rmsmith
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Everything posted by rmsmith
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The Spectre has a very short recovery arc compared to a canopy that is designed for swooping, like a Crossfire for example. This is evident when you try simple 90-degree front riser turns; the Spectre flattens out quickly while the Crossfire continues to dive until the pilot flattens the glide with the rear risers or toggle input. The over loaded Spectre is ground hungry and unable to attain the speeds required for a safe swoop without having to riser turn too close to the ground due to this recovery arc. I think you are over loading your Spectre beyond its intended design limits. Look over the charts at PD to confirm this issue. Maybe you're ready for a different kind of canopy flight.
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You should know when to take time off from the sport, and graduate school is one of those reasons to do it. It's easy to be a loser, but success requires planning and sacrifice. Good luck!
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I was cash-strapped too when I started jumping back in the seventies, so I went to school and became a civil engineer. Now, I have assets, cash flow, two rigs, and three main canopies with risers, d-bag, and pilot chute for each. However, I now have little free time as my career demands that I also work two weekends per month. I'd like to try out inherited wealth in my next life.
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You would be wise to get a seven-cell canopy like a Spectre as your first canopy as they are forgiving of packing irregularities, they typically open on heading without "hunting-for-a-heading", and they're not as easy to stall as the Stiletto. Take your time, be safe, and enjoy while learning!
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I'm sure an educated liberal could produce a sympathetic essay for you.
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I'm about 250-lbs out the door, and I've been jumping a Spectre-230 that I bought used for a great price. It is one of the best canopies I've ever jumped; the openings are always soft without too much snivel and no hunting for a heading like a nine-cell canopy. I had a Spectre-190 for a while, but it was just too ground hungry for me. I also have two Crossfire canopies, 180 & 189, but when the winds are up or I'm visiting an unfamiliar DZ then I jump the Spectre-230. Seven-cell canopies are also priced right too!
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Area is simple to calculate with a CAD program, or you could simply get close measuring each cell group. Those of you familiar with calculus can do it easier yet. I'd use the canopy's lower surface too.
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I just had one of my Crossfires relined for $268.00
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OK, I'm on track. I was thinking of something like the trim issue notification for stability regarding a few crossfires. I have a couple of crossfires as well as a spectre. I prefer the vectran lines as they seem to hold up better to friction and velcro exposure. BTW, how many jumps on your old spectre?
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Is there a trim issue with the spectre?
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I'm trying to find a rigger's seal press that is of the quality typical of snap-on tools. My 25-year old press still works, but it is poorly made, IMHO. Thanks!
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I have a Jumpshack Racer that has was built for a Raven Dash-M218 and a Spectre-190, and the container was sized accordingly at R=500-ci and M=550-ci. Both the main and reserve canopies are a snug fit. The main can be sized downward a little as the adjustable length closing loop is mounted on the bottom of the pack tray. You must be careful down sizing as you don't want your deployment bag to "fall-out" from being too loose within the main container; remember, deployment is a staged process.
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can somebody teach me how to swoop?
rmsmith replied to drenaline's topic in Swooping and Canopy Control
The 7-cell Spectre does not have the flatter glide of a 9-cell elliptical canopy. You can certainly swoop one of these canopies, but your timing for flare must be timed just right, and you must have long arms too as these canopies also have a long control range. Be careful out there! -
Some rap musicians brag about spending time in jail before being born; accordingly, who can say they have time in the air before being born?
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One issue with the highly elliptical canopies is the trim, specifically the angle of incidence. The trim on the highly elliptical canopies is flatter, which helps them glide easier whereas the trim on a rectangular seven-cell canopy is more aggressive, which help it stay inflated in turbulent conditions. Even the highly elliptical nine-cell canopies require higher wing loadings than the rectangular canopies. In order for the highly elliptical canopies to remain solidly inflated requires an increased wing loading. The decision boils down to the type of landings you desire, i.e., tip-toe on a selected spot, or a swoop requiring a runway. The easiest choice is to have two canopies complete with separate risers, deployment bag, and pilot chute so that swapping them requires a minimum of effort. Even better yet is two complete rigs.
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At your local university, skip past the "scantron-classes" where everyone is a winner. Once you have finished the calculus, differential equations, and physics courses you will be able to take statics, dynamics and fluid mechanics, which will give you a better feel for the world around you and your favorite sport too. In a nutshell, the heavier jumper will always be "sluggish" due to the additional mass that must swing to the side or front of the canopy during control inputs. Think about two automobiles of different weight and how they might perform; i.e., in a corner, braking distance, and acceration. The heavier automobile will require more traction, bigger brakes, and more horsepower, respectively. Even if they find more powerful racing horses you'll never see a bigger jockey!
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I have a newer Crossfire-180, and I just bought a used Crossfire-189 for a spare; it getting the "reline-n-trim" job from Icarus right now. From what I understand, the Crossfire is Icarus's best selling canopy despite what I think are "dull" stock color schemes.
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Is this your first canopy at 1.5 to 1 wing loading? Are you sure of your body position and legs? You might take a look at the Pier 2001 Swoop video, which has several excellent clips of what a highly loaded elliptical looks like while inflating; they're not for the timid pilot!
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>Ok, I will try to make this story as short as possible...snip >Not one of my better days. Hey, pretty modest there, William. BTW, I did see your previous post; a harrowing story! --rmsmith
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>Ok, after listening to my riggers bitch and moan (and more >importantly, charge me more) I am starting to look towards >replacing my racer. Over feeding your rigger is not a bad thing, and I assume we are talking about minor amounts such as multiples of ten$, which is cheap when you consider the consequences, right? Most rigs will be comfortable if the harness is properly sized, which can be an issue if you have to send your rig across the country for adjustments. I like my Racers for the flexible feel unlike the "trough" style containers, which accounts for most of the rigs out there. The JumpShack has been around for many years, they be around for more, and their service is first-class too. Good luck! -- RMS
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>I would appreciate some help/opinions here. I prefer a reserve sized such that I would be able to safely land it with the brakes set and a PLF style landing. -- Sincerely, Richard M. Smith (509) 754-1126 rmsmith@pobox.com
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Can you verify that a reserve-pack is good?
rmsmith replied to justinbuss's topic in Gear and Rigging
>Ok, there's a story on our DZ... >The rigger peeled one flap open. Still nothing. >He peeled the next flap open. Still nothing. >When he peeled the third flap open the pilot >chute finally popped out. Well, it wasn't a JumpShack Racer! -
>Props to you for doing this out of your own pocket; I have >friends jumping Crossfires too and I'm very interested in the >results. But again imho you should wait until all the results >are in before making statements in a public forum like "i >expect... icarus to close." To me this sounds like rumor- >mongering as you offer nothing but the fact that testing is >underway to back it up. A scientific investigation implemented when the desired results are already known will be viewed with skepticism unless it is conducted by a disinterested third party. -- Sincerely, Richard M. Smith (509) 754-1126 rmsmith@pobox.com
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You might consider adding "hip" rings to your rig, which would involve replacing the horizontal web, terminate the main lift web at the rings, and add new leg straps, but you would avoid having to work upward past your 3-ring into the reserve container area. The Relative Workshop is probably the best place to do the work. Rigging labor is roughly $50/hour.
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I talked with Lea at Icarus today, 2002-jan-08, and she said they were averaging about six weeks turn-around time to re-line a Crossfire. The cost is $268.00 for a fresh line set. The revised line trim is supposed to move the "center-of-lift" forward, which will increase the front riser pressure and aid in canopy inflation at the expense of some glide. I'm in snow country, so I won't be able to jump mine until the middle of March. -- RMS