Antares18S do I need a bigger boat!?

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Fingers
Posts: 35
Joined: Wed Sep 01, 2021 11:34 am

Antares18S do I need a bigger boat!?

Post by Fingers » Sat Sep 04, 2021 7:39 pm

I have just started with this sim and I am not one for blaming my tools, far from it.

BUT. On paper performance seems to be little difference to Antares18S with the JS3-18 and Ventus3-18 in the results below, but they are noticeably faster with less sink rate when I have been chassed or chasing after one of the ghosts.

https://www.condor.club/besttimes/0/?id=18997

https://www.condor.club/besttimes/0/?id=18881

I am not for one second expecting to be top split in two minuets, I am delighted to have completed them. But is there any reason people don't seem to be using the Antares18S, bar me, in those results anyhow?

I quite like it, its a bit of a pig to man handle in tight scratchy situations when its full weight. But with no ballast she's happy to be thrown around quite abusively.

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Paul_UK
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Location: Southampton, UK

Re: Antares18S do I need a bigger boat!?

Post by Paul_UK » Sun Sep 05, 2021 7:45 am

Looking at the polars on paper both the Ventus and JS3 are better than the Antares. The Antares on paper is the worst performer of all the 18m gliders.

If then the other pilot's fly a better route and has more positive netto along the way you start to see where the spread in task time comes from.
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2018 - Silver Badge complete - Forgot I could claim for the 100km diploma flying an out and return :oops:
2019 - Get up to speed and aim for a 300km task?! maybe.....

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JeffSmith
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Re: Antares18S do I need a bigger boat!?

Post by JeffSmith » Sun Sep 05, 2021 8:30 am

Hi Guys
I've just acquired the JS3 it is an excellent glider. Look at its performance compared to the LS8-sc Neo.
Glider.jpg
It's a pity we can't view these performance curves before we buy additional skyboats.

Cheers
Jeff
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Fingers
Posts: 35
Joined: Wed Sep 01, 2021 11:34 am

Re: Antares18S do I need a bigger boat!?

Post by Fingers » Sun Sep 05, 2021 1:13 pm

Just bought the JS3-18.....WOW, she's got flaps.

The difference is night and day!

https://www.condor.club/besttimes/0/?id=18997

Kestrel_BY
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Re: Antares18S do I need a bigger boat!?

Post by Kestrel_BY » Fri Sep 10, 2021 1:25 am

Well Jeff's comparison is biased and missleading. Here the JS3 is at 46 kg/m² while the LS8 is at 37 kg/m².
Also don't forget these gliders aren't competing in the same class, or when they are, that the coefficient is here to ballance this.

To focus back on the original question, the Antares is slightly "less good" than its 18m counterparts. However I find it to be an excellent climber (maybe even the best one), and its polar is fairly okay up to 180 km/h. Sadly above 220 km/h it drops and you just can't compete anymore. But in some realistic weathers, flying flatlands or low energy ridges it does a pretty good job. Basically any 18m has its pros and cons. The JS3 for example is likely the best at higher speeds, but isn't as good in thermaling (and this is even more true in the 15m class).
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