Lambada test flight

[Flying Lobster]

I finally got a test flight on a new Lambada I received recently.

I haven't flown Apco wings very much in the past few years--but ironically, this winter, I dragged a 5-year old beater Allegra out of the cellar and went to our training hill for what I thought would be a messy sled in 3 ft of melting snow. Instead, I managed to hook a mid-winter thermal on a stable day and climbed to 3500 ft and ended up 4.5 miles away. As far as I know, nobody--hang or para--has ever done this before at this site.

So when I went looking for a new 2 that would be a little more confidence-inspiring than my Summit 2, I thought maybe it was time to give Apco another look, so in comes the Lambada.

What follows is merely my impression based on a single test flight today, so if that isn't suitable you may wish to skip this. I also have not independently verified anything--so these are just my opinions and speculations.

Line and riser arrangement continues the somewhat peculiar tradition of Apco wings of less is more. There are only three risers, including a split A and what appears to be a split B. The consequence of this is presumably less parasitic drag due to fewer lines. It also means no double A and C reverses, which is my habit. My impression is that the lines are somewhat longer, which I ssume helps give the glider a flatter aspect overhead.

Launches don't seem to be remarkable either way--though I believe that it takes a little longer for the glider to come over the top simply due to the line configuration. This shouldn't be a problem except for very short launches (many of which are here in Maine).

But once airborn the glider really shines!

I launched in the morning just as popcorn narrow thermals started kicking off, though not big enough yet to core and go up.

The Lambada is one fast glider, yet is quite agile. The glider is very responsive to weight shift and coordination of the turns is virtually effortless. Turns are also very flat with no apparent tendency to sink into the turn. The energy is carried very well--I pitched up and down while scratching close in and never did I feel any spooky unloading of pressure that presages a possible collapse. I don't know if it was truly because of the HIT valves, but it sure is nice to have that reassuring stability reminiscent of a 1-2 and yet leading-edge performance for a 2. In short--the glider felt and handled the way I've idealized a glider should.

When teaching winds down in the fall I look forward to many fun flights on this remarkable wing. Give it a try--I think you will like it too.

Marc