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blueshrew

Squeezing out every last bit of performance?

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I've been jumping a Sabre2 120 loaded at about 1.1 for the past 350 jumps. After working on all the "survival skills" and slower/faster landing methods last year, I started doing HP landings this year .
I've been doing 90+- turns for the past 50 jumps or so which have gotten fairly consistent.
Judging from what I've experienced up high, I still need to build some muscle for the 90-180 step (which is the same case as when I started 0-90), so that will wait.

In the meantime I am trying to get the most performance I can from 90 turns with that wingloading. What I've noticed is that in a longer carve, the dive is not enough to build up more speed than I am getting. A more aggressive turn makes it obviously dive more, but the 90 degrees are over so quickly that the same thing is true, not more speed. I noticed that doing a toggle turn to gain a little speed before doing my FR turn to land, makes the canopy hold the dive better/longer. Any other tips or cosiderations?

I would like to hear what experienced!! pilots suggest, and if that WL and 90 degrees can't really be improved that much.

I am especially interested in people's opinions that have taken a similar progression and what your next step was, if you'd take the same path again, or if you would have done anything differently.

I am getting a lot of feedback from the swooping boys over here, but none of them started swooping with that low a wing loading, so the amount of information is a bit limited in that area.

Thanks,
Nadine

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Have you tried turning with both front risers? Start by pulling both down by the same amount (so you're diving but not turning) then initiate the turn by letting up on one or pulling the other some more. This has the advantage of (1) keeping the turn at 90 degreees whilst (2) diving the canopy for a longer period of time and therefore building up more speed.

As always: be careful, practice high, allow for the extra altitude required, seek qualified advice, cross your fingers, say a prayer, etc etc

Gus
OutpatientsOnline.com

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Hello,

I think that you are on the right track. Whther you carve slow or fast is really going to be a matter of how high you start your turn. Every turn will be a little different, so the skill is in starting your turn, and either pulling it faster or slower to get yourself planed out without having to use toggle input. The drill you should use is to keep doing the 90degree front riser final, and keep working it so that 9 out of 10 times you can start dragging feet (be planed out flat) wihtout any, or barely any toggle input. When you can do that, you will know enough to prgress beyond 90s in small increments. If half the time you are coming out high or digging out, you must keep practicing. Do not try to go through a course, lane, or gates until you can do this, as those things add much more complexity.

Remember, its not how high, how quick, how slow, or any other one thing; each turn must be flown through to plane out. Wind, air temp, humidity and other factors will keep you on your toes. It is harder than you think and many people progress right past this basic drill. If you take the time to learn this, everything will be easier, and safer going forward.

Cya.

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Thank you all, guys. The information has been very helpful. I have been using both fronts if I came in too high, either somewhere in the middle or after I had the heading I wanted. But pulling both before starting the turn seems like a much better idea than getting the extra speed from a toggle turn before my final approach. I guess that would improve accuracy and make it easier, too.

I was under the impression that a canopy loaded that lightly was impossible to plane out without toggle input. But now that you've mentioned it, I know that in some landings I needed to use more breaks while in others it felt like I almost didn't need any toggle input. I will try to get someone to always film my landings and work towards that.

I was thinking of making a kind of canopy logbook to keep track of my landings, the conditions, etc. and have a better overview at how I am progressing. And now that I have a new set of goals to work towards, that seems to make sense :)

Thanks for the help,
Nadine

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Hey, yeah im jumping a sabre2 135 and im pretty much at the exact spot that you are at. Despite the fact that we have lower wing loadings i have been gettin at least 50-60 foot swoops almost every time now with a 90. Im at the point now like tree just stated to where i can pretty much skim my foot across the grass and make it look easy.

Im glad you posted this! Helps me understand my progression a little better


--I don't even know enough to know that I dont know--

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My 2 Cents.
as per "Squeezing out every last bit of performance?"
1st you need to know your canopy, each one has different caractoristics. For example your canopy has a Positive Recovery Arc. It is important for you to understand this when you are learning to swoop.
Basicly when you increase your air speed (ie put it in a dive) your canopy produces more lift due to the extra air speed, so when you release your controls your canopy will actually climb, and the more speed you create the more it will climb.
So reguarding "Squeezing out every last bit of performance?" your best landing should occur when you let up the last bit of front riser just at the right time so as you swoop across the ground with no brake input at all, untill your air speed drops below normal flight, at this time you would gradualy add brake input untill your swoop is complete. Now this is much harder then it sounds reguardless of the turn you do (ie 90, 180, 270)
But a very important thing to remember. Your front risers are a VARIABLE INPUT. You can give a Little or A LOT, and everything in between. To max out your swoop you must remember NOT to just RELEASE your fronts at the last second, but to slowly let up on them untill you learn to perfectly dial in those last few degrees onto final.
When you get advise for swooping try to get it from someone that flies a similar canopy or someone that has flown a canopy like your in the past. Many swoopers will give you great advise if you were flying the same X-braced, negitive recovery arc swoop machines they are, but it will not give you the same outcome one your Sabre 2.
Good Luck, Long Swoops, Live long.

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