Downsizing from Spectre 170 to 150

[snafuhere 0]

I am planning to do so. With some 200 jumps on 170 I feel I might be ready. 170 starts to be boring.

Is Spectre 150 any different in handling or openings?
What if I got linetwist? Does it spin like hell to the ground or is still controllable like 170 was?

Would it be safe if I go for something else than Spectre 150 (some eliptical or semieliptical)?

Regards,
Kamil

PS. My exit weight is 200.

https://www.facebook.com/1skydive/

[skybytch 273]

I've been planning the same downsize - Spectre 170 to a 150. For the past 300 jumps I've been planning to do it - and soon.

So I did a few jumps on a Spectre 150, then a few more on a Safire 149 this year. And then I realized that even though I stand up 98% of my landings there's still sooo much more I can learn under what I've already got.

Maybe in another 200 jumps.

[snafuhere 0]

Thank you Lisa, you are right, one can learn a lot on 170. On the other hand there would be more fun with more speed. I was very careful for some 100 jumps on my Spectre, then gradually started hook turns (90, 180, 270) now I am trying 360 but there is no real difference from 180. Poor piloting or the canopy is like a bus, not a car (?).
I still remember my first jump (I downsized from 330 student canopy). I was cruising around DZ with speed, not just slowly loosing altitude. Now I have to use force to feel the speed :)

https://www.facebook.com/1skydive/

[GravityGirl 0]

If you put 100 straight in approaches on the 170, and you have under 300 jumps...

...you did not GRADUALLY build from a 90 to a 360. Don't fool yourself. Because you pull something off for a few skydives, does not mean you have it mastered.

Try doing 90s for a few HUNDRED jumps. Then progress from there.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Peace and Blue Skies!
Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

[AndyMan 7]

If you're trying to learn swooping, then a Spectre - no matter what size - is not a great option. Downsizing will not make your swoops any better - it'll just make it hurt more when you screw it up.

There are plenty of good canopies out on the market that swoop well at light wingloadings. Try a Sabre 2, Aerodyne Pilot, Icarus Safire 2, or a Big Air Lotus. All will swoop nicely, a 170 will give you a good wingloading with some really fun performance.

Learning to swoop with a Spectre is like learning to race with a school bus. It's a great canopy, but swooping is not what it does well.

_Am

__

You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead.

[kosanke 0]

my 2 cents. i jumped a spectre 170 for a year and then downsized to a spectre 150. i currently jump a stitello 150. exit weight 200lbs. the spectre is a great canopy. the opening should be the same, depending on how you pack. you will find that coming out of brakes, a more pronounced decent rate. turns will be quicker because of the increased wing loading. standup landings need a little more attention. trying to swoop a spectre with low jump #'s is not recommended, in my opinion. you will have to gain speed, which requires a low turn, high sink rate and the canopy will lose speed rather quickly when flattened out. a sabre 2 with 9 cells will have a flatter approach angle and you should not have to go to great lenghts to build up speed for a swoop. spectre is a great canopy. soft on heading openings, quick turns, soft landings but at a steeper glide angle. you will never see someone on the stage recording a win with a 350ft swoop. if you do, i'll buy the dz free beer for a year. hope this helps. Tom

[snafuhere 0]

Thank you for great replays.
Just to clear my intentions: I want to make an informed decision. I asked a lot of questions to my instructors and experienced jumpers on my DZ to go for Spectre 170. The decision was right. I made almost 200 jumps with no real problems (got scared or made my pants green from the grass sometimes).

Now I want more fun. But do not want to put myself in trouble. If I go for a canopy that is way above my skill level I will have to make hundreds of straight in approaches which is dangerous and definitely no fun at all.

From what Andrew and Thomas say I understand, Spectre is not intended to be pushed to the limits of horizontal speed on landings. I will consider Sabre or Stiletto than.

Interesting opinion by Bonnie. If a swooper suggests few more hundred jumps on my Spectre, maybe I should forget about more speed and stay on what I have (a school bus:)

I would appreciate any opinions or comments on that.

Kamil

https://www.facebook.com/1skydive/

[GTAVercetti 0]

Quote

Interesting opinion by Bonnie. If a swooper suggests few more hundred jumps on my Spectre, maybe I should forget about more speed and stay on what I have (a school bus:)


Kamil

a 1.18 loading is not really high, but it certainly not a school bus. I am still having lots of fun on my 170 Spectre even though it needs relined. And I bet if I gave it to some good swoopers to try, they could do some cool stuff with it.

Why yes, my license number is a palindrome. Thank you for noticing.

[174fps 1]

I put about 500 jumps on a spectre 170 and have 250+ jumps on my
spectre 150.
If you use Brian Germaine's guidelines for wing loading at ~1.2 and 200 jumps you are at the correct wing loading for your jumps.
A 150 would put you in the 1.4 range
keep your present canopy and use the next 200 jumps to build your skills
useing all control inputs, you are going to make mistakes, and the 170 will be more forgiving.
Remember a skilled pilot can swoop any canopy.