- [Carlo] The ALLEGRO LIGHT is the new super light EN C wing
from PHI, which they say is based
on their outstanding lightweight technology,
and offers great performance and speed at low weight.
PHI say the ALLEGRO LIGHT has the genes
and thereby the speed and performance
of the original ALLEGRO, the standard weight ALLEGRO,
but furthermore, it has reduced rigging,
two main lines instead of three,
and a reduced internal structure to minimise weight.
The same combination with a new semi light RO7 risers,
it offers a game changing flying experience.
PHI designer Hannes Papesh explains,
that although the ALLEGRO LIGHT
is calculated and designed on the base
of the standard weight ALLEGRO,
it's overall a completely new wing.
There are important differences in the rigging,
the ballooning, the wing curve, and the wing statics,
and he feels that overall,
the result is an extraordinary super light C wing.
Hannes also explains that he's also very pleased
with the new semi light R07 risers,
and he feels that only with this riser is it possible
to experience the full potential of the ALLEGRO LIGHT,
because he feels there are an optimal combination.
Welcome to the Flybubble Paragliding channel.
- [Nancy] We are free flight experts
and equipment specialists,
helping you get the best flying experience.
- On the ground, I find the ALLEGRO LIGHT
to be very easy to launch in all conditions,
and particularly in lighter conditions
because of the light fabric.
In stronger winds obviously you have the usual,
with light fabric a little bit more management involved,
but overall very easy to launch and very forgiving.
You just need to have a little
bit of finesse on the stall point,
not too heavy handed on the brakes,
and also not too aggressive on the front risers,
but it's very easy to launch
and very easy to kite.
In terms of feedback,
the ALLEGRO LIGHT is a communicative glider,
it does talk to you,
it lets you know what's happening in the air.
It's not a kind of planky glider
that dampens everything out.
Tells you what's happening,
so if the air's really sporty, it's gonna tell you that.
When the wind is light and the conditions are weak,
and the lift is kind of subtle and hard to feel,
it's great for that.
You can really feel what's happening in the air.
In terms of the actual pilot demands,
once you get used to the fact
that the glider moves around and talks to you quite a bit,
which is quite common with lightweight gliders,
where they've reduced the structure
and the lighter material,
you actually, as you settle in
and let the glider just behave,
you might get tip tucks and things like that,
but actually it's...
The pilot demands are definitely
at the low end of the C class, so very easy to manage.
In terms of the handling,
this is where I think the ALLEGRO absolutely shines.
Like it's younger sibling, the MAESTRO,
it's very agile and manoeuvrable.
This is a glider made for pilots who love handling,
who just love their flying and enjoy it.
That's the biggest strength of the ALLEGRO
in my opinion and the ALLEGRO LIGHT.
They're just really nimble, agile gliders
that are fantastic for thermaling.
So basically if you're flying on a nice day
and it's really nice conditions,
and it's not really horrible and rough,
there are nice thermals about
and you can make use of the conditions,
Then the ALLEGRO LIGHT really shines there.
It's just a really pleasurable glider to fly.
That's the glider that I reach for to fly on days like that.
It's really enjoyable.
In terms of the agility,
the ALLEGRO is exceptional in its class.
It's very agile and can turn very tightly
and make use of small bits of lift,
which is really enjoyable,
and when you hit a thermal,
there's very little delay and you can turn
and bank the glider around very quickly and tightly,
so it's great for that,
and you need to fly actively just to keep the tips open.
It responds very well to inputs
because it communicates very well to you.
You can feel and tell what's gonna happen
and as you settle into the glider,
it's very easy to fly actively with it.
In terms of performance,
I feel that the ALLEGRO LIGHT, very much like the ALLEGRO,
is more tuned to handling and speed and agility
than it is being very floaty.
The climb rate is very good.
You can climb very well,
and actually if you're making use of a small thermal,
then the agility more than makes up for the fact
that it not particularly floaty.
But what you do notice is that it's got good speed,
and especially accelerated it's very quick.
I think PHI saying that it's a huge racing experience
may be a slight overstatement,
but it's definitely for a low C glider,
easily keeping up with the high C gliders
in terms of speed.
Yeah, so it goes very well.
For me personally, I really enjoy flying the ALLEGRO LIGHT
and also the standard weight ALLEGRO,
and that's because I'm a pilot
that prioritises my enjoyment of flying, the handling,
and the feeling of the glider
above everything else, really, above performance.
So the ALLEGRO LIGHT is not the top performing glider
in the sports class,
but for the level of pilot demands that you get
and the agility of the handling,
it's a great package all around and a real pleasure to fly.
For a pilot who's been flying high B wings for a while
and wants to step up,
get more performance and more glide,
but doesn't wanna step up too much
and doesn't want a glider that's too hot,
so doesn't wanna move to a mid
or a high C glider,
then the ALLEGRO LIGHT is a perfect choice for them.
That's a really ideal choice.
They're gonna get bit more speed,
bit more glide, very nice agile handling,
pilot demands are not a big step up.
They are a bit higher, but not a big step.
Well, I really hope you've enjoyed this review
of the PHI ALLEGRO LIGHT,
it's been really fun.
If you've got any comments,
if you've got things that you really liked about the video
that you'd like to see more in our videos,
then let us know.
And I hope to see you in the next video
and many more videos to come!
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