BOBCAT owner’s manual – English
Thank you for taking the time to read this manual before using the BOBCAT.
Thank you…
Thank you for choosing the BOBCAT. We are confident that this speedflying glid er will provide
you with countless exciting and fun experiences and wil l enable you to make good progression
in your speedflying career. This manual contains all the information you need to fly and
maintain your glider. A thorough knowledge of your equipment will keep you safe while
enabling you to maximise your full potential.
Please pass on this manual to the new owner if you ever resell your glider.
Have fun!
The GIN Team
Safety Notice
By the purchase of this equipment, you accept all risks inherent with speedflying activities,
including injury or death. Improper use or misuse of GIN equipment greatly increases these
risks. Neither GIN gliders Inc nor the seller of GIN equipment shall be held liable for personal o r
third party injuries or damages under any circumstances. The user is fully and solely
responsible for the safe use of this equi pment, if th ere is any doubt regardin g the use o r safety
of this equipment then it should not be used.
Warning: Speedflying is a potentially dangerous activity. It is the user’s own
responsibility to assess all weather and meteorological conditions, the flying area, all
equipment, etc, before you use this equipment. This equipment was not designed for any
other use than that of speedflying as described in this manual. This equipment should be
launched from the ground and must never be used for any of the following: Parachuting,
BASE jumping; jumping from any aircraft, or high object; building, antenna, bridge, cliff,
etc. You should wear a helmet as well as all safety equipment required for the practice of
paragliding and Speedflying. It is strongly recommended to learn Speedflying in a
specialised school. When Speedflying, always choose a safe, open area enabling you to
keep a wide safety margin. Do not practice Speedflying in the vicinity of obstacles, cliffs,
rocks or any other hazards. This equipment requires constant care when it comes to
maintenance and handling. Only use the Bobcat glider with the Bobcat harness; they have
been designed to be used together.
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Contents
Thank You… ....................................................................................................... ................................... 2
Safety Notice ........................................................................................................................................ 2
1. Gin Gliders ........................................................................................................................ 4
2. Introducing Speedflying .................................................................................................... 5
3. Introducing the BOBCAT ..................................................................................................... 5
Speedflying field of use… ..................................................................................................................... 5
For Pilots Who… ................................................................................................................................... 6
Manufacturing ...................................................................................................................................... 6
4. Before you Fly ................................................................................................................... 7
Pre-delivery Inspection ........................................................................................................................ 7
Trim Risers .......................................................................................................................................... 7
Brake line adjustment ........................................................................................................................... 8
Rucksack ............................................................................................................................................... 8
Your harness ........................................................................................................................................ 8
Certified weight range .......................................................................................................................... 9
Essential .............................................................................................................................................. 9
5. Flying the BOBCAT ........................................................................................................... 10
Preparation for launch ........................................................................................................................ 10
Take off .............................................................................................................................................. 10
Min Sink / best glide ........................................................................................................................... 11
Accelerated flight ............................................................................................................................... 11
Active flying ....................................................................................................................................... 11
In turbulence ...................................................................................................................................... 11
Steering without br a k es ..................................................................................................................... 11
Landing with the BOBCAT .................................................................................................................... 12
6. Care, maintenance and repairs ........................................................................................ 13
Ground handling ................................................................................................................................. 13
UV damage ......................................................................................................................................... 13
Packing instructions ........................................................................................................................... 13
Transport and storage ........................................................................................................................ 14
Cleaning ............................................................................................................................................. 14
Inspections ......................................................................................................................................... 14
Repairs ............................................................................................................................................... 14
7. Reference ........................................................................................................................ 15
Technical specifications ...................................................................................................................... 16
Line plan .......................................................... ................ .................................................................. 16
Description ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………17
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1. Gin Gliders
Gin Gliders was formed in 1998 by paraglider designer and competition pilot Gin Seok Song and
his team of engineers and test pilots.
