Kirils

Even with the right gear, a novice jumper has not developed the awarness for high speed flight. I know of so many jumpers with less than 50 jumps trying to go head down. Even with an experienced partner, advanced flight is premature for a novice. "Slow down! You are too young to be moving that fast!" Old Man Crawfish

I think everyone goes through periods of fear and hesitation during their jump career. I have more than once told myself going to altitude "I can't do this". I think it's the ol' brain giving us a reality check. When you get the jitters, you need to talk to other jumpers about it. There is nothing better than realizing we all have gone through the same things. If the jitters continue, take some time off and come back doing a couple tandems. A friend of mine had about 150 jumps and started feeling fearful about jumping. She did a few tandems and came back strong. Breath deep, and enjoy most glorious sport in the world! "Slow down! You are too young to be moving that fast!" Old Man Crawfish

Personally, I find the rear riser control range to be too short for comfort. Stalling the canopy is easier. I think the skill level required for rear rise surfs is way up there. "Slow down! You are too young to be moving that fast!" Old Man Crawfish

I used to have a 170 Hornet and would PsychoPack it in bag and container meant for a 140 canopy. It was tight but the PsychoPack let me get it in the bag without too much work. Put 70 jumps on it without a problem...and had sweet openings! "Slow down! You are too young to be moving that fast!" Old Man Crawfish

I have a wider range fall rate than anyone at my DZ. I have a sit suit from Tad's with very large wings. I can sit with a belly flier or drop with a head downer. I have been accused of "cheating" usinQuoteg it, but it really gives me more time in the air! "Slow down! You are too young to be moving that fast!" Old Man Crawfish

When I was focused on freefall, I would pull lower to extend the learning time. I'm now trying to improve my swoop skills and I pull as high as the pilot and other jumpers allow. "Slow down! You are too young to be moving that fast!" Old Man Crawfish

I jumped a Jonathan years back... I must say you are a tough cookie! It spanked me hard every 3rd jump! Things have changed so much! The newer canopies are so much faster, more forgiving and they fly almost like a fixed wing! Check out a Crossfire2 an FX, a Chaos or Cobalt of Velocity... You will be amazed! Younger jumpers don't appreciate my enthuasiam over these new flying machines. After 300 jumps on a T-10 and a Russian square in the 1970's I know what I'm talking about! Skydiving is not a static excercise with discrete predictability...

Well said! Skydiving is not a static excercise with discrete predictability...

Kudos...good advice my friend! Skydiving is not a static excercise with discrete predictability...

I demo'd a 135 Vengeance. I thought I was flying a 150! It flies BIG... The openings were OK, but end cell closure put me in a spin every other jump! I like the solid feel under canopy. It flies better than my Jedei. BUT considering the price v/s performance...check out a Cobalt, Xaos, or Crossfire@ first! Skydiving is not a static excercise with discrete predictability...

Wow... you are lucky Dude... thank God you were flying a Hornet and not a Stiletto! (grin) Skydiving is not a static excercise with discrete predictability...

My vote is for a Chaos 21. Toggle pressure is higher than the Velocity and rear riser pressure is lower. I know people complain about the Chaos toggle pressure, but it really adds a safety and control factor in swoops. You gotta demo one! Skydiving is not a static excercise with discrete predictability...

I demo'd a Contrail. It flies more "solid " than the Stiletto. It's not a high performance canopy by todays standards, but it is a very nice canopy. Comparing the two is like comparing apples to oranges. The Contrail would be my first choice..for price and performance! Skydiving is not a static excercise with discrete predictability...

Try psycho-packing.. if there is still a problem get hold of the company. PISA is good about addressing problems about their canopys. You shouldn't have to resort to exotic packing measures to get a decent opening on a Hornet. Hornets normally are a great canopy with smooth consistant openings! Skydiving is not a static excercise with discrete predictability...

Welcome to the wild, wonderful and sometimes problematic world of elipitical canopies! Proceed with caution... Skydiving is not a static excercise with discrete predictability...

