SKYWALK Sage 85 & 95

SKYWALK Sage 95!    (The art of flying)  

Skywalk introduced for 2025/26 the new light 2 liner C class glider. The light version of the Mint ( Handling enhanced) 

The Sage has a 6.4 aspect ratio and is certified in the EN-C category. Its overall construction is very neat, and the glider looks beautiful! The risers are made with Cousin Freres 7mm webbing.   

https://skywalk.info/project/sage/

I have over here two sizes the 85 and 95. 

I flew the Sage 95 from 90 to 93 all up. And the Sage size 85 at 85 all up. 

Launching:

The light material makes launching very straightforward even in no wind. In a strong breeze, the Sage comes quickly after 75 %, and control is needed to stop it overhead. Overall it is very easy and straightforward to launch. 

In the air:

First contact with the brakes, and I’m already a happy pilot! Short, moderate pressure, super direct! Linear! high authority on the brakes for the pilot, like (never) seen on a 2 liner yet!  :-)

And I thought I had seen them all…  

I felt that there was a slight feedback coming from the brakes, a bit similar to the Trango-X, with even more dynamic turning behavior. A bit of weight-shift and pulling the brakes is a "ballet dance”! 

The Sage with 92 all up delivers a high authority on the brakes to place it inside any core, and any thermal, with a pleasurable linear feel!  Now I can enjoy the rest of the test :-) 

After test-flying the Artik 7 P and experiencing nice handling, I was blessed by test-flying the Sage which took handling and agility to even another level! 

The Brakes feel exactly like an extension of your arms. Any movement on the brakes are prompt command to the glider that responds immediately in moderate air. In strong stuff, it is logically better to load the glider at max, and this will give you the needed authority to control it in strong turbulent air. Of course, the aspect ratio of 6.4 and the 2-line design need sometimes in heavy turbulence a little more patience and control. If I was in the same conditions on a super agile high B, perhaps I could turn it swiftly.

But again, the difference between a Photon and a Sage in turbulent strong cores, is that the authority on the brakes on the Sage gives you more control over the speed range with lower inputs, rather than longer inputs and slower reactions on the Photon. I described those two because, for a week, I was alternating flights, sometimes in one day, in the same conditions, to see and experience that big difference in handling. Saying all that, I find that the Photon handling gets better after 40 hours, and it is quite responsive only in moderate and homogenmous thermals. 

Moving back to the Sage, I think the description (pleasurable, agile and obedient handling is its highlight) 

Overall feel:

In moderate air, the Sage delivers nice feedback, allowing you to be aware of what’s going on without too much information. I mean, the Sage is not a dull glider, and it will be much appreciated by the keen pilot, as it gives the right spices with a very taught and homogenous structure.   

In stronger conditions, the Photon/Lyght and the Sage deliver the same amount of pilot demand. It's in the weak and moderate thermals that this nice feedback is delivered clearer on the Sage. 

The Photon and Lyght feel more dampened in all axes in weak to moderate air.  Both the Photon/Lyght and the Sage need a good 2-liner pilot when conditions are rough. 

In the strong punchy lift, the Sage informs you about the conditions, in a very healthy matter, and under the Sage, you are the master of the moment by having higher authority on the brakes to guide, and place it wherever you want! 

Climb rate:

Flying the Sage, in weak and moderate thermals, I found myself very efficient, and I was able to stay near the best climbers in the 2-liner category. 

Glide:

I did lots of glides with a photon, a Lyght, and different gliders in the C or D category. In that aspect, I think the Sage is very similar to the Mint, with very good glide capabilities and slightly better float-ability. I will update my findings in the C/D chart.

Ears are made with outer B’s. They are efficient in descent. 

The B steering is efficient in controlling the pitch and has moderate pressure. 

The speed over trim is around 15 km/h, and the pressure is moderate, as on the Photon and Lyght. 

Sage size 85.

If the Sage 95 has nice and pleasurable handling with an Impress4 harness...what to expect from the Sage 85 with an Arrow P light harness! 

