UP Meru to Atos VRS - The universe expands
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- čas přidán 25. 08. 2024
- After close to 11 years of paraglding and more than 6 years of flying performance class wings, this year I decided to do the next step: diving into the universe of hang gliding. Since flex wings didn't draw my attention too much, a rigid (aka ATOS) it should be. What started as a weak idea and with "I can't even lift my friend's ATOS from the ground", grew more and more. When I found an ATOS VRS on the second hand market for a decent price my fate was sealed.
Due to lockdowns etc. it took me a while until I finally could get into a course to learn to fly the bird.
Learning on a rigid is for sure not the normal way and definitley not the easiest, but with Martin Ackermann and his team from Flugschule Flymagic, Berlin I had the best possible coaching to get me kick-started into this adventure.
From June 2021 onwards it all happend pretty fast. End of July I had all required licenses in my pocket. Just two days before leaving for my vacation, thanks to Andreas Ehmann from Flugschule Flugrausch, Bad Hindelang, I even got ready for the foot launch.
The first hang gliding vacation leaad me to Slovenia and Italy with wonderful friends that mentally and physically supported me fort my first nervous takeoffs, especially before the ramp in Bassano.
Thanks to everybody who helped me with getting started on this hopefully long and definitely exciting journey and to everybody who contributed with snippets for this video.
(Appologies to everbody who already commented on the video, I replaced the Bassano take-off with a higher resolution version that I just got and this required to upload it completely from the scratch.)
The VR is the best flying machine out there. I flew it in the French Alps for about 10 years (2009-2018), it's quite easy in every conditions and you can go FAST between mountains ! Hope this one will take you all over
Thanks Vianney, the VRS is the smaller version of VR, a bit lighter (38kg including packing material) and only 12m wingspan instead of 13.5m. It’s a really little fun machine. Really looking forward to my adventures with it!
Super bist du direkt auf Atos fliegen umgestiegen, ich bewundere deinen Mut! Ich habe auch mit Gleitschirmfliegen begonnen, 1986 🙂dann ein Jahr später mit Drachen und nun (viel zu spät ) seit 5 Jahren mit dem Atos. Den Startplatz Bassano kenne ich auch und glaube mir, mein Herz rast jedes mal bevor ich in die Luft gehe!
Eine kleine Anmerkung zu deinem Start von der Rampe, ich habe im laufe der Jahre gelernt, niemals im flachen Teil der Rampe loszurennen, sondern erst beim Uebergang zum steilen Teil der Rampe zu beschleunigen. Sonst kann es sein, dass es dich zu früh abhebt mit zu wenig Speed.
Gruss Tony
Ja, ich hab die Umschulung direkt auf dem Atos gemacht. War schon auch von ganz schön viel Frust geprägt, aber ich bereue nichts.
Den Rampenstart hatte mir ein italienischer Atant so erklärt, nachdems ja mein erster war (und insgesamt erst der 8. Hangstart oder so 🤦♀️). Aber ich mache den ersten Schritt mittlerweile auch im Gefälle, dann hat man auch gleich den richtigen Anstellwinkel. Vielleicht sehen wir uns ja mal in den Lüften, deine Videos sind echt inspirierend und machen richtig Lust auf das Hochalpine fliegen!
What a rock star. Beautiful wing. Congratulations on expanding your world.
😀 thank you! It was definitely a good decision to make this step.
The Bassano ramp is totally terrifying.. :D Atos are so beautiful..
Ask me about it. Each time before deciding to go up for launch I’m close to a nervous breakdown 😅
Very nice, congrats!
Amazing ♥️♥️♥️
Gratuliere,bist in der Königsdisziplin angekommen!!
Wäre das nicht das Segelfliegen?
Congratulations, you showed that an Atos is very easy to fly
How many of us in America remember USHGA's "Big Lie" that combining our organization with paragliding would result in the growth of hang gliding as PGers "graduated" into hang gliding? Unfortunately, it actually went the other way; many hang glider fliers were lost to paragliding.
