PHI's Scala 2 Light is the lightest EN C 2-liner around, with a relatively high aspect ratio of 6.77, making it a uniquely interesting choice for sports class events and hike & fly, so I was especially keen to test it. This review video is based on my first flights with a Scala 2 Light. Since then I've tested it more and my initial impressions have held.
Thank you Carlo for this excellent review of the scala 2 light. I bought it myself with the aim of doing XC competitions with it and to have a light glider at the top end of C performance. Honestly, I'm extremely pleased with the few flights I've been able to make with it! I agree with all the points made in this video. I fly the size 18 at 83 kg. It's an extremely fast wing, very agile, with fairly firm control and short travel but still very precise in light conditions. It has a lot of energy and the wings are monstrous. The flare is incredible, and she really has excellent finesse. The only thing that takes a bit of time to know it, it is on the take of with a wing that can sometimes go up with the wingtips first. You need to spread it out well and make a nice corolla or just use the internal A lines, which works very well. Once you've mastered inflation with this wing, it's pure bliss for those who love agility and energy, everything being ultra solid, from the same block and very perf. Thanks to Phi for this beautiful machine! Oh yes, and don't forget the risers, which are really excellent, and the wing's impeccable finish.
Very interesting reviews Carlo. Watched both the light and full-fat one. I’ve been flying the light one for a few months and have found it to be a great step up from my Allegro light.
Glad you find our reviews interesting @airmalik! I enjoy watching your videos too - fun and informative! Thanks for sharing your experiences and views!
If I was looking for the top performing light EN C wing, to fly in sports class XC leagues, competitions and hike and fly, or just to have light XC gear with top performance in the EN C class, this is the wing I'd choose.
Finally another real and complete test of the glider. It is hard to find an exhaustive impressions. Mainly because it comes from guys who bought the glider… A thousand thanks for your work. I look forward to your reviews as Ziad’s ones. I am sooo happy with my delta 4 but look for a light version being older and with other ambitions like volbiv etc. I bought an arrow p that I haven’t tested yet and I look for a light wing. The school here received the scala 2 light upon my request for test so I’ll fly it soon. Maybe we’ll also have a delta/alpina 5 for the Stubai wich I hope to attend. Gonna test the Lynx2 there as well. I was also worried by aspect ratio wanting to keep it under 6.5 like photon or even skywalk x alps (but EN D). Never flown 2 liners but it feels solid. Worries about cravates… I’ll fly it SIV for sure.
Don't worry, scala 2 is over solid, I say this with flying it at lowest weight limit or under. Fly it few times you will not even remember it's a 2liners (out of the usual 2liners specificities: easy command on B, huge acceleration, solid, good penetration)
Thanks for your thanks. 🙏 Enjoy testing the Scala 2 Light! 😀 From my testing of the Delta 4 and Scala 2 Light, amongst others, for sure the pilot demands of the S2L are of course higher (high C) than the D4 (mid C), but I was pleasantly surprised (due to the higher aspect ratio) to find they are quite similar to the other high C 2-liners e.g. Artik R, Photon. You'll like the performance: I expect a big s*it eating grin and bugs in your teeth! 😜 The only niggle I found was the tips tending to cravat on the ground, as I mention in this review video. 🤔 This does require better ground handling and wing management on the ground than the D4, which is quite easy. 🤓
@@theeyeinthecloud if you come at stubai cup, come to see us we will lend you a scala at your size :-) before stubai cup, you can test it in Bassano :-)
Great review Carlo, thanks ! Fully agree with you about trim setting of the scala 1. Super fast but not efficient in weak climb. You seems to say that Scala 2 is more efficient in weak climb. Do you think Scala 2 is as efficient as Photon for example in weak climb ? Thanks
Glad you like the review, thanks for the support! 🙏 In answer to your question, from my testing the Scala 2 Light is significantly more efficient in weak climb than the original Scala Light (which I enjoyed a lot - great handling! - but did find the sink/climb rate lacking). From flying both the Scala 2 Light and Scala 2 with very good pilots on Photons (and others) I never felt disadvantaged in terms of performance - in any conditions, light or strong. To the contrary, I felt I had a performance advantage, always climbing better, getting higher and gliding further. Actually you can see in our video "XC Paragliding Tips: How To Fly & Climb Efficiently" that the Scala 2 is doing exceptionally well compared to all other wings, including some Photons, on a weak climb cloudy day: th-cam.com/video/972QqMxn4PY/w-d-xo.html
ps. To be clear, I think the Photon is an excellent EN C 2-liner with very good performance in the class, one of the best. I personally wish the handling and feeling were better. I know you can improve the Photon's handling with trim adjustments however a) this takes it out of certified trim, b) why wasn't it released like that in the first place and c) having tried this I personally still find the handling lacking and it doesn't improve the feeling. This is my personal view, having tested sizes MS and ML at different loads (best well/top loaded, to improve the handling and feeling, I've found) in a variety of conditions, with different harnesses. Speaking with other pilots who aren't brand focused, I've mostly heard the same or similar feedback. These are of course just niggles, not especially bad points. I know many pilots are happy with their Photons, and if performance is the top priority then it's certainly one of the best performers in the C class currently. On a related note, I personally much prefer the Photon to the old Mantra M7 and LM7, which I personally wasn't so impressed with (fine but not so great).
