LITTLE CLOUD GOOSE MK3
The Mk3 is the third generation of the Goose concept.
The Goose concept is simple: optimizing performance without any compromise on safety and fun!
At LC, we believe that safety goes through long brake travel (deep stall point) and pitchless behavior.
It’s always easy to increase Aspect Ratio to get performance, but this always sacrifices passive safety.
The Goose Mk3 is keeping a low AR (5.5), but has been aerodynamically optimized to improve performance/glide and also air mass feedback.
We kept the same base (plan form, profile) of the Mk2, but focused on the wingtips. Tom added 3 cells per side in order to get a better profile definition (cells width reduction). On the first prototypes, this was showing some interesting results.
The next steps were to change the tips shape into something more “pointy” in order to reduce lift and open slightly the arch (This artificially increase the flat AR -increase of the span due to the pointer tips- but keeps the large brake travel maintaining high passive safety level).
This was it! the first flights were done in the winter and the MK3 prototype showed some very nice abilities to thermal thanks to a much improved feedback through the brakes!
We tested higher aspect ratio protos on the same base, but we realize that the performance benefit was way too less compare to the loss of peace of mind!
We put more hours than ever on the final prototypes all over the world to fine tune it!
The Goose remains extremely fun to fly thanks to its very precise handling and maintains playful on the roll!
The XC range has been increased, improving the lighter condition part.
Sizing range has been increased to full fill the worldwide demand. We have now added a 25m2 glider to please larger pilots!
The Mk3 flies fantastic within all the weight range: you don’t have to get to the top of it to get nicer handling and greater speed. You will only have to choose your glider regarding what you will do with it. If you fly in weaker more humid conditions we recommend to choose the lower part of the AUW optimum range. This will help the float and will not affect so much the speed and stability! Please feel free to ask you local LC dealer in sizing advice.
The 20 has been specially trimmed for light : a little faster in order to optimized speed for pilots under 60kg
Tom is flying mainly in dry south alps conditions, therefore his favourite size is the 23: “I’m on the top of the weight range with my 100kg AUW. I like the sharper handling to core our strong local thermals. I for sure don’t have the best climbing rate in calmer places, but the great sensitivity over the brakes allow me to feel and compensate by a very precise position in the air mass.
The glider is quite dynamic and I love to play with it in pulling huge wing-over.
It feels so compact above my head!
The Mk3 is my main glider, I use it for XC, soaring, H&F… I have so much fun flying it all the time!”.
The Goose Mk3 is an extremely versatile glider… Its great performances allows big XC, but not only…The great handling and wind penetration makes it a fun and safe toy for soaring! With a moderate weight and packing volume, H&F or “Vol biv” are also part of its possibilities… Over all, it’s so much fun to fly all the time! You will take advantage of any and all flying opportunities!
Like a lot of modern gliders, the collapses are pushed pretty far away, but they do happen at some stage when the air is getting very naughty. We think it’s too easy to put yourself into this naughty air because the glider can handle so much turbulences… although the passive safety is quite high and reactions are very predictable, we feel more comfortable to dedicate it to pilots who have enough experience to avoid or deal with these conditions.
Therefore, we aim this 5.5 Aspect Ratio glider to EN C pilots.
Features
- High pressure profile and low AR for a super compact and a solid canopy! Giving a real peace of mind when you fly it!
- Balanced skin tension: we focused on skin tension, in order to keep a good dimensional control of the shape and smooth reactions during collapsing. The glider is very intuitive and feels predictable at all times in any situations.
- Long brake travel: we have 60 to 65cm (depending on size and loading) of break travel with a very high pressure on the last 10cm. Handling is still intuitive, precise and direct! Turning radius is tight and clean, allowing great thermal coring.
- The Mk3 remains like all LittleCloud, Pitchless. We believe pitch is useless on a wing (except for acrobatic)! A pitchless glider will be easier to fly and much more safe in case of flying incidents (no tendency to overshoot) .
Its ability to “sniff” and “attack” thermals is more present. - Optimized construction, with a smart selection of material to stay light and durable. We could not break it at the standard EN 926-1 load test. The 23m2 maintains a user friendly 4kg package weight.
- tail wind, nil wind, strong wind, inflation is very easy and forgiving: no overshooting tendencies!