ICARO 2000 Alto User manual

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Alto
Owner Manual

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03/03/2022 Alto 2022-1-En
Congratulations on buying an Icaro 2000 hang glider! We are certain that you have made the right
choice!
The Alto marks the highest point of development of an intermediate hang glider: relatively low weight,
speed and simplicity of assembly, good performance, predictable and reliable behaviour in all
conditions. The Alto will take you smoothly into the air, offering you an unparalleled degree of flying
pleasure.
Icaro 2000 srl is a company that leads the world in the field of hang gliding construction. The results
attained in competition and sales put it in first place amongst hang glider manufacturers.
Hang gliders by Icaro 2000 are independently designed and built, using exclusively premium quality raw
materials, in the factory premises at Sangiano, in northern Italy.
The success of our gliders stems from the skill and commitment of Manfred Ruhmer, who holds eight
World Championship titles (three Cross Country titles, one Speed Gliding title and four Class II titles), it
stems from the skill of Christian Ciech (aeronautic engineer, 2 World Championship titles in class 5), as
well as from our three decades of experience in hang glider manufacture.
All our hang gliders have German certification, which is acknowledged as being the most stringent in the
world as regards the safety parameters demanded from the glider.
You can rest assured that spare parts and service will always be available, no matter where you fly, by
means of our worldwide network of distributors. This includes spares for all models, both those in
production and earlier designs.
Thank you for choosing our hang gliders and we wish you great flights!
For whatever information or service, please contact the nearest authorized dealer, or the factory direct:
Icaro 2000 srl
via Verdi, 19
I-21038-Sangiano
ITALY
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
e-mail: [e-mail]
web: www.icaro2000.com

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Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION 4
1.1 KEEP RISKS TO A MINIMUM 4
1.2 PRELIMINARIES 4
1.3 ASSEMBLY CHECK AND FIRST FLIGHT 4
1.4 FIRST MOUNTAIN LAUNCH 4
2. FUNDAMENTAL RULES 4
3. CERTIFICATION AND GENERAL RESTRICTIONS 5
3.1 CERTIFICATION 5
3.2 WIND SPEED 5
3.3 TURBULENCE 5
3.4 AEROBATIC FLYING 5
4. TRANSPORT 6
4.1 BY CAR 6
4.2 BY GONDOLA LIFT OR CABLE CAR 6
4.3 BY PLANE 6
4.4 SHORT PACKING 6
5. ASSEMBLY 7
5.1 ON THE A-FRAME 7
5.2 FLAT ASSEMBLY 10
6. CHECK LIST11
6.1 ASSEMBLY CHECK 11
6.2 OTHER EQUIPMENT CHECK 12
6.3 PRE-FLIGHT CHECK 12
7. DISASSEMBLY 13
8. HINTS AND TIPS 17
8.1 VARIABLE GEOMETRY 17
8.2 TAKE OFF 17
8.3 FLIGHT 18
8.4 LANDING 18
9. TRIM 18
9.1 TURN TENDENCY 18
9.2 TRIM SPEED 20
10. REFLEX AND DIHEDRAL 21
11. REPAIR AND PERIODIC INSPECTIONS 22
12. TECHNICAL DATA 24
13. MAINTENANCE LOG 25
14. OWNER’S LOG 26
15. PARTS LIST 27
16. TRIPTYCH ALTO S 28
17. ASSEMBLY DRAWINGS ALTO S 29
18. TRIPTYCH ALTO M 35
19. ASSEMBLY DRAWINGS ALTO M 36
20. TRIPTYCH ALTO L 42
21. ASSEMBLY DRAWINGS ALTO L 43

