Icaro Laminar Hang glider -great first flight! 4/8/23 Tekoa

[@Millarders]

Congratulations! Great looking glider and nice flight!

[@MikeBomstad]

Thank you. Really happy with it. Icaro makes very nice gliders.

[@Aerocrvalley]

Sweet glider - Congrats!

[@MikeBomstad]

Thanks man! Its a sweet glider

[@NoTengoIlusiones]

Congrats for new machine. Enjoy !

[@MikeBomstad]

Thank you. I am really liking it.

[@theturnandburn]

Awesome Mike congrats on the new glider. Look forward to your full review as Ii am also thinking I’m going with an icaro soon as well

[@MikeBomstad]

Thank you. Im very happy with it. Icaro makes very nice products. You won't be disappointed. Really looking forward to flying with you. It has been far too long my friend!

[@thermalascension]

Thermal Ascension. 👍

[@MikeBomstad]

😎😁👍

[@flytavo]

What a beauty! Looks fast! great colors. Nice climbs!

[@MikeBomstad]

Thanks, yes it looks excellent! So glad it turned out so well.

[@kostashellas]

nice wing, enjoy it and happy landings.

[@MikeBomstad]

Thank you!!

[@tomthompson7400]

That looks really smart ,,, health to enjoy.

[@MikeBomstad]

Glad you like it. Thank you!

[@apaul13150]

Lovely blade

[@MikeBomstad]

Thanks,! Excellent craftsmanship. It is a thing of beauty

[@FLYNRYAN1978]

Awesome !

[@MikeBomstad]

👍👍😎

[@GlideLA]

Yay!

[@MikeBomstad]

Heck yeah! Super happy!

[@bertold12345]

2:15 awesome music :)

[@MikeBomstad]

Tadaa!

[@Ziogustin]

welcome to the laminar family...you will love it for sure...I'm very happy with mine..👍congratulations..(wich size?.I had the 13.7 for 6 years but I fly the 14.1 now..much better for my weight)

[@MikeBomstad]

Well thank you :-) Very happy so far. I have the 14.1, I hook in around 225lbs

[@Enzo-pw8po]

Can't buy a better all around glider! Had mine now 5+ years and it is a little more stiffer then the Z9 that I had before it being full carbon and with the profile leading edges, I've learned to thremal her with less VG than my Z9 and I'll go up and threw in ease! Enjoy

[@MikeBomstad]

Great. I've heard nothing but good things. I did not get the profiler option. I don't do comps and what I was told it really only benefits you at the top of speed range. I wish I could have the chance to fly one with the profiler option to compare

[@Enzo-pw8po]

@@MikeBomstad I don't do comps also because it takes the fun out of flying for me, but it sure does feel good when you kick ass when you want to LOL!

[@MikeBomstad]

Im with you, I want to fly when where I want to fly, I race against the day. I compete with gravity! Its good to have the best tools!

[@colinbowman8816]

Nice flight. Beautiful glider. Pitch is half the story... You didn't mention how it rolls and turns 🧐 Are you planning on comparing it with the T3 eventually?

[@MikeBomstad]

my T3 I was in love with. (sold it because I was concerned about parts availability) Handling was very easy, It wanted to turn fairly flat. My Icaro is 8 sq feet larger, and has a higher aspect ratio 8.13 vs 7.6, and has more span as well. (Over 2' more span). Laminar "feels" a little stiffer, to be expected given the differences and it's been 11 months though since the last flex flight. The rigid tends to spoil a pilot :-) Takes a little more high siding. Felt more locked in thermals which I liked. Icaro is easier to wind up in a thermal. Glides very nice with light bar pressure. So far, very much enjoying the Icaro. (no regrets :-) You trade handling for performance like anything else. I have no regrets so far. It feels like it has better sink rate and better glide. More real worlds flights are needed to confirm. Let me know if you have any more questions.

[@ecclesheat]

Hey looks nice. The some of the dutch guys turn/cam the outerleading edges up to give more dihedral. Makes them handle better apparently. Less perfomace but means you can fly them slower in the thermal/ recover from a slip and makes them maybe a bit snappier? Just FYI. I also agree with the guy about the Combats. They are also nice gliders these days.

