rhino

Opinions wanted. From your experience what do you think the safest canopy is at or under a 1.0 wing loading. Say for a beginner? My choice would be a Triathlon.. What would yours be? Rhino Blue Skies and Smooth Rides!! http://www.aahit.com

If I am buying it my son will be flying a Triathlon "Or something similar". I don't give a damn what he WANTS to fly. Just because he likes the flight characteristics of a VX doesn't mean that's the decision to make. It's my dollar and I know more about canopies than he does so it's my decision. Sometimes our experience can prove to be a benefit to others. As far as landings are concerned it worries me when skydivers "especially new ones" put so much of their energy into freefall and not enough into learning how to get to the ground safely under canopy. Personally I am glad that you and Kelly hung in there and are still jumping. This sport needs the personality and God knows the sexy women running around. But on the other hand it worries me when a simple concept known as the flair is botched up time and time again by even experienced jumpers. Sure we all have bad landings that we can't really do anything about "sometimes". People don't pay enough attention to the most important thing in the sport.. Flying and landing the canopy safely. As far as how safe a seven cell vs a nine cell is like a Triathlon and a Crossfire? I don't know the crossfire well enough but I know the Triathlon. I am not a Triathlon spokes person, I don't pump Triathlons but there are ignorant people out there that can't grasp the fact that a Triathlon at 1.0 is safer to fly in turbulence than a sabre at 1.0 they chose to say 9 cells is better than 7 cells. If you disagree that's o.k. We are allowed to. I feel when you are at or below 1.1 a Triathlon or lets even say a Spectre or Triathlon type canopy provides extra safety where windy days and chop are concerned. 7 cell canopies at lower wing loadings SAVE LIVES. It is my humble but ACCURATE opinion. To have a Triathlon fold like that there must have been some really bad chop.. I hope the guy is o.k. and I hope everyone that landed in that condition learned something from it. And it's failsafe....lol Rhino Blue Skies and Smooth Rides!! http://www.aahit.com

I know they aren't perfect. There is one thing I didn't like about the Triathlon on occasion. It is the same problem the Diablo has.. Sometimes the flare isnt' very responsive on a straight in. Needs a little extra juice to want to act properly. Sometimes. Blue Skies and Smooth Rides!! http://www.aahit.com

Damn!! Damn.. Damn.. Damn... Just when you think you have seen it all.. Blue Skies and Smooth Rides!! http://www.aahit.com

I will put my son on a Triathlon for his first canopy loaded between 1.0 and 1.2.. With that said come to whatever conclusion you want. I will assume he is at or near sea level. If he was at 5000 feet msl he should or would have said so. The ones who can't stand up a .9 wing loading need to pick up another sport some time in the near future. A Triathlon "square" not elliptical canopy at 1.0 should be o.k. for JUST ABOUT anyones first canopy. If they graduate AFF they should be able to land a canopy at .9 . The Triathlon has a broad enough of a flight envelope "especially on the slower end" that is would be my first choice for any beginner learning how to fly a canopy. It is better in wind and turbulence than any other canopy at it's loading. In my opinion. Sabre's are fast and not reliable in chop. I have seen a sabre drop a jumper 20 feet out of the air in medium rotors. I have been scared shitless under one a few times myself feeling that distinctive accordian feeling over my head. I know nothing about the sabre2 so I cannot comment but I would not jump a sabre as a main. They may prefer the flight and landing characteristics of a nine cell but is that going to be the safest move at a lower wing loading. NOTHING at 1.0 is as safe as a Triathlon. It is impossible to convince me otherwise. I have flown through the same air as a sabre at 1.2 watching him bounce all over the sky and my Triathlon went right through without so much as a bump. Saying I would put my son on one should say alot. I have 150 jumps on a Triathlon at 1.25. It was very stable, the flight range was great and the only reason I would have EVER gotten hurt on that thing is if I asked for it. Rhino Blue Skies and Smooth Rides!! http://www.aahit.com

You need to start at 1.0 to 1.2 on a Triathlon. A sabre 2 is going to be WAAAAYYYY too fast for you.. You need to learn to flat turn a Triathlon class canopy and sink it in and hold in brakes.. You have MUCH to learn before going to that wing loading.. NOT A GOOD IDEA..A Triathlon160 would be a good 1st canopy for you. Put 150 jumps on that first. Then move to a 150 or a 135. Rhino Blue Skies and Smooth Rides!! http://www.aahit.com

