Baptême du feu pour le Swift’Light aux championnats du monde de vol libre à Chelan (USA) : le Swift’Light champion du Monde. |
Lors de sa première apparition en compétition, le Swift’Light a obtenu les 5 premières places du classement général en classe 2 (open). |
First competition for the Swift'Light, at Chelan's world: |
The Swift'Light has dominated the World Championships with Swift'Lights in the first 5 positions in class 2 (open). |
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The New 2002 World Champion Pilots. |
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| Christian Ciech Class 5 Stratos C |
Kari Castle Class 1 Women Laminar MR 700 |
Manfred Ruhmer Class 2 Swift'Light |
| Le site de Chelan (Washington, USA) est réputé pour les décollages difficiles (faible pente, rouleaux, décollages mal alimentés), les conditions souvent très turbulentes, et l'apparition fréquente de 'dust devils'. 6 nouveaux Swifts'Light ont participés à la compétition (de justesse, car ils ont été livrés la veille de la première épreuve). Parmi les pilotes, Manfred Ruhmer, 'en vacances', et qui a remporté facilement le titre de champion en classe 2. Il a fait son premier décollage à pied en Swift le premier jour de la compétition, faute d'avoir pu essayer la machine avant. Les épreuves des classes 2 (open - Swifts) et 5 (ailes rigides) ont été identiques 6 jours sur 8, ce qui a permis de comparer les appareils : le Swift'Light a montré une supériorité écrasante en terme de performances, et cela chaque jour. Durant les 8 jours du championnat, tous les décollages (à pied) en swift'Light ont été réussis, malgré des conditions parfois limites. Les concurrents ont souvent été amenés à voler très vite (trop vite) dans des conditions très turbulentes. Tous les Swifts ont montrés un comportement parfaitement sûr.
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Chelan's butte has the reputation to be a difficult place to
launch with shallow slopes, turbulence, and light winds. The place is also
famous for strong bumpy conditions and dust devils.
Six factory new Swift'Lights were rushed to the United States just in time to fly in the World Championships and they were delivered the evening before the first day of competition, leaving no time for training their new owners. During this meet Manfred Ruhmer would win his first Class 2World Championship title. Even though Manfred had more that 30 hours of Swift airtime, this meet would witness Manfred's first ever foot-launch in the Swift, on the first day of the competition! The tasks for class 2 (open) and class 5 (rigid wings) were the same six out of eight day of flying and this allowed for many direct performance comparisons. These comparisons showed that the best Swift'Light pilots dominated all other rigid wing designs during the eight-day meet. Furthermore, even in the most difficult of launching conditions there were no blown foot-launches, amongst the Swift pilots. This was not the case for many class 1 and class 5 pilots! During the competition when Swifts were racing against other Swifts, pilots often flew fast (above Vne, maybe too fast!) in very rough air. Fortunately the Swift'Light proved to be very stable and strong. |
Worlds – interview with Manfred on the Swift LiteI had an opportunity to speak with Manfred Ruhmer about
the Swift Lite. He said that he really enjoys flying it. He mentioned
that the Swift Lite provided the pilots with much better viewing than
the Swift. He felt that he could be safe flying in gaggles, where he
didn’t feel that way on the Swift. Davis Straub - OZ Report v6, #142 - http://www.davisstraub.com/OZ/
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| Participants en Swift'Light (par ordre de résultats en classe 2) : | Swift'Light pilot list (in class 2) |
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- Manfred Ruhmer, AUT, 1st, twice world champion in class 1, |
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Résultats/Results : http://www.elltel.net/peterandlinda/index.htm. Rapport quotidien de la compétition dans le journal Internet de David Straub : Daily report on the competition in Davis Straub e-zine : OZ Report http://www.davisstraub.com/OZ/, volume 6, # 133 => 145. |
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Récit :Pour que nous puissions livrer les 6 Swift'Light prévus pour le championnat du Monde de Rigide de Chelan, le timing était très serré. |
The story :The time was very short to complete and ship six Swift'Lights to Chelan for the World Championship, leaving some question as to whether we could make the deadline or not. A 40' container left the Aeriane workshop in the beginning of June with 5 Swift'Lights. The estimated arrival time in San Francisco was end of June. These Swifts had yet to be final assembled, adjusted, and have their fairings fitted. We thought there would be just enough time to finish and deliver these wings to Chelan leaving one week to spare before the beginning of the July 13th competition. The 6th Swift'Light was delivered to Bruno Metz (FR)by the end of June and shipped by air to Seattle. We (Bernard Bleeckx & Vincent Piret) arrived at San Francisco the 28th of June, welcomed by Brian Porter. Brian Porter is a friend, a member of the original Swift design team (inventor of 'the Swift cage'), our Swift dealer for the USA, and the first-place ranked class 2 pilot. We learned that the shipping container had not yet arrived, so there was nothing to do but wait for three days. On Monday we were told the container would arrive by Wednesday, but it never did. We were forced wait more days and pay extra trucking fees, it now being the 4th of July holiday (just like in France no one works on Independence Day). We phoned the shipping company every day, but the container could not be rushed and finally it arrived the next Monday. In the evening on the8th of July the container was finally unloaded. We brought the 5 Swifts boxes to Bright Star Glider's workshop for final assembly just five day before the start of the competition.
