Advance Sigma 9

ADVANCE Sigma 9 25
Test flying gliders and putting my personal findings into words is the most difficult thing to do.
Even flying the gliders in different conditions i can only give my personal opinion.
But if i don’t write exactly what i felt and seen, then why should i write tests anyways !
Here’s what i found flying the Sigma 9 25 (75-100) from 92 till 97 all up.
Opening an ADVANCE glider is always a moment of excitement. The quality of workmanship, cloth, sewing, are beyond a doubt the best you could find.
The Sigma 9 has a mild shark nose profile ,3.5 liner, all lines are unsheathed with small relatively diameters that resembles the best C gliders.
Launching the Sigma 9 felt very easy from 5 km/h wind to gusty 30 km/h .The glider rises smoothly and stay above the pilots head showing its docile behavior even on ground handling.
In the air, the Sigma9 gives immediate feeling of confidence.It gives the sensation when flying it at mid weight or near max weight of a very coherent and solid, compact glider !
First day in weak thermals at 92 all up and first turn .The brakes could be described medium to short, not that light after 30 cm, not really linear…but direct. The Sigma 9 respond calmly and turn on pilot order.
Very weak conditions are not the Sigma 9 strong point even with -8 kg from top weight. I found it difficult for the Sigma9 to breath in those small conditions (-0.5 m/s) thermals.
The next day i took the Sigma 9 to a spot in the north were the dry season gave strong conditions with sometimes +30 km/h on take off, making the day a good one for evaluating a glider.
I flew the Sigma 9 25 at 97 all up, and getting upward like a sling-shot, i still felt surprisingly a very comfortable ride under it ! The glider became even more compact on my wing load and wasn’t even wobbling or shaking…as if i am on a lower rated glider.
The structure felt very solid and coherent ! That’s the strong point of the Sigma 9.
Even in broken lift, the direct brake contributed to a clean turn.
Thermals were easily cored by the Sigma 9.
My observations were that the Sigma 9 was pitching back remarkably when entering strong cores. It doesn’t surge forward at all. In strong valley breeze, it struggle a bit to go forward.

The trim speed is visibly reduced and the only way to give it a boost is by applying the bar which is actually an efficient tool.
Some B gliders in these head wind conditions even on bar will still be stuck, but the Sigma 9 accelerator is changing the equation.
Doing some glides with another reference C glider shows an excellent glide (in calm air) for the Sigma 9 !
It is in difficult and head wind conditions that places the Sigma 9 in the middle of the C category in terms of glide angle.
Some new C gliders have the ability to cut through more and go ahead.
The Sigma 9 is not a floater rather than a fighter (for strong conditions).
Wing overs are quickly built, and 360’s are a fun way to go down.
Ears are very stable and a good and easy way to descend.
Conclusion : From all the Sigma’s that i remember, the Sigma 9 is the most solid and coherent, as the Sigma 4 was the most agile.

Pilots coming from the low B category (2 seasons) could in fact get a Sigma 9 as a first C glider. In fact i think that it is the only C i have tested that could pass for a B rather than a C…hope you know what i mean ;-)
But i leave this to the authenticity and philosophy of ADVANCE.

U-Turn Lightning S

U-Turn Lightning S
Having had some happy times flying the Blaklight S and SM size, here is the Lightning in size S ,a light version of the Blacklight for a test flight.
Of course lighter cloth…It weights around 4 kg risers included.

The risers are very thin and the line attachment point are covered with neoprene and linked with a thick Dyneema line.
Taking off with 88 all up on the S (70-90) is simple.The glider rises quickly and need just a small brake pressure to keep it overhead.The launching is fast.
Turning behavior is among the best i have flew.Like the Blacklight,the lightning is agile with very linear and crispy handling to keep the pilot in control of every movement inside the thermal. The Lightning can be steered very precisely in the core for an outstanding climb !
(The reference) in the B category until now.
The slight pitch back in entering the thermal of the BL has gone and replaced by a neutral pitch that slows the glider a bit in entering.Much better than the BL. It seems that the light cloth + the red plastic long inserts have done this small improvement.
The roll movement of the Lightning is the same as the one on the BL S.It is a lively glider ! It jumps in the turbulence to find it’s place ,and needs a good pilot under it.
The glide seems very good at least the same as BL but in some long lines the less pitch movements gives a better glide angle.
The speed bar can be pushed easily at full with a solid and pressurized glider. The C riser become a bit light but can be used for preventing any pitch forward in turbulence. Speed gain over trim seems over +13 km/h at 800 m ASL.
Ears are stable, nice way to descend,as there only two lines on the A’s .
Conclusion :
Light, superb performance, climbs like a devil ! Handles beautifully…Needs a "skilled approach" in turbulent conditions ! A floater !
That’s the Lightning.
 

Mac Para ELAN 26

Mac Para Elan 26

Looking the the new Mac para Elan, showed a more clean and better construction than before. The sewing are very neat and the finish is excellent !

The Elan has a shark nose, with a new and simple interesting construction.

The lower lines are sheathed and the upper ones are unsheathed.

The thin risers looks very sporty, with the handles on the C risers very well placed !

Launching the Elan is straightforward and simple.

In the air :
The Elan takes it’s pilot quickly in charge for a quick take off. Once in the air i could sense an immediate feel of comfort as the Elan gives that nice confidence inspiring feel !

Flying the Elan at 97 all up on the 26 gives an average brake travel that enable it’s pilot to be in charge whatever the conditions throws at him.

The brake pressure is also medium to light and the brake response are quite good, with a description as precise, crispy, direct…Finally…A joy to steer !

I felt that once i encounter a thermal the Elan react as a spring immediately going upward without any delay !

Flying the Elan in turbulence is quite disconcerting for a C.You have to ask your friend later if the conditions were rough…or not…Because under the Elan the pilot is always a VIP on a couch.

Saying that doesn’t mean that the Elan is very dampened. It does inform it’s pilot exactly enough about the conditions of the day without being too hot to handle !
The Elan reaction and comfort in turbulence goes more on the Eden 5 side rather than on the Marvel side !
It could clearly be a pilot first C as it’s movement in turbulence are rather soft and the overall reactions are rather smooth and not stiff !

Later i gave the Elan to my friend who flew it at 100 all up just on top. And i took the Delta 2 SM at 92 all up, 3 kg below max.
Trim speed is the same for 4 km. The glide also in head wind.
The top speed is on the Delta 2 side with +1 km/h only .The glide at full speed is also the same !

Climbing together in weak thermal showed that they are also inseparable.
My friend bought another Elan immediately after landing ! His large smile was better than any comment…

Performance :
After many glides with my reference top C glider, showed that even with it’s thicker normal lower lines, the Elan finally stands equally performant ! In glide at trim, accelerated and in climb !
The plus comes in favor of the Elan for it’s much more comfort use.
I asked the designer for the purpose using the thick sheathed lower lines His explanation is a longer use with the same stable performance for the Elan without pilots fearing for 'an out of trim' situation !

An idea came to my mind...Imagine a lighter ,thin line version !!! 

Conclusion :
Yes they did it !
If you are looking for a comfortable C glider with very nice coordinated handling, and excellent overall performance on the top of the C category for the time being, then you must get an ELAN for a test flight. May be you won’t return it back ;-)