Gin’s philosophy i s simple: To design gliders t hat he, and any other pilot, will love to fly. This
philosophy applies equally for a speedflying glider such as the BOBCAT, as for the world beating
competition glider, the Boomerang. No glider is released on the market without Gin’s complete
satisfaction.
Gin has over 20 years experience of designing and manufacturing free flight equipment, and is
backed up by an equally experi enced team, both within the compan y in Korea and throughout a
worldwide network of distributors and dealers.
This high level of expertise provided by dedicated professionals ensures that you get the best
possible product support and after sales service.
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2. Introducing Speed Flying
Speedflying, a new flying concept.
A new flying craze is here: Speedflying; flying fast downhill.
Over the last few years, Gin Gliders have been developing speedgliders for speedriding (launch
by ski).
Now, Gin Gliders introduces a speedglider designed for foot launch, the Bobcat.
Speedgliders, a new design concept.
Speedriding and speedflying are both based on a new design concept developed by Gin Gliders.
Speedgliders are not small paragliders, like for example the « Yeti 19 » which is a miniparaglider and part of our paraglider range.
Speedgliders are dedicated to fly with low glide ratio, stability and speed.
The Speedgliders’ concept is based on :
- Pitch Stability
- Angle of attack control
- Variable glide ratio
- Speed control
3. Introducing the BOBCAT, the Speedflying wing
The Bobcat is op e ning new horizons of piloting for expert and careful pilots with a lot of flying
experience.
The air, the speed and the fun are joined for a new dimension of flight… the possibilities are
growing!
The play of trajectories and speed against the relief opens new piloting potential, as yet
unexplored using soft canopies.
The Bobcat will give you the possibility to return to the original soul of flight and also to open
up new fields of practice. You will be able to fly down the mountain in wider aerological
conditions with this simple and solid glider. You will have fun with strong wind ground handling
and soaring…
Speedflying fields of use…
"Traditional" Speedflying
Unlike modern paragliders, the Bobcat will give you an adrenaline-powered ride down a
mountain, following the slopes and ridges. This is due to a lower glide ratio and higher trim
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speed. You'll reach the bottom faster, but with a huge grin on your face.
Soaring in stronger winds
How many pilots confronted with "strong" winds of 30-45 km/h, have dreamed of the
Bobcat? Here it is!
On the coast, in the mountains, or on your favourite hill, when it is impossible to take
your paragli der from its bag, the Bobca t is ready to take over.
Ground training
How many paragliding schools have dreamed of the Bobcat? Here it is.
To learn in safety on school slopes the basis of inflation and to become familiar with
techniques for stronger winds, the Bobcat is a wonderful educational tool.
Mountaineering
How many mountaineers climbing down from a summit have dreamed of the Bobcat?
Here it is!
The Bobcat will allow you to take off and fly in stronger winds than would be possible
with a paraglider. The Bobcat is compact, light and will easily fit into the bottom of an
experienced mountaineer’s backpack. Its instantaneous inflati on and its high stability
in turbulence will allow you to experience mountains in a thrilling new way.
For pilots who…
The Bobcat is a speedglider designed for highly experienced and responsible pilots that have
enough knowledge to adapt to the speedglider’s dynamic handling. The higher wing loading
increases the speed and the responsiveness of the handling. The glide angles are much lower
than with modern paragliders. The landing approach and landing itself are considerably
different.
The Bobcat is no t recommended for busy flyin g sites and training in a professional paragliding
school is stron gly recomme nded. Regular p ractice on the ground is ve ry useful. Take special
care when deciding when and where to fly, and respect other flyers and flying machines.
Manufacturing
All GIN gliders are produced in the company' s own faciliti es using the most modern techniques.
Highly skilled staff take extreme care throughout th e entire manufacturing process. Stringent
quality control is made after each step, and all materials th at go into each wing can be traced.
These measures guarantee that pilots fly with the assurance that their wing meets the most
exacting safety standards.
