DIY

[WooHoo 0]

Has anyone made or built their own canopy.

Just curious?

[billvon 3,116]

Built a lineset once to my own specs (flatter trim, less cathedraling, more camber) and put it on a Sabre 150. Remarkably, it did open and fly sort of OK, but the openings were not what I would call pleasant. After a few such openings I put the PD lineset on it, which solved the problem. Thus ended my first experiment with DIY canopies.

[MB38 0]

I built two miniature ram-air canopies when I was about 12. Both safely delivered a payload of nuts on a paperclip to the ground time and time again.

I really don't know what I'm talking about.

[mark 107]

I've made several, but none recently. I made the rib pattern for my first one by doing a pencil rubbing of the end cell of the canopy I wanted to copy, and I measured the lines under sag. It opened okay, had a horrible turn, and was retired after two jumps. The late George Harris (a 101st Airborne Division veteran) was kind enough to provide the small amount of fabric I needed.

Mark

[airtwardo 7]

My room mate and I 'built' one 25 years ago in college...

We took apart an old para plane and cut the pattern from the pieces...neither of us were riggers, so the sewing was marginal at best.

I jumped it once and it flew like shit...really gave me a lotta respect for those that can make 'em RIGHT!

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[councilman24 37]

In the 80's there was a company which sold main kits. IIRC you had to complete a home learning program and submit samples before they shipped you real parts. But I may be wrong. It didn't last long.

This is not an option for most people in the world. Unless you want to spend all your time sewing trying to get a good one instead of jumping.

I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE

[JerryBaumchen 1,467]

Yup,

Did it to really see if I could do it; the old 'challenge' thing. Jumped it for a season or so (it was really too small for me plus it was F111 fabric) and sold to an Aussie who loved it; or so he said.

Believe it or not but it was the most stable canopy I have ever been under.

Jerry

[beowulf 1]

Lee Hardesty has a squarish round that he built and jumped but didn't land. It oscillated way too much to land. He still has some work to do to fix it.

[darkwing 5]

I built quite a few starting in the late 1970s, up until about 1982. A wide variety of canopies, from 5 - 8 cells. The first was a pretty much direct copy of a 189 sqft foil, which was, to my mind, the best flying canopy of its time for several years. (for general skydiving, not accuracy). It is quite a rush jumping your own product for the first time. I recommend copying for your first try, it minimizes the risks.

I built a couple very experimental canopies, but I didn't kill myself. I'd sure like to find the first one I built. I keep thinking I need to track the guy down that had it.

-- Jeff
My Skydiving History