My new Pilot 132

[Tonto 1]

Are they really supposed to take 1000ft to open?
I'm starting to think I'll be doing a lot of walking if my AFF student takes me down a bit...

As for wing suit jumps - I'll easily be able to undo both arm zippers before the canopy opens.

Right now.. I'm not so sure if that's a good thing.

t

It's the year of the Pig.

[EAerodyne 0]

Howzit Tonto,

Chom, sounds like something is totally wrong with that picture. I personally have wing suit jumps on a pilot and don't have experience of that nature. I also noticed you are jumping on the reef, (probably 4000+ ft above sea level) Are you absolutely certain it was a thousand feet? Did you measure this by an altimeter, pro-track etc? Are you sure where ever your pro-track is that it isn't caught in a low pressure (burble) and that the reading is correct. A good way to really check is to film your opening or have someone do it for you, and then time the duration of the opening.

Lastly boet, Please check with our sales rep in South Africa Dave MacRae in regards to assisting you further. It could be, and I'd hate to point fingers just be as simple as you being used to packing a specific way to slow an opening down on your previous canopy and not needing to do so on this canopy.

We currently have no reports of this canopy opening too slowly, as a matter of fact it is why it is our largest selling main canopy, is due to it's pleasant openings.

Please get back with me personally if Dave is unable to help you. Customer service is high on Aerodyne's priority list and we want to make sure your queries are addressed.

Best regards and blue skies

Edward Anderson
Chief of Operations
Aerodyne Research

[dgskydive 0]

I would be interested to know how this turns out for you Tanto. I have put a bunch of jumps on the Pilot as well and never had an opening take that long. I did jumps on 3 different sizes of Pilot and if I start my wave off at 3000 ft. I am usually in the saddle at about 2000-1900 ft., but that is with a big slow wave off before pulling. So it probably takes maybe 5-600 feet to open (for me at least).

Also Mr. Anderson there brought up a good point about packing it. If you are rolling the nose..... don't. Leave the nose right out in front. I just let it go, don't even stuff it back in. Just let it go and wrap the tail. Hope you get it worked out.

Dom

[Tonto 1]

Thanks for the reply.

Dave was at the DZ this weekend, but had already left by the time I'd hooked it up and jumped my Pilot.

It was over 1000 ft. My Stilleto 107 takes 450 - 600 ft from a Terminal opening, the Safire about the same, but slower in the begining and faster towards the end with a strange "head shaking" type motion that ends up on heading 95% of the time.

On this dive, I pulled (Not started to wave..) at 3600ft, waited a bit, looked up. Canopy was out the bag, shaking itself out, slider clear, but right against the stops. It stayed there for 3 -4 seconds, I glanced at the alti, just below 3000, so I knew I was slowing, looked back up and thought.. "OK, manual deployment time" and was reaching for the back risers when the slider started its (rather slow) decent. I was fully deployed, brakes still stowed at 2400ft.

The opening reminded me of a Cruislite/Unit with 1500 dives on it, back in the 80's.

I hear what you're saying WRT packing. I didn't pack it as with AFF I prefer spending my ground time with my students breifing/debriefing. The packer did roll the nose a bunch - and I've told him to leave it open in future.

I never jumped it again, prefering the predictability of my Stilleto/Safire for the remaining 15 dives I had for the weekend. I'll do a wingsuit dive on it this weekend on my own packjob and see how things go from there.

Aside, my AFF partner for the weekend (Jumping an Icon) also had one of her legstraps release completely to the stop on one of our AFF dives. This put her in a bit of a spot - canopy turning, chest strap to her neck. I'm guessing Dave has already heard about that one.

Later,

t

It's the year of the Pig.

[EAerodyne 0]

Hey Tonto,

So you have only put one jump on it?........If that is the case, get 10-15 jumps on it and let's see if that is the issue. Personally it sounds like from one pack job that was obviously rolled as you mentioned in your previous post.

If you are using a packer, then get the same packer to work with you and work on improving the openings over a period of 10-15 jumps and if it is still a problem, please contact me personally and I'll make sure you get taken care of.

Best regards

Edward Anderson
Chief Of Operations
Aerodyne Research

[Tonto 1]

Hey Ed,

Only one jump. I know it'll take well over 100 before that rag is "mine" and I know how it will react in most situations. I always work with the same packer - but will pack myself for a while so I have an accurate frame of reference.

Thanks so much for the great customer support. I do apreciate it.

t

It's the year of the Pig.