Swing Brave 4 User manual

PArAglider
Brave 4
Instruction Manual (EN)
Revision: 1.0
Date: 02.05.2018


INFORMATION
Swing Flugsportgeräte GmbH reserves the right to alter or add to the contents of
this Manual at any time. You should therefore regularly visit our website:
www.SWING.de
where you will find additional information relating to your Swing product and any
changes to this Manual. There is further information about the Swing website in the section
“Swing on the World Wide Web”.
The date and version number of this Manual are given on the front page.
Express written consent from Swing Flugsportgerate GmbH is required for any duplication of this Manual, in
whole or in part (with the exception of short quotations in specialist articles), and in any form or by any means,
whether electronic or mechanical.
The information and data found in this Manual may be altered at any time without notice. The fact that this
Manual has been made available does not confer any claim to the product descriptions, common or trade
names or other intellectual property.

© Swing Flugsportgeräte GmbH
Dear SWING customer,
Thank you for purchasing a Swing product.
On-going development work along with the innovative combination of the materials used have
resulted in a product that meets our own high expectations and those of our customers and which
sets standards in the industry.
If you have any questions that are not answered in this Manual, please do not hesitate to contact
your Swing dealer or Swing directly: Tel: [phone] or [email protected]
We hope that you enjoy yourself with your new harness.
SWING Team
WARNING
Read this Manual before using your harness!
DANGER
This harness must not be used for sky-diving.

Table of contents
01 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................. 6
MANUAL ...........................................................................................................................................6
Special text .................................................................................................................................6
Lists of parts ..............................................................................................................................7
Bullet points ...............................................................................................................................7
QR Codes ...................................................................................................................................7
Manual on the internet ..............................................................................................................7
SWING AND THE ENVIRONMENT ..........................................................................................................7
Respect for nature and the environment .................................................................................7
02 SAFETY .......................................................................................................................... 8
SAFETY ADVICE ...................................................................................................................................8
SAFETY NOTICES .................................................................................................................................8
DISCLAIMER AND EXCLUSION OF LIABILITY,OPERATING LIMITS .....................................................................8
Disclaimer and exclusion of liability ...........................................................................................9
Operating limits ..........................................................................................................................9
PURPOSE...........................................................................................................................................9
Target group ..............................................................................................................................9
03 HARNESS FEATURES .................................................................................................. 10
TECHNICAL DATA ..............................................................................................................................10
GENERAL OVERVIEW ..........................................................................................................................11
CONCEPT.........................................................................................................................................11
FEATURES........................................................................................................................................11
Safety features .........................................................................................................................11
Comfort features .....................................................................................................................11
Pockets ....................................................................................................................................13
AIRBAG ...........................................................................................................................................14
Installing the airbag .................................................................................................................14
Rescue system ........................................................................................................................15
ACCESSORIES ...................................................................................................................................16
Speed system ..........................................................................................................................16
Streamer .................................................................................................................................16
ADJUSTMENT OPTIONS ......................................................................................................................17
Angle of back section ...............................................................................................................17
Length of shoulder straps .......................................................................................................17
Width of the chest strap .........................................................................................................18
LEG CONNECTION LINE/LEASH LINE.....................................................................................................18
04 FLYING WITH THE BRAVE 4........................................................................................ 19
CONVERTING THE HARNESS ................................................................................................................19
Conversion from backpack to harness ...................................................................................19
Conversion from harness to backpack ...................................................................................20
CONVERSION TO LIGHTWEIGHT HARNESS...............................................................................................20
INSTALLING THE REAR STORAGE POCKET................................................................................................21