Thanks, glad you like it! For this review I tested the Scala 2 light 19 (CWR 75-100 kg, SWR 75-95 kg, EWR 95-100 kg) with all-up weights ranging from 90-95 kg. I found it worked great in that range. PHI gives a Suggested Weight Range of 75-95 kg. In thermic conditions I'd probably prefer to fly it 85-95 kg. As always I might adjust my loading according to the conditions.
Awesome! Curious how you feel the Scala 2 compares to the Allegro Light? I'm 90 hrs into an Allegro I picked up from you guys, and I LOVE IT. But I can't help but be curious about what I'd gain and at what cost if I stepped up to the Scala 2 Light. Also, I'm typically 97-99kg which seems to be right at the top of the S2L extended range. Would it be counterproductive to be that high in the range? Again great little review!
Allegro light was my favorite wing, until the scala 2. You will gain performance and solidity with same easiness to use. But you have to test it first, only your opinion matters. For the weight range, I don't know I used it only at the minimum 😅
After a few years of flying the Allegro I moved up to the Scala 2 and I’m loving it. Just published my impressions of the Scala 2 Light on Medium that should be able to google.
Hi Carlo, thanks for the review, analysing the risers the B handle seems way high , I bet it's difficult to reach, let alone fly with it for a long time, tiring I guess? what are your thought about that
Thanks for your thanks! In answer to your question, I find the B handles on Scala 2 and Scala 2 light well positioned and excellent to use. Perhaps someone with particularly short arms might find them a bit high? Actually most paraglider designers should allow for more for different arm lengths, as Nova have done with their adjustable B and C handles. As I think I mention in their reviews, I find the B control on the Scala 2 and Scala 2 light to be really excellent, some of the best - very usable, with excellent feeling. Proof of the pudding: I find myself using B riser control more on the Scala 2 and Scala 2 light than most other wings - and continuing to use it in more turbulent conditions, to fly actively, where on some other wings I would go back to using the brakers, as I don't feel as good control with the B risers.
Hi Carlo... Nice review as always. You were referring to the big ears... But I do not think them arw really possible to make them. What it does are very heavy ear stalls, and when coming out they are very aggressive. Imho I wouldnt use them if I were cruising beneath a cloud. And what was your thought on the choice of lines for line Sortiment?
Hi, thanks for your comment. You're right, I'm not referring to the classic type of big ears descent technique using the outer As to collapse the wing tips. I'm referring to the descent technique using the outer rear lines to stall the wing tips, known as tip stalls, B-ears, bunny ears, B3s, C3s etc. Having done tip stalls on very many wings (the first I can think of right now was the Gin Carrera th-cam.com/video/UxhXxyUcBPE/w-d-xo.html ) I've found the pressure pulling them in is usually higher than when inducing classic big ears, sometimes much higher, and they generally come out very quickly when released, often making a tha-wack sound. I did tip stalls quite a bit on both the Scala 2 and Scala 2 light and don't recall finding them especially heavy or aggressive on release. Not the lightest but not the heaviest either. From my testing of the Scala 2 and Scala 2 light, I would definitely use the tips stalls on them to get down or stay below cloud or airspace - and did exactly that.
For the choice of lines, I didn't notice anything in particular either way. As with all higher performance wings - which tend to have unsheathed, thinner and longer lines - they have a tendency to get tangled more easily than those on lower performance wings. Actually I think the length of the lines is a key factor in this, as any para foil user or kite surfer knows! About the Scala 2 Light, to my knowledge the lines are quite a standard mix of Edelrid 8001U (aka Magimix Pro Dry) and Liros DC, PPSL and PPSLS.
