Aviatrr

I love THIS ONE Of course, THIS ONE is pretty good too And ya can't miss THIS ONE Isn't the internet a great thing? Mike

Well, I think I can comment here.. I have about 70 jumps on a Spectre 150 with an exit weight everywhere from 210-225.. At those wing loadings, the canopy flew great, was very responsive, built up speed very well in front riser turns, and surfed quite an impressive distance for a Spectre.. On the downside, the glide angle sucked(better make sure you have a good spot), I spun it up on a not so hard toggle turn after a 360 front riser, it dives like hell and loses a lot of altitude in front risers, and it surfs way further than expected......Ok, so the last one isn't a problem when you get used to it.. At those loadings, I was always sailing past most canopies like they were sitting still - but I was also dropping like a rock.. On the bright side, I could sink that thing into a back yard if I needed to(and did twice) without a problem.. A friend of mine jumps his girlfriend's Spectre 107 every now and then, and he's 205 out the door.. He says it flies fine, but it sure won't get him very far.. His surfs are ok, but I think it's overloaded for optimum surfs.. Mike

In my 5 jumps on the Sabre2(loaded about 1.5), I never had end cell closure.. Standard PRO-pack, nothing special with the nose.. It was a brand new canopy with only 20 jumps on it.. I think it was about 5 or 6 days old when I jumped it.. Maybe they solved an early end cell problem.. Mike

As has already been stated, front riser turns decrease the angle of attack of the canopy(wing), thereby allowing the canopy to go much faster(reduce lift, reduce drag).. As a result, the canopy dives and causes a lot of altitude loss.....BUT, it IS FLYING.. With a toggle turn, you are just destroying lift on the side of the canopy that is pulled down.. For the toggles(at least the side that you pulled down) to regain effectiveness, it has to regain its shape and resume producing lift.. Lets keep it simple.. Lift=good.. No lift=bad.. Want to do "safe"(if such a thing exists) low turns, use front risers - keep the canopy producing lift.. Mike

Actually, that came from a camera flyer friend of mine that many of you have heard of....Jan Davis from Lodi.. Her quote was.. "There I was in freefall, minding my own damn business, when someone tried to shove a planet up my ass!" Mike

[butthead voice] Uhh, hey baby.....what are ya doing this weekend? [/butthead voice] Mike

As Lisa said, Vegas is the closest to you right now.. They say there will be one in SoCal at the sports complex, but I have no idea if that's really a go - and if so, does anybody know when it's scheduled to open? I think the drive to Vegas(what, 4 hours each way? Make a weekend out of it!) would be worth it.. You will not only be able to sort out your chipping problem, you will be way ahead of the game for your future AFF levels when it comes to turns and such.. If you buy 10-15 minutes in the tunnel, the coach will likely get ya doing turns(using both arms and legs), fall rate changes, stability excercises, etc... Just be sure to request a coach that is also a skydiver, and tell 'em your problem.. I think they're all skydivers out there, and some of 'em are instructors out at Gravity Zone Skydiving.. Like I said, it's not totally realistic, but it's enough that it will definitely help you out.. Mike

And since we haven't even jumped together since I started doing video, I don't even have ya on tape to grab some stills from.. I guess that'll be my new thing - getting video of all the dz.commers I can and posting the stills.. Of course, I'll always try to pull the stills that make you guys look good..

Ok, everybody back down to Deland for the weekend of Aug 18-19 so we can do this right.. I expect to see everybody at 0800 for the first load.. If ya want any specific pics from the videos, lemme know.. I can grab any frame out of the videos and make it into a digital pic.. You could probably even get 'em turned into real photos.. I know some places offer that service.. If ya want that, or if ya just want copies of the videos on a CDROM, lemme know.. It'll be a week before I can do anything - I'm at work on the road right now.. Mike

Other than skydiving, I enjoy doing SCUBA, mountain biking, boating(both power and sail), and occasionally rock climbing.. Every now and then I go fly some aerobatics - which will probably be more often in the not too distant future when I buy my own aerobatic airplane - and would eventually like to compete.. I used to fly RC airplanes and gliders(have a glider with a 16' wingspan), but not so much anymore.. I got kinda bored with it.. There's not really anyplace to fly my gliders around Florida, either, unless I have 'em towed up by a power plane.. I used to launch 'em off the cliffs in San Diego when I lived in SoCal.. Most of the time, I'm either working, skydiving, or just lounging around.. Now, if I can just find a woman that likes those same things - with the occasional trip to do the other things I listed above.. Mike Oh, BTW, when you bass fish, do you wear one of these?