PUTTING ON THE HARNESS .................................................................................................................21
PRE-FLIGHT CHECK ............................................................................................................................22
TOWING ..........................................................................................................................................22
TANDEM FLIGHTS ..............................................................................................................................22
05 MAINTAINING YOUR HARNESS.................................................................................. 23
CARE AND MAINTENANCE...................................................................................................................23
Care .........................................................................................................................................23
Storage ....................................................................................................................................23
Maintenance ............................................................................................................................23
Contact with salt water ...........................................................................................................23
REPAIRS AND INSPECTION ..................................................................................................................23
Repairs .....................................................................................................................................23
INSPECTION......................................................................................................................................23
General .....................................................................................................................................23
Inspection periods ...................................................................................................................24
Validity of inspection ................................................................................................................24
Inspection by the pilot ..............................................................................................................24
What to do if damage is discovered, Repairs .........................................................................24
WARRANTY .....................................................................................................................................24
DISPOSAL ........................................................................................................................................24
06 SWING ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB .......................................................................... 25
SWING WEBSITE ...............................................................................................................................25
SWING SOCIAL MEDIA.....................................................................................................................25
07 APPENDIX.................................................................................................................... 26
ADDRESSES .....................................................................................................................................26
Swing Flugsportgeräte GmbH .................................................................................................26
Paraglider recycling .................................................................................................................26
DHV ..........................................................................................................................................26
EAPR ........................................................................................................................................26
Air Turquoise SA ......................................................................................................................26
VERSIONS ........................................................................................................................................26
PRODUCT DETAILS.............................................................................................................................27
PILOT DETAILS /PROOF OF OWNERSHIP ...............................................................................................27
REPAIRS AND INSPECTIONS CARRIED OUT:.............................................................................................28

6
Section 01
Introduction
01Introduction
Manual
You must read this Manual carefully before
using the harness for the first time.
This will allow you to familiarise yourself with the
adjustment options and the care and
maintenance of your new paraglider harness.
Information in this Manual on design of the
paraglider harness, technical data and
illustrations are subject to change. We reserve
the right to make changes without prior
notification.
Special text giving safety information is
identified in this Manual in accordance with the
ANSI Z535.6 standard.
The Manual complies with the airworthiness
requirements in LTF NFL II 91/09 and forms
part of the certification.
WARNING
The instructions given in this Manual must
be followed under all circumstances.
Failure to do so renders invalid the
certification and/or results in loss of
insurance cover and could lead to serious
injury or even death.
Special text
DANGER
Sections of text headed “Danger” indicate a
situation where there is imminent danger,
which in all probability will lead to death or
serious injury, if the instructions given are
not followed.
WARNING
Sections of text headed “Warning” indicate a
potentially dangerous situation, which may
lead to death or serious injury, if the instruc-
tions are not followed.
CAUTION
Sections of text headed “Caution” indicate a
potentially dangerous situation, which may
lead to minor or slight injury, if the
instructions are not followed.

PLEASE NOTE
Sections of text headed “Please note” indi-
cate possible damage to property, which
may occur if the instructions are not fol-
lowed.

TIP
Sections of text headed “Tip” give advice or
tips which will make it easier to use your
paraglider.

Introduction
Section 01
7
Lists of parts
Numbers circled in red refer to various
parts of the item pictured. A list of the
numbers and the name of the part labelled
follows the picture.
Bullet points
Bullet points are used in this Manual for lists.
Example:
it is used in rain
alterations have been made to the harness
that are not approved
QR Codes
If this Manual refers to a website, a QR code is
also given. The website will open if the code is
scanned using a smartphone with the
appropriate app.
Manual on the internet
Additional information about your
harness and any updates to the
Manual can be found on our
website at
www.swing.de.
This Manual was current at the time of going to
print. It can be downloaded from Swing’s
website prior to print.
SWING and the environment
Protection of the environment, safety and
quality are the three core values of Swing
Flugsportgeräte GmbH and they have
implications for everything we do. We also
believe that our customers share our
environmental awareness.
Respect for nature and the environment
You can easily play a part in protecting the
environment by practising the sport of
paragliding in such a way that there is no
damage to nature and the areas in which we fly.
Keep to marked trails, take your rubbish away
with you, refrain from making unnecessary
noise and respect the sensitive biological
equilibrium of nature. Consideration for nature
is required even at the launch site!
If you are a smoker, please do not leave
cigarette butts behind.
Paragliding is, of course, an outdoor sport –
protect and preserve our planet’s resources.

