Advance acoustic AXESS 3 AIR User manual

User manual
Edition 1 / 07_2012
AXESS3AIR

Edition 1 / 10_2012

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Contents
Thank you for ying ADVANCE ...................................................... 4
About ADVANCE ............................................................................. 5
The AXESS 3 AIR............................................................................. 6
Welcome on board!...................................................................... 6
Outstanding features of the AXESS 3 AIR ................................... 6
Safety advice ................................................................................... 8
General advice about paragliding ............................................... 8
Preparing the product for use ......................................................... 9
Delivery......................................................................................... 9
Delivery package ......................................................................... 9
Airbag......................................................................................... 10
Adjustments................................................................................ 10
Installing the reserve .................................................................. 14
Use in ight .................................................................................... 19
General....................................................................................... 19
Ground handling ........................................................................ 19
Takeoff and landing.................................................................... 19
Dealing with the Airbag.............................................................. 19
Using the speed system............................................................. 20
Flying with the foot stirrup .......................................................... 21
Flying with ballast....................................................................... 21
Use for training ........................................................................... 21
Use with other glider brands...................................................... 21
Winching .................................................................................... 21
Acro flying ................................................................................. 22
Tandem flying ............................................................................. 22
Before takeoff ............................................................................. 22
Maintenance, repairs and care ..................................................... 23
Care and maintenance .............................................................. 23
Caring for the Airbag.................................................................. 24
Check ........................................................................................ 24
Repairs ...................................................................................... 24
Disposal ..................................................................................... 24
Technical details ............................................................................ 26
Technical Data............................................................................ 26
Material used.............................................................................. 27
Certification ................................................................................ 27
Service ........................................................................................... 28
ADVANCE Service Centres........................................................ 28
ADVANCE website .................................................................... 28
Warranty ..................................................................................... 28
Parts............................................................................................... 30
Harness ...................................................................................... 30
Rucksack.................................................................................... 31

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Thank you for flying ADVANCE
Congratulations on your choice of an AXESS 3 AIR – a quality product
from ADVANCE. We are condent that you will spend many rewarding
hours in the air with it.
This manual contains instructions and important advice about safety,
care and maintenance. We strongly advise that you read it carefully
before your rst ight with the harness.
You can always nd the latest version of the manual and additional
up-to-date information on www.advance.ch. Any new safety-related
ndings about the product will be published there. For questions or
problems please contact your supplier or ADVANCE direct.
We wish you a lot of fun with the AXESS 3 AIR and, as always,
“happy landings”.
Team ADVANCE

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About ADVANCE
ADVANCE is one of the leading worldwide paraglider manufacturers,
and is based in Switzerland. Since the company was founded in
1988 it has maintained its own policies and concepts, both in devel-
opment and production. The results are matured products with un-
mistakable characteristics.
Backing the brand is a team of experts who share the passion of
those who put their trust in ADVANCE products. With their own un-
derstanding of ight they bring their personal experience and dedica-
tion to the working processes.
Total control of the production process and close supervision of the
working practices in the dedicated factory in Vietnam guarantee a
high standard of workmanship. A long term relationship with fabric
and line manufacturers also enables ADVANCE knowledge and ex-
pertise to nd its way directly into the development of new materials.
ADVANCE puts great importance on after-sales customer support,
and has built up a worldwide service network for this purpose. An
on-going interaction with customers brings new insights that nd
their way into ADVANCE products – thus completing the «Circle of
Service».