I've been eying this since it was first announced, trying to decide if it's a reasonable leap to take to step up directly from a Maestro that I'm really feeling the limits of on XC/comps even if I like it a lot. I'm expecting it to feel more familiar coming from the Maestro than the Artik R, which is my second preferred option at the moment. But the big difference in AR is not something I take lightly... 5.56 -> 6.77 is quite massive. But for the moment I haven't really felt compelled by anything between either.
Whilst I wouldn't say that upgrading from the Maestro (or similar) to a high C wing like the Scala 2, Photon or Artik R is not out of the question, I think it's quite a bit step in terms of pilot demands. A more sensible step would be to a mid C wing e.g. Advance SIGMA 11, Niviuk Artik 6, Ozone Delta 4 etc. 🙂
I eventually took the leap and after flying the Scala 2 now during the Nordic Open in quite strong thermic conditions in Chabre I'd say that it behaves very well. I was surprised to hear that other pilots thought the conditions were very rough at times. I was obviously flying actively, but it never felt difficult to control even when it was bumpy and the high aspect has not felt like an issue at all. Granted, I don't know how it behaves when it collapses because it wasn't even close to doing so during the entire comp. Loss of pressure was clearly communicated early enough to catch before anything happened during my flights at least. I got one small ear folded in once beneath a cloud, which took a significant pump to open. Now I feel like I'm the limiting factor when flying again, not the wing.
Did you test the normal version: not the same and even more solid and performant than the light version. I flew it even with 10kg below the minimum weight and it was still enjoyable and solid. ( I flew 18&19, light and normal, at 70 to 77 kg, in many different conditions)
tried the "heavy" 18 at ~74-78 in Bassano two weeks ago and have to agree, even at 74 it still felt relatively agile. Do you have any info if the 17 is still coming? Could be an ideal double (H&F/Comp) setup for me🤔
Yes, I've also been testing the standard weight Scala 2, quite a bit. You can already see it featuring in some of our more rent thermalling and XC tips videos. From my testing, comparing it with other EN C 2-liners, I think it has exceptional handling and top performance in the class. Actually it has even surprised me how good the real-world performance is, as you'll see in coming videos! I also personally really enjoy flying it. I liked it right away but even then the more I fly it the more I like it. It's definitely high C though, with quite similar pilot demands to the other high C 2-liners i.e. Artik R, Photon and X2C.
I've already recorded more than enough 'action footage' for a detailed full review of the Scala 2. I just need to find time to record some voiceover to go with this... and we have a big backlog of other footage and videos to come, some of which I also need to record voiceover for. Not enough hours in the day! 😤
Not entirely related to the Scala 2 but how fast do you think wings improving these days? How many generations back to you have to go for a past high B to be a better performer than a current A wing or a past C wing to be beaten by a current high B?
From my testing wings do keep improving in each generation, especially in terms of the overall package. Purely in terms of performance, although it's different to actually scientifically measure this - especially when it really matters i.e. in active air - what I notice is that as a general thing the wings are staying up better and giving you more "reach". With older wings you tended to feel more stuck too the ridge, working harder to stay up and less inclined to push out to find lift (and more often when you did you went down). With modern wings you stay up more easily (of course you still need lift, and still need to put the wing in the right place) and find you can push out to find thermals upwind more easily. I feel this has happened especially with mid and high A wings (many mid A wings perform very well, and the Symphonia 2 is simply amazing!), all B wings (low to high) and mid and high C wings. In the C class, especially the better performing new EN C 2-liners - Artik R, Photon, Scala 2, Mint (and I now add to this the new Zoom X2C, need to test the Nova Codex more).
@@games2012 Thanks for your thanks! 😀 Whilst we welcome constructive criticism and differences of option (which doesn't mean we'll agree) we won't complain about a little encouragement now and again! 😘
havehere is a very complex question and your experience may be able to give me some help. As far as I can tell with the calculations I have performed and the flying I have done, it's a matter of control authority. If you take off a 100 lb overweight and fly in a straight line it will fly fast. If you are flying fast and you curve a little bit you will have a bank angle and a lot of mathematical relationships increasing the load on the wing and decreasing the cross section in the vertical direction. These all add up to a steep decline in a locked spiral. If you consider other conditions flying slowly with a lot of brake applied and then releasing one side, even flying within the insured weight range can lead to a locked in spiral. All of these things seem to be a matter of a combination of control authority available in the wing and the brakes and the weight shift and skill on the pilots part to pull out of these things. I've seen tip problems, and the pilot was concerned with the tip more than he was concerned with flying straight and he caught a locked in spiral condition and could not fly out of it. My gear and my epsilon 9 and myself all add up to be barely insurable. I'm dieting this winter so I can drop weight for next year and going back to school and flying more. Could you think back through your experience and see if there's anything to my idea that if it'll fly straight it'll land straight. No matter what the problem I think you would be to the advantage if you kept flying straight as your basic instinct and then started looking for something to try and fix. Is this true?
