Adam2

Yes, it does seem the small community and the marketing of the reflex wings there in the U.K. is much stronger than here in the states. Probably more consistently windy over there and to make decent time on XC you gotta go into the wind one way or another. Seems also that pilots tend to follow what is known, many of you fly reflex so newbies would tend to think that is the way to go. Just interested in all of your opinions as to why you choose a reflex glider, they really haven't caught on at all in the PG world and I don't see them doing so in the near future. Yes, people have used them for PG, but mostly just marketing stuff. No comp pilots or even serious pilots looking to get the most from PG have or would choose a reflex glider. So, any idea on safety over the years? How many collapse induced accidents were seen before as compared to now that most of you guys choose reflex wings? How many of you had a major collapse and that spurred the interest in moving to a reflex wing? How many of you have attended training clinics where you practice collapses and recovery (SIV)? I got to fly a Synth here a few months ago and it just wasn't for me, it actually scared the crap out of me. In full reflex mode, just tip steering toggles in hands, horrible responsiveness, flies like a truck etc. I love to fly low, crank and bank and contour the landscape. Can't really do that in reflex mode. It makes me very uneasy to have trims full out and in reflex mode only a few feet from the ground with tip steering toggles in my hands that don't allow very authoritative control. Seems they are really mission specific to penetrate wind so a trip out and back can still be had. I know the Plasma and Viper are probably more my speed and I've heard good stuff from the pilots that fly them. I'll fly those soon to see what they are all about, but this reflex thing just isn't catching on over here in the states. I think one reason is price: Most are above 4,000.00 USD. Another reason is notoriety: You see a few at a flying event and usually it's dealer demo wings. Out of 100+ pilots at our flyin in Arizona, the only reflex wings flown were those of a Dudek dealer. This is true of most events here in the states. I know the old adage "to each his own" and this seems to hold true across PG and PPG, there are so many opinions, biases and choices as to why pilots choose the gear they do and also how they fly and enjoy it. Thanks again guys for your feedback and keep it coming! Cheers! -Adam

Over here in the U.S. we just don't seem to be as into the reflex wings as much as pilots in the UK and Europe. Now, aside from competition purposes, what reasons do you guys who fly a GT, Synth, Viper, Plasma, Fusion etc have for making your wing of choice a reflex wing vs a traditional wing? Did your first instructor just recommend it and you went with it? Did your pilot friend recommend one? Did you see them flying and want the same? Did you read about them and were intrigued by the collapse resistance? Was it the cross country speed that appealed to you? Was it the safety aspect of them, if so, what do you see as the safety benefits? Do you think a reflex glider is a good beginner glider? Would you say a beginner or novice pilot would be fine on a Viper or Plasma? Just interested in knowing all the reasons you chose, fly and would recommend a reflex glider over traditional types. Thanks. -Adam