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This unies the whole exterior shape, which therefore looks more ele-
gant. A positive side effect is that the protector is replaceable.
Safety from the rst to last moments of ight
The compactly stowing Airbag takes up its shape and full volume im-
mediately after unpacking. The foam framework inside the Airbag
makes sure that it lls with air directly and independently, without the
need for continuous outside airow. This innovative system provides
high passive safety from the rst to last moment of your ight. Im-
proved design also extends the life of this self-inating Airbag.
The AXESS 3 AIR
Welcome on board!
The AXESS 3 Air is a light and very comfortable compact harness
with Airbag. Excellent back support is responsible for a high level of
comfort. The innovative Airbag protector has been further improved.
The AXESS 3 Air is equally suitable for everyday ying and school
use, as well as for Hike & Fly and travelling.
Outstanding features of the AXESS 3 AIR
Improved back support gives better comfort
The AXESS 3 AIR is much more comfortable than the previous
AXESS thanks to improved back support. On takeoff there’s plenty of
freedom of movement on the ground, and it’s easy to slip back into
the seat after liftoff. New harness geometry makes the AXESS 3 AIR
even easier to adjust.
Built-in protector produces a more elegant line
Compared with its predecessor the AXESS 3 AIR silhouette is dis-
tinctly better looking. The AXESS 3 AIR protector is no longer sewn
directly on the external fabric layer, but now lives inside the harness.

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Important details
• Drinking tube routeing
• Shoulder strap suspension for the reserve
• Flexible size reserve pocket
(S = 3 to 6.5 ltr; M = 3 to 7 ltr; L = 3 to 7.5 ltr)
• Carbon seatboard
• Velcro for a Solario on the shoulder straps
• Two integral side pockets
• Roller bearing pulleys for the speed system
• Provision for foot stirrup, LTF 91/09 approved
• Established two buckle system for chest and leg straps

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Like all commercial reserve parachutes, paraglider harnesses, be-
cause of their design, are not at all suitable for freefall parachuting.
The reserve and its attachments are not designed for an abrupt
opening.
All adjustments to the harness should denitely be made before ight.
Correct harness settings contribute decisively to functioning, safety
and comfort in ight.
The impact protector in the pelvis/back area of the harness, in this
manual referred to as the Airbag, does not provide complete and
comprehensive protection from injury. It merely serves to attenuate
the energy of impacts, and thus minimise injury which may result
from a fall to the ground from a minimal height during imperfect take-
offs and landings.
When carrying out safety training over water you should be aware
that the Airbag initially oats, and can put the pilot in a head down at-
titude. There’s also a risk that the foam parts of the Airbag will even-
tually ll with water and sink – with the pilot.
The AXESS 3 AIR is only to be used for paragliding.
General advice about paragliding
Flying a paraglider calls for appropriate training and a sound knowl-
edge of the subject, as well as, of course, the necessary insurance
cover and licence. A pilot must be able to correctly assess the weather
conditions before taking off. His or her capabilities must be adequate
for the actual paraglider to be used. The paraglider pilot is also re-
quired bear a sense of responsibility towards the natural world, espe-
cially regarding the preservation of wildlife and landscape.
Wearing an adequate helmet, suitable boots and clothing, and car-
rying an emergency parachute are essential. Before every ight all
items of equipment should be checked for damage and airworthi-
ness. A proper pre-takeoff check must also be carried out.
When carrying out paraglider sports every pilot bears sole responsi-
bility for all risks including injury and death. Neither the manufacturer
nor the seller of a paraglider can guarantee or be held responsible for
the pilot’s safety.
Safety advice

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Delivery
Before delivery every ADVANCE product has to be checked by the
dealer for completeness and correct basic settings. The completed
warranty document will ensure that defects in the product attributable
to manufacturing faults are covered by the ADVANCE warranty. (See
Warranty in the section «Service».)
Delivery package
Delivery includes:
• AXESS 3 AIR harness with carbon seatboard and airbag
• 2 alu main carabiners
• Harness/reserve V-connection, and combined reserve handle and
four-ap inner container
• Hold-backs for the speed bar
• “Getting started” Booklet
Optional extra:
• Foot stirrup with speed system
Preparing the product for use

