For sale Sigma 4

[Stevie G]

Tom G... get intouch with Stevie G

[Steve Watkins]

Andy, I wouldn't get hung up on pilots flying higher etc. I fly an Advance Alpha 3 and often find myself alongside Gaz on his Sigma 6. Sometimes he's above me, other times I'm above him. A lot of it depends on skill in thermalling and lift and if you are more skilled than someone flying a higher spec wing, then probably you will get higher anyway in thermals and experimenting in different lift.

I was going to change my wing this year but I didn't see a need as it goes up in thermals (higher sometimes than others), it flies well and has a good glide, ask Gaz, the other day I was half way down Talybont and made it over the brook and to the far end of the field. Not bad for an overweight chap on a DHV1.

If I was going XC regular and competing in competition then fine I may look at glide ratios and minimum sink. As I fly for fun and leisure, I want to optimize my safety therefore I would not progress to a DHV 2 until I can fly a DHV 1 100% confidently. At this point in time I would consider upgrading to a DHV 1-2 just because its the next progression as my wing is 4 years old now.

Speaking of efficiency, I haven't seen your flying technique but one of my downfalls initially was relying to much on the brakes to turn instead of positive weight shifting. My idea of weight shifting was putting a leg over which may be ok but I have found that leaning my whole body over positively has helped my flying no-end, and I can stay up in thermals/lift better than before when I was losing height quickly by braking to turn.

Just my pennies worth..

[AndyH]

I agree with your last comment regarding getting into rotor Nasher, but it's very frustrating watching a fellow pilot glide along nicely whilst you ARE going down and end up forced into rotor, not fun when you are expecting to clear the rotor too.

[John Nash (Nasher)]

Andy,

Whilst not fully scientific, the website below gives the option of comparing gliders:

http://www.para2000.org/wings/compare.html

Don't get too hung up on the fugures, you will allways fly better on a wing you feel comfortbale on.

Also, any wing is liable to collapse in rotor - the trick is to not get into rotor in the first place!

[AndyH]

Thanks Nasher, I was aware of all the above, the only thing I really need to know is how big is the performance difference between a DHV1 and DHV1/2 regarding glide ratio as I can appreciate that there will be a lot less drag with a Rush compared to a Mojo and thus an improved sink rate, but how much better will it be, have you ever done a hands up glide next a Sigma 6 to compare sink rates with someone who is at approx. the same place as you in the weight range of their wing? Would be interesting to know the outcome if you haven't. 

[John Nash (Nasher)]

Andy,

I'm 72 kg Naked so 92 Kg all up - wing is medium 85 - 105kg so at the bottom.

Generally UK pilots try to fly towards the top of the wieght range - as we tend to fly in stronger wind. In my case the Rush 2 small is rated 70-90 so I would be slightly over.

I have re-produced something from the Ozone website (I hope they don't mind) below:

Size is always a problem, yet it?s quite simple really. Just take your naked weight and add 20kg. This will give you your ?in-flight? weight. Knowing this, you can select the size of glider that puts you closest to the middle of the specified weight range. If you fall on the border of two sizes, then just analyse what type of flying you do and choose accordingly. For example, if you expect to be flying in fairly strong winds quite often, then a little more wing loading could be a good thing to give you more speed, so the smaller size would be better. On the other hand, if you are always flying in weak conditions, the bigger size might be a better choice as it will give you a slightly better sink rate, helping you to climb well. However, if you often fly in strong thermal conditions, you may feel more comfortable on the smaller wing. Don?t get too wound up about this: you will be safe on either of the sizes, so simply buy the one that feels the best to you.

[AndyH]

The XS Mojo2 has a top weight of 70kgs, my weight all up with water and grub is 72/74kgs, if I were to cary out acro's then I believe that to be a good place to be on my wing, but for a hands up glide or weak thermals it's the worst place to be.

After checking out the Ozone website it would seem that the small size Ozone Rush2(which has a min weight of 70kgs) would place me a few kgs in at the bottom end, whereas the XS Rush(which has a max. weight of 75kgs) would place me a few kgs under at the top end, and your a lot heavier than me so I couldn't demo your wing.

