Axis Vega 6 M

AXIS Vega 6  size M (85-102)

Radek Simonik founded Axis Paragliders in 1990 as a hang-gliding school. Radek Simonik was developing the gliders together with Ing. Frantisek Pavlousek until 2010 when Franta left for UP.

Construction: The Vega 6 uses a mix of Skytex cloth with unsheathed 0.5 to 2.5 mm from Liros Dyneema and Cousin Vectralines.

The finish details of the glider are good. The risers used hold the same materials and construction as the Venus SC. 

https://axispara.cz/products/paragliders/vega-6/

Launching the  Vega 6 is straightforward, even in nil wind. In stronger wind, I found it also easy to control and launch. 

I flew the M size at 98 and later gave it to my friend who usually flies a Photon M at 102. 

Handling and turning abilities:

At 98, the brake pressure is on the moderate side, short, and precise to turn in a core for a two-liner. Pilots who like a direct-handling glider will like the Vega 6 authority and good agility.  Turns can be made quite narrow and pleasurable to fly. I enjoyed that handling.

At 102 my friend was also delighted to fly it and said later that he enjoyed it much more than his Photon (handling-wise). 

Comfort:

The Vega 6 flown at 102 can be considered as comfortable to fly for the 6.3 aspect ratio EN-C 2liner glider. 

The pitch movements in moderate conditions are neutral. The roll movement is quite dampened also for a 2-liner. 

Quite a balanced feel. It felt easy to fly, maybe just slightly above the Codex and Bonanza 3 and less than Artik-R, Mint. 

Climb rate:

At 98, the climb rate in weak air is good for the 2-liner C category.  

Glide:

We made lots of glide with the Vega 6. It is not a Photon, but still has some nice gliding performances. I will update my 2 liner C comparison for all the criteria.

Conclusion: 

Axis created the Vega 6 to give the pilots a good all-rounder 2-liner C with very good agility and pleasure to fly the glider. I think it is nicer to fly it above 100 to get a nicer agility, speed, and homogeneity in strong air

COUPE ICARE Interview 2024

 

FLOW Freedom 2 Light size S (70-95)

FLOW Freedom 2 Light size S (70-95) 

FLOW released the light version of their high EN-B the Freedom 2. 

Awaiting the website to be updated, please find a picture of the Freedom 2 Light technical details. 

In summary, Nitinol rods are used, shark nose, hybrid set up 3/2 line layout.

Launching this high EN-B is straightforward and super easy. The glider rises without any hard point even with no wind. I like the light materials when launching the glider in tight areas. 

I flew the Freedom 2 light at 92 all up on my Impress 4 harness.  The brake travel is short and the pressure is on the medium side. The authority of the brakes given to the pilot is excellent! Turning the Freedom2 light in thermals is a pleasure. So smooth in turns, direct, precise, without the dynamics. As soft as it gets for a high-B glider.  You can narrow your radius or widen it, and the glider doesn’t dive into turns rather very efficient.

Talking about efficiency, I think the Freedom 2 light holds again that ‘aboriginal magic’ in its climbing abilities. That glider does climb impressively well. 

After a while, flying it the sensations it gives felt like a butterfly in the air. Sooth, light, and climb effortlessly. 

Performance:

The trim speed is slightly slower than the Rook 4 that was flying near.  The glide seems also on par with the best B’s out there. Applying the first and second bars showed moderate pressure and a very good glide angle.  The top speed seems around 12 km/h over trim. 

Comfort:

The overall movements in the air felt tamer than the normal cloth Freedom 2. The Light version seems more taught and very comfortable to fly.  

The C steering is as efficient as the good B’s in keeping the glider overhead. 

Ears are stable and efficient. They reopen without pilot intervention, but smoothly and evenly. 

The energy stored while doing wingovers is high. 

Conclusion:

Flow created a very interesting light construction high B. You can load it at the top to get slightly more forward dynamics, with no worries about the climb rate, which stays on top of the category.

Maybe I would have preferred a more simplified riser construction, but that's just a Tiny detail. 

Climb is outstanding, and will surely keep you at cloud base! Glide is also excellent, and you can push the speed bar for faster glides if you wish while getting an efficient glide. 

Comfortable, calm, and simple. That’s the Freedom 2 light.  