Well… Just the purest form of flying pleasure. No more comments!  :-) 

Glide and climb are very similar, and the top speed is around 14 km/h over trim. 

Conclusion:

Skywalk moved the brake attachment points on the Mint far back to the trailing edge. They are now sweeter, with moderate pressure and nice handling! 

The Sage joins the 2-liner C lass elite gliders, and of course, requires the pilot level for that 2-liner class. 

The overall performance, and float-ability, at trim and at the speed bar is quite usable and efficient for the C class pilot! 

 It can packed small for serious Hyke and fly adventure. A lovely piece of equipment! And it looks beautiful in the air :-) 

NIviuk Artik 7 P size 23

Niviuk Artik 7 P  size 23

For 2025/26 Niviuk released a new light construction, 2/3-, hybrid ine version of the EN-C certified glider.

When I test-flew the Artik 6 three years ago, I still remember its pleasurable and direct handling and its subtle character for the C category. 

The Artik 7 P has a light construction and weights around 3.25 kg 

https://niviuk.com/en/artik-7-p 

I flew the Artik 7 P with my Arrow harness from 89 to 93 all up to find out later that 90–91 is good in all conditions. 

Launching the Artik 7 P couldn’t be as straightforward! In nil wind, the rise is immediate without any hard point, and the take-off is fast and smooth. In windy take-offs, the Artik 7 P handling keeps it well controlled. Taking off in any condition is bliss. 

Turning abilities.

First turn…And… OMG! 

What a beautiful turning behavior that glider has !! :-) I really missed those turns! Short brake, precise input, moderate pressure, linear feel, immediate response!   I don’t know what a pilot would need more to be an extension of his invisible wings!     

In a weak climb, the pilot can guide the Artik 7 P with a 5 cm pull and high precision inside the core. 

Even in strong thermals, the pilot has the authority on the brakes to place the Artik 7 P immediately inside any core.  

Each time I fly that glider, I pray to catch as many thermals in order to get that turning feel! It's like snacking on your favorite cake and hoping it doesn’t finish :-) !! 

Climb rate:

Flying the Artik 7 P  from 89 to even 93, gave me a very efficient climb rate in weak thermals. The Artik 7 P is a good floater in the 2/3 hybrid line C category. In strong thermals, the pitch is nearly absent and the climb is immediate. I believe that the Artik 7 P has a very efficient climb rate in that category, and perhaps, close enough to the 2-2-liners with slower to enter the airmass which is logical for the 3-line concept. But still, if flying for fun with your buddies on their 2 liners at trim speed, you can stay very close in climb and by pushing slightly on the speed bar in transitions. 

In moderate to turbulent air, ( winter time over here) I found out that the Artik 7 P is very coherent and homogenous, and underneath you feel that high passive safety, by the slower movements the glider makes when you hit turbulence. 

Glide and speed.

For a 2/3 hybrid liner C class glider, The Artik 7 P seems to get the highest rating in glide. I flew next to some 2 liners in calm air, and the glide seemed good. It is in a headwind and difficult air, that the 2 liners will logically have the upper hand, but for the 3 line class, the Artik 7 P shines. 

The top speed of the Artik 7 P is 13 km/h over trim, with moderate pressure on the speed bar, very stable and accessible all the way. 

Artik 6/ Artik 7 P:

The Artik 7 P reminded me of that beautiful Artik 6 handling.  The Artik 7 P has the right spices to make you feel and appreciate every thermal. Not too dampened but also not chatty. An easy-to-fly 2/3-liner C with exceptional handling and agility!  

The B/C system allows you to control the glider overhead in most cases, while on bar with a moderate and steady pressure. 

Packing and volume:

Built with nitinol rods and with its light structure, the packing is quite small and can fit into a 75 to 90 L bag with an Arrow P harness. 

Big ears are largely stable and very efficient which could get you with a speed bar of around (- 4.5 m/s).

Wingovers are easily done with good energy inside the glider. 

