UP’s Summit XC 3
UP are expecting to start delivering their new Summit XC3 in mid-April.
The glider is a high-level EN B wing and is aimed at, “experienced cross country pilots who just cannot get enough performance from their EN B wing”.
The first gliders in size Medium will start shipping then, with other sizes expected in May.
UP said:
Pilots who loved the Summit XC2 will feel right at home on the new Summit incarnation. It has the same reassuring feel, but being a completely new design it does offer a sharper handling and quite a bit higher performance figures in real-life flying.
Speaking of performance, the Summit XC3 is a wing designed with top performance in mind. The flat aspect ratio of 6.3 is high for this class, but with the design being quite a high-arc one the projected A/R is less extreme, to the benefit of handling and safety.
Traditionally, high aspect ratio gives an advantage in light lift but is somewhat penalised in high-speed glides, since the extra lines needed to keep all that span in check add parasitic drag to the configuration especially at higher speeds.
Our R&D guys have addressed that oxymoron by refining the line layout so that the Summit XC3, in spite of the high A/R, has even less lines than wings with much lower A/R – this translates into the best of both worlds; amazing thermalling properties AND top performance at high speeds.
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