Rev.1.0, 05/06/2012 Vantage Owner’s Manual Please read this manual prior to your first flight with the Vantage. Gin Gliders Inc. 285-1 Galdam-Ri, Mohyun-Myun, Yongin-City, Kyunggi-Do, Korea www.gingliders.com, gin@gingliders.
Thank you… Thank you for choosing the Vantage. We are confident that this paramotor glider will provide you with countless happy experiences as you progress in your flying career. This manual contains all the information you need to fly and maintain your paramotor glider. A thorough knowledge of your equipment will keep you safe and enable you to maximize your full potential. Please pass on this manual to the new owner if you ever resell your paramotor glider.
Contents Thank You… .............................................................................................................................................. 2 Safety Notice ........................................................................................................................................... 2 1. Gin Gliders ........................................................................................................................ 4 2. Introducing the Vantage.........................
1. Gin Gliders Gin Gliders was formed in 1998 by paraglider designer and competition pilot Gin Seok Song and his team of engineers and test pilots. Gin’s philosophy is simple: to design gliders that he, and any other pilot, loves to fly. This philosophy applies equally for an entry-level wing such as the Bolero, as for the world-beating competition glider, the Boomerang. No glider is released to the market without Gin’s complete satisfaction.
2. Introducing the Vantage The Vantage is an intermediate-level powered paraglider. The Vantage is derived from our intermediate paraglider designs and is thus is easy to inflate, simple to handle on the ground, is stable under power and offers a secure and reassuring feeling in thermals and turbulent conditions. Inflation is equally as smooth and progressive in no wind as in stronger wind, allowing you to enjoy your flight without the stress on launch.
Part list of Vantage: Canopy Longitudinal Band Dirt exit Suspension Lines Riser 6
3. Before you fly Pre-delivery Inspection The Vantage is delivered with speed system, rucksack (reversible with fast packing bag), inner bag, compression strap, repair tape and USB Memory stick for this manual. Your instructor or dealer should have made a test inflation followed by a test flight before delivery. Speed System The speed system increases the maximum speed by lowering the angle of attack with a pulleyguided, foot-operated system. Approx.
Brake lines The main brake line lengths of the Vantage correspond to the tested results of LTF. These line lengths have been fine-tuned by GIN test pilots, and it should not be necessary to adjust them. During flight, it is common to fly with half a wrap on the brakes (half a turn of brake line around the hand). However, care should be taken to release the wraps in any extreme situation as maintaining the wrap can prevent normal recovery behaviour.
The length of main brake line is as below, measured from the connection point at the mid brake lines to the connection point at the brake handle. Size 22 24 27 Length / cm 239 255 270 IMPORTANT: In the unlikely event of a brake line snapping in flight, or a handle becoming detached, the glider can be flown by gently pulling the rear risers (D-risers). Rucksack All GIN gliders are delivered with a durable ripstop KODURA rucksack, designed for ergonomic carrying comfort and ease of use.
Certified Weight Range The Vantage must be flown within the certified weight range given in the reference section at the back of this manual. The weight range is quoted as the total weight in flight, i.e. the weight of the pilot, motor, glider, harness and accessories. The easiest way to check your total weight is to stand on weighing scales with all your equipment packed into your rucksack.
4. Flying the Vantage We recommend that you first practice inflating your glider on a small training hill, or flat ground before connecting to your motor. Make your first flights with your new paramotor glider in gentle conditions and from a familiar take off area. The following is best carried out by an instructor or at the very least an experienced motor pilot. Before flying your Vantage with a motor unit, we recommend that you do a static hang test.
Flying with and without a motor Although the Vantage is designed for pilots who fly mainly under power. It is not certified for free flight, but it can be flown without a motor. Its unpowered performance and behaviour is excellent and suitable for all kinds of flying from soaring in light lift to flying cross country.
In Flight The tight handling of the Vantage allows you to make the best use of thermal cores, and its glide at speed means less time is spent in sinking air masses before reaching the next thermal. Limits have been provided to the range of the trim settings to avoid the danger of stalling when flying with the trim pulled right down and with maximum brake. With the trim fully released, the wing takes on more solid characteristics, carving through the air with even more pitch stability.
Forward Launching in Nil Wind While there may appear to be no wind this is rarely the case and it is essential for aircraft of this type to take off and make the initial climb out to a safe height (depending on the surrounding terrain) into wind. This makes maximum use of the wind and avoids the danger of losing airspeed when climbing out steeply through wind gradient. Particular attention must be paid to trees, power lines and other large obstacles and any rotor that they may generate.
* The faster the trim setting, the more brake the glider will need to get off the ground. Reverse Launching in Stronger Winds Because the Vantage launches so easily it is possible to perform a reverse launch with both front risers and one brake in one hand and the throttle and opposite brake in the other. If the wind is appreciable this is the easiest method of launching, but if the wind is light the difficulty of running backwards safely with a motor on makes a forward launch preferable.
airspeed at all times, and keep your angle of attack under control at low altitude. Depending on the geometry of the set-up of your power unit, the propeller’s torque effect may make itself felt as you leave the ground. Expect it to turn you and, if necessary, steer against it in order to maintain your direction. However, when countering the torque effect during a steep climb on slower trim settings under a lot of power, care must be taken to avoid the risk of stalling.