Landing:

Hitting a tight spot is easily done with the Artik 7 P, as it can be slowed down well, and the stall point is below your hips. 

Conclusion:

The Artik 7 P offers a wonderful feel underneath. It is playful, agile, direct on the brakes, and loads of performance in climb and glide. Light and able to pack small! 

A tool of pure joy! It is very difficult to separate yourself from such a glider!   Even for someone who must test fly different ones every week…   ;-)

If you are a sensible pilot who wants pleasurable handling and good comfort in all conditions and doesn’t want to get into the 2-liner category for a more passive safety feel and mellower recovery after collapses, knowing that it will get as far as you want, this is the glider you must test-fly! 

Happy and safe flights,

Ziad

website

 Hi everyone,

I was working on a new website. https://dustoftheuniverse.com/

The B, C comparison works in that website.

it is still in progress with lots of work to be done.

Please tell me your thoughts on ziad.bassil@gmail.com

Happy and safe landings,

Ziad 

FLOW Vissta XC size M

FLOW Vissta XC  (harness) Size M. 

This harness has been in development for 3 years, with Felipe Resende and Bach le (architect and designer) with lots of ideas and development. The Vissta XC has a long fairing for aerodynamic purposes. The interesting part is that the shape of the pod, and the shape of the rear fairing are narrow. In designing that harness, Flow said: We aimed for a fully featured conventional competition harness that offers the best low drag coefficient in the market with around 5 kilos and especially for packing it small to fit in a large bag. 

The Vissta XC shape was created after working on CFD (computational fluid dynamics), to find the most optimized low-drag shape which is implanted on that harness. 

FLOW installed clips on the shoulders (see pic) and those are for future low-drag speed arm connections!  

Two rescue systems on each side, with a steerable reserve, are possible. There’s also a nice feature covering the pins of the pod to prevent them from tangling with the lines when pulling the pod. 

Two zippers for the drag chute are also reachable on each side, Two little openings for the pee system also on each side, and two lower zipper pockets (13cm width) under the seat on the rear side that can be used for the hose of the water ballast and to control damping the water in competitions, or even if you want to put inside some gloves, chocolate or else… 

The Vissta XC holds also one removable radio pocket inside and in another side a detachable pocket to insert any items of your choosing ( see pics) 

The cockpit is wide and the angle is perfect. Attached to the cockpit, is a thin but long compartment with a zipper to fit a battery pack, your cellular, Chocolate bars..etc… Easily reachable in the air! 

Perhaps FLOW will introduce a detachable cockpit with possibly a below storage? that opens from above? I wish... let's wait and see what the future brings...

As I always mention before writing a test flight of a harness, every harness is very difficult to describe just because each pilot has different body shapes and geometry. 

The FLOW Vissta XC M size fits perfectly my height of 1.81, and 75 kg weight. 

The Vissta XC pod features a split line adjustment option on each side that could make your adjustments infinite for the incline foot pad, or high lengths of the pod. This feature with those lines makes it more appropriate to adjust for many individuals. 

The Vissta XC has a seat plate but with very easy access on the seat plate to fit narrower ones if the pilot wishes to!   The seat position has also an angle front adjustment on each side that you can lower or raise the seat position. 

The back seat position has three adjustments! easily reachable in the air. Those adjustments make the back and the sitting position very comfortable and also very precise to adjust!  

The video I’m attaching also will cover all those features and will let you see that for better understanding. 

The ballast pocket under the seat holds around 4 kg of water. You can also install ballast in the back compartment. I found also that it would be possible to add a 2, or 3 L liter of ballast water ballast under the cockpit as FLOW installed two side pillars for support without letting it rest on your lap. It hangs on those points. 

The back storage bag under the fairing is bigger than the Impress 4, and a bit less than the Arrow. 

Inside the bag storage, there’s a pocket for installing the water camel for drinking during the flight.

The pod closure has two magnetic pieces to close tightly. In the air, no wind comes in. 

Getting inside the pod requires placing the already installed strap on the edge of the pod and also it has a red ball to insert it into your shoe laces. That is the most efficient way to get inside the pod, otherwise, without that strap, it would be difficult to enter after take-off.  

