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Epsilon 7 26

Sicherheitsklasse 4
Epsilon 7 26

Instability rating

Safety class 1 Safety class 2 Safety class 3 Safety class 4 Safety class 5
asymmetric collapse
course change
forward pitching
height loss
sink velocity
G-Force
Frontal collapse
course change
Speed (Recovery)
pilot action (Recovery)
height loss
sink velocity
Spiral dives
G-Force
Sink velocity after 720°
Maximum sink velocity
Behaviour on brake release
course change after spiral dive exit
Height loss during recovery
Safety class 4
Pilot skill requirements:
Pilots should be able to recognise the onset of instability and be able to prevent or minimise glider reactions through immediate and precise pilot inputs.
Advanced piloting skills and regular flight practice necessary.

Glider characteristics

Launch preparations: average
launch characteristics: balanced, climbs constantly, no guidance necessary, minimal feedback during inflation, little braking required, slows before zenith, control check simple, low takeoff speed
asymmetric collapse: canopy collapses at low angle to leading edge, moderate dynamics, total course change 90-180°, (1), moderate course change rate, moderate forward pitching 45-60°, (2), moderate height loss 30-39 m, (2), moderate sink velocity 15-19 m/s, (2), G-Force < 2,5 G, (1)
Frontal collapse: canopy collapses with high total collapse aera, moderate pitch backwards 30-45°, marked pitch forwards 45-60°, moderate dynamics, course change <90°, (2), variable recovery behaviour, at times with stable closed frontal collapse, at times with automatic recovery, (4), usually symmetric recovery, simple pilot action required, (4), delayed return to normal airspeed, delayed reinflation of wingtips, Simple pilot action required to end height loss (4), high sink velocity 20-24 m/s, (3)
Spiral dives: very rapid sink velocity increase, Moderate G-Force 3,5- 4.0 G, (2), Sink velocity after 720° < 22 m/s, (4), Very high maximum sink velocity <25 m/s, (4), sink velocity increase < 6 m/s on brake release, (2), Course change 180-360° after spiral exit, (2), moderate height loss during recovery 30-60 m, (2)
B-Stall: normal force required, moderate pitch backwards 15-30°, marked pitch forwards 30-45°, stable sink phase, no tendency to deform, immediate return to normal airspeed, 8-10 m/s, height loss on recovery < 20 m
big ears: simple initiation, stable flight phase, delayed automatic recovery, Vsink unaccelerated 2,5-3 m/s, Vsink accelerated 3,5-4 m/s, Vunaccelerated 3-5 km/h less than trimspeed, Vaccelerated 5-8 km/h faster than trimspeed
Steering behaviour: agile to dynamic, very noticable brake pressure increasse

Notes

Launch preparations:
The Epsilon 7 from Advance needs a little more attention to detail –here its unsheathed yellow gallery
lines are more difficult to recognise.

Launch characteristic:
Our testers all agreed that Advance's Epsilon 7 had excellent launch characteristics, suitable even or a beginner. During inflation the glider remains a little soft and doesn't give the pilot much feedback, but at the zenith it is easy to stabilise with no tendeny to overshoot at all.

Asymmetric Collapse:
Advance's Epsilon 7 behaves little more dynamically than a low-end LTF-B glider (see examples in DHV-Info 181) but generally very well to assymetric collapses. Even when collapses were conducted
at the maximum end of the collapse field, pitch forward rates and angles were still moderate. No cascade collapses on the opposite wing side were noted, just a minimum deflation at the outer wingtip.
Turn rates after a collapse begin relatively slowly and give the pilot plenty of time to react.

Front collapses:
In past serial tests, we noted the tendency of some B-class gliders having challenging behaviour to front collapses, which we can also verify in this test series.Epsilon 7 only self recovers from small front collapses. As soon as the collapsed area is increased, the glider enters a stable front
stall with no self recovery. Immediate pilot reaction is required to prevent further twisting, turn
ing and cravating.Epsilon 7, large front collapses produce a stable horseshoe frontstall with the wingtips back. Rotation tendencies are moderate but sink velocities are high. Both gliders require a short powerful jab on the brakes to startrecovery back to normal flight.

Spiral Dive:
he Epsilon 7 reaches higher sink velocities but recovers to normal flight after a short acceleration on brake release.

B-Stall:
The Epsilon 7 had no problems with B-stalls. These canopies did not deform when stalled, and regained normal flight immediately on recovery.

Big Ears:
The Epsilon 7 was the easiest glider to fly in big ears.

Rating

Safety class 4

This class of paraglider reacts demandingly to one or more of the following manoeuvres: frontal collapse, asymmetric collapse or spiral dive.
Demandingly means that the above manoeuvres result in marked dynamic reactions from the glider and/or large height losses.

Advanced piloting skills which need to be regularly practised, together with good personal reaction times are required to safely fly this class of gliders. Basic recovery techniques for ending a manoeuvre are not sufficient to maintain control, reduce height loss to a minimum and prevent subsequent critical reactions. Pilots should be able to recognise the onset of the above manoeuvres and be able to prevent or minimise their effects through immediate and precise pilot inputs.

Additional experience such as regular ground handling and SIV training is required to safely fly gliders of this class. Special training or pilot skills which exceed standard training may be required for the safe performance of emergency descent techniques. Gliders of this Safety Class are not suitable for beginners, irregular flyers or low-airtime pilots.