Schempp-Hirth Ventus 2bx Owner Comments and Photos
Comments | Photos

Owner:       Tim Welles
Location:    Elmira, NY
 

I picked up my new V2bx at Baltimore December 13, 2002.  With the winter and spring of 2002-3 being the way it has been, I have had a lot of time to look at and work on the glider, but minimum time to fly it!

However, here are my initial impressions of the V2bx.

While initially the glider seems to be just another Ventus 2b, it doesn’t take long to notice an impressive list of positive changes.

Appearance:  The longer fuselage has improved the lines and the looks of the glider.  It somehow has a more balanced and fast (!) look.  The nose is longer, the fin has larger area and the horizontal tail is thinner. (In fact, the same as the D2)

Cockpit:  The redesigned cockpit  has significantly improved the ergonomics for the pilot.  There is more room for a tall pilot without seeming bigger or oversized.  I am able to sit more upright and still have a comfortable 1.5” space between my head and the canopy.  A real improvement is that I can reach the instrument panel now without a full effort stretch.  The new siderail vent should be a real benefit in hot weather, but needless to say it hasn’t been tested yet.  The new flap handle feels like it belongs in your hand.

Landing Gear:  The new 5” wheel with hydraulic disk brake is a real improvement.  Benefits obviously include smoother landing rollouts (outlandings and all) combined with the ability to stop since this brake works!  It is also easier to push the glider around the field, especially on our soft and wet spring turf.  The glider also seems to have more ground clearance, which will be a help for outlandings.  And the larger wheel has shrunk the size of woodchuck and gopher holes.

Ballast Dump:  The glider has the new larger size dump valves like the Discus 2, thus allowing a large percentage of the ballast to be dumped in 90 seconds.  This is a great improvement and a real advantage for ridge flying territory.

Flight Charactistics:  I have only flown the glider dry in weak thermal lift, but I am impressed with its handling and climbing ability.  Control forces are typically low and well harmonized.  In small weak thermals, it is possible to slow the glider down to 40 knots and keep within a small core.  40 knots may not be the best thermalling speed for all thermals, but it is nice to have the capability when you need it.  The M&H winglet design really helps here.  The glider is quite stable, yet allows good feel of the thermal.  Required control inputs seem to be minimal and the response is rapid.  When leaving a thermal, selection of flap -1 results in impressive acceleration to cruise speeds.

Workmanship:  In general, workmanship is excellent,  and there is little for the new owner to do besides installing the instruments and going flying!  Also worth noting is the fact that Schempp Hirth is an excellent company to work with for selecting which of the many options you wish and arranging for delivery.

I can’t wait for better soaring weather to test out my new V2bx against other gliders!
 
 
 
 
 

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