ADVANCE Sigma 12 DLS

ADVANCE Sigma 12 DLS  size 24 ( UPDATED) 

The Sigma 12 DLS new 3-liner C class glider for ADVANCE in 2024/25. It is a semi-light glider with around 4.5 kg.

Construction and details are typically ADVANCE. Very neat and well-built. 

Launching the S12 DLS is straightforward, easy, and simple to take off without any hard points. Even in no wind, the take-off is easy.

I flew the Sigma 12 DLS at 92 all up. Next to me, my friends were on one Photon S, One Photon MS, and one ML. There was also a Rush 6 MS and a Rook 3 MS.  

The brake travel is on the moderate side, quite direct, smooth, and linear response. 10 to 15 cm are needed to turn the glider inside a thermal. The Sigma 12 DLS resembles the S11 agility. 

Coring thermals is a pleasure under the Sigma 12 DLS. A fun glider to play in thermals, with good authority. I didn’t feel it had a dynamic turn inside the core rather than an agile, smooth turn. 

Comfort:

I flew in weak air and later in strong air and turbulent conditions. The S12 DLS felt solid and comfortable for the C category in all those conditions. The structure is very homogenous, and the pilot could feel that extra passive safety as if he were on a comfortable high B-class glider!  The Sigma 12 DLS as a C glider, is very accessible for the 3 liner C class pilots, much like the S11, possibly even more comfortable… Close enough to the Alpina 4 in comfort. 

The difference between flying a Sigma 12 DLS and any 2-liner C is very different. The feel inside a moving airmass under a 3-liner like the Sigma 12 DLS, resembles the high B+ category delivering a genuine three-liner feel. Smooth pitch in the air, with high passive safety for the C class compared to a 2-liner C. 

Climb rate:

Thermal flying and efficiency:  

As much as the Sigma 12 DLS is easy and comfortable with high passive safety, the glider doesn’t compete with the 2-liner C gliders in climb efficiency, as the Artik-R, Photon, etc...which is logical, of course as ADVANCE intended to deliver a friendly user glider.  

In weak conditions, the S12 DLS resembles the S11 in weak air. 

The glider is much more tamed.   

In 2 m/s thermals, it climbs quite nicely next to other C’s, even with the two-liners.  

Gliding:

I tried to glide with the two-liners in the sky next to me, and I was surprised that the Sigma 12 DLS gliding capabilities would surpass the S11 and be close enough to the good two-liners!  Even when pushing on the speed bar, which gave me 11..12 km/h max over trim taken at 900 ASL, the glide stays quite interesting for arriving at the next crossing. But it is better to stay 90% on the speed bar with moderate pressure while gliding if you want to stay close to the 2 liners if they only use 25% of their speed bar. 

Of course, I am not comparing the Sigma 12 DLS to the two-liners, as they are aimed at different pilot profiles, but it is just to give you an idea that the glide angle in smooth air is quite competitive only if the moving airmass is not quite challenging, with more headwind…difficult airmass… 

Ears are easy to do, stable, and reopen smoothly without pilot interference. 

Conclusion:

A plain and simple 3-line concept for the conventional C class pilot. The Sigma 12 DLS is very comfortable to fly, agile, and with very good gliding performance. 

After the Iota DLS and other high B’s, the Sigma 12 DLS will welcome you for its high accessibility as a three-liner C glider.  

UPDATE: 

Hi,

I flew the Sigma DLS size 24 at 93 on my Impress 4. The climb in weak felt much better, like the S11 in that matter.  The handling and brake authority is sweet and direct, with good agility with the Impress 4 and moderate pressure.

The overall comfort is very high, and the S 12 DLS feels somehow...like a B glider in the air. The pitch is absent, the roll is very tame, and the energy stored in the glider dissipates quickly after wingovers or induced collapses. The full speed which has moderate to slightly firm pressure on the feet, over trim, is around 11-12 km/h with a very good glide angle. I think ADVANCE wanted to deliver a very easy 3-liner C with very good glide performance at that speed. 

Everything I wrote in my earlier flying the 22 feels the same, with a better climb rate in weak, but flying the glider with a harness like the Lightness 4 enhances the overall feel and maneuverability. 

When I flew the size 22 overweight, the glider kept its easiness and high comfort, which is unusual most of the time and shows that the glider genes are created to deliver high easiness for a C-class glider.  

I think pilots after two seasons and moving from their high B's would not find any difference in glider control over their glider. For instance, some B's are more demanding to fly.

 This explains the high comfort I found on the size 24 at 93 all up. 

Ears are stable. They reopen smoothly without pilot intervention after 3-4 seconds. Wingovers are nice to make, but you feel the energy inside the glider is very well controlled and dissipates fast.

Induced collapses are very easy to maintain. 

Stall speed is forgiving. 

UPDATE on the Sigma 12 DLS size 22 :

Sigma DLS size 22 
Yesterday, I flew the Sigma DLS size 22 with my Lightness 4 harness at 83, all up in moderate air.
The handling and turning abilities at 83, in combination with the Lightness 4, deliver a very agile and playful glider. I could easily core any thermal in super tight turns. The climb rate is now more than acceptable at that load!
More to come soon for both sizes.