When setting the shoelace strap, make sure also that your main chest strap connections to the seat plate ( also adjustable red, and green stripes going to the seat plate ) are not too loose to prevent you from slipping forward too much when you take off, because it will require more knee bent to catch the pod if you are too way forward. (I’ll explain it in the video) 

My usual harnesses are the Impress 4 L size pod M and the Arrow L size. I found that the Vissta XC M size fits me like a glove after my adjustments. 

The comfort for the back is quite high resembles the Impress 4 for that matter, knowing that the Impress 4 offers one of the most comfortable rides.  I found myself inside the Vissta XC sitting in my preferred chair! The legs are naturally supported, and there’s no pressure on the body whatsoever! FLOW installed a 35 X 15 cushion on the lower back which provides good back support. It can be moved by a few centimeters to your taste. 

The weight shift capabilities are slightly above the Impress 4 and close to the Arrow with slightly more weight shift capabilities! For an XC/Comp harness, it has an excellent balance. 

The roll movements can be described as balanced.  More stable than the X-rated 6/ WV GTO 2. Close to the Impress 4 and Arrow in that matter. 

The chest strap has an adjustment, is flat on the upper side for sure, and is reachable easily in the air. ( Resembles the Genie race 4 chest adjustments)  

The shape of the harness and pod stays streamlined with the air with difficulty in getting the pod lower down or higher up unless it has been badly adjusted. So the pod stays streamlined. The rear fairing is big, and the take-off reminded me of when I test-flew the Submarine. I had to put the rear fairing on windy days under my arm to keep my vision clear.  The rear fairing stays well inflated in the air and doesn’t move if you have secured both zippers at their max edge. That way the rear fairing is pressurized. 

There’s a foam protector of 15 cm on the Vissta XC.  https://para-test.com/storage/app/media/certificates/flow-paragliders/harne/visstaxc-l/PH_438-2024_IP_VisstaXC_L.pdf

Conclusion:

The Vissta XC checked all the boxes for me. The very high comfort for long flights, the excellent weight shift capabilities, the aerodynamic shape, two side rescues,! All that with slightly less weight than my Impress 4 L.  

The construction is very neat and it seems to resemble the Niviuk Arrow construction details.  

It can be folded like the Impress 4 to fit in a large bag, which is difficult to find these days… 

I had some nice and comfortable flights with the Vissta XC. landed with a good feel, and relaxed body. 

I think from the conventional harnesses in the market (except Submarine types) The FLOW Vissta XC could be one of the most interesting harnesses as it joins the Useful and pleasant in a foldable harness. Business and pleasure at the same time :-)

An interesting tool for test flying if you aim for that type of XC/comp harnesses.

  

NEO Suspender 2 L size

NEO Suspender 2  L size

 The NEO brand is a workshop that designs and manufactures top-of-the-range textile products for paragliding and outdoor activities. Neo is a French company located In Doussard near Lac Annecy (France).

 All the products are designed and manufactured in France!   https://www.neo-paragliders.fr/en_GB/ 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0SCs2E8lks&t=6s

My test today is the Neo harness for XC the Suspender 2.0. (https://fly.neoatelier.fr/en_GB/shop/suspender-2-0-6833?category=4) 

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxBzMtvBeNg

With 1.81 cm and 74 kg, the L size fits me quite well. 

The manufacturing process is elegant yet quite simple. At first glance, the harness gives an authentic impression of the sport but contains useful details. 

There’s no back fairing but a rigid back compartment with a large back pocket.  Camelback ready.

The sitting position is a bucket seat design. There’s no seat board, but the feel is as rigid as one. The feel between a seat board and a bucket seat harness is nearly the same. 

As you probably know,  harnesses are the most difficult material to test because of our different body structures and shapes.

The Suspender 2, as a bucket seat harness, offers good body comfort. the ABS delivers a very nice turn into thermals but also with high dampening in turbulence.  I find that balance to be unique. I can consider that the Suspender 2.0 could be among the most stable ones regarding pod harnesses. 

