Aeros Vitamin User manual

Owners Manual
AEROS
Vitamin
2002

Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Technical description
2.1. Technical data
2.2. Canopy and Lines
2.3. Risers and Speedsystem
2.4. Harness
3. Flight
3.1. Preflight Check and Launch Preparations
3.2. Turns
3.3. Spiral Dive
3.4. Turbulence
3.5. Flying with Speed System
3.6. Landing
3.7. Tow Launching and Motorized Flight
4. Flying Characteristics
4.1. Trim Speed and Best Glide
4.2. Minimum Sink Rate
5. Extreme Flying Maneuvers
5.1. Asymmetric Front Collapse
5.2. Symmetric Front Collapse
5.3. Line Over
5.4. Deep Stall
5.5. Full Stall
5.6. Spin
6. Rapid Descent Techniques
6.1. Big Ears
6.2. Spiral Dive
6.3. B-line Stall
7. Maintenance and Repairs
7.1. Folding Away
7.2. Storage
7.3. Cleaning
7.4. Repair

7.5. More
8. Drawings and Measurements
9. Contact
1. Introduction
First of all we congratulate you with buying your new
AEROS Vitamin and wish you many enjoyable and safe flights.
Please read this manual carefully before flying your Vitamin.
Vitamin was developed as a school and recreational glider –a
wing with easy handling and high in-flight stability. It is ideal
for students and for pilots flying for fun and looking for a
maximum safety combined with performance enough for first
XC flights.
Paragliding is an amazing sport but can be dangerous and
lead to injury or even death. Do not pass the margins of safety –
do not fly in strong turbulence and winds. Obtain your flying
experience step by step, best of all under supervision of more
experienced pilot. If possible, enter SIV courses –it should
greatly help you in future.
We produce our paragliders and equipment at our own
facilities and check each step of production. This gives us a
possibility to produce canopies of excellent quality with precise
characteristics.
At the time of delivery Aeros Vitamin meets the
requirements of AFNOR. Any alternations to the paraglider will
make certification invalid! Pilots are responsible for their own
safety and their paragliders airworthiness. The manufacturer and
distributors accept no liability for damage caused by or to the
paraglider. And of course the pilot must have a valid paragliding
license.

Technical Description
1.1. Technical Data
Vitamin
27
30
32
Cells
31 +8
Area m2
26.75
29.43
32.00
Span m
11.34
11.90
12.41
Aspect ratio
4.81
Area projected m2
23.41
25.75
28.00
Span projected m
9.13
9.57
9.98
A/R projected
3.56
Chord root m
2.860
3.000
3.130
Chord tip m
0.62
0.65
0.68
Total height m
6.910
7.250
7.560
Take off weight *
kg
80 - 100
90–110
105-125
AFNOR
Plan
Plan
Standard
Vmin, km/h
21
Vtrim, km/h
36
Vmax, km/h
47
Min. sink m/s
(opt.pilot weight)
<1.2
* Pilot + ca. 17kg of equipment (incl. canopy)
1.2. Canopy and Lines
For our canopies we use the best materials we can buy. We use
fabric with silicone coating for top surface. Such cloth has much
higher resistance to UV-exposure and abrasion than other types
of fabric used for paragliders. Ribs (mostly tensioned part) are
made from NCV Porcher Marine hard finish fabric. NCV
Porcher Marine with medium finish is used for bottom panels.
Trylam reinforcements of ribs provide extra stability of leading
edge and ease the inflation of the canopy.