Cheers,

Ziad

OZONE LYGHT S and MS

Ozone LYGHT MS 

After OZONE introduced the PHOTON, here is the light version of that incredible top-end performance EN-C 2 liner. 

The first PHOTONS had a very long brake travel, and after a while, the handling got slightly better. BUT…. Afterward, the new PHOTONS delivered had slightly different handling.

How different? 

Two months ago, and based on my recommendations, a close friend of mine, purchased a new Photon ML  like the one I test flew a year ago.  He was reluctant at first as he wanted a glider that has direct brake control, but as he kept listening to my comments after I landed flying one…He made the purchase. The story here began. Every day he flies the glider, he calls me saying that it doesn’t have a long brake travel. It is short and he could immediately place it inside the core! 

I cannot explain it...

LYGHT MS and S test flight:  

I flew the MS size at 92 all up on an Impress 4 harness, and the S at 82 all up with a Lightness 4 harness.

Launching the LYGHT is superb! Very easy to inflate, as all the light 2 liner C’s. No hanging back at all. Smooth lift and easy take off. 

I still have my PHOTON MS kept as a reference, and I flew it also in a 3-hour turbulent flight just to get all the feel and movements, and brake control.

let's get back to the LYGHT.

In the air on the LYGHT MS at 92 all up, I found that the brake travel is shorter, quite direct, and with good agility.  No more long brakes like the PHOTON MS I have. It is like a completely different glider in that matter!  The brake pressure is moderate, very slightly firmer than the Photon. 

For my taste, it is quite good. On the LYGHT, the line that holds the brake pulley is 2 cm longer than the ones on the Photon. That will allow the factory to set the brakes 2 cm shorter and still manage to overlap the pulleys at high speed without affecting the trailing edge of the glider. 

The LYGHT S at 82 all up has a very similar brake control. The LIghtness 4 enhances slightly the turning behavior over the Impress 4 and flying the LYGHT S size is quite surprisingly agile, and nice to fly.    

Comfort in roll and pitch versus the PHOTON MS. 

The LYGHT in MS and S size felt even more comfortable than the PHOTON in turbulent air. Of course, the brakes give more authority for control, but still, the overall movements felt slightly tamer. It is ‘exactly’ like the switch between the Delta 4 and Alpina 4! in terms of glider feedback and feel.  But the difference is that the LYGHT has a more connective brake travel and authority. 

If you have already felt the difference, then you understand what I mean. Even the pitch is slightly smoother. 

Pleasure in flight:

My definition of pleasure in flights is having a glider that gives feedback from the brakes and risers, with every centimeter of brakes having its impact on the trailing edge. 

The LYGHT is a high-performance 2-liner C with direct handling. That’s it. You initiate a turn, and it responds. 

In turbulent and strong air, when you encounter surges, the brake authority is strongly present not to compare with the Photon.

The overall feel you get from the brakes is like eating a good, but diet cake. You will get all the healthy benefits, without that sugar taste... That’s the best way I can describe it to you. 

That brake control and feel is a matter of taste, and could be heaven for many pilots!  

Seeing that on the positive side, I can say that to acheive that unreachable high level of performance with that homogenous, calm character, could be perhaps considered in the Middle Ages as Sorcery!  :-) 

 

Climb rate and glide performance: 

In weak thermals, the LYGHT can efficiently catch the very weak ones, if the pilots listen to his vario. The gliding performance seems on par with the PHOTON, which is incredibly good. 

However, one feature surpasses PHOTON's and could give many pilots an extra feel for performance. 

When gliding through turbulent air, the LYGHT overall movements felt slightly tamer than the PHOTON, and keeping your foot on the speed bar which has moderate pressure felt easier. 

The B steering pressure also felt slightly higher than the Photon, but still on the moderate side and super efficient to control the glider while on bar in turbulence! 

Ears with outer A’s and outer B’s are doable and easy to use. 

The LYGHT MS can easily flown at 90 all up, and the LYGHT S at 80. 

If you need more speed in comps 94 would be great on the MS.  

Conclusion: 

For the C-class 2-liner pilots, The LYGHT has an outstanding package of performance/easy-to-fly gliders.  

Very usable high-end C class performance is exactly what describes the LYGHT.

GIN Calypso 2. S. (75-95)

GIN Calypso 2 75-95 

The new Calypso 2 is GIN's new light low B glider with an aspect ratio of 5.05! Only and weighs around 3.65 KG. 