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1. Introduction
During the last thirty years, hang gliders, has become much safer. Accidents have diminished, due to
the increased professionalism of flying schools, and increasingly stringent certification procedures. In
Switzerland, for example, the insurance risk factor for hang gliding is the same as for winter sports.
However, hang gliding is an active sport, in which there is a certain degree of risk.
Your safety can be greatly enhanced by following a few simple rules:
1.1 Keep Risks to a Minimum
Attend a professional school.
Fly a glider suited to your skills. In order to fly the Alto you should have an intermediate flight
experience and a minimum of 40 flights logged on a beginner hang glider.
Fly only when weather conditions are suitable.
Be aware of adverse weather conditions; caution is a mark of intelligence, not of cowardice.
Keep in continuous contact with your sport. Try to avoid long intervals between one flight and the
next. This will also help you to progressively increase your flying skills.
A new risk may arise when you fly a new type of glider for the first time. The reactions of your new
glider may well differ from those of the glider you were used to. In order to minimise this risk, we
recommend a gradual process of familiarisation with your new glider. Make your first flight in calm
conditions.
1.2 Preliminaries
Study your manual before your first flight. Practice assembly and disassembly as explained in the
manual.
Always follow the same assembly and pre-flight check routine.
Hook-in your harness as final step of glider assembly. Missed hook-in of the harness is still one of
the major cause of fatal accident in hang-glider. If you hook-in the harness before to wear it, you will
avoid this forgetfulness. All others procedures/systems are liable of mistakes.
If you have to step away from the glider after you got “ready to fly”, take off the harness. Do not
unhook yourself!
Do not allow yourself to be distracted during pre-flight check!
Do not wear your harness if it is not hooked to the wing!
1.3 Assembly Check and First Flight
Every hang glider manufactured by ICARO 2000 is test flown at least once before delivery to the
customer. However, if you wish, you can request another test flight from your dealer.
Your dealer should also help you set up your glider for the first time and see you off on your first
flight.
We strongly recommend speedbar wheels, especially for your first flights.
1.4 First mountain launch
For your first mountain launch, wait until weather conditions are ideal.
It is best to fly in a location with which you are familiar, as long as it has a suitable launch site and
landing site, in terms of both space and aerological conditions.
Fly with your habitual harness and instrument.
Experiment with different VG settings, roll reversals, slow flight, high speed flight and stalls at an
altitude of at least 350 m (about 1,000 feet).
2. Fundamental Rules
After major repairs, after replacing the sail or after a long period without flying, always choose a site
to fly from that you are familiar with; and where it is possible to land immediately after take-off.

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Your glider is delivered to you ready to fly.
DO NOT make any adjustments that are not described in this manual.
Periodically check the trim values shown in the tables (Chapter IX).
Fly only after having attended a good school, recognized by your hang gliding federation.
This Owner's Manual does not replace the checks on serviceability performed by an authorized
dealer. This is true even for expert pilots. A pilot who is in doubt about any aspect of his/her glider
should consult his dealer, or ICARO 2000, for advice.
Never fly alone.
Before every take-off, always perform both an assembly check and a pre-flight check.
Don’t push your luck! Fly only in places suited to hang gliding. It is your responsibility to be aware of
the limits of your glider, and the limits of your own experience.
Don’t attempt towing of any kind, unless you have attended a recognized towing school. Always fit
wheels on your speedbar when towing.
3. Certification and General Restrictions
3.1 Certification
All ICARO 2000 hang gliders have the German certification (DHV). Icaro gliders are rated according to
the German DHV as follows:
class 1 (beginner pilots) – Piuma, Relax, Mars
class 2 (intermediate pilots) – Laminar EZ,
class 2-3 (advanced pilots) - Alto, 12 MastR, 13 MastR, Orbiter
class 3 (advanced pilots) –14 MastR, 12.6 Laminar, 13.2 Laminar, 13.7 Laminar, 14.1 Laminar,
14.8 Laminar
3.2 Wind Speed
When the wind speed is stronger than 30 km/h (~15 knots), launch becomes risky. In these
conditions, consult with more experienced pilots before launching. Trust those who advise
prudence, and do not be let yourself be influenced by pilots showing excessive self-confidence or
brash disregard.
If in doubt, do not fly.
3.3 Turbulence
In turbulent conditions, gusts of descending air can induce sudden powerful negative forces on the
glider; such negative forces must be avoided.
Never fly on the downwind side of a mountain or ridge. This could be extremely dangerous, even in
just a moderate breeze.
3.4 Aerobatic Flying
Aerobatic flight includes flying with bank angles greater than 60, pitch angles greater than 30,
whip-stalls, wingovers, loops and spins.
ATTENTION: Aerobatic flight can be fatal. It is, therefore, prohibited by Icaro 2000 and by the
German Certification Federation (DHV).

