Hands Free Tricks ?

[NewClearSports 0]

I have a question about these amazing hands free tricks I've seen.

How do you get a modern X-braced canopy (with negative recovery arc) to fly level without any input?

A few years back I had a Cobalt (Which I believe is neutral or positive recovery arc) that if I dialed in during a swoop, once bumped into level flight would maintain level flight without any control input for a few seconds, then I would have to give it graduated input untill shutdown.

Now on my Xaos-21 I havn't been able to do this. Although my swoops are longer, I have to force the recovery arc with rear riser input and maintain a small amount of input on the rears to maintain my level flight.

Is there a tecknique that can pitch the canopy back when entering the swoop that will allow you to release the controls and maintain level flight?

Are advanced swoopers modifing there trim for tricks like this (maybe longer / shorter links from front riser's to rear)?

Is it more of a wing loading thing? On my Cobalt i was at 2.0, on the Xaos I'm at 2.2

Or is it a whole bunch of things combined that mean you have to find the perfect wing for you to do these amazing tricks?
Maybe my new JVX will let me go hands free this summer, although I doubt I will be willing to let go of the controls. Over the pond or not, this is still crazy stuff!

Thanks in advance for any input (no pun intended)

Mike

[frost 1]

no special mods needed... If you can land with rears only, which is not all that hard anyway, then you're half way there :)

Then once you're at level flight (how you achieve it is up to you - natural recovery or adding a bit of rears...) and have your feet sliding on the ground - you can let go of the toggles.

At first, you'll be inclined to go back to rears right away - it is a weird feeling to not have your hands in the toggles when you eyes are telling your brain it's time to flare :) You almost wont be able to help yourself but go back, even if you're perfectly level. Dont worry about looking up or arching in the harness to make it into a real ghost rider just yet.

Please make sure you let go of the toggles ONLY when in level flight and your feet are sliding on the ground. Be prepared to PLF. Know where the rears are so that you can bail and BE prepared to bail if you feel you need to. It's better to err on the high side.

Here is a short clip of one of my initial hands off controls attempts: http://www.skydivingmovies.com/ver2/pafiledb.php?action=file&id=5057