ramon

That is good to know. Thanks. I think I'll get the Micron 150/150. bloo skies ramon

"Flare as in SWOOP distance or flare as in STOPPING power." Flare as in "lift" if we were not talking apples to apples. Yes I would much rather be on a 7 cell than a 9 at 1.0 loading in buffety winds for reason stated in my previous post. If I were doing a demo I would use a triathlon. I agree a seven cell will stop on a dime. Some of them can be flown straight down (Parafoil) in brakes. My friends base canopy (Fox 265) will in fact fly a little bit backwards. It lands like shit though ( of course a burning foot or muddy knee is much better than missing your mark in a tight area).. I used to 90 hook my triathlon (175) at about 125'. You're right it would stop very quickly after the surf started ... and I loved it...but it did not seem to have over all performance like my stilleto 170 (1.3). that is a big ass stilletto at a lower wing loading that I did not like to fly in buffety winds for reasons stated in my first post (high aspect ratio elipticals lighlty loaded..nasty)..that canopy however could land as slow as a tri or out surf a sabre 170 and stop on a dime (feather soft landing) and make it back from a spot from Hell...I of course think this is rare performance received from flying such a big FAT stilleto (flat glide ratio). My Space/Alpha will out swoop the crap out of that stilleto, but no where near the range (slow...fast). But my space is pretty damn stable in turbulence and always has penetration. bloo skies

7 cells are not "more pressurized" because they are deeper and hold more air. That is a fallacy (ideal gas law PV=nRT). Pressurisation comes from air pressure at the inlet of the nose wich directly correlates to airspeed. Airspeed is directly correlated to loading and angle of attack (everything else being equal). In my opinion the reason a seven cell is stable in turbulence (when lightly loaded 1.1 or lower) is that the cells are very large (large opening) and the aspect ratio is lower, so that if buffeting depressurises a cell it is easily reinflated before a stall or a spin. I have seen very lightly loaded 9 cells spin up (135 pound girl under a monarch 150). I have also flown my 7 cell tri (1.28) in buffety winds and felt safe. A nine cell has more flare power because, aspect ratio is higher, so you have a longer lifting surface at the tail being deflected. Also a more aerodynamic nine cell will move faster and speed increases lift more than linearly (square of speed or exponential..forgot) I felt safe under my 9 cell eliptical (1.5) under semi windy conditions, but not as safe as I did under a nine cell samurai at 1.8 (yeah...no fair..airlocks) and much safer than newbies jumping sabre 190s. Thing is I don't really want to fly a seven cell at 1.5, 1.3 is fun, safe, stable. More heavily loaded nine cells (1.9- up) stay extremely presurised and require great skill to keep land softly, that skill may be challenged when landing in buffety winds, but I have seen it done by good pilots with no after effects. Just think of what size F111 seven cell reserves some hot shots have above their postage stamp mains. I'd love to wath someone land a F-111 reserve at 1.8..ha ha. But then I might be wrong.

I want my container to be described as "secure" not "KILLER". just kdding. Looks sharp. bloo skies ramon

Whining...dirty jump suits...I dunno... I think they get used to student gear or sabres and then buy a new Safire and can't land it, blame the canopy and call the company. Some people have 500 jumps and still can't land their sabres, others are surfing moderately loaded stilletos/samurais with 300 jumps (much to the chagrin of old timers) bloo ones ramon

Ask him to send me one too. ramon

It is called exageration....Chill... Fact is they have very deep brakes compared to other canopies aimed at the beginner to intermediate market and often newbies buy them and have difficulty flying them (I see this every weekend). I don't have a problem with them, but then I like samurais and they have deep brakes too. My friend Scott disliked his Safire so much he called Icarus. They in fact told him they had so many complaints they were trying to fix the problem (what ever that is...newbies who can't flare). Steve Utter can surf one pretty damn far. ramon

Kudos to the first person with the inside story. Sounds cool ramon

I feel like my tevas give me more drag on my feet while freeflying than sneakers, and the total lack of ankle support and socks makes for comfortable and cool feet here intexas.

Oh keep us informed....T.J. Landgren (texas) is supposed to be a factory pilot, but he is in Dallas and I am in Houston and can't spy on him. Yeah George Galloway (Precision) was on the Icarus board of directors and quit to start promoting his "own" new designs. I wonder if they're all Icarus ripp offs (except the reserve)...Or maybe improved versions that he does not want to hand over. The Safire is due for redesign due to multitude of customer copmplaints (flare sucks unless you hook it), Possible "Synergy" Chute. We'll know for sure, if the "Fusion" parachute looks too much like a "Cross Fire" Maybe they will be Icarus chutes with that wacky material that precision put on Batwings and Monarchs bloo ones ramon

Precision suddenly revamped their website. http://precision.aerodynamics.com/ new canopies XAOS21 21 cell cross brace (like Icarus?? he he) XAOS27 27 cell cross brace (no other data) Fusion some new canopy Synergy some new canopy Raven Max new high speed reserve Any body know any scoop? bloo skies ramon