To be a freeflyer on a hybrid, you need to be a damn good freeflyer.. It's like nothing you've ever experienced before.. My first try to stand up under two belly flyers went to shit really quick.. Second was ok, but a hell of a lot harder than standing by myself.. Plus, if you cork, it's almost guaranteed that somebody is above you.. To be a head down flyer on hybrid dives, you either need to be able to fall VERY slow and stable, or be able to fly very stable(with some funky airflow) with a fast base.. I've only tried a few hybrids, and have never tried to go head down on one.. None were totally successful - but they were all damn fun..

I have no idea.. I didn't see any brochures or anything at PD for the Sabre2, either.. They're already selling like crazy, and hardly anybody has ever jumped the canopy.. I wouldn't have bought a brand new type of canopy to the market without jumping one - but now that I've jumped it, I wouldn't think twice about buying one.. I think it's an awesome canopy that will have plenty of performance for most people for their first several hundred jumps.. Good idea, I'll e-mail it to him so he can create a 'Sabre2' category and post it.. Mike

I have about 50 jumps or so on a Spectre loaded at almost 1.5 - the same as I loaded the Sabre2.. I only have 3 or 4 jumps on the Spectre that were NOT front riser approaches.. The Spectre dives quite a bit in front riser snap hooks - a bit less in carves - and loses a lot of altitude.. I felt that the Sabre2 used a lot less altitude for the same maneuver.. The Sabre2 has a fairly long recovery arc(allowing you to stop the riser input earlier), but not quite as long as the Spectre in my experience.. The downside is that the long recovery arc means it takes a while to get back to straight and level - so doing a low turn can really bite ya hard.. On the Spectre, I would do 180 snap hooks(just fast, aggressive front riser turns) and burn about 500ft.. On the Sabre2, I didn't even burn 500ft on a 270 snap! I can't say anything about the Triathalon - I haven't done aggressive approaches on them, nor have I jumped one at roughly the same loading.. I definitely recommend the Sabre2 over the Spectre - and I have had a couple people from PD tell me they feel the same, but can't say so publicly.. Remember, the Spectre is a 7 cell and the Sabre2 is a 9 cell.. Traditionally, 7 cells have a much steeper glide - meaning you will cover less ground, and descend faster, than a 9 cell.. Trying to make it back from a long spot? You want a 9 cell.. Like to make steep, accuracy type landings? You want a 7 cell.. The glide angle also comes into play during front riser turns.. Since the Spectre is already sinking faster than the Sabre2, when you take that canopy on a more vertical plane(as you are when you haul down on a front riser), it will descend faster.. They both complete the turns in about the same distance over the ground, but the Spectre will burn a lot more altitude.. If I understand what you're referring to on the Tri, you will probably have the same "problem" on the Sabre2 initially.. I was doing the turns too low on the Sabre2(I was having to 'stab out' of the dive) - but on the Spectre, I did them just about right.. I don't know why - probably just because I knew the Spectre needed a lot more altitude to recover, so I gave myself much more of a margin for error.. I strongly suggest you heed any advice you get from Scott.. Both him and John Le Blanc are highly experienced canopy pilots(and test pilots) and know what they are talking about.. I take their advice very seriously.. I am very cautious with my low altitude maneuvers, and I'm not at all afraid to bail out of an attempt that doesn't look good and make a crosswind or downwind landing.. If there is any doubt as to whether or not I will finish the turn in the altitude I have, or if traffic becomes a factor, I come off the front risers immediately.. What I do then will depend on the situation - but if it's an altitude issue, usually a toggle flat turn(or even better, a 'flat' rear riser turn if you are proficient at them) does the trick and puts me into the wind.. If not, crosswind landing here I come.. Don't be afraid to look stupid.....you'll look really stupid if you hook in under a good canopy.. Mike

