Advance acoustic SIGMA 11 User manual

SIGMA 11
Edition 1.1 / 03_2021
Manual

Thank you for flying ADVANCE.................................3
SIGMA 11 – Ambitious Cross Country ...........................4
Pilot requirements ..........................................5
General advice about paragliding ..........................5
Getting started.............................................6
Delivery ............................................. 6
Basic settings ........................................ 6
Speedsystem with SPI ...................................7
Suitable harnesses..................................... 9
Weight range .........................................10
Flight characteristics .......................................11
Takeoff ..............................................11
Normal flight..........................................13
Turning flight ..........................................13
Accelerated flight ......................................14
Using the C-Handles ...................................15
Collapses ............................................16
Rapid descents .......................................17
Stalling ..............................................19
Landing .............................................21
Flying with a wet paraglider (risk of deep stall) ................21
Winching ............................................22
Acrobatics ...........................................22
Paramotoring .........................................22
Tandem flying .........................................22
Packing .................................................24
Maintenance and checks....................................25
Maintenance .........................................25
Check ..............................................25
Repairs..............................................27
Repairs and disposal .......................................27
Disposal ............................................ 28
Technical details...........................................29
Materials used ....................................... 30
Certification ..........................................31
Service .................................................32
ADVANCE Service Center...............................32
The ADVANCE website .................................32
Registering your product ................................32
Warranty ........................................... 33
Wing parts ...............................................34
Line plan ................................................35
Risers ..................................................36
Bowline .................................................37
Content
2

Congratulations on your choice of an SIGMA 11 - 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
Register your SIGMA 11 online on www.advance.swiss/warranty; you
will then receive product updates or safety-related bulletins about
the SIGMA 11 direct from us. This information will also be available to
download from our website at www.advance.swiss, as will the latest
version of this manual and further updated information.
If you have any further questions or problems please contact your
dealer or get in touch directly with ADVANCE.
Now we wish you a lot of enjoyment with your SIGMA 11, and always
«happy landings».
Team ADVANCE
Pioneering spirit and Swiss precision. Our story.
Putting our ideas into the air. That’s what we can do. For more than
30 years, ADVANCE have kept the needs and wishes of our pilots
at the forefront. With Swiss precision we refine model after model.
Highest quality and absolute reliability have our top priority, in the
air and in our customer service. So from pioneers we have become
perfectionists, and a leading worldwide comprehensive service
provider.
Thank you for flying ADVANCE
Text aus S10 HB
Website kürzen!
3

Once again the SIGMA 11 is up there amongst the highest performing
C class wings. The new cross country sportster shows exceptional
handling precision in flight and a high level of pitching stability. Its out-
standing performance can be called upon any time, even in demanding
conditions. Latest technologies like internally sewn miniribs and an ef-
fective pitch control arrangement with 2-liner feel finish off this product.
SIGMA 11 – Ambitious Cross Country
4

The SIGMA 11 is classified as an EN/LTF C wing and is intended, ex-
clusively, for capable cross country pilots who have a number of years
flying experience.
An active flying style using brakes, speed system and/or riser control
(C-Handles) is required with the SIGMA 11. As the pilot you must be
able to recognise canopy disturbances at their onset, and be able to
oppose them by means of adequate, appropriate and timely control re-
sponse. In addition you must be fully familiar with the normal fast de-
scent techniques and be capable of using them when required. Only
then will you be able to make use of the high performance potential of
the SIGMA 11, and fly far across the countryside, relaxed and safe.
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. The paraglider pilot is also required bear a
sense of responsibility towards the natural world, especially regarding
the preservation of wildlife and landscape.
Wearing an adequate helmet, suitable boots and clothing, and carrying
an emergency parachute (a ‘reserve’) are essential. Before every flight
all items of equipment should be checked for damage and airworthi-
ness. A proper pre-takeoff check must also be carried out.
Every pilot bears sole responsibility for all risks, including injury or
death, when participating in the sport of paragliding. Neither the manu-
facturer nor the seller of a paraglider can guarantee or be held respon-
sible for the pilot’s safety.
Pilot requirements
5

The SIGMA 11 belongs to the “Light sport aircraft” category with an
empty weight of less than 120 kg.
Delivery
Every ADVANCE paraglider has to be flown by the dealer before deliv-
ery to check for correct settings and trim. The dealer finally enters the
date of the first flight on the type placard fastened on a rib at the cen-
tre of the wing. This entry confirms that defects in the product that can
be attributed to manufacturing faults are covered by the ADVANCE
warranty. Register your paraglider under www.advance.ch/warran-
ty, and benefit from the ADVANCE warranty for three years. See under
“Warranty” in the “Service” section.
Delivery of a SIGMA 11 includes a COMFORTPACK rucksack, a
COMPRESSBAG, a repair kit, a mini-windsock in the wing colours and
a «Getting Started» booklet.
Basic settings
At delivery the basic set up of the SIGMA 11 will be the original trim
situation that the ADVANCE test team found to be best. Certification
was also gained in this condition. Any alterations or changes to the
paraglider, such as altering the line lengths or fitting different risers or
quicklinks, will result in a loss of the glider’s certification. See section
«Certification».
Caution: Do not modify your glider – it will no longer be certified.
Adjusting the brake lines
Leave the SIGMA 11 in its factory settings. The brake line lengths have
been set for optimal handling, as established by our test team. The
free travel of the brake lines makes sure that the trailing edge remains
unbraked during takeoff, in fully accelerated flight and when using the
C handles.
We recommend a bowline knot for attaching the handles. See illustra-
tion in the appendix.
Getting started
6

