| Flight details: | I've had the new tandem rigid Atos VX for 2 months now and finally got a chance for a test flight on Fiday.
Somewhat nervous on launch, I'm way below the lower weight limit and the glider new and unflown, I mentally prepared for an out of control top to bottom if the glider didn't fly right.
No thanks to Zoe sitting next to me on launch as she kept saying "looks good now" when paragliders were obviously scratching. I said as much, she replied "well on that thing ....... you'll definately go up".
After a 10 minute wait I spotted a seagull near Poynings going up like a train, and the PGs were beginning to rise. I took off and turned for the bowl. My God, it works! And I can steer it! Result. Took the seagull's climb to around 1500 and then tried flaps off back forward. Wow it really moves fast. Saw a PG in good air along the Trueleigh ridge so turned toward that and took a climb before the power lines to back over Brighton. Near cloudbase I set off toward Firle. This glider is lovely to fly, super-stable, slow with the flaps on and very fast flaps off. Much better performance than my favorite little Exxtacy.
Took a climb over Ringmer and thought I really should fly a bit longer and not go down and land at the shop again. So I flew back to the Dyke. Passing a couple of PGs on the way. Arrived back at around 1500 over the Dyke so did a super wide victory landing circuit into the back field.
Had my new go-pro camera attached. As I was switching it off the last recorded words are, "f**k, wow, f*ck, fu*k, wow!"
Lovely flight and excellent views. Great test flight. Saw Zoe again as I derigged. Thanks for the veggie pasty. |