Well said. bloo skies ramon

I want to buy a new rig either Vector Micron 150main/150R or Vector III 135 main/150R I currently have an alpha/space 150 but I want to get a new rig that I can put a 135 or possibly FX 119 in it. The micron can hold my current main and one size down (135) I know FXs pack up big, but will it be too loose in a rig sized for 150 (then it would probably fit in the 135/150 VIII). If I get the 135/150 vector III my current main will be tight and...it won't be a micron. I am not willing to use a reserve smaller than 150. Any ideas? thanks ramon

I'm sure debate will last a long time on this incident. Aside from obeying FAA regulations we pretty much look after our own. We sign enough waivers to put fault or blame mostly on our selves..whose to blame if you hook it in against advice and training..or pull within cypress fire altitude and experience entaglement. Cases like this warrant speculation by seasoned jumpers and pilots, waivers often clear buisinesses and individuals from chance incidents but they should not clear a conscience from a mistake. We police our own and if there is any blame for a fatality (I'm not saying there is), but it should be discussed openly and in a mature manner. Accusations are unfair and uncouth but hurt feelings are not as important as living to see blue skies another day. How do you think every rigger feels when a no-pull happens. Complacency is not limited to our personal gear. BSBD ramon

That post was taken from the newsgroups. It is from the DZO of said drop zone. Please take with a grain of salt. I can't imagine the FAA investigating something that quickly. BSBD

This what I heard, but could have many errors due to (word of mouth etc) There was a boogie in San Marcos, TX. There were two airplanes (the DZs otter and a King Air). 3rd party rumor has it that the deceased (a girl from Atlanta??? I don't know) left the otter and collided with the prop of the King air. The King air was able to land safely. I know nothing else why when, or who..... very very sad.. BSBD ramon

Pammi, it is a lot of work. I managed to find a Master rigger that liked me enough to let me apprentice. He shows me all sorts of skills and in return I have to do a lot of busy work ( starts with inspecting containers and reserves, checking continuity, practicing packing and closing reserves including my own, and up to assembling entire rigs for his customers, while he does all the hard stuff, sewing, modifying). I can inspect while he packs and if it is certain gear I can do the entire repack without bothering him for help. just recently I was packing assebling a brand new reserve for him and we had to stop and finger trap the brakes. Here he spent 1.5 hours showing me how and letting me practice on his machine. I chickened out from sowing the actual brake lines, though I did the finger traping.( He made me some finger trapping tools) I have been doing this since December (once a week) and it has taken me this long to log 5 reserve pack jobs (in other words this long to where I could assemble and pack certain makes of rigs by myself...unless there is a problem or somehting weird about the rig not covered in the manuals.) Good Luck Ramon P.S. It is weird when you jump your personal rig and your first complete reserve repack is your rig. Makes you think real hard and triple check everything.

Thanks Guess I can always demo.

Hey Dude, I have a Space/Alpha at about 1.5 and it is great, I'm just thinking ahead. Derek's mains are too small ha ha. His old 70 changed hands a couple of times. Super dave offered to let me jump his 84, but I'm not interested in that wingloading (ha 2.4). I'll probably wind up buying an old Alpha, but there are a few larger old FXs out there. ?? who knows. R

That is the consensus opinion of the VX, but I am specifically talking about an FX (less efficient)loaded at the upper limit of a traditional canopy. .ala..119-115 size. JC Coclasure can surf the living hell out of a large FX (he has a 134 and a 114). What I'm wondering, is If I can fly a canopy at 1.8-1.9 and I don't want to exceed that wingloading, How will an FX perform diving and straight in landings compared to a non cross braced at that wingloading Info: Team Extreme stats Luigi Cani perferred wingloading 2.7 (he has 4 VXs) Jim Slaton prefferred wingloading 2.3-2.4 (4 VXs) OK JC Coclasure preffered wingloading VX 2.2-2.5 But for FX 1.9-2.0 Clint Clawson preffered wingloading VX 2.2 FX 1.9 thanks ramon

Anyone fly an FX at the lower end of Icarus recommendation for cross bracing benefit (1.8)? What was it like compared to a non-cross braced at 1.8? thanks ramon

By the way I don't recommend this unless you talk to someone with experience like Rob says, and I have never done this myself. On the Chronicles 3 video Olav jumps out of a little plane above a ski slope, he carves onto the slope where there are air blades set down the slope, and he basically slaloms his small eliptical down the course. This is called Blade running and it is gaining popularity close to ski slopes. It looks like a lot of fun....but it also looks like you better plan all your outs in case you miss a turn, or miss a landing area, because it looks congested and you probably build up some speed in parts of the slopes. You are flying a parachute and not a paraglider (parapente) in these things so you are going down the whole time. bloo skies ramon

FreedomMeansChoice seems to be a good bang for your buck all seams re-inforced on the inside. I have two FMChoice and have owned a Michigan suit (not enough drag, poor customer support but I think it depends on who handles your order) My next suit will be from Firefly (very good customer support, but more expensive) Fly free ramon

It is funny because it became a huge underground internet joke. A couple of Base Jumpers even made a Base video with the song "All Your base are Belong to Us" (which was a joke made with samples from the stupid video game. Remember...Donkey Kong was supposed to be "Monkey Kong", but they had already shipped thousands of units..ha ha. "You are on the ways of destruction. You have no chance for survival make your time!" ramon

"SOMEONE SET US UP A BOMB!