Hang Gliding In South Afrika

Flying the Moyes LiteSport 4 at Ngedwana

2010-02-12T16:37:00.008+02:00

Moyes LiteSport 4 At Ngedwana Feb2010

Review of Moyes Litesport 4 2009 Model

2009-09-30T19:29:00.007+02:00

South African
Hang Gliding Instructor.

I have been flying hang gliders for the past ten years now and have been active in training for the last 3 years. This review is not about the technical aspects of the Moyes Litesport 4 2009 Model, but rather just the flying and handling, compared to my Combat 13L and Airborne Sting.

In June 2009 I was on the lookout for a new glider. I wanted a glider that was lighter than my current Combat L 13 glider, it must be very well balanced on my shoulders when I picked it up, it must still maintain very good performance and lastly the take off and landing must happen without thinking about it.

Well after researching all the options on the market and with the help of fellow pilots I made my decision and purchased the Moyes Litesport 4.
Factors that helped me to make my choice was quality, craftsmanship and speedy after sale service.

So I sent through my order and the glider arrived promptly three weeks later as Moyes had to make my sail colour choice. My first flight was at Ngodwana, this site is on the Drakensburg mountain range +- 3500 feet ASL and the take off height is at 5140 feet ASL.

I wasted no time setting up my new beauty and was ready for take-off at 11H00 just when the thermals started to work.
Standing on take-off this glider is very well balanced and lite, definitely much lighter than my Combat 13 L.
Take-off was so easy, the bar pressure is nice and lite. Turning in my first thermal felt great, you can feel exactly what is happening by the feedback of the glider. The Litesport responds immediately with every input you make. I climbed out to 10400 feet ASL to cloud base.

The thermals were at an average of 6 m/s up, when I reached cloud base I set off on a glide to Vaalkop to see what the glide is like. With the VG off there is no noticeable deferens between my Combat 13L and the Litesport, it felt exactly the same in glide speed but the litesport reacts a lot better with minimal input. When I applied VG there was a very noticeable deference in the speed and in the pitch pressure it felid like the glider is on rails point and go, “absolutely amazing!” The speed is not as fast as the Combat 13L but still got a very good glide. I hade a two hour flight on the day and this glider is definitely less physically demanding to fly than the Combat 13L and still retains the performance that I was use to. Landing is not as demanding as the Combat 13L and as a matte of fact the Litesport lands very similar to the Airborne Sting.

This is a glider that I will definitely actively suggest to any intermediate / advanced to advance pilots.
If you want to really enjoy your flying again, with out the “what if”.
This is the one.

Thanks Moyes you have made flying absolutely fun again.

Leon.

Starter Masters 2009

2009-05-10T18:19:00.011+02:00

Here is some in flight pick’s of one flight.
This was a very nice fun comp with the students.
Thank to Mike, Roelof, Charley, Koos, and the rest that help this year to make it a success.

Look at the new ramp that was build by the Thermal Rider Hang Gliding Club

The camera that was used is a Nikon S210, You can set the camera to take pick’s automatically every what ever seconds you want from 30 sec and up.

2009-03-07T22:08:00.008+02:00

This was another good weekend at the big "N"
Helping Kennie to take off and talking to him on radio.

Hang check thombs up

Getting ready to go.

Annemarie recovering Kennie after his flight.

On the airstrip after a good flight.

The big "N" rocks!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kaapschehoop

2009-03-07T21:27:00.010+02:00

Hut at Kaapschehoop.

On the way up.

Taking a brake.

This is a must if you are at Ngedwana.

2009-03-07T21:23:00.005+02:00

This is Albert on his first weekend of training.

He is doing very well and we hope to have him flying before April 2009.

Flying Combat 13L at Ngedwana.

2008-09-04T19:08:00.007+02:00

Ngedwana with a take off height of 600m.
This is the best flying site in winter, we have a starter masters competition at this site ones every year.
Standing on take off on Ngedwana

Pilots and wife's at take off.
Comp day one.

After every day we all get together in the campsite.
Where we discus the day and kick back with a cold one or two.

On your way to take off you pass this rocky ridge.
See if you can spot the face in the rock.

Pilots at the LZ getting ready to go up to take off.
At the back you can see Ngedwana, it takes +- 45 min to the top.
The LZ is Ngedwana airstrip, as you can see there is a hanger to get out of the son and plenty of safe land.

This is my first flight on my Combat L.
I was nervous as hell, as I walk forward to take off my hart was raising.
When I got on take off the nerves got better and my pounding hart started to get back to normal.

I lifted the glider got it balanced in the very unstable conditions took two steps and ran, as I gained speed I let the bar out ever so slowly and we got lifted off.

On landing I was very fortuned that there was a good head wind, that made the landing very easy.

More to follow soon.