Advance acoustic EPSILON 7 User manual

Getting started
english

Many thanks for choosing ADVANCE. We
are one of the world’s leading paraglider
manufacturers and are based in Switzerland.
Since 1988 we have consistently followed
our own paths and concepts, both in devel-
opment and production. We hope that your
EPSILON 7 will bring you many rewarding
hours in the air.
The EPSILON 7, appearing in the new and
striking ADVANCE Design, is a compact
Welcome to ADVANCE
leisure intermediate. It is notable for its direct
and precise handling, its easy takeoff qualities
and its predictability. The EPSILON 7 sits in
the centre of the EN B class.

Getting started
This guide gives you a brief look at using
your EPSILON 7, but it does not replace the
ofcial manual, where you will nd detailed
instructions about setting up, ying charac-
teristics, manoeuvring, upkeep and service.
The manual can be downloaded from www.
advance.ch/epsilon.

As an intermediate the EPSILON 7 is suitable
for the recreational pilot who regularly ies
in thermal conditions. This pilot will have a
competent, well-practised active ying style.
If this is the case the EPSILON 7 will make
pure pleasure of extensive thermaling ights.
You as pilot

Every ADVANCE paraglider has to be own
by the dealer before delivery to check for
correct basic settings. Any personal alteration
you make to the paraglider will result in it los-
ing its certication. The brake line lengths
should not be altered. They are set at the
factory so that, with brakes fully released,
the trailing edge remains unbraked in accel-
erated ight.
Delivery and initial settings
EPSILON 7 delivery includes:
• Speed lines with speedbar
• COMFORTPACK 2
• Inner bag
• Compression strap
• Repair kit
• Mini windsock
• Getting started booklet

Speed system with SPI
It’s sometimes surprising how fast you need
to y to get the most out of the EPSILON 7.
The Speed Performance Indicator (SPI) uses
the EPSILON 7’s polar curve and McCready
theory and tells you the best speed to y.
First, check out your headwind or sink rate,
and also ask yourself how strong your next
climb will be. Then push the speedbar until
the red markers on the SPI indicate the de-
sired position. If more than one factor apply
at the same time you should y even faster
and push the markers to Position 2 (80%).
The EPSILON 7 is not specially sensitive to
wing loading. Performance stays much the
same whether you are ying at the lower or
upper weight limits.

a
b

Take the time to set up your speed system.
1) Make sure that the speed lines run freely
through the harness pulleys.
2) Pull the speedlines through the harness
and connect them to the glider risers using
the Brummel hooks a .
3) Adjust the length of the speed lines so
that pushing the rst and second speed
bar steps reach SPI position 1 (30%) and
position 2 (80%) respectively.
Adjusting the speed system
You are now ready to y.
If needed, you can also change the point at
which the pulley action changes from 3:1 to
2:1. When you start to push the speedbar
the pressure is light – easy when your legs
are bent. Then as you push more, the pres-
sure increases but the distance you need
to push reduces, which is useful when your
legs are more outstretched.

To change this transition point move the knot
that supports the ball b . Move the knot
downwards if you want the transition to hap-
pen sooner. Move it up to make this happen
at a higher speeds.
Make sure that the speed lines are not so
short that the wing would be permanently
accelerated in ight.

For coming down quickly and efciently the
ADVANCE test team primarily recommend
that you use big ears (with or without speed-
bar), so as to y away from danger vertically
as well as horizontally.
The EPSILON 7 has split A-risers, which make
big ears easier. To apply, pull both outer,
red-marked A-lines briskly downwards at the
same time. To reopen, release the A-lines;
the folded ears will open by themselves,
thanks to the EPSILON 7’s high internal
pressure. Sink speed can be increased by
using the speed system while big ears are
applied.
Another descending aid is the spiral dive.
When you are in the spiral keep your weight
neutral. The EPSILON 7 comes out of a spi-
ral by itself with a neutral sitting position. At
high sink rates of more than 14 m/s a steep
spiral can become stable if weight is applied
Descent aids

to the inside of the turn. Outside weight or
outside brake are enough to recover from a
high sink rate spiral.
More manoeuvres are described in detail in
the manual on www.advance.ch/epsilon.

The EPSILON 7 weight range can be extend-
ed for dynamic ying and freestyle manoeuv-
res. The EN/LTF B upper limit is approxi-
mately 10kg above the recommended
boundary for the 23 size, and 15 kg for 26
and 28 sizes.
When the EPSILON 7 own at its upper
weights the higher wing loading produces
a higher trim speed, resulting in a more
dynamic and agile ying behaviour.
Expanded weight range
Specic pilot skill and correct technique is
essential, especially in the expanded weight
range, if manoeuvres like the wingover, heli-
copter, tail glide, reversal and asymmetric
spiral are to be well own with the EPSILON 7.
The EPSILON 7 still keeps its EN/LTF B rating
at the higher wing loadings, conrming its
high level of passive safety.

Flying with a wet paraglider
There’s a risk of parachutal stall. Parachutal
stall is often the result of a combination of
factors. The water adds to the weight of the
glider. The additional weight causes a high-
er angle of attack, putting the glider closer
to the stall. Then again, water drops on the
wing surface disturb the laminar airow near
the front of the wing, signicantly reducing
the maximum lift coefcient available.
In order to guard against the risk of para-
chutal stall with a wet wing the glider should
braked as little as possible and big ears
should not be used under any circumstance.
If the glider still goes into parachutal stall re-
covery should be achieved by use of the ac-
celerate system (speedbar) only.

Packing and care
When packing up lay the nose sections cell
to cell, so that the plastic rods lie at on each
other, and all at the same level. Fold the wing
to the width of the inner bag. Lay the glider
in the back of the rucksack and put the fold-
ed harness on top.
Gliders and harnesses are becoming ever
more compact and light, so we are deliver-
ing the EPSILON 7 with its matching ruck-
sack, the new COMFORTPACK 2.
Poor care shortens your EPSILON 7’s life.
Do not leave it in the sun more than neces-
sary, do not subject it to large changes of
temperature, and only store it in a dry place.

Technical details
23 26 28 30
Flat surface m223.0 26.0 28.0 30.0
Aspect ratio 5.15
Recommended takeoff weight 1kg 60-80 75-95 8 5-110 100-130
Increased takeoff weight 1,2 kg 80-95 9 5-110 110 -125 -
Glider weight kg 4.65 5.1 5.45 5.75
Trim speed 3km/h 38 +/-2
Max. speed 3km/h 51 +/-2
Certication EN/LTF
1 Pilot, wing, equipment 2 for dynamic ying and/or basic acro manoeuvres
3 Values depend on wing loading, harness/pilot and glider size within the recommended takeoff weight ranges

Warranty and Service
Register your EPSILON 7 online within 10
days of purchase on www.advance.ch/
warranty. The ADVANCE warranty is valid for
3 years to cover defects that are attributable
to manufacturing faults. There are more de-
tails online.
Your EPSILON 7 has to have a check every
24 months – or every 12 months if used a lot.
You can nd detailed information about the
worldwide ADVANCE Service Network on
www.advance.ch .
You can nd the up-to-date version of the
detailed ofcial manual, more advice about
safety, and current information including an-
swers to frequently asked questions (FAQs)
on www.advance.ch.

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SL low SL up
EPSILON
7
23/26/28/30

advance thun ag
uttigenstrasse 87
ch 3600 thun
fon [phone]
fax [phone]
www.advance.ch
[e-mail]