Skywalk Tequila 5
It was obvious when test flying the Tequila (Four) two years ago, i wrote that that low B had some super fine qualities and incredible handling. Many pilots around the world had sent me email’s about their happy experience underneath that glider. Also many reported that for a low B it was a bit handful in strong air especially for fresh pilots coming from an A glider. For sure the Tequila 4 has some incredible flying qualities enabling it to surf quite well in tricky air without loosing on glides.
Then came the Chili 4, which inherited a nice handling (not really as agile as the T4 ! but really nice ) And the overall performance of the Chili 4 is still on the top high B category.
So i think SKYWALK philosophy was to introduce a glider that was more accessible for the low mass pilots.
The Tequila 5 has an excellent construction with sheathed lines on the lower part and unsheathed on the top part next to the sail. The lines ressembles the Chili 4 ones. Only a few slightly more diameters width.
Launching the T5 is easy without any difficulties or hard point.
In the air, i immediately felt a much more comfortable glider over the T4. The movements in roll and pitch are very well dampened. After a few hours it seems that the T5 is easier to fly with less overall movements than a Buzz Z5, an Ion 5 or even the Synphonia. It feels quite dampened in all axes and quite well placed in the mid low B segment for overall usability.
The handling and the way to steer the Tequila 5 has been also adjusted. It doesn’t have the agility of the Tequila 4 which was over the low B category at the time…I miss the T4 beautiful agility…But some low B pilot would welcome at open arms the T5 forgiving handling. It just turn with pilot input and quite obedient in a very polite way 🙂
Flying with another low B gliders, and more mid to high B gliders, i could place well the Tequila 5 is terms of climb and glide.
Climb rate would be fitted in the mid low B category. At 90 all up on the S size the climb rate is quite ok. The nose doesn’t dig like the T4 but, quite nicer as some Low B gliders.
Doing some glides into wind, with some other B gliders, the Tequila 5 has a moderate glide angle that quite fits in the low B segment.
Stepping on the bar at full speed is quite usable in all conditions. It’s a mild ,soft ,very well balanced low B glider.
Ears are stable, reopens on release.
Conclusion: Skywalk has succeeded to fit the Tequila 5 much better in the low B category for a much bigger majority of newcomers. Any fresh pilot would find a nice, well balanced, easy to fly, comfortable low B glider.
This is only my opinion. Make your own !