8
Section 02
Safety
02Safety
Safety advice
All forms of aerial sport involve certain risks.
They require a high level of individual
responsibility.
Prudence and risk-awareness are basic re-
quirements for the safe practice of our sport,
for the very reason that it is so easy to learn
and practically anyone can do so. Carelessness
and overestimating one’s own abilities can
quickly lead to critical situations. A reliable
assessment of conditions for flying is particular-
ly important. Paragliders are not designed to be
flown in turbulent weather. Most serious para-
glider accidents are caused by pilots misjudging
the weather conditions for flying.
Please bear in mind that any aerial sport is
potentially dangerous and that ultimately you
are responsible for your own safety.
We therefore strongly encourage you to fly in a
conservative manner. This applies both to the
choice of conditions in which you fly and also to
the safety margin which you allow when carry-
ing out the various flying manoeuvres.
We recommend that you only fly using paraglid-
ing equipment, a harness and helmet that have
been tested and certified.
In Germany, paragliders are subject to the
guidelines for aerial sports equipment and must
not under any circumstances be flown without a
valid certification. Independent experimentation
is strictly prohibited. This Manual does not
replace the need to attend training at a para-
gliding school.
This Manual must be passed on to any new
owner of the harness. It forms part of the certi-
fication and belongs with the harness.
You must observe the other specific safety
advice given in the various sections of this
Manual.
Safety notices
Safety notices are issued when defects arise
during use of equipment that could potentially
also affect other examples of the same model.
The notices contain instructions on how to
inspect the equipment concerned for possible
faults and the steps required to rectify any
faults.
Swing publishes on its website any technical
safety notices and airworthiness instructions
which are issued in respect of Swing products.
We will also send you safety notices directly by
email if you have registered your product (refer
to “Product Registration” in the section “Swing
on the World Wide Web”).
WARNING
The owner of the harness is responsible for
carrying out the action required by the safety
notice.
Safety notices are released by the certification
agencies and are also published on the relevant
websites. Services such as RSS are also
available, which allow internet users to follow
various websites and any changes
made to them without having to
access them individually. This allows
much more information to be
followed than was previously the
case. You should therefore visit the
safety pages of the certification agencies on a
regular basis and keep up-to-date with new
safety notices which cover any products
connected with paragliding (refer to Appendix
for addresses).
Disclaimer and exclusion of
liability, Operating limits
Use of the product is at the pilot’s own risk!
The manufacturer cannot be held liable for any
personal injury or material damage which aris-
es in connection with Swing products. The
certification and warranty shall be rendered
invalid if there are changes of any kind or incor-
rect repairs to this harness, or if any inspec-
tions are missed.
Pilots are responsible for their own safety and
must ensure that the airworthiness of the
equipment is checked prior to every flight. The
pilot should launch only if the paragliding
equipment is airworthy. In addition, when flying
outside of Germany, pilots must observe the
relevant regulations in each country.
The paragliding equipment may only be used if
the pilot has a valid licence for the area or is

