Now that I know I am getting an FX..

[rhino 0]

Feedback on the FX? Give it to me..
Loading the 86 at maybe 2.2. Mods available? Tendencies?

[Spizzzarko 0]

The FX is a good canopy, but I found that it didn't like to be loaded above 2.0, especially in Colorado. Don't roll the tail much as it can cause off heading openings. When I packed it, I quartered the slider, and pulled it out in front of the nose slightly. I didn't roll the tail, but for half a roll. This gave me the best openings. It's not going to have the float of your crossfire, as it will want to dive quite a bit in full flight. Rear riser's work ok to flatten it out some, but deep brakes should give you max float. It's going to shut down more rapidly since you are going to be loading it at 2.2. The turn rate is going to be sluggish compared to the CF2, and it may open faster. It is going to dive quite a bit with front riser input, but eventually the fronts will build up, and you will not beable to keep it in a dive. This is not the most efficient way to fly it though. Good luck, don't kill yourself.

[rhino 0]

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The FX is a good canopy, but I found that it didn't like to be loaded above 2.0, especially in Colorado.

Heck man. At 5,000 feet what do you expect? :)

[Spizzzarko 0]

5500 to be exact, but let's not split hairs here. I also owned a VX for awhile. It liked the heavier loading compared to the fx. I now have velo 103 (my vx was a 98, and my fx was a 104), and it likes a little heavier loading, than the fx did, but not as much as the vx.

[psw097 0]

I had an FX-83 @ 2.5+ loading for awhile.

It opened nice without having to do anything special while packing. Not super slow but staged and comfortable. Full flight was steep and fast. It flattened out ok on risers but brakes worked better to float. Turn rate was fast on all control surfaces - harness turns where all that was needed for normal flight. It dove a lot but ran out of speed quick and the stall was shallow and brisk - all the points that indicated it was well overloaded.

[rhino 0]

I am 165 without gear. Add what? 20lbs for gear?

So I would be 185 out the door on an 86. That's 2.15 wl.

[Canuck 0]

Well, I think you made a pretty silly choice. You said you were looking for a canopy with more bottom end lift - those 11 sq. ft. will pretty much negate any added lift that the cross braces provide. You would have done much better to get a canopy closer to the size of your CF2.

As for mods - you can send it to Precision and have it basically turned into a Xaos 21. Good reports from people who have done so...

Canuck

[Remster 30]

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20lbs for gear?

Thats pretty low.

Remster

[davelepka 4]

Real quick, if you're going with the 7 cell or 21 cell, or whatever you want to call it, why not grab a Velo?

If you're looking for bottom-end, it's got it, and I'm at 2.3/2.4. If you're shooting for a lower WL, thats just more bottom end for you.

[superstu 0]

i weigh 165 and with all gear on i wiegh about 187ish, so it's pretty close i would say.

Slip Stream Air Sports
Do not go softly, do not go quietly, never back down

[ccowden 0]

Yeah, I don't really get that choice. If you want bottom end lift and you want to load heavy, then the FX is the poorest choice of the three. If you are just looking for some added performance at the 1.8 to 1.9 range, then the FX is a good choice, but once you go over 2.0, then I think it makes alot more sense to go with the VX or the Velocity. The FX will lose performance characteristics at 2.0 and above, while the VX and the Velocity will gain.

Just my opinion.

[Widgeon 0]

I eventually want an FX as well after I'm done with my crossfire, but I'll stick with the crossfire untill I've got it completely dialed in and wrung out. Anyway, just a point you may want to consider, Icarus recommends the psycho pack for their safire, FX and VX. Give it try, it helped out my safire openings ten fold. I don't presume to be smarter than the engineers that designed these canopies so if they recommend it, try it and see for yourself. As far as mods, Precision offers what they call the "X-mod" that gives you their stable rib stabilizers that eliminate the line that gets tacked on at the stabilizer and then to the outer most portion of the end cell. It is supposed to lower drag. You also get an HMA lineset and a different trim. Benefits are supposed to be more manageable front riser pressure and better opening characteristics. A new slider with lighter weight brass grommets finishes out the mod. Your original stabilizers and slider can be returned to you upon request. This mod basically transforms your canopy into a wing very similar to a Xaos 21 so jump one before you drop the $450 on the mod. If you like it, it's not much more than the $268 you'll spend on an Icarus vectran lineset. Have fun with it and the best of luck to you, I hope you get the results you're after.

[marks 0]

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Benefits are supposed to be more manageable front riser pressure and better opening characteristics.

and in return, reduces performance.

at least this seems to be the case for the x mod on the vx..

it does make the openings better, and riser pressure better though..

if you want a performance canopy with good opening cherecteristics and performance, by all means, the x mod is great.

if you want TOP performance, get a vx.
or a velo.
and it looks like the jvx is goin to rip some shit up too!

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[speedy 0]

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20lbs for gear?

Thats pretty low.

If you are not wearing lead then that's about right. Have you ever weighed yourself naked and then with your gear on? I have.
My rig weighs 15 pounds. Add 5 pounds for sneakers, shorts, t-shirt, helmet, gatorz and neptune and you're ready to go.