Moving from a simple harness with a seated position to the Suspender 2 is ideal as it's configured with that slight pressure system on the lower thighs. 

There’s a very interesting innovation for the rescue system: the Stand-up rescue system. The system reroutes the rescue briddles to attach to the main carabiners. That way, when your rescue is open, you're still hanging from the main carabiners and not from your upper shoulder hanging points. 

When pushing the speed bar, NEO installed big autoRatchet pulleys, they deliver a softer pressure and foot pressure when I'm on the speed bar!  

Hook Knife included. The front cockpit opens with a magnet and can be secured by a strap. It has a moderate space between a Forza 2 and an Arrow. Helico kit, Booomtag, (Near Field Communication chip)!  (Please see the video)

The straps on the left and right are easily adjustable. The seating position can be straight up. 

The back protection is  the NEO Koroyd 3.0:  https://fly.neoatelier.fr/en_GB/shop/koroyd-3-0-protection-1731

Conclusion:

The NEO Suspender 2.0 is a complete harness without the makeup. A truly genuine article for the purist! 

A stable, easy-to-fly, XC-oriented harness for all levels, the Suspender2.0 is a very nice product. 

As harnesses are very personal products, each interested individual should demo one and see if it meets their body geometry.  

Mistake...-----NOW UPDATED and the test is ready for 22 and 24 . !!

Hi,
I have made a mistake—in fact, a huge mistake… In 30 years, it has never happened to me…
The details:
I was waiting for both the Sigma DLS 22 Petrol and 24 Spectra to arrive. My friend called me saying that the 24 Spectra color has arrived and I should pick it up.
With everything going on in my country and all the problems my head can carry…I swiftly pick up the bag with the Spectra color on it and head on to the takeoff. With my Impress 4 at 92 all up, I took off and later flew next to my friends. After two hours, I landed and wrote my impressions.

The weird thing is that, after 15 days, as I was re-arranging my gliders, I saw the outside bag of the supposed Sigma DLS 24 (Spectra) and saw the number (22)! I froze for like an hour…My eyes pooped out!
Seeing the spectra color with the size 22 ( 68-87) with an ideal range between (72-84) I opened the glider to see that the label on the Sigma DLS I had tested was indeed the size 22!

I flew that size at 92, which was 8 kilos from the ideal weight range! This largely explains the difficult climb rate in weak air!
I am so sorry for that…I don’t know how this happened…Surely, I’m getting old... 
Now I have the size 24 (Solid statement after wearing my glasses )!
I will re-test the Sigma DLS next week when the weather improves, especially for the climb rate in weak and the overall behavior!



Sigma DLS size 22 (Petrol)
Yesterday, I flew the Sigma DLS size 22 with my Lightness 4 harness at 83, all up in moderate air.
The handling and turning abilities at 83, in combination with the Lightness 4, deliver a very agile and playful glider. I could easily core any thermal in super tight turns. The climb rate is now more than acceptable at that load!
More to come soon for both sizes.
Again, my apologies for that terrible and awkward mistake!
Ziad

DAVINCI Mambo 2 liner EN-C S size

DAVINCI Mambo EN-C 2 liner size S (70-95)

The Mambo is the first EN-C with a two-line design from DAVINCI.
On the ground: The look of the aggressive and big shark nose with the SN+ feature looks like nothing else in the market. Laying down close a Photon, they both seem from different worlds in shape, size, line attachment points…To delete the rumors that presume a copy from any other two-liner. It is not, at least from what I see in front of me.

Construction: The Mambo construction looks very neat, from the risers to the sewing of the glider. Nitinol rods are used in that glider. A new feature inside that glider with four double smart snake systems inserted in the profile ( see pic) Jihun Lee says that it resits collapse and should make a faster recovery. I didn’t have any collapse during my tests, and I cannot comment on the recovery. But I can confirm a very different feel under it ( more info down)

I have flown the Mambo from 90, 93, to 95. It's best to fly it in strong air at 94…95.