Speedsystem with SPI
Optimal cross country glide between two thermals requires an on-
going choice of glider speed as a function of current headwind com-
ponent, expected next climb quality and the influence of sinking air.
The SIGMA 11 speed (accelerate) system has a Speed Performance
Indicator (SPI) which helps the pilot make this choice of ideal speed-
to-fly. Three positions are indicated on the back of the rear risers: neu-
tral/0 %, 50 % and 100 %. Depending on the relevant parameters the
chosen SPI position can be accurately set. Red tabs on the front risers
indicate the selected position relative to the SPI markings.
Info: Thanks to its high stability the SIGMA 11 can be flown in
accelerated condition in light turbulence without problem. The
choice of accelerated speed for best glide does play an impor-
tant role for this high performance glider.
Each of the SIGMA 11 SPI positions has an icon with a value for head-
wind, expected climb and sink rate. These indicated positions are ef-
fective for only one of their three values, taken in isolation – conside-
red by itself. This means that either the headwind, or the expected rate
of climb, or the sink rate applies to that position. The SPI principle is
based on the simple (using headwind and sink) and the extended (in-
cluding expected climb rate) McCready Speed-To-Fly theory
7

Caution: Even though the SIGMA 11 has a high degree of stabi-
lity in accelerated flight you should only use as much speedbar
as you feel comfortable with.
Info:
Although flying into a headwind (15-20 km/h) gives you the
feeling that your gliding performance is being badly affected,
bear in mind that strong sink (more than 2 m/s) has a relatively
stronger adverse affect.
Setting up the speed system
The Speed Performance Indicator (SPI) gives you an indication of the
relationship between your accelerate range and your wing’s polar cur-
ve, and it also indicates whether your speedbar/loop application is
symmetrical. It also helps you set up your speed system. Set the length
of your speed lines so that you can use the full travel of the speed sys-
tem, and that the red indicator shows 100% when the second rung of
the speedbar/loop is fully extended. This setting should arrange that
the first rung reaches approximately the 50% position.
The SIGMA 11 speed system is arranged so that the profile shape of
the wing is fully retained over the angle-of-attack range of the speed
system. This maintains the beneficial qualities of the profile at high
speeds.
Caution: The speed system is correctly adjusted when you can
use the full travel available on the risers. Make certain that the
speed lines are not set too short, thus causing the wing to be
pre-accelerated all the time!
8

Suitable harnesses
Basically the SIGMA 11 can be flown with any harness that does not
have rigid cross bracing (see section “Certification“).
For the tests the following settings were used for the harnesses:
§All-up in-flight weight less than 80 kg: carabiner distance 40 ± 2
cm, height 40 ± 1 cm
§All-up in-flight weight 80 to 100 kg: carabiner distance 44 ± 2
cm, height 42 ± 1 cm
§All-up in-flight weight more than 100 kg: carabiner distance 48
± 2 cm, height 44 ± 1 cm
Info: Experience has proved the theory – a streamlined harness
can significantly improve gliding performance.
9

Weight range
The SIGMA 11 comes out in five sizes. The weight ranges for the dif-
ferent wing sizes are listed in the “Technical Data“ section. The figures
given there refer to total take-off weight. This includes the pilot’s bo-
dy weight including clothing, as well as the weight of all the equipment
(paraglider, harness, instruments, etc. – everything that’s going to fly).
Seamless Weight Ranges
The SIGMA 11 was planned for Seamless (continuous) weight ranges,
with no overlapping. These arrange that any particular flying weight
features in only one glider size. These SIGMA 11 Ideal takeoff Weight
Ranges provide the best comprise between speed and climbing per-
formance for all normal conditions, for each glider size.
For special requirements the choice of size still remains in the over-
lapping sections of the wider Certified Weight Ranges, as for previous
models.
Flying outside the Seamless Weight Ranges, in other words near the
lower or upper certified weight limits, can alter a paraglider’s flying be-
haviour and handling, but without affecting your safety. Glide perfor-
mance remains the same over a complete weight range, but climb per-
formance is altered.
If the SIGMA 11 is flown outside its Seamless Weight Range, in the
upper part of its Certified Weight Range, the higher wing loading
will raise its trim speed and produce more dynamic and agile flying
characteristics.
10