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By timmay
#284848
FMAN wrote:A WillsWing Falcon 3 is your best option for you and many others. The design has been around for quite a while and has changed minimally. It's very durable and easy to repair and tune.

With the current exchange rate the Falcon 3 will probably be cheaper also, no?
seedwings funky is just as good, just not american. and cheaper, probably.
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By FlyLikeARock
#284862
Wolf Schneider was my instructor too. He was really great! Tell him Craig Stanley says hi (not sure if he remembers me)
By over50
#284918
FlyLikeARock wrote:Wolf Schneider was my instructor too. He was really great!
Wolf Schneider IS great. He is one of the last few instructors in germany.

Last year 78 People got the A-license for HG in germany and about 1700 for PG! So Instructors and Manufacturers/Dealers of HG only can live, if they also do the PG-Thing; and most of them gave up, sometimes because of money.

Very few people, and Wolf is one of the remaining, look optimistic on HG. That's very positive for the beginner and not only for them. You can feel his enthusiasm for HG each time, you are on the trainig hill in in Penzberg (south of Bavaria, near Munic, where he lives).

May be, he won't remember you, in more than thirty years he got a lot of us, but I will try.

Johannes
By over50
#284924
Hello Craig,

nice film! (It shows - six years later - also almost my reality.)

Nice flight - not seen you, taking back the firebird uphill again on therefore socalled "Straflager Penzberg".

Thank you.

Johannes
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By psuguru
#285086
over50 wrote:
psuguru wrote:I'm happy with my Malibu but it IS quite slow, which is a nuisance on UK sites... it's almost too windy for the Malibu.
Hallo psuguru,

may I ask you, how much you weigh? I weigh 72 kg, and I was told, for example, a RX L would be too big for me in our windy alps. It is about the same 17,5 qm as the malibu 188 has. I should take the M one therefore (with 15,95 qm), although I love the videos from the malibu 188, because it IS so slow.

Johannes
Fully booted and spurred, I weigh 102kG.
72kG is too light for the Malibu 188.
There's nothing "wrong" with the Perfex. It's just that I've seen a club member who has one and it's a pain to rig as compared to more modern gliders that aren't designed to go into a small handbag. I'm particularly referencing the noseclip that seems to be a unique design and generally has my clubmate asking to be rescued from under the glider.

Flying slow doesn't necessarily mean you contact the ground any slower.
I'm not happy to fly mine in winds over 32kph because of ground handling. Also the glider just hangs there without the ability to go anywhere whereas something that's only a few kph faster has the ability to roam up and down the ridge.
http://hangies.co.uk/videos/view/mendle ... v_594.html shows a video of a towed Malibu flight. You can see that the landing speed could be quite high if you get it wrong, so you shouldn't choose a glider simply because it's slow.
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By Dontsink
#285131
psuguru wrote:
over50 wrote:
psuguru wrote:I'm happy with my Malibu but it IS quite slow, which is a nuisance on UK sites... it's almost too windy for the Malibu.
Hallo psuguru,

may I ask you, how much you weigh? I weigh 72 kg, and I was told, for example, a RX L would be too big for me in our windy alps. It is about the same 17,5 qm as the malibu 188 has. I should take the M one therefore (with 15,95 qm), although I love the videos from the malibu 188, because it IS so slow.

Johannes
There's nothing "wrong" with the Perfex. It's just that I've seen a club member who has one and it's a pain to rig as compared to more modern gliders that aren't designed to go into a small handbag. I'm particularly referencing the noseclip that seems to be a unique design and generally has my clubmate asking to be rescued from under the glider.
I haven't got the glider yet and i have not been able to find a manual for the Perfex.Maybe you can explain a bit about that noseclip issue?.Is it a problem just when rigging flat or always?.
Thanks for the info.
By over50
#285135
psuguru wrote: 72kG is too light for the Malibu 188.
slow doesn't necessarily mean you contact the ground any slower.

http://hangies.co.uk/videos/view/mendle ... v_594.html shows a video of a towed Malibu flight. You can see that the landing speed could be quite high if you get it wrong, so you shouldn't choose a glider simply because it's slow.
.. what forums like this are for:

... to avoid the biggest mistakes.

