TALONSKY

My Safire was made in Spain. The sizing issue applies to all Safire 1's and Omega's. Kirk

I have 4 suits and a partial owner of a 5th Tony Pit Special - use for swoop coach jumps and RW when I know the fall rate is going to be 120 or above. Tony suit- use for rec RW or coach jumps for fall rate and docking basically any RW jump were the fall rate would be below 120. Fire Fly 2 piece freefly suit- Freeflying jumps or hop-n-pops Birdman GTi(partial owner) I have done over 100 jumps on it and love these kind of jumps Birdman Skyflier 3 (should be here this week) Kirk

That is really great advise. I actually did that. I took my Safire 169 and laid it over the top of a Sabre 150. Do to the tapper on the Safire it was hard to get a perfect comparison but they were very close. I then took some measurement of each canopy and created a rough model in CAD now understand by no means is this completely acurate I just was trying to compansate for the tapper on the Safire. Anyway the Safire 169 came in being just a tad bit smaller than a Sabre 150. Blue Skies Kirk PS: I realize the info that I post from Simon at Icarus places the responsibility for the measuring discrepancy on Precision, but in my opinion the reason for the discrepancy is irrelevant. What is very relevant is getting the information out that the original Safire and Omega are measured differently than PD products.

I use to own a Safire and absolutely loved it. Here is some info on the Omega and Safire you might need to know I e-mailed Icarus and explained that this had been talked about here and if they could give me a reply that I could post so here is Icarus's reply The Safire-1 and the Omega are measured differently to PD canopies. As a rough guide a Safire-1 or Omega is about the same size as the next size down - eg A Safire 149 is about a 135. A Safire 119 is about a 109. Use an equation of 8%. The Safire-2 and Omni (Omni supercedes Omega) are measured the same as PD. All other Icarus Canopies are measured the same as PD. The reason for the difference is due to Precision measuring their canopies differently. Icarus have always measured the same as PD however when we originally commenced in the USA, Precision were building parachutes for us under license and were doing it using their size equations and not Icarus/PD's. We have therefore had to wait to supercede these models to change the size equation. Only the Safire and Omega were affected. Blue skies Simon Icarus Canopies USA: 1S671 Bender Lane, West Chicago, IL 60185, USA Ph. (630) 562-2735, Fax (630) 231-4430 Europe: P.I. El Ramassar, c/ Vallés, s/n O8520, Les Franqueses, Barcelona, SPAIN. Ph. (34) 938 496 432, Fax (34) 938 497 971 www.icaruscanopies.com

For stowing the slider, I have had an extra piece of webbing sewn on the bottom of my front risers about two inchs from the bottom. the webbing is about 1/4 to 3/8" wide and doubled over. It is sewn at an angle may be 30°. So the slider can be pushed past it and then it can not get back up without some help. I like this kind of stow because the slider is not hooked to the pilot and it keeps it all the way down. Kirk

Regulating wing loading for a specific jump number is not the fix, I think educating the pilots would do a whole lot more. There are very few places that offer canopy control classes but I think that is the answer. I think offering up a lot more classes for up and coming swoopers would help. I know on a personal level, I found it really hard to get a lot of information on high performance landings. I could talk to the swoopers and get some tips but it was not until I took a short version of the Canopy Evolution class taught by Jim Slaton that I really understood a lot more. Swooping takes tons of practice but it does help having some basic concepts and tutoring at the beginning. I would think if any regulation may be one that limits swooping to those people that have taken a canopy control classes would be better for the up and coming and for the old swooper just get grandfathered in. Kirk PS. I was writing this while Skybytch replied with a simliar Idea

I e-mailed Icarus and explained that this had been talked about here and if they could give me a reply that I could post so here is Icarus's reply The Safire-1 and the Omega are measured differently to PD canopies. As a rough guide a Safire-1 or Omega is about the same size as the next size down - eg A Safire 149 is about a 135. A Safire 119 is about a 109. Use an equation of 8%. The Safire-2 and Omni (Omni supercedes Omega) are measured the same as PD. All other Icarus Canopies are measured the same as PD. The reason for the difference is due to Precision measuring their canopies differently. Icarus have always measured the same as PD however when we originally commenced in the USA, Precision were building parachutes for us under license and were doing it using their size equations and not Icarus/PD's. We have therefore had to wait to supercede these models to change the size equation. Only the Safire and Omega were affected. Blue skies Simon Icarus Canopies USA: 1S671 Bender Lane, West Chicago, IL 60185, USA Ph. (630) 562-2735, Fax (630) 231-4430 Europe: P.I. El Ramassar, c/ Vallés, s/n O8520, Les Franqueses, Barcelona, SPAIN. Ph. (34) 938 496 432, Fax (34) 938 497 971 www.icaruscanopies.com

