Letter to Terry

I wrote this up for Terry 

Hi Terry,

It's a nice wing it might be a bit too EZ for some guys but I have no complaints.  It is absolutely the easiest launching wing I've ever flown.  I've heard lots of wings discribed as coming up straight and "locking in " overhead but this one really does.  I've tried to get it to overshoot and it just doesn't.  I did away with the A assists after the first couple of flights and am amazed at how little pressure is required on the A's to get a clean inflation.  

I'd recommend it for a beginner ...but there are some rules.  Like, set the trimmers for launch, which is not full closed.  I'd tell em to fly in that setting for the first several flights and don't touch the trimmers.  They could close them for landing but it flares and slows down just fine in the launch mode.  The tip  stearing is nice and light and you can bring it around pretty damn fast.  Some guys may brand it as a beginner wing and  then assume that it will be boring to fly but I've enjoyed it.  Without using a speed bar I've noticed about 8 mph difference from full closed to full open and I can slow it down another 5 mph with some brake.  I don't think I've come close to stall speed yet and I'm not likely to but APCO  claims that full speed with speed bar is 3 times stall speed.  Climb rate is 300 fpm at 3600rpm.  I was expecting a little better glide and I will check it again but it does decend faster than the Eden 3.  I'm guessing 400fpm.  

APCO also says that you can fly with both the tip steer and brake toggles but I think I would have to have longer tip steering lines to do it because the tip steering engages well before the brakes.  This morning I tried landing with both and ended up releasing the tips before touch down because the tips were too sensitive and not in perfect balance with the brakes.  So, I'm working the tips to stay straight but not able to flare deep and even.  Tomorrow I'll see what it's like to "carve it up" at altitude with both toggles.

I've got probably 10 hours and about the same number of launches so there is still plenty to learn and I'll let you know it's "kinks" when I find them.

I'd love to get with somebody like Chris Santacroce and have him talk me through some maneuvers to see how far you can push it but it's not likely I'll get that opportunity so for now I'll just say I'm happy flying the wing, well inside it's design parameters.

Later

JoeO

(Not proof read, for your reading pleasure)