I have 7 jumps on a birdman suit.. It was AWESOME!!!!! I was flying circles around the airport still at 9k as the tandems were opening below.. It was cool!! Rhino Blue Skies and Smooth Rides!! http://www.aahit.com

You guys should feel lucky.. I live in Michigan and haven't jumped in 3 months!! It sucks here!!! Blue Skies and Smooth Rides!! http://www.aahit.com

LOL Blue Skies and Smooth Rides!! http://www.aahit.com

One thing you guys can check is if there are twists in your break lines? If there are more in one than the other it will cause you to turn in that direction. I have also seen poorly installed breaks in older parachutes with knots in them? Sometimes the breaks aren't set evenly. Have your rigger check out your canopy trim and breaks. Blue Skies and Smooth Rides!! http://www.aahit.com

Yep.. Always be ready... Blue Skies and Smooth Rides!! http://www.aahit.com

Hip Hip Hooray!! Good advise... Blue Skies and Smooth Rides!! http://www.aahit.com

Blue Skies!! Blue Skies and Smooth Rides!! http://www.aahit.com

Yes.. Fact of the matter is they or WE shouldn't jump when winds are that high.. It is unfortunate that I had to learn about high winds from experience scaring the hell out of me rather than a dzo telling me not to jump because that gear might be dangerous in high wind. What have I learned? Obviously not to jump in wind that high and to voice my concerns to others I see jumping gear like that in high wind.. But some people just have to learn by the school of hard knocks.. Blue Skies and Smooth Rides!! http://www.aahit.com

When I was on student status and for a little while after that I was on a falcon 220 and a falcon 210.. I am 175 out the door. It actually felt dangerous in this canopy because of the slow response time.. And when the wind was up I never should have jumped. But I did.. I had one jump where I was actually moving backwards under a falcon220 and I was hanging on the front risers just to get the hell out of the air. About 30 or so feet off the ground I let go of one of the front risers taking me into a little carve that gave me JUST enough ground speed not to move backwards. Chuck at skydiveusa bet my friend I would not land on my feet as he watched me come down backwards.. I landed on my feet.. Too bad Chuck.. :) That was the LAST time I jumped rental gear at that dz.. I know it was my decision.. So I decided not to jump that gear again :) I think my first 50 jumps were on rental gear.. Anything from a 220 to a 150. Personally I appreciate the responsiveness of a higher performance wing.. I like to fly the canopy not let the canopy fly me. But students aren't ready for that yet.. 1.1 is a good starting point.. Blue Skies and Smooth Rides!! http://www.aahit.com

There is really no reason one should go above 1.2 for a first canopy. And the only way I would say above 1.0 would be a o.k. idea is if they had ALL standup landings "first 30 jumps or so". My 2 cents... Rhino Blue Skies and Smooth Rides!! http://www.aahit.com

I'm glad you are o.k. I pretty much always wear a helmet. The only exception is when I plan to pull high 14k and don't plan on doing any RW. If I am going to do anything other than a straight in on that landing I wear a helmet also. Until this year I didn't have a cypress. I figured a helmet was a good piece of insurance. Just bought a new cypress for my rig.. I will still be wearing the helmet 99% of the time. Blue Skies and Smooth Rides!! http://www.aahit.com

Actually.. They like to keep each other warm so I am told?? :) Blue Skies and Smooth Rides!! http://www.aahit.com

Damn... Interesting... Blue Skies and Smooth Rides!! http://www.aahit.com

Holy shit!! I do too!!! LOL Blue Skies and Smooth Rides!! http://www.aahit.com

ALLWAYS!!! and I do mean ALLWAYS take care of your rigger!! I always put an extra 20 in the check getting the reserve repacked.. I want my rigger to like me :) Blue Skies and Smooth Rides!! http://www.aahit.com

So what name do you get at 500 posts or 1000 posts? Blue Skies and Smooth Rides!! http://www.aahit.com

Twins are cool!! Blue Skies and Smooth Rides!! http://www.aahit.com

It took about 20 minutes and I got my response.. Blue Skies and Smooth Rides!! http://www.aahit.com

Got it now... Best western. Rantoul. 2nd through the 11th.. King size!! Blue Skies and Smooth Rides!! http://www.aahit.com