Author: Ziad Bassil

Hello, Some news … I have made lots of video interviews with the manufacturers, so you can hear your answers directly from them. Here is some small infos before the videos are finished….Much more details… -Triton 2,it needs more time to work on it. Not yet any date… -Mentor 3 Light will be available to the market in Sept /October… -Nova don’t have at the moment a Factor 2 replacement. Some other options could be better as may be a ‘C’ triton 2… -Nova will may be try to make a tandem based on the M3. -Advance is focusing on…

The new Website : www.dustoftheuniverse.com has been launched. The information are still in process of getting uploaded. The Blog www.ziadbassil.blogspot.com will still be working in parallel.

Sky Atis 4 The story : Unfolding the glider on the take off, my eyebrows were lifted and i was confused by SKY decision to make a high end B glider with four risers and sheathed lines everywhere. After some adjustment on the brake lengths as they were a bit long to my taste, i took off in a breeze.The Atis 4 is relatively a light glider and this is shown positively on its light take off. Today we flew in our Cedars spot, west take off the at 2400 m . The Atis 4 is not a dampened glider in…

Hi, I was working on a new website that will enable any pilot to get all the data very quickly. Every glider is linked with videos and pictures and a new interesting very informative option 😉 Release period is very imminent. August 2013….

To review a glider that has won the X-Alps with three places at the top, is an embarrassing task, but this review will enable pilots all over the world to understand better what they would have to expect. The LM5 has 3.5 kg with normal risers, as it is built with very light cloth all over except the 25 cm on the leading edge that extend to the extremities, where presumably the pressure is at its max, it has a much more heavier cloths. In the air : Flying the gliders there will immediately reveal their character. What did i feel…

Like always, ADVANCE products have a nice unwrapping pleasure. I still remember the E 6 when I tested it years ago, and I was keen to find out the new E7 as ADVANCE has changed its designer, and I was curious for that new product. Launching: In the air: The E 7 inspires confidence immediately after take off. It has a very taut feeling like a very solid piece of concrete. I flew that glider in some difficult and turbulent conditions to conclude that the confidence inspiring feeling is very strong! Turning ability in thermals is very nice as the…

Being in Saint Hilaire festival in 2012 I passed by the NIVIUK stand. There was a Peak 3 picture on the wall and after asking when it will be released there was no answer … I moved on, thinking it must worth the wait, as NIVIUK seems developing a nice D glider. Here is what I found flying the size 23 at different loadings from 90 to 95 all up: In nil wind the Peak 3 needs a steady pull. It is a bit slow to reach overhead .In strong wind it launches perfectly without any tendency to shoot forward.…

It has been a long time I have flown a SWING glider. The M7 S is now available and I flew it from 88 to 92 all up. The Mistral 7 has 7 lines /side, a nose shark profile, unsheathed lines at the top, with very minimalistic layout. In the air: Once airborne, the pilot will immediately feel the high trim speed for a B glider even if flown at mid weight. It has a trim speed of 39.5 km/h at 88 all up. The pilot must let the M7 S with its energy, slip though, then control the pitch…

–> UP Kantega XC2 S (70-90) My favorite glider in 2012 was the Trango XC2 .I really liked that glider ability to fly efficiently. I was waiting for Franta’s new creation the Kantega XC2. And since I can be min at 90 all up I preferred to get the S size for a test flight. Launching is easy …even if there’s a little wind it can inflate without touching the brakes… In the air at max load on the S size, I could sense a low trim speed that was confirmed afterward by flying next to gliders in the same…

On the 23rd I was on our flying site ‘Mezyara’ flying a Mentor 3 with superb XC conditions… I landed switched glider and harness to be at 91 all up at the Atlas S and here I am airborne. I have test flew 2 years ago the Sprint Evo,and the Atlas was something very different in a much more positive way… It has been ages since I found that crispy, direct ,linear handling on a B glider! I was flying next to my friend on the Chili 3 S at 98 all up, and we did some long XC flights…