As usual unfolding an ADVANCE glider has been for me a revelation.May be because they are more expensive than others 😉 ,but for sure the quality and the neat details are a step above the competition still.
Test:
OMEGA 8 +Impress 2 harness.Total weight 93 kg
Launching:
That ‘s one strong point of the Omega 8.It launches perfectly,showing a very good behavior when kiting the glider.Even in low wind the glider rises perfectly without any strange movements.
Turning &Handling :
For an aspect of 6.8 the OMEGA 8 has a moderate brake pressure,and a very good turning behavior ,if helped by the pilot in keeping the forward speed and leaning in the harness.It can really turn very tight .Much better turning than the GTO M. More homogeneous ,linear and precise. Exquisite !!Even in strong cores the ability to turn becomes even better! very nice glider to handle! A bliss in this category !
Feeling in the air:
Comparing the feeling in the air between GTO M and OMEGA 8 25, goes in favor of the OMEGA 8.
It is easy and predictable with comfort to the pilot below !
The stall point of the GTO M is early on the hips and the glider became unstable.The stall point on the Omega 8 is more lower and accept without any nasty surprises the low speed approaches or the sudden changes in directions.Both are dampened and both climb fast with pitch stability,but i felt that the OMEGA 8 is more balanced and has more friendly user ability + the precise brakes won my heart.
Big ears:
The OMEGA 8 25 can do big ears (finally) and are 80 % stable .The weight shift on the harness become more responsive .
Accelerator:
Very light,like butter,very efficient and the glider is on rails.
CLIMB RATE(in weak thermals):
Loaded at 93 all up,the OMEGA 8 25 suffers a little in very (very) weak conditions (0.2m/s) thermals,vs the GTO M loaded at 100 kg and a VENUS 2 M loaded at 102 kg.The OMEGA 8 25 is a little lazy in climbing in those weak thermals.
CLIMB RATE (in strong thermals):
The OMEGA 8 climbs very beautifully,like a spring.It has to do with the aspect ratio of those gliders USPORT, GTO, OMEGA 8,that they climb quickly upward.But i have noticed that the OMEGA 8 is a competition glider with excellent glide rather than a floater with excellent climb .The GTO M is more of a floater than the OMEGA 8 25.
PERFORMANCE:
At trim speed ,the Omega 8 is similar to the Peak ,GTO M. At first bar,it has very good glide with a stable profile and very easy and manageable speed bar.May be the GTO M has the edge but i think they are very close with a difference of ± 0.1 in glide at 46 km/h .
8 Comments
What's your recommendation for first enD wing?
I think between boomGTO vs omega8. I flew a few hours on omega8, and i felt very good, but GIN's dealer in my country haven't boom test wings, and I can not personally compare. So what you tell about?
Hello Maciek,
Please read my review.It is still not finished,but I personally liked the overall feeling of the OMEGA 8 25.
I'm so curios about the diferences between Peak2, O8 and XC3, because the high diference in area of Peak2-22 of 22m2 (equal to XC3 24 of 22.4m2)and O8 of 24.5m2, so the load wing is higher on the Peak2-22 (4,1kg/m2 at 90kg) which means probably more speed, less glide, more active flying, more internal pressure. On the other hand, O8-25 has 3.6kg/m2, and according your test, the climb in weak condition is not good.
So, if the O8 has problems in weak condition, is probably that Peak2-22 will be worst.
I hope that you give us your impressions about Peak2 and compares with O8 and XC3. Thanks in advance.
Hi Trisol,
Please don't look at numbers and loads,because if you see the Small R-10 climb in the weakest climb ,you will understand that numbers don't mean much..It has to do with different criteria…wing design…I am currently also flying the PEAK 2-24@ 95(recommanded by NIVIUK) and will surely write a review about the differences,in the air.It will be a complete test bettween GTO,PEAK 2 and OMEGA 8. But i need more time with better flying conditions.
Cheers,
Ziad.
Any chance for test with Gradient Avax XC 3?
Cheers
Major
Hi Major,
Sorry ,it is difficult to find one near…
Hey.
I See you have flown both the Sigma7 (my current wing) and the Omega 8.
What do you say is the biggest different bethween the gliders.
I feel I master my S7 well and would like to try an En-D Wing.
Do the O8 need more pilot input than the S7?
Do you recomment the O8 as an step up from the C category?
-Thansk for at very good blogg.
Hi,
Thank you,
The O 8 would move a bit more in the air ,than the Sigma 7.
Yes it is one of the EN-D's that could be a step up from an EN-C glider.
Cheers,
Ziad.