With the Scala 2 light and my light equipment i reach about 77kg ... does anyone fly the scala 2 light in the middle of the weight range and can say something about the handling? Is it still good to fly? With the Scala 2 light I would have pretty much the same wing loading (in the middle of the weight range - 4,34kg/m²) as on my Allegro light (on top of the weight range - 4,4kg/m²) which flies really excellent in all conditions. At the moment i'm testing the Scala 2 (heavy version) with 79-80kg ... really good but too heavy and too big to pack for my taste. I will try the light version as soon as I can, but I would have been interested in some experience.
Thanks for sharing your opinion! Interesting. From all of my testing, of very many harnesses, match with very many wings, my experience is that, whilst that generalisation might be true with some harnesses, it's not true of all of them. Whilst I agree that one average "big" (by which I assume you mean standard weight) harnesses tend to be more stable than "little" i.e. lightweight harnesses, there are instances where the opposite is true i.e. a bigger/heavier harness is more unstable than a smaller/lighter harness.
Speaking of the Niviuk Arrow (and Hawk) semi-light pod harness in particular, it's relatively weight shifty. More stable than the Woody Valley GTO light 1 and 2 and Gin Genie Lite 3 and Genie X-alps, but less stable than the Supair Delight 4 (and Delight 3 and Delight 2).
As I am very used to changing harnesses, and allowing for the differences, I always allow for the harness when reviewing a wing (and vice versa). Having said this, as I know from experience that the harness / wing combination certainly has an effect on the overall feeling, I always have this in mind and also make a point to fly - an extra effort - to fly wings with different harnesses. Since I recorded this video, I flew the Scala 2 Light again with the Advance Weightless, AirDesign The Sock and Ozone BV1. Although this changed the overall feeling and handling overall, this did not change my view of the Scala 2 Light. To fly it with a more stable harness I plan to test if with the Supair Delight 4. We also have the Niviuk Arrow P and Woody Valley Race here, which I will certainly test it with if I get the chance!
@@flybubblecarlo Thanx Carlo! Niviuk Arrow P is on my list. I am patiently waiting for your review about it! I hope you get your hands on Zoom wings too.
@@airgaborpara3824 Thanks! We already have the new Zoom X2C in stock in sizes 95 and 105, both of which I've managed to test for a couple of hours. So far always in marginal conditions - either top end breezy and gusty or light and scratchy - which has been a good test but I look forward to testing them more in a wider variety of conditions and, as usual, with different harnesses and at different loads.
I'm surprised by this. Out of interest, where did you get that idea from? From my side, I checked the stitching on the Scala 2 Light and it looks normal - very good - to me, certainly not sloppy. I'd certainly be very happy to keep this wing for myself. I think the built quality of Advance wings is better - in my opinion they are still the best - but the build quality of Phi wings is very good / excellent.
About the different fabrics, from my experience (and what wing designers, manufacturers and servicers tell me) lighter fabrics are generally harder - less forgiving - to stitch than standard ones, due to the lighter fabric being a bit thinner and having a bit more stretch. Some of them are more slippery too. I believe this is partly why light wings are significantly more expensive to produce, as well as the lighter fabrics being significantly more expensive than heavier ones (and harder to come by). The best manufacturers have more highly skilled seamsters, with more training, and equipment and processes to deal with this, I believe.
As I understand it, all good designers allow for the differences in fabrics in the design and production process, and some do it better than others (as can be seen from how clean then wings look). If you've followed paraglider design since the 90s (or even the 80s) you'll know that PHI's designer Hannes Papesh is a pioneer and leader in this area. To me, the Scala 2 Light, like all PHI wings, looks exceptionally clean and keeps it's shape exceptionally well.
Is anyone flying with the PHI Scala 2 Light or considering getting one? 💬😏🦅
XC Flying Tips: th-cam.com/video/IU9HHoNDeUY/w-d-xo.html
Low Save: th-cam.com/video/Ube-B0MOd88/w-d-xo.html
PHI's Scala 2 Light is the lightest EN C 2-liner around, with a relatively high aspect ratio of 6.77, making it a uniquely interesting choice for sports class events and hike & fly, so I was especially keen to test it. This review video is based on my first flights with a Scala 2 Light. Since then I've tested it more and my initial impressions have held.
