Stephane Malbos <>
writes:

David finds about the Impact in a magazine. His first reaction:
admiration “They got guts to build a glider with such an aspect ratio!” Second
reaction: skepticism: “Will it fly?”


2005


A paraglider crash leaves him for a couple of month in a hospital bed. Plenty
time to learn more about the Impact. Web search. First contact with the Impact
Team: eight German engineers, two working in aviation sphere (Olaf Barthod and
Christoph Troemer at Lufthansa and Airbus). In 2000, they saw an Atos fly and
though that it shouldn’t be too difficult to do better. They started working,
using Lufthansa’s workshop to manufacture some parts. They built eight gliders.
The Impact is now 4 years old, but has seldom been flown except in very mellow
conditions, and certainly not in competition. David wants to meet the
inventors/builders. It happens in September. The glider leaves him
flabbergasted: the design, the quality of the construction, the innovative
technical solutions found are just way over whatever has been done before. And
the wing is beautiful, exceptional. David falls in love with the Impact… That it
flies well or not doesn’t matter. He hooks up, takes-off for two short evening
flights, with Jacques Bott under an Atos VR next to him.


2006


Six months later, David is through the negotiation with the Impact Team. He will
fly Henner Petersen almost new glider at the Rigid World Championship. Swift
European builders Vincent Piret and Bernard Bleeckx help him find a solution for
shipping the Impact from Hamburg to Florida (it will travel with Steve Cox’s
Swift). He tries it again – two short evening flights – before putting it in its
box. Well, it flies, it turns, it is sensitive in pitch, it will have to be
tuned but it will have to do. Anyway, there is no turning back now. Too much
energy and goodwill have been spent on this project. He has to hold the bet till
the end.


May, Quest Air, Florida, World Championship


The Impact arrives three days before the competition starts, which is not much
really to discover it, specially when one of these days is drenched in rain.
David slides the glider cover inside the leading edges and adjust the centering
by lengthening the keel and adding a stabilizer. It’s not sufficient: the center
is too much forward, the glider flying at 80 km/h in stabilized flight. David
and the Impact Team work on the tuning of this and that and, too soon, the comp
starts. David is now flying a glider that request, in fact, 70% of his
attention. He is getting used to it, but as the weather is worsening, his
situation is not getting any better. He always has to pay attention and be
reactive, like a tightrope walker in constant research of his balance for a
stabilized flight. When the flight is over, he is exhausted but still has to
keep maximum concentration as landing the beast, even with a bit of headwind, is
a Mach 12 speed affair, in ground effect for ever, worrying when he will able,
at last, to use his feet and run. He finds out that he likes better long task in
marginal conditions, with weak lift and elusive thermals. There, he can make the
difference by making sure he comes out of the thermal at the best time and then
goes for the next one like a madman. He is confident he has the best glider and
that his aggressive strategy can only pay. He believe his confidence is
inspiring maybe a bit too much respect amongst the other pilots. In fact, when
he analyses his GPS tracklog, he finds a LD ratio only slightly better than the
Atos VR, at best 19,4 at 65 km/h. He flies next to Cricar’s Aeros Phantom and
finds no difference in his glide path. Who cares… The confidence is his. He wins
three tasks in a row, climbs from the 25th to the 2nd place, and can’t go
further as the championship comes to an end.


David has just finished to pack his glider in the huge wood box that will be
sent back to Europe. He is hammering down the last nail… As the meet closes, his
love for the Impact is still there, but chilled. A nice end to his quest. He has
to give back the glider and he does it willingly. Flying at speeds over 100 km/h
hung to a rope is crazy anyway. Adding a cockpit and a 3 axis stick would be a
good idea. The Germans are working on it. It would be an easier wing to fly. You
could take it aerobatic. A better Swift, easier to pack and unpack. Another
dream, another reality…


Wind span: 13,85 m

Aspect ration: 14,75, without winglet

Nose angle: 140

Washout: 4

Area: 13 m2

Weight: 42 kg

Maximum take-off weight: 142 kg

Max tested load 400 kg (in fact tested at 800 kg without breaking

Packing size: 7,10 m





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