REVIEW: BRONTES - SKY PARAGLIDERS Pilot: Daniel Crespo Valdéz Published in Parapente-Vuelo Libre magazine (Spain)
Another
way
The first impression you get from the Brontes is of a classic model, even sober. This is not a well-known manufacturer for us, but we see that its solutions are simple but effective. The construction is competent and the finishes are fine, nothing luxurious though, but it lies well in a very competitive segment of the market, especially at the offered prices.
The inner surface design (intrados) points towards an aesthetic of its own, personal and attractive. This glider will not be mistaken by any other, and this is valid also for the handling, of dampened and obedient controls. Especially in turbulences, the whole unit of the glider absorbs the reactions.
Solutions of all kinds
The plan form is elliptic, the trailing edge-line is straight, and the wingtips end in little stabiles. With 116 hanging points, the glider has a clean profile and a smooth and regular pressure throughout the whole wingspan. One every 3 cells are attached to lines, except for the brake line that attaches to one out of 2 cells.
One particular detail of the Brontes is the 4 rings placed at the wingtips, which make part of a simple and efficient brake system, in which the tips of the glider bow at the first brake input, thus offering a fairly flat turn with only 20 cms. of brake travel.
Smooth and hard
Launching is very easy, the glider's response is smooth and regular to the action of the pilot on the risers, and you hardly need to hold it when it comes over your head. In this sense, it is a good companion for small take-offs and for pilots whose techniques are not well developed (it is rated DHV 1-2 in take-off behaviour). Once the canopy is above your head, the pressure is felt softly; sometimes it is not even noticeable because the first 3rd of brake travel needs very little effort, which demands a bit of adaptation if you are coming from a glider with more "physical" controls.
For a smooth and flat turn we only need to apply 3 kg of brake effort on the inner side, and 1 or 2 kg on the outer side. In thermal conditions and for closer turns we will need more brake travel and twice as much effort. From this point on and if we want to fly slowly, we will notice that the brake effort increases significantly, and we will need almost 11 kg to take the glider to minimum speed (24 km/h). It is difficult to full-stall it by accident, and when you reach the stall point the glider will clearly inform you. Full stall is easy to stabilize and the dive forward is controllable without difficulty.
Security and piloting
The glider as a whole absorbs the turbulences, giving a sensation of flexibility. Once you get used to it, it is comfortable to pilot and needs little effort. It is not a technical glider regarding piloting and, at the same time, its reactions to collapses were not violent. When we induced a big collapse the glider tended to open by itself with little more than one full turn, and if we apply just a light sign on the brake it reopens quickly.
The glider is moderate in its axes, and does not dive forward abruptly neither tend to stay behind. As for dynamic piloting, the Brontes goes better in flat smooth turns than trying radical inclinations or tricks. You can spiral it to a good sink rate (-16m/s) and it recovers spontaneously. Wingovers resulted a bit soft, and we found it hard to round up the turn at the highest part of the course, which induces the pilot to force a little with the brakes.
Performance
This Czech Thunder is not a race machine, but it provides the pilot with a very usable wide speed range. We measured a maximum speed of 53 km/h with our Skywatch. At that speed, the glide is affected significantly so it would be better spared for strong face wind. Nevertheless, with half speed bar pushed we observed how the Brontes moves forward "thundering" and munching the turbulences, with speeds between 45 and 48 km/h.
The best glide is obtained at trim speed (37 km/h), nearly 8,1 points. To get the best sink rate you have to pull the brakes slightly; at 29 km/h we measured -1,1 m/s.
For whom?
The Brontes is an easy glider, which also reveals itself as performant. It has handling qualities that make it appropriate for intermediate pilots who like soft controls and smooth reactions. This glider offers good value for money and it is a valid option for those who do not want to squeeze their wallets to obtain a good model 2002. It is available in 3 sizes only, but they cover from 65 to 130 kg of total in-flight weight. Sky provides a guarantee for 3 years or 200 flying hours (the pilot must have a logbook).
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