Thank you for flying ADVANCE Congratulations on your choice of an EPSILON 8 - a quality product from ADVANCE. We hope that you will spend many rewarding hours in the air with it. This user manual is an important part of the glider. Here you will find instructions and important information about safety, care and main- tenance, and that’s why we recommend that you read this document carefully before your first flight...
About ADVANCE ADVANCE, based in Switzerland, is one of the world’s leading para- glider manufacturers. Since it was founded in 1988, the company has consistently pursued its own directions and concepts, both in develop- ment and production. The results are quality products with distinctive characteristics.
The EPSILON 8 True Friendship the EPSILON 8 weighs almost as little as a light wing, and even so has a long lifespan. Perfectly balanced with unmistakeable looks. The new EPSILON 8 conveys a distinctive feel-good factor and glows with an ideal mix of Modern technology delivers great performance precision, performance and safety.
All the details ADVANCE Standards Distinctive winglets have been reducing induced drag ( vortex-ef- «Easy Connect System» fect ) on ADVANCE wings for 25 years. Like all ADVANCE models the The risers have a new «Easy Connect System» which makes it simple EPSILON 8 has swivels on the brake lines and comes with different and quick to connect them to the harness.
Piloting Requirements Right from the start the EPSILON 8 gives the beginner or leisure pilot the safety they need when they lift off into the third dimension. A sense of achievement is guaranteed from the beginner’s first flights, en- couraged by the knowledge that you can always trust the EPSILON 8 completely.
Using the paraglider Delivery Adjusting the brake lines Before delivery every ADVANCE paraglider has to be flown by the deal- The brake handle positions have been set at the factory to allow free er and checked for correct settings and trim. When this has been done brake line travel of approximately 8 cm between the brakes free posi- the dealer enters the date of the first flight on the label attached to a tion and the point where brake application first affects the wing trail-...
Speed system with SPI The EPSILON 8 has a speed system with a Speed-Performance- Indicator (SPI), which reads off against 3 positions on the backs of the risers. The red markers on the speed system enable a precise speed bar position to be set to suit the in-flight situation. Best gliding to the next thermal needs an on-going choice of speed to fly, depending on the current values of headwind, expected next climb rate , and the ra- te of sink.
McReady Speed-To-Fly positions Caution: Even though the EPSILON 8 has a high degree of sta- bility in accelerated flight you should only use as much speedbar as you feel comfortable with. § With no headwind (or with a tailwind), little or no expected thermal, Info: Although flying into a headwind (15-20 km/h) gives you the and the glider’s normal sink rate (ca.1.2 m/s vario) you should fly wi- feeling that your gliding performance is being badly affected,...
Suitable harnesses The ADVANCE EPSILON 8 is certified for harnesses in Group GH ( without rigid cross-bracing - see section «Certification» ). The suspen- sion points of the chosen harness should ideally have a carabiner dis- tance of approximately 45 cm ( equivalent to your shoulder width ) and a height of 40 to 48 cm.
Weight range Info: The EPSILON 8 has a weight range that has been extend- ed above the recommended region, but still keeps its EN/LTF B The weight ranges of the different wing sizes are given in the section certification; the upper limit of the EN/LTF B classification lies «Technical Data».
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50 kg EPSILON 23 // 55 – 75 kg + 10 kg EPSILON 25 // 70 – 90 kg + 10 kg EPSILON 27 // 80 – 105 kg + 15 kg EPSILON 29 // 95 – 125 kg + 15 kg Empfohlenes Startgewicht Erweiterter Gewichtsbereich Recommended takeoff weight...
Flight characteristics We recommend that you make your first flights with your new glider in Takeoff preparation quiet conditions, in a familiar flying area. A few pull-ups at an easy site Before every takeoff carry out the following pre-takeoff checks: will give you confidence in the EPSILON 8’s handling qualities, from the very beginning.
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Takeoff in stronger wind ( reverse takeoff ) The EPSILON 8 rises exceptionally easily, so it is very important that you match your pull up technique to the weather conditions and the The reverse takeoff is mainly recommended for stronger winds. Like steepness of the slope.
Normal flight Turning flight In calm air the EPSILON 8 best glide is achieved with fully released The EPSILON 8 has precise response to brake application. It reacts brakes. Light braking brings the glider to its minimum sink condition. directly and progressively to increasing steering demands, once the When flying into a headwind, through descending air, or when procee- brake line free travel has been taken up.
Tip: If a brake line were to break you can steer your EPSILON 8 Caution: Even though the EPSILON 8 is stable in accelerated with the rear C-risers if necessary. flight you should only use as much speedbar as you feel happy with.
