those conditions (the best way a glider can cruise and gaining height without loosing the forward speed) i will place
1-GTO M 2-VENUS2 3-DELTA 4-ARTIC 2 , ASPEN 3 & SIGMA 7
At trim speed and in calm transitions over flatland the DELTA and the VENUS 2 are equal.But encountering a little head wind the VENUS 2 has the edge.Flying at first bar the DELTA is also amazing with a glide very competitive with the VENUS 2 only in regular smooth conditions .
1-GTO M 2-VENUS 2 3-DELTA M 4-ASPEN 3 26 5-SIGMA 7 26& ARTIC 2 small
Glide ratio: DELTA M :9.6
ASPEN 3 26: 9.4
ARTIC 2 Small: 9.3
In climbing its the best that a glider should have the biting and the little pitch into the thermal with a direct and precise input to help the pilot core better.The Venus 2 has the best feeling .But the GTO M is very efficient
CLIMB RATE :
1-GTO 2-Venus 2 3-ARTIC 2 Small & SIGMA 7 26 4-DELTA M& ASPEN3 26
Why? because the ARTIC 2 has a quick jump into the thermal and only with a "slight" brake on one side it just keep its full trim speed , going up and turning into the core without any delays "even"on a difficult thermal mixed with head wind.Where the DELTA needs a little more brake on both sides to climb best ,which looses the trim speed like the ASPEN 3 ...YES i am meticulous ;-) ....
HANDLING:
The way i can put the glider (EN-C evaluation only) whenever i want regardless of the conditions:
1-ARTIC 2 Small 2-SIGMA 7 26 3-DELTA M & ASPEN 3 26
Conclusion: A very good ,well behaved glider by OZONE with performance in real conditions to reach the top end of the EN-C category. Overall the DELTA could easily be the most "performant and accessible" glider in its category . The EN-C .
It is not a myth but a reality.
VIDEO
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODKWSikAjCw
