billdo

It sounds like from the above that you think a Stilletto is not a "swooping" canopy. Please, come out to Eloy and watch some awesome Stilletto landings and you'll realize what a great canopy a stilletto really is. When I started at a small DZ the only good swoopers were jumping crossbraced canopies, so I thought that was what you needed to really swoop. Then I went to Eloy and saw the average Stilletto jumper outswooping the best from my home DZ. Some pilots on the forums here (like Hook or Chuck) will have some good advice on how to deal with the shorter recovery arc, but just don't think a Stilletto isn't a major swoop canopy - it is. IMHO.

Wow! these are very cool ideas. I think I'm lucky enough to be on my "happy medium" canopy right now (and I love it so much I don't see ANY plans for future downsizing) Thanks guys.

How about getting a vladiball? http://www.vladiball.com/pages/1/index.htm They'll give you recs on how to weight it.

Why is this? I understand that to learn to swoop on a very large canopy (that recovers very quickly) might set someone up for trouble when they downsize to a canopy that has a long recovery arc, because they're used to hooking it so low. But are there other reasons that one shouldn't hook a large canopy? I have a feeling for what you might mean, but please explain further. Thanks

Also, this was pointed out to me on a night jump briefing at Eloy. When you approach the ground on a night jump sometimes you'll see the shadow of your canopy approaching you at an angle. When this hits your peripheral vision it freaks you out cause it looks like another canopy on a perfect collision course with you. The consequences are great because this situation sets you up to do some kind of aggressive avoidance maneuver close to the ground. It's kinda funny to because you're literally being scared by your own shadow.

Landing on a slope, especially when you're headed up a hill.

Right, I think this has something to do with the fact mentioned earlier that this make's you "bum up" a little bit, and 4-way teams (good ones) are not flying in the typical "box man" but rather the modified and less stable "mantis" or a variation thereof. The less stable you are the faster your turns and your maneuverability. A Hard arch is very stable but not as maneuvable, because stability and maneuverability are inversely related. Think, a DC3 is a very "stable" plane, but not very maneuverable, whereas an F-16 is not stable, but has twitchy maneuverability. The student who originally asked this question should stick with shoulder width legs and only modify his body position once he has this very basic stability position mastered (ie. the boxman "arch").

Obviously it's nice to have it quiet. The real advantage is to be able to collapse it AND bring it down behind your head (to do this you probably need soft links). A collapsed slider greatly reduces air resistance, and widens the lines so that the canopy flies better. Kill line pilot chutes help do the same things essentially. However, collapsing a slider and bringing it down add some steps to the "opening process" and one needs to learn to do these safely while remaining aware of canopy traffic around them. If you are a beginner, you can always just leave the slider uncollapsed. Pretty much any new canopy today will come with a collapsible. If you don't have a new canopy, I don't know if I'd bother having one added. Just wait til you're at the point where the benfits of having one would actually benefit your flying. A collapsible slider, like a kill line pilot chute adds some steps to the packing process also.

I encourage you to get a set of gloves, and protect your hands from much more than just your toggles.

I pack my javelin odysey grommet to pin just cause I think it's easier to keep the lines very neat, and it's the way the bag comes off the container, but it's just a personal preference.

It seems to me when I read this post that the author is hinting at the fact that he recently did this stunt. And the DZ management probably did get mad from the sound of it. The name "JohnSmith" even sounds like a fake and look at the profile. "Skydive the Ozarks" Cracked me up, but come on!

Tonysuit recommends Cheer or "non-phosphorous detergent." I called Tide (or whatever non-Cheer brand I had) and they said yes, their product is non-phopsphorous, but if the manufacturer recommends a certain brand name that means the product has been tested with it, and you should probably take no chances and go with the Cheer. Pretty impressive opinion to get from a competitor's company. I went with the Cheer and had no problems.

My opinions. RSL - there are obviously a lot of people who would have been saved by an RSL, as they cutaway and pulled their reserve too low. I don't currently have one, but I have a cypress, which I feel provides SOME backup, in that if I cutaway with no RSL and can't find the reserve, the cypress would hopefully work. There are limitations to this as has been discussed previously, in that the cypress may not work in time in the case of a very low cutaway (one scenario where an RSL would be very nice to have). I do sometimes wonder what's the difference between an RSL and just grabbing both handles and punching them out simultaneously? Either way, I no longer go for the argument that an RSL is a bad idea because the RSL might deploy your reserve while you're "unstable". In most scenarios, the reserve PC would likely drogue you stable. Plus the idea of having to "get stable" is what results more often in low or no pull reserves. (I have had two high speed spinning mals with no RSL. I understand the kind of instability we're talking about.) PC in Tow - I would probably react by cutting away and pulling reserve. (I have heard of people who actually reached behind and pulled the bridle manually). One of the most frightening situations I can come up with is a PC in tow, you cut away, pull reserve and as the reserve comes out the main flies off and snaggs the reserve slider in the up position. I saw video of a freeflyer with a tube who deployed holding the tube and then let it go and snagged his main slider in the up position. So why be so scared of a two canopy out scenario? If you have a pc in tow and go straight to the reserve and the main opens, the likely configuration would be a stable two canopy scenario, and one could deal with that depending on the situation. (Too lengthy a topic to include here). Pull out vs BOC - I have never jumped a pull out, but they seem in theory to be a safer design. However, 90 % of jumpers jump BOC and it is a very tried and tested design, and with modern gear in good shape PC in tow and horseshoes can be somewhat prevented by proper gear maintenance and packing (tight closing loops, cocked PC's in good shape, properly folded PC, etc). Just my thoughts on a very controversial topic.

He's sort of in a mantis looking position, but basically he's just using his arms to stablize the student's movements. Don't think of mantis as some radically different "technique" or something so special like that. It's just another way to fly our bodies - applicable in some situations, not so in others.

Most people out there can't do the "Fall backward and I'll catch you" thingy. Count yourself blessed for two reasons. One, you can give that trust. Two, you have friends who are worthy of giving it to. Props to you on this one! I did read a story in a book called The Endless Fall" by Mike Swain where he did this same thing - of course this guy was one of those hardcore round jumpers. Great book. Nice work Jeff!

Why the hell could this possibly be? I'm not saying at all that you're wrong, just want to understand why. I've never heard this with any other battery operated device. Even the 2 minute deal doesn't make sense.

I got the low-pro handle on my new javelin and just love it. Personally, and this is just an opinion, I think it's the ultimate compromise between a pillow handle and a metal handle. Still has the tactile difference of a metal handle with the ability to hook a thumb into it, but it's very unlikely to snag on anything like larger metal handles might, especially since my odyssey fits like a second skin. That loop cutaway handle is a whole different story though. Don't think I'd like that. It seems like they can sort-of "flop around" and move more than either a pillow or a metal handle. But, I've never jumped one.

I read this one in a book: Airborne recruit says to Jumpmaster, "Sergent, if my main parachute doesn't open, how long do I have to pull my reserve handle?" "Son," replies the sergent, "you have the rest of your life to pull the reserve handle."

I thought this too. It would be sweet, but anodizing can only be done on aluminum, no steel or stainless steel from what I was told. Anodizing is an electro-plating process. Is this correct? You see climbing carabiners anodized with colors but those are of course aluminum.

I'm pretty sure it's "Body Pilot in Command" I'd check if I were at home right now cause I have this video, but I'm at work. Interesting video. I found it very helpful, but I'm not sure everyone would. It's very "theory of human flight" oriented. However, after watching you will definitely know why 4-way teams use "mantis" instead of "box-man"

Very good point.

I don't like to argue. The reason I say a cypress can "replace" an RSL is that in the scenario of a cutaway where one is trying to "regain stability" before deploying their reserve and they go too low. The cypress won't let you cut away at 1500 feet and then wasted 1000 feet trying to "get stable." However, with a cypress, I feel you have the "luxury" TO SOME DEGREE, to do the "get stable before pulling reserve" argument. A cypress is a good idea no matter what, we agree? I've described the way I think it replaces a RSL, or adds redundancy to it. An RSL does not replace a cypress.

I think if I didn't have a cypress I would put an RSL on. I believe that in a cutaway from a spinning mal an RSL will get your reserve out and your reserve PC and inflating reserve will drogue you stable. The Skyhook will probably become very popular in years to come. For now, definitely either a cypress or RSL. I wouldn't want to go with neither, but both is probably a little overkill. Of the two, I prefer the cypress because of it's added benefit that it will open you if you don't pull at all. DON'T give in to the "peer-pressure" you will doubtless receive from other jumpers that try to make it sound like an RSL is just bad ju-ju waiting to happen.

DUDE!!!!!! I have that dream ALL THE TIME!!!! I'm actually really glad that someone else has it too!!! I dream of a really great jump and then deploy and land just as the PC comes out. I never get hurt though, but I never have a canopy ride in my dreams... Thanks for sharing! VERY SIMILAR DREAM here. Throw out, canopy snivels until impact. First there is panic and then I am overwhelmed with a sense that everything is going to be alright, and of course it is. I land softly.

Tom's Stilleto 120 was great, but I think the cobalt has more range. The cobalt especially has end-swoop flare. You can tiptoe EVERY landing. This was hard to get used to after the stil since I was used to dragging toes hard or running it out. The cobalt has funky openings no doubt, but I think it is definitely equal to any stilleto, with some better points. Actually, I will admit that the stilleto can likely match the cobalt for performance, but that it takes much more skill. After watching Craig Girard for the past couple months land his stilleto carving the most graceful swoop while almost touching his end-cell to the ground (ALL ON REAR RISERS - NO TOGGLES AT ALL!). 99% of people cannot get this much performance from a Stilleto.