Lines with superaramid core and polyester coating show
excellent results during laboratory and flight tests. For main
suspensions are used:
-top stage –diam. 1.1mm (80 kg)
-bottom stage –diam. 2.2mm (240kg)
-middle stage –diam 1.7mm (155 kg)
-break lines top and middle –Dyneema diam. 1.1mm (85 kg)
Vitamin uses a newly designed airfoil, which was chosen among
other types during intensive tests. Combined with proper design
of the wing it gives high stability, gentle behavior during
collapses, pleasant inflating characteristics and excellent
handling.
1.3. Risers and Speedsystem.
The Aeros Vitamin is equipped with 4-risers V-lines.
AB
Vitamin 32
Vitamin 30
Vitamin 27
C/D
|A
||
not active
activated
Speedsystem
DISTANCE BETWEEN RISERS
distances
A / A - B A / A - C/D B - C/D
0 0 0
30 170 140
||| |||

Lines are connected to risers by quick links –triangular
carabines, fitted with a rubber ring twisted in a form of a figure
“8” preventing any slipping of the lines on the triangles.
Carabines with connected lines are covered with thermoforming
tube, which prevents suddenly unlock of quick links.
Speedsystem of Aeros Vitamin is foot-operated. It works in such
manner, that on big speeds the stability of glider is not decreased
too much.
To fit the speed system pass free ends of speed system cords
(opposite ends are attached to the bar): through metal rings
attached to rubber ropes (if your harness is equipped with them);
through pulleys sewing to your harness. Connect loops of the
cords to a small “O”-shape quick links with nuts which should
be on the ropes of A-risers.
Test your speed system on the ground for the correct length of
the cord, sitting in your harness with attached risers. The
maximum speed is reached when pulleys on the A-risers are
joined together.
We recommend to use for attachment of speed system only
quick link with nut (not a spring carabiner without securing of
tongue) to prevent catching of main paraglider lines by this
carabiner.
To increase your speed in the air just push the bar by your feet.
The loop on the speed bar is made to help you to catch the bar
by your heel.
1.4. Harness
Harness with a hang point at approximately chest height (42 cm
from carabines to the seat) may be used for flying with Vitamin.
Distance between risers should be adjusted as stated in the
certification stickers (this distance is different for different
canopy sizes).
2. Flight

2.1. Preflight check and launch preparations
It must be a rule to check lines, risers and canopy for tears and
damage before each flight. Also check your harness for
damages, check knots on the brake handles, check carabines
attached properly and secured. Check your reserve deployment
handle with security pins.
Lay the canopy in a half moon shape against the wind. This will
allow A-lines in the center to be tensioned before the other “A”-
s. So the canopy will be inflated gradually beginning from the
middle sections and the possibility of non-horizontal inflation
decreases. Pull the lines slightly and sort them into A,B,CD and
brakes beginning from the risers. For easy control A1 and A2
risers on Aeros Vitamin are marked with red, B-risers –with
yellow. The brake lines should run freely through the pulleys to
the trailing edge of the canopy. Important to check that no lines
are looped around the canopy (“lineover”). Check that there are
no sticks or another things catched by the lines.
2.2. Launch
- Forward launch:
Hold A-risers (A1 and A2) with brake handles in your arms,
keeping B, and CD risers in the arm bow. Pull up the canopy
progressively. When the canopy is above your head you should
feel the reduction of drug –in that moment release the A-risers.
In case if you pulled the canopy too fast it should be necessary
to apply the brakes slightly to prevent the forward surge. Move
your body to the center of the glider to correct the roll if
necessary.
Now you should visually check that the canopy is fully inflated
and that the lines go properly and without tangles. If anything is
not correct –do not launch (abort and try again).
- Reverse launch:

You should use this method for windy conditions. It is
recommended to practice the reverse launch on a training hill to
obtain a feeling of the canopy. To avoid drag when aborting a
launch in a strong wind use rear risers (not brakes). Using the
brakes will increase lift and it should be more difficult to keep
your balance.
2.3. Turns.
Aeros Vitamin has easy and responsible handling. The most
effective turning method is the simultaneous weight shift and
pulling the inside brake. To increase the wing resistances to
collapses in turbulence and to obtain an optimum sink rate pull
slightly the outside break while thermalling.
!ATTENTION: apply breaks smoothly. Don’t pull brakes too
fast or too hard –it can result in the negative spin.
2.4. Spiral Dive.
To enter a spiral dive on Aeros Vitamin you should slowly apply
brakes of one side. While a bank angle increases –apply more
brake. Control this angle by increasing or reducing the amount
of inside brake. Use also a weight shift to make entry to a spiral
dive easier.
To exit –release brake gently.
!ATTENTION: while entering a spiral dive –don’t pull
inside brake too fast –it should result in a negative spin.
Brake application should be in conformity with G-force and
bank angle. Be careful with extra G-force –both you and
your canopy should be overloaded.
2.5. Turbulence.