Here’s the link to the GIN website for any further details.

 https://www.gingliders.com/en/paragliders/calypso-2/

The construction is really nice. Very well made. All the lines are sheathed which makes it great for adventure flying. 

Nitinol rods are used for packing longevity and go well with light materials. 

Launching:

This Calypso launch is special. A small pressure on the A risers and the Calypso 2 rises smoothly. In a more consistent wind, it goes up gently as if a loved one is watching you, saying:

I’m here, no worries. Do you want to launch now? I’m still here...take your time.  I think this is one of the easiest to launch B glider and still with a taught structure waiting for your command to take off.

In the air:

I flew the Calypso 2 S at 91 all up. There is no need to go more; you can fly it also a bit less. The brake travel has a moderate pressure in the first 10 cm and firm on the other 10 cm, and that’s all you need to fly it!  You can also dig the brakes + 30 cm longer if needed, and the glider watches over you calmly, with total passive safety.  But you can fly the Calypso 2 with 20 cm in all conditions with excellent agility for that class. Thermals can be cored really tight if the pilot wishes. The leading edge doesn’t seem to bump into the airmass, rather than get through smoothly and slowly moving forward. For the low B category, the Calypso 2 flies really well into a moving air mass. The pitch is very stable and the roll is quite balanced and accessible for all levels.

In turbulence, the pilot feels like having a safety net as the Caypso 2 stays homogenous and has a taught structure. 

The brakes give a good authority of control to the pilot in strong conditions, and that will keep you the master in flight. 

Climbing in weak is good for the category, and the climbing performance in strong thermals. When a glider is that easy to place inside the lift, then you have to expect a really nice climb. 

Gliding performance seems also nice, as I was all the time flying at top speed which is 8-10 km/h over trim, but very…very accessible, with a glider that stays one whole homogenous piece at full speed in turbulence.  The pressure on the foot bar is moderate. 

Induced assymetrics and frontals seem like level-A gliders. No change in direction, and reopens in less than 2 sec smoothly. Big ears can be large, and efficient to get down. They reopen without pilot intervention gradually. 

The stall speed is very late as the Caypso 2 resists the stall. It can also be slowed well in tight places. 

Conclusion: This test holds nothing but good for that light-friendly user Calypso 2. I think the Calypso 2 is intended for talented beginners if your instructor says so.   It is also a glider for any B pilot wishing to fly in peace.

For XC, step on the speed bar often as the glide stays really good!  

It is a very balanced glider also for newcomers to the sport and it will take care of you giving a smile after landing. 

Sometimes we all are longing only for that smile, and that’s what keeps us flying and moving forward. 

Advance Lightness 4 size M.

Advance Lightness 4 size M.

The lightness harness series from ADVANCE is famous for its highly comfortable seat-less sitting position and its light weight of around 3 kilos. ADVANCE released the Lightness 4 in June 2024, and many pilots wonder if the Lightness 4 will also be an enhanced product over the Lightness 3. Let's find out...

The Lightness 4 is created with a rear moderate-size fairing in a nice light blue color with a relatively good space inside the back pocket. 

At first sight, the construction quality seems close enough to the Lightness 3. 

The side zippers of the pod are small, and perhaps a bigger one could be sturdier as I was in a hurry to sit in it, I didn’t check the pod's main left attachment point that wasn’t inserted inside the left carabiner, and as soon as I pushed on my leg the left zipper snapped. It was my mistake, not to check it, at first. Check yours! 

 The Lightness 4 as its predecessor is a seat-less harness without having that seat-board feel even from the underneath foam protector.  

Some harnesses deliver a similar seatboard feel with their still protector, like on the Arrow P. Having said that the overall feel of the Lightness 4 is very similar to the Lightness 3 which many pilots cherish and use. The side adjustments can be fine-tuned in the air. The seat adjustments are better fine-tuned before flying with a new metal adjustment part that was added for durability and replaces the old rounded plastic adjustments. 

Seating position comfort:

ADVANCE added a thick pad on the back sitting position to enhance comfort. 

I have sat and flown the Lightness 4 in different conditions and under different gliders from B, C, and D gliders. 

Here’s my personal opinion which mainly depends on my specific body measurements. (As I always mention: Every pilot must try a harness before they buy, just because everyone has a different body shape) .

