Gin Sprint 3 Manual
pilot manual
v1.01, 05/05/2016
Photo: Jerome Maupoint
4
Contents
Thank you... 5
Warning 6
About Gin Gliders 7
Introducing the Sprint 3 8
Before you fly 9
Flying the Sprint 3 13
Care and maintenance 24
Final words... 28
Technical specification 29
Line plan 30
Riser diagram 31
Materials 32
Brake line knot diagram 33
Diagram of parts 34
5
Thank you...
...for choosing Gin Gliders. We are confident you’ll enjoy many rewarding experiences in the air
with your GIN Sprint 3.
This manual contains important safety, performance and maintenance information. Read it
before your first flight, keep it for reference, and please pass it on to the new owner if you ever
re-sell your paraglider.
Any updates to this manual, or relevant safety information, will be published on our website:
www.gingliders.com. You can also register for e-mail updates via our website.
Happy flying and safe landings,
GIN team
6
Warning
Like any extreme sport, paragliding involves unpredictable risks which may lead to injury or
death. By choosing to fly, you assume the sole responsibility for those risks. You can minimize the
risks by having the appropriate attitude, training and experience and by properly understanding,
using and maintaining your equipment. Always seek to expand your knowledge and to develop
self-reliance. If there is anything you do not understand, consult with your local dealer as a first
point of contact, with the GIN importer in your country or with Gin Gliders directly.
Because it is impossible to anticipate every situation or condition that can occur while
paragliding, this manual makes no representation about the safe use of the paraglider under
all conditions. Neither Gin Gliders nor the seller of GIN equipment can guarantee, or be held
responsible for, the safety of yourself or anyone else.
Many countries have specific regulations or laws regarding paragliding activity. It’s your
responsibility to know and observe the regulations of the region where you fly.
7
About Gin Gliders
Dream
In forming Gin Gliders, designer and competition pilot Gin Seok Song had one simple dream:
to make the best possible paragliding equipment that pilots all over the world would love to fly—
whatever their ambitions.
At Gin Gliders, we bring together consultant aerodynamists, world cup pilots, engineers and
paragliding school instructors, all with one goal: creating better paragliders.
Touch
We’re a “hands-on” company that puts continuous innovation and development at the centre of
everything we do.
At our purpose-built R&D workshop at head office in Korea, we are able to design, manufacture,
test-fly and modify prototypes all in a matter of hours. Our international R&D team is on hand both
in Korea and at locations worldwide. This guarantees that your equipment has been thoroughly
tested to cope with the toughest flying conditions.
Our own production facilities in East Asia ensure the quality of the finished product and also
the well-being of our production staff. Our facilities are independently certified to AS9100C
(Aerospace standard) and also to ISO 9001:2008.
Believe
We believe that the product should speak for itself. Only by flying can the pilot understand the
wing and develop trust and confidence in it. From this feeling comes safety, comfort, performance
and fun. The grin when you land should say it all!
8
Introducing the Sprint 3
If you’re a leisure, club or cross-country pilot, the Sprint 3’s carefully calibrated blend of
handling, comfort, stability and performance will ensure you get the very best out of your flying.
From rising stars to seasoned veterans...
The Sprint 3 has been designed to hit the “sweet spot” for a majority of pilots. It’s
undemanding and comfortable to fly, yet sporty enough to be fun. And if you’re in the mood to eat
up the XC kilometres, you’ll find plenty of performance under the gas pedal!
Easy and well-balanced but never dull
The Sprint 3 is a well-balanced wing that inspires confidence. The wing stays neutral above
the pilot at all times, whether during take-off or on entering lift. The Sprint 3 has a natural flying
character that helps you first find lift and then stay in it. Despite the comfort, the wing is playful
and the turn is direct and lag-free. Long glides are a breeze too, thanks to a useful reserve of
speed.