Launching:
Pulling on the A’s in nil wind requires a steady pull, and the mambo rises slowly and evenly, keeping your pressure on the A’s. It feels slightly heavier to launch than a Photon, for example. But still, the inflation in nil wind is easy. Just slightly slower. In 10-15 to 25 km/h, the pull on the A’s also needs a steady pull, but overall it is an easy-to-launch EN-C glider.

In the air:
The Mambo has moderate to short brake travel with very nice agility. The authority on the brakes is good for the pilot. Every pull I got is a linear feel and in reaction from the glider. The agility is similar to a GIN Camino 2 and slightly less than a Volt 5. It's on the moderate side but still quite direct and very satisfying!


Climb rate:
One day, I flew the Mambo with my Impress 4 harness at 93 all up, next to a Photon M size (90-105) at 105 all up.
In weak thermals, less than 0.5 m/s, both gliders float nicely. When there’s a slight increase in climb, I felt on many occasions that the Mambo had the upper hand in float ability! … Actually, we were both surprised, and later, we tried again and again with the same results. The Mambo has a nice climb rate, and I enjoyed teasing my friend with his head right and left 
In strong surges, the Mambo doesn’t have a neutral pitch and climbs very quickly upward. It felt like it slowed down inside the lift, and with the direct brakes, any small radius is doable.


Gliding:
Of course, we also made many glides despite the Photon being a larger size.
At trim speed at 93 on the Mambo, I was around +1 km/h slower than my friend on his Photon M size at 105. To compensate for this, I pushed the speed bar to keep it side by side. After some kilometers, We both didn’t see any difference in glide with a 5 km/h headwind. We also tried again and again with the same results at that speed.
At half bar, the result is also the same next to the Photon! There’s no doubt about the glide efficiency of that machine.


Comfort and pilot control:
In moderate air, the Mambo is a comfortable glider to fly with smooth roll and pitch movements.
In strong air, things get more interesting… As the glider holds many stiff parts, high energy stored inside is feelable when hitting turbulence. There are some yaw movements translated to the harness that push you slightly sideways. Of course, the brakes give you a large authority and will help control that glider in heavy turbulence. A narrow chest strap will also help, but it is a thing that you don’t feel under any 2-liner C, and most probably, you will get used to it…
The B controls, while stepping on the bar, have moderate to hard pressure. Control by the B’s in turbulence is efficient in keeping the glider overhead in mild turbulence.
The top speed is around 16 km/h over trim.

Conclusion:
I never thought The Mambo would climb and glide that way! If heavily loaded, this glider has lots of potential in XC and competitions. I’m curious about pilot feedback after test-flying it.
With good handling and good brake authority, the Mambo is a special glider for good C pilots in the 2-liner C category.

ADVANCE Sigma 12 DLS

ADVANCE Sigma 12 DLS  size 24 ( UPDATED) 

The Sigma 12 DLS new 3-liner C class glider for ADVANCE in 2024/25. It is a semi-light glider with around 4.5 kg.

Construction and details are typically ADVANCE. Very neat and well-built. 

Launching the S12 DLS is straightforward, easy, and simple to take off without any hard points. Even in no wind, the take-off is easy.

I flew the Sigma 12 DLS at 92 all up. Next to me, my friends were on one Photon S, One Photon MS, and one ML. There was also a Rush 6 MS and a Rook 3 MS.  

The brake travel is on the moderate side, quite direct, smooth, and linear response. 10 to 15 cm are needed to turn the glider inside a thermal. The Sigma 12 DLS resembles the S11 agility. 

Coring thermals is a pleasure under the Sigma 12 DLS. A fun glider to play in thermals, with good authority. I didn’t feel it had a dynamic turn inside the core rather than an agile, smooth turn. 