[@MikeBomstad]

Thanks. So far the handling out of the box is to my liking. Not a whole bunch of time on it yet but nothing has yelled at me I need to start tuning to get better handling. 😎 Which makes me happy. (I've had a new glider in the past that that was that way) Good to know about the combats. Hopefully someday I get a chance find out firsthand. Thanks for all the info

[@elaeroplano]

European stuff now. I would like a report how different it feels to the T3? I flew the Laminar Z9 when the test pilot came to our Airfield for the required DHV certifications. Ther I also had the opportunity to test the Combat L13 07 what also was flowen for tests. The test pilot offered to me fly both. On these flights I decided to take an Aeros as next. Now I have my third Combat and my actual glider is the Combat C 12.7. The fin thing at the Combat ist the neutral handling while circling thermals and the linear bar pressure in comparison to the Z9. May be icaro changed many things since the Z9. My advice. Try the Combat C if it is possible.

[@MikeBomstad]

It's hard to compare them directly. I didn't go with the same size as my 144. Its an 8 sq feet larger glider with 2' more span and higher aspect ratio. (14.1 / 151.7 sq ') I expected it to feel stiffer given those differences. It does feel stiffer, but not in a bad way, just in a larger glider way. By the end of the season, I should be able to offer a better overall feel and comparison. Im happy I like it initially, especially given the fact I flew the Atos most of last season. I got very spoiled ;-) I've only seen 1 combat in person. We dont have any pilots in the area that have one. I would like to fly one. We dont know, what we dont know......

[@elaeroplano]

@@MikeBomstad the good thing is that you are able to flip between your atos snd the flex wing. For most atos pilot it's difficult to come back to a flex wing. You know I also fly Tandem ad instructor and sometimes i di some flights to help an former Atos pilot find back to fly the flex wing. Its true that's difficult to compare diffre sizes of wings directly. I remember e very progressive bar pressure on the Z9 in comparison to the Combat L13 07. For me the most important thing is the landing characteristics of a glider. The flight sarts by the landing in our subconsciness. If this is good, you wonn the biggest thing. Second thing is. Is it required to high side wile thermaling. And third thing is the bar pressure. Very important is the course stability to fly a straight course under turbulent conditions at higher speed with nearly full vg setup. And in ny age the weight. I like the 31.7 kg of my Combat C very much. The Combat GT was 6 kg heavier. If I could come over i would offer to you to fly my Combat C if I could fly your laminar.

[@MikeBomstad]

I guess I'm lucky in that respect. It was 11 months without the flex before the Laminar flight. I was a bit rusty. Atos really spoiled me. Yes that would be great. You dont know, what you dont know. One way to find out! I think I could have went with the 13.7. But the Icaro flies diffent that the WW so there is learning curve there for me. So far it feels very good launching and landing. Bar pressure is very light but positive. Its reassuring. More high siding that the WW, but I always felt the the glider want to roll out and had to keep it dug into the core. The Laminar wants to do that naturally, I prefer that so for. More time is need to really know over all how it all is. So far, very happy!

[@elaeroplano]

@@MikeBomstad thanks Mike for that mid term report.

[@cloudstreets1396]

Does A-I-R still produce the Atos? I have been calling and emailing every contact I could find here in the US and can’t get in touch with anyone.

[@MikeBomstad]

Yes they do! A friend of mine just received his new VR. Did you try a-i-usa.com?

[@cloudstreets1396]

@@MikeBomstad that’s in Colorado, right? Fred and Ben? Tried both no response.

[@BrilliantDesignOnline]

a-i-r-usa daught come

[@MikeBomstad]

@@cloudstreets1396 yes that's them. Not sure why they haven't responded. Did you check your spam folder? I believe Wallaby Ranch has a dealer there you could check with them

[@cloudstreets1396]

@@MikeBomstad I actually called them with no reply. No worries. I’ll try and reach out to another importer.