Safety
Section 02
9
flying under the supervision of an approved
flying instructor. There is no liability on the part
of third parties, in particular the manufacturer
and the dealer.
Disclaimer and exclusion of liability
In terms of the warranty and guarantee condi-
tions, the paraglider harness along with certi-
fied paragliding equipment may not be used if
any of the following situations exists:
the inspection period has expired, or the
inspection has been carried out by unau-
thorised agencies or people
the pilot has insufficient experience or train-
ing
repairs have been carried out by the pilot or
unauthorised repairs have been carried out
the pilot has incorrect or inadequate
equipment (paraglider, protection and hel-
met).
Operating limits
The harness may only be used within the
operating limits. These have been exceeded if
any of the following situations exists:
it is used outside the permissible weight
range
it is used when there is obvious damage to
the harness
it is used in rain or drizzle, in cloud, fog
and/or snow
the air temperature is below -30°C or
above 50°C
alterations have been made to the harness
that are not approved
the pilot uses the harness for a purpose
which is not connected with paragliding.
This harness is, e.g., not a parachute har-
ness and not intended for use as such
Purpose
The Brave 4 may be used exclusively as a
paraglider harness in combination “lightweight
aerial sports equipment” with an unladen
weight of less than 120kg in the paraglider
category.
DANGER
This harness must not be used for sky-diving.
Target group
The modular nature of the Brave 4 gives it
various possible uses, making it suitable for
various target groups.
In its basic version without airbag, the Brave 4
is ideally suited for speed flying and speed
riding.
Used in combination with the airbag, it is
intended for paraglider pilots for whom
compact and lightweight equipment, which is
nevertheless comfortable, is particularly
important.
WARNING
The Brave 4 complies with the requirements
LTF 91/09 only in combination with the
airbag.

10
Section 03
Harness features
03Harness features
Technical data
Use
Paraglider harness
Certification
Without airbag
EN 1651:1999
With airbag
LTF 91/09
Maximum clip-in weight
120 daN
Hang height [cm]
50
Distance between carabiners
[cm]
(min. –max.)
30 - 45
Weight approx. [kg]
Harness-basic incl. carabiner
1190g
Rear storage pocket
270g
Airbag
530g
Alpine backpack
790g
Total weight
2780g
Protection
External LTF NfL II 91/09-certifed multi-chamber airbag with
nitinol reinforcing
Installation of reserve
Separate front container
Included in delivery
Brave 4 harness with rear storage pocket
Alpine backpack
two aluminium carabiners
leg connection lines / leash line
Instruction Manual
Optional accessories
Airbag
Front container

Harness features
Section 03
11
General overview
What does the Brave 4 look like?
The Brave 4
Concept
The Brave 4 is a lightweight and comfortable
reversible harness with a modular design.
It gives you optimum freedom of movement for
speed riding on skis and for foot-launched
speed flying.
At the same time it is also ideally suited for
Hike&Fly projects, vol bivouac adventures and
travel.
This versatility is achieved through easily
installable additional parts such as an LTF-
certified airbag and a front container with
lightweight rescue system.
The backpack offers sufficient space for
standard paragilders too, if packed correctly,
and, if necessary, can be unzipped from the
harness.
The backpack volume compresses well and the
back section was designed to be very
comfortable to carry, even on extended trips.
Its high level of comfort makes it suitable for
anyone looking for a high-quality harness that is
light in weight and has compact dimensions.
The materials used for the Brave 4 are high-
quality and robust to guarantee durability and
lightweight.
Features
Safety features
Airbag
The airbag used in the Brave 4 has nitinol rods
to give it shape and tension. This ensures a high
damping effect even without airflow.
This gives the airbag its protective effect even
during launch.
Emergency whistle
In harness mode, the chest strap is equipped
with an emergency whistle.
Comfort features
Separately attached leg loops
The leg loops for the Brave 4 are separated,
which makes it very comfortable when flying
with skis. However, for longer flights, the leg

12
Section 03
Harness features
loops can also be connected again before
launch using the leg connection line.
Leg connection line
Trekking pole holder
In backpack mode, there is a holder for trekking
poles on the left side of the Brave 4. They can
be held in place securely using a bungee loop.
Attachment options for equipment
If any equipment is too long to be stored in the
rear storage pocket, the external loops and
bungees can be used.

