Flight Test - Firebird Ignition

Report & pictures by Bill Morris  

Early last year the DHV revised their classification of paraglider certification. In 'translating' these changes to relate to our own Pilot Rating Scheme, the BHPA recommended that to safely fly a current DHV1/2 glider a pilot should have at least a Club Pilot rating, and to fly a DHV2 glider at least a Pilot rating. Many manufacturers recognised these changes as significant to both their own technical requirements and to pilot perceptions.

It has often been difficult to judge which type of paraglider a pilot should choose to make the transition between school and club - the old school glider had good training qualities but the next level up could often be a challenge to a developing pilot. The 'new perception' demands a paraglider with many of the safe handling characteristics of a school glider but with the features and performance of an intermediate.

Firebird's intermediate range already has a good reputation. I have flown the Twist, Apache, Marlin, and G-Sport, and all were very popular in their time. The Ignition was developed with these changing circumstances in mind. At the time Robbie Whittall had returned to the Firebird fold to help Stefan's Hueglin and Muller with development, and I sense a balancing of their energies. If I remember correctly, Robbie had a major part in developing the Comanche, a lovely little glider in the air but a pig to launch, and some user friendly influences have been at work on the Ignition (and, to lay a rumor to rest, it isn't a rebadged G-Sport).

My flying was done on the XL model (M is actually the smallest size) using an Airwave Rap Air harness at various weight shift settings and towards the higher part of the 90 - 120kg all-up weight range. DHV tests are conducted at the top and bottom of the weight range and overall grading is based on the worst scores over the whole test. The Ignition has 1s in many of the tests and shows little change across the XL weight range apart from brake pressure increases. The excellent manual includes DHV test results for all sizes and should be studied as there are some differences in performance. It was flown as per the manual and, as far as possible, in the manner of the pilots for whom it is intended.

Construction
Firebird have stuck with materials they have used for some time now: Porcher Marine Skytex nylon, Eulit lines and stainless steel fittings. All the Ignitions I flew with looked wrinkle free and clean; no surprise given computer design, modern cloth cutting methods and good sewing. The ribs are of the same material as the outer surfaces but in hard finish for strength and some stiffness, and the leading edge former is in cross-laminated mylar. Porcher Marine grade their colours for UV fading, and the colour range is based on the higher performance shades rather than any fashion brief.

The lines at the front are 2.1mm, feeling rather thick and robust, then 1.7mm and 1.2mm. The risers are colour-coded to match the lines, very helpful when mastering the busy four-riser system. The build standard is high, but I would not expect anything less on any glider. I must confess that I was expecting a far simpler machine reflecting both the price and performance. Apart from the smaller number of cells (43 compared to the 52 of its big brother, the Flame) the amount of material in each cell points to quite a sophisticated glider. The overall planform is that of a clipped, elliptical wing .

In flight
Launching is a great pleasure requiring no particular layout or need to put a large V in the centre. Starting is with lines tight, the canopy coming overhead simply and giving a nice response to control inputs. Brake travel is long to stop any overflying, and there were few occasions when the glider overshot on launch. Reverse launching is just as well-mannered, the canopy rising smoothly and not doing anything silly on turning around. The manual suggests the glider can be launched from the inner A-lines but I would ignore this - I could not find a time when such a technique was needed, even when reverse launching in a measured windspeed of 35km/h (the rated trim speed). Watching ab-initio pilots launching Ignitions on a training slope indicated how easy they are to handle.

Going up
In the air the Ignition is smooth and responsive, giving an enormous feeling of confidence. With a tight harness it will respond to brake-only control, but it flies best with some weight shift, and enjoyably so. Its stability allowed me to fly flat out most of the time, hands-off on glides or thermalling. When thrown around or turned steeply the feedback from the brakes and risers is very positive. My own test for thermalling stability is to enter the thermal head-on and slow down, allowing the thermal to pass through and pitch the glider. This is a pretty common first-thermal experience for low airtime pilots; they often wallow about before being pushed out, and it is here that control can be lost or deflations occur. The Ignition coped with this admirably, and when I started to thermal and soar more positively it was a real treat. Of course it doesn't exhibit the energy that can be built up in higher performance gliders, but I had no problems in rolling through lift.

Going fast
The speed bar is very nice. It gives feeling throughout the range and it really is an accelerator - the DHV rate it to 43km/h, and I think it will be well used in UK conditions. It felt as if it would take a bit more than the maximum setting, so perhaps someone has made a good choice about leading edge vulnerability here.

Going down
B-lining felt heavy to start with (remember I was at the top of the weight range), needing quite a pull. After a slight 'stalling' feeling the manoeuvre was very uneventful. Recovery just required dropping the risers and letting them shoot up, making everything very 'whooshy' but not requiring any damping. With such high pressures it was difficult to test for slow releases. As with my comments above on control pressures, I have to say I like this characteristic; I'm not fond of gliders that give in quietly without feedback and then jump out at you.

The big ear system is based on what now is a common design: the outer A-line has its own small riser velcroed to the main riser that can be flicked loose in flight to pull the ears in - no more long stretches to get a finger through the lines or even being unable to reach at all. It makes no difference whether you pull both in at once or one then the other, and both shook out on release. They did stay in for lighter pilots, who got them out with increased brake pressure rather than hard pumping. I'm a bit cagey about velcro on risers as it can be a destructive material, but the way these are constructed is very neat. Even so my pre-flight and packing checks would include putting these velcros carefully together to avoid any chance of a problem.

On my first few landings I was caught out by doing large flares and being surprised how much the glider converted speed for height, though there were no problems holding it on and stepping down. When I began leaving the flare later my spot landings improved greatly.

Conclusions
A lot of thought has gone into the Ignition, not least in giving a pilot all the facilities they might need. Instructors and Coaches are going to love teaching pilots on this wing. Any note of caution would not be to do with its performance but the way it could be presented. There is no formula that lets a safe glider like this belt around the sky like the long, thin, higher rated wings, yet I have sensed a tendency to talk up the top-end abilities of gliders such as this. The 'big boys wept as I blurred by' stuff is nonsense!

The Ignition is a great glider. It can be flown from day one to well past Club Pilot. It will enable a pilot to develop in safety, go alpine flying with confidence and thermal safely, and only need be dropped if the pilot definitely outgrows it. As they wrestle with higher performance and reduced stability, such pilots may look back at their Ignition days with great affection. The 1/2 paraglider has arrived… and is going to make quite a difference. As it says in that DIY advert - it does what it says on the label!

Summary

Positive points
Stable, easy to handle, good manual.

Negative points
Time will tell over the velcro (I had to bitch about something!).
Importer: Firebird UK, Turfhouse, Luppitt, Honiton, Devon EX14 0SA, tel/fax: 01404 891685, e-mail: smfc@annsummers.com

Manufacturer's Comment
I'm pleased that Bill took the time to explain that the modern DHV1/2 gliders are more than just 'school' gliders. Whilst it would be nonsense to claim that it outperforms competition wings, I really do believe that a large section of the flying public would perform better on this type of wing than anything else. That's why it is currently our best selling wing. The test is a fair and accurate reflection of our wing.

Matthew Whittall, Firebird

Specification