It’s partially understandable. Paragliding is easier, cheaper, you can carry it in a back pack. But as you can see, there rare cases like myself that do exactly what USHGA was hoping for. And I met some more in the last months. A little spark of truth 🙃🙂
From PG to HG, skipping all steps and going straight to Rigid! Damn. I wouldn't recommend it, but done properly it is obviously doable. Now try a single surface HG and practice take-offs and landings on that, will help greatly! It is nice landing on your feet :)
Happy flying.
Well, everybody who I talked to said I shouldn’t even think about flying a flex when I learned on an Atos. So for now I will rather stick to this and improve the handling there. Maybe some day I might wanna try it but not without prior instructions.
@@flynora A beginner (single surface) HG is easier to launch, land, much lighter....and fun! Improve upon your landings on one of those. Also, learning correct weight shifting on one is good fun and practice.
It sure is fun, but for now I stick to paragliding and rigid wings. Since I have a >40hrs/week job to fulfill I think that’s enough for the moment :-) enjoy your flying!
Super Video - cool, dass du jetzt Atos fliegst! :)
Danke Martin! Ich bin sehr gespannt, wie die Reise weitergeht 🥰
@@flynora hoffentlich mit Kamera! :)
Die wird definitiv öfter mal dabei sein :-)
Dam! You realised my dream.
I hope I inspired you for now realizing your dream yourself ☀️ 😊
Wow congrats! What nerves you have to learn on an atos, it’s not a cheap toy to whack around on the training hill! lol But you did amazing!!! Please keep posting.
I dream to fly such a glider! Currently on a LiteSport, pretty cool but I also wanted a rigid years before learning to fly. Only they are completely out of reach for me, here in Brazil… One day!
Thanks a lot Erick! Fingers crossed that you can fulfill your dream one day. I bought mine second hand, you can get them for similar price like a new flex. already. Maybe this would be an option? On the learning part, yes, there are definitely easier options to start flying 😅 But I had wonderful instructors!
@@flynora Unfortunately they don’t show up around here so much, the few who own are not selling. The last time I saw one was an atos-B but 12:1 glide is pointless nowadays! And very expensive for us too. But one day, soon I hope, I will just travel and grab one at the factory. Shiniest latest and greatest :) btw have you seen the Impact glider? Only 8 made but THAT is a beauty. I think the designers channel is Elaeroplano
I have seen them in some videos but the design looks „different“. I think Atos are more elegant. Let me know when this day will come and you come to the factory to pick it up. It’s not far from where I live :-)
@@flynora with some luck maybe in 2 years! haha but I will let you know. One thing I don’t like about the atos is it uses spoilers instead of ailerons, it probably kills some 10% of the glide… That Impact guy claims up to 25:1, that is ~sexy~ 😛
For the Atos VRS they claim roughly the same with open flaps. But of course this depends widely on the conditions. I also saw L/D of less than 2 at some points 🤣
Perfekt......
How does your VRS compare to the VQR you flew on the first Solo?
I think it’s not so easy to compare since on the VQ I was very much at the low end of the weight range while in the VRS I’m exactly in the middle. The VRS is more agile than the VQ while the VQ is easier to land in lower to nil wind. Also the VQ during aerotow is a bit more stable but reacts slower than the VRS. For me the VRS is the funnier bird of the two but I would also say a bit more demanding. But this is also taking the different weight ranges into consideration. This probably makes out the biggest differences I would assume.
Nora.. 😀
Hallo Nora,
fliegst Du mittlerweile ausschließlich Atos oder bist nach wie vor mit dem Schirm unterwegs?
Wie lässt sichs generell im Vergleich zum Gleitschirm beschreiben?
Gefällts Dir in Summe mehr?
Kommt man eigentlich zu mehr fliegbaren Tagen im Jahr, Windbedingt, im Vergleich zum Gleitschirm, oder ist's im grunde nicht viel anders?
MfG Dominik
Hallo Dominik, ich fliege mittlerweile wieder sehr ausschließlich Schirm. Grund war, dass ich mit jeder misslungen Landung mehr Angst vor denselbigen hatte. Man braucht einfach viel mehr Platz, hat viel weniger Raum für Fehler. das Fliegen an sich und vor allem die Starts waren mit dem Atos schon ein absoluter Traum. Ich denke, ein bisschen größer ist das Flugfenster damit schon, wobei’s bei sehr böigen Bedingungen auch mit dem Drachen sehr anstrengend ist. Letztlich bin ich zu wenig damit geflogen um es wirklich sicher zu beherrschen, auch weil „mal schnell ein Flug nach der Arbeit“ damit einfach um ein Vielfaches aufwendiger ist. Vielleicht packt’s mich in Zukunft mal wieder und ich leihe mir den Atos eines Freundes das ein oder andere Mal. Aber erst mal bin ich auch mit dem Schirm sehr gut unterwegs und glücklich.