I have developed from Malibu 188 fo FOX or RX 2 M over weeks, and I didn't buy the wrong for me.

Nothing frustrating, helpful advices ... .

Thank you!

Johannes
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By psuguru
#285184
Dontsink wrote: I haven't got the glider yet and i have not been able to find a manual for the Perfex.Maybe you can explain a bit about that noseclip issue?.Is it a problem just when rigging flat or always?.
Thanks for the info.
The Finsterwalder gliders are quite old in design now and they were designed for a particular market: people who want to climb big hills with a glider on their backs.

I'm no expert on the Funfex and the Perfex, but I have been close to people who are rigging them and flying them. There is something about the way the control frame is rigged and the design of the noseclip that prevents them being erected easily on the ground when flat-rigging. The noseclip is some sort of bent metal curvy thing that's very fiddly.
All I can suggest is that if you are keen on one of these designs that you rig it and fly it before you buy.
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By Dontsink
#285193
psuguru wrote:
Dontsink wrote: I haven't got the glider yet and i have not been able to find a manual for the Perfex.Maybe you can explain a bit about that noseclip issue?.Is it a problem just when rigging flat or always?.
Thanks for the info.
The Finsterwalder gliders are quite old in design now and they were designed for a particular market: people who want to climb big hills with a glider on their backs.

I'm no expert on the Funfex and the Perfex, but I have been close to people who are rigging them and flying them. There is something about the way the control frame is rigged and the design of the noseclip that prevents them being erected easily on the ground when flat-rigging. The noseclip is some sort of bent metal curvy thing that's very fiddly.
All I can suggest is that if you are keen on one of these designs that you rig it and fly it before you buy.
Well,i guess you could fly&hike a Perfex but it wouldn't be a lot of fun...around 30kg (glider harness flight gear) on your back is too much,i've hiked with that weight in the military service and it sucked.And i was 16 years younger and fitter then.
I think the fex shortpack concept is oriented more towards cable cars,trains,skilifts,easy transport and storage than hiking.
I wish the "try before you buy" idea was workable in reality,would you let me fly your Malibu if i asked nicely?.Don't run!!!. :)
I almost drove 400km to see and touch(not fly..) a Perfex before ordering but the weather was good for flying the PG at home so i didn't...i did contact some Perfex pilots through email and asked them for an opinion on their gliders,warts and all.
The glider has defects,all of them do.But the general vibe was very,very positive so i pulled the trigger.Must be almost ready to ship by now.
Thanks a lot for the info on the noseclip,when i get my wing and finish the altitude flights i'll try to post a review here with pics,video etc...
By bobknop
#285270
Hi , the noseclip on a fex is not as tricky, once you know the trick.After a few times you can do it just by feel.(just stick your hand inside the sail)
Also, if you take off the outerleading edges,you have aa semi shortpack and
can leave all hardware attached.(five minutes work)
I use a special mountain pg harnas which weighs only 1.5 kg (excluding chute)
Regards Bob.
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By psuguru
#285563
Check out the "Fly" from Avian
http://www.facebook.com/AvianHangGliders
The frame is from the Rio2 and comes with a VG option.
The quality is just superb, and there's an introductory offer of ~10% off.
But frankly, many people use the Rio2 as their first glider although it's probably higher performing than the Sport2 so the Americans will throw a hissy fit at that....but it's true I tell you.
@Don'tsink Actually I've let plenty of people fly my Malibu.
It's very easy to fly, so there's little danger of them bending it. but it's always loaned using the normal rules of lending:- You bend it, you mend it.
By over50
#285682
psuguru wrote:.
The quality is just superb.
I'm sure: These would be great gliders, Avian is building. But I can't see someone importing them to germany; and - what is most important presently, there is no DHV-certificate. But they seem similar sophisticated as the american freedom - which we can't get here too.