Collapses Poorly flown wingovers can cause a wingtip to fold inwards from the side, causing it to catch in the lines and create a cravat. Due to the Asymmetric collapse of the wing high drag they produce cravats can lead to strong turning ( spiralling ). Prevent this from developing by using just enough (but no more) The EPSILON 8 has a very stiff and stable canopy.
both brakes are quickly pulled to 75% of brake travel within one themselves thanks to the high internal wing pressure. second’s duration, then fully released. Sink rate can be further increased by using the speedbar when the Caution: When carrying out a deliberate front collapse make ears are folded.
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Spiral dive the recovery with plenty of height above the ground. Generally speak- ing you should allow the same amount of time to recover as it took For the most comfortable way of doing this we recommend a neutral to enter the manoeuvre, but remember that the vertical speed will be sitting position without active weight shift, and a shoulder-width cara- higher, and much more height will be used! biner distance ( approx 45 cm ).
Stalling Caution: The EPSILON 8 was tested in accordance with the latest certification requirements. In a neutral sitting position, and One-sided stall ( spin ) after releasing the inside brake, a spiral dive of up to 14 m/s sink rate recovers by itself. Spirals of higher sink rates can remain in When circling tightly in a thermal the EPSILON 8 indicates early and a stable spiral if weight shift is applied to the inside of the turn.
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B-Stall brakes to the point where the ears go back to their normal posi- tion – then apply full brake. The whole paraglider structure and its profile shape would be severely strained by a B-stall. We recommend that you do not carry out B-stalls During recovery the canopy must be pre-inflated.
Landing Caution: Steep turn reversals lead to strong swinging of the pi- lot, and should not be done near the ground. Always make a proper landing circuit with a clearly defined final ap- proach. As the ground approaches progressively increase brake to Caution: Braking will reduce your speed and increase your level the flight-path, before applying full brake to completely arrest the sink rate, but it will certainly seriously restrict your ability to...
Flying with a wet paraglider ( risk of deep stall ) Winching Flying with a wet glider creates a risk of deep stall. Deep stall is often The EPSILON 8 is suitable for winch launching. When taking off in the result of a combination of factors. The weight of the wet canopy windless conditions, ensure that the paraglider is laid out in banana or goes up, and this increased weight increases the angle of attack, even wedge shape to make sure the centre inflates before the wingtips...
Paramotoring The EPSILON 8 is certified for paramotoring. You can find the paramo- toring appendix to the EPSILON 8 manual on www.advance.ch. under Downloads. Acrobatics Assuming adequate pilot ability and correct technique, the EPSILON 8 lends itself well to flying such manoeuvres as wingovers, SAT, helicop- ter and asymmetric spiral.
Maintenance, repairs and care Packing necessary. Do not use solvents under any circumstances. § If the glider has been subjected to increased stress ( such as a tree Always pack your EPSILON 8 rib on rib, so that the plastic rods at the leading edge lie flat on each other at the same height.
Check Repairs A new ADVANCE paraglider must be given a check every 24 months As a general rule you should not attempt to repair a paraglider yourself. ( 2 years ). With intensive use ( > 150 flying hours per year, or especial- The various seams and lines are made with great precision, and, for ly demanding use ) an annual check is needed, after the first check.
Disposal Environmental protection plays an important role in the selection of materials and the manufacture of an ADVANCE product. We use only non-hazardous materials that are subjected to continuous quality and environmental impact assessments. When your paraglider reaches the end of its useful life in a number of years time, please remove all metal parts and dispose of the lines, canopy and risers in a waste incinera- tion plant.
Materials used Lines: We routinely inspect and test our materials many times over. Like all Base lines Edelrid Technora (Aramid) 7343 - 340/280/230/90, covered, 2.1 mm ADVANCE products the EPSILON 8 is designed and produced as a re- / 1.8 mm / 1.7 mm / 1.5 mm sult of the latest developments and contemporary knowledge.
Certification The EPSILON 8 has EN and LTF certification. The test reports can be downloaded from www.advance.ch. Certification ratings can only provide limited information about a paraglider’s flying behaviour in thermally active and turbulent air. The certification grading is based primarily on provoked extreme flight ma- noeuvres in calm air.
Service ADVANCE Service Centres § find out about new safety-related knowledge and advice concerning ADVANCE products ADVANCE operates two company-owned Service Centres that carry out checks and repairs of all types. The workshops based in § download an application form in PDF format which you can use Switzerland and France are official maintenance operations, certi- when sending your glider in for a check at ADVANCE.
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replacement of the product ). This warranty is valid for three years from the date of purchase of the product. Warranty and Service Intervals begin from the date of the glider’s first flight, recorded on the identifi- cation plate. If no date is evident the applicable date is that on which the glider was transferred from ADVANCE to the ADVANCE dealer.
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