New Gliders at Skyport

From: Benson
Activity_Date: 11.17.01
Remote Name: 208.2.186.46

Comments

Cycles were light at Skyport around noon when we launched, but it was a special day because Dan K, Ron F and I had new gliders to fly. Dan was on his brand new Sigma 5 (DHV-2), Ron was flying Bob H's new Closed cell Airwave Sport (DHV1-2) and I was on Ron's Swing Mistral 2 (DHV 1-2).

Ron launched first and got above launch so I followed quickly. We worked the light lift there for about ten minutes and then headed for the TF where lift was equally light but workable. I flushed down to the AF in a weak cycle and RF was just a few minutes behind.

I tried the AF but couldn't stay in the narrow thermals so went to the RH ridge where I found some less narrow cores where I could do full 360s without falling out. I climbed back to 23 to make a run for the AF where RF was working zero sink, staying about 300 over. I didn't come in high enough so I retreated to the RH ridge again and made one more pass at the AF but I was still too low.

About forty minutes into the flight RF joined me on the RH spine where we shared thermals for a while. I got a close up look at the Sport in action. It looks very solid in the air and the designed in deflection of the center cell on tight turns is easy to see.

I love flying the Mistral 2; it feels like my old Arcus, but less twitchy. It is probably the most active of the gliders I have flown recently, and takes more concentration than my Matrix, but it is a joy to bank the Mistral into a turn. I feel more able to make mid turn corrections on this glider than any other glider I have flown.

Ron reported that the Sport turns well, even better than the M-2, hard to believe, and he says it is more solid in the air, but less active than the M-2.

Most of the lift was 200 to 500 fpm with a few stronger cores.

By the time Dan launched conditions were weakening, but it was a treat to see him fly by in the S-5, it is beautiful, as is the Sport.