I have a life insurance policy for $100.000. It covers skydiving and only cost $15.00 a month. It was offered to me by a mailing from my bank US Bank. The insurance company is Great West. Their policy only goes to $100,000, but has only 1 exclusion and that is suicide. Skydive Oregon is a great dropzone and (my home DZ), the staff is world class. Blue Skies Kirk

I have flown a Crosfire 2 130 loaded at 1.85 to 1 for over 100 jumps. I recently bought a Crossfire 1 129 for my B rig. With a 1 sq foot diffenence I feel, I can give a fairlyaccurate comparison. First the Crossfire 2 has alot snappier turns, it also is alot more sensitive to hip input. The Crossfire 2 also dives alot more on toggleturn than the 1. The area where the differances is really noticable is with the front risers, first of all the Crossfire 2 has noticably less riser pressure and about 125 feet more of a recovery arch. I have not yet dialed in ther Crossfire 1 (do to the lower recovery arch) but it does feel faster across the ground however the swoops are not nearly as long as the Crossfire 2. Oh, it also may be worth mentioning that both of them have great opennings and both were made in Europe. Blue Skies Kirk

After AFF, I bought a new altimeter (from my home DZ), and then a new full faced helmet (from my home DZ), then a used jump suit (from a guy at my home DZ). Finally at 35 jumps I bought my own used rig (from a local jumper at my home DZ, I bought used because it was the most cost effective way to get an entire rig). I jumped that main (Falcon 195) for 100 jumps (when I bought the rig main had 800 jumps so it was mostly worn out being F111) then bought another used main (Safire 169 from a classified ad on Dropzone.com). I jumped that for about 350 jumps. After up grading my main I bought a Pro trac (audible altimeter for Ralph local dealer). Then I bought new jump suits 1 RW and 1 Freefly (direct from companies). After that I bought an almost new main ( downsizing, from a classified ad on dropzone.com) with the new main, it would no longer fit in my current rig so I bought all new rig, reserve and Cypress (from my home DZ manager who was a dealer) Blue skies Kirk

Hey Dan, did not realize it was you. Well, as far as getting the birdman dealership I think they have declined to use me. I gather that since I have not heard from them in about three weeks. It really is a great idea to get some canopy classes up here in the NW. We bugged Blake for a couple of years before he finally got in contact with Jim Slaton. See ya around Kirk

Your announcement would be a lot more credible if you actually filled in your profile instead of leaving it blank

1. It is one of the best feelings in the world (only beaten by some great sex) 2. For one minute you are free, you can do spins fly head down,sit or anything you could imagine 3. Some really cool scenery, on the right day the clouds are awesome 4. On the right day you can fly through huge valleys in the clouds fly over and even touch a cloud 5. Canopy flight can rival any amusement park ride with the right canopy.

As Wendy stated long before there would be a concern about the canopy structural integrity; you will definitely start seeing some changes in flight characteristics. As F 111 starts to degrade there will be less flare, and you may start noticing a change in how the canopy will open. My first canopy was a Falcon 195 (made from F111), it had 800 jumps on it when I bought it. Since then I added 150 jumps to it then change to a different canopy. On the last 50 jumps the canopy started opening really hard, and from the start it did not have a ton of flare. Now that canopy is on a shared birdman suit and I can say it really has not much flare left of course it now has over 1000 jumps on it. Kirk

Another lame factor of this Z-1: they used hot glue to glue the skirt that goes around the neck area to the shell, and hot glue does not hold for crap - as I'm sure you know. So part of the skirt has come loose. __________________________________________________ You know, I have heard this from a few different people. I have had a Z-1 for the last 500 jumps which is a little over 2-1/2 years and I have never had a single problem with my helmet at all. At the same time I bought mine a friend bought one and he has had no problems either. I personally think they are great and the visor is damn near bullet proof Blue skies Kirk