Using the Trimmers and Speed Bar The Vantage has a wide range of trim and speed bar settings for you to explore. We recommend that you explore the full flight envelop at a safe height and with adequate training and experience. The Vantage has a wide and relatively safe speed range compared with most air-craft. On faster trim or speed bar settings, brake pressures generally increase and weight-shift becomes more effective.
lines in the propeller if you forget to switch off before the wing deflates. Points to note: * If possible, know all about your landing area before you take off. * Check the wind direction before you set up your approach. * Power-off landings probably need less space. * If in doubt, practice your approach until you are sure you can land safely. Advanced manoeuvres It is essential that pilots take proper training before attempting certain manoeuvres.
Asymmetric deflation In the event of encountering strong turbulence and suffering an asymmetric deflation (collapse on one side), the Vantage will promptly and easily re-inflate without interference from the pilot, but the course might alter slightly. This might be unwanted close to the ground or other gliders. Maintain your course by weight shifting away from the collapsed side. This action can be aided by applying a little force on the brake opposite to the deflation. This will normally be sufficient.
Do not take wraps with your brakes before entering a full stall. Keep your hands close to your body during the stall, and lock them under your harness seat plate if necessary. In a stable full stall, the canopy will oscillate back and forth. Before releasing the stall, raise your hands slightly and evenly to fill the glider with air. If possible, let the brakes up when the glider is in front of you to avoid excessive surge.
Spiral dive The spiral dive should be considered an extreme manoeuvre. Practice spiralling with caution and lesser sink rates to get a feel for the Vantage’s behaviour. Weight shift and pull the brake on one side gradually. Let it accelerate for two turns and you will enter the spiral dive. Once in the spiral, you can control your descent rate and bank angle with weight shift and the outer brake.
GOLDEN RULES!!! * Never place your engine downwind of your wing. * Check, check and re-check the fuel system for leaks. * Have you enough fuel to get you there? Better too much than too little! * Check for any loose articles that could trail or fall into the propeller while flying and fasten them securely. * If you spot a problem, no matter how small, deal with it NOW! * Always put on and fasten your helmet before clipping in to the harness. * Always carry out full pre-flight checks before launching.
5. Care, Maintenance and Repairs The materials used in the Vantage have been carefully selected for maximum durability. Nevertheless, following the guidelines below will keep your glider airworthy and will ensure a long period of continuous safe operation. Excessive wear is caused by careless ground handling and packing, unnecessary exposure to UV light, chemicals, heat and moisture. Ground handling The following should be avoided: Violent shocks to the upper surface (e.g.
Transport and Storage Moisture is the worst enemy for your glider, adversely affecting the ageing of fabric, lines and reinforcements. The Vantage should therefore be kept dry and cool. Do not pack the glider away for a prolonged period if it is damp, sandy, salty, or if other objects have entered the cells. Always allow it to dry naturally before storage, in a cool, dry room.
6. Reference Testing and Certification The Gin Gliders Vantage has been certified according to the LTF 23-05. The Vantage has also passed load tests and shock tests with a load exceeding 8G of the maximum weight in flight. Technical Specification Data SIZE 22 24 27 AREA 21.87m² 24.5m² 27.0m² SPAN 10.84m 11.47m 12.04m A.R 5.37 5.37 5.37 AREA 18.6m² 20.85m² 22.98m² SPAN 8.49m 8.98m 9.43m A.R 3.87 3.87 3.87 ROOT 2.53m 2.66m 2.81m TIP 0.50m 0.53m 0.
10D 10C 8C Mid C1 9D 8D Mid D5 Mid D4 9C Mid C2 Main C3 7D 7C 6D 6C Main D2 5D 5C Main C2 4D 4C Main D1 Mid D2 Mid D1 2E 3E Mid D3 2D 2C 3D 3C Main C1 1E 1D 1C 1 1B 4 2B 2A 5 bk mid1 BK2 Main B1 3 BK1 1A 2 Main A1 6 BK3 7 BK4 9 4B 4A 11 Brake Main 13 5B 5A 14 BK6 15 6B 6A 17 BK8 16 bk main2 7B 8A 21 9A 9B Main B3 bk mid5 25 BK13 bk mid6 BK12 26 ST3 10B ST1 ST2 ST3 10A 24 Mid A2 23 Mid B2 22 Mid A1 8B 20 Mid B1 19
Material List Model Vantage Top Dominico 30D/20D ME Bottom Dominico 20D ME Profile Dominico 30D FM/20D ME Reinforcement W420 Bridle Nylon 12mm Fabric of Canopy Suspension Line Upper : TGL 80, 125 & 145 Middle : TGL 125 Main : TGL280, TGL220 Riser Guth & Wolf - Polyester 20mm Maillons Stainless Steel 4.3mm Thread HT Polyester Yarn 150D/3, 225D/3 “Designing paragliders is a personal journey of challenge and discovery, an ongoing search for perfection.
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information in this manual is correct, but please remember that it has been produced for guidance only. It should not be used as a "how to fly" manual. This owner's manual is subject to changes without prior notice. Please check www.gingliders.com for the latest information regarding the Vantage and other GIN products. WARNING: All gliders have to be inflated on flat ground before the first flight.