Let’s break down the sitting position into two parts:

From the lower back to the upper back and shoulder area, I think I was even more comfortable than the Lightness 3, which is probably due to that new thick comfort foam.  That part is the most comfortable in a harness light or normal similar to my Impress 4. 

The other part from the lower back to your sitting position resembles Lightness 1 or 2 a bit more. In the M size, with my back perfectly comfortable, the sitting position covers 3/4 of my thighs with moderate to good comfort. There are two lower straps from each side, a bit thick, (see pic) that put a slight pressure on the Pelvic area just on the top of the Femur. So perhaps I might need a Large size.  

The legs are naturally supported, like sitting on a sofa. 

Underneath the sitting position, I found out that you could insert a small seat plate (Type Forza2) and a bit longer one that could reach the ballast pocket (Width 30X30 cm). And that could give, the seatboard lovers, about +50 % more reaction and feel.  I was happy in that configuration, but that only concerns my personal feelings...

The ballast pocket under the seat can easily fit a 4 kg water ballast.    

On the other hand, the Arrow P M size, and only when using the foam protector (not with the inflatable) has a more direct seat-plate feel and position support from the lower back to your thighs.  From my personal view, I would say, If only I had the sitting position of the Arrow P and the back of the Lightness 4 mixed in one harness :-)!  But for 90 % of pilots, who are looking for seat-less feel, the overall sitting position of the Lightness 4 will be considered as (very comfortable). 

And to be clear on the comfort it delivers, I can confirm that the Lightness 4 hammock style harness is one of the most comfortable to sit in, much like the Lightness 3 in that matter. 

Roll comfort:

Having flown the Lightness 4 with different gliders I feel that the roll is slightly more tamed than the Lightness 3 and slightly less tamed than the NK Arrow. 

Comparing it with the Woody Valley GTO 2 Light, I would promptly say that the Lightness 4 is much more roll comfortable. 

I also felt that the ABS configuration is quite balanced and offers a very nice turning behavior. For example, flying the Lightness 4 and NK Arrow or the NK Arrow P, on the same glider with the same weight, gave me that slightly tighter radius on the Lightness 4 which gave me a high-quality flying time in thermals! 

Having said that, tight turning those thermals, I thought what a harness it would be if the seating position gave slightly more authority on the outer thighs for that pressure you long for as if you are sitting in a seat harness, or probably on a slightly harder sitting position like on the Arrow P for example. 

But that concerns only me who is addicted to precise weight shift authority which logically can be delivered with a hard seat sitting position. 

Cockpit:

The Lightness 4 has the nice feature of opening the cockpit and reaching its contents as the one found on the Arrow. There are some magnets and also a center clip. For that kind of light harness, I found that the space inside it is quite enough though it is half the size of the normal NK Arrow.. There’s a place for your power bank. 

The angle is somehow steep, but sometimes it is preferable to prevent at some specific daily hours, the reflection of the sun in the instruments into my eyes.

I just have one remark to make for the cockpit, It needs a center clipping system on the main strap, that will prevent it from swaying down when I push the bottom on my instruments. I need a stable cockpit. But that can be easily fixed if anyone adds some kind of clip. 

I saw that ADVANCE updated it with a strap. But a simple carabiner will do ( see pic) 

Packing:

The Lightness 4 can be packed quite small even with its foam protector, but surely any light harness with an inflatable protector would logically pack smaller.  

The rescue pod is large enough to accept a Rogallo-type rescue system which I have already installed. 

I also felt that the Lightness 4 delivers a lighter pressure on the speed system over the Arrow. 

Chest strap:

The Lightness 4 chest strap's tighter position is around 45 cm between the carabiners. If you choose, you can release it 3 cm with a better roll. But if you release more, the result would stay the same as it wouldn’t affect the ABS. It can be easily adjusted in the air. 

After take off it is easy to enter the pod with the use of a small ball or hook inserted in your shoelace. ( see pic) 

Conclusion: 

The Lightness 4 delivers good roll comfort for a seat-less harness. The comfortable seating position is very good, and the turning authority could be enhanced depending on your current harness.  

This is a written test, but I strongly suggest that you make the effort to try and harness it before buying, and don’t rely only on any tests…They will only cover a shallow layer of the actual product. Harnesses are based on your body structure. I am just writing you one half, you have to cover the other one by a test flight.

