T2C 144

The wings just fit on my back (Francisco Grande, Casa Grande, Arizona)

While I didn't do well at the Santa Cruz Flats Race, I can't blame the glider I was flying.  In fact, I was able to make two really low saves with it (and get myself out of other low situations), when you might think that this glider would have a tough time with those low saves as it had a relatively high wing loading with me on it.

I found the Wills Wing T2C 144 easy to fly and easy to launch and land.  It wasn't a toy glider, like Tove's Moyes Litespeed S3.5, that I test flew at Forbes with Steve Moyes, but it wasn't a "big" glider like the Wills Wing T2C 154 or the Moyes Litespeed RS 4.0.  It was a glider that had an in between feeling.  "Big" enough to hold my weight (80 kg), and "small" enough to handle nicely.

My first criteria for a glider is that I don't want to be scared by it in the air.  I have to feel that I'm in charge of the glider, not the other way around.  In turbulence I want to feel that I can muscle it back into shape.  I felt that way with the T2C 144.  I flew the T2C 154 in light conditions and that was fine, but it felt like it might feel a little too "big" for me in rowdy air.

Of course, I also want to go fast with a good sink rate, and with the T2C I've got a higher wing loading that should give me a good sink rate at the higher speeds.  I tend to go fast (45 - 50 mph) when I'm high and have many opportunities to find lift.

The glider was a joy to turn.  I knew right away how to do it without any acclimatizing to the the glider.  I could put it into a steep bank and feel totally confident of the glider.  I just wish that there had been more strong tight cores to climb in at Casa Grande.

One day I had a death defying ride behind one of the trikes.  The trike pilot was making all the wrong moves, but the glider and I held on and did not have a problem staying safe.  I did pin off on my own when it got too crazy, but the glider didn't have a problem.

With a smaller glider you'd think that it might come in a little fast on landing for my weight, but that was not the case.  I had no problem with no wind landings, even with a knee in a brace.

I didn't get to glide much with other folks, but when I did I was right there with them.  I did follow a pilot on a Moyes glider for four or five miles right behind him and at his altitude.  There was no difference in glide.  I don't know the model of the Moyes glider.

I had no problem climbing with other pilots.  I spent plenty of time in the start cylinder in good sized gaggles and it was great to have the confidence that I was in control of the glider.

I'll get to fly the glider a bunch more this summer and I'll be sure to fully report on it in all sorts of conditions.

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