Dust Of The Universe

Skywalk Chili 5 size XS 75-95 After the excellent Chili 4, Skywalk released the Chili 5 for 2021-2022 and perhaps a little more. One of my favorite gliders at the time in the B category was the Chili 4. It had a wonderful brake authority, climbs beautifully, and has one of the best glide angles for the category, and is still very competitive. Some pilots reported that the extra movements in the air were too much for them, and some appreciated each moment. Always a matter of taste. Let's begin with the construction which shows very clean work. Skywalk uses a mix of TX-Light and Dominico 30 DMF. The jet flaps are of course still present on the Chili 5, 3D shaping, shark nose, and all the new features of a modern B class paraglider. The risers have a C steering speed control that allows the pilot to stay on the bar while limiting the pitch movements.  So, what’s the Chili 5 have to offer? Let's see… Launching the Chili 5 XS at 93 all up with my good old X -rated 6 harness is very ...

Rush 6 MS 75-95 And here it is…The new Ozone Rush 6 EN-B for 2022-23.   In my mind, I was thinking that to beat the Rush 5 would be a super difficult job for Ozone. My test conclusion of the Rush 5 was the best EN-B ever made, and it was clear to all the pilots in the world after the two years cycles. Will Rush 6 beat the Rush 5 in all qualities? … let's see… The take-off at 93 all up with my X-rated 6 harness seems much better than the Rush 5 which was a bit slow to inflate. The Rush 6 with those small leading-edge openings, inflates much better in little air. Lighter materials enable the gliders to launch better, like the Explorer 2 for example And I think the future Swift 6 will have an even more enhanced launching as the Explorer2. But for a normal B glider, no more complaints about the launching characteristics. Checked! In the air, the Rush 6 is a bit faster at trim than the Rush 5 and for sure at the second bar which we will talk about later on. The brake travel at my w...

MacPara Elan 3  24. (75-95) The new C for 2021 from MacPara has arrived. Having flown both earlier versions, I was excited to test fly their latest release.  Shark nose, The Elan 3 is manufactured using the excellent lightweight materials from Porcher Sport. Skytex 38, Skytex 32 and Skytex 27.   The lines are made from Edelrid, Aramid Kevlar for the upper lines, PPSL lines for the lower lines. The construction and details are superb. The risers have a connection between the B and the C for efficient C steering.  Launching the Elan 3 at 93 all up is smooth and easy. The Elan 3 rises effortlessly without any hard point even in nil wind. If the Delta 4 is sometimes slow to launch, the Elan 3 like the Allegro is easier to inflate.  Flying with my X-rated 6 at 93,94 all up, the Elan 3 seems fast at trim. Similar to a Bonanza 2 in trim speed and 1-2 km/h faster at top speed.  I flew the Elan 3 in different conditions, from a strong day in the Cedars spo...

XC Pen Flying XC or even local, for a long period of time i always had some issues when I needed to get in touch with my smartphone. On my Samsung Note, I needed to get the pen out and stick it with a cord in order to be able to touch the Samsung screen for usage. That was really a hassle as the phone always sends a note if the pen is attached, and beside the long pen would not sit properly in the front cockpit and require a hole to stabilize it. And it was slippery with the gloves. I never thought about an optional idea until I received Mathias's email! Mathias Weil mathias@weilthing.com www.xc-pen.com Like many pilots in the world, Mathias needed a tool to reach his smart tablets in the air, and the idea came to create the XC pen!  A small device that is made especially for flying. The XC pen is small, has its own sleeve, that it’s attached to the cockpit by velcro, and …it worked like a charm on every tablet, and smartphone. Besides using the XC pen for managing XC courses, and ...