Where are you on the weight range of yours Nasher.

[John Nash (Nasher)]

Andy,

What's your naked weight and what is your wing rated for?

[steve lowe]

 I think my rebel is 88~105kg and I am flying all up @ about 97kg.I have been through the same thing as you as my zoom that i flew before was a small glider 75-95kg . I did find myself at a disadvantage in scratchy light lift and had to work harder in thermalls to climb out with other pilots.you will have a higher sink rate,
the effect of flying heavy on the glider will also make it fly faster,which is working against my earlier point of slowing down to turn tighter flatter circles.
also when heavy on the glider you get less sensitive feed back than you would if you were in the correct weight range so can find it harder to map out the edges of the thermal.
you will be better of with a bigger glider you can always Carry some ballast when flying in strong conditions. so you have the best of both worlds.
I like light wind, medium to strong thermalls for my xc flying. the thermalls dont get blown about too much so are easier to stay centerd in and the light wind makes it easier to fly up/cross wind so you can fly where you want to go and not where the wind takes you.
happy thermalling,see you soon at base i hope!!

[Ifor Jones]

I understand how you feel about you being on top wieght of small wing.     I am top end of my wing to,  and im always thinking about going up one size, I notice that the wind surfers use different sizes for lighter & stronger conditions. but with the mostly strong conditions we fly in, it might be a wrong expensive mistake, for me that is" i will try a bigger wing on a strong'ish day some time, see how it feels & how i cope with it. and having two wings wont help, i'll end up taking the wrong one every time.    

[AndyH]

Thanks Steve Lowe, I apprecıate what your sayıng regardıng tıght turnıng cırcles on dıfferıng DHV's, but ın my sıtuatıon as i'm over weıght on my wıng and notıcably sınk more than the next glıder then surely when applyıng the brakes i'm also goıng to sınk more than the next glıder, especıally ın very weak lıft, as one day thıs week Jocky Sanderson also explaıned to me that I was too heavy for my wıng ın lıght thermıc condıtıons and the next sıze up would be better, but Jocky dıd stress that only ın the weaker stuff I would benefıt, ıncıdentaly where are you ın the weıght range of your wıng and what condıtıons do you favour for flyıng ın?.I've already trıed explaınıng thıs to another club member, he knows who he ıs, but they dıdn't lısten properly.  

[Ifor Jones]

Thank you Steve i tried to tell some one that, he knows who he is, that, but it fell on deaf ears. i did'nt explain it so well as you mind."

[steve lowe]

hiI was reading your post and I just wanted to point something out re--it was no fun watching the higher class wings making those tight turning circles as we inefficiently sunk ---- IF that is the reason you want a higher class wing you will be disappointed.
If you speak to anyone who has flown a 2-3 or comp wing they will tell you they are much harder to turn tight in weak thermalls.
the higher aspect ratio is realy only of bennefit on fast glides.
the trick to turning tight is to slow down the glider as much as you can,which dhv1 and 1/2 do very well .and much safer to go near the spin/stall.
think about peddling a bike round and round in small circles  you can do the smallest ones if you are going really slow ,as you speed up you have to bank up more to stay in the same radius ,and banking up on a paraglider makes your turn more sinky.
in the dvd preformance flying Russel Ogden explains how you need to find that point where your glider starts to spin, so you can go almost there when coring light lift.
slow the glider right down then let up a bit on the outside brake to let the glider turn.
Hope you dont mind me waffling on .

[Dan Ashworth]

Tom,
Glad you had a good season on the S4.
New Jan 1999.
The wing is pukka. If anyone wants to ask me about it, just write me a message here.
Might be worth getting it serviced at the Loft to prove it's airworthy. No doubt it will pass.
I am tied up with things at home, but I haven't missed the best summer this decade.
Hope to see you on the hill soon.
All the best.
Dan

[TomG]

Ivor, im about 85kg out of the bath, so think that would be about right.
Tom.