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I'd go so far as to say that with certain designs (e.g. a Stiletto) at the right wingloading and with the right technique, a person should hardly have to flare to plane out, if at all. With a different canopy, at a different wingloading, it would be a whole different story. But if it's just for fun, there's no wrong technique (as long as you're safe). Jason Looking for a canopy?

Yeah, they're fine, I've checked 'em all. I'll try a different type and see if it works any better.... Jason

I used to be a big fan of Superbandz, because they'd last 100-150 jumps without breaking and they'd keep pressure on very small lines. I was also confident that they'd break when they had to since I'd had plenty (even brand new ones) break. That was all until this past weekend.... I was in the Cessna at 2500' doing a hop 'n pop (low speed deployment), I was trying out a canopy with bigger lines than my regular canopy (tighter lines stows), and I've never been a big fan of the Mirage main pilot chute (I've had 3 different Mirages and I've had a problem with hesitations on all of them). So, anyway, I had a baglock. Luckily, I was able to give it one really hard yank to clear it although I did open up into some massive line twists that I was able to kick out of by 1500'. It was a good time. Just food for thought.... Jason

I'll have to disagree with that....

Right, except it doesn't release the pin, it just cuts the closing loop, which allows the container to open. The pin has nothing to do with it. With a Cypres anyway. I guess it's all just how you want to look at it. Michele: No, a partial reserve handle pull isn't going to stop anything from opening. Jason

From what I was able to parse from that thread he was jumping an EXTreme 99 (FX or VX, I couldn't tell). At least historically, these canopies are lined with Vectran, not HMA. Jason

It was a hard meet! And the setups were anything but inviting; the setup for distance was especially difficult as you had to hook over a bunch of Cessnas and swoop down a hill. This surely worked out in the hometeam's favor.... I couldn't stay for the awards ceremony, but I think I was in the same boat as Chuck: "not last". Chuck, thanks for the cocktails, and I wish I could have stuck around for more of the festivities! I had a good time, despite the frigid temps. The comraderie, which really makes these meets worthwhile, regardless of outcome, was abundant as usual. Jason

I mostly agree with you, but I've trash-packed on 300 of the last 500 jumps with sub-100 sq.ft. canopies and they always open just as well as with a carefull pack job. Slider up, lines in the middle, tight lines stows (short, but tight), and excess line at the container end-- everything else is just a function of design, body position, and chance (IMO;). Jason

Well... not that my performance has any bearing on the quality of the canopy! But it's an awesome canopy.... Jason

Openings? Great. A bit twitchier than the 21, but soft and slow, very comfortable. And it flies awesome-- I'll let you know how I do this weekend in Atlanta.... Jason

Well, as far as swooping goes, I'd rather have mine on my arm than on my hand/wrist. A wrist-mount can be annoying when you're trying to switch quickly from front risers to rear risers to toggles. Jason

But because skydiving canopy manufacturers don't give explanations in terms of paragliders, you won't listen? Find the evidence that a paraglider flies better with brakes in turbulence in terms of a skydiving canopy. Why should the entire skydiving industry cater its explainations to you because the foundation of your knowledge lies in paragliders? Jason

If you think you're overcorrecting, you probably are. If you're consciously using a lot of harness input one way or another, it's probably too much. If you just concentrate on staying even, your body will naturally correct the heading. You may feel a pulsating from one side of the harness to the other. In effect, you're feeling the "input" you're giving the canopy by staying symmetrical. That input should be enough. I doubt you're having a packing problem, or a gear problem... by what you're saying, anyway. Sounds to me like it's happening after it comes out of the bag. Especially if it opens initially on heading. Like Hook said, try staying even.... Jason

At the PST Team Challenge earlier this month, all of the PD Factory Team canopies were lined with extremely small, cascaded HMA. The Team Xaos canopies were also lined with cascaded HMA. So, I'll have to agree with Alan: things are moving in that direction. Although PD may only use HMA for their competition team.... My last 500 jumps have been on canopies lined with HMA, and I only have good things to say. The characteristics you asked about are: I won't speak for the Velocity, VX, etc., because I have less than 100 jumps on each of them, but both the Xaos-21 and the Xaos-27 definitely exhibit these qualities. They both swoop very well (the -27 swoops better for me), and they both have very manageable front riser pressure. The openings are the best of any canopy I've jumped, including a Spectre and a Cobalt. The -21 may open just a bit better, but the -27 is a close second. Line twists have been very easy to deal with on both.... I've jumped a -21 at a loading of 2.3 (which worked well for me), a -27 at 2.5 (which I was not a big fan of), and a -27 at just under 2.1 (which is what I'm jumping now and I love it!). As for glide: I have no problem at all floating with a tandem with my -27 loaded at 2.1. btw, I have a -27 94 and a -21 98 for sale... Jason

Let's make it a clicky link that works....

A few people were jumping it out at Perris when I was there earlier this month. I kept telling Luigi, "You can just set it down over next to my container, I wanna jump it next..." He kept saying, "I don't know... I don't know...." I just couldn't seem to convince him that a 5.1 was okay! Jason

At the very least, some communication will help. Have a short brief before an event to make sure everyone, especially these budding swoopers, is aware of the many dangers associated with the particular event. That way they'll have something to look out for. Yes, it is always a risk-- for everyone, every jump. Jason

I think this post has been stuck in limbo since 1997. Are you asking about a new EXTreme FX, or if the EXTreme FX is new? If you're asking the latter, the VX is Icarus' latest crossbraced. Precision's Xaos -21 and -27 are even newer... Atair might have something coming out soon.... That post made me laugh, but I'm sure I misinterpreted it. Jason

He's in the UK.... And there shouldn't be much difference in the measurements for perfectly square canopies (i.e. chord x span). One manufacturer may measure topskin and another bottomskin and yet another the profile, but there shouldn't be much difference as long as it's not "elliptical." Jason

No way, you guys finished in style! I just thought our team had that coveted position locked in for sure! Yes, thanks to all, it was a fun meet!

Not sure if I'll be able to make it... I might be at an AFF course. Jason

It wasn't an individual event... but, yes, TJ had the best distance run: 348 ft. Jay and Heath had the best team speed run: ~2.7 sec. Team Xaos (on -27s) won overall, and the PD Factory Team (on Velocitys) came in 2nd. And my team did NOT come in last! Woohoo! And I had a 269 footer on a canopy that I had only 5 jumps on. Wait'll I have a few hundred jumps on it Chris! Jason

So holding both front risers isn't diving? For that matter-- just flying in natural glide isn't diving? Okay, okay, for argument's sake, let's say that natural glide is neutral.... If you pull the chord-line of your canopy closer to the angle of the imaginary line that crosses through you and the center of mass of the earth by pulling both front risers, what are you doing? Jason

Rhino, are you the strongest man on earth? Why is it so hard for you to believe that a person could hold his canopy in a dive (i.e. anything steeper than the natural glide angle) for 1200 ft whilst carving 90 degrees? You kill me.... By the way, how many jumps did you put on that Xaos? How current were you? Just curious. Jason

Clearly.