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Summit meeting : Bernard Bleeckx (Aeriane), Alex Ploner, Felix Ruehle, Brian Porter, Vincent Piret(Aeriane) at Brian Porter's home. |
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| Le soir du 8 juillet, nous déchargeons enfin le container et transportons les 5 Swifts chez Bright Star Gliders, les premiers fabricants du Swift. Accueil formidable de Brian Robbins, qui met tout en œuvre (son atelier et sa main d'œuvre) pour nous aider à rattraper le retard. Nous mettons finalement 3 jours et 3 nuits - au lieu d'une semaine prévue au départ - pour terminer les machines et préparer le convoi vers Chelan : 4 Swifts sur une remorque, le cinquième sur le toit de la 4x4 de Brian Porter. | Bright Star Gliders is the designer and the first manufacturer of the Swift. We had a fantastic reception by Brian Robbins who was now doing all he could to help us to make up for the lost time. With the gratuitous use of his workshop and his highly skilled labor, Brian helped to speed the final construction of the Aeriane Swift'lights along. We have worked 3 days and 3 nights completing a weeks work in this short time. We worked madly to finish the Swifts and prepare the convoy comprised of four Swifts on a trailer with the 5th on the cartop of Brian Porter's 4x4 Toyota 4Runner. |
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Ready to start from Bright Star Gliders workshop. |
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| Départ vers Chelan le jeudi soir, pour 1.600 km non-stop. Arrivée le vendredi en fin d'après-midi, la veille du début de la compétition. Nous trouvons rapidement les compétiteurs Swifts a qui nous pouvons enfin montrer leurs nouvelles machines sur une aire de montage improvisée dans un camping. Tous apprécient la finition, nettement améliorée, et surtout le poids réduit de 25 % par rapport au Swift standard, qui se perçoit bien sûr immédiatement en faisant un exercice de course de décollage. | We started for Chelan Thursday evening driving throughout the night, to
make a 1000 miles non-stop burnout run to the World Championships. We
arrived Friday afternoon just 24 hours before the start of the first
competition day!
We immediately found all our customers, and arranged for a quick introductory setup lesson for the new machines. We set up the Swifts in a campground and impressed everyone with the much improved finishing touches, and weight reduction (-25 %), immediately perceptible during the practice launch-run exercises. |
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Bernard Bleeckx & Manfred Ruhmer |
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| 13 juillet - jour 1 : Ambiance très tendue. Le décollage est réputé difficile, mais finalement c'est la meilleure pente qui est face au vent. Aucun concurrent, à part Bruno Metz, n'a encore volé avec son Swift'Light. Manfred Ruhmer n'a jamais décollé de Swift à pied. Brian Porter décolle en premier, assez facilement. Manfred décolle parfaitement, un peu plus tard. Finalement, comme tout au long de la compétition, les 6 Swifts décollent sans problème. 3 Swifts atteignent le goal (Ruhmer, Hamilton, Porter). Plusieurs pilotes signalent qu'ils ont remarqué l'augmentation de finesse et de plage de vitesse. | 13th of July - Day 1 : The take-off is reputed to be very
difficult and tensions were high amongst the new Swift'Light pilots.
