UP Meru - Love on first flight

Updated on 14.05.2018

Long was I roaming around on the search for a new wing that would carry me through good times and through even better times.... My search began last year in September, when I realized, my LM6 would need a replacement sooner or later after we went through many nice flights together.
I was on some dates with a Zeno or lets rather call it appointments since I didn't feel that romantic spark. The Zeno without any doubt is a wonderful wing, with a great performance and for many many pilots, probably THE wing, but somehow not for me. It was nice and gentile, sporty, beautiful, elegant..., but we somehow didn't fully connect. There was always a small doubt in my stomach. And so I decided to stay with my LM6 for some time longer.

Until at the BaWü Open somebody said to me: "why don't you try the UP Meru? I promise, you'll love it." And I thought, ok, why not. It can't do any harm to get to know each other and arrange some get together.

I asked for a tester and two weeks later received it, a day before the Mosel Open 2018.
As with every new wing, I was a bit nervous before the first flight. Especially since it was in a competition, with a lot of wind, on a new takeoff... not the ideal thing, normally.

I decided to take off late, to don't be stressed too much if I would struggle in taking off. Since the type of task was a race to goal with multiple start gates, I wouldn't lose too much time through that. The only disadvantage would be to maybe have to fly on my own or at lead with slower pilots, I thought.

Picture by Joel Debons

The take-off:
The take-off was quite a mess to be honest. The wing went here and there, but not really above my head where it should go. I was so late, that the last start gate was opening within 5 minutes. And not relaxed at all. After several attempts, I finally maded it in the air.
My learning: The Meru has no shooting tendencies at all during start, which, compared to the LM6 -  a wing that almost starts on its own - makes it slightly more inert, when lifting it up. The Meru wants really to be guided above your head but therefore doesn't lever you out. When reverse launched, it want's to be only lifted with the most inner A-line (not the whole riser). Once I figured that out, it was quite easy.

The flight:
After I was finally in the air, I went right from takeoff, into a thermal and minutes later I was above take-off and soon approaching top of lift. When I left towards the first turn point 10 minutes after the start gate, it was the first time that thought "cool, I'm under a new wing!". It was so intuitive, so easy to handly, so much fun to circle, so much "me and the wing as one piece" that a barely realized that this was something new. It felt like we were flying together since years, like we understood each other without any doubt. The flight went on like this, with strong winds, strong thermals, some tough parts that required a lot of patience in weak climbs... and throughout all that flight, I felt completetly, safey, secure, happy, one with the wing. I reached goal on that day as the first woman and 22nd overall and with a big smile in my fest. My best ever result. I can't say much about the performance in direct comparison to Zenos, Enzos or Booms, since I for long parts of that flight was on my own. On the next day, we had some close flying together and it seemed we were flying similar in terms of glide and speed.

Collapse:
On the second day, not long after the race started I could experience, how the Meru behaves, when things are not that smooth. The turnpoint was set in the middle of the lee of a hill and no matter how high you were, you have been washed down. When approaching that turn point, the Meru talked to me, loudly and determined. It collapsed for around 50%. But didn't even bother to turn. It was easy, manageable, trustworthy.

Landing:
Well, it glides... very well. So you'd like to have some space. Thanks to it's direct and intuitive handling, it's however quite easy to also get it landed on the spot.

What else?
Is there a down side? So far I couldn't find a lot. Maybe, that it's only available in one color. The Meru is now available in two nice different color schemes (http://www.up-paragliders.com/en/news/item/634-meru-new-size-and-new-colour-option) and also in the making for heavier pilots up to 130kg.
For sure that it's only available in two sizes, which for me is not a big disadvantage, but for heavier or a lot lighter pilots it might be. Luckily it flies very well - also in turbulent conditions, also with strong head wind - in the middle of the weight range, which I'm exactly at on the MS size. I have the feeling, it doesn't have to be fully loaded and rather likes it a bit lighter.
The dyneema lines: Most lines of the Meru are made of Aramide, only the main lines are made of dyneema. Dyneema has a bad reputation, but also the Trango XRace uses this type of lines as main lines and so far I didn't hear any complaints. Probably UP found a way to solve the known issues. I'm pretty sure otherwise they wouldn't have used this configuration.