In turbulence pilots prevent tucks by braking slightly. Forward
movement of the canopy can be countered by pulling brakes.
Backward movements –by letting the brakes go.
2.6. Flying with speed system.
Using a speed system lowers the angle of attack of a canopy
which results in the decreasing of glider stability. Push the bar
smoothly. If you feel the decreasing of pressure on the bar –it
means that the leading edge of your canopy is close to collapse –
release the bar gently and apply brakes to counter collapses. Try
not to use speed system in turbulence.
2.7. Landing.
Vitamin is easy to land.
Plan your landing approach from a sufficient height. The final
leg should be against the wind and with brakes slightly pulled
down from trim position to avoid tucks. Begin to apply brakes
harder at 1-1.5m above the ground so that you’ll pull full brakes
just before touching ground. Stronger wind in the landing zone
requires less brakes be applied. When the wind is more than 6-7
m/s to deflate the canopy pull CD-lines when you’ll touch the
ground. Using brakes in strong wind conditions should result in
lifting the pilot and dragged him backwards.
2.8. Tow Launching and Motorized Flight.
Aeros Vitamin is suitable for tow launching and flying with
rucksack engine. Some types of rucksack engines need longer
brake lines. Adjust your brake before flight.
3. Flying Characteristics.
3.1. Trim Speed and Best Glide.

Trim speed is a speed with brakes up. Depending on the pilot’s
weight it should be in the range of 34-36 km/h.
Aeros Vitamin shows the best glide angle in a still air without
brakes and speed system applied.
3.2. Minimum Sink Rate.
Glider achieves minimum sink rate when applying about 20-
30% of brake length. Try to feel this brake amount in a calm air
to be sure that you will not cause a parachutal stall during a
thermal flying.
4. Extreme Flying Maneuvers.
4.1. Asymmetric Front Collapse.
Most of tuck situations are caused by turbulence (thermal
activity, rotors or mixture of the above). After asymmetric front
collapse the canopy begins to turn to the side of tucked wing.
Usually Aeros Vitamin reinflates without pilot intervention
smooth and fast. To quicken canopy inflation pilot must:
a) counter the turn by pulling slightly the opposite to the turn
brake and shift his (her) weight to stop the turn. This action will
increase speed of the deflated wing and helps it to reinflate. But
don’t pull the brake too hard – be aware of stall.
b) pumper the deflation by slow (1 second), long pump on the
brake of deflated wing. This will accelerates the recovery of the
canopy.
In any case don’t rely upon the canopy will recover itself – try to
accelerate this process, especially on a small altitude.
4.2. Symmetric front collapse.
Symmetric front collapse occur when flying in a very turbulent
air. Use active type of flying (counter all forward and backward

canopy movements with light brake inputs) to prevent frontal
tucks. If it happens –the canopy will recover on one's own.
Brake input will stop longitudinal swings faster.
4.3. Line Over.
We never experience line over during any of our flight tests on
the Vitamin. But theoretically it’s possible that collapsed wing
tip should be caught between the lines due to turbulence or
incorrect pilot behavior. Line over leads to a spiral dive. If line
over occurs –try to stabilize the glider at a straight flight by
gentle brake input. Then try to make one of the next procedures:
a) pump a collapsed area;
b) pull an ear line to untangle the stabilizer;
c) in case of enough altitude –provoke a full stall (see item if
all of above mentioned doesn’t help – use your rescue.
4.4. Deep Stall.
It should occur when you pull slowly both brake lines until the
canopy will have no more forward speed –the sail bends
between the lines which means the loss of internal air pressure.
To exit from this situation –release brakes slowly. Vitamin will
recover fast.
In case if the recovery delays (due to a turbulence etc) –pull A-
risers slightly or use a full stall maneuver (see item 5.5).
4.5. Full Stall.
To provoke a full stall it’s necessary to pull both brakes down all
way long until the canopy suddenly falls backwards. It should
not be habitual for you but don’t release brakes immediately.
Wait until the canopy will stabilize above your head. Releasing
brakes too early (when the canopy surges backwards) will cause
a big forward movement of the canopy which can result in a