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Airbag
The Airbag in the harness inates itself automatically when the har-
ness is unpacked, and does not need special preparation. It is fully
working at takeoff, ready to absorb the energy of an impact and sof-
ten the blow if the takeoff goes wrong. The risk of back and pelvic in-
jury is thereby greatly reduced.
The Airbag has an arrangement of polyurethane walls, like the frames
of a ship’s hull. The structural tension between these walls braces the
Airbag in all directions. A system of aps manages the resulting air in-
take and controlled release.
The Airbag is certied to LTF 91/09 requirements.
Adjustments
To correctly adjust your AXESS 3 AIR hang the harness up by the
carabiners. Sit in it and close the integrated leg and chest straps. Try
the many adjustment options to nd your most comfortable position.
Neoprene covers protect the shoulder, back and chest strap buckles.
Their straps are smoothly adjustable over their full lengths, so the sit-
ting position can be quickly and easily adjusted in ight. The devel-
opment team have arrived at some standard adjustments, and these
are marked with white sewing on the straps for the back and legs.
The pictures in this handbook show the various adjustment possibil-
ities.
For your rst test ight choose quiet weather conditions. If necessary,
repeat the whole adjustment procedure after the ight to improve on
your settings.
Tip: When you make your seating tests pack the back pocket
and stow the reserve as if for ying. You will then get the
most realistic feeling of the harness in ight.
Back strap adjustment 1
The relatively high back straps give good back support and take
pressure off the shoulders. They also set the recline angle quickly
and easily during ight.
Pulled-in back straps result in an upright position. Completely loos-
ened back straps put the pilot in a reclined position. ADVANCE rec-
ommend the basic setting.

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Shoulder strap adjustment 2
The shoulder straps of the AXESS 3 AIR can be adjusted for pilot size
and sitting position. The buckles are at shoulder height, and can eas-
ily be adjusted to any position. The ideal setting allows about 2 cm
space between strap and shoulder.
Info: An ideally adjusted shoulder strap feels quite loose in
ight and does not put pressure on the shoulder, while still
providing comfortable support.
Chest strap adjustment 3
The chest strap is used to change the distance between the cara-
biners. The chest strap is secured with the automatic quick-release
buckles and these make up the Safe-T-System.
The wider the chest strap the more agile the seat, and therefore the
more effective will be steering by weightshift. A narrow setting results
in a quiet and damped feeling from the wing. The adjustment range
is very large and the harness agility can be changed to any setting to
suit the conditions, as the pilot prefers.
Caution: Make sure you close the buckles properly!
1
2
3
4

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Tip: The most important thing about setting the chest strap is
that you feel happy in your harness.
Leg strap adjustment 4
The two leg straps should be adjusted equally, and to a reasonable
length that allows free movement during takeoff. This helps with a
safe takeoff, and makes sure that you can easily get into your com-
fortable position when clear of the ground. To adjust the leg straps
tilt the seat board forward. The buckles are directly under the seat
board trailing edge. The length of the leg straps does not affect agility
and weightshift steering.
Seatboard angle adjustment
The seatboard angle can be quickly adjusted to any position. Seat-
board setting is purely a matter of taste, to suit the pilot’s preference.
Tip: Loosened seatboard straps make it very easy to slip into
the harness after takeoff, and the resulting bent leg angle
provides roll stability.
Fitting the speed bar
The speed system load and travel is directed through a system of
pulleys. From the risers the lines run on each side through the pulleys
at chest height, through the slots in the neoprene and then the small
pulleys at the end of the seatboard. Finally the lines are knotted on
the speedbar, so that the bar hangs about 10 to 20 cm (depending
on the pilot’s leg length) below the harness when the lines are
stretched and supported from a correctly simulated connection on
the risers.
After testing in ight, or in the suspended harness, the speed system
should be ne tuned by the knots on the speed bar (or at the Brum-
mel hooks), to make sure that the total speed system travel can be
used.
Caution: The speed system is correctly adjusted when the
full range of the speed system can be used. Make sure that
the lines are not adjusted so short that the wing is accelerated
all the time (i.e. speed lines still under tension when speed
bar is released).