Nice adventure and aircraft. Not to pry, but curious what you paid for that 'good deal' 2nd hand ATOS VRS. I've been looking around off and on for a newer quick-setup ATOS and haven't seen a VRS out there. Also see you've flown variety of ATOS gliders on your training adventure; curious if you've flown a carbon-keeled ATOS and if the difference is really noticeable on pitch stability compared to the stock moveable tail?
I paid 10k€ for this wonderful masterpiece of engineering 2nd hand in very good conditions. But yes, the VRS is not easy to get. I kept looking for a while until I found it, knowing that this would be the best choice for my relatively small size and low weight.
All wings I’ve flown during the training had aluminum keels so I can’t really comment on that. My friends who changed over to carbon however said that it’s a whole new world of flying. I hope I can try it out soon myself. The adjustable tail already is a big improvement compared to the fixed tail variants that I’ve flown during training. It amazing how it takes up energy when the beast is fully released.
Curious as to why you don't do a conventional flare and land on your feet when landing. I think you could get into some hot water if trying this in an area unfamiliar or rough terrain on landing...
Thanks for your concern. In the beginning for getting a better feeling with the Atos it’s easier to land on the bar. Finding the right moment for the glare when you’re not used to the behavior is challenging in the beginning, especially in nil-wind conditions. You might find many Atos pilots that never land on their feet. In the video you can see that all the landings where on perfect landing areas. When in doubt I however always try to land on my feet, knowing that the Atos can otherwise break your neck, when the bar suddenly stops. In the video I left these first tries out since a dirty Atos nose doesn’t look so elegant 😀 But I’m getting better at this slowly and the nose keeps cleaner from flight to flight 🤣
Fantastic video, would love to test the Atos, you able to stall the wing and land on your feet in 0 wind?
It is in principle possible, but the right Moment for flaring in 0 wind is very short, so it requires some practice with at least a little head wind to get it right I suppose. I‘m planning to use the winter months to train and get this timing right.
How do you deal with the fact, that looking straight ahead and up can become quite exhausting after some time on a hangglider? Have you done flights with more than 2hrs flight time on the atos yet?
Hi Johannes, I think my longest flight with the Atos was around 2hrs. It’s all still quite exciting to me 🤣 so far I didn’t have any neck problems. Imagined it to be a lot worse as well. It can get a bit exhausting when flying for a long time close to other pilots, especially Paragliders as you need to watch for them in any direction due to the speed difference. But this I feel more in the shoulders, probably since I tend to push my body up in these situations.
So…. Is the overhead of hang gliding worth it? If so why? I just started to learn to PG after 20y of hang gliding … my opinion is still undecided but one thing is for sure pg equipment is heaven. I’m getting used to the feel of flying pg but hg just feels more like a bird to me.
Well, if it’s really worth the effort, hard to say. PG is definitely the by far more convenient way of flying and so far my flights on all the days where I flew on the Atos would likely have been longer than on the Hg. But it all takes time to adjust. The feeling to me is a lot more bumpy and my head needs to get used to that and especially understand that bumpiness unlike under the PG doesn’t mean danger. Time will show what I will fly more in the end. For now I like to take the challenge and improve with every flight that I do
@@flynora so far on a PG I spend the entire flight worrying about a collapse. In a HG a spend the entire flight worrying about landing. I know for sure when it’s strong conditions I prefer HG because there’s no risk of collapse or being dragged on launch.
After flying PG for such a long time in all conditions and comp wings since many years, I am not that much afraid about collapses anymore. Modern wings almost don’t get collapses and if they do, they in 98% of the cases just continue flying straight. The landing really is present in my head during almost the whole flight on the HG. But then I’m only 10 weeks into this game. So I guess, relaxation comes with experience.
