Advance Sigma
{|{{Infobox Aircraft Begin
| name= Sigma
| image=
| caption=
}}{{Infobox Aircraft Type
| type=[[Paraglider]]
| national origin=[[Switzerland]]
| manufacturer=[[Advance Thun SA]]
| designer=
| first flight=
| introduced=
| retired=
| status=In production (Sigma 9, 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|£]]1,999 (Signa 5 31, 2004)
| developed from=
| variants with their own articles=
}}
|}
The '''Advance Sigma''' is a series 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 Sigma was designed as a cross country intermediate glider.<ref name="WDLA04" />
The design has progressed through nine generations of models, the Sigma, Sigma 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, each improving on the last. The models are each named for their rough wing area in square metres.<ref name="WDLA04"/>
<!-- ==Operational history== -->
==Variants==
;Sigma 5 23
:Small-sized model for lighter pilots. Its {{convert|11.18|m|ft|1|abbr=on}} span wing has wing area of {{convert|23.76|m2|sqft|abbr=on}}, 58 cells and the [[Aspect ratio (aeronautics)|aspect ratio]] is 5.20:1. The pilot weight range is {{convert|60|to|75|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}. The glider model is DHV 2 certified.<ref name="WDLA04"/>
;Sigma 5 26
:Mid-sized model for medium-weight pilots. Its {{convert|11.64|m|ft|1|abbr=on}} span wing has wing area of {{convert|26.04|m2|sqft|abbr=on}}, 58 cells and the aspect ratio is 5.20:1. The pilot weight range is {{convert|70|to|90|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}. The glider model is DHV 2 certified.<ref name="WDLA04"/>
;Sigma 5 28
:Large-sized model for heavier pilots. Its {{convert|11.99|m|ft|1|abbr=on}} span wing has wing area of {{convert|27.62|m2|sqft|abbr=on}}, 58 cells and the aspect ratio is 5.20:1. The pilot weight range is {{convert|85|to|107|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}. The glider model is DHV 2 certified.<ref name="WDLA04"/>
;Sigma 5 31
:Extra large-sized model for heavier pilots. Its {{convert|12.71|m|ft|1|abbr=on}} span wing has wing area of {{convert|31.04|m2|sqft|abbr=on}}, 58 cells and the aspect ratio is 5.20:1. The pilot weight range is {{convert|102|to|127|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}. The glider model is DHV 2 certified.<ref name="WDLA04"/>
;Sigma 6 22
:Small-sized model for lighter pilots.Its {{convert|10.88|m|ft|1|abbr=on}} span wing has wing area of {{convert|21.95|m2|sqft|abbr=on}}, 61 cells and the aspect ratio is 5.48:1. The glider take-off weight range is {{convert|55|to|80|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}. The [[glide ratio]] is 9.2:1.<ref name="advance.ch">{{cite web|url=http://www.advance.ch/Technical_details.67.0.html?&L=1|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071202165436/http://www.advance.ch/Technical_details.67.0.html?&L=1|title=Sigma 6 Technical details|author=[[Advance Thun SA]]|archivedate=2 December 2007|work=advance.ch|accessdate=14 March 2016}}</ref>
;Sigma 6 26
:Mid-sized model for medium-weight pilots. Its {{convert|11.93|m|ft|1|abbr=on}} span wing has a wing area of {{convert|26.00|m2|sqft|abbr=on}}, 61 cells and the aspect ratio is 5.48:1. The glider take-off weight range is {{convert|70|to|95|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}. The glide ratio is 9.2:1.<ref name="advance.ch"/>
;Sigma 6 28
:Large-sized model for heavier pilots. Its {{convert|12.30|m|ft|1|abbr=on}} span wing has a wing area of {{convert|27.63|m2|sqft|abbr=on}}, 61 cells and the aspect ratio is 5.48:1. The glider take-off weight range is {{convert|85|to|110|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}. The glide ratio is 9.2:1.<ref name="advance.ch"/>
;Sigma 6 31
:Extra large-sized model for heavier pilots. Its {{convert|13.04|m|ft|1|abbr=on}} span wing has a wing area of {{convert|31.05|m2|sqft|abbr=on}}, 61 cells and the aspect ratio is 5.48:1. The glider take-off weight range is {{convert|100|to|130|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}. The glide ratio is 9.2:1.<ref name="advance.ch"/>
;Sigma 7 23
:Small-sized model for lighter pilots.Its {{convert|11.42|m|ft|1|abbr=on}} span wing has wing area of {{convert|23.1|m2|sqft|abbr=on}}, 61 cells and the aspect ratio is 5.65:1. The glider take-off weight range is {{convert|60|to|80|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}. The glider model is EN/LTF 2 certified. The [[glide ratio]] is 9.2:1.<ref name="advance.ch1">{{cite web|url=http://www.advance.ch/Technical-details.600.0.html?&L=1|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100216134200/http://www.advance.ch/Technical-details.600.0.html?&L=1|title=Signma 7: Technical details|author=[[Advance Thun SA]]|archivedate=16 February 2010|work=advance.ch|accessdate=14 March 2016}}</ref>
;Sigma 7 26
:Mid-sized model for medium-weight pilots. Its {{convert|12.13|m|ft|1|abbr=on}} span wing has a wing area of {{convert|26.04|m2|sqft|abbr=on}}, 61 cells and the aspect ratio is 5.65:1. The glider take-off weight range is {{convert|70|to|95|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}. The glider model is EN/LTF 2 certified. The glide ratio is 9.2:1.<ref name="advance.ch1"/>
