Advance Epsilon
{|{{Infobox Aircraft Begin
| name= Epsilon
| image=
| caption=
}}{{Infobox Aircraft Type
| type=[[Paraglider]]
| national origin=[[Switzerland]]
| manufacturer=[[Advance Thun SA]]
| designer=
| first flight=
| introduced=
| retired=
| status=In production (2016)
| primary user=
| more users= <!--Limited to three in total; separate using <br /> -->
| produced= <!--years in production-->
| number built=
| program cost= <!--Total program cost-->
| unit cost= [[Pound sterling|£]]1,871 (Epsilon 4 24, 2004)
| developed from=
| variants with their own articles=
}}
|}
The '''Advance Epsilon''' is a family of [[Switzerland|Swiss]] single-place [[paraglider]]s, designed and produced by [[Advance Thun]] of [[Thun]].<ref name="WDLA04">Bertrand, Noel; Rene Coulon; et al: ''World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2003-04'', page 10. Pagefast Ltd, Lancaster OK, 2003. ISSN 1368-485X</ref>
==Design and development==
The Epsilon was designed as a basic-intermediate glider intended for [[thermalling]] flight.<ref name="WDLA04" /><ref name="advance.ch">{{cite web|url=http://www.advance.ch/en/products/paragliders/epsilon-8/|title=Epsilon 8|author=[[Advance Thun SA]]|publisher=advance.ch|accessdate=2016-03-14}}</ref>
The design has progressed through eight generations of models, the Epsilon, Epsilon 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8, each improving on the last. The models are each named for their rough wing area in square metres.<ref name="WDLA04"/><ref name="advance.ch"/>
<!-- ==Operational history== -->
==Variants==
;Epsilon 4 24
:Small-sized model for lighter pilots. Its {{convert|10.86|m|ft|1|abbr=on}} span wing has wing area of {{convert|23.99|m2|sqft|abbr=on}}, 46 cells and the [[Aspect ratio (aeronautics)|aspect ratio]] is 4.92:1. The pilot weight range is {{convert|58|to|75|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}. The glider model is DHV 1-2 certified.<ref name="WDLA04"/>
;Epsilon 4 26
:Mid-sized model for medium-weight pilots. Its {{convert|11.31|m|ft|1|abbr=on}} span wing has wing area of {{convert|26.03|m2|sqft|abbr=on}}, 46 cells and the aspect ratio is 4.92:1. The pilot weight range is {{convert|70|to|90|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}. The glider model is DHV 1-2 certified.<ref name="WDLA04"/>
;Epsilon 4 28
:Large-sized model for heavier pilots. Its {{convert|11.77|m|ft|1|abbr=on}} span wing has wing area of {{convert|28.16|m2|sqft|abbr=on}}, 46 cells and the aspect ratio is 4.92:1. The pilot weight range is {{convert|85|to|108|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}. The glider model is DHV 1-2 certified.<ref name="WDLA04"/>
;Epsilon 4 31
:Extra large-sized model for heavier pilots. Its {{convert|12.35|m|ft|1|abbr=on}} span wing has wing area of {{convert|31.04|m2|sqft|abbr=on}}, 46 cells and the aspect ratio is 4.92:1. The pilot weight range is {{convert|103|to|130|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}. The glider model is DHV 1-2 certified.<ref name="WDLA04"/>
;Epsilon 5 23
:Small-sized model for lighter pilots. Its {{convert|10.81|m|ft|1|abbr=on}} span wing has wing area of {{convert|23.35|m2|sqft|abbr=on}}, 50 cells and the aspect ratio is 5.00:1. The glider weight is {{convert|5.5|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}} and the take-off weight range is {{convert|55|to|75|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}. The glider has a glide ratio of 8.7:1.<ref name="advance.ch1">{{cite web|url=http://www.advance.ch/Technical_details.183.0.html?&L=1|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060925040010/http://www.advance.ch/Technical_details.183.0.html?&L=1|title=Epsilon 5 Technical details|author=[[Advance Thun SA]]|archivedate=25 September 2006|work=advance.ch|accessdate=14 March 2016}}</ref>
;Epsilon 5 25
:Mid-sized model for medium-weight pilots. Its {{convert|11.24|m|ft|1|abbr=on}} span wing has wing area of {{convert|25.26|m2|sqft|abbr=on}}, 50 cells and the aspect ratio is 5.00:1. The glider weight is {{convert|5.8|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}} and the take-off weight range is {{convert|65|to|88|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}. The glider has a glide ratio of 8.7:1.<ref name="advance.ch1"/>
;Epsilon 5 28
:Large-sized model for heavier pilots. Its {{convert|11.85|m|ft|1|abbr=on}} span wing has wing area of {{convert|28.10|m2|sqft|abbr=on}}, 50 cells and the aspect ratio is 5.00:1. The glider weight is {{convert|6.4|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}} and the take-off weight range is {{convert|78|to|106|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}. The glider has a glide ratio of 8.7:1.<ref name="advance.ch1"/>
;Epsilon 5 31
:Extra large-sized model for heavier pilots. Its {{convert|12.52|m|ft|1|abbr=on}} span wing has wing area of {{convert|31.37|m2|sqft|abbr=on}}, 50 cells and the aspect ratio is 5.00:1. The glider weight is {{convert|6.95|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}} and the take-off weight range is {{convert|96|to|130|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}. The glider has a glide ratio of 8.7:1.<ref name="advance.ch1"/>
;Epsilon 6 23