A semi-light wing: the best of both worlds
The Sprint 3 offers all the well-known benefits of a lightweight wing but still remains a durable
workhorse – thanks to the 38g/m2and 32g/m2 fabric and fully sheathed main and mid lines. The
weight savings are due to the smart optimisation of the internal structure. A unique trailing edge
support, placed over the C attachment points, has allowed the removal of longer re-inforcements
from the top surface. Nose plastics have been systematically minimized. Cross ports have been
trimmed down with laser precision. The result is one lean flying machine: the Sprint 3 tips the
scale at just 4.5kg (M).
IMPORTANT: to fly the Sprint 3, you
should be familiar with active flying and
recovery techniques.
NOTE: Your glider may have been
delivered with some lines looped on the
maillons, this is to allow the glider to be
re-trimmed during a professional check
at the recommended service interval.
WARNING: If you fly with wraps, be
sure to release them in any extreme
situation. Failure to do so could prevent
normal recovery of the wing.
CAUTION: If you do shorten the brake
lines, make sure there is enough free
brake travel that the trailing edge is
not braked (deformed) when the glider
is fully accelerated. There should be at
least 10cm of free brake travel when the
glider is flown “hands-off”.
9
Before you fly
Delivery
Make sure your dealer has checked and test-flown the glider. Your glider will be delivered to
you with the original trim settings which correspond to the tested configuration. Do not make any
modifications, such as changing the risers or altering the line lengths. This would invalidate the
certification and is potentially dangerous.
Brake lines
GIN test pilots have carefully tuned the brake line lengths during testing, and there should be
no need to change them. We generally suggest flying with wraps (a turn of brake line around the
hand).
If you do decide to make adjustments to suit your harness, body or flying style, make any
adjustments in steps of 2cm. Be sure to test fly the glider after each adjustment. See the reference
section of this manual for the recommended knot to use to re-attach the brake handles.
Risers and line layout
A line plan and a diagram of the risers can be found in the reference section at the end of this
manual. Familiarize yourself with the layout of the risers and the position of the “stabilo (STB)”
line.
Speed system
The speed system accelerates the wing by progressively shortening the risers towards the
front.
Make sure that the speed system lines are routed properly through your harness and attached
10
CAUTION: Make sure that the speed
system is not too short. The front risers
must not be pulled down in normal
(unaccelerated) flight.
CAUTION: Don’t adjust your leg and
shoulder straps too tightly. If you do,
you may have difficulty sitting back into
your harness after take-off.
CAUTION: If you fly with a cocoon
harness in a reclined position, be sure
to quickly get into an upright position
in any turbulence or extreme situations.
If you don’t, you may experience
a reduction in control travel or an
increased risk of riser twists.
to the risers using the Brummel hooks. Perform any adjustments symmetrically while on the
ground. Adjust the speed system so that the maximum speed is attained (“pulley-to-pulley” on the
riser) when your legs are fully extended. Ask a friend to hold the risers in the flying position while
you are seated in your harness on the ground.
Harness
It’s important for your comfort and safety to fly with a suitable harness that is properly
adjusted. When choosing a harness, remember that the height of the attachment points (i.e.
distance from the carabiners to the seat plate) affects the sensitivity of the glider and the
relative brake travel. The lower (shorter) the attachment points, the more sensitive the glider is
to weightshift. GIN gliders are developed with GIN harnesses, which have an attachment point of
approximately 40-48cm (depending on size and model).
Adjust your chest strap so that the distance between the carabiners is approximately 46cm.
Lighter pilots may fly with a slightly narrower setting. A rule of thumb is to set the width of your
chest strap to that of your shoulders.
Your dealer will be able to offer individual advice regarding harnesses.
Rucksack
GIN gliders are delivered with a rucksack, designed to carry all your equipment in comfort. If
you have any particular requirements, a wide range of optional rucksacks and reversible harnesses
are also available. Please see our website or ask your dealer for details.
Table of contents
Other Gin Aircraft manuals