Happy and safe landings.

Ziad

BGD DIVA 2 -S

BGD Diva 2 S

The first certified EN-D glider from BGD has been released with an aspect ratio of 7.
https://www.flybgd.com/en/paragliders/diva-2--paraglider-2021-2188-0.html

Nice color combination for a refreshing look. The DIVA 2 construction and details are excellent. The lines are minimalistic to reduce drag as best as possible.

The DIVA 2 S size I have for the test goes from 75 to 90 all up.
I flew it at from 86 to 88 and could be easily flown at 86 and preferably in strong air at 90 all up.
Launching the Diva 2 for an aspect ratio of 7 needs a steady pull but the DIVA 2 rises well easily like the Zeno 2 for the category.
In the air, the brakes have a longer gap from the pulley about 13 cm to act on the trailing edge. That gap is important to stay that way, to get the DIVA 2 at full speed with a loose trailing edge, with no brakes. At full speed, the DIVA 2 reaches 21-22 km/h over trim and the gap of 13 cm on the pulleys returns to zero.

Handling and comfort:
One day, I flew that glider in some bad air, with inversions, and large turbulence as tandems weren’t that comfortable in the air. Earlier I flew a Zeno 2 MS to feel the air and see the difference. The first turn after a half wrap on the brakes, immediately acts on the trailing edge with a nice turn. It didn’t feel as sharp as the Zeno 2 in turns, but the turns were smoother. I needed 15 to 20 cm to turn the glider in any core in moderate air. It has a moderately long gap, but still a relatively linear and direct travel to steer the glider.
When conditions are nasty with inversions and difficult areology, the Diva 2 works in itself in yaw, but the pilot underneath doesn’t feel much of the yaw movements.
In those bad conditions, there’s a slight pitch back, and then a quick surge through the thermal. The brake authority is quite satisfying in keeping the glider where the pilot wishes.
When conditions are more normal, and homogenous, the Diva 2 pulls you inside the thermals, and the turning is more straightforward.

On the DIVA 2 S, the overall movements are similar to the Zeno 2 MS size, but smoother and less dynamic than a small Zeno 2 (same size as the Diva 2 I’m test flying).
From another pilot perspective, the DIVA 2 S looks like it moves and snakes in turbulence, but those movements are not felt as described.
Saying that it doesn’t mean that it is close to a C glider at the pilot level. Certified in the D category, with its 7 aspect ratio, the DIVA 2 surely needs a D pilot under it.

The pitch stability is high in moderate air, but when hitting strong turbulence it pitches forward like any 2-liner D, but the brakes help a lot by keeping it above the pilot's head. It also delivers a moderate to good authority on the brakes in difficult conditions!

Doing some glides with a Zeno 2 MS size at 96 all up, which is a higher size than the DIVA 2 S 75-90, showed us a really superb glide angle, at trim, at half bar, and at full bar.
We believe that the DIVA 2 S size could have a slight edge on the same size as a Zeno 2 S size if both are equally loaded especially at trim and at half bar. With the Zeno 2 MS at 96, the gap in performance was super small for the Zeno 2 MS. I think, I will get the DIVA 2 M size for an interesting comparison.

Climbing next to a Zeno 2 MS the DIVA 2 S climb rate looks quite similar. In a weak climb, it felt also very efficient.

Pilots asking about the Photon /DIVA 2/Zeno 2.
High aspect ratio gliders like the DIVA 2 /Zeno 2 fly differently than any 2-liner C. When flying in smooth air, or even in moderate air, all those gliders C and D are very close, but this conclusion is false. As soon as you fly in a moving airmass, the ability for those D gliders to get the most out of the lift lines is yet above any 2-liner C.
When you are pushing on the speed bar in a headwind, and especially in tricky air with sudden lift and thermal lift areas, then not one EN-C at the moment has the power to outperform the Zeno 2 or the DIVA 2. They are from a different level.

While on the speed bar, the B steering has a moderate, efficient pressure, as it acts swiftly on the profile.
Ears can be done by the outer A’s (they are stable and reopen with pilot action) as well by the outer B’s.
Energy is very high doing wingovers.
The stall point is a bit far, but the DIVA 2 informs well before going into a stall.
Surprisingly, it can be slowed down quite well in tight places.

