Glidepath Firelite

[scottbre 0]

Has anybody heard of this reserve? What company makes it?
Is it a good reserve canopy?
All helpful information will be rewarded in good karma.

[PhreeZone 20]

Flight Concepts makes the Firelight reserve. It's 175 square feet. Its been TSO'd so it can at least handle an opening when not overloaded. I've seen a Cricket (145 square foot Model) land and it came down softly for a reserve it appeared. I've not packed one so I can't tell you any first hand observations, but Flight Concepts is the company that makes canopies like the Sharpchuter, Express(CReW canopy) and the Startrac series that the Golden Knights use for demos. Check out thier webpage and give them a call for more info.
A rainy day at the DZ is better then a Sunny day at work

[jumpervali 2]

Glidepath was/is a good canopy. The firelite Is going to be for your reserve I take it? They made canopies until the mid 90's. The company made many good canopies mains & reserves. They were forced to retire their corporate name and reopen as Flight concepts due to the (Nova) problems. All their products are very Good canopies with exception of the one.
jumpervali

[jumpervali 2]

Most all their 7 cell canopies have a TSO and can be used as a reserve or a main. Their Fury 220 is a nice B.A.S.E. canopy.
Thats what I use sometimes. I've got 500+ landings on one.
jumpervali

[riggerrob 643]

It started as the Firefly main canopy built by Django Enterprises.
Fireflies were 175 square foot, seven cells made of F-111 fabric. They were state of the art in the early 1980s. I made a few jumps on a new Firefly loaded about 1.1 or 1.2 pounds per square foot. Even though I was doing stand-up landings in the pea gravel bowl, my ankles still tingled. We now know that loading F-111 fabric at 1.2 is pushing the edge of the envelope.
After Para-Flite sued Django out of business - for patent infringement - the canopy re-emerged as the Firelite built by Glide Path. The only obvious change was tiny flares for line attachments. Firelites are built in two versions: main and reserve. Firelite mains have stabilizers. Firelite reserves do not have stabilizers, which makes them easier to pack.
In the mid-1990s, Glide Path folded after a few jumpers pushed the envelope to far under GP Nova mains.
Does this remind you of Icarus' current problems with Crossfires?
Former GP employees bought the assests and re-opened the company as Flight Concepts, building most of the old GP line of canopies. GP still advertises Firelite canopies.
Firelite mains - like all F-111 main canopies - have fallen out of fashion. But they may still be a bargain for a small (less than 150 pounds) junior jumper searching for an inexpensive first rig.
New Firelite reserves were still being made the last time I checked. I only repack a few Firelite reserves on the West Coast, but I hear they are more popular on the East Coast. We suspect that is more of regional fashion thing.
In conclusion: Firelites are decent - mid 1980s vintage - canopies. Firelite mains are of limited utility for small jumpers. Most riggers will cheerfully repack Firelite reserves.