Thank you Carlo for this excellent review of the scala 2 light. I bought it myself with the aim of doing XC competitions with it and to have a light glider at the top end of C performance. Honestly, I'm extremely pleased with the few flights I've been able to make with it! I agree with all the points made in this video. I fly the size 18 at 83 kg. It's an extremely fast wing, very agile, with fairly firm control and short travel but still very precise in light conditions. It has a lot of energy and the wings are monstrous. The flare is incredible, and she really has excellent finesse. The only thing that takes a bit of time to know it, it is on the take of with a wing that can sometimes go up with the wingtips first. You need to spread it out well and make a nice corolla or just use the internal A lines, which works very well. Once you've mastered inflation with this wing, it's pure bliss for those who love agility and energy, everything being ultra solid, from the same block and very perf. Thanks to Phi for this beautiful machine!
Oh yes, and don't forget the risers, which are really excellent, and the wing's impeccable finish.
Very interesting reviews Carlo. Watched both the light and full-fat one. I’ve been flying the light one for a few months and have found it to be a great step up from my Allegro light.
Glad you find our reviews interesting @airmalik! I enjoy watching your videos too - fun and informative! Thanks for sharing your experiences and views!
If I was looking for the top performing light EN C wing, to fly in sports class XC leagues, competitions and hike and fly, or just to have light XC gear with top performance in the EN C class, this is the wing I'd choose.
Finally another real and complete test of the glider. It is hard to find an exhaustive impressions. Mainly because it comes from guys who bought the glider… A thousand thanks for your work. I look forward to your reviews as Ziad’s ones.
I am sooo happy with my delta 4 but look for a light version being older and with other ambitions like volbiv etc. I bought an arrow p that I haven’t tested yet and I look for a light wing. The school here received the scala 2 light upon my request for test so I’ll fly it soon. Maybe we’ll also have a delta/alpina 5 for the Stubai wich I hope to attend. Gonna test the Lynx2 there as well.
I was also worried by aspect ratio wanting to keep it under 6.5 like photon or even skywalk x alps (but EN D). Never flown 2 liners but it feels solid. Worries about cravates… I’ll fly it SIV for sure.
Don't worry, scala 2 is over solid, I say this with flying it at lowest weight limit or under. Fly it few times you will not even remember it's a 2liners (out of the usual 2liners specificities: easy command on B, huge acceleration, solid, good penetration)
@@butchdelayautemerci butch
Thanks for your thanks. 🙏 Enjoy testing the Scala 2 Light! 😀 From my testing of the Delta 4 and Scala 2 Light, amongst others, for sure the pilot demands of the S2L are of course higher (high C) than the D4 (mid C), but I was pleasantly surprised (due to the higher aspect ratio) to find they are quite similar to the other high C 2-liners e.g. Artik R, Photon. You'll like the performance: I expect a big s*it eating grin and bugs in your teeth! 😜 The only niggle I found was the tips tending to cravat on the ground, as I mention in this review video. 🤔 This does require better ground handling and wing management on the ground than the D4, which is quite easy. 🤓
@@theeyeinthecloud if you come at stubai cup, come to see us we will lend you a scala at your size :-) before stubai cup, you can test it in Bassano :-)
@@butchdelayaute I surely will. We recieved the scala 19 to try here at Cuges. I will have some time in the next few days to fly weather permitting...
Great review Carlo, thanks !
Fully agree with you about trim setting of the scala 1. Super fast but not efficient in weak climb.
You seems to say that Scala 2 is more efficient in weak climb. Do you think Scala 2 is as efficient as Photon for example in weak climb ?
Thanks
Glad you like the review, thanks for the support! 🙏 In answer to your question, from my testing the Scala 2 Light is significantly more efficient in weak climb than the original Scala Light (which I enjoyed a lot - great handling! - but did find the sink/climb rate lacking). From flying both the Scala 2 Light and Scala 2 with very good pilots on Photons (and others) I never felt disadvantaged in terms of performance - in any conditions, light or strong. To the contrary, I felt I had a performance advantage, always climbing better, getting higher and gliding further. Actually you can see in our video "XC Paragliding Tips: How To Fly & Climb Efficiently" that the Scala 2 is doing exceptionally well compared to all other wings, including some Photons, on a weak climb cloudy day: th-cam.com/video/972QqMxn4PY/w-d-xo.html
ps. To be clear, I think the Photon is an excellent EN C 2-liner with very good performance in the class, one of the best. I personally wish the handling and feeling were better.
