ICARO Buteo — A High B That Wins on Glide

The Buteo's strengths are plain. A glide that holds within 5-10m of C-class wings over 7-8km, and Iota 2-quick trim. Comfort is what you'd expect from a high B, and big ears go in cleanly and come out on their own without input. Most of what a pilot needs to put distance behind them in XC is here. The price is paid at the fingertips. The Chili 4 XS and the Mentor 5 S are more agile, the Chili 4 S floated better in very weak lift, and reactions in turbulence come a beat late and soft. Look elsewhere for the pleasure of carving a tight core. Where this wing gives your money back is the long straight line — climbing out in a solid thermal, then pushing on to the next cloud.