frontal collapse. Know that it should be a big force on the brakes
at that moment. Now you can release brakes gently but not very
slow (approx. during one second).
Apply brakes symmetrically to avoid tucks.
4.6. Spin
Usually spin occur when one side brake is being pulled too hard
at not enough speed. To enter this situation expressly –flying at
a speed slightly higher than V min, pull one brake hard and
release an opposite one.
!ATTENTION: Never do this maneuver near the ground and
without sufficient experience.
To recover –release pulled down brake and be prepared to
prevent asymmetric collapses which should be occured during a
recovery from spin.
5. Rapid Descent Techniques.
5.1. Big Ears
With “big ears” sink rate of your paraglider increases approx. to
4m/s whereas horizontal speed remains the same. This technique
is used to leave away a strong cloud lift, dynamic lift on the
ridge or to shorten landing approach.
To make big ears, pull left and right A-risers (AII) about 30-
40cm downwards.
!ATTENTION: do not pull AII too much in order not to pull
A1.
With big ears you may turn by weight shift. Applying brakes
will result in exiting from big ears. Braking too much should
provoke a stall earlier than without big ears.

!ATTENTION: never do big ears while you are making spirals.
5.2. Spiral Dive
Spiral dive is another method of increasing significantly a sink
rate. Read §3.4. about the technique of spiral dive. Because of
growing of G-force don’t use this method in a turbulent
conditions to prevent the overloading of the glider.
5.3. B-line Stall
Pull down symmetrically left and right B-risers about 20-30cm.
The canopy will enter a vertical descent flight with a sink rate
about 8-10m/s without horizontal speed.
To exit from B-line stall –release B-risers fast but not sharp.
Releasing B-risers slowly will extend the time of returning to a
normal flight. Don’t apply brakes for 2-3 seconds after releasing
brakes –the canopy must gain it’s normal horizontal speed.
We never experience situation when Vitamin doesn’t exit from
B-line stall. But if such will occur –use a full stall to return to a
normal flight.
!ATTENTION: practice in all rapid descent maneuvers in a
stable air with enough of altitude with supervision of more
experienced pilot.
6. Maintenance and Repairs.
6.1. Folding Away.
Sort the lines and put them on to the canopy. Put V-lines out of
the canopy. Fold the canopy from both wingtips towards the
middle until a strip 50-60cm. Roll it from trailing edge and
secure by a strap.

6.2. Storage.
Store your paraglider away from UV-exposure in a dry, not
overheated place. Never leave a canopy wet for a long time –it
will shorten fabric and lines lifetime.
6.3. Cleaning.
Clean the canopy only with a fresh not hot water. Do not use
chemicals. Birds droppings should be removed and the spot
should be carefully rinsed in a fresh water and dried.
6.4. Repair.
Repairs must be made only by the manufacturer, distributor or
authorized workshop.
6.5. More.
UV-exposure can seriously decrease the strength of fabric. When
not flying –always try to prevent your canopy from the sun rays.
Put a canopy into bag when you have break in flights.
Remember that clouds are not an absolute obstacle for UV-
exposure.
For Vitamin we use a silicone coating fabric. It is much more
resistible to abrasion than other types of fabric. But instead of
that try to minimize rubbing of your canopy with the ground.
Always rinse the glider in a fresh water (outside and inside of
the canopy) after contact with a salt water. Crystal salt weaken
lines and fabric strength. While it’s possible to rinse fabric but
it’s quite difficult to rinse lines in full. So we recommend to
change all lines after being in salt water.