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4. Transport
4.1 By Car
Serious damage can be caused to the glider during car transportation; a well-padded roof rack is
necessary to avoid damage. For additional safety and support, we strongly suggest you install a front
rack on your vehicle.
There are good racks on the market, expressly designed for glider transport; these can be easily
assembled on normal roof racks. Ask your dealer or Icaro 2000 for details.
4.2 By Gondola lift or Cable car
To avoid any damage when transporting your glider on a cable car, it is best to supervise the loading
and unloading of the glider.
4.3 By Plane
Your glider needs to be well protected if it is to be transported by plane. Use a wooden crate, or a stiff
cardboard tube. Your dealer or ICARO 2000 can supply these. Always let the airline know the
dimensions and weight of your glider, well in advance.
4.4 Short Packing
It is best to avoid short packing your glider, because it may cause the formation of a marked
crease on the leading edge mylar of both wings.
If, however, you have to short pack your glider, it is important to follow these instructions:
Write notes as you disassemble so that you know exactly how to reassemble the glider afterwards.
Where possible, reposition pins, bolts and washers in their correct positions, maintaining the
sequence in which they will be reassembled.
Undo the sail fastening on the end of the leading edge tube.
Remove the pin holding the compensator cable attached to the swivel tip lever.
Replace the pin in order not to lose it.
Press the spring button on the leading edge tube and remove the terminal section.
Be careful not to wrinkle the mylar leading edge insert too much when you fold the sail; it is possible
to remove the insert.
Wrap the leading edge tube that you have removed with soft fabric.
At the outer end of the leading edge tube inside the sail, place a suitable form of protection on the
end of the tube to prevent it from damaging the sail (for example, a plastic bottle from which you
have removed the top half).
Fold the wingtips as normal (ie in the same way as when you are folding the outer section of the
sail), and fold it back onto the shortened wing. In performing this operation, place a cardboard tube
(6-10 cm of diameter) on the sail around which to make the fold. This will prevent or reduce damage
to the wing and the internal mylar.
Repeat steps 2-8 for the other wing.
To re-assemble your wing, follow the instructions in reverse order.
The reduction of length, removing the outside leading edge, will be as follows:
Alto S M L
Cm 144 / 4.7 127 / 4.2 140 / 4.6
When re-assembling the leading edge tube, check that the spring button has popped up and
emerged from the tube. Remember to reconnect the compensator cable to the tip, making sure
that it is not wound around the wing tip.

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5. Assembly
There are two methods of correctly assembling your Alto:
On the A-frame – this is without doubt the preferable method in most cases, because it prevents direct
contact between the sail and the ground, therefore avoiding abrasion and damage caused by stones etc.
On the ground – this method should be used only in the case (best avoided) that you wish to leave the
hang glider open for extended periods in high winds.
Note: Hang gliders can fly in one direction only. Left and right should be understood as seen from
flying position.
5.1 On the A-frame
Place the glider on the ground
In a light breeze, place the glider so that the tail is facing into the wind.
In a moderate breeze, the keel must be perpendicular to the wind
If the ground where you are assembling the glider is not flat, point the nose of the glider towards the top
of the slope.
5.1.1 Starting Point
Important: All the circular-section speed bars manufactured by Icaro 2000 are made with complex
curves on several planes. The curves in the horizontal plane create the grips. The curves in the vertical
plane are designed in such a way so that when the pilot moves laterally in flight, the distance between
pilot and speed bar remains roughly constant.
Open the cover, remove the Velcro fasteners, lift the two downtubes up together and fix the speed
bar into position using the push-pins and the locking plates. Do not forget the locking plates! (The
competition A-Frame does not have these rings).
Make sure that the camber of the speedbar faces the nose of the glider. When you turn the glider
over, the centre of the speedbar touches the ground first (carbon speedbars can only be assembled
the right way), before the extremities of the A-frame.
Turn the glider over and lean it on the A-frame so it stands stably.
Remove the glider bag and any remaining Velcro ties.
Raise the kingpost
Open the wings completely, keeping the tips close to the ground and leaving the tip covers on.
Fixing the cross-bar
It is important to perform the operation exactly as described in this stage of assembly in order to prevent
the possibility of launching without having locked the cross-bar.
It is essential to launch with the hang glider correctly assembled, and in particular with the cross-bar
locked. For this reason, the slight possibility of greater wear when inserting battens with the cross-bar
locked into position is of no consequence when compared to the grave risks involved in taking off with
the cross-bar not locked.
Ensure that the wings are fully open.
Pull the bungee on the rear part of the keel until you can grasp the handle.
Pull the cord until you can reach the small plate with the lock hole, and secure it to the keel bolt by
means of the spring button
Hook the rear king-post cable to the plate on the keel. (If you connect the front cables before
fastening the rear cable, this will be impossible).
Take the shackle that is attached to the front wires and secure it to the nose hook. In order to do
this, you need to force the nose slightly downwards using the handle fitted for this purpose.
Again, if the wind is not too strong, you can extract the terminal part of the keel by means of the
spring button and rest the hang glider on the keel end. This makes assembly more practical.
However, remember that this position is not very stable (it should not be used if wheels are fitted to
the speed bar), and the hang glider may topple over and hit the ground with its wings.

