Sport 2

[jyoder111]

Met Hank at Woodstock today to look over and test-flight a Sport 2 155 which I ended up purchasing from him. After setting it up and getting the hang of the tip wands and all (got one stuck behind the lever and had to unbolt it to get it out), I gave it a look-over and then got on launch. The forecasted 7-10mph never showed, just a tickle of air moving up the slot. After waiting a bit and getting a feel for the glider, I said thanks and cya to Hank and launched for my first mountain flight on a double surface glider!

Being only a sled run, I didn't have a lot of time to get used to how the glider turns and trims out, but I did what I could. Some things I quickly noticed were that the bar position is a little farther forward than on my falcon. This threw me a bit, as it was hard to get a feel for trim when my brain kept telling me the glider was going to stall at that bar position. Maybe it actually is trimmed too slow, as it did seem to porpoise a bit when I let it go to trim. Might have to move the king post forward a setting. I hook in at about 185 lbs. How does that compare to you other Sport 2 155 owners.

Another thing I realized right away was that I couldn't halfass my control inputs. The glider tracks straight and doesn't roll out of turns as readily as the Falcon. Turns are fun! It's awesome how the glider just hangs in the banked turn without much effort.

Last thing: Boy it has a lot more glide! I knew I needed to plan a lower approach than I'm used to on the Falcon, but I still ended up underestimating the glide and sink rate on the basically no-wind day. I overshot and had to land crosswind which wasn't too much of an issue except that it didn't give me time to get completely level and feel the flare window. I ended up on knees and wheels, but it wasn't too violent. Time to go to the training hill and figure out if I need to adjust the hang point and then really get dialed in on the landings. I don't want to flying into a bubbly LZ until I get that sorted out.

Here's the video. Thanks Hank!


Anyone looking to buy a Falcon 3 170??

Jesse

[dbodner]

While you're up high, give it some gas and pull in. My falcon felt like it was on rails with the bar stuffed. My first flight on the S2, I had a hard time not PIO-ing when going fast. It just felt "skatier." It didn't take long to get used to it, but flying your final is not the time to first try flying fast.

And don't forget the energy retention. Ease it out slowly, or you'll pop up.

[heaviek]

Check the trim on a high flight, nowhere near the ground.
Kev

PS. I hook in around 185, I'll test fly it for ya;) (I never turn down a ride on a 1 5 5)

[jyoder111]

Thanks, I might take you up on that offer if I can't figure it out. It might just be the energy retention and the slightly different bar position. I'll read up on how to use the yarn to test the stall speed and use that to figure out if it really is a trim problem next flight.

Jesse

[lbunner]

My guess is that it isn't a stall issue but a new pilot issue. If it is still a concern, I'd have Kev test fly it. He really knows how to tune a glider for optimum performance and control.

[CraginS]

Jesse asked, "Anyone looking to buy a Falcon 3 170??"

Jesse, if you have room to store it, I recommend hanging on to the Falcon. I still have, and use, my original Pulse. It is great to have a lighter, quicker to set up glider for training hill days. When I go to Hyner, I take two gliders. Both go to the top on first trip of the day. After one flight, I grab a body ride with helmet and harness in my lap, and fly the e other down. Makes for very fun and efficient flying days. Kind of nice to have a loaner or backup glider around, too. Works well to have both along on potentially very light wind days, too. There have been light Pulpit days I would prefer to fly the Pulse, rather than the U2.

Several years age, we saw quite a few local pilots go back to their dealers to buy Falcons, to supplement their intermediate or advanced gliders, for similar reasons.

[Dan T]

Early in my flying career I had an almost identical approach and landing as yours. I ran out of field and ended up having to turn to the right and land on the spine with a similar "thunk." One of the pilots in the LZ observed that I was on the downtubes while still high and never really got the bar pulled in to bleed off the altitude.

I noticed that you were on the downtubes before turning onto final. Since you had just transitioned to a higher performing glider you, like me, might have had a subconscious tendency to try to approach and land at the same speed as your previous flight. While you weren't at risk of stalling you were closer to min-sink on this glider than you would have been with a faster approach and therefore used up more field than you would have otherwise.

I don't think it was a particularly big mistake. I'd simply suggest that you stay on the base tube with good speed until you get well into final (but not too close to the ground) then make the transition keeping in mind that this glider's flair window occurs at a little higher speed than the Falcon.

I think tweaking the glider is premature. Try a couple more flights on it first.

Dan

[XCanytime]

Jesse,
Being new to a Sport 2 I have found that the flare of the Sport 2 not much different from the flare of my old Eagle. Since the Sport 2 bleeds energy much slower than your old Falcon, you have to wait a little longer before flaring. And don't worry, just keep taking off and landing as frequently as you can. Soon you'll be able to flare with flair . Bacil