I know you can improve the Photon's handling with trim adjustments however a) this takes it out of certified trim, b) why wasn't it released like that in the first place and c) having tried this I personally still find the handling lacking and it doesn't improve the feeling. This is my personal view, having tested sizes MS and ML at different loads (best well/top loaded, to improve the handling and feeling, I've found) in a variety of conditions, with different harnesses. Speaking with other pilots who aren't brand focused, I've mostly heard the same or similar feedback. These are of course just niggles, not especially bad points. I know many pilots are happy with their Photons, and if performance is the top priority then it's certainly one of the best performers in the C class currently.
On a related note, I personally much prefer the Photon to the old Mantra M7 and LM7, which I personally wasn't so impressed with (fine but not so great).
Great review!
Glad you enjoyed it 🙏
Great review!
What AUW did you fly and found worked best?
Thanks, glad you like it! For this review I tested the Scala 2 light 19 (CWR 75-100 kg, SWR 75-95 kg, EWR 95-100 kg) with all-up weights ranging from 90-95 kg. I found it worked great in that range. PHI gives a Suggested Weight Range of 75-95 kg. In thermic conditions I'd probably prefer to fly it 85-95 kg. As always I might adjust my loading according to the conditions.
Awesome! Curious how you feel the Scala 2 compares to the Allegro Light? I'm 90 hrs into an Allegro I picked up from you guys, and I LOVE IT. But I can't help but be curious about what I'd gain and at what cost if I stepped up to the Scala 2 Light. Also, I'm typically 97-99kg which seems to be right at the top of the S2L extended range. Would it be counterproductive to be that high in the range? Again great little review!
Allegro light was my favorite wing, until the scala 2. You will gain performance and solidity with same easiness to use. But you have to test it first, only your opinion matters. For the weight range, I don't know I used it only at the minimum 😅
After a few years of flying the Allegro I moved up to the Scala 2 and I’m loving it. Just published my impressions of the Scala 2 Light on Medium that should be able to google.
Hi Carlo, thanks for the review, analysing the risers the B handle seems way high , I bet it's difficult to reach, let alone fly with it for a long time, tiring I guess? what are your thought about that
Thanks for your thanks! In answer to your question, I find the B handles on Scala 2 and Scala 2 light well positioned and excellent to use. Perhaps someone with particularly short arms might find them a bit high? Actually most paraglider designers should allow for more for different arm lengths, as Nova have done with their adjustable B and C handles. As I think I mention in their reviews, I find the B control on the Scala 2 and Scala 2 light to be really excellent, some of the best - very usable, with excellent feeling. Proof of the pudding: I find myself using B riser control more on the Scala 2 and Scala 2 light than most other wings - and continuing to use it in more turbulent conditions, to fly actively, where on some other wings I would go back to using the brakers, as I don't feel as good control with the B risers.
thanks for this test ! I'd love to hear your opinion on the libra RS, for which I'm very hesitant ...
Hi Carlo... Nice review as always. You were referring to the big ears... But I do not think them arw really possible to make them. What it does are very heavy ear stalls, and when coming out they are very aggressive. Imho I wouldnt use them if I were cruising beneath a cloud.
And what was your thought on the choice of lines for line Sortiment?
Hi, thanks for your comment. You're right, I'm not referring to the classic type of big ears descent technique using the outer As to collapse the wing tips. I'm referring to the descent technique using the outer rear lines to stall the wing tips, known as tip stalls, B-ears, bunny ears, B3s, C3s etc. Having done tip stalls on very many wings (the first I can think of right now was the Gin Carrera th-cam.com/video/UxhXxyUcBPE/w-d-xo.html ) I've found the pressure pulling them in is usually higher than when inducing classic big ears, sometimes much higher, and they generally come out very quickly when released, often making a tha-wack sound. I did tip stalls quite a bit on both the Scala 2 and Scala 2 light and don't recall finding them especially heavy or aggressive on release. Not the lightest but not the heaviest either. From my testing of the Scala 2 and Scala 2 light, I would definitely use the tips stalls on them to get down or stay below cloud or airspace - and did exactly that.
For the choice of lines, I didn't notice anything in particular either way. As with all higher performance wings - which tend to have unsheathed, thinner and longer lines - they have a tendency to get tangled more easily than those on lower performance wings. Actually I think the length of the lines is a key factor in this, as any para foil user or kite surfer knows! About the Scala 2 Light, to my knowledge the lines are quite a standard mix of Edelrid 8001U (aka Magimix Pro Dry) and Liros DC, PPSL and PPSLS.
I've been eying this since it was first announced, trying to decide if it's a reasonable leap to take to step up directly from a Maestro that I'm really feeling the limits of on XC/comps even if I like it a lot. I'm expecting it to feel more familiar coming from the Maestro than the Artik R, which is my second preferred option at the moment. But the big difference in AR is not something I take lightly... 5.56 -> 6.77 is quite massive. But for the moment I haven't really felt compelled by anything between either.