Am I going to fly it more?
I definitely will! For me the Meru has everything I was looking for as a wing: Intuitive handling, great ability to climb in both strong and weak conditions, great gliding performance, good handling on the B-risers, safe feeling, direct handling, great feedback. I know, I'm using a lot of superlatives :-) But that's how it is when you experience love on first flight!
I flew the Meru now also in heavy spring conditions with strong winds and lee side thermals in Greifenburg, Kärnten during the Hessen Meisterschaft. It gives a lot of feedback in these conditions but not in an aggravating kind of way. It wants to be flown, but is honest in its reactions. I'm still excited! 

Season 2017 - A Retrospect

I was a bit lazy with posting regular updates on the past competition season. I was kept quite busy at work and finished my doctoral thesis in the last weeks. So I rather used every free minute to fly :-)

Nevertheless, I'd like to summarize a bit what happened.

Mosel Open 2017

After Trofeo Monte Grappa over the Easter weekend in March the next competition was the "8th Mosel Open" which was taking place in Zeltingen-Rachtig at the beautiful Mosel river. A wonderful four day competition with great organization. And despite an ambivalent forecast, we were able to fly three out of four days. Due to very weak conditions I bombed out two of three days early, probably only at 50% of the task. The last task I flew well and fast but made a mistake 8km from goal which brought me to ground early again. In the end I finished 5th in the Female Category and 65th overall.

Ammersee from above

After that there was a long period of cancelled competitions due to bad weather. I nevertheless had good free flying days. I flew from Schrattenbach to Ammersee, my current home, and had the possibility to first time fly in Pinzgau for a weekend. What a wonderful magnificent place with a convergence line over the main ridge and the snow-capped main alpine range to the south. I did some flights with close to 100km but didn't snap the magic line.

Picture by G. Hochmuth. Austrian Open Podium

On the first weekend of June, the Austrian Open took place in Zell am See (also in Pinzgau), where again an ambivalent forecast made many people think twice whether to go or not. We were able to fly on two out of four days, the first task with amazing weather and a long task which I again didn't finish by only 6km. The second task was with very weak conditions and in the end nobody made goal. I finished second in the female category by only 27 points behind the first and 53 overall. During this competition I had the impression that I finally found out how it works to keep constant and patient throughout the task. I had some parts where I wasted too much time to make height and was a victim to the cloud shadows in the end, which the first gaggle managed to avoid earlier.

All the following competitions mainly in Austria until end of July have been cancelled again due to bad weather and also the weather for free flying was - at least on the weekends - far below average.

Alsace, France

Finally end of July, the Palz Open took place one day later than planned due to rain, in Fellering, Alsace (France). On the first day we waited at takeoff until almost 4pm with strong winds, and barely sun. We didn't really believe, that a task would be possible. When we were finally in the air and started climbing to fly a 70km task, it was a big relieve. The wind calmed down and we were able to fly over Rhine river into Germany. I was in front with two or three others throught most of the task and only after Colmar took the wrong decision to go straight towards goal into the cloud shadow, making me land 8km from goal... again. The second task was a bit unfortunate for me from the very beginning. It took me long to gain height and when the race started I was still scratching below take-off. I landed after 30km.
Nevertheless, I  managed to become 3rd in the female category and 55th overall. And I had a good last training before the Paragliding World Cup in Disentis.

The PWC in Disentis took place in the first week of August and god was I excited to finally join my first world cup event. But as the weather was in the last couple of months, it continued during this week. We flew a task on Monday in strong southerly wind which I couldn't penetrate. I was forced to land after less than twenty kilometers. After that a week full of rain started and the mood of all pilots went down and down. On Thursday we finally decided to leave and head home to get the spirit a bit up again. We missed a task on the final day, Saturday, but it seems, conditions weren't that great on that day either. I hope, I'll have better luck with my next world cups to come.

