Groundrush99 0 #1 January 2, 2008 I jump a pilot 190 & would like to downsize to a smaller canopy, probably a 170 I'm not in any hurry or anything but I have only jumped larger rigs in my skydiving career (Silver Hawk 192) and various student canopies when I haven't jumped for awhile, probably also 210's I weigh about 13.8 stone (192 pounds) I have been in the sport since 1988 but have had a few long gaps in between & only do a few jumps in the summer each year. In total I have just over 155 jumps I know experience is everything but I want a rig that will last me a longtime without growing out of it. Would it be a bad idea if I went out & bought a smaller canopy? Any suggesions would be most appreciated thanks Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites dragon2 2 #2 January 2, 2008 Why would you want to downsize when you make so few jumps/year? You're already at the 1.1-1.2 wingload suggested for your jumpnumber and that's with regular jumping... The pilot is a great canopy, the size fits you, what about it is not making you happy? ciel bleu, Saskia Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites councilman24 37 #3 January 2, 2008 Quote Would it be a bad idea if I went out & bought a smaller canopy? Yes. The only way you'll outgrow it is to put on too much weight. With the rate you jump you it will take many many years to fully explore the flight of the 190 and to become confident in all wind and landing area conditions.I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Groundrush99 0 #4 January 2, 2008 Quote Why would you want to downsize when you make so few jumps/year? You're already at the 1.1-1.2 wing load suggested for your jump number and that's with regular jumping... The pilot is a great canopy, the size fits you, what about it is not making you happy? The canopy is still relatively new, only 75 jumps so it's still slippery & a bugger to pack, I guess I want a smaller easier to pack size. Quote Quote Would it be a bad idea if I went out & bought a smaller canopy? Yes. The only way you'll outgrow it is to put on too much weight. With the rate you jump you it will take many many years to fully explore the flight of the 190 and to become confident in all wind and landing area conditions. Thats why I bought the 190 as I seem to put on weight as I get older Thanks guys, I guess I'd better stay with what I have till I put on more weight and have to get a bigger size Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites mktoson 0 #5 January 2, 2008 Quote The canopy is still relatively new, only 75 jumps so it's still slippery & a bugger to pack, I guess I want a smaller easier to pack size. With making so few jumps per year I think you are making the right choice by sticking with your current canopy. Downsizing just for the sake of convenience isn't a good thing. So far, this is the oldest I've ever been. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites dragon2 2 #6 January 2, 2008 So, put more jumps on the canopy it'll get easier to pack, and ask someone good at packing to show you some tricks to make it easier. ciel bleu, Saskia Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites AggieDave 6 #7 January 3, 2008 Jumping that infrequently you really should stick to your current canopy. Currency is a big factor in jumping higher wingloadings. Firstly you have to have the skill to get to higher wingloadings then you have to keep that skill honed.--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites siddacious 0 #8 January 3, 2008 Quote The canopy is still relatively new, only 75 jumps so it's still slippery & a bugger to pack, I guess I want a smaller easier to pack size. You could always let another (appropriate and trusted) jumper use your main while you're not jumping it to help brake it in for you.A dolor netus non dui aliquet, sagittis felis sodales, dolor sociis mauris, vel eu libero cras. Interdum at. Eget habitasse elementum est. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites davelepka 4 #9 January 3, 2008 QuoteThe canopy is still relatively new, only 75 jumps so it's still slippery & a bugger to pack, I guess I want a smaller easier to pack size. Sell it, and buy a used Pilot 190 with a few hundred jumps on it. You'll clear a few hundred bucks, and it will be MUCH easier to pack. Spend the money on making more jumps. Or beer. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites billvon 3,116 #10 January 3, 2008 >The canopy is still relatively new, only 75 jumps so it's still slippery & a bugger to pack . . . . Put another 100 jumps on it and it will become much easier! Or spray it with a little water from a mister, or pack on damp grass - there are a lot of ways to temporarily make it easier to pack while you're waiting for it to "age." (Or just get a packer!) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Joellercoaster 6 #11 January 5, 2008 Slightly off-topic, but: I bought a Pilot 168 in the middle of last year and have put 80-something jumps on it since. I guess I've just come to deal with it, but I still get the odd packer complaining that it's (and I quote) a bitch to pack. The last one I spoke to said he packs a lot of Pilots and they seem to hold their slipperiness a comparatively long time... is Aerodyne using something different to other manufacturers? I ask because I've packed relatively few types of canopies (almost exclusively my Pilots), and generally only one or two instances of each model, which isn't enough to say anything about anything. It certainly wouldn't dissuade me from buying another Pilot in the future, this is purely idle curiosity.-- "I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan "You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites in2jumping 0 #12 January 5, 2008 QuoteSlightly off-topic, but: I bought a Pilot 168 in the middle of last year and have put 80-something jumps on it since. I guess I've just come to deal with it, but I still get the odd packer complaining that it's (and I quote) a bitch to pack. The last one I spoke to said he packs a lot of Pilots and they seem to hold their slipperiness a comparatively long time... is Aerodyne using something different to other manufacturers? I ask because I've packed relatively few types of canopies (almost exclusively my Pilots), and generally only one or two instances of each model, which isn't enough to say anything about anything. It certainly wouldn't dissuade me from buying another Pilot in the future, this is purely idle curiosity. I have a new Pilot 188 in a Icon I6 and its a bitch to pack. Not so hard bagging the canopy I just find it hard to get the Icon closed and looking good. The main container compartment seems short and shallow. So I am having to try and bag my canopy flat and wide. If I get too much canopy on one side of the bag the side main flap on the opposite side gets wrinkles. As far as slipperiness the Pilot feels the same as all the new PD ZP canopies I have packed. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Join the conversation You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. 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dragon2 2 #2 January 2, 2008 Why would you want to downsize when you make so few jumps/year? You're already at the 1.1-1.2 wingload suggested for your jumpnumber and that's with regular jumping... The pilot is a great canopy, the size fits you, what about it is not making you happy? ciel bleu, Saskia Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