WTF did he buy an FX for?

Dave

Fallschirmsport Marl

[rhino 0]

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WTF did he buy an FX for?

Couple of reasons.. I found a relatively new fx with 450 jumps on it for $450.. I'm short on funds as well. I could have dropped $1300 on a vx but at what financial expense to my family..

Bottom line is nothing is wrong with the FX. People just give it bad vibes because they consider it old technology. It isn't the newest and baddest thing around. I know people that have swooped fx's loaded at 2.3 further than 90% of the people I see swooping a vx or velocity. The FX isn't a bad progression move for me. I'll put a thousand jumps on this thing and then move to the 27 cell design or the newest thing if I want to.

Rhino

[Ashtanga 0]

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I know people that have swooped fx's loaded at 2.3 further than 90% of the people I see swooping a vx or velocity.

I've seen teams at large dz's swoop stillettos farther than most people at regular dz's swooping vx's or velocities. Why not just keep your crossfire 2 and keep learning on it? Sounds to me that you still have a lot you can learn about canopies and their performance. Maybe demo all the canopies you want and then decide. No reason to rush into things.

[rhino 0]

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I've seen teams at large dz's swoop stillettos farther than most people at regular dz's swooping vx's or velocities. Why not just keep your crossfire 2 and keep learning on it? Sounds to me that you still have a lot you can learn about canopies and their performance. Maybe demo all the canopies you want and then decide. No reason to rush into things.

I haven't rushed.. I spent a year in the gym putting on about 8lbs last year. I lost that bottom end that I had on the xf2 and just plain have it wrung out.

A couple of things I wanted by this transition.

1. longer dive
2. better bottom end

[Remster 30]

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I spent a year in the gym putting on about 8lbs last year.

A year? Thats just a large meal!

Remster

[davelepka 4]

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I found a relatively new fx with 450 jumps on it for $450

Thats good. At first, in the other thread, you were carefully considering each and every trait of all the canopies, and the different reactions they have to this WL or that. In the end, it's, "Hey, I found a good deal on this one, so this must be the model and size I really want."

I always think it's stupid when newbies want to buy the rig they found the best deal on, regardless of it's size or make. Don't worry I know your not a newbie, but you sure are wearing a newbie's uniform.

[Spizzzarko 0]

Come on guy's you are fucking the guy trying to sell the FX! Please realize that there are other parties involved in these things.

[superstu 0]

You guys are giving way to much shit for this in my opinion.

i think rhino will learn a lot on this canopy and it will probably make a great transistion canopy into the xbraced world. plus if he doesn't like the characteristics of it he's only out $450, a lot better than $1300 if you ask me.

i've never flown a fx, but from what i hear it does sound like you'll be overloading it a little bit but if it suits your flying then go for it. just be safe and continue to do your high alti hop n pop's...later

Slip Stream Air Sports
Do not go softly, do not go quietly, never back down

[ccowden 0]

I think the reason for getting so much shit for it is becuase he made an original thread about not knowing what to buy between the FX, VX and the Velocity. He wanted all the characteristics of each and what would be the BEST choice for loading heavier and wanting good dive and good bottom end lift. So everyone weighed in and the general concensous was that if you want bottom end lift at higher wingloadings, then the VX or Velocity was a better choice because the FX didn't "like" the heavier wingloadings. So it was debated and talked about and so on and so on.

Then in the end, he says "I am going with the FX cuz I got a great deal on it."

To each their own and I do think the FX is a great canopy with lots to offer, especially as a transition from non-crossbraced to crossbraced, but if you go through all the toruble to make an educated decision on canopy and then just buy the best deal, then I think it is a poor choice for a couple reasons. One is that the FX is not the best for this situation, and two, that making this decision based on price is never the best call.

Just my opinions.

[rhino 0]

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Thats good. At first, in the other thread, you were carefully considering each and every trait of all the canopies, and the different reactions they have to this WL or that. In the end, it's, "Hey, I found a good deal on this one, so this must be the model and size I really want."

You are correct. My mentor jumped an FX for a thousand jumps. Can't be a bad decision. HAlf of the battle is finding the right price vv performance vs jump numbers on any given canopy. I could have bought a vx92 with 300 jumps on it for 1300$ and been broke. I could have paid 1000$ for a vx with 800 jumps on it. Maybe more? Could have bought a velocity?

I found a great canopy built on great technology for a great price. I could have purchased a corvette.. I got a 280zx instead. It's still fast and bad ass.. I will learn alot from it.

I'm relieved I didn't have to spend $1300. Now I have jump money.

[rhino 0]

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Then in the end, he says "I am going with the FX cuz I got a great deal on it."Crazy

The great deal helped. It's the right size it's in good shape and the price was right.. It is crossbraced. My reasoning for not including it in te original post was I simply didn't consider it for the same reasons people give me shit about it now. My impression was it was old technology. My impression was wrong. I've talked to a dozen people that flew and still fly an fx. Anyways.. It's done... I have it and will be flying it this weekend

[ccowden 0]

Best of luck with it. (I don't mean that in a smart ass way)

Let us know what you think of it when you put some jumps on it. I would love to hear your comparisons to the Crossfire.