Tucking in the nose is a procedure I've done in the past. I've abandoned it because I feel it increases the chance of off heading openings and mals and it may damage the canopy. If the proceedure is necessary, it's my opinion you look for a new canropy. PA's advice to stuff the nose on the Monarch is because there were design problems and it was necessary to get an opening that didn't slam you. The newer canopy designs don't require these extreme packing techniques. Skydiving is not a static excercise with discrete predictability...

Cool... I demo a Crossfire 2 in about 2 weeks.. Skydiving is not a static excercise with discrete predictability...

Rhino and I have had quite different experiences with the Chaos. I do not question his ability to evaluate canopy performance, he is detail oriented and credible in my book. In the past we have compared notes about our experience on another canopy outside this forum and our experience was very similar. I would like to encourage Rhino to re-evaluate the Chaos, but if he said he had stability problems, I believe him. It must have been an anomaly, because there are so many jumpers estatic over the Chaos. Skydiving is not a static excercise with discrete predictability...

Given you experience level and the problems you are having, I would suggest you demo 2 or 3 before making a decision. My suggestion for one is to try is the Hornet. It's a low price leader, packs easy, has soft openings with a strong flare. I would suggest you might ease up on the loading a bit.. 1.3 maybe tops. The Hornet is a "fix it all" canopy that can be flown aggressively if desired and works well for just about everyone. Skydiving is not a static excercise with discrete predictability...

I received my response from Percision today: The jumper that approached you with his concerns is passing along heresay. It's called rumor-mill-out-of-control. There has been a jumper killed jumping a Xaos 21, but the details of this incident all point to very gusty winds and nothing to do with the stability of the canopy. For example, the dz had earlier experienced a Triathlon collapse(but fortunately re-inflated with no injury) in the exact spot that the jumper with the Xaos did. The winds that day were like 15 with frequent gusts to 25 or more, and I've been told that this dz in VA is known for turbulence issues. Also, another dz that is only 12 to 15 miles away had shut down for the day because of turbulent wind conditions. Draw your own conclusions here, but... As to the 4 other injuries, I have no idea what he's talking about. Please have this person contact me to enlighten me. Again, sounds to me like a clear case of rumor-mill-out-of-control. The acid test for any canopy's stability is this: At altitude, take your Xaos and fly it as hard and radically as you possibly can. Dive it, yank it, stall it, jerk it as hard and wildly as possible. Simulate swoop approaches, doing everything you can imagine to set it up for bad behavior. If you can't get the canopy to mis-behave, then I'd say that it's a safe bet that your canopy has no stability problems. I say this with utmost sincerity; we have had no one report any "tendency" to collapse or exhibit any suspicious flight characteristics...period. Like I say, at high altitude, try your best to get your canopy to collapse. Let me know your findings. Skydiving is not a static excercise with discrete predictability...

Jason, I agree. My Chaos has the best handling chacteristics in turbulance and gusts of any canopy I've jumped. I trust the reports are just anomalies. Thanks! Skydiving is not a static excercise with discrete predictability...

The stories were here-say, no details. I was just concerned... I shot off a letter to inquiry to PA. I hope it's not a Crossfire type problem... Skydiving is not a static excercise with discrete predictability...

I was approached by another jumper yesterday and they expressed concern about my jumping a Chaos 21. They said 1 person had been killed and 4 seriously injured using this canopy and they talked about it not being stable and having a tendency to collapse. It's the best thing I've ever jumped... but I'm spooked... does anyone have the whole truth??? Skydiving is not a static excercise with discrete predictability...

That's good advice. The less thinking the better. Time is critical and a jumper in harms way needs to be able to act automatically. The RSL still scares me.. Skydiving is not a static excercise with discrete predictability...

I never had an "A" license, I went straight to my "B". I still had to pay for the fee for the "A" as well as the "B". You might qualify for a "C" but I don't think you will avoid the fees of prior ratings. I really interested if this is true...maybe I got ripped off ?? Skydiving is not a static excercise with discrete predictability...