Obermühle Mühlbach

Frustrated from this week, I went home to Altmühltal and on 14th August I finally made the obligatory 100km flight for this year. From Böhming to Crailsheim, over Brombachsee and Altmühlsee, with a quite low cloud base this flight was simply magic. One week later a flew to visit my sister, another great day. It paid off for all the frustration from the last months.

Take-off at Monte Pelpi

In the beginning of September, another highlight of this year was waiting for me: flying in the Apennines in Italy, my second home, were I spent a great part of my childhood. From Monte Pelpi I did a nice little round, watching the sea in 30km distance. A place I always loved and I definitely will come back to.

Picture: www.dhv.de - German Championship, Female Podium

The competitions season was finally closed by the German Open in Tolmin, Slovenia. And again, the forecast was not in our favor... The first two days out of six were cancelled right away. On Wednesday we then were able to fly a task at Lijak. Weak conditions, lots of shadow... not many made it to goal. On Thursday we  hoped for a task at Lijak again, but drizzle and strong winds made it impossible. With the forecast looking even worse for the next couple of days, we ended the competition on Thursday evening with the prize giving and pilot's party.
I finished 3rd in the female category and 28th overall. Despite the misfortune with the weather, my best overall result this season.

For now the competition time is over for me but flying will continue. I hope for some good days in the Dolomites in October and will be testing some new wings for the next season. My LM6 has close to 200 hours now and I guess I need to find something new :-)
Overall I managed to fly more than 100 hours since the beginning of this year and managed to get up in the top 1000 in the CIVL world ranking. There's still a long path to climb up, but I think I'm finally on a good way!

I'm looking forward to the next year in the German Paraglding League, this time even as part of the committee. I'll keep my fingers crossed for better luck with the weather then and hope to be able to take up with my learnings from this year. Stay tuned for more news to come :-)

Landing after 100km near Crailsheim

Western Cape / South African Open 2016

From 9th December to 18th December, the South African Open (from 11th to 17th) should lead me for a short summer break in winter time to South Africa. Shortly after I've booked my flight I learned that a friend whom I know from the paragliding community in Singapore will be there for parts of the time as well. 

So I arrived very excited in Capetown, which many promised me to be the most beautiful city in the world. Although I arrived in rain, I already could guess what it meant. Nice little colonial style houses between Signal Hill, Table Mountain, the Lion Head and the Atlantic Ocean. 

Luckily the rain stopped around noon and after some lunch, my friend from Singapore, Stephane, and his wonderful fiancee gave me a sight seeing tour towards the Cape of Good Hope. The fresh air in my face with spring-like temperatures and watching the birds soaring above the cape's rocks made it a wonderful happy and refreshing day. Together we went for a beautiful dinner featuring the best steak I ever had in my life with some of Stephane's friends to a restaurant above the sea.

    

On Saturday, 10th of December, I got a morning ride with Flo (many thanks again!) from Cape Town to Porterville, where the competition was supposed to start the next day. We were planning to use the day for some training and getting used to the flying conditions there. We set ourselves a little task which a happily failed to complete, but is was wonderful to watch the endless flats and rocky hills from the air. And to finally after a long break get decent thermals again. 

In the evening we the first competition briefing took place.

The first task on Sunday, 11th a 81km task should first lead us down the ridge towards south and from there into the flats towards Piketberg and up towards north. I bombed out on my attempt to fly in to the flats with far too little height, hoping fore some decent thermals there (which there weren't). Some local kids came running towards me when I was just about to land and so my glider was packed quickly and retrieve already waiting (which is a big relief since temperatures reached soon over 40°C during the daytime).