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Fitting the foot stirrup
The optional foot stirrup, included in AXESS 3 AIR LTF 91/09 certi-
cation, should be tted as follows:
Attach the red-edged loops to the small tape loops under the cara-
biners using quicklinks (Maillons Rapide). The short ends go through
the metal rings on the outside of the seat sidewalls near the front of
the seatboard, and are secured through the plastic buckles. The free
ends of the bungee holdback chords go through the plastic rings on
the front edge of the seatboard, and are tied to the tape loops on the
stirrup sides – as short as practicable, but not under permanent ten-
sion.
A compatible speed system is supplied with the stirrup. ADVANCE
recommends that only this speed system is used when the foot stir-
rup is tted. Connect the stirrup with the speed system as shown
(see illustration); the speedloop will then always be easy to pick up
with a foot in ight.

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Attaching the cockpit
There are two tape loops below the chest strap for attaching the
cockpit. The main carabiners could also be used.
Installing the reserve
General advice
Every reserve/harness combination has its own peculiarities. It is es-
sential that pilots and parachute packers familiarise themselves with
the system and how it works – especially if any part of it is new (new
reserve in existing harness or vice versa), so that reliable operation
will be assured.
Suitable reserves
Reserve compartment volume
Basically, bulky old-style reserves in compact, modern harnesses
can be difcult to release, especially under high g loading. The certi-
ed volumes for the AXESS 3 AIR are specied as a function of har-
ness size. Make sure that the reserve does not exceed the volume
certied for the AXESS 3 AIR:
Size S 3 to 6.5 litres; Size M 3 to 7 litres; Size L3 to 7.5 litres.
A very broad volume approximation can be obtained from the reserve
weight by using the formula: Reserve weight in Kgs x 2.7 = Volume
in Litres. But, depending on packing quality and style, it could still be
possible that a reserve does not release properly, even though it con-
forms to the approved maximum volume – when calculated by this
formula.
For a nal decision a compatibility test will conrm in every case
whether a particular reserve/harness combination works properly.
Caution: A reserve parachute volume can expand by up to
30% when it has been newly folded. ADVANCE therefore
strongly recommend that a new compatibility test is carried
out after every repack.
Information about steerable reserves
A steerable reserve parachute can be connected directly to the col-
oured suspension points – under the covers on the shoulders, us-
ing quick links with a minimum of 2400 daN safe load. The steerable
parachute risers should be led through the channel provided on the
harness to the reserve compartment. The standard harness/reserve

V-connection (not used) should be led through the opening into the
back compartment of the harness and stowed away.
Once again a compatibility test will decide if the chosen reserve
works properly with the AXESS 3 AIR.
Caution: Steerable reserves tend to take up more volume.
Info: You can also use QuickOut carabiners with a steerable
reserve on the AXESS 3 AIR.
Installing the reserve parachute
The AXESS 3 AIR reserve stowage is put in an aerodynamically ef-
cient place, close to the pilot’s centre of gravity.
The harness/reserve connection runs in a special channel at the side
of the harness. To close this channel fasten the velcro sides togeth-
er evenly.
Caution: Fitting a reserve parachute should be done by a
qualied person; your safety depends on it.

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Connecting the reserve to the harness
The reserve bridle and the harness connection must be connected to
each other by means of a suitable quick link of at least 2400 daN safe
load. These two lines must be stabilised at the maillon, for example
by using a rubber O ring, to prevent the webbings slipping round and
cross-loading the maillon during a reserve deployment.
Connecting these looped ends by looping them through each other is
only permissible if it is done by the manufacturer, or someone trained
and authorised by him. If this were not to be done correctly there is
a risk that the loops will slide on each other when the reserve opens,
causing heating, melting and failure of the connection.
Caution: Don’t use sticky tape instead of an O ring for locat-
ing the loops on the maillon.

