Hi Sally,
Wanted to pass to you and to all the Team there the admirations expressed by one of our students here who is flying the Hybrid. The glider serves him in a fantastic way. Winch towing is a bliss and the Hybrid shows an exceptional climb rate and smooth sailing through all stages of the tow operation. Provides very efficient lift without sudden shoot in the air and thus possibly scaring the student. Once at the release from the tow line point the glider does not surge forward in a dramatic way. Just the opposite, floats above the pilot and retains its safe aptitude even if the pilots delays the brake application to stop the surge. It has a forgiving attitude which is great. In flight performs very well. Break application as we all know is soft and linear at the start. It remains soft and progressive through all stages of the turn even when the turning radius includes a stronger downwind segment which normally requires additional deeper input to counter. By making that flat turn it does not lower the upwind wing tip too much which reduces the overall sail profile exposed to the airmass. This way the canopy completes the turn without being carried away in a an elliptical trajectory with a minimum altitude loss. Makes it easy to core rising air and staying with it with lesser additional inputs. This is a safe behavior which prevents the new pilot from over controlling the glider when attempting basic maneuvers. Peace of mind for the instructor. One of our favorite aspects about the Hybrid is that it just wants to fly. It does not sink but instead remains in a plain soar providing not just an awesome experience for the beginner pilot but also plenty of time to make onset decisions regarding approaches and choosing the correct stages of landing procedure. L/D ratio seems well optimized. It is a great tool for students in training and sure is the good choice for pilots who are looking for a safe and forgiving glider to progress with.
Bravo to Apco Aviation once again.
Mariyan
Compass Airsports