[@brianbokkin5994]

Congratulations, Mike! Can you tell us how it lands compared to the T2C? Does it have a good flare window? Also, does the base tube have an internal safety cable like the T2C has? Wills Wing MX is still not making anything carbon, so I'm considering jumping ship after I've flown out my T2C 154.

[@MikeBomstad]

Thank you. my T3 144 I was in love with. (it flew better than my T2) (sold it because I was concerned about parts availability) Yes, Laminar base tube has a cable. T3 handling was very easy, It wanted to turn fairly flat. Laminar takes a little more high siding. Felt more locked in thermals which I liked. Icaro is easier to wind up in a thermal. Glides very nice with light bar pressure. My Icaro is 7.7 sq feet larger, and has a higher aspect ratio 8.13 vs 7.6, and has more span as well. (Over 2' more span). (14.1 / 151.7 sq ') I expected it to feel stiffer given those differences. It does feel stiffer, but not in a bad way, just in a larger glider way. (Manfred, Christian and others recommended that size for my hook in weight) It's hard to compare them directly. it was 11 months between my last (Flex of any kind) T3 flight and the Laminar. Fit and finish is top notch. Setup has some differences to get used to. Performance does have an edge over the T3. I have yet yo have a no wind landing. So far flare window is good, not difficult. Very happy with my decision! Let me know if you have anymore questions.

[@bretthazlett]

Beautiful glider, Mike. May I ask which camera you used in-flight?

[@MikeBomstad]

Thank you. They make a very nice glider. It is a GoPro Hero 11. Shot in 5K reduced to 4K

[@LeFraudHasChokedInSIXFinals]

1:24 Wow, nice thermal!

[@MikeBomstad]

It was! on a 30 sec average it was 650 fpm. Had some nice spring thermals. (Some were broken an ratty, good with the bad most days :-)

[@ecoturismovalle1570]

Really nice Mike congratulations!! Does it have bearings on the tips like the T3? How stiff does it feel while turning? Thanks.....now you have a different glider for every day of the week

[@MikeBomstad]

Thank you. It does not have bearing tips. I dont think it needs them. Nor would it make a much difference. The tip wand on the Laminar does not have as much bend in it as the T2 / T3. They are so easy to install by the way! I didn't go with the same size as my 144. Its an 8 sq feet larger glider with 2' more span and higher aspect ratio. (14.1 / 151.7 sq ') I expected it to feel stiffer given those differences. It does feel stiffer, but not in a bad way, just in a larger glider way. So far very happy with how to flies. (I sold the T3, just have this flex, the Atos and a pra glider. Just a glider very almost all conditions ;-)

[@ecoturismovalle1570]

@@MikeBomstad very nice of you to take the time to respond Mike. So cool to hear about the tips easier to install on the Laminar. I am stiking to the sport category after 20+ years of flying high performance flex wings. I once owned a Laminar and had my best flights on it. Here are a couple videos. kzbin.info/www/bejne/n4W8qZybnNiFirM kzbin.info/www/bejne/pnWzoWOfn9qXrpI

[@MikeBomstad]

@@ecoturismovalle1570 You are welcome. The sport gliders do very well these days and are a lot less stress to land out with. the 2nd vid! Woah! The white room can be a little nerve racking ;-) Best of air to you!

[@treeamigo]

That is such a nice looking wing. How does handling compare to a T2/3?

[@MikeBomstad]

Thank you. my T3 I was in love with. (sold it because I was concerned about parts availability) T3 handling was very easy, It wanted to turn fairly flat. (much improved over the T2) My Icaro is 8 sq feet larger, and has a higher aspect ratio 8.13 vs 7.6, and has more span as well. (Over 2' more span). Laminar "feels" a little stiffer, to be expected given the differences and it's been 11 months though since the last flex flight. The rigid tends to spoil a pilot :-) Takes a little more high siding. Felt more locked in thermals which I liked. Icaro is easier to wind up in a thermal. Glides very nice with light bar pressure. So far, very much enjoying the Icaro. (no regrets :

[@Navigator777777]

I know what a laminar flow wing is but why did you buy it? It looks like it really performs. Seems very high performance...or is it just me? ;-). What a winter, eh?

