[Mellowmoods]

I'm considering upgrading from my Ultrasport 166 that I've been flying for 6 years. I'm a H4 pilot but am 6'5" 245 lbs (I'm not fat, as I'm very active in sports and a big guy) which puts me at the TOP, or over, the hook in weights for all hang gliders with the exception of rigid wings.

I've had friends tell me to get a Lightsport 5, move into a Lightspeed 5 or other topless wings. I have never flown a topless, but I've been told the rigidity of them should support my weight better. I just want to up the performance level and enjoy my flying in the local mountains and up the XC potential as well!

Any heavier pilots out there have any advice? What are you flying?

[Willmrx]

U2 160, or the large Lightsport are good choices. Plus it (seems) that the new crop of gliders do not degrade in performance with high wing loading like in the past. I am amazed with the way the T2C 144 performs with high wing loading.

Will

[CHassan]

[Wes]

The U2 160 carried my weight just fine at 230 lbs. The large T2 also flew well for me. At 200 lbs it does fly better.

[$!><]

[Captian Matt]

Sport 2 175, I was too light on it with a body weight of 225. Even at the top of the range for the 155 I go up when I do the right thing. More than a few days I soared when most sledded even with the high wing loading. T2, 154 has 285lb max clip in?

[CHassan]

Yup these new wings LOVE to be loaded up. Or at least I think they do. Being somewhat fat, and not highly muscled, my 220lbs gets carried aloft by the Sport 2 155 and my U2 160 with little to no care.

I don't sit on top of the stack. The little guys on the big wings do that. However I can get to the next thermal and rocket up fast enough that I look down on the light guys for a bit.

[Eteamjack]

I'm flying a Sport2 175 with a hookin of about 220 and it fly's fine. Sometimes i get pushed out of things, but under normal conditions it's pretty good. In my estimation it fly's like a big falcon only with a little performance. Definitely more performance than an Ultrasport and easier to land. My Discus 160
like's a pilot 200lb's or more as would a U2 160 or litesport5. The 150+
size topless would most definitely carry the weight.

[Mellowmoods]

[Roadrunner]

I just read your post, you talk about hooking in at a low weight of 230 lbs. Well I was called the Big Guy in the Sky for a reason. I have flown a Predator 158 for years. The Predator 158 has been awesome. Talk about landing. One would have to blow it pretty badly in order to whack it. I went from a 225 Wills Wing Tandem, " My first Glider " right into my 2nd glider, a Predator 158. And I felt, and still feel like a Predator 158 lands better than a Falcon Tandem. I have flown the Predator 158 at a hook in weight of 330 pounds. It took me two years of flying it, to achieve my first whack. It sounds like you a little lite, burt if you put on some size, think about trying out a predator. I guess this is about it. See Ya Chris... AKA "The Big Guy in the Sky"

[Mellowmoods]

Hmmmm..... sounds like I need to find a demo day somewhere and try out a few wings.

[Flyking]

To Roadrunner. The Predator 158 would be the glider for you. Just talked to Joe Spiney and they are designing a faired basetube for the Predator with Sensor downtubes. I have the Sensor downtubes on my 142 and love it. I will order the basetube when they have it made. The Predator is the BEST kingposted glider made for the price. You might also look into a big Sensor. I like the Predator because you dont have to mess with those stupid tip wands. the Predator is made by D*ck Chenney in Layton Utah with over 40 years of sail making experiance (He made a lot of Comets, TRX's, Saturns, and Predators). My sail is 10 years old now and still lookes brand new. It is a big light glider that is easy to land. Test fly one. W/ an O2 bottle, camelback, and all your gear for XC you will weigh in just right. Flew my predator at the South Side last weekend and made an awesome low save. I was unzipped coming into land when I felt a bump,climbed out and landed back on top.

[DocSoc]

Everyone has said the same thing, all these newer gliders love the wing loading and it's tru I know because I hooking some where around 270-80lbs including harness, water, bag, and my 235lb @$$.

I fly the 170 Freedom and blow many Dbl Surface gliders away n every aspect except going into the wind. I also fly the WW U2 160 and that is a rocket ship.

It's nice to know you can rocket in but also not have to force the speed due to wing loading as well. Landings are ever the event-less situation.

I have flown the T2C and have one coming that is going to be amazing. That glider the 154 is just a machine of unmatched performance.

So my friend, the issue is not what glider to buy, but how much do you want to spend???

4000, 5000, 9000 or something used that has the validation by so many HGers and that will get the job done with maximum fun? All this needs to be evaluated.

Safe Flying!

-DocSoc

[CAL]

the price tags for the different gliders are such New

Wills Wing U2 160 4975.00

Predator 158 5900.00

litesport 6840.00


Wow i didn't know there was such a price difference

you could get the state of the art T2 for 6375.00

i myself love the U2, it handles so sweet, lands well, i am so much more relaxed on that glider i will probably not step up to a T2 but before i would spend what they want for the other gliders, i would get the T2, hands down the T2 will perform better.

for those prices the U2 is the glider to get, i am quite sure it would keep up with the other higher priced gliders, might even out perform them

[Flyking]

One more I forgot about. The Aeros Combat L 14.9. Kind of looks like a topless Predator W/O vortex generators but it does have a tail. What do you think Norman

[andylongvq]

Andy here...

We talked over on the Oz Report. What it comes down to is you'll only know what will work when you go and fly the various gliders. So I'd get into Demo mode and fly them.

On the topless gliders, try to fly them when you'll know there will be some wind to land in, so you don't have to worry about sticking the landing.

And of course, there's always an Exxtacy or an Atos VX.

Let us know how it turns out!

[Mellowmoods]

Thanks for the advice everyone... I'm just going to have to keep my eye open for some demo days in So Cal. I definately want to try a rigid sometime as well. Sounds like I can't go wrong with just about any of the large higher performance wings even though I am at the top of the weight range.

Because most of the sites around me are RLF, I may want to head to a spot where that isn't such an issue when trying out topless and rigid wings (don't know where I can demo rigids). I might have to take a trip to a flight park where towing is done to get a good feel for a different variety of gliders.

Outside of going to Florida, or Texas, are there places closer to California where there may be a plethora of wings to sample?

[andylongvq]

[Mellowmoods]

Nice Andy... Thats a great idea. I've always wanted to fly Funston anyway. :-)