When folding paraglider on the grass –look carefully to avoid
insects be folded inside the canopy. Grasshoppers and other big
insects can gnaw through the sail looking for freedom.

12
E B C D
2
A
2246810
34
16
14 18 20 26
22 24
32
30
28 St
||| |||
11357911 13 15 17 19 23
21 25 27
1012
29
31
33
35
Br
Ribs
Top / Bot tom panels
11345 + 50
2860 + 20
_
620 + 10
_
_

Vitamin 27
22246810 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 St
StB
2246810 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32
A B
Br
C
D
E
1180 1455
1120 1435 1480
1285 920
4080
1285 920
1435
1455 1480
1120
1180
4030
1180 1120
1285
1455 1445 1490
930
3985
1120
1180 1455 1445 1490
930
1285
3940
1130 1120 1250 1180 1120
1285 1100
3915
1220 1200 1120 1120
1285
1240 1180 1120
1110
3895
1455 1445 1490
4190
1755 1700 1780 1755 1790
920
1025
4120
1455 1435 1480
1435 1375 1550 1490
1025
1755 1700
1490
1550 1435 1375
4025
1570 1550 1590
1465 1455 1500 1570 1550 1590
1455 1390 1390 1560 1480 1465
1445 1390 1340 1520 1445 1375
920 1025 920
3950
1265 1125 1055 1265 1185 1170 1265 1115 1035 1265 1170 1135 1185 1170 1170 1170 1185
1145 845 1430 1145 1160
2340 1715
2900
14.08.2002
111 111
11 111
lower Br Polyesterline 2.0 mm 80 kg upper/ middle Br Dyanema line 1.1mm 95 kg
Line: upper, St SuperAram line 1.1 mm 80 kg lowerA,B, SuperAram line 2.2 mm 240 kg middle / lowerC/D SuperAram line 1.7 mm 155 kg

12
E B C D
2
A
2246810
34
16
14 18 20 26
22 24
32
30
28 St
||| |||
11357911 13 15 17 19 23
21 25 27
1012
29
31
33
35
Br
Ribs
Top / Bot tom panels
11900 + 50
3000+ 20
_
650 + 10
_
_

Vitamin 30
22246810 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 St
St B
46810 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32
A B
Br
C
D
E
1230 1230
1230 1230
1165 1165
1165 1165
1165 1165
1165 1165
1165
1525 1525
1525 1525
1525 1525 1515
1505 1505
1505 1515
1505
1505
1505 1505 1505
1555 1555 1555
1540
1555 1565
1565 1565
1265 1250
1175 1290
1290
1220 1220
1445 1445
1430
1625 1625 1625 1625
1625
1845 1845 1835
1790
1645 1645 1860
1665 1665 1880
1845 1835 1880
4080
1775
1525
1525
1575
1575
1445 1445 1445 1395
1350 1350
1350 1350
1350 1350
965 965
975 975
1165 1175
1070 965 1070 965 1070 965
4280 4195 4130
4105 4175
4235
4320 4225 4140
1335 1190 1125 1335 1250 1235 1390 1235 1150 1335 1235 1205 1260 1260 1250 1260 1270
1250 950 1495 1260 1250
2445 1800
3000
15.10.2002
111 111
11 111
2
2
Line: upper, St SuperAram line 1.1 mm 80 kg middle / lower C/D SuperAram line 1.7 mm 155 kg lower A,B, SuperAram line 2.2 mm 240 kg
upper / middle Br Dyanema line 1.1mm 95 kg lower Br Polyester line 2.0 mm 80 kg

12
E B C D
2
A
2246810
34
16
14 18 20 26
22 24
32
30
28 St
||| |||
11357911 13 15 17 19 23
21 25 27
1012
29
31
33
35
Br
Ribs
Top / Bot tom panels
12410 + 50
3130+ 20
_
680 + 10
_
_