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Premier vol avec ReAction TST


alan_k

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After an unwelcome layoff of over a month, due to various factors like it's too hot, it's wet on the ground, I'm too knackered, with recent delivery of my new wing I got a flight in this morning.

Wow, wow and more wow. The old wing handles like a truck in comparison. I can now appreciate finesse on the brakes and I just love the tip steering toggles.

I suppose I did have a little apprehension with it being a new wing and having been too knackered last night to launch in nil wind. There was about 4 kph breeze and having digested the user manual I went for an inflation without any assistance from the motor (the old wing always need a bit). The tension felt good and I looked up, there was the wing all waiting for me, how easy is this in comparison?

I put the power on, got some speed, dabbed the brakes and my first ReAction flight was on. I caught a little rotor off the trees ahead (expected) then climbed out at 280 fpm.

The flight was really enjoyable, I let the trimmers out, parked the brakes and played with the TSTs, brilliant. I tried the brakes on fast trim and they didn't feel that hard, certainly in comparison to the old wing. The wing felt rock solid even with a little bit of movement from the thermic activity. Amazing what 10 years of development can offer, well not really when you think about it.

Coming back in to land was pretty bumpy near ground level, at 1m up I braked too much and started climbing again, let off and then did my first faceplant landing, oops. Next time I will remember to bleed the speed off then brake to a standstill, the ReAction needs a more delicate touch and does come in at a faster rate.

Wonderful to be back flying and looking for some longer flights now.

Cheers all,

Alan

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I suppose I did have a little apprehension with it being a new wing and having been too knackered last night to launch in nil wind. There was about 4 kph breeze and having digested the user manual I went for an inflation without any assistance from the motor (the old wing always need a bit). The tension felt good and I looked up, there was the wing all waiting for me, how easy is this in comparison?

Cheers all,

Alan

That was exactly my response when I launched with my Thrust HP, I was so surprised that the wing was there waiting, I almost let it fall back down again! :-) It does make maintaining a little forward momentum quite important though, as there is certainly no tendency to hang back.

The new breed of wings is certainly something of a revelation.

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Mark, thanks for that.

Phil I can only agree on the revelation, the Thrust was on my short list but the ReAction came up at the right price and condition, it's like new.

I was thrilled that the response of the wing is so sensitive to the brakes, I really had to haul on the brakes of the old wing to make it do anything :?

Cheers,

Alan

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