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4. Before you fly
Pre-delivery Inspection
The BOBCAT is delivered with a rucksack, the Bobcat harness (designed specifically for the
Bobcat), inner bag, compression strap, repair tape and this manual. Your instructor or dealer
should have made a test inflation followed by a test flight before delivery.
Risers and trimmers
The back risers of the BOBCAT are fitted with trimmers that enable the pilot to adapt the
glider’s behaviour to match his level and the chosen slope. Trimming down (shortening) the back
risers makes the glider slower, the han dling less respon sive and more fo rgi ving, so su itabl e for
pilots that have less experience. Trimming up the risers accelerates the glider, see accelerated
flight for more details. Ask for the advice of an instructor who specialises in Speedflying in
order to bet t er understand and exploit the trimming system.
#13.5, #15, #16,5 A C D
Turn Down 50cm 49cm 48cm
Neutral 50cm 50Cm 50cm
Turn up 50cm 53cm 56cm
Trim down Neutral Trim up
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Brake line adjustment
The main brake line lengths of the BOBCAT are the same as on the sample that h as been used by
the GIN R&D team. These line lengths have been fine tuned by GIN test pilots, and it should not
be necessary to adjust them.
In soaring flight, it is common to fly with half a wrap on the b rakes and hold the handles on the
knot. However, care should be taken to release the wraps in any extreme situation.
If you do need to make adjustments to suit your harness, body and flying style, we strongly
recommend that you test fly the glider with every 2cm of adjustment. There should be a
minimum of 10cm of free brake travel when the glider is flown hands-off. We recommend a
double sheepshank or a bowline knot for the brake handle attachment as shown in the diagram.
Rucksack
The BOBCAT is delivered with a rucksack and a harness specifically designed for carrying
comfort and ease of use.
Your harness
The BOBCAT was developed with the BOBCAT harness, specific to Speedflying. We recommend
that you use the BOBCAT solely with this harness.
Adjusting the chest strap controls th e distance between the carabiners of the two risers, which
has an influence on the glider’s behaviour.
There is no need to use the BOBCAT with a tight chest strap adjustment, as there is no tendency
to feel unstable.
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Weight range
The BOBCAT should be used in the weight range for which it was designed. The weight range is
defined according to the pilot’s weight, including clothes.
BOBCAT #13,5 #15 #16,5
Weight/ piloting
level
expert Advanced
≤ 80kg
Advanced
80 kg ≥
Essential
In order to fly with this equipment, you should:
*Have received theoretical and practical tuition for Speedflying.
*Have sufficient practice, the knowledge and the experience necessary to use this glider
correctly and safely.
*Have subscribed to the licences and insurances necessary for the practice of this sport.
*Be in normal p hysical and mental health, not be under the influence of alcohol or other drugs.
*Fly only in meteorological conditions fit fo r the practice of Speedflying (and adapted to your
level and experience).
*Wear a helmet and all safety equipment necessary to the practice of speedflying.
*Have thoroughly checked all your equipment.
*Be aware of all the information contained in this manual.
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5. Flying with the BOBCAT
We recommend that you first practice inflating your glider on a small training slope. Make you r
first flights with your new speedflying glider in gentle conditions in a familiar area.
Preparation for launch
Following a consistent method of preparation and pre-flight ch ecks is vital for safe flying. We
recommend the following:
On arrival at the flying site, assess the suitability of the conditions: wind speed and
direction, airspace.
Inspect your glider, harness, helmet and any other equipment.
Choose a sufficiently large take-off area with even ground and no obstacles.
Lay the glider out according to the planform, and get the lines and risers sorted out.
Put your helme t on. Secure yourself in your harness and don' t forget the leg loops!
Connect the risers to your harness carabiners, ensuring there are no twists or loops
around the lines.
Do a final line check by pulling gently on the risers or lines to ensure there are no new
knots, tangles or interfering branches or rocks. Take extra care in nil or light winds.
