Pendragon

Bit of an oxymoron that. [well, I found it funny] -- BASE #1182 Muff #3573 PFI #52; UK WSI #13

Free-flying, free flight etc have been used to collectively describe hang and paragliding for some years... Next thing, someone will be saying that ground launching is a new idea. -- BASE #1182 Muff #3573 PFI #52; UK WSI #13

From another thread (which I can't find 'cause so much rubbish has been posted in the meantime ) I noted that the company that was supposed to produce this stuff for PD has now gone bancrupt. Is the question now just theoretical? -- BASE #1182 Muff #3573 PFI #52; UK WSI #13

***I thought the monowing suits I've tried (that's the S-fly/Crossbow/MTR style) started flying noticeably sooner, and I know they had much greater wing area, and hence lower wingloading. Floating or actually flying? Don't the mono-wings fill up with more air and so give a floaty feeling which would arrest fallrate earlier (but not produce any real additional forward speed), rather than the tri-wings which rely on aerodynamic lift alone? -- BASE #1182 Muff #3573 PFI #52; UK WSI #13

You're obviously a newbie freeflier jumping a relatively aggressive main (don't worry, I'm not going to flame you for it) but, almost a silly question, how long did you go back on your belly before deployment after being in a sit? Too soon/not at all and you would almost certainly be exceeding the maximum deployment speed for the canopy, and a hard opening will result. -- BASE #1182 Muff #3573 PFI #52; UK WSI #13

Miagi say "look eye"... That's funny.

You're spending far too much time at Z-Hills, Chuck. I'm getting jealous... particularly as it won't stop raining here for more than a few minutes... -- BASE #1182 Muff #3573 PFI #52; UK WSI #13

Can anyone comment on the suitability of Mylar ribs for new flyers? I've been under the impression that it was a bad idea, although that may only apply to pilots with only a few jumps. I am still left with the question: why put Mylar in a Firebird? It seems a bit like adding aerofoil uprights onto an intermediate hang glider - it helps but there's other things you can do to make it fly much better that don't cost as much... -- BASE #1182 Muff #3573 PFI #52; UK WSI #13

Ha. Very funny. I just don't believe everything I'm told until I can corroborate and truly understand it. Why should I? There's far too much rubbish and/or inappropriate advice floating around out there. There are other ways of doing this too, like exposing the centre nose cell, not wrapping the tail around the AB fold in the packjob... What ever happened to KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid?) Risk comes from adding complexity; I'm still not convinced that adding this additional complexity does anything beneficial that isn't already handled by something else. We're clearly not talking about unpacked jumps here; let's limit the discussion to packed jumps. Besides, did those concerned pay enough attention preparing their unpacked jumps? Clearing the lines etc? Mac's question: But doesn't the slider also function to keep the lines from flapping about and prevent line-over, and wouldn't the effectiveness of this be reduced if the slider came down prematurely? (I just have my slider "attached" via a black elastic band to 1 line btw) You said that, not me -- BASE #1182 Muff #3573 PFI #52; UK WSI #13

(not necessarily directed at the "in reply to" poster, but more of a general comment) Give the guy a bit of a break. No-one here has seen him under the wing. From Prof. Kallend I highlighted that bit because this is the true crux of the issue. In this case it is not the wingloading in isolation that makes this a more aggressive choice for the beginner, but the level of control sensitivity Given that Chris is, indeed, a very current light-aircraft pilot, this should be less of a problem. Let's not continue to pigeon-hole people inappropriately. I'm sure Chris is receiving good advice from his instructors - or at least we can hope that Canopy flying is a very important part of the sport from a safety aspect, and highly individual in terms of progression. I'm not sure that anyone can get a good, necessarily bespoke answer to their needs on an internet forum from a bunch of guys who have never seen the individual fly, land or know their background. That's not to say that the comments posted here haven't been important, but their relevance to any individual case can always be questioned. -- BASE #1182 Muff #3573 PFI #52; UK WSI #13

Maybe someone can explain what the tailgate is going to do that the slider wouldn't already, especially if using direct control on the slider to keep the lines together until the last moment? Just seems: 1) Another fiddly thing to do, and therefore adds risk 2) Doesn't seem to add anything (in terms of additional safety) that isn't covered already The view I got whilst on my FJC (and more than one person) was: "Leave the Americans to experiment" -- BASE #1182 Muff #3573 PFI #52; UK WSI #13

Regardless of what some people think (usually the ones that only quote from tables ), having this flying experience can make a real difference. I came from a hang glider background myself, and my canopy control was certainly better than my peers at the time. Wingloading indeed does not scale, The problem with smaller canopies is that they are much more sensitive to control input and, in the case of a novice, usually to their detriment. Only you, and those that get to see you, can really decide whether the more sensitive control input is going to be safe for you. The question you should ask youself is this: If you feel worried about anything other than a straight, into wind landing (e.g. crosswind) then you should reconsider your canopy choice. -- BASE #1182 Muff #3573 PFI #52; UK WSI #13

