Matrix: Flexi vs Carl - part 1

Recently, and via two totally different routes, I got my hands on a set of five Flexifoil Matrix kites (SUL to Super-vented) and a set of four C(arl) R(obertshaw) Matrix kites (UL to Super-vented). 

So I thought it would be fun (and potentially interesting) to 'pair them off'; in other words, to create Flexifoil - Carl Robertshaw pairs and see how such Flexi-Carl pairs fly together. 

Some of the Matrix kites were ready to fly, while others needed more or less TLC; the Flexifoil Standard came as a sail, with a bunch of spars and a bridle, but no stand-offs, connectors or other usual small bits and pieces (it did come with the winglet supports, though). 

With the wind forecast to be good for flying ultralights, we took the Flexifoil UL and SUL and the CR UL to the field. 

First on the lines: Flexi UL.

Struggling when the wind dropped below 5mph, but generally, it flew fine straight out of the box.

Next the CR UL.

Felt pretty much the same as the Flexi UL, and similarly struggling when the wind dropped away.

But how will they compare when flown together? One way to find out ...

The Flexi UL clearly flew slower than the CR UL. We played with the bridles a bit to reduce the difference in speed, but some speed difference remained. Not much, and the speed difference wasn't such that it couldn't be compensated easily, but it was noticeable.

Let's put the Flexi SUL on the lines.

Clearly dealing much better with the wind dropping away, but that's what you would expect from an SUL, with lighter spars, etc.

Given that the CR UL flew a bit faster than the Flexi UL, what would happen if we fly the CR UL together with the Flexi SUL?

Turned out that, not surprisingly, now the CR UL was the slower of the two. 

During all this testing, the wind kept dropping away to almost nothing and then come up again to 5-6mph, so difficult to compare kites when they're not flying together. Just to be sure, we flew the two Flexis, UL vs SUL, together.

That indeed gave the expected result: the SUL flew faster than the UL, and kept flying when the UL struggled to stay in the air.

So .... what have we learned? The CR UL seems to be intermediate between the Flexi UL and the Flexi SUL. When the wind was 5-6mph, it flew best with the Flexi UL; when the wind dropped down, it flew best with the SUL. Maybe best to consider it a (S)UL?

Still three Flexi-Carl pairs to fly: Standard, Vented and Super-vented. But first, I have a standard sail to frame ... Watch this space!