Learning to swoop: Sabre or Stiletto?

[Sabre1Lucke 0]

Hi,

Which canopy is the best for swooping; The Stiletto or the Sabre?
I currently fly a Sabre 150 loaded at 1.32.
The Stiletto I tested last weekend is a 135 ft² loaded at 1.47. Landings where good even with frontrizer approach.
Now I was wondering witch canopy is the best for swooping if you take the same size and wingload? A 135 ft² loaded at 1.47 in this case.
The frontriser-pressure on the Stiletto felt much more heavier then on the Sabre and I have the feeling that the Sabre dives longer (but not as radical) than the Stiletto. Also the Sabre feels more stable than the Stiletto when it comes to landings and it feels like the Sabre flair-power is bigger.

Any good advice is welcome because I'm not sure which one I have to take if I want to make progress in swooping.

Thanks in advance

Lucke

[Spizzzarko 0]

From what your saying, the sabre sounds better. If you feel the sabre does all that you are saying it does, then stick ith the saber. You don't need a special canopy to learn how to swoop.

[Tonto 1]

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You don't need a special canopy to learn how to swoop.

Ahh. If only more people realised this...

t

It's the year of the Pig.

[SkymonkeyONE 4]

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You don't need a special canopy to learn how to swoop.

Ahh. If only more people realised this...

t

I will second that. The fundamentals of HP canopy flight can can and should be learned and mastered on the canopy most familiar to the pilot.

[LawnDart21 0]

As a generalization, I would say it depends on how safely and how fast you want to progress. If you want to progress faster (and safer) stay on the larger more docile canopy (Sabre).

Put it in this perspective. Its every swoopers relative goal to get the optimum performance out of any canopy approach. The optimum approaches are typically 180 and 270 degree front riser turns. It is considerably easier (and safer) to learn these manuevers on a larger more docile canopy. If you buy the smaller more agressive canopy it will take you longer to learn because you will have to learn in smaller increments on the more aggressive wing. It's like getting your drivers license and then jumping on a race track in a Ferrari. Who will do better on the Ferrari, the newly licensed driver that understands the mechanics of driving, but hasnt driven much, or the driver who beat the hell out of his 4 cylynder Honda on the same race track and knows alot more how cars in general handle in the turns. Who will be safer and who will do better on the same Ferrari?

The best part is, if you pick the Sabre, you will end up being able to outswoop all the people that opted for downsizing too quick, becuase you will be a better canopy pilot. Anyone that downsizes (for swooping) without being able to consistantly, safely and accurately land thier current canopy with 180s and 270s is simply slowing down thier learning curve, and only driving their sports car in 1st gear. They may "look cool" with the "Mini Me" main chute, but they very rarely can out swoop the gradual progression canopy pilot, becuase the gradual progression pilot can fly thier canopy to its limits, where as a "MiniMe" pilot cannot even scratch the surface of thier canopies performance, becuase they dont know how.

In the race to downsize canopies, the tortoise usually wins because the hare rarely finishes the race.

So obviously my suggestion would be the lighter loaded Sabre, just be sure to get plenty plenty of canopy coaching from "qualified" instructors and keep a level head about it, and you'll do just fine.

To steal HH's tag line: Safe Swoops!

Tom

--
My other ride is a RESERVE.

[tcnelson 1]

i'm learning on a sabre2 170 loaded at 1.24. it's a bunch of fun and it's docile enough to learn on. there is also plenty of potential left in this canopy so, that's why i'm sticking with it until i've utilized it's performance characteristics to the fullest.

"Don't talk to me like that assface...I don't work for you yet." - Fletch
NBFT, Deseoso Rodriguez RB#1329

[vdschoor 0]

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i'm learning on a sabre2 170 loaded at 1.24. it's a bunch of fun and it's docile enough to learn on. there is also plenty of potential left in this canopy so, that's why i'm sticking with it until i've utilized it's performance characteristics to the fullest.

I fully agree with this statement, I jumped Sabre2 150s for about 700 jumps, and recently transitioned to a Sabre2 135, for this very same reason.
the Sabre2 has several advantages over the Stiletto, in that is a more docile canopy, that has an amazing amount of swoop in it when flown right..

Stick with the Sabre / Sabre2 for a while