Whilst I wouldn't say that upgrading from the Maestro (or similar) to a high C wing like the Scala 2, Photon or Artik R is not out of the question, I think it's quite a bit step in terms of pilot demands. A more sensible step would be to a mid C wing e.g. Advance SIGMA 11, Niviuk Artik 6, Ozone Delta 4 etc. 🙂
I eventually took the leap and after flying the Scala 2 now during the Nordic Open in quite strong thermic conditions in Chabre I'd say that it behaves very well. I was surprised to hear that other pilots thought the conditions were very rough at times. I was obviously flying actively, but it never felt difficult to control even when it was bumpy and the high aspect has not felt like an issue at all. Granted, I don't know how it behaves when it collapses because it wasn't even close to doing so during the entire comp. Loss of pressure was clearly communicated early enough to catch before anything happened during my flights at least. I got one small ear folded in once beneath a cloud, which took a significant pump to open. Now I feel like I'm the limiting factor when flying again, not the wing.
Very nice 👍
Thanks 🙂
Did you test the normal version: not the same and even more solid and performant than the light version. I flew it even with 10kg below the minimum weight and it was still enjoyable and solid. ( I flew 18&19, light and normal, at 70 to 77 kg, in many different conditions)
tried the "heavy" 18 at ~74-78 in Bassano two weeks ago and have to agree, even at 74 it still felt relatively agile. Do you have any info if the 17 is still coming? Could be an ideal double (H&F/Comp) setup for me🤔
@@mraffifpv1685 I have no idea but noe court need one, so it will come out one day. I'm waiting for it too.
Yes, I've also been testing the standard weight Scala 2, quite a bit. You can already see it featuring in some of our more rent thermalling and XC tips videos. From my testing, comparing it with other EN C 2-liners, I think it has exceptional handling and top performance in the class. Actually it has even surprised me how good the real-world performance is, as you'll see in coming videos! I also personally really enjoy flying it. I liked it right away but even then the more I fly it the more I like it. It's definitely high C though, with quite similar pilot demands to the other high C 2-liners i.e. Artik R, Photon and X2C.
I've already recorded more than enough 'action footage' for a detailed full review of the Scala 2. I just need to find time to record some voiceover to go with this... and we have a big backlog of other footage and videos to come, some of which I also need to record voiceover for. Not enough hours in the day! 😤
Not entirely related to the Scala 2 but how fast do you think wings improving these days? How many generations back to you have to go for a past high B to be a better performer than a current A wing or a past C wing to be beaten by a current high B?
Thanks for everything you guys are doing Nancy and Carlo :)
I'm not too sure you can make a comparison like that with as many things that are different between two wings that are in classes.
From my testing wings do keep improving in each generation, especially in terms of the overall package. Purely in terms of performance, although it's different to actually scientifically measure this - especially when it really matters i.e. in active air - what I notice is that as a general thing the wings are staying up better and giving you more "reach". With older wings you tended to feel more stuck too the ridge, working harder to stay up and less inclined to push out to find lift (and more often when you did you went down). With modern wings you stay up more easily (of course you still need lift, and still need to put the wing in the right place) and find you can push out to find thermals upwind more easily. I feel this has happened especially with mid and high A wings (many mid A wings perform very well, and the Symphonia 2 is simply amazing!), all B wings (low to high) and mid and high C wings. In the C class, especially the better performing new EN C 2-liners - Artik R, Photon, Scala 2, Mint (and I now add to this the new Zoom X2C, need to test the Nova Codex more).
@@games2012 Thanks for your thanks! 😀 Whilst we welcome constructive criticism and differences of option (which doesn't mean we'll agree) we won't complain about a little encouragement now and again! 😘
havehere is a very complex question and your experience may be able to give me some help. As far as I can tell with the calculations I have performed and the flying I have done, it's a matter of control authority. If you take off a 100 lb overweight and fly in a straight line it will fly fast. If you are flying fast and you curve a little bit you will have a bank angle and a lot of mathematical relationships increasing the load on the wing and decreasing the cross section in the vertical direction. These all add up to a steep decline in a locked spiral. If you consider other conditions flying slowly with a lot of brake applied and then releasing one side, even flying within the insured weight range can lead to a locked in spiral. All of these things seem to be a matter of a combination of control authority available in the wing and the brakes and the weight shift and skill on the pilots part to pull out of these things. I've seen tip problems, and the pilot was concerned with the tip more than he was concerned with flying straight and he caught a locked in spiral condition and could not fly out of it. My gear and my epsilon 9 and myself all add up to be barely insurable. I'm dieting this winter so I can drop weight for next year and going back to school and flying more. Could you think back through your experience and see if there's anything to my idea that if it'll fly straight it'll land straight. No matter what the problem I think you would be to the advantage if you kept flying straight as your basic instinct and then started looking for something to try and fix. Is this true?