PLEASE NOTE
If you are using the trekking pole holder for
sharp or pointed objects, please cover their
tips to avoid damaging the harness.
The lower attachment loops can be tucked
away in the pocket provided if you are not
carrying any equipment on the outside of the
harness during flight.
Exposed loops
Loops tucked away
Ski holder
The side compression straps can be used to
attach skis (one on each side).
Ski holder on the side of the backpack
Access point for drinking tube
The Brave 4 is set up for standard hydration
systems in both harness and backpack modes.
In both cases, the drinking tube can be fed

Harness features
Section 03
13
through above the shoulder strap.
Access point in harness mode
Access point in backpack mode
Mesh back section
In backpack mode, the back section has mesh
spacer fabric to ensure optimum pressure
distribution on your back and good air
circulation.
Brave 4 backpack
Pockets
Rear storage pocket
In harness mode, the Brave 4 has a rear
storage pocket that has room for extra clothing
and equipment not needed during flight besides
the backpack carrying system. There is also a
pocket for small items.
Internal storage pocket for gear
If the rear storage pocket is not being used, it
too can be completely unzipped from the
harness, leaving simply a minimal harness for
flying.
Brave 4 harness without rear pocket
WARNING
Transporting pointed, hard or sharp objects
in the rear storage pocket during flight is not
recommended.
Leg pocket
In harness mode, there is a spacious pocket
underneath the right leg loop. This is ideal for
storing a miniwing stuffbag or gloves, snacks
etc. during flight.

14
Section 03
Harness features
Right leg pocket with zip closure
Inner bag
In backpack mode, there is also enough space
in the main pocket for standard paragliders, if
packed appropriately. There is also a small
pocket on the side for other equipment. There
are two internal zips which allow the inner bag
to be completely removed from the harness.
Internal zips
Airbag
Diagram of the Brave 4 Airbag
A lightweight airbag is available for the Brave 4.
It is attached to the straps provided and can be
left permanently attached to the harness. It can
only be installed in combination with the back
storage pocket.
WARNING
Immediately before launch, check once again
that the airbag has been pre-inflated and
that there is nothing that could obstruct the
vent during flight, to ensure maximum
protection during launch as well.
Installing the airbag

TIP
A video is available on the
internet showing how to install
the airbag:
http://vimeo.com/89394493
1. First, attach the airbag at the front to the leg
loops using the two hooks. Each hook is clipped
into one loop.
Eyelet on the leg loop

Harness features
Section 03
15
Hook on the airbag
2. There is a plastic buckle on each side for the
side attachment.
Position of mounting adapter for side attachment
Plastic buckle for side attachment
3. The airbag is fastened to the attachment
loop as well. To do this, take off the carabiner,
place the airbag loop over the attachment loop
on the harness and attach the carabiner again
in its original position.
Attachment loop on the harness
Airbag side attachment loop
4. For the final connection point, open the
concealed Velcro fastening on the outside of
the rear pocket and attach it firmly to the
airbag.
Position of concealed Velcro fastening
Velcro fastening on the airbag

PLEASE NOTE
Please check the connection points regularly,
especially after converting the harness.
Rescue system
A front container can be used with the Brave 4
if you wish to use a reserve chute. This can be
attached easily and quickly to the main
attachment point and can also remain
permanently on the harness.

16
Section 03
Harness features
Installing the front container
Positioning the Brave 4 front container
WARNING
Check once again immediately before launch
that both ends of the V-line are attached in
the carabiners of the main hangpoint.
Accessories
Speed system
The Brave 4 can be fitted with an optional
speed bar.
Speed bar installation
There are high quality pulleys on the side of the
harness to guide the speed bar line.
Direction to install the speed bar line through the
pulleys
After the speed bar line is installed through the
pulley, the line is fed through the stainless steel
eyelet for the appropriate leg loop.
Direction to install the speed bar line on the leg loops
To ensure comfort, we recommend airbags
with appropriate speed bar holder. The speed
system can also be left permanently on the
harness.
Speed system mount on the airbag
The speed system must be adjusted to suit the
pilot and the glider.
Make sure when you are doing this that the
glider is not permanently pre-accelerated as a
result of the adjustment being too short. Nor
should the speed system be too long, which
would prevent you from being able to use the
paraglider’s full speed range. Follow the
instructions contained in the paraglider’s
Instruction Manual.