The second task was a straight line from takeoff via Endekuil towards the north west of the valley. I was good on the way along the ridge and when heading out in the flats we had found some climb. The strong southerly winds  blew us up north with every turn and so, Bernd and I decided to leave the thermal together when it didn't lead to much of success anymore. I flew a bit more right than him. He found a thermal and I found myself in a 7m/s sink, not able to make it to the thermal against the wind. Minutes later I was on the ground and Bernd made it to goal on this day. Well, that's the game.

The third day was cancelled due tail wind on takeoff. So we went to the nearby waterfalls and climbed them up. What a nice and refreshing diversion. 

On the fourth day, a similar route as on day two was set, and strong winds brought me the same faith as on day two again. On that day, barely any non-CCC-wing was able to make it to goal.  

Photo by Stef Junker

Since the next day was cancelled again, this time due to too much wind, we made a nice little trip to Riebeek Castle, a small town with little houses, cafés and art galleries. And with a good sense of humor. 

On day 6, finally the luck was on my side. We had to fly a task of 67km which lead us first down south to Porterville and then up the ridge and into Citrusdal until the goal in constriction. I finally was patient enough to always make the required hight and I was finally flying full speed along the ridge. What a fun it was. And so I managed to get into goal only 25 minutes after the first pilot. Patience seems to pay out :D

Day 7 again found me impatient and the strong wind combined with not enough height made me land early again. Not the finish of the comp I was hoping for, but nontheless an experience to learn from.

Over all, the 10 days in South Africa have been amazing and the competition very well organized. Spending the time with old and new friends and flying this ridges and flats was just a big fun. On day 6 I seemed to have understood, how everything works and with this awareness I will go into the next portion of the winter-break. I finished 5th in the women class and 54th out of 98 overall. Not my worst result after all. 

To me it was a new style of flying again, even though I'm used to flat land flying. The strong winds sometimes gave me a hard time and showed me once more how important height and patience is. Also trusting the ridge to always provide climb, even though racing along it super low, was a new experience for me.

I hope, this experience will help me in the next comp season and I definitely hope to come back to this wonderful country and place again. 

Thanks to everybody who made this time so great and especially Stephane for the sightseeing and lovely dinner, Flo for the ride from Capetown, Kirsten for bringing me my radio back, Harry for the excellent shuttle and Bernd for some local guidance. The biggest thanks go to the competition organizers who really did a great job in making this whole week a blast.

The full competition results can be found here: https://airtribune.com/wcopen2016/results

Autumn Time is Flying Time - A long weekend above lakes

Since I discovered mountains and especially paragliding as my passion, October never failed to excite me. After a extraordinary cold and wet summer which luckily paid a little bit out towards the end, also in 2016, late October didn't disappoint us at all. 

Since 1st of November was a public holiday we decided to use the long weekend for heading south for some flying. While probably most people were heading to Bassano del Grappa, we were looking for some more quite alternatives.

Our trip started on Saturday, 29 October with a visit of Tegelberg (1665m) and Neuschwanstein Castle. Not having in mind that it was holiday season and weekend both at the same time, I was a bit shocked about the crowd that was queuing in front of the takeoff. It was not a big surprise, since Tegelberg is one of the most scenic sites in southern Germany,, offering views over Neuschwanstein castle and Lake Forggensee. After some 45 minutes in the queue, I finally was able to get airbone. Thanks to the very stable day with some southerly wind (the take-off is facing northwards), the flight was rather short. But nevertheless beautiful :) I was luckily able to take some proper shots of the castle.

In the evening we continued our journey towards Laion in Grödnertal, with the plan in our minds to fly at Col Rodella, probably the most scenic site in the world the next day. But already in the evening a strong North wind made us clear that this won't be the site for the next day. We instead headed towards Trento and from there to Lago Toblino, a smaller and almost unknown lake just north of its big brother Lago di Garda. A beautiful flying site at Monte Gazza (1583m) was waiting for us. It offers two different landings: the first one just on the southern shore of Lago Toblino, between some vine and apple plantations. 