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Reserve handle and the inner container
The reserve handle and the four-ap inner container are xed together
and this combination is designed so that the pull of the handle acts
equally over the whole width of the inner container. This minimises
the risk of the container jamming in the reserve compartment, or the
reserve lines getting caught up. The reserve handle together with the
four-ap inner container are essential parts of the harness, and this
arrangement conforms to the latest LTF certication requirements.
Only the original reserve handle with its four-ap inner container is al-
lowed to be used.
The reserve parachute should be packed in a rectangular shape
matching the size of the inner container. The size of the inner contain-
er can be altered by moving the position of the knots on the two bun-
gee bands. To install the reserve rst lay the reserve connection
in the reserve compartment and then put the inner container on top.
Note that the securing line-loop and the four closure aps should
face downwards, towards the neoprene part in the reserve compart-
ment, and the at connection to the reserve handle should lie with-
out twists.
The reserve handle is parked on the right hand side of the harness in
its neoprene pocket. The two pieces of yellow cable on the reserve
handle are led through the openings in the neoprene pocket, through
the closure loops and into the ‘buttonholes’. The handle will then lie
close to the harness, is well visible and easy to reach. Always check
that the two yellow cables are routed cleanly, so that a correct para-
chute release can be guaranteed.
Caution: Never connect the inner container to the reserve
parachute.
Outer container
The adaptable reserve compartment can hold small or large volume
parachutes equally conveniently. The design of the outer contain-
er provides the necessary tension and pressure on the closure loops
and cables.
The yellow cables go through the outer container closure loops. The
eyelets for these bootlace loops are marked 1-4 and A-C to indicate
the order in which the outer container should be closed.
Compatibility testing
Correct stowage of the reserve must checked by a test release. To
do this the pilot hangs the harness up by its carabiners and sits in it.

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Pulling the reserve out in the ying position must be possible without
interruption or snagging, and in accordance with the design speci-
cations. While doing this it must be conrmed that the release force
of 7 daN is not exceeded. If in doubt do not hesitate to contact a
qualied person or your ADVANCE dealer.
Caution: Make sure that the speedbar, and the foot stirrup if
tted, do not interfere with reserve deployment.
Caution: Before every ight check that the reserve handle is
in its correct position, and that the yellow cables are correctly
positioned.
Tip: We recommend that you briey check the position of
your reserve handle during each ight - so that you remember
where it is.

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General
The AXESS 3 AIR should be own in an upright or slightly reclined at-
titude so that the pilot has a good view in front.
The AXESS 3 AIR has many helpful qualities. If the harness is correctly
set up information from the glider is transmitted directly to the pilot’s
mid section. The weight of the upper body is evenly distributed up to
the shoulders; pressure points are avoided, blood ow is not restrict-
ed, and mental concentration remains good, even on long ights.
The AXESS 3 AIR can be made very agile, or strongly damped in
ight. The agility of the harness is set by the chest strap, and this
can be easily adjusted in ight. We recommend that the harness is
set quite damped for the student, and in turbulent air. But this is very
much a matter of personal taste, and will always be up to the pilot.
Ground handling
Due to the harness light weight, and the pilot’s ability to stand upright
without restriction, ground handling with the AXESS 3 AIR is very
straightforward.
Takeoff and landing
The AXESS 3 AIR allows you to stand upright very comfortably. Tak-
ing off and landing turns out to be very pleasant - freedom of move-
ment is unrestricted and you can easily make those big accelerating
steps. Fully open seat board straps make it easy to slide into the seat
after lift off.
Dealing with the Airbag
The Airbag compresses down very small when packed in the ruck-
sack with the glider, but the harness should be stored open - NOT
left compressed in the rucksack. At the takeoff site unpack the har-
ness in good time, to allow the Airbag to fully inate itself (see also
‘Caring for the Airbag’ in the section “Maintenance, repairs and
care”).
Caution: Before every takeoff check that the Airbag has in-
ated correctly.
Use in flight

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Tip: To promote a long life for the protector we recommend
that the AXESS 3 AIR is stored upside down (illustration).
Using the speed system
The useful bungee holdback system makes sure the speedbar is al-
ways easy to reach under the front of the seatboard. This also means
that the speed system doesn’t get in the way of a reserve throwing.
Pushing the speedbar alters the sitting position. The upper body
leans back and the shoulder straps get tighter. The seatboard angle
becomes atter and takes on a bracing role.
Caution: Only use your speedbar with the holdback system
tted. This makes the speed bar easy to reach, and reduces
the risk of the speed bar interfering with a reserve deployment.
Caution: Connect your speed system to the glider for every
ight. Speed lines left hanging down can interfere with re-
serve deployment