;Sigma 7 28
:Large-sized model for heavier pilots. Its {{convert|12.61|m|ft|1|abbr=on}} span wing has a wing area of {{convert|28.16|m2|sqft|abbr=on}}, 61 cells and the aspect ratio is 5.65:1. The glider take-off weight range is {{convert|85|to|110|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}. The glider model is EN/LTF 2 certified. The glide ratio is 9.2:1.<ref name="advance.ch1"/>
;Sigma 7 31
:Extra large-sized model for heavier pilots. Its {{convert|13.15|m|ft|1|abbr=on}} span wing has a wing area of {{convert|30.61|m2|sqft|abbr=on}}, 61 cells and the aspect ratio is 5.65:1. The glider take-off weight range is {{convert|100|to|130|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}. The glider model is EN/LTF 2 certified. The glide ratio is 9.2:1.<ref name="advance.ch1"/>
;Sigma 8 23
:Small-sized model for lighter pilots.Its {{convert|11.63|m|ft|1|abbr=on}} span wing has wing area of {{convert|22.5|m2|sqft|abbr=on}}, 61 cells and the aspect ratio is 6.0:1. The glider take-off weight range is {{convert|65|to|85|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}. The glider model is EN/LTF certified. The [[glide ratio]] is 10:1.<ref name="advance.ch2">{{cite web|url=http://www.advance.ch/Technical-details.845.0.html?&L=1|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130325065906/http://www.advance.ch/Technical-details.845.0.html?&L=1|title=Sigma 8: Technical details|author=[[Advance Thun SA]]|archivedate=25 March 2013|work=advance.ch|accessdate=14 March 2016}}</ref>
;Sigma 8 25
:Mid-sized model for medium-weight pilots. Its {{convert|12.25|m|ft|1|abbr=on}} span wing has a wing area of {{convert|25.0|m2|sqft|abbr=on}}, 61 cells and the aspect ratio is 6.0:1. The glider take-off weight range is {{convert|75|to|95|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}. The glider model is EN/LTF certified. The glide ratio is 10:1.<ref name="advance.ch2"/>
;Sigma 8 27
:Large-sized model for heavier pilots. Its {{convert|12.75|m|ft|1|abbr=on}} span wing has a wing area of {{convert|27.0|m2|sqft|abbr=on}}, 61 cells and the aspect ratio is 6.0:1. The glider take-off weight range is {{convert|85|to|110|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}. The glider model is EN/LTF certified. The glide ratio is 10:1.<ref name="advance.ch2"/>
;Sigma 8 29
:Extra large-sized model for heavier pilots. Its {{convert|13.21|m|ft|1|abbr=on}} span wing has a wing area of {{convert|29.0|m2|sqft|abbr=on}}, 61 cells and the aspect ratio is 6.0:1. The glider take-off weight range is {{convert|100|to|130|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}. The glider model is EN/LTF certified. The glide ratio is 10:1.<ref name="advance.ch2"/>
;Sigma 9 23
:Small-sized model for lighter pilots. Its {{convert|11.5|m|ft|1|abbr=on}} span wing has a wing area of {{convert|22.5|m2|sqft|abbr=on}}, 59 cells and the aspect ratio is 5.80:1. The glider take-off weight range is {{convert|60|to|85|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}. The glider model is EN/LTF C certified.<ref name="advance.ch3">{{cite web|url=http://www.advance.ch/en/products/paragliders/sigma-9/|title=SIGMA 9|author=[[Advance Thun SA]]|work=advance.ch|accessdate=14 March 2016}}</ref>
;Sigma 9 25
:Mid-sized model for medium-weight pilots. Its {{convert|12.1|m|ft|1|abbr=on}} span wing has a wing area of {{convert|25.1|m2|sqft|abbr=on}}, 59 cells and the aspect ratio is 5.80:1. The glider take-off weight range is {{convert|75|to|100|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}. The glider model is EN/LTF C certified.<ref name="advance.ch3"/>
;Sigma 9 27
:Large-sized model for heavier pilots. Its {{convert|12.6|m|ft|1|abbr=on}} span wing has a wing area of {{convert|27.0|m2|sqft|abbr=on}}, 59 cells and the aspect ratio is 5.80:1. The glider take-off weight range is {{convert|90|to|115|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}. The glider model is EN/LTF C certified.<ref name="advance.ch3"/>
;Sigma 9 29
:Extra large-sized model for heavier pilots. Its {{convert|13.0|m|ft|1|abbr=on}} span wing has a wing area of {{convert|29.0|m2|sqft|abbr=on}}, 59 cells and the aspect ratio is 5.80:1. The glider take-off weight range is {{convert|105|to|130|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}. The glider model is EN/LTF C certified.<ref name="advance.ch3"/>
<!-- ==Aircraft on display== -->
==Specifications (Sigma 5 26) ==
{{Aircraft specs
|ref=Bertrand<ref name="WDLA04" />
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|wing area sqm=26.04
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|aspect ratio=5.20:1
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==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
*{{Official website|http://www.advance.ch/en/products/paragliders/sigma-9/}}
{{Advance aircraft}}
[[Category:Advance aircraft|Sigma]]
[[Category:Paragliders]]