The second landing is around 700m in altitude higher and a lot more spacious situated in the small village Margone (936m). We met a bunch of pilots from the local club at the second landing. They offered us a free ride to the takeoff along with some Maroni and beers. 

The takeoff is a big grassy knoll right on the top of Monte Gazza offering plenty of space for taking off in multiple directions. The conditions were again very stable and therefore the flight ended after 20 minutes. With the surroundings, the wonderful locals and a beautiful view over Lago Toblino and Lago di Garda, this site is a real gem with 100% no German masses (yet). 

Our last destination was Levico Terme on the other site of the Adige valley. After having driven to Bassano del Grappa probably more than 50 times in the last years, the place was familiar to me, but only from passing by. Paragliding365 suggested a takeoff at the very top of Monte Panarotta (1800m) so up we went. What we found was a very steep slope that offered no space for mistakes covered with slippery grasses. After enjoying the view from high up there towards the Brenta Dolomites and some Alpine glaciers, we went down to the takeoff in Vitriolo (1490). It is a easy and spacious takeoff for hanggliders and paragliders with a parking space and a little Café just next to it. 

Jump for Joy (Picture by Philip Boesecke)

The flying site offers again wonderful views over Lago di Caldonazzo and the smaller Lago di Levico. In the valley landing spaced are manifold  and some smaller XCs are easily possible. A small drawback are the larger amount of prohibited airspaces towards the west of the takeoff. Even though a strong inversion was damping a lot, we still were able to fly in thermals on both Monday and Tuesday for each more than 1.5 hours. Overall a wonderful place with a nice old town in Levico and by far less people than in Bassano. In future I will definitely stop more often here :)

Lago di Levico

Florian flying around

Barco

My beautiful Ozone LM6 (Picture by Philip Boesecke)

Happy Landing (Picture by Philip Boesecke)

Bahau, Malaysia - Beautiful XC weekend

Bahau was for me the first site where I could fly in thermals after I achieved my license in 2011. It was for a long time the best site I knew in the vicinity of Singapore. And for 5 years I had a lot of great experiences there and made good friends that will probably stay for a lifetime. I always knew this site had potential for more. For more than just flying above the ridge and soaring it back and forth. The only thing that kept us for many years from leaving the ridge, was the fact, that landing possibilities are rare in this forested and palm plantation covered area. I was not flying the site for a year or so, since my travels brought me to other places and I also was told that with the palm trees growing quickly, the previously already rare bomb-out options, were all gone. 

On the weekend of 12 and 13th of March Bahau finally had the chance to prove what it's offering: 

For equatorial regions quite rare, the cloud base was at almost 2000m. With pretty strong climbs which are also not often to be found in this area thanks to the humid air, it soon went up and the land showed us the path. Dried out or half flooded paddy fields along with foot ball fields, which I learned to love so much in my last years in Asia, where marking the way along the road and I followed it to a nice out and return of 20km. One of my dear friends, JJ, even made it to a 23km straight line. It might sound little, but for us this was the first big step towards amazing future cross country flights and the furthest somebody probably ever got from this take-off. We started to make big plans: a triangle in the roads showed us the option of a 40-50km FAI triangle. Until these plans are realized, this last weekend will stay in our minds as the best weekend in Bahau. 

A short site description that I made for Paragliders Association (Singapore) some time can be found here: http://paragliders.sg/index.php/whereto/wwwfly/bahau

Flights on Leonardo on this site are here: http://www.paraglidingforum.com/leonardo/tracks/world/alltimes/brand:all,cat:0,class:all,xctype:all,club:all,pilot:all,takeoff:32334

Flights on XContest are here: http://www.xcontest.org/world/en/flights-search/?filter[point]=102.37253%202.82812&list[sort]=pts&list[dir]=down

I'm looking forward to seeing further developments and to know the site being alive.