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Note: On our hang gliders there is a small safety cord attached to the shackle on the front wires.
This has the effect that if the crossbar is not completely opened, it is impossible to hook the front
wires in. At the same time, once the front wires are secured, it will be impossible to close the glider
even when the crossbar is not locked open. Remember that having secured the front wires does not
necessarily mean that the crossbar is also hooked in. In the event that the crossbar is not hooked in,
the safety cord will prevent the wing from closing after take off; but in this case it is essential to head
straight for the landing field without making any brusque manoeuvres.
Do not, therefore, omit this point from your pre-flight checklist.
Do not lift the keel at the rear if the crossbar has not been completely opened. If you do so, you
risk damaging the nose plates and bolts.
5.1.2 Mounting the fibreglass tips (Tip Wands)
Remove the tip cover and open the wing-tip zipper.
Insert the thick end of the fibreglass tip into the aluminium hole at the end of the leading edge tube.
Push firmly until you hear the tip hitting the stopper (clack!).
Standing in front of the glider, hold the leading edge with one hand and the wingtip with the other
hand. Bend (do not pull) the thin end of the tip towards the trailing edge and, at the same time,
position the tip-lever cap over it.
Using the attached cord, push the tip-lever into the sail until it “clicks” against the fibreglass tip. The
sail is now tensioned.
Warning : Keep your fingers clear while closing the lever!
Close the wingtip zipper. At this stage, the sail may not be flat but slightly twisted. If so, twist the end
of the sail slightly to make it flat; failing to do this could cause a slight turning tendency in the air.

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5.1.3 Positioning the Aluminum tip (Outer Sprog)
Note: In the pictures shown below you will see the battens already inserted in the sail. Remember that it
is important – and better – to position the tip before inserting the battens
Hold the rear part of the tip (not attached to the leading edge tube), located in the outer section of
the wing, and rotate it towards the trailing edge until it is inside the sail.
Make sure that the tip wire is free and running parallel to the tip; it must not be twisted around it! In
order to complete the positioning of the tip, you have to close the zipper on the sail; this should be
done after the battens have been inserted.
Repeat the same procedure for the other wing.
5.1.4 Inserting the Battens
The red battens are for the left wing and the green battens are for the right wing. Take them out of
the bag and lay them down on the ground on the correct side.
Start from the centre of the hang glider, begin with the longest one and continue outwards until you
have inserted the shortest batten.
Place each one into its batten pocket and secure it on the trailing edge.
Then insert the straight battens into their pockets on the double surface.
Note: The number of battens may vary according to the model and size of hang glider.
The nose battens remain in the sail at all times.
5.1.5 Final Steps
It is now possible to close the aluminium tip zippers. Simply closing the zippers will automatically
secure the position of the tips, by means of a special ribbon.
Close the zipper making sure that both zip pulls are near the nose. By doing this, the crossbar
safety cord is almost completely enclosed inside the sail.
Now place the nose fairing in its final position. All that you have to do is to position the lower Velcro
strip fasteners, because the upper part is guided into the correct position by an elastic cord.
Pass the VG cord through the jam cleat on the speedbar.
Assembly is now complete: now perform the assembly check!
.

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5.2 Flat Assembly
Position the hang glider on the ground with the nose into the wind.
5.2.1 Starting Point
Open the bag, lay down the down tubes and secure the speedbar with the push pins and the small
safety plates. Do not forget the safety plates! The Competition A-Frame does not have these plates.
Make sure that the camber of the speedbar is facing the nose of the hang glider.
Turn the hang glider over but leave it on the ground.
Remove the glider bag and the remaining Velcro ties. Open the wings keeping them low with
respect to the ground.
Note: follow the same steps as for the “Assembly on the A-frame”; therefore return to page 8.
5.2.2 Final Steps
Please remember that when you lift the glider onto the A-frame in high winds, it is important never to
lift the nose of the hang glider more than required.
Stand behind the glider, and pull the elastic cord at the rear section of the keel, until you reach the
handle used for pulling the cross-bar into position.
While lifting the keel slightly, pull the crossbar strap until you reach the fastening plate.
Hook the plate onto the bolt projecting from the keel while pressing the spring-loaded double pin.
IMPORTANT: after having hooked the crossbar, some of ours hang glider models are now in a position
in which the lateral cables are taut. Therefore it is better to prevent the hang glider from remaining flat on
the ground with the crossbar hooked. Finish the assembly rapidly or release the crossbar tension.
Stand in front of the hang glider, and lift the nose slowly, using the wind to help you raise it level and
up to the height at which it can be correctly supported by the A-frame.
Take the ring at the end of the front cables and hook it onto the hang glider’s nose clip. To achieve
this, you will have to pull the hang glider nose downwards slightly, using the webbing strap handle.
Place the nose fairing into position.
Carefully turn the hang glider so that it is rotated by just over 90° with respect to wind direction.
Close the central zipper, making sure that both zip pulls are near the nose. By doing this, the
crossbar safety rope is almost completely enclosed inside the sail.
Pass the VG rope through the clam cleat on the speedbar.
Assembly is now complete: now perform the assembly check!