Performance difference on Katana???

[Scooter1812 0]

I'm switching over to a Katana 170 from an old Sabre1 170. I know that it should turn faster but I'm wondering if anyone out there has flown a Katana this big. I understand that a 107 is quick and nibble but this thing is 170 square feet ....

Anyone fly a big Katana like this (1.35 wing load)

[billvon 3,119]

>I'm switching over to a Katana 170 from an old Sabre1 170.

Why?

[AggieDave 6]

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>I'm switching over to a Katana 170 from an old Sabre1 170.

Why?

That is a big performance jump! Talk about a culture shock all the way from opening to flare. Hopefully the OP will do a couple of altitude clear and pulls to work on flares, flat turns, and low turn recovery.

For the OP: I've put a few jumps on the 170, but I was loaded at 1.7:1. It was a no nonsense hotrod canopy. It'll open very soft and really well (if you pack evenly, have good body position and don't mess with the rears on opening) and it'll be very fast. People try to say that it won't come back from a spot, but I completely disagree. It will if you get into the toggles and get the canopy to float like a lower performance canopy. Most of those people don't take into account body position and how that effects the canopy's forward speed either.

The canopy will dive hard, turn fast and all in all is a complete blast to fly! Please do a few altitude clear and pulls to learn the canopy. Its going to be a drastic change from that Sabre1 even though its the same size.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[Scooter1812 0]

I'm gonna take it really easy for a while. I bought the canopy to have some fun up high , spiral and such. I shatter my knee once doing a low toggle hook turn on my monarch 150 and I'm not looking to repeat it. Under a 1000' i just want to set up for straight in approachs. I'm hoping I can do that and land it reasonably.

What do you think too much of a hot rod for an old fart like me?

[AggieDave 6]

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What do you think too much of a hot rod for an old fart like me?

That's up to you.

Understanding realistically what your abilities are in addition to understanding where to get in person help from someone who knows not just how to do it but how to teach it, then you're set to grow and learn as far as you want to.

Remember that for all practical purposes, you have basically doubled your recovery arc with this canopy change.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[billvon 3,119]

> I'm gonna take it really easy for a while.
>Under a 1000' i just want to set up for straight in approachs.

After reading comments on line for a while now, and watching the real-world results of the decisions they post about, I've come to be very worried when I hear people saying "yeah, it's an aggressive canopy - I'm going to be really careful - I'll only land it straight in." You can't learn to fly a canopy like that, and when someday you get cut off at 50 feet, odds are you'll react wrong - because it will be the first time, ever, you turned that canopy at 50 feet.

If you are getting a Katana because you have completely exhausted the possibilites of the Sabre 170 - if you can land the Sabre on the side of a hill in a crosswind after a front riser turn, and still have enough flare to pop up over a last minute boulder you see - then great, the Katana might be a good next step.

But if not, I'd recommend really learning how to fly the Sabre before going to the Katana. Learn everything you can about the Sabre. Turn it at 50 feet. Do an accuracy approach. Do a front riser turn to landing. Land downwind. Get all that learning done on a canopy that does NOT scare you before you move on to one that does - and you'll be in a much better position to take advantage of the greater performance of the Katana.

My $.02

[erdnarob 1]

From my point of view you did a perfect change.
I changed recently from a SABRE 2-170 to a KATANA 170 and I land better now even with almost no wind condition (loading over 1.5). The Katana 170 and probably other Katana too, has an angle of depression or glide angle of 18 degrees and I supposed this is why it is ground hungry as they say. But on the other hand my Katana 170 has few better features than the SABRE 2 -170. More stopping power at landing and in almost no wind condition I don't run as much as with the SABRE 2-170, it packs slightly smaller than the SABRE 2-170 due to the HMA lines I guess and opens very smoothly (about 600 feet calculated on an average of 10 jumps (using the VIGIL downloaded data), it opens more often on heading provided after launching the pilot chute you resume your box position and look at the horizon. The Sabre 2-170 never gave me an on heading opening but within a second was quiet. The Sabre 2 -170 was opening in an average of 340 feet which is harder but OK. I guess you have like me a special slider (only for Katana 150 and 170) equiped with 2 bands of 2 inches wide thick mesh on the sides. I still have to ask John LeBlanc from PD about that feature.

Yes the Katana 170 turns fast and personally I keep that kind of manoeuver when being above 500-1000 feet. I have also the impression that my Katana 170 will not bring me back from far spot as well as the Sabre 2-170 did even with some brake applied. But I was happy to see that I could do some sort of accuracy with the Katana 170. It happened in Florida 5 weeks ago when we got a bad spot. At a 1000 feet still over the forest I realized I might not make it back to the airport therefore I choose to land in clear area in the forest. I made my landing very short to have plenty of space ahead of me but I had to pass at few feet from a big tree to do so. It worked well and my Katana did a nice job.
Have a very good time with your Katana but avoid to do erratic move near the ground. Straight forward and symetry with the toggles work the best.

Learn from others mistakes, you will never live long enough to make them all.

[ianmdrennan 2]

To the OP:

What are you looking for, from a canopy? I assume the Sabre is being retired because of age, or some other condition?

I think knowing what you like, are looking for, and where you plan to go, will help indicate whether there's a better choice for you as a pilot, or whether the KA is the one for you
Finally, demo the canopy from PD - they have a great program and it'll help you decide if you like the performance and characteristic changes you'll encounter on the KA

Blues,
Ian

Performance Designs Factory Team

[Scooter1812 0]

I'm a senior instructor at my drop zone and I do a lot of coaching and jump mastering. So I do a lot of 5-10 solo's after dispatching students. I'm 44 so I don't really want to start swooping hard core. Maybe after I get used to the canopy I'll do 90s max. Mainly I want something fun to fly up high, spirals and such.

I'm hoping that this canopy at 1.35 wl will give me fun up high and swoopier landings straight in than my Sabre 1 170...