Pre-flight check list
Helmet and harness buckles closed.
Lines free.
Canopy open and into wind.
Airspace clear.
Take off
The key to a successful launch technique is to practice ground handling whenever you can.
Keeping your brake handles in your hands, the BOBCAT inflates very easily, with front risers in
hand. Keep your arms slightly bent and hands at shoulder height. While using the front risers,
your arms should rise in a curve. It is not necessary to pull hard on the risers.
Make a visual chec k on your glider before taking off to see if it is correctly inflated and that
there are no knots or tangles. If something is wrong, abort the take off.
A slight pressure on the brakes always makes the take off easier. Don’t forget to run fast with
long strides!
Trim position for take off at normal altitude in normal conditions is : “neutral”
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Minimum sink rate and max glide ratio.
The minimum sink rate can be found by pulling the brakes on by about 20 cm. the theoretical
max glide ratio is obtained by trimming the back risers by 1 cm.
Accelerated flight
Once you have become accustomed to flying the BOBCAT, you can practice using the trimmers.
These enable you to increase the speed of your glider, and to have better penetration through
the air in stronger wind conditions. Expert pilots can also use the trimmers to better match
their glide to the angle of the slo pe. Caution: when f lying accelerated, your wing will react in a
quicker, more responsive manner in turns and the glide angle will be a lot steeper. Learn and
take advice from a qualified instructor.
Active Flying
The BOBCAT has a high internal pressure, high resistance to collapses and a high level of
passive security. However, due to the small area and short lines lenght, it is recommended wi th
this type of glider to adopt an active handling style that will help you to fly safely. The key to
active handling is to keep your glider above your head. If the glider has a tendency to lag
behind, raise your hands. If the glid er h as a tendency to shoot forward, then control it with the
brakes. In all cases, always remember to keep sufficient air-speed and avoid over-piloting. Be
ready to control the roll axis also, piloting the exit of spiral if needed.
In turbulent conditions
The BOBCAT is a very stable glider and collapses on one or both of the front risers are
extremely rare. Extreme turbulence could generate a collapse but the BOBCAT will resume
normal flight in almost all configurations. In case of any doubt, keep your hands at shoulder
height and let the glider fly.
However, if the glider shoots forward violently, control it with the brakes immediately. To help
your glider resume flight more rapidly, it is recommended to use an active handling style,
without being out of time with the wing’s movements.
Steering without brakes
If a brake is not operational for some reason, you can steer the BOBCAT with the C-risers. Add
steering input by weight-shifting in your harness. Be careful not to steer too much with the
riser to avoid any possibility of a spin.
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Caution :
The BOBCAT is not designed to perform manoeuvres outside the normal flight configuration. Our
test pilots have tested the various reactions in extreme situations; however we strongly
recommend that you do not perform stalls, manoeuvres and spins. It is also strongly
recommended not to fly any aerobatics with the BOBCAT.
Landing with the BOBCAT
Choose a landing area free of obstacles. It is recommended to land with a full flair; it will enable
you to obtain a zero vertical speed and an easy run at the end of the flair. Do not make your last
turn at low height, or make a radical turn close to the ground. Do not approach too slowly with
the back trimmer on and a lot of brake. The best landing approach is with the trimmers set to
neutral and then use a proper flair to bleed of your speed.
You can land in full speed trim p osition, low speed position or ether at neutral position, as you
manage your flair correctly.
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6. Care, Maintenance and Repairs
The materials used in the BOBCAT have been carefully selected for maximum durability.
Nevertheless, following the guidelines below will help keep your glider airworthy and will
ensure a long period of continuous safe operation. Excessive wear is caused by careless ground
handling and packing, unnecessary exposure to UV light, chemicals, heat and moisture.
Ground handling
Be careful of the following:
Violent shocks to the upper surface (e.g. when the canopy crashes to the ground leading
edge first whilst ground handling).
Dragging the glider along the ground.