Conclusion:
The DIVA 2 is a solid contender for the 2-liner D category. It holds a very high-performance package with a sweet handling in moderate air. It is quite fast, without roll movements near the full speed. It requires a D pilot to extract all those performances. I think the M size would have a little more performance while being calmer, as the logic implies. A special and interesting product to test fly!


Cheers,
Ziad

Gliders for sale new prices

UP Kibo-X   4 hours.  2500 EU  (Like NEW)

BGD DIVA 2 S size (red) 4 hours. 3200 EU   

FLOW. Mullet 18. 30 hours  in excellent condition ( 1900 EU ) 

OZONE Photon MS (custom color)  Blue /Green stripes). 30 hours  2800 EU 

Air Design VOLT 5 MS 80-95  only 1 hour (used for comparison (NEW)  3200 EU 

Triple Seven Rook 4 MS. 80-98

Triple Seven Rook 4  MS.  80-98

I finally got the new high B glider from Triple Seven, the Rook 4 which replaces the amazing Rook 3.

Back for my Rook 3 review, I mentioned an excellent climb rate in weak and strong, with very good handling. The only issue was the launching behavior and the little hump on the leading edge which was noticed later on. Could 777 manage to make a better version? Let's see…

First here is the 777 link for the Rook 4 as you can see all the details. https://777gliders.com/gliders/rook-4/

The construction, details, lines stitching, etc, seem on the higher end of quality. The new risers look really nice, robust, and refined all together. 

I flew the Rook 4 MS at 95 all up, and I could feel that this would be an optimum weight for everyday use. You can of course fly it at max if you need the edge in speed and efficiency. But it seems that at 94…95 everything looked very smooth. 

Launching:

Even in light wind, the Rook 4 launches smoothly without any hard points. The launching characteristics have improved a lot over the Roo 3. Problem solved. 

In the air:

Brake feel:

The Rook 4 brake travel is slightly longer than the Rook 3 but still quite direct and efficient. The pressure on the first part after the 10 cm gap, with + 10 cm is moderate to light, then after +10 cm, they are moderate.  I can describe the Rook 4 as an agile glider for the B category. The handling and authority on the brakes are very well balanced for a clean performance turning radius. The brake feel has the right spices to get a good pilot well satisfied while coring. The Rook4 can turn tightly into the core, and also flat turns can be achieved flawlessly. 

Despite my high regard for the Maestro 2 handling, I was impressed and very satisfied by the Rook 4 brake authority which seems calm, and more educated for performance and feel. 

For example comparing the handling (Rook4/Mentor 7 S), while the brake authority on the Mentor 7 S size is very good, those tiny linear feel in the centimeters you are pulling on the brakes are much more available on the Rook 4. 

Comfort:

I flew the Rook 4 in multiple conditions on my Impress 4 harness. For a high B glider the overall movements and roll, are slightly less than the Maestro 2 and slightly more than the Rook3. 

The Rook 4 is more comfortable to fly than the Maestro 2, and also it has a feel of a much-taught structure without any soft tips, plus a very homogenous feel. 

Perhaps the Mentor 7 S feels more comfortable in movements, But I personally favor a high B balanced movements as the Rook 4 delivers.

Some pilots reading this will immediately misunderstand what I implied. I meant a high B pilot should get a well-balanced feel of the right spices under a glider rather than perhaps a too-dampened one. 

Glide:

I flew the Rook 4 next to my friend ‘Boudi’ on his Rook 3 MS 75-95 at 94 all up. We did a lot of glides and climbed together all the way. This was a marvelous test for both of us to see and feel if there were improvements or just a new model. I also flew with my friend ‘Sayed’ On his Photon ML ! while he flew loaded at 105 all up. Of course, it's another category, but it was also a good idea to see where the Rook 4 stands out in multiple conditions! 

With the Rook 3 next to me the glide in a relatively calm air at trim speed after 5 km always got the Rook 4 with around 5…7  m higher. 

Other glides were also made in lift areas facing the sea breeze, and we both could see that the Rook 4 seemed to get even higher clearance. 

Pushing on the speed bar with moderate pressure on the rook 4 also gets the same height clearance. 

At full speed with both gliders next to each other, the full-speed glide seems very close for both. 

