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Dear Swing customer, 

 
 

You have just purchased a sophisticated product. We place great importance 
on the workmanship and the high quality of the materials used. 
 
If you have any questions which are not answered in this manual, please do not 
hesitate to contact us directly, or your Swing dealer. 
 
from 
 

the Swing Team 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Table of Contents 
 
 
1. For your safety....................................................................................................................................1 
 
2. Features of the paraglider .................................................................................................................2 

2.1 What does the Astral 3 look like? .......................................................................................................2 
2.2 Who is the Astral 3 suitable for?.........................................................................................................2 
2.3 Connecting a harness to the Astral 3 .................................................................................................3 
2.4 Winch-towing ......................................................................................................................................3 
2.5 Motorised flight ...................................................................................................................................3 
 

3. Setting up the Astral 3 and test-flying..............................................................................................3 

3.1 Laying out the paraglider and pre-flight check ...................................................................................4 
3.2 Five-point check .................................................................................................................................4 
3.3 The first flight ......................................................................................................................................4 
3.4 Adjusting the main brake lines ...........................................................................................................5 
3.5 Adjusting the speed system ...............................................................................................................6 
 

4. Flying ...................................................................................................................................................8 

4.1 Normal flight .......................................................................................................................................8 
4.2 Instructions for extreme flying and dangerous situations ...................................................................8 
4.3 Rapid descents.................................................................................................................................11 
 

5. Looking after your paraglider .........................................................................................................13 

5.1 Transporting and storing the paraglider ...........................................................................................13 
5.2 Checking the lines ............................................................................................................................13 
5.3 Cleaning and repairing the paraglider ..............................................................................................14 

 
 

 

13. June 2002

Summary of Contents for Astral 3

Page 1: ... 2 Who is the Astral 3 suitable for 2 2 3 Connecting a harness to the Astral 3 3 2 4 Winch towing 3 2 5 Motorised flight 3 3 Setting up the Astral 3 and test flying 3 3 1 Laying out the paraglider and pre flight check 4 3 2 Five point check 4 3 3 The first flight 4 3 4 Adjusting the main brake lines 5 3 5 Adjusting the speed system 6 4 Flying 8 4 1 Normal flight 8 4 2 Instructions for extreme flyi...

Page 2: ...0 ...

Page 3: ...suitable towing system operated by an experienced winch operator Before towing ensure that the winch operator has the appropriate training and licences Aerobatics are prohibited in Germany check the situation in your country Do not under any circumstances alter the construction of your paraglider If you do any claims under the warranty will not be accepted When you fly for the first time use train...

Page 4: ...erformance and the highest safety level DHV 2 GH Classifi cation Take off weight pilot equipment glider The estimated weight of the equipment is about 15 kg Weight range 2 3 Connecting a harness to the Astral 3 The Astral 3 can be connected to any harness which has DHV GH harness classification You can find out more about this on the DHV website at www dhv de 2 4 Winch towing The Astral 3 is suita...

Page 5: ...th the upper surface against the ground and spread it out so that the leading edge is slightly curved Carefully separate all the rigging lines and take care that no lines are underneath the canopy tangled or caught up in any way The Astral 3 can be reverse launched easily with a wind speed of just 3m s Pre flight check Before launching always check the following 1 Are there any tears in the glider...

Page 6: ... pilots make you careless 3 4 Adjusting the main brake lines Securing the main brake lines The main brake lines must be checked by an expert before the test flight The main brake lines must be fastened so that the mark is visible slightly above the knot approx 5mm Correctly installed brake lines have about 10 cm of feed This is how far you must pull the brakes down before the trailing edge of the ...

Page 7: ...risk If the brake lines are too short the following risks could arise the risk of early stall the paraglider does not launch well and there is a risk of deep stall the paraglider s behaviour in extreme flying is dangerous ...

Page 8: ...eed system You will use it in particular if there is a strong headwind when you fly over valleys or if you want to leave a dangerous area quickly Speed system fixed at the riser Function The A B and C risers can be shortened by using the speed bar This decreases the canopy s angle of attack Diagram left unaccelerated right accelerated 6 ...

Page 9: ...lent areas or near the ground Test the system in advance It is best to do this suspended from a frame Tie the lines to the speed bar at the right length You should still be in a comfortable flight position even when the speed system is used to its full extent Do not make the speed system too short or you will not be able to access it easily You will not be able to use the speed system to its full ...

Page 10: ... problem Landing Caution Accident risk Always fly with sufficient speed when you are near the ground well above the stall speed 4 2 Instructions for extreme flying and dangerous situations Sources of danger There are no problems during a normal flight However pilot error during the flight or extreme wind conditions may leave the wing in an unusual flying position This may require the pilot to make...

Page 11: ...y careful when using the brakes Front Stall Strong turbulence can cause part or all of the leading edge of the glider to fold or tuck under Normally the Astral 3 will immediately recover its normal flight position Recovery If the Astral 3 does not immediately recover from a frontal tuck brake quickly and strongly with both steering lines brake lines to re inflate the glider Asymmetric tucks If the...

Page 12: ...as gone backwards you must hold the brakes down Otherwise the canopy can surge forward and in an extreme case end up underneath the pilot Hold the brakes down until the canopy is above you again Spin Spins occur when one side of the canopy stalls The stalled part of the canopy continues to fly forward while the other side turns in the opposite direction Quickly release the brakes Recovery Tip If t...

Page 13: ...euvre When you are in a spiral dive you should steer very carefully because the paraglider will react immediately Banking and rate of turn increase if braking efficiency increases Look down before and during a spiral dive so that you can tell how far you are from the ground Tip When you are in a spiral dive the outer part of the wing can collapse but this is no cause for concern You can avoid this...

Page 14: ...y the brakes at this time Tip If the paraglider does not speed up immediately because recovery is too slow or for some other reason accelerate using the speed system or pull the A risers forwards Big ears is another way to descend quickly and has a sink rate of approximately 3 to 5 m s The forward speed stays the same You can use the big ears method together with the speed system It is suitable fo...

Page 15: ...ked up while still wet If the paraglider gets wet spread it out so that air reaches all parts of it Since the fibres absorb water it can take several days until it is completely dry If a paraglider is stored wet it can become unsuitable for flying after a short time 5 2 Checking the lines Measuring the length of the lines is part of the regular inspection Measuring The lines must be measured with ...

Page 16: ... the manufacturer or a specialist recommended by the manufacturer Repairs You can repair small tears in the wing yourself not at the seams using self adhesive sail material as long as they are in places which do not bear heavy loads and they are not bigger than 3 cm Tip Always replace lines that are damaged If you need to replace damaged or worn out parts use only original parts or parts that have...

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