Digifly New for Jan 2010

New Digifly Leonardo Plus GPS – Vario £384.00
The Leonardo Plus is a new low-cost combined GPS - vario unit for non-competition hang glider and paraglider pilots. It has all the safety and flight evaluation benefits of a combined GPS - vario, but the Leonardo Plus software does not have the waypoint-task management option required for competition use. However, it can easily be upgraded by the customer by purchasing the software from Digifly for Euro 80.
Availability: Jan 2010.

Despite the return to 17% VAT on the 1st Jan 2010, We are likely to keep our prices slightly lower due to the improved £/€ currency rates & a recent restructuring of prices by Digifly in Italy.

Other Digifly News
The Digifly Cartesio Pro BT model has now been discontinued.

Flight Equipment / Accessories from Ava Sport

Click on picture to enlarge.

Ava Sport has a 'nifty' range of ancillary flight equipment. (Have a specific instrument which needs protecting just give us the model or instrument dimensions and Ava will make it).They also produce some general travel accessories to suit the Après pilot.

Golden 3 28 now certified!

Just received the news that Gradient's Golden3 size 28 has successfully passed EN-B certification ! Sizes 24, 26 and 30 will follow soon.
After a worldwide success of the predecessor model Golden2 Gradient's new intermediate glider Golden3 comes up with certification EN-B, LTF 1-2. The glider will be available in five sizes (22-30). So, the whole weight range of pilots is covered.

The Golden3 is a completely new development that has risen from the final comparison of different prototypes. Concerning the Golden3's handling -the Design and Test-Team's target was to achieve a sensitive sportclass characteristic to give maximum feedback to the pilot. So, the pilot will be able to react precisely on air movement and turbulence.

Like all other models from Gradient ; Their wing construction method helps reduce the gliders weight and further improves the wing's flight characteristics in extreme manoeuvres, turbulent air and thermals.

The Golden3 has been designed as direct replacement of Golden2 and in term of pilot skill is not anyhow more demanding to fly. The colourful glider range comes with a new design and has the Gradient-Logo on the upper sail. Gradient will continue to offer a custom colour choices Giving the pilot an opportunity for a personalised combination. (Talk to us for details).

We expect the start of serial production on the beginning of January 2010. So we should see demos in the Uk from the end of January. The other sizes 24,26 and 30 are ready for certification and will be certified as soon as the weather will allow the mandatory test flights. Size 22 is at the moment in stage of final preparations, so will follows shortly.

Gradient 2009 UK XC League Results

Gradient 2009 XC League Results
Congratulations to all participants in this years' UK XC League for making it a record year. In terms of total KM flown, the top three pilots would have won any previous year.
Best place Gradient Pilot was Philip Wallbank in 5th with 576.5km and he also wins a prize for the longest flight on a DHV2 wing, 151km from Eyam Edge on 22nd August on his trusty old Aspen. This was also the 7th best flight of the year! Julian Robinson was 6th with 554.4km and Ian Miskin 9th with 548.2km on their XC2's. Judith Mole was 3rd best Woman with 270.9km on her Aspen 2.
Gradient continue to be the most popular brand amongst xc pilots in the UK

In the Local Club Leagues:

Cumbrian League: Burkitt Rudd Avax SR8 2nd, Ben Keayes Avax XC 3rd.
Pennine League: Philip Wallbank Aspen1 1st.
SHPF League: Julian Robinson Avax XC2 1st, David Thomson Avax XC2 2nd, Ian Miskin Avax XC2 3rd.
Northumbria League: Chris Foster Avax XC2 2nd, Jim Bittlestone Golden 2 1st in the 1/2 class and 4th overall (not too bad for his first season).
Avon League: Martin Nichols Aspen 2 3rd.
Gap League: Mark Jones Avax XC2 2nd.
Wessex League: Paul Hawkins Aspen 2 1st, Gary Puhl Aspen 2 2nd, Shamus Pitts Golden 2 3rd.

Thanks to Richard Westgate for providing this analysis

Ondřej testing in De Aar

Ondřej Dupal has returned once again to one of his favourite winter testing locations, De Aar. With him, he has Gradient’s expected replacement to the highly successful Avax XC2. The design brief for this replacement is a new high-end wing that’s resolutely targeted within the EN D category. We are anticipating a very high performance serial racer to take on the best of the rest in this hotly contested category, combined with all that ‘sweetness’ in both handling and feedback which has become a trade-mark for Gradient.

Photo credit - Triantafyollos Gkikopoulos

News has recently been supplied to me that Ondřej is very pleased with performance tests of the proto XC3's. Though, it is not yet clear which of the two protos they have with them is proving to be the 'sweetest' performer. What is known is the Gradient team has two protos with diffferent aspect ratio one of 6.5 and the other 6.8. However news about line consumption / layout etc is still a mystery.

Looking ahead, this wing should be ready for certification, in the early part of 2010.

Here's a couple of links to recent flights by Ondřej on the likely Xc2 replacement.

http://www.xcontest.org/world/en/flights/detail:ondrejjd/14.11.2009/11:01

http://www.xcontest.org/world/en/flights/detail:ondrejjd/17.11.2009/10:30

Ava Sport X Alps Harness - A Pilot's Review

Brendan Reid has flown with the X Alps harness throughout the 09 season; though this harness was not new when he bought it (the previous owner is contemplating getting another as he now regrets selling it). Brendan has provided an honest account of this harness strengths and weaknesses that we thought we should share.