councilman24 37 #3 January 2, 2008 Quote Would it be a bad idea if I went out & bought a smaller canopy? Yes. The only way you'll outgrow it is to put on too much weight. With the rate you jump you it will take many many years to fully explore the flight of the 190 and to become confident in all wind and landing area conditions.I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Groundrush99 0 #4 January 2, 2008 Quote Why would you want to downsize when you make so few jumps/year? You're already at the 1.1-1.2 wing load suggested for your jump number and that's with regular jumping... The pilot is a great canopy, the size fits you, what about it is not making you happy? The canopy is still relatively new, only 75 jumps so it's still slippery & a bugger to pack, I guess I want a smaller easier to pack size. Quote Quote Would it be a bad idea if I went out & bought a smaller canopy? Yes. The only way you'll outgrow it is to put on too much weight. With the rate you jump you it will take many many years to fully explore the flight of the 190 and to become confident in all wind and landing area conditions. Thats why I bought the 190 as I seem to put on weight as I get older Thanks guys, I guess I'd better stay with what I have till I put on more weight and have to get a bigger size Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mktoson 0 #5 January 2, 2008 Quote The canopy is still relatively new, only 75 jumps so it's still slippery & a bugger to pack, I guess I want a smaller easier to pack size. With making so few jumps per year I think you are making the right choice by sticking with your current canopy. Downsizing just for the sake of convenience isn't a good thing. So far, this is the oldest I've ever been. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dragon2 2 #6 January 2, 2008 So, put more jumps on the canopy it'll get easier to pack, and ask someone good at packing to show you some tricks to make it easier. ciel bleu, Saskia Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #7 January 3, 2008 Jumping that infrequently you really should stick to your current canopy. Currency is a big factor in jumping higher wingloadings. Firstly you have to have the skill to get to higher wingloadings then you have to keep that skill honed.--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
siddacious 0 #8 January 3, 2008 Quote The canopy is still relatively new, only 75 jumps so it's still slippery & a bugger to pack, I guess I want a smaller easier to pack size. You could always let another (appropriate and trusted) jumper use your main while you're not jumping it to help brake it in for you.A dolor netus non dui aliquet, sagittis felis sodales, dolor sociis mauris, vel eu libero cras. Interdum at. Eget habitasse elementum est. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
davelepka 4 #9 January 3, 2008 QuoteThe canopy is still relatively new, only 75 jumps so it's still slippery & a bugger to pack, I guess I want a smaller easier to pack size. Sell it, and buy a used Pilot 190 with a few hundred jumps on it. You'll clear a few hundred bucks, and it will be MUCH easier to pack. Spend the money on making more jumps. Or beer. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 3,116 #10 January 3, 2008 >The canopy is still relatively new, only 75 jumps so it's still slippery & a bugger to pack . . . . Put another 100 jumps on it and it will become much easier! Or spray it with a little water from a mister, or pack on damp grass - there are a lot of ways to temporarily make it easier to pack while you're waiting for it to "age." (Or just get a packer!) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Joellercoaster 6 #11 January 5, 2008 Slightly off-topic, but: I bought a Pilot 168 in the middle of last year and have put 80-something jumps on it since. I guess I've just come to deal with it, but I still get the odd packer complaining that it's (and I quote) a bitch to pack. The last one I spoke to said he packs a lot of Pilots and they seem to hold their slipperiness a comparatively long time... is Aerodyne using something different to other manufacturers? I ask because I've packed relatively few types of canopies (almost exclusively my Pilots), and generally only one or two instances of each model, which isn't enough to say anything about anything. It certainly wouldn't dissuade me from buying another Pilot in the future, this is purely idle curiosity.-- "I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan "You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
in2jumping 0 #12 January 5, 2008 QuoteSlightly off-topic, but: I bought a Pilot 168 in the middle of last year and have put 80-something jumps on it since. I guess I've just come to deal with it, but I still get the odd packer complaining that it's (and I quote) a bitch to pack. The last one I spoke to said he packs a lot of Pilots and they seem to hold their slipperiness a comparatively long time... is Aerodyne using something different to other manufacturers? I ask because I've packed relatively few types of canopies (almost exclusively my Pilots), and generally only one or two instances of each model, which isn't enough to say anything about anything. It certainly wouldn't dissuade me from buying another Pilot in the future, this is purely idle curiosity. I have a new Pilot 188 in a Icon I6 and its a bitch to pack. Not so hard bagging the canopy I just find it hard to get the Icon closed and looking good. The main container compartment seems short and shallow. So I am having to try and bag my canopy flat and wide. If I get too much canopy on one side of the bag the side main flap on the opposite side gets wrinkles. As far as slipperiness the Pilot feels the same as all the new PD ZP canopies I have packed. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