Ich hoffe, wenn mir gut geht, dann fliegen wir zusammen in Altes Lager
Das wäre ein Traum, Robert! Ich drück dir alle Daumen! Ich denke, dieses Jahr werde ich öfter mal hoch kommen!
Warum wird nicht Landen mit den Beinen, geschult? Warum nur auf dem Bauch?????
Es wird schon geschult, aber der Teil des Kurses ist nicht Teil des Videos 🤣 Mit dem Atos sind Stehendlandungen etwas schwieriger als mit einem normalen Flexi, daher fängt man erst mal mit dem einfacheren an.
Congtrats for your learning. But there is one step pending: To land on your feet. It is very easy. It hurts to see such a sophisticated wing, touching ground on every flight. Dangerous for the pilot too .
It can’t be all perfect right away. Learning to hang glide on a rigid wing is not easy, and landing in unclear / nil wind conditions can get pretty expensive if you don’t find the right timing. I’m practicing since I know for XC flying it’s mandatory, but my first flight ever on a hang glider was two months ago. So it’s good to have some goals left for the winter months 💪🏼
@@flynora Ok my friend! Good luck and happy landings!
@@flynoraI agree with Petoven1, it is really dangerous for the pilot, especially on a rigid wing and if the landing place is not perfect and the control bar hooks in. If you are able to do a foot launch, you can also land on your feet. You don't need a good timing if you run on landing. It is exactly like the launch, but everything in reverse. Come down with speed on final, fly in parallel with the ground, get slower, run, get slower, walk. The glider comes down to your shoulders like a feather. You stay on the ground.
I have only one flight an an Atos VQ. I was afraid of the gliders weight crashing down on me while landing. But a few weeks before I saw a video of Tim Grabowski doing such a landing as I described and it worked perfectly. Soft like a feather :-) From this point on you can try flaring a bit and a bit more until you don't have to run that much. And on one day you don't have to run.
Really nice video! Keep on practising! Small steps!
Ah ich sehe grad, ich hätt auch deutsch schreiben können... Gute Flüge + Landungen!!
Hallo Dr. Schleb. Ich bin mir durchaus bewusst, dass ich nicht immer optimale gemähte Landewiesen vorfinden werde und dass dann eine Stehendlandung die deutlich sicherere Variante ist. Ich habe bereits 3-4 Stehende Landungen gemacht die soweit alle ok waren. Aber bei 0 Wind oder Seitenwind ist das mit dem Atos deutlich schwierig den richtigen Punkt zu finden, daher möchte ich gerne erst mal mehr Gefühl für das Gerät bekommen bevor ich auch bei 0 Wind mit dem Ding stehend lande (das kann leider ansonsten recht teuer werden). Momentan sind die Wiesen alle abgemäht und die Felder geerntet. Ich werde den Winter nutzen um alle nötigen Skills zu bekommen um nächstes Jahr dann auf Strecke sicher unterwegs zu sein.
Gestern war ich übrigens bei einem UL Schleppverein zu Gast und ich habe das Thema angesprochen, es waren vier Atos Flieger dort. Reaktion: „Stehend landen? Mit dem Atos? Bei Nullwind? Vergiss is!“ 🤣 also es scheint durchaus auch unterschiedliche Ansichten zu geben. Aber das Ziel ist ganz klar. Vielen Dank für deinen Input und auch dir immer gute Flüge!
@@flynora Super! Viel Erfolg beim Trainieren!
Cooler Umstieg :-D
Es ist überraschend, wie leicht der Umstieg geht und wie anders sich dann doch alles anfühlt. Turbulenzen, die für einen Starrflügler ja von der ganzen Dynamik völlig uninteressant sind, fühlen sich aufgrund der starren Konstruktion so viel heftiger an, als unter dem gedämpften System Gleitschirm. Und andererseits ist es aber so schön und wunderbar. Ich freue mich sehr auf die kommenden Abenteuer 😀
Where are the behind the scenes NG shots?
The funny - or sad - thing is that I didn’t have the camera with me on each flight. I regret it since a) it would be funny to watch abs b) it’s good for improving your skills to see what didn’t go completely right.
why did you land on your belly?..
I found it easier in the beginning with the Atos in Nil wind.