Straps and Buckles
1) legs/chest straps are the old pass through buckle type. I got these replaced by Supair light buckles but this turned out to be pricier than expected. the originals are a bit fiddly especially if cold or with gloves etc. I have used other pass through type buckles that were easier. (Kitt added- Ava now supply this harness with either austrialpin buckles or the slightly lighterweight charly buckles - the click buckles with one red button in the middle).
2) Strap layout is a separate strap for each leg and one for the waist. There is no safe-t-bar. I think that's fine and in keeping with the "light" target market.

Pod Stuff
1) As with any lightweight pod it isn’t as sleek as a true comp harness but its pretty good. Must be a fair bit better than Altirando xp even with the windsock as this has an airbag bump under your bum
2) Pod is made of light nylon rather than heavy neoprene - it will flap a bit if you don't have your legs extended to keep the shape right but normally is very clean and stable
3) It does a great job in cold weather at keeping you warm (tested up to 6500m )

Weight-shift and comfort
1) when you first sit in it you think hmmnn this is a bit wierd as your bum seems to be off the back of the seat-board but after a few flights this feels ok and works quite well for weight-shift. I would say quite a bit more weight-shifty than a WV x-rated 4 (quite a stable full race pod harness) and less than my old Supair Vamp (a very weight-shifty comp harness with stirrup from 2003 or so). I sat in a Supair altirando xp 2009 version recently (didn't fly it) and it seemed very comfy but very high hang points (poor weight-shift?)
2) Comfort is such an individual thing I hesitate to comment on it here but i am 1.75m and 75kg and multi-hour flights are fine for me and it’s actually better for me than the WV (which I didn't really like).

Durability
1) Overall harness durability is good
2) The harness is designed to be flown either with or without pod
3) The pod is light and is the flimsiest piece but stands up to abuse quite well
4) The pod footplate is supposed to velcro around the stirrup as part of the fly with or fly without pod. Some of the velcro gives up after a while and I sewed it in place. It has now come apart again so will need to sew again. Sewing it up means no hassles with the footplate moving around at the start of your flight but means you cannot detach the pod without undoing your sewing job (not a problem for me).

Safety
1) Reserve handle is at the limit of distance you want it from you.... you wouldn’t want it further away and trying to get it during high g's
2) The mousse airbag supplied with my harness is about 10cm and not worth much. (Kitt added - this has since been updated, the harness now comes with a slightly bigger volume 15cm mousse Airbag). There is considerable space in the harness and have no doubt I could fit a bigger one..... or bivvy kit.... or ballast
3) The pod attaches in a bit of a weird way underneath the harness close to the cloverleaf under-seat reserve. It took some time to get my head round it!

Angle of dangle and performance
1) I have it set up to have my body semi-upright
2) Leg angle of dangle should probably be down a bit for best aero performance but that’s not my biggest concern
3) The harness geometry slides when you apply speed bar (rotating your body back to a more reclined position) and works well but not as well as dedicated race harnesses. If you are a comp pilot on speed bar 50% of time then this would probably get to you.

Other minor stuff
1) The container for the rucksack at the back of the harness in flight is slightly on the small side. Rucksack (gradient) plus some spare clothes plus some water plus is all a bit of a squeeze.... but the zip seems good quality
2) There are lots of nice touches e.g. the Velcro on straps which prevent buckle slippage are very effective - this can make in air adjustments more tricky though
3) You can either do up all the pod straps before you take off (slightly harder to get your legs in and you might need to reach down with one hand to get the first foot in) or leave 2 straps free (easy to get legs in) and then do two plastic clips (needs 2 hands) up in the air.

Overall, I think it’s a good harness (not perfect) and a pretty fair compromise which is after all what it sets out to do.

Thanks Bren for a very honest review.

The harness currently retails for £520 and we get them in on a made to order basis, which means there is a 3 week lag to anyone’s confirmed order.

The Golden 3 is coming!

Gradient's Director and Chief Test Pilot,Ondrej Dupal has just released this photo of the all new Golden 3. Gradient aim to start putting the Golden 3 through the certification process within the next month starting with the size 28.

We have yet to get all the info about this new model, but we are lead to believe it will be faster on trim, slightly more damped but with, according to Ondrej, "perfect turning".

What's certain, is it will supercede the very popular Golden 2 which certainly has been a real success within the area in which we serve; with many of our 'newer pilots' having chosen this wing, they have found themselves with a near perfect flying partner, which have regularly taken them to the 'top-of-the-stack' above their local sites; instilling confidence and opening up great new vistas for them. One delighted customer, said to me recently "I'm really enjoying mine, 4th in our local league, soon to be 3rd and winning our new 1-2 comp by 35km so far! Amazing in my first year too".

With Gradient's impressive track record in producing exceptional, class winning models. It is going to be a much easier decision this Christmas as to what to place on this years 'Dear Santa Letter' !

Golden3's launching at St Hilaire Sept 2009