TIP
A video showing how to install the speed set
is available online:
http://vimeo.com/88156975
Streamer
The Brave 4 is set up to take standard
hydration systems. This consists of a Velcro
attachment and an access hole for the drinking

Harness features
Section 03
17
tube. It is designed for hydration systems made
by Deuter.
Swing recommends using a Deuter Streamer
with capacity up to 3 litres.
Deuter Streamer
Installing the Streamer
Velcro attachment in the Brave 4 rear pocket
Velcro attachment in the Brave 4 backpack
Adjustment options
The Brave 4 has various adjustment options to
give pilots the opportunity to adjust the harness
according to their particular wishes and
preferences. Pilots should take their time in
doing this so that they achieve a high level of
seating comfort.
We recommend that you hang the harness in a
simulator or frame when making the
adjustments.
All adjustment ranges are limited by the
harness geometry.
Angle of back section
The first adjustment is to the seating position
and size of the harness. The seating position is
adjusted by the opening angle of the harness.
Decide the angle at which you want to sit (angle
between back and thigh). To make the
adjustment, use the side buckles, which you will
find at about chest height. If the harness is
shortened, the seating angle will be smaller
(upright position). If it is lengthened, the seating
angle increases (reclined position).
Shortening the side straps
Length of shoulder straps
Adjusting the shoulder straps allows the
harness to be altered according to the height of
the pilot. This is done using the adjustment
buckles integrated into the shoulder padding.
The strap is loosened upwards over the loop
and tightened downwards. The shoulder strap
is correctly adjusted if it sits on the shoulder
but the crimped elastic band at the lower end is
not stretched taut.

18
Section 03
Harness features
Shortening the shoulder strap
Width of the chest strap
The chest strap controls the distance between
the two hangpoints. The bigger the distance,
the more the glider responds to weight-shifting.
It is adjusted using the loops on the strap (to
shorten) or on the buckle (to lengthen).
Shortening the chest strap
Leg connection line/ Leash line
The leash line that came included with delivery
is used to improve comfort on long flights. To do
this, feed it through the loops as shown below.
The end of the line with the eyelet is turned
over, making a loop that is used to fasten the
other end. The line can be made short or long,
depending on your preference.

TIP
It is best to hang the harness in a simulator
or frame when making the adjustments. It is
not possible to adjust it during flight.
Feed line through loops 1 & 2
Feed the end of the line through the line loop
Tighten the line loop to fasten it

Flying with the Brave 4
Section 04
19
04Flying with the Brave 4
Converting the harness
The Brave 4 can be converted from a backpack
into a harness and back again in just a few
steps.

PLEASE NOTE
The backpack’s outside pocket can still be
used for small items in harness mode,
allowing you to store safely in the rear
pocket things that would be in the way in
your jacket pocket.
Conversion from backpack to harness
The pictures below show how to convert the
backpack.
Open zips and undo buckles
Open the main compartment of the back pack
Open the rear storage pocket
Take the harness out of the rear storage pocket
Turn out the entire Brave 4
Pull over and close the flap of the main compartment

20
Section 04
Flying with the Brave 4
Put the backpack into the rear storage pocket
Close the rear storage pocket
Conversion from harness to backpack
To change the harness back into a backpack,
follow the steps above in reverse order.

PLEASE NOTE
Before converting the Brave 4, make sure
that all of the compression straps are
loosened, which makes it easier to pack and
in particular to close the zips.
Conversion to lightweight harness
The Brave 4 can be converted into a lightweight
harness. For this, the backpack and the rear
storage pocket are unzipped from each other.
It is then no longer possible to install an airbag.
The backpack can be used separately to store
or carry items. The pictures below show how to
detach the rear storage pocket.
Harness with rear storage pocket
Open Velcro safety tab covering the zip
Open the zip completely
Open lower Velcro flap