Let’s start from the ground up. Getting the glider out of the bag—the packing from Ozone is absolutely exceptional. It’s the best we’ve seen: perfectly aligned rods, no unnecessary folds, ready to go. It shows Ozone’s meticulous attention to detail and quality control. The Delta 5 comes with a light, simple concertina bag—ideal for the many rods that need careful alignment during packing.

As expected from Ozone, the build quality is top-notch—certainly among the best available.

Ground Handling

Most of our ground handling has been in very fickle and challenging conditions—from strong gusty winds too powerful to fly in, to wafting thermic breezes and hang-back wind. That range provides a thorough test scenario, as moderate conditions tend to flatter most gliders.

Overall, we found the Delta 5’s ground handling spot on for its class—Mid-C. It’s important to get air into the glider before it inflates, especially with its small cells and pronounced shark nose. Once inflated, it takes a nicely formed shape and rises well—exceptionally so, in fact.

Compared to the Delta 4 and Alpina 4, the Delta 5 is less sensitive to tip collapses during inflation—less of that “clapping hands” effect. The Swift 6 and Rush 6 had some of that too, but the Delta 5 shows clear improvement.

Lighter gliders can sometimes inflate more easily in very light winds but can overshoot or get squirrelly in stronger conditions. The Delta 5 strikes a better balance.

Launching

The Delta 5 is easier to forward launch in nil to very light wind than the Delta 4 and Alpina 4, showing less tendency for the wingtips to lift and clap. This makes ground handling more confident and less tiring in calm conditions.

In strong conditions, once it’s overhead, the wing feels solid and taut. It doesn’t snake or drift off course easily. There’s a slight tendency for it to hang back in gusty, broken conditions. A useful tip is to let the wing come slightly ahead of you and then run with it—this helps smooth the launch.

In the Air – General Feel

The solid feeling continues in flight. It feels extremely confidence-inspiring—exceptionally solid, in fact. Pilots moving from the Delta 4 or down from the Photon may need to recalibrate slightly. The feedback is firmer and more direct—like going from soft suspension to stiff, performance-tuned feedback.

Despite its solidity, the Delta 5 benefits from being flown actively and freely. Don’t overbrake; let it fly and feel the air through the risers. It rewards active flying and awareness of lift. In lighter conditions, it’s not the most sensitive in its class, but it shines when things get stronger or more turbulent.

Brake Travel

Brake travel is similar to the Delta 4 and Alpina 4, but shorter than the Photon and Lyght. The brake contact point is set several centimeters higher—pilots transitioning from those wings should take note. Near the stall point, brake pressure builds quickly and is firmer than on the Delta 4, Alpina 4, Photon, and Lyght.

Brake Pressure

The brakes feel quite firm—heavier than on the Delta 4 and Photon—which may require more physical input, especially near stall or in sustained braking situations.

Handling & Agility

Agility is a key improvement over the Photon. The Delta 5 is more dynamic and responsive than the Delta 4 and Alpina 4, with a greater tendency to roll in turns. Compared to the Photon and Lyght—which prefer flatter, sweeping turns—the Delta 5 carves with more precision and assertiveness, aided by its lower aspect ratio.

In strong thermals, this translates to easier banking. In weaker lift, it needs more outer brake to stay efficient in flatter turns, but it still climbs well. As always, skilled pilots can coax very tight turns from it. The Delta 5 responds best to firm, confident input.

Stall Point

Brake pressure builds firmly near stall, which, combined with the wing’s relatively high stall resistance for its class, makes accidental stalls or spins unlikely for appropriate pilots. Physically less strong pilots may find the brake pressure demanding, especially when flaring for landing in strong winds.

Wing Feel & Feedback

The Delta 5 feels solid and tense, with higher sail tension than the Delta 4, Alpina 4, Photon, and Lyght. Those wings have a softer, more dampened feel. The Delta 5 transmits air movements more directly. There’s less “suspension,” more immediacy.

In turbulent air, that translates to collapse resistance. In punchy thermals and sporty conditions, small leading-edge or tip tucks may happen, but full collapses are rare if flown actively. It rewards attention and situational awareness.

Trim Speed

Trim speed is competitive for the class—on the quicker side but not overly fast. Glide performance is very good, matching expectations for a high-performance EN C 2-liner.

Thermalling

The wing shows a slight tendency to be “knocked back” when entering strong, punchy lift, with a brief delay before it returns overhead. This is noticeable even when top-loaded and a bit more with mid-loading. While the Delta 5 is forgiving enough to handle this, it’s better practice to wait for the wing to settle overhead before initiating a tight turn, reducing the risk of inadvertent spins and improving climb efficiency.

Speed Bar and Rear Riser Control

The speed system is excellent—lighter than the Photon and Photon Light—and highly usable. The wing stays solid throughout its range. At full speed, there’s some minor flutter but nothing to worry about. Pulley-to-pulley, it still feels taut and manageable.

Rear risers are lighter and easier than on the Photon series. Input is less crisp but usable, requiring more travel. This makes sense with the lower aspect ratio. They’re easy to grab and control, especially when bar is engaged.

Acceleration is around the 14 km/h mark, based on GPS averages. Comparative glide testing is still in progress, but early signs are promising.

Descent Techniques

Big ears work well once you pull high enough—outer A-lines are stiff and need a firm pull. A bit of bar helps. Once in, they stay nicely tucked. Tip stalls are relatively easy, though with limited descent. For real descent, spirals work best.

Spirals

Spiral entry is quicker and easier on the Delta 5 compared to the Delta 4, Alpina 4, Photon, and Lyght, with the latter two notably slower to enter. Exit from hands-up spirals is a bit slower but can be expedited using gentle outer brake or brake-weight shift.

Wingovers

Despite moderate agility, the Delta 5 produces surprisingly solid, high-energy wingovers similar to the Photon and Lyght. This is largely due to its solid construction and efficient energy conversion. However, wingovers require a firm, assertive pilot input; more agile wings may do this with less effort but often need more precise control to maintain inflation.

Comparison with Competitors

The main rival to the Delta 5 is the Nova Codex—both are EN C 2-liners with mid-level pilot demands and strong performance, comparable to some high-C wings. The Skywalk Mint, with slightly higher pilot demands, is another nearby competitor.

Pilot demands on the Delta 5 sit around mid-C level, somewhat higher than the Codex, which remains notable for low pilot demands, excellent comfort, and very close performance to the Delta 5.

The Delta 5 edges out the Codex in collapse resistance, feeling exceptionally solid, though minor collapses can still occur. Both wings are “bullet proof” rather than “bomb proof.”

Performance-wise, the Delta 5 and Codex are similar—most pilots won’t notice much difference—but the Delta 5 feels faster at top speed and has a better glide. The Codex feels more comfortable and stable in turbulent air across all speeds.

Overall, the Codex has slightly lower pilot demands and offers higher comfort, making it a preferred first 2-liner in this category. The Delta 5 is for pilots who want a firmer, more direct wing that can still be flown confidently in strong air.

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