Fortunately, on this day Chelans best launch slope was facing into the
wind. Apart from Bruno Metz, none of the Swift pilots had ever flown his
new Swift'Light. Manfred Ruhmer had never even foot-launched a Swift! With
70 pilots looking on, Davis Straub and two other Atos pilots perched
themselves on launch, refusing to take-off in the light conditions.
Brian Porter asked for permission to launch and took-off first. Stepping
in front of Davis he launched quite easily and moments later Manfred made
another perfect take-off. Finally, as with every competition day in the
course of the Worlds, all 6 Swifts'Lights launched without mishap. By
day's end three Swifts had reached goal (Ruhmer, Hamilton, Porter).
Several pilots noted the Swifts'Light's improvements in glide and speed range compared to the original Swift design. |
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| 14 juillet : Longue et difficile épreuve (138 km). 5 Swifts atteignent le goal ( un seul en classe 5, Alex Ploner). Le 6ème Swift (Bruno Metz), est à 3 km de l'arrivée. Johnny Carr abîme son aile en atterrissant violemment dans un virage vent arrière, mais nous réparons son aile durant la nuit, il revolera dès le lendemain. Crash test réussi ! | 14th of July : A long and difficult task (138 km). 5 Swifts make goal but only one 1 class 5 pilot (Alex Ploner). The 6th Swift (Bruno Metz) landed short, only 3 km from the goal. Johnny Carr arrived at goal severely dehydrated due to the in-flight lost of his water bottle and damaged his wing in a bad landing as the result of a poorly planned low altitude downwind turn. Despite the intensity of his "arrival," we were able to repair his wing that night and Johnny flew on the next day (Crash test is successful )! |
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Johnny Carr (GB) |
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| 15 juillet : Vu l'hécatombe de la veille, épreuve séparée pour la classe 2 et la classe 5. 126 km, Robin Hamilton remporte la journée (63 km/h de moyenne), précédant Brian Porter et Manfred Ruhmer (Et oui, parfois, il est possible de battre Manfred!). | 15th of July : On this day class 2 and 5 flew separate tasks. Flying 126 km, Robin Hamilton wins the day with an average speed of 63 km/h, just a few minutes before Brian Porter and then later Manfred Ruhmer (sometimes it is possible to beat Manfred!). |
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Stephen Partridge-Hicks (GB) |
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| 16 juillet : Suite aux orages de la veille, un feu
à démarrer dans la vallée au bout du lac. Le matin, le lac est
couvert de fumée. Un peu plus tard la fumée est chassée par le
vent.
Sur l'aire de décollage, un dust devil naît 'sur' le Swift'Light de Brian Porter. Le Swift se soulève tranquillement d'environ 1 mètre, commence à avancer puis se repose tout en douceur. Epreuve commune classe 2 et 5, de 164 km ! 2 Swifts au goal (Manfred, puis Robin, moyenne respective de 56 et 55,5 km/h), 2 ailes de classe 5 au goal (Johann Posch et Hansjorg Truttmann, moyenne de 32,64 et 31,52 km/h). |
16th of July : A fire broke out this morning on the hill side at
the end of the lake. Smoke would cover the lake until late into the day,
when finally the winds picked up blowing the smoke to the North.
On the launch slope a dust devil materialized out from the center of Brian Porter's Swift fairing. It lifted the entire wing smoothly one half meter high, the glider levitating momentarily before returning to earth. In Chelan never leave a glider alone and even three meters is too far away! Today the task for class 2 and 5 was again the same. Flying 164 km two Swifts make goal (Manfred, then Robin, at 56 and 55,5 km/h average speed). Later on in the day two class 5 gliders also make goal (Johann Posch and Hansjorg Truttmann, average speed 32,6 and 31,5 km/h).
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| 17 juillet : Epreuve séparée de 155 km. 2 Swift'Light font le goal, Manfred à 59 km/h de moyenne et Hamilton, décidément très régulier, à 53 km/h de moyenne. | 17th of July : Separate tasks for class 2 and 5, with a 155 km task for class 2. Two Swift'Lights make goal, Manfred of course, and then always Robin. Average speed is 53 km/h. |
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Stephen Partridge-Hicks (GB) |
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| 18 juillet : Epreuve commune classe 2 et 5 de 101,9 km. Brian Porter fait le parcours en 1h 24, soit une moyenne de 72 km/h. Le plus rapide en classe 5 est David Chaumet (FR, Top Secret) qui fait le parcours à 50 km/h de moyenne. Après avoir survolé le goal, Manfred Ruhmer reprend un thermique, refait le parcours en sens inverse pour se poser au sommet. Cela lui évitera un montage le lendemain matin. | 18th of July : Same 102 km task for class 2 and 5. Brian Porter
arrives first flying 1h 24m with an average speed 72 km/h. The fastest in
class 5 is David Chaumet (FR, Top Secret), with an average speed of 50
km/h.
