Mr Ernst Strobl is the chief designer and founder
of U-Turn and has been designing gliders and was a competition pilot
since the first paragliders emerged !
Ziad: Hi Ernst, can i ask you a few questions regarding U-Turn new gliders for 2017 ?
[Ernst: ] Hello Ziad,
For 2017 we have:
Motor Glider:
– PYLO , competition motor race glider.
(Technical Data and video attached below )
– PROGRESS ,
intermediate motor glider, technical Data in the email. Very easy start
and landing, good performance and efficiency with engine! Awesome
handling 🙂 . The glider is make for right after the School…
– Close to finish is a small Tandem Hike and Fly, 120-175kg Start weight, EN/LTF-B, 4,85kg. We don’t have a name in the moment 🙁
A good name for that wing… ? 🙂 , yesterday we have past Shock & Load test with DHV.
Ziad: Sure ! I hope we will also get some pretty names from the guys on the forum ! 🙂
What can you tell us please about the Blacklight 2 ?
[Ernst: ] Long story… a lot of prototypes, finally we decide to go for a middle EN-B with the flying characteristic.
We have done a parallel testing with an high B, aspect ratio 6.0 and the
middle B with 5.65. Finally the performance of the high B was not that
much more in comparison with the flying characteristic to the Mid. B …
so we decide for the more easy flying!
But we have get a lot of knowledge with shark nose… so this was our base for the next step… :- ) …
Ziad: Any new gliders in the C category?
If so, can you please elaborate a bit on what to expect ? High aspect ratio C? or moderate C for B pilots upgrading?
[Ernst: ] Finally the final sample we plan to use for certification is in production.. In 3 weeks I can tell you more.
Passion 2 project, Certification High-C, aspect ratio 6.8, Performance
Top of the C range and will go deeply in the D-Performance… the results
of our tests so far
😉 …
Ziad: What’s your opinion about having lots of cells for a glider in the low B category. Ex: NOVA Phantom.
[Ernst: ] The glider have a good flying characteristic, easy to start,
very good performance in this segment, for me the handling can be
better… Personally I’m not sure if this is the way… this concept works
only with the very light material, we know all how expensive the
material is and how long it will stay stable… so what is when the glider
is 2-3 years old, how much the pilots will pay for this used gliders…
so it can be a big lost in 2-3 years, very hard to say how the market
will act on those concepts.
Ziad: You have been designing wings for a very long time. Do you think
there’s lots of potential for improving safety and performance? Are we
waiting for better materials? Cloth?lines? or new concepts?
[Ernst: ] my competition glider from 1994 have the same performance as
an Emotion 3, EN-A, So I think it will go continues forward with
performance and safety, a part will be new materials, new concepts, the
race is still not at the end… as you can see in the latest development
in the competition scene… Impressive to see what Ozone is doing there.
Ziad: Thank you Ernst !!
Cheers,
Ziad
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9VHRttA9U4
