FLOW Freedom M — A Mid-B That Comes Alive at the Top of the Range

The strengths are clear. With almost no pitch and well-damped roll, there's little wrestling to be done in rough air. Big ears bite, the stall speed is low. For a pilot whose first worry is the landing field and the descent rather than a glide figure, that is far more reassuring than a number. The stability has a price, though. Handling and agility are moderate, trim speed is below the Mentor 6, and the glide sits mid-pack in the B category. Nor can you skip past the fact that the M felt "fairly big" at 100kg all-up. Fly it light and this wing doesn't get gentler — it gets duller. This is not a wing for pilots hunting sharpness. Load it properly, right up to the top of the range, and only then does the Freedom show you who it is.