Flying next to the Photon ML, showed that at trim speed the Photon is +1.5 km faster. Applying the speed bar to match the Photon ML I could lose a few meters after 5 km in calm air. 

Once facing the sea breeze, the Photon is from a different level for sure, but still, the Rook 4 with persistence on the speed bar could follow at a much slower rate. I was having fun with my friend teasing him a bit on the Rook 4, but knowing that if I pissed him a lot...he will probably push the speed bar and disappear ;-) 

Climb:

In very weak air, like -0.3 m/s thermals, we could both see that the Rook 3 still has that excellent float ability, but the Rook 4 is super close. When thermals get around 1 m/s, the quality of thermal entry of the Rook 4 immediately puts it upward. It slides more efficiently through the airmass. That feel of the nose pulling you through that thermal is experienced with the higher categories. 

C steering: 

The pressure on the C steering is on the firm side. Not too soft, a bit moderate to firm, but since the Rook 4 is stable on the bar in transitions, I think there would be little corrections from the C steering.  

Pulling the outside ears seems slightly unstable sometimes. When pulled a little bit, they are somehow stable, but the more lines you pull, they show a tendency to reopen, flap, and not stick underneath. 

The speed bar has moderate pressure even at full speed, with 14-15 km/h over trim at 1000 ASL. 

Conclusion:

I always comment on efficiency, rather than a glide number.  In terms of performance, the Rook 4 has those fine flying qualities to be very efficient for a high B glider, and with the exact spices that keep it on rails in thermals. The high B category is considered ‘intermediate’ gliders. The Rook 4 embodies perfectly that description in delivering a fairly comfortable glider for the category, and a high efficiency in glide through the airmass. A lovely glider to test fly if you aim for good XC flying. 

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New website

 Hi, 

I am working on a new website that will hopefully be running in a few days with the B /C chart working as well...

Sorry for the current inconvenience!   💗

Ziad.

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NIVIUK Arrow-P. M size

​Here's my harness review:

Niviuk Arrow P size M
After the normal Arrow, which I kept for my test flying as an option for a moderately light harness, here is the new Arrow P from Niviuk. The M size weighs around 1.7 kg and it is super light.
The Arrow P construction and details are very neat, very well built, and have excellent finishing details.
The Arrow P is not only a light ‘Arrow’! Everything is different.

In this link, you can see all the details and explanations. https://niviuk.com/en/arrow-p
Despite the very small side adjustments, they are very easy to adjust, even in the air if the conditions allow it. Except for the main strap.
Of course, it would be recommended to fine-tune it at home first, but it is doable in the air.

With the Arrow P, I ordered the inflatable protection with the normal foam protection. The foam protection is stiff and light, and feels the same as the protection on my Arrow L but slightly longer with the same thickness which is very good!

Sitting on the M size for my height of 1.81 m I had to change the shoulder straps to the longer ones that were provided with the harness in order to fit nicely. My body weight is 72 kg, and this M size fits me like a glove. The Arrow P, M size sits between the M and L size of the normal Arrow.
When installing the foam back protection, and after fine-tuning it, I found myself sitting very comfortably in that super light harness!
The feeling inside it is like having no pressure points in your body as if you are sitting in a hammock, and a very comfortable one. One body, one shape. That’s the feel. The legs are naturally supported.
The overall body support and comfort are higher on the foam protector by 5 % over the inflatable protector.

The Roll movements seem similar to the Arrow L with perhaps slight more feedback, But I think it is quite roll-comfortable. The weight shift is moderate without aggressive roll movements. Just the necessary.

The pod closes with two magnets on top. Super neat.

I flew for 3 hours and landed as if sitting on my favorite couch. Very comfortable for the whole body.
This harness worked very well for me.
It's weird to say that the overall comfort in the sitting position felt slightly superior to the normal Arrow.
Let's say it has equal comfort by being on the safe side 

The packing size with the inflatable protection is the smallest you can get from a complete pod harness.
With the foam protector, the packing is for sure bigger as the foam cannot be compressed more than 5 %.

Conclusion:
Pilots getting the Arrow P knows how to handle light materials. The Arrow P is no different. With all the tiny and perfected details, with special carabiners..etc…It is for sure not recommended to do acro on it if you want that harness to serve you well and long. Special care also in rough areas.
The Arrow P is a super comfortable harness and a must-try if you are looking for light gear.