Flight Test: freeX Flair.

The freeX Flair is a DHV 1-2 and AFNOR Standard (AFNOR cert pending) canopy
aimed at the new Club Pilot. The big challenge in this area of the market
for designers is to produce a canopy that is stable and forgiving to fly,
but that has enough performance to satisfy the new, ambitious club pilot
who wants to be able to scratch and glide with the "Big Boys". This
category of glider is now also appealing to the more experienced but
occasional pilot, most of whom feels that the sink and glide of this class
of canopy is almost on a par with higher rated canopies, and that the
slight extra gains don't warrant the risk of flying a higher graded canopy.

freeX (pronounced Freaks) are a new German manufacturer run by Christophe
Kirsch and Rasso von Schlichtegroll. The Flair is made of Carrington nylon,
with lines of Technora Aramide. Examination of the canopy shows workmanship
that is difficult to fault. It comes in three sizes, small, medium and
large, covering weights from 60-130 kg (AFNOR) or 65-130 kg (DHV). I flew
the large size (100-130 kg) at 113 kg all up.

The glider is very straightforward to rig and pre-flight, the only thing
unique about it is the freeX speed system, one end slides on to the krab
before the riser system does, and the other end clips on to a ring on the A
riser near where most canopies have a pulley. The pulleys are enclosed in
lycra and the rope goes through the attachment points on the harness in the
usual way, terminating in the stirrup provided. The complete speed system
including pulleys remains on the harness and then very easily attaches to
the glider. The freeX speed system is at an advantage in the Alps where
some pilots lay out the glider and then only clip the glider onto the
harness at the last minute. This practice is very common in Germany and
Austria. The risers are marked with green for A risers and red for Bs.

Reverse inflation is very easy, the canopy needs a very light pull on the A
risers to launch. I guide the canopy up rather than pull. The canopy is
quite lightly damped in pitch a and is best launched with the "crossed
hands" technique. It comes up quickly and cleanly, requiring a slight dab
to the brakes. If the brakes are then let off progressively and a take off
run started, the glider picks up speed and then can have that speed
converted to height. It was at this point in the test flying that I
realised that despite the inexperienced target market of this canopy it is
still fun to fly for the more experienced pilot. Alpine launching on the
Flair is very good, the light pitch damping means it comes straight up
overhead and then just needs guiding on the brakes as you pick up speed on
your take off run. The ease with which it Alpine launches was tested in the
Bavarian Alps on slippery snow and mud without ever once having a problem,
it is possibly the best canopy I have flown in this respect. Launching in
strong winds is also easy, as long as the temptation to pull hard on the A
risers is resisted. The canopy will come up with just a touch on the A
risers or even none at all, and sit straight above the pilots head. However
this keenness to fly does have a down side, in strong winds it can be hard
to keep the canopy on the ground. The high trim speed also allows flying in
stronger winds.

Flying behaviour I've approached from two angles, the canopy was flown in a
Probe harness, with cross bracing to assess the handling for the new pilot
and without cross bracing to see what it would be like for the weekend
pilot or how it would suit the pilot advancing and wishing to get more from
the glider. With the cross bracing on tight, the glider is still very
manoeuvrable and doesn't tip the pilot about much in the harness. Pitch
damping is light, but even if allowed to over shoot the glider doesn't seem
to tuck. The brakes are very light with medium to long travel, the canopy
has a feeling very similar to the Spear in this respect.

With the cross bracing off the glider gives lots of good feedback and can
be made to be very responsive by combining weight shift and brakes. This
superb manoeuvrability makes for very good wing-overs, far better and
easier than on my Xyon. The canopy becomes very "nippy" in this
configuration and can be chucked about the sky with abandon. Big Ears have
to be held in, and pop out very quickly as soon as they are released.
Without cross bracing the canopy can be steered by weight shift alone which
is very effective with the ears in. Using the speed system increases top
speed usefully, and the glide does not appear to plummet. The canopy felt
very stable with full speed on despite it being flown in moderately thermic
conditions. B-line stall is straightforward, intuitively the more
experienced pilot will want to damp the canopy on the re-inflating surge,
this is desirable but not mandatory, as despite the lightly damped feeling
in pitch the canopy does not surge or tuck on exiting from the B-line stall
even when allowed to re-inflate without pilot input.

However no canopy can fulfil the ambitions of any aspiring club pilot
unless it is good to thermal. With the cross bracing off, no experienced
pilot is any doubt as to which side the thermal is on, and the
manoeuvrability of the glider allows it to be pitched into thermals quickly
and easily. Handling in turns is a very subjective thing, but the Flair is
easy to thermal without having to work hard. It is very easy to tighten or
widen the turn, the light brakes are a big help here. The glider responds
well to weight shift, so both weight shift and brakes can be used as you
prefer. On long climbs the lightness of the brakes avoids tired arms or the
tendency to reduce circulation in fingers. It doesn't seem to turn as flat
as some of the higher aspect ratio canopies, but still keeps up with them
in climbs. Coming from a canopy with heavier brakes and a slightly lower
roll rate, sometimes I overbanked which affected sink rate. Once a core had
been centred the glider could be sat there with crossed legs and the brakes
need not be moved. I enjoyed several long climbs in the Bavarian Alps like
this. A cautionary note here, the chest strap setting for the Flair given
in the manual must be respected, flying the glider with a wider chest strap
isn't a good idea as it then gives too much feedback and "wriggles" in
turbulence. However the stability of the glider is not in doubt, in ten
hours of flying it, some of that in strong spring Alpine conditions, I had
one small tip tuck, which popped out immediately.

The freeX Flair is very good club pilot glider and will also satisfy the
more experienced pilot. there are one or two caveats I'd like to point out.
The brakes may be too light for the heavy handed newcomer. In stronger
conditions the light pitch damping won't suit a pilot who sits there like a
sack of potatoes allowing the glider to fly him or her. The level of
feedback that allows thermalling without a vario and easy coring may be too
much for the nervous low airtime pilot, although this can be reduced with
cross bracing for the first few hours on the canopy. For the pilot for whom
none of this is a problem, the freeX Flair offers light and very precise
handling, good sink rate, fast trim speed and good stability for the new
pilot which will last well beyond the first seasons flying. Any pilot who
can't go cross country on a Flair needs only to look in the mirror to see
what the problem is!

Plusses
Good trim speed, good glide, good sink rate
Light brakes and precise handling (see minus points)

Minuses
Brakes too light for the heavy handed, too much feedback for some.