Comfort:

I flew in weak air and later in strong air and turbulent conditions. The S12 DLS felt solid and comfortable for the C category in all those conditions. The structure is very homogenous, and the pilot could feel that extra passive safety as if he were on a comfortable high B-class glider!  The Sigma 12 DLS as a C glider, is very accessible for the 3 liner C class pilots, much like the S11, possibly even more comfortable… Close enough to the Alpina 4 in comfort. 

The difference between flying a Sigma 12 DLS and any 2-liner C is very different. The feel inside a moving airmass under a 3-liner like the Sigma 12 DLS, resembles the high B+ category delivering a genuine three-liner feel. Smooth pitch in the air, with high passive safety for the C class compared to a 2-liner C. 

Climb rate:

Thermal flying and efficiency:  

As much as the Sigma 12 DLS is easy and comfortable with high passive safety, the glider doesn’t compete with the 2-liner C gliders in climb efficiency, as the Artik-R, Photon, etc...which is logical, of course as ADVANCE intended to deliver a friendly user glider.  

In weak conditions, the S12 DLS resembles the S11 in weak air. 

The glider is much more tamed.   

In 2 m/s thermals, it climbs quite nicely next to other C’s, even with the two-liners.  

Gliding:

I tried to glide with the two-liners in the sky next to me, and I was surprised that the Sigma 12 DLS gliding capabilities would surpass the S11 and be close enough to the good two-liners!  Even when pushing on the speed bar, which gave me 11..12 km/h max over trim taken at 900 ASL, the glide stays quite interesting for arriving at the next crossing. But it is better to stay 90% on the speed bar with moderate pressure while gliding if you want to stay close to the 2 liners if they only use 25% of their speed bar. 

Of course, I am not comparing the Sigma 12 DLS to the two-liners, as they are aimed at different pilot profiles, but it is just to give you an idea that the glide angle in smooth air is quite competitive only if the moving airmass is not quite challenging, with more headwind…difficult airmass… 

Ears are easy to do, stable, and reopen smoothly without pilot interference. 

Conclusion:

A plain and simple 3-line concept for the conventional C class pilot. The Sigma 12 DLS is very comfortable to fly, agile, and with very good gliding performance. 

After the Iota DLS and other high B’s, the Sigma 12 DLS will welcome you for its high accessibility as a three-liner C glider.  

UPDATE: 

Hi,

I flew the Sigma DLS size 24 at 93 on my Impress 4. The climb in weak felt much better, like the S11 in that matter.  The handling and brake authority is sweet and direct, with good agility with the Impress 4 and moderate pressure.

The overall comfort is very high, and the S 12 DLS feels somehow...like a B glider in the air. The pitch is absent, the roll is very tame, and the energy stored in the glider dissipates quickly after wingovers or induced collapses. The full speed which has moderate to slightly firm pressure on the feet, over trim, is around 11-12 km/h with a very good glide angle. I think ADVANCE wanted to deliver a very easy 3-liner C with very good glide performance at that speed. 

Everything I wrote in my earlier flying the 22 feels the same, with a better climb rate in weak, but flying the glider with a harness like the Lightness 4 enhances the overall feel and maneuverability. 

When I flew the size 22 overweight, the glider kept its easiness and high comfort, which is unusual most of the time and shows that the glider genes are created to deliver high easiness for a C-class glider.  

I think pilots after two seasons and moving from their high B's would not find any difference in glider control over their glider. For instance, some B's are more demanding to fly.

 This explains the high comfort I found on the size 24 at 93 all up. 

Ears are stable. They reopen smoothly without pilot intervention after 3-4 seconds. Wingovers are nice to make, but you feel the energy inside the glider is very well controlled and dissipates fast.

Induced collapses are very easy to maintain. 

Stall speed is forgiving. 

UPDATE on the Sigma 12 DLS size 22 :

Sigma DLS size 22 
Yesterday, I flew the Sigma DLS size 22 with my Lightness 4 harness at 83, all up in moderate air.
The handling and turning abilities at 83, in combination with the Lightness 4, deliver a very agile and playful glider. I could easily core any thermal in super tight turns. The climb rate is now more than acceptable at that load!
More to come soon for both sizes.

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