Dyneema, the core material of the lines, is very strong and can take high loads without
stretching, but it is sensitive to heat.
Opening your wing in strong winds without first untangling the lines.
UV damage
Avoid leaving the glider out in the sun unnecessarily. UV rays from the sun degrade glider cloth.
Packing instructions
We advise you to pack the glider “accordion wise” as shown in the drawing. This packing
procedure takes slightly longer and is easier to do with an assistant, but it conserves the
rigidity in the profile reinforcements.
Since folding the glider weakens the materials, pack the glider as loosely as possible.
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Transport and Storage
Moisture is the worst enemy of your glider, adversel y affecting the ageing of fabri c, lines and
reinforcements. The BOBCAT should therefore be kept dry and cool. Do not pack the glider away
for a prolonged period if it is damp, sandy, salty, or if other objects have entered the cells.
Always allow it to dry naturally before storage in a dry room. Leave the rucksack zip open
whenever possible to allow residual moisture to evap orate, and do not transport or store the
glider in the proximity of chemicals such as gasoline, paints or other solvents.
Cleaning
Use only lukewarm water and a soft cloth to clean your wing. Never use any abrasive materials
or detergents. Only clean the wing if it is absolutely necessary e.g. after a landing in salt water.
Maintenance Inspections
GIN Gliders recommend that the BOBCAT is inspected by an authorized Gin agent after every 100
hours flying time or every year, whichever is sooner.
The maintenance instructions, which can be downloaded from our homepage
www.gingliders.com, have to be observed.
A full inspection will give you peace of mind and extend your glider's lifetime. Additional
inspections should be performed by a qualified person following a crash or violent landing on
the leading edge, or if you note a deterioration of performance or behavi our .
You should also check for any damage to your lines, sail, risers and connectors before each
flight.
Repairs
Very small holes in the sail can be repaired with th e sticky-backed ripstop tape provided with
your glider. Damaged lines should be replaced by your GIN dealer. Before fitting a replacement
line, check it for length against its counterpart on the other side of the wing. When a line has
been replaced, always inflate the glider on flat ground to check that everything is in order
before flying.
Major repairs, such as replacing panels, should only be carried out by the distributor or
manufacturer.
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7. Technical data BOBCAT
Technical data BOBCAT
SIZE 13.5 15 16.5
AREA 13.5m² 15m² 16.5m²
FLAT
PROJECTED
CHORD
CELL NUMBER 26 26 26
SPAN 7.25m 7.65m 8.0m
A.R 3.9 3.9 3.9
AREA 11.42m² 12.69m² 13.96m²
SPAN 5.8m 6.12m 6.42m
A.R 2.95 2.95 2.95
ROOT 2.18m 2.30m 2.41m
TIP 0.91m 0.96m 1.01m
GLIDER WEIGHT 3.2 kg 3.5 kg 3.8 kg
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Line Plan
ST main
stA
14
13
a6
12
main A3
11
10
a5
b5 b6
9
a4
a3
a2
b4
b3
b2
b1
8
7
main A2
6
5
4
3
main A1
2
a1
1
stB
stC
stD
c6
main C3
c5
c4
main C2
c3
c2
