Triple Seven Rook 4 MS. 80-98
I finally got the new high B glider from Triple Seven, the Rook 4 which replaces the amazing Rook 3.
Back for my Rook 3 review, I mentioned an excellent climb rate in weak and strong, with very good handling. The only issue was the launching behavior and the little hump on the leading edge which was noticed later on. Could 777 manage to make a better version? Let’s see…
First here is the 777 link for the Rook 4 as you can see all the details. https://777gliders.com/gliders/rook-4/
The construction, details, lines stitching, etc, seem on the higher end of quality. The new risers look nice, robust, and refined all together.
I flew the Rook 4 MS at 95 all up, and I could feel that this would be an optimum weight for everyday use. You can of course fly it at max if you need the edge in speed and efficiency. But it seems that at 94…95 everything looked very smooth.
Launching:
Even in light wind, the Rook 4 launches smoothly without any hard points. The launching characteristics have improved a lot over the Rook 3. Problem solved.
In the air:
Brake feel:
The Rook 4 brake travel is slightly longer than the Rook 3 but still quite direct and efficient. The pressure on the first part after the 10 cm gap, with + 10 cm is moderate to light, then after +10 cm, they are moderate. I can describe the Rook 4 as an agile glider for the B category. The handling and authority on the brakes are very well balanced for a clean performance turning radius. The brake feel has the right spices to get a good pilot well satisfied while coring. The Rook4 can turn tightly into the core, and also flat turns can be achieved flawlessly.
Despite my high regard for the Maestro 2 handling, I was impressed and very satisfied by the Rook 4 brake authority which seems calm, and more educated for performance and feel.
For example comparing the handling (Rook4/Mentor 7 S), while the brake authority on the Mentor 7 S size is very good, those tiny linear feel in the centimeters you are pulling on the brakes are much more available on the Rook 4.
Comfort:
I flew the Rook 4 in multiple conditions on my Impress 4 harness. For a high B glider the overall movements and roll, are slightly less than the Maestro 2 and slightly more than the Rook3.
The Rook 4 is more comfortable to fly than the Maestro 2, and also it has a feel of a much-taught structure without any soft tips, plus a very homogenous feel.
Perhaps the Mentor 7 S feels more comfortable in movements, But I personally favor a high B balanced movements as the Rook 4 delivers.
Some pilots reading this will immediately misunderstand what I implied. I meant a high B pilot should get a well-balanced feel of the right spices under a glider rather than perhaps a too-dampened one.
Glide:
I flew the Rook 4 next to my friend ‘Boudi’ on his Rook 3 MS 75-95 at 94 all up. We did a lot of glides and climbed together all the way. This was a marvelous test for both of us to see and feel if there were improvements or just a new model. I also flew with my friend ‘Sayed’ On his Photon ML ! while he flew loaded at 105 all up. Of course, it’s another category, but it was also a good idea to see where the Rook 4 stands out in multiple conditions!
With the Rook 3 next to me the glide in a relatively calm air at trim speed after 5 km always got the Rook 4 with around 5…7 m higher.
Other glides were also made in lift areas facing the sea breeze, and we both could see that the Rook 4 seemed to get even higher clearance.
Pushing on the speed bar with moderate pressure on the rook 4 also gets the same height clearance.
At full speed with both gliders next to each other, the full-speed glide seems very close for both.
Flying next to the Photon ML, showed that at trim speed the Photon is +1.5 km faster. Applying the speed bar to match the Photon ML I could lose a few meters after 5 km in calm air.
Once facing the sea breeze, the Photon is from a different level for sure, but still, the Rook 4 with persistence on the speed bar could follow at a much slower rate. I was having fun with my friend teasing him a bit on the Rook 4, but knowing that if I pissed him a lot…he will probably push the speed bar and disappear 😉
Climb:
In very weak air, like -0.3 m/s thermals, we could both see that the Rook 3 still has that excellent float ability, but the Rook 4 is super close. When thermals get around 1 m/s, the quality of thermal entry of the Rook 4 immediately puts it upward. It slides more efficiently through the airmass. That feel of the nose pulling you through that thermal is experienced with the higher categories.
C steering:
The pressure on the C steering is on the firm side. Not too soft, a bit moderate to firm, but since the Rook 4 is stable on the bar in transitions, I think there would be little corrections from the C steering.
Pulling the outside ears seems slightly unstable sometimes. When pulled a little bit, they are somehow stable, but the more lines you pull, they show a tendency to reopen, flap, and not stick underneath.
The speed bar has moderate pressure even at full speed, with 14-15 km/h over trim at 1000 ASL.
Induced assymerics are benign and easy to recover.
Conclusion:
I always comment on efficiency, rather than a glide number. In terms of performance, the Rook 4 has those fine flying qualities to be very efficient for a high B glider, and with the exact spices that keep it on rails in thermals. The high B category is considered ‘intermediate’ gliders. The Rook 4 embodies perfectly that description in delivering a fairly comfortable glider for the category, and a high efficiency in glide through the airmass. A lovely glider to test fly if you aim for good XC flying.