I do actually know that. I was making another point. I wish people wouldn't keep quoting tables either; that can make the problem even worse when trying to get newbies to listen (sometimes makes me wonder whether the person quoting them really understands the topic at all - although this is not aimed at you). "We are all individuals etc..." -- BASE #1182 Muff #3573 PFI #52; UK WSI #13

It's not the canopy so much as the attitude of the pilot... and you haven't been doing yourself many favours. Actually, whilst your size is a little small, your wing loading is fine. So, in the hands of a responsible person, who listens to criticism, constantly critiques him/herself then it would be perfectly safe. ...but haven't you missed a point? You've got

Everyone is different. Try dipping one shoulder or extending one leg as a starting point. The key is to keep your back straight and not twist your spine as you'll catch the air asymmetrically and, usually, end up on your back, or at least facing off your initial heading. You can quite clearly see this in a FF student if you get coaching and/or video. If you're not getting it, seek coaching before common mistakes develop into bad habits; the video debrief will help a lot, and having a fixed point of reference in the sky with you will help you focus and not twist. Try not to make the transition too fast if you're aiming to do half-cartwheels. Extending one then the other leg worked for me; something different may work for you. Extend, but don't lock out, your legs - they should be relaxed. Richard -- BASE #1182 Muff #3573 PFI #52; UK WSI #13

Don't take it too personally. There's always a problem with smaller guys/gals and canopies. My "first" canopy was loaded at 1.15, and I had about the same number of jumps to yourself at the time. The difference was the canopy was a 170 (and an old, basic PD 170 at that, which isn't tapered and made of F-111). The problem with a 135 is that, due to the size, the control lines are very short and typical "low-timer" errors are exacerbated. You'll probably be fine for a number of jumps - but that's not really the point. If you do muck up at some point (might misjudge things in heavy canopy traffic - something you'll be experiencing shortly I'm sure!) then you're going to hurt yourself. Fly that 150 for a little longer. It's actually the right size for you at this time. Just for 100 jumps...

Moving to Connecticut? Anything to do with "Hedges"? Particularly of the funding variety? -- BASE #1182 Muff #3573 PFI #52; UK WSI #13

Wingsuits are inherently stable when on your belly. Shape of the wing - and also you and your rig. Bit like a train on tracks. I presume you can track on your back (sans wingsuit?) Don't you find how much easier it is to go around in circles? How much finer the balance point is? How "skiddy" it feels? There's your answer. Richard -- BASE #1182 Muff #3573 PFI #52; UK WSI #13

You're probably just turning as you deploy (thereby rotating around the deploying canopy), possibly through asymmetric legs (eg dropped knee) or dropping one shoulder as you pull. You might get some idea of what it is and how to fix it by considering which way you rotate (you're going the other way when you kick out the line twists! ) I bet it's the same each time. Your instructor will debrief you, I'm sure. If it keeps persisting, and it's always in the same direction (either always clockwise or always anticlockwise) your instructor should be able to come up with a strategy to deal with it. All this is perfectly normal - and one of the reasons students like yourself jump big Navigators! Richard PS don't lose heart - I had similar problems when I started but now have a wingsuit coach rating and fly head down (amongst other things...) -- BASE #1182 Muff #3573 PFI #52; UK WSI #13

I didn't know it was Sam's. That's funny. Are you referring to my good self? Never. (well, certainly not now ) -- BASE #1182 Muff #3573 PFI #52; UK WSI #13

Flex Z Mini goggles? Oh yes, they were the ones that lifted off! Actually, they were less prone to it than some. Maybe my stand is just fast?

Stall or flare point? Is it always 1 inch lower, or does this vary much by canopy size? -- BASE #1182 Muff #3573 PFI #52; UK WSI #13

DO NOT put hydrogen peroxide on your canopy! About all you can do is rinse it with clean water. -- BASE #1182 Muff #3573 PFI #52; UK WSI #13

Sabre is a square canopy; getting it to respond to harness input is going to be tough, especially at your loading. I couldn't do much with my Pilot at 1.35, and that's at least tapered. Elliptical canopies (like the Xfire2, Mamba, Cobalt etc) will respond however... which is why their openings are twitchier. -- BASE #1182 Muff #3573 PFI #52; UK WSI #13

You might say that, but I've actually had more trouble with goggles spontaneously lifting from my face (particularly in stand) than with my Gatorz/Croakies combo. I always wear a helmet (it's compulsory here anyway, so it's kinda habitual ) which makes it really unlikely for them to ever fall off. What I have found however is wearing one of those Gath helmets with the visor - if pulled over only 1/4 the way, it creates enough dead-air in front of my face to stop goggles etc fluttering around yet doesn't lift up in a sit. (Oh, and it looks really cool too! ... shame about the lack of protection ) Richard -- BASE #1182 Muff #3573 PFI #52; UK WSI #13