Manfred finished third for the day, and after crossing goal at Waterville he finds a thermal andclimbs back out and tours the area for another three or four hours. Eventually Manfred flys back to the Butte landing on top in the setup area. After tieing his Swift down to a set up cable, he then hitched a ride down to town. All in a day's flying... |
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Robin Hamilton (GB) |
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| 19 juillet : Un incendie a démarré au pied de la Butte, la montagne du décollage. Ordre est donné d'évacuer, mais le meet director Dan Uchytil obtient la permission de continuer les décollages durant 15 minutes, temps durant lequel la plupart des compétiteurs ont pu décoller. Epreuve de 146 km remportée par Manfred en 2 h04 (meilleur temps en classe 5 2h31). | 19th of July : Another fire, a fresh one climbs the hills from
the southwest. In the middle of the day word came that Chelan Butte would
have to be evacuated immediately. Meet Director Dan Uchytil obtained
permission to continue launch for another 15 minutes, this being a quicker
way to get gliders off the hill rather than breaking them down. About half
the competitors took-offin the next quarter hour. By late afternoon this
fire had exploded, puttingChelan in deep shade and practically forcing
pilots to navigate to goal by GPS alone. Mansfield could only be seen from
a few miles out. Manson, in the middle foreground above, was
preparing for evacuation.
Task is 146 km, won by Manfred in 2h04 (best time in class 5 2h31).
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Dust Devil on the top (ph.Tryg Hof) |
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| 20 juillet : Nuage de fumée sur le lac. Epreuve de 97 km remportée par Robin Hamilton devant Manfred Ruhmer, tout deux en 1h15. En classe 5, David Chaumet fait le meilleur temps en 1h40. Au classement final, c'est Manfred Ruhmer qui l'emporte avec 7267 pts, devant Robin Hamilton (6770 pts) et Brian Porter (5870 pts). |
20th of July : More smoke and clouds on the lake. Task is 97 km,
won by Robin Hamilton just ahead of Manfred Ruhmer in 1h15, followed by
Brian a few minutes later. Brian was to make a spectacular crossing
just two feet above the goal lineat 80 mph, climbing 30 meters skyward to
360 around and land back on the goal line.
In class 5 the best time is David Chaumet in 1h40. Cumulative results are : 1st Manfred Ruhmer, 7267 pts, (world champion in both class 2 and class 1!) 2nd Robin Hamilton with 6770 pts 3rd Brian Porter, with 5870 pts. |
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Brian Porter (USA) |
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Chelan 2002, avec 6 Swift'Light présents, a constitué un baptême du feu exceptionnel pour notre nouvel appareil : |
Chelan 2002, with 6 Swift'Lights, was an exceptionnal "baptism by fire" for our new ship. |
| Le Swift'Light a démontré : - Qu'il est, et de loin, le plus performant des appareils de vol libre décollable à pied. - Qu'il est facile et sûr lors du décollage à pied. - Qu'il vole sainement et en toute sécurité, y compris en vol rapide par conditions fortes. Les pilotes ont tous appréciés la nouvelle position du pilote, qui offre plus de confort et surtout une bien meilleure visibilité, et la plage de vitesse élargie : ce qui permet d'évoluer sans problème avec les autres appareils de classe 1, 2 et 5. |
The Swift'Light has shown that :
- It has by far the best performance of any hang glider. - It is safe and easy to foot launch - It can fly safely even at high speeds in rough air. The pilots appreciate the new pilot's seating position, which is more comfortable and gives a much better view. They had also noted the wider speed range allowed the Swift'Light to fly safely with other class 2 and class 5 wings. |
| Voir aussi d'autres photos en page Press | See also the pictures in the page Press |
aeriane s.a. august 2002
