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wondering if anyone has flown both suits and would like to give some feedback?

The Apache has better glide and is faster than the X BUT is harder to fly.

X-Bird inflates quicker and gets going sooner. Apache has a steeper start, but once going is faster and can fly way further, has a better glide and all round is in a totally different league. Apache flies circles around the X. (but I only have a few flights on each suit)

Hi,

XBird:
The X bird has a slower stall speed witch translates to extremely quick starts. The X bird has more of a "controllable wing area" per say, this aloud you to have more control over small imputes and fine tuning.

The X bird is definitely more "floaty" but lacks the forward range of the Apache. Don't get me wrong the X-bird still has some pretty good distance and glide.

Apache:
The Apache has a decent start when compare to other suits, but still will take longer that the X bird to start flying. Once the Apache is flying is just a rocket. Although it has a big surface it doesn't translate to arm impute, in other words: the hard inflation helps you overcome the arm fatigue.

The Apache is not meant to be flown at low airspeed, the arms are sweep back and the tail wing is huge. We have been able to do XRW in the Apache but is really challenging to get the suit to fly at this low speeds.

Hope this helps you, PM me if you need more info.

Cya

pm sent

what about the difference in the Xbird/X2 when the inside zippers are unzipped? the more ridged wing helps only with arm fatigue or does it have any performance differences-in comparison to the Apache?

Zack,

The inner zippers only controls the "lock" pressurization of the wings, the more "lock" the less arm fatigue and the harder the wing shape. Only "disadvantage" could be that you will have a hard time collapsing the wings in case that you need to.

Al the suits (Xbid, X2, Apache) have inner zippers.

The X-bird and the X2 are different, the X2 has longer arm wings and the laterals are thicker.

Medusa, Superrad: please consider this as your superofftopic warning. Too much cleaning-up will naturally invite a ban.

On Apache vs. X: i will second what has been said before. Generally X is a bit quicker to start, Apache has better glide and speed. There are also variations of Apaches (different inlets and arm sweep angles) that, relative to each other, start a bit quicker or a bit slower.

Sorry Outrager. The thought of Medusa's naughty bits clouded my judgement. Won't happen again.

Are these quantifiable numbers or magic ones?

2.5 Glide? 3? 4? How much better is better?

What about speed. 100 MPH vertical? 80 MPH?

haha, try vertical speeds closer to 30 MPH, less or more depending on pilots...
I've jumped the X1, and have a few Apache jumps. I also own an S-bird and plan to upgrade to an Apache soon.
The X is awesome, great range, maneuverable, easy to fly (within reason, newbies, there is a learning curve) Hard to keep up with the Vampires(4) because they fly slightly faster and drop altitude so fast...

The Apaches that i jumped had two different arm sweeps, and different inflation systems so it's hard to generalize... It FELT like i was flying a smaller suit than the X or S-birds... It flew faster, but the transition from Exit to flying the WS FELT like it took more altitude (the only way we can gain speed is to sacrifice altitude, i'm working on my flapping technique though...)

Now that the Tony-team have clarified the desired characteristics for the Apache, they apparently have gone to the same wing sweep as the X and S birds. The inflation stays on the underside of the wing and is a dual cell, airlocked inlet.

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