Aerodyne Pilot testimonial

[billvon 3,118]

A few months ago I ordered a Pilot 140 for my wife. She needed a replacement for her old Sabre 150 that had finally blown up after a long (2000+ jumps) life.

A week or so before Thailand, I got a note from our sector captain that he wanted to see wing loadings in the range of 1.25 to 1.75 to help with landing separation. I load my Safire higher than that, so I started to look around for a different canopy. I tried a used Silhouette 150, but the lineset needed replacing and I could not get that done in time for Thailand. So I gave Aubrey a call at Aerodyne and asked if they could speed up delivery of the Pilot.

I got the Pilot the day before I left. I put it on risers, packed it up, and headed to Thailand. I was a little nervous on its first jump - we were jumping over downtown Korat, and a malfunction most likely meant a lost canopy. I needn't have worried. It opened fine, and I landed with the rest of the jumpers for the first time on the Wing 1 airfield in Korat.

Over the 18 jumps of the record attempt the Pilot opened reliably in 300-400 feet, which is exactly what I needed. A long snivel would have been as problematic as a hard opening when each tracking wave is separated vertically by 300 feet. It opened on-heading 90% of the time, which made opening in crowded airspace a lot less scary. It landed me well under all conditions, even during no-wind and downwind landing conditions with seven extra pounds of lead on, and even when temperatures were in the 100's and thermals were bumping us around. Having a canopy like the Pilot let me concentrate on the dive and breakoff without having to worry about what it was going to do on opening.

Good job on the canopy, aerodyne!

[dgskydive 0]

if everyone would listen to you and I Bill. They would all be jumping Pilots. Great Canopy! You should put this in the reviews.

Dom