Problem solved too, but I had to be careful with the lighter. If a critical mass of fluff actually caught fire - rather than melting - then it started to fizzle and pop and the sail looked a couple of times at risk...

The fluff appears to be mostly where the glider ties rub the mylar edge.  I'll have to be more careful as I move the ties round the glider when closing it up.

11:24:54 AM    

Finally I seem to have hit a clear solution. For a while the glider has been subject to a small random turn, some times left (like the flight before last) and more often right.

Some months ago I noticed that the tip wands were getting some curve on them. It's fairly regular, so that shouldn't present any problems. But I wasn't paying much attention as to how to insert them, so I guessed I had been putting them in asymetrically.

I marked them up showing the plane of symmetry and indicated the front edge so I could insert them both sides at the same angle. I also marked one to go on the left side (previously I randomly swapped them). Result: perfect flightline, except with VG full on a slight right turn - which makes sense, since the sprog on the right was slightly higher, so I lowered it a half turn.

This rather obvious thing, of inserting the tip wands consistently and ensuring they are aligned the same isn't something I've seen anywhere except for some discussion about Litespeed S tip wands last winter (and they seem to be different). But it's pretty common sense, just a rotation of a tip wand round 10˚ will affect the wash-out and cause a turn, should be easily noticeable too with the VG off; like was the case for me two flights ago.

11:19:55 AM    

The glider seems to have a left turn kind of randomly when I set up. Today it was quite irritating, even with the VG off. I think that the tip wands - which have some curve in them now - maybe influence this, perhaps if they don't get put in with the bend in the same orientation/plane. I'll have to experiment tomorrow.

I'll also try and burn off some of the fluff that has developed on the trailing edge of the leading edge mylar, where it looks like they didn't use a hot enough knife to cut it. Plus I have to sort out some protection over the dingle dangle see-saw, which is slowly rubbing the sail.

9:48:32 PM    

A photograph of my (old) glider, one nice summers day... at Sasso di Ferro take off. Campo dei Fiori is the hill off to the left (SE), Varese lake in the middle, Lago Maggiore to the right.
10:46:49 PM    

I've got a better collection now of the tuning saga, hopefully this wil help anyone who gets a cross tuned glider delivered through that kind of thing.
8:26:58 AM    

Checked out a few things last weekend.

• Elastic had gone on stinger, bit of a fiddle to replace but easy in the end.
• Checked the battens, all OK which shows that the original shape (bent) was very unlikely the first 20hours of flying (30 on it since then...). So it was delivered with rather dodgy battens shapes.
• The VG rope (bottom part) was indeed twisted once around the lower cable retainer - hence the extra friction. Easy to sort out when you know what to do - easiest to pull off the bottom of the upright. At least with the normal uprights and FAST bar re-threading the rope is easy.

The glider now flies good and straight with no feeling of skewness... seems I've got completely through that phase now.

1:56:29 PM    

Put on the standard A-frame today, finally arrived and went down to Parma to collect it from Franco. Looks nice, actually quite clean. Uprights much safer. I have also a new FAST speedbar, since the old one has the holes drilled slightly differently and cannot be used. Looks like I'll need to try and sell the whole ZOOM frame to someone.

Even though it's been of a bit of pricey exchange, it's the right thing to do. What I should have done all along - just gone for the FAST speedbar upgrade, which was quoted at 100 euros. This way round has cost me a lot more, even if I manage to sell the ZOOM frame to someone, I'll be more than 500 euros out of pocket. At least I have more chance of keeping my arms if I crash.

Took the opportunity to weigh the glider - just under 32kg, exactly like the manual says. In the bag it's 35kg (I'm amazed that the non-flying stuff weighs so much). I also completed the manufacturer's sticker, which was mostly blank (for example, date of manufacture of glider, date of test flight, etc...

 

8:42:46 PM    

My Litesport is a classic, I'd say. But a few gripes.

I'm 99% sure it came cross tuned, that is a setup fault (outer wands differentially rotated) was tuned by setting it up wrongly (one sprog raised about a cm compared to the other). I had to learn to tune the glider to get rid of it. Thank Dennis Pagen for his articles in HG mag for the explanation. The manual wasn't much use. Tuning this glider is possible, but not for the faint hearted. It takes hours of fiddling.

The sail quality "could be better". The Laminar Pause sail (on my Easy) was a superb finish by comparison. There is no doubt this won't last as long. Plus in July I discovered a rip on the trailing edge root cover, created by bad stitching which had made too many perforations. Still to be repaired - doesn't seem structural, but it's not good.

The ZOOM frame is a bit OTT. It's strong - very strong - but at the same time delicate. The front and rear wires look as if they touch and rub the uprights, and the black anodising/coating comes off too easily, and so looks immediately tacky. The corner mounts are fiddly, since the pip pins seem to pull out the tubing/sleeve that holds the side wires in - a bit scary, you need to include that in your pre-flight check.

The bag is too big - too long, by 10cm at least, and too baggy. Makes it difficult to carry.

Apart from that, it is great. Especially in flight - superb. Take off easy with VG full off, then after I'm in the 1st thermal I pull VG on 1m, then I have just a hint of high siding. One handed in 3 or 4 up isn't uncommon. Go on glide, in smooth air just pull it on as much as you want and let it fly at trim. In thermals with VG on just 1m or so, trim is slow, once you are used to it that works great, the glider climbs with the best. VG is long, but easy to operate and doesn't look like sticking. Bar pressure is low, roll low and responsive too. I can fly three hours and not feel too tired, and I'm a not especially fit 40 year old. Big improvement over the Laminar Easy, but I guess any advanced glider should be the same in that respect, more or less.

Landing, of course if you get panicky could be a bit of a problem, it's potentially fast and responsive. But get it lined up, VG off and pull in and you'll drop OK. Then rounding-out comes quite early in general, and you'll need to just let it carry on going up, and flare will be quite soon, quite light, almost on auto I find. I've had four flights (out of 24) when the bar touched the ground, although two of those were bad ones (crashes, effectively) caused by unexpected conditions (exceptional ground effect, sudden cross wind). 20 landings in low or nil wind with the glider resting on my shoulders. Yes, I've got around 170 flights like that now, but even so. This is a great glider to land.

Conclusion: great value for money, a great club glider for someone who wants to save 2 or 3 kgs and 1500 EUR... I'm not sure I'd trade it today for either a Litespeed or any other flex wing. Suits me fine.

 

9:46:46 PM