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The following review of the Windtech Ambar is one of a series of tests of new gliders for club fliers by well-known pilot and author Noel Whittall.
Pocket trial: the Windtech Ambar
The Ambar is one of the new breed of intermediate gliders which manage to blend safety and performance in a way that would have been hard to imagine a few years ago. I was lent the Ambar 29, designed for the 85-105 kg weight range. I flew it at an all-up weight of 95kg, using my own Firebird harness with the cross-bracing completely slack, as usual. Windtech is a Spanish paraglider manufacturing company.
First impression
The purple and yellow under-surface wouldn't have been my first choice (colour schemes have not changed - Ed), but a quick tour of the stitching revealed a good quality of work. I was very surprised to find extensive diagonal ribbing throughout the glider: this is usually confined to the higher-performance models in a manufacturer's range because of the extra material and work involved. By transmitting the load in more-or-less straight lines between the line attachments under the wing and the upper surface, the diagonals allow a saving on the amount of line used, with corresponding drag reduction. So it didn't come as a surprise to discover that the Ambar has a very simple line plan with a minimum of branches. The lines looked looong, and a check with the booklet confirmed this: 7.7 metres - near enough 25ft.
As well as the usual stiffening at the front of the ribs, there is a Mylar-type reinforcing strip all along the trailing edge which should slow-down wear and stretch. However, owners will need to keep an eye in the stitching holding it, which naturally remains exposed on top of the hard plastic. Not a problem on grassy sites, but could become abraded on rocky alpine sites. The entire top surface of the wing is white, for maximum U-V reflectivity. Altogether, this is a glider which should last well.
A tiny omission is that there is no marker on the centre cell. Admittedly, the under-surface pattern gives a general idea of where the middle of the wing is, but I would have liked a spot in the centre too.
The pulley speed-system working on the A and B risers is standard. It proved smooth and acceptably light in action, although I have to confess I didn't get the length adjusted quite perfectly during the trial period. At only 45 cm, the risers are co mmendably short, putting the lines well within reach from the harness, so there is no problem reaching up to pull big-ears.
Inflation
Make a note of this! The Ambar must be one of the easiest gliders to inflate and launch. For a start, the colour-coded inserts in the triangular maillons at the top of the risers make sorting out the A-lines dead simple. Then it just needs an easy lean back as you lift the 'A's, leaving them to their own devices as soon as your arms are at ninety-degrees. The wing flies up overhead in a lovely steady, progressive way and parks itself there with minimal attention from the brakes. I was really surprised at this. I know this is a silly, subjective comment, but the Ambar somehow didn't look as if it was going to feel this good.
I was later able to confirm my favourable impression of the easy launching when I flew the wing with a motorfliegen in almost nil-wind conditions. It forward-launched very easily, the long lines and simple line pattern are a definite advantage when you are coping with a cage sticking out of your back.
Launch
Very straightforward, no surprises.
In flight
The overall feeling is of solidity. My first flight was on a rocky little local site with mad March thermals springing up all over the place, hardly any of them big enough to turn in. The glider rode them well, staying fully inflated all the time, just as if there was a beam above me rather than a collection of bags of air. I can think of some gliders I would have been glad to get back on the ground with, but the Ambar never gave me a moment of concern, even though sometimes there was a fair element of flying for survival rather than pleasure.
Once you've got it going, the turn is very flat and well co-ordinated. It certainly thermals as well as anything else on the hill when you are in the lift, but turning into the lift if you are cruising at less than trim-speed requires perseverance. In one session of marginal scratching on a tiny site I managed to get a great routine going which involved the full speed range of the glider, but with no set speed held for more then a few seconds. The Ambar stayed up. I am sure that if I had just tried to coax it along at a steady rate, I would not have been able to turn it tightly enough to keep it in the lift band. And if I had been flying a less reassuring glider, I would have gone down for certain, because it was the sort of situation where the slightest hint of a deflation would have had me on intimate terms with the rocks.
Landing
Absolutely no surprises. Fly it in fast and flare it to a halt with ease. Also very tolerant of the brakes if you are foolish enough to try and slow it right down first. This would be difficult to stall in flight.
Who is it for?
Pilots fresh out of training school? Yes certainly. Experienced recreational pilots too? Yep. Specially those of us who aren't able to fly as often as we like. You can jump on to the Ambar and i mmediately feel at home: it will forgive the insensitive handling of an out-of-practice flier, while still delivering a glide performance to match any in its class.
The extras
The Ambar comes with a packing strap, a nylon stuff bag, a set of self-adhesive repair materials in the three colours to match the wing fabric, and a rucksack.
Tech data
There are four sizes of Ambar ( simply means 'Amber' in Spanish) covering all-up flying weights from 60kg to 120kg between them. They all have 35 cells, but look busier than that because of all the diagonals. The cloth is from Porcher Marine and the lines Dyneema.
At the time of writing, the two largest models in the Ambar range have been certified as AFNOR 'Standard' rating and the German DHV 1-2 Gutesiegel. This is the first time Windtech have submitted gliders to DHV testing and it shows that they are serious about expanding well beyond their thriving home market. The smaller models are being tested at present and are expected to achieve the same ratings. |
Special thanks to Scott Armitage who flew for the camera. |
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