[@MikeBomstad]

Laminar is just the model name of the glider. I've always been curious about the model. They have a long track record for maximum performance. With the Euro being down and a pilot offering to buy my glider I took the opportunity. (After flying the atos what's the last year I got very spoiled with control surfaces ) I don't need a winter like this ever again!

[@Navigator777777]

@@MikeBomstad Which glider did you sell? Also...Dave Paraglided over his house and mine flying from the cliff behind our homes. Pretty cool thing to see. May just have to get back in it. LOL

[@MikeBomstad]

@Navigator777777 my Wills Wing T3. Excellent,! Really need to be mindful of conditions with a paraglider. It's the only aircraft that requires reassembly in-flight sometimes 😉

[@Navigator777777]

@@MikeBomstad A very well worded sentence to keep my money in my wallet. I've trouble climbing into my underwear let alone reassembly while in flight! ;-)

[@MikeBomstad]

@@Navigator777777 😬😉🤣

[@BrilliantDesignOnline]

Soooo, one down tube, $650? 🙂

[@MikeBomstad]

Ha! Nope, $100 about like everyone else :-)

[@Ziogustin]

@@MikeBomstad Yes mike is right...maybe 650 for a carbon down tube not the alluminium one!

[@BrilliantDesignOnline]

@@MikeBomstad changed my channel name btw from vondeliusc (Christian von Delius)

[@Hobi_gambar]

may i get one for fly

[@MikeBomstad]

I recognized the avatar photo :-)

[@JonMcG]

Aaaaand the man is back in the air . Congrats on the new wing , have to ask , how does Icaro compare with Moyes and Wills wing ? too early to tell ? Great Vid 😊

[@MikeBomstad]

Thank you. I didn't like my Moyes RX (I did like my previous LS's) Loved my T2C, my T3 I was in love with. (sold because I was concerned about parts availability) Handling was very easy, It wanted to turn fairly flat. My Icaro is 8 sq M larger, and has a higher aspect ratio 8.13 vs 7.6, and has more span as well. (Over 2' more span). Laminar "feels" a little stiffer, to be expected given the differences and it's been 11 months though since the last flex flight. The rigid tends to spoil a pilot :-) Takes a little more high siding. Felt more locked in thermals which I liked. Icaro is easier to wind up in a thermal. Glides very nice with light bar pressure. So far, very much enjoying the Icaro. (no regrets :-)

[@JonMcG]

@@MikeBomstad Youve flown them all so , if Anyone knows .....😊... Maybe one day if youre thinking about what Content to upload , take all your kites for a flight and do a full comparison , for those who dont know what kite to buy and why . I dont think there is a video out there re this . Otherwise safe flights mate . Looking forward to the next one 👍

[@MikeBomstad]

Thanks fo r the suggestion. I may have to do that sometime. Just need to get caught up! Cheers!

[@treeamigo]

That is such a nice looking wing. How does handling compare to a T2/3?

[@MikeBomstad]

Thank you. my T3 I was in love with. (sold it because I was concerned about parts availability) T3 handling was very easy, It wanted to turn fairly flat. (much improved over the T2) My Icaro is 8 sq feet larger, and has a higher aspect ratio 8.13 vs 7.6, and has more span as well. (Over 2' more span). Laminar "feels" a little stiffer, to be expected given the differences and it's been 11 months though since the last flex flight. The rigid tends to spoil a pilot :-) Takes a little more high siding. Felt more locked in thermals which I liked. Icaro is easier to wind up in a thermal. Glides very nice with light bar pressure. So far, very much enjoying the Icaro. (no regrets 🙂

[@treeamigo]

@@MikeBomstad Thank you for the feed back. I am in a similar place with replacing a T2c144. Any reason you opted for a 14.1 over the 13.7?

[@MikeBomstad]

Your welcome. Sorry I missed this. Christian and Manfred recommended that size. I hook in around 225 lbs. I think I could have gone with the 13.7. i'll know by the end of the season once I get more time on it. It sure seems to land a bit slower with e little more flare window, Have not had a no wind landing yet though. Let me know if you have any other questions.