Sorry to hear your Cobalt opens hard. I have read a lot of post dealing with their openings here so you might want to do a search on them in this forum. Some of the fix’s I remember are having a smaller pilot chute, making sure your symmetrical when pulling and as the last person said pack very meticulous. They sound to me to be more like the original Sabre, as far as opening characteristics go. I find it hard to believe that a canopy touted for its soft openings has to be so specific on packing and everything. Hell personally I have had an Icarus Safire, and a Crossfire 2 and in 400 jumps have never had a hard opening and most of the time I trash pack. Blue skies and good luck with your Cobalt Kirk

Since I have not done one yet, I can only speculate but I would totally agree with you. An intentional cutaway is nothing like a mal. Kirk

Their requirment is one intentional or emergency cut away. I do not think they would lend it out just to use. It was my impression it was meant for those of us lucky enough to never have had a cut away. Kirk

I found out some information today about the cut away needed by Strong enterprise (this only is for Strong tandem instructor canadidates). I spoke to Denise( I believe he is the director of the tandem program) and asked about the cutaway. He said they have a rig they will ship to the course director for doing intentional cutaways , all you need to do is call him and he will ship the rig to the course director. It cost $25.00 a jump and shipping back to them. I thought since most people I talked to has really ran into a little bit of a problem coming up with the cut away this might be useful info to pass to everyone. If you would like to talk to Denise their number is 1-800-344-6319. Blue Skies Kirk

Hey Johnny here is some info on the Safire you may not know I e-mailed Icarus and explained that this had been talked about here and if they could give me a reply that I could post so here is Icarus's reply The Safire-1 and the Omega are measured differently to PD canopies. As a rough guide a Safire-1 or Omega is about the same size as the next size down - eg A Safire 149 is about a 135. A Safire 119 is about a 109. Use an equation of 8%. The Safire-2 and Omni (Omni supercedes Omega) are measured the same as PD. All other Icarus Canopies are measured the same as PD. The reason for the difference is due to Precision measuring their canopies differently. Icarus have always measured the same as PD however when we originally commenced in the USA, Precision were building parachutes for us under license and were doing it using their size equations and not Icarus/PD's. We have therefore had to wait to supercede these models to change the size equation. Only the Safire and Omega were affected. Blue skies Simon Icarus Canopies USA: 1S671 Bender Lane, West Chicago, IL 60185, USA Ph. (630) 562-2735, Fax (630) 231-4430 Europe: P.I. El Ramassar, c/ Vallés, s/n O8520, Les Franqueses, Barcelona, SPAIN. Ph. (34) 938 496 432, Fax (34) 938 497 971 www.icaruscanopies.com Blues Skies Kirk

We currently have 4 at our dropzone. This last year we added 3 and since then there has been alot of talk about others getting them. Blue skies Kirk

Well my thought on distance is under 5' per competion rules. I guess where I am going with this question is to try and gage how my swoops are progressing. To measure mine, we have a 200ft swoop pond and my last 20 swoops have been flying parallel to it and landing right next to it. My last swoop I was lucky enough to get it on video, I touched the water at about 5 feet from the start of the pond and made it to about 5 feet from the end of the pond(which means yes I landed in the pond) Kirk

I am just wondering what the average length of the average swoop is? I realize there is a huge amount of ability in preforming the swoop correctly verses digging it out, but this is a simple question of length of swoop. I have been doing high performance landing for my last 200 landing. Currently when I do not plain out high I am averaging between 150 to 190 feet. Thanks Kirk

I have had nothing but great experience buying online. I have only bought two canopies online through this site. Both canopies were in better shape than I could have imagined and on the last canopy a Crossfire 2 130 with 70 jumps I bought for $1200 the guy even threw in a set of Mirage stainless steel risers. I am still leery of buying online and on the last canopy I had the manager of my home DZ act as a broker on the deal. The canopy was sent to the manager to check it out then I gave the manager a Cashiers check for the canopy before I received the canopy. Blue Skies Kirk

Have you ever tried a Crossfire 2. They are completely different from the orignal Crossfire. They are more ground hungry, faster turns, and longer recovery arch. Kirk