main C1
c1
Line material
Upper line
Main line
STB Main
Brake Main
TGL140, TGL80
TGL280
TGL140
TGL200
d1
e6
d3
d2
e5
br6
e4
e3
e2
e1
br1
br2
br3
br mid2
br4
br5
br mid3
br main
br mid1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
main D1
main D2
d4
d5
main D3
d6
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Description
FABRIC OF CANOPY
NAME DOMINICO TEX
SUPPLIER
ADDRESS 641-11 Dungchondong Kangseogu Seoul Korea
TYPE OF FINISH SIDE COATED
TYPE OF YARN
FABRIC CODE
PATTERN Rip Stop Rip Stop
Coated fabric’s weight (g/sqm) 43+2 43+2
Tear
Strength
Elongation on bias 3 Ibs (%) 11.5 Max 11.5 Max
Elongation on bias 5 Ibs (%) 17.5 Max 17.5 Max
Elongation on bias 10 Ibs (%) 25.5 Max 25.5 Max
WARP (DaN) 3.6 Max 3.6 Max
WEFT (DaN) 4.1 Max 4.1 Max
NYLON 6.6 HIGH TENAC ITY –
30 Denier
3RS ME
(Top and Bottom surface)
NYLON 6.6 HIGH TENAC ITY –
30 Denier
3RS FM
(Rib)
Break
Strength
AIR Permeability p=2000Pa
WARP (DaN/5cm) 42 Max 42 Max
WEFT (DaN/5cm) 43 Max 43 Max
(l/SQMXMN)
40 Max 40 Max
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Suspension line
MATERIAL ARAMID(TECHNORA)
SUPPLIER
DIAMETER(mm) TGL80(Top) TGL140(Top) TGL280(Main)
DIAMETER(mm) 1.1 1.4 1.8
YARN COUNT 1,000D 1,000D 1,000D
NUMBER OF CORE 4 7 14
BREAKING STRENGT H 80kg 140KG 280kg
NAME TEIJIN LIMITED, JAPAN
ADDRESS
1- 1, UCHISAIWAI-CHO 2-CHOME, CHIYODA-KU,
2- TOKYO 100, JAPAN
Reinforcement
FABRIC CODE W420 SCRIM
SUPPLIER
MATERIAL POLYERTER SCRIM
WEIGHT(GR/M²) 180
BREAKING
STRENGTH
(KG/5Cm)
NAME PORCHER NCV Industries
ADDRESS
WARP 137
WEFT 118
L’Isle d’Abeau, Parc de Chesnes, 75, rue du Ruisseau
38070 SAINT QUENTIN FALLAVIER Cedex / France
TEAR STRENGTH
(KG/5Cm)
WEAVE DESIGN RIPSTOP
18
WARP 4.2
WEFT 4.1
Riser
MATERIAL POLYERSTER TAPE
NAME Güth & Wolf GmbH
SUPPLIER
Maillon
SUPPLIER
ADDRESS
WEIGHT(GR/M) 34
BREAKING STRENGTH 1,100DAN
WIDTH(mm) 20mm
MATERIAL STAINLESS STEEL
NAME SUBO TECH CO.
ADDRESS
981-1 CHAGOK-RI PALTAN-GU, HWASUNG-CITY, KYUNG KI-DO,
Herzebrockerstr. 1-3 D-33330 Gütersloh
GERMANY
KOREA
WEIGHT(GR) 12
BREAKING STRENGTH 1,000kg
DIAMETER(mm) 4.3
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Bridle (Attachement line)
MATERIAL NYLON
NAME SUPPLIER
SUPPLIER
ADDRESS
WEIGHT(GR/M) 7.2
BREAKING STRENGTH (kg) 110
WIDTH(mm) 13
45 MU KYO DONG JUNG – G U,
SEOUL, KOREA
Thread
SUPPLIER
MATERIAL
NAME AMANN & SOHNE GMBH & CO.
ADDRESS
DENIER 150D/2 250D/3
BREAKING STRENGTH 2.9kg 3.2kg
WEIGHT(GR/M) 0.05G 0.083G
HIGH TENACITY POLYESTER YARN
INDUSTRIESTRASE 1, D-74391 ERLIGHEIM,
GERMANY
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“Designing gliders is a personal journey of challenge and discovery, an ongoing search for
perfection."
- Gin Seok Song
Every effort ha s been mad e to prov ide you wi th important and useful information in this
flight manual. However, please remember that this is not a book made to teach you how
to fly, and that courses in a certified professional school are necessary for the safe
practice of Speedflying.
This flight manual may be amended at any time without any prior notice. Please visit our
website www.gingliders.com for all the latest information regarding the BOBCAT and all
GIN gliders’ products.
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