:Small-sized model for lighter pilots. Its wing has an area of {{convert|23.10|m2|sqft|abbr=on}} and the aspect ratio is 5.25:1. The glider weight is {{convert|5.9|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}} and the take-off weight range is {{convert|60|to|80|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}. The glider model is EN/LTF B certified.<ref name="Epsilon6">{{cite web|url = http://www.advance.ch/fileadmin/user_upload/Material/PDFs_zum_Download/2009/Adv_Epsilon-6-Lepo.pdf|title = Epsilon 6|accessdate = 15 March 2016|author = [[Advance Thun SA]]|date = 11 December 2008|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20130325054925/http://www.advance.ch/fileadmin/user_upload/Material/PDFs_zum_Download/2009/Adv_Epsilon-6-Lepo.pdf |archivedate = 8 December 2012}}</ref>
;Epsilon 6 26
:Mid-sized model for medium-weight pilots. Its wing has an area of {{convert|26.04|m2|sqft|abbr=on}} and the aspect ratio is 5.25:1. The glider weight is {{convert|6.35|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}} and take-off weight range is {{convert|70|to|95|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}. The glider model is EN/LTF B certified.<ref name="Epsilon6"/>
;Epsilon 6 28
:Large-sized model for heavier pilots. Its wing has an area of {{convert|28.10|m2|sqft|abbr=on}} and the aspect ratio is 5.25:1. The glider weight is {{convert|6.7|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}} and take-off weight range is {{convert|85|to|110|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}. The glider model is EN/LTF B certified.<ref name="Epsilon6"/>
;Epsilon 6 31
:Extra large-sized model for heavier pilots. Its wing has an area of {{convert|30.61|m2|sqft|abbr=on}}and the aspect ratio is 5.25:1. The glider weight is {{convert|7.2|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}} and take-off weight range is {{convert|100|to|130|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}. The glider model is EN/LTF B certified.<ref name="Epsilon6"/>
;Epsilon 7 23
:Small-sized model for lighter pilots. Its wing has an area of {{convert|23.0|m2|sqft|abbr=on}} and the aspect ratio is 5.15:1. The take-off weight range is {{convert|60|to|80|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}. The glider model is EN/LTF B certified.<ref name="advance.ch2">{{cite web|url=http://www.advance.ch/en/products/paragliders/epsilon-7/|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140606191118/http://www.advance.ch/en/products/paragliders/epsilon-7/|title=Epsilon 7|author=[[Advance Thun SA]]|archivedate=6 June 2014|work=advance.ch|accessdate=14 March 2016}}</ref>
;Epsilon 7 26
:Mid-sized model for medium-weight pilots. Its wing has an area of {{convert|26.0|m2|sqft|abbr=on}} and the aspect ratio is 5.15:1. The take-off weight range is {{convert|75|to|95|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}. The glider model is EN/LTF B certified.<ref name="advance.ch2"/>
;Epsilon 7 28
:Large-sized model for heavier pilots. Its wing has an area of {{convert|28.0|m2|sqft|abbr=on}} and the aspect ratio is 5.15:1. The take-off weight range is {{convert|85|to|110|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}. The glider model is EN/LTF B certified.<ref name="advance.ch2"/>
;Epsilon 7 30
:Extra large-sized model for heavier pilots. Its wing has an area of {{convert|30.0|m2|sqft|abbr=on}}and the aspect ratio is 5.15:1. The take-off weight range is {{convert|100|to|130|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}. The glider model is EN/LTF B certified.<ref name="advance.ch2"/>
;Epsilon 8 23
:Small-sized model for lighter pilots. Its {{convert|10.75|m|ft|1|abbr=on}} span wing has wing area of {{convert|22.5|m2|sqft|abbr=on}}, 45 cells and the aspect ratio is 5.15:1. The take-off weight range is {{convert|55|to|75|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}. The glider model is EN/LTF B certified.<ref name="advance.ch"/>
;Epsilon 8 25
:Mid-sized model for medium-weight pilots. Its {{convert|11.35|m|ft|1|abbr=on}} span wing has wing area of {{convert|25.0|m2|sqft|abbr=on}}, 45 cells and the aspect ratio is 5.15:1. The take-off weight range is {{convert|70|to|90|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}. The glider model is EN/LTF B certified.<ref name="advance.ch"/>
;Epsilon 8 27
:Large-sized model for heavier pilots. Its {{convert|11.80|m|ft|1|abbr=on}} span wing has wing area of {{convert|27.0|m2|sqft|abbr=on}}, 45 cells and the aspect ratio is 5.15:1. The take-off weight range is {{convert|80|to|105|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}. The glider model is EN/LTF B certified.<ref name="advance.ch"/>
;Epsilon 8 29
:Extra large-sized model for heavier pilots. Its {{convert|12.25|m|ft|1|abbr=on}} span wing has wing area of {{convert|29.0|m2|sqft|abbr=on}}, 45 cells and the aspect ratio is 5.15:1. The take-off weight range is {{convert|95|to|125|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}. The glider model is EN/LTF B certified.<ref name="advance.ch"/>
<!-- ==Aircraft on display== -->
==Specifications (Epsilon 4 24) ==
{{Aircraft specs
|ref=Bertrand<ref name="WDLA04" />
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|aspect ratio=4.92:1
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<!-- ==See also== -->
{{aircontent
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==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
*{{Official website|http://www.advance.ch/en/products/paragliders/epsilon-8/}}
{{Advance aircraft}}
[[Category:Advance aircraft|Epsilon]]
[[Category:Paragliders]]