New canopie

[samp76 0]

I would like to get some advice from you all.
I am a student currently with 30 jumps. I have been jumpping a 288 Manta. I feel comfortable with it and I have had stand up landings the last 10 times. I am wanting to know what everyone thinks about for a wing loading.
I am looking at a Spectre 150. I myself weight 130 lbs w/o gear. I would also fly it on the conservative side untill I felt confortable with it. Some people have suggested getting a 170 for a few jump. Is there that big of a difference going from a 150 to a 170?
Thanks

Blue Skies
Sam

Let go of the NUT!!

[AggieDave 6]

First, read the post by Deuce about his downsizing experience!

Second, go talk to your instructors about this, since they're the ones who have seen you fly a canopy and know what you could probably handle. You'll get other advice on the internet here, but your instructors are the only ones who have seen you pilot your canopy and know what you're able to handle.

Good Luck!

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

[Scoby 0]

Your wingloading under a Spectre 150 will be 1:1. That's a reasonable first time canopy for a person of your size. That said, don't even think about doing it right now! You need to downsize progressively. Jump a 260, then a 230, 210, 190, 170... Only when you can land the 170 safely in all conditions should you be buying yourself a 150. If your dropzone doesn't have the intermediate canopy sizes to rent, find one that does. Do not downsize 138 square feet in one step!

I'm sure the canopy nazis will concur.

[rendezvous 0]

I'm assuming you are already talking to your instructor about this and are here for more opinions. If that's the case then it's excellent because this sport is built on acquiring knowledge and analyzing it for yourself. If not, GO TO YOUR INSTRUCTOR NOW ! ... your end decision should be based on what you discuss with him. Anything you hear here should be treated as purely academic and just something that gets you thinking in more than one direction. For making your final decisions at this stage rely on your instructors experience. If you don't agree with him find yourself another one at the DZ and get a second opinion from him. With that said, let's get back to your question. At 150 you'll be 1:1. Going by your judgement ( and Instructor's ) on your skill level I think 1:1 should be fine. It's pretty docile in the conditions that you should be flying in, at this level. As for coming down from 288 to 150, well, you'll definitely experience a change in performace that might be a bit intense to do it in one shot. If you don't have that many options available atleast do a few ( quite a few ) jumps on a 190, and ask your instructor to talk to you about a few drills that you can try out to get a feel for the canopy, specially with regards to it's diving ( in a turn ) flaring and stalling.

[billvon 3,111]

>I am looking at a Spectre 150. I myself weight 130 lbs w/o gear. I
>would also fly it on the conservative side untill I felt confortable
>with it.

If you do this, you will never, ever learn to fly it - you'll always be flying it 'conservatively.' And someday when someone cuts you off on final, you will do the only thing you know how to do, from flying the manta - you will pull down one toggle. That will probably kill you. If you're lucky, you'll just have a broken femur, pelvis or back to deal with.

My advice - learn until you can fly the manta, until you can put it in the peas reliably. Then get a 220/230 sq ft 9 cell ZP. Jump it until you can:

-flare turn, at least 45 degrees
-flat turn, at least 90 degrees at 50 feet
-land in no wind and crosswind
-land on slight uphill/downhills
-land reliably in a 10 meter circle
-land with rear risers
-make a double fronts and a front riser HP approach

Once you can do all that, you'll be ready to downsize again, perhaps to a 190 this time. Don't skip any steps; you do not want to learn to land with rear risers for the first time on a 150.

An alternative to this progression is to go to a canopy control course that includes coaching. These are invaluable, and are worth the time and money.

Over the past ten years I've seen over a dozen people, some close friends, get seriously injured because they could not fly the canopy they were jumping close to the ground. Broken pelvises, brain damage, smashed faces - one will never walk normally again. If you don't want to risk that, don't downsize until you prove you are ready to by going through the above list.

[rgoper 0]

Quote

Some people have suggested getting a 170 for a few jump. Is there that big of a difference going from a 150 to a 170?

please listen to the experienced voice of BillVon on this one. how long you want to skydive anyway? think about it. if it wouldn't have been for a friend of mine, i would have made a fatal canopy selection not long ago, but after listening to his advice, i changed my mind, and i'm glad i did. "Live To Jump, Jump To Live!"

--Richard--
"We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

[CanuckInUSA 0]

Hmmm ... I'm having a deja-vu moment right about now.

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[Albatross 0]

To answer the original question. Yes and No! When moving down the sizes it seems that there are critical loading points where the preformance changes "drasticly" I saw it when I loaded my Spectre 170 over 1.0 for the first time. When I tried a 150 I saw little change in preformance. From discussions with "real" canopy pilots these preformance ranges occur at different points on different canopies and different sizes. You load a canopy to say 1.0 and it will have enough drive to plane out. At maybe 1.5 it will become much more groud hungry and snappy in the turns. At 1.8 it might not fly well at all because you are loading it above it preformance range.
Bottom line is what bill said is the way to keep yourself in one piece and getting advice from an expert like Jim Slaton or other such expert will give you insight on where to expect the changes in preformance. GO SLOW THE SMALLER CANOPY WILL ALWAYS BE THERE.

Chris

[bobsoutar 0]

A Spectre 150 may be a good choice eventually but definately not just yet. Rent canopies until you're down to something around the 190/200 size and then get really competent on that before downsizing any further.

[samp76 0]

Thanks to everyone for their advice, it has been real helpful.

Sam

Let go of the NUT!!