Btw: Yeserday I coud get training at Penzberg; seems to me now: much more important than the perfect HG must be the "perfect" pilot, and me is not! Many mistakes, less strength to handle - absolute beginner, still! But I keep on trying.
I wouldn't get better, if I gave it up, would I?

Johannes
By blindrodie
#285739
I wouldn't get better, if I gave it up, would I?
No you would not!

KEEP GOING... :thumbsup:

8)
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By psuguru
#285754
over50 wrote: and - what is most important presently, there is no DHV-certificate.
They do have a BHPA rating.
Doesn't Germany operate a reciprocal ratings system?
In the UK, if you want to be covered by BHPA insurance then the glider needs to have an airworthiness rating from one of the countries on a list.
So, my Malibu is OK because it's DHV listed.
The Falcon 3 is OK because it's USHPA listed
The Rio2 is OK because it's BHPA listed.
etc
Otherwise you need to fly with a test-pilot rating.....or you're not covered by insurance.

As for importing them into Europe.....err the UK is in Europe. Sadly, you'd be paying 20% VAT. But DPD or DHL would have a glider to you in 2 days and you can order it direct off a web-site : http://shop.airways-airsports.com/hang- ... lider.html
What could be easier?
regards,
Carole
PS, I'm not being paid by Avian,...... honestly.
By over50
#285758
psuguru wrote: They do have a BHPA rating.
Doesn't Germany operate a reciprocal ratings system?
... it's DHV listed.
The Falcon 3 is OK because it's USHPA listed
The Rio2 is OK because it's BHPA listed.
....err the UK is in Europe. ... would have a glider to you in 2 days and you can order it direct off a web-site : http://shop.airways-airsports.com/hang- ... lider.html

PS, I'm not being paid by Avian,...... honestly.
Good afternoon, Carole!

germany seems to be something special - up to now: there is actually a discussion over many pages on german "gleitschirm und drachen forum" about certification, even a frustrated "resolution" against our famous DHV: especially competitive pilots have many problems, if they fly with HGs without DHV-certification, exactly the same with the insurances, it' s awful, you can guess.

Importing may be possible; but who would do the maintainance every 2 years - here in gemany?

Indeed, the avian rio 2 could become a dream to me in about one or two years, the "15" qm is light and has a good ratio 1:11, and it seems to be built by very high ambitions - bit more exact than the comparable seedwings space (which certainly has "DHV 1-2") and modern compared to the old but good finsterwalder funfex S, which you still can purchase (DHV 2) .

Who knows, we have a "better" europe in one or two years, could we?

I believe, you are no avian dealer, indeed. - You too simply want the best!

Johannes
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By psuguru
#285759
Most schools and dealers can service a glider for you unless it's something very special....and the Rio and Fly aren't. They use Charly-Finsterwalder downtubes and standard airframe nuts and bolts.

The certification is a killer though.

Dream On, Johannes!
By over50
#285762
Yesterday afternoon I found a pilot on DHV-XC- rating with the ultra-old finsterwalder funfex s, a few days before staying in the air with it for 4:28 hrs and reaching a height of 3784 meters, almost unbelievable.

In the other mentioned german HG forum elder pilots tell, they made their first flights with it; nowadys schools don't accept the funfex because of its rating (only "DHV 1-2" is legal now) and really hat it because of it's sometimes complicated landing behavior, you can watch on youtube.

But it's impressive, that a design, made in 1986, is so remarcable nowadys (and don't we forget: 24 kg, 16 qm, double surface, no VG ... )

Johannes
By bobknop
#285764
...And the funfex can be ordered in supine configuration for the same price!
regards Bob
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By soaring
#285819
over50 wrote:Importing may be possible; but who would do the maintainance every 2 years - here in gemany?
I wouldn't worry about that. I am sure that Bautek in Germany or Seedwings Europe in Austria will do a 2-year check - also on gliders from other manufactures.
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