With the Scala 2 light and my light equipment i reach about 77kg ... does anyone fly the scala 2 light in the middle of the weight range and can say something about the handling? Is it still good to fly?
With the Scala 2 light I would have pretty much the same wing loading (in the middle of the weight range - 4,34kg/m²) as on my Allegro light (on top of the weight range - 4,4kg/m²) which flies really excellent in all conditions.
At the moment i'm testing the Scala 2 (heavy version) with 79-80kg ... really good but too heavy and too big to pack for my taste.
I will try the light version as soon as I can, but I would have been interested in some experience.
What happened to the scala light 20, 21, 22, 23?
it was planned, but as hike&cross pilots with more than 100kg flying weight are not so common, it was cancelled.
The Arrow harness helps to make smoother the ride like all big harnesses as GTO etc.
Thanks for sharing your opinion! Interesting. From all of my testing, of very many harnesses, match with very many wings, my experience is that, whilst that generalisation might be true with some harnesses, it's not true of all of them. Whilst I agree that one average "big" (by which I assume you mean standard weight) harnesses tend to be more stable than "little" i.e. lightweight harnesses, there are instances where the opposite is true i.e. a bigger/heavier harness is more unstable than a smaller/lighter harness.
Speaking of the Niviuk Arrow (and Hawk) semi-light pod harness in particular, it's relatively weight shifty. More stable than the Woody Valley GTO light 1 and 2 and Gin Genie Lite 3 and Genie X-alps, but less stable than the Supair Delight 4 (and Delight 3 and Delight 2).
As I am very used to changing harnesses, and allowing for the differences, I always allow for the harness when reviewing a wing (and vice versa). Having said this, as I know from experience that the harness / wing combination certainly has an effect on the overall feeling, I always have this in mind and also make a point to fly - an extra effort - to fly wings with different harnesses. Since I recorded this video, I flew the Scala 2 Light again with the Advance Weightless, AirDesign The Sock and Ozone BV1. Although this changed the overall feeling and handling overall, this did not change my view of the Scala 2 Light. To fly it with a more stable harness I plan to test if with the Supair Delight 4. We also have the Niviuk Arrow P and Woody Valley Race here, which I will certainly test it with if I get the chance!
@@flybubblecarlo Thanx Carlo! Niviuk Arrow P is on my list. I am patiently waiting for your review about it! I hope you get your hands on Zoom wings too.
@@airgaborpara3824 Thanks! We already have the new Zoom X2C in stock in sizes 95 and 105, both of which I've managed to test for a couple of hours. So far always in marginal conditions - either top end breezy and gusty or light and scratchy - which has been a good test but I look forward to testing them more in a wider variety of conditions and, as usual, with different harnesses and at different loads.
The stitching looks sloppy compared to other recent wings. Is it because of the light fabric used?
I'm surprised by this. Out of interest, where did you get that idea from? From my side, I checked the stitching on the Scala 2 Light and it looks normal - very good - to me, certainly not sloppy. I'd certainly be very happy to keep this wing for myself. I think the built quality of Advance wings is better - in my opinion they are still the best - but the build quality of Phi wings is very good / excellent.
About the different fabrics, from my experience (and what wing designers, manufacturers and servicers tell me) lighter fabrics are generally harder - less forgiving - to stitch than standard ones, due to the lighter fabric being a bit thinner and having a bit more stretch. Some of them are more slippery too. I believe this is partly why light wings are significantly more expensive to produce, as well as the lighter fabrics being significantly more expensive than heavier ones (and harder to come by). The best manufacturers have more highly skilled seamsters, with more training, and equipment and processes to deal with this, I believe.
As I understand it, all good designers allow for the differences in fabrics in the design and production process, and some do it better than others (as can be seen from how clean then wings look). If you've followed paraglider design since the 90s (or even the 80s) you'll know that PHI's designer Hannes Papesh is a pioneer and leader in this area. To me, the Scala 2 Light, like all PHI wings, looks exceptionally clean and keeps it's shape exceptionally well.
If there weren't significant advantages to heavier fabrics then I guess all wings would be made from lighter ones!
Doesnt stand out because of Drift Merlin! :D