Plus the fact that the engines produce less power at higher ambient temps.. Just remember.. The altitude+hot temp(or either one by itself) also affects the way your canopy flies.. Mike

Hey, I never have to renew my type ratings, either.. Then again, nobody with a type rating on an FAA ticket ever has to renew any type rating.. Nor do they have to renew pilot certificates.. Mike

I'll be sure to let ya know how I think the two compare.. The sub-terminal opening on the Sabre2 was a bit snakey, but that was due to my body position.. I pitched when I was turned about 90 to the plane, still on the hill, just as I cleared the bottom of the plane.. The opening seemed to take forever(and the video agrees), but the altitude loss was minimal.. I'm going to be jumping a buddy's Crossfire 139 the same weekend as the Cobalt, so I'll let ya know what I think about the Crossfire also.. Mike

Yea, I remember that load....it was the end of the day for all of us I think.. They ran a couple loads later, but in questionable weather, and didn't get anywhere near full altitude.. I kinda have 2 home DZ's.. Deland and Titusville.. I spend about half the time at each place.. If you're headed to either, let me know.. Mike

Well, I'm not a good person to preach being conservative under canopy - I was doing front riser carves and hooks at 50 jumps(with coaching though), and loading canopies at 1.4-1.5 around 100 jumps - but I have to say something here.. First of all, I hope you're getting some advice from some good canopy pilots(I'm assuming you've gotten some from Chuck) on low turns.. Second, I hope you're doing 'em on a canopy that is very forgiving if ya screw up.. It's not fun digging out of the corner at a moderate to high wing loading.. Third, you need to learn these maneuvers in VERY LARGE, OPEN areas - not someplace that you have airplanes and other obstacles nearby.. I'm not what you would call very experienced at these maneuvers by any means, but I feel very comfortable doing them.. I still scare myself every now and then - but I've never doubted the safe outcome of a turn.. I normally do 90 and 180 carves, with the occasional 270 snap hook.. I know you've heard this before, but just be damn careful.. As you stated, this shit is addictive and deadly.. Being an aggressive canopy pilot has its good and bad points.. Mike

Actually, wide angle lenses are pretty inexpensive.. I think I paid $35 or so for my Kenko.. What type of camera does he have? There are all different sizes of threads that the lens attaches to, and they vary by camera model.. If you can tell me exactly what size the threads are(such as 30mm on the PC5), I can tell you which lens you need.. There are also things called step up rings that allow you to put on a wide angle with larger threads than the camera has.. For instance, my PC5 has 30mm threads, but my Kenko lens has 37mm threads.. For that, I use a step up ring from 30-37mm.. The rings are cheap - about $7-10.. I got my lens and step up ring from a very reputable mail order photo shop.. The website is 'www.bhphotovideo.com'.. Like I said, if you can tell me exactly what size threads his camera has, I can tell ya what you need.. Did he say what size wide angle he wants? I use a .5, the pics of me are with a .42.. The .42 has quite a bit larger field of view - but a little too large in my opinion.. I think the .5 is optimum for general video - especially freeflying.. A .6 is what many videographers use for tandem and AFF videos, since they are only shooting one small area.. Kenko makes good lenses, and I personally don't see any point spending any more than they cost for one of the pricier brands.. I don't see any quality difference.. Hell, if I had known you were around, and doing some freeflying, I would've looked for ya and jumped.. I had a 4 way freefly going on Sat morning.. We could've easily added a couple others.. It was primarily a sitfly jump, but a couple people did some head down.. We'll have to do some freeflying sometime.. Be forewarned, though.....I have a damn fast sit, and a mach 3 head down..

Since you live in SoCal, I feel I should recommend going to the wind tunnel over in Vegas and spend some time in it.. Not much - maybe 10 minutes total, if that.. Even though the Flyaway tunnel is not the most realistic thing in the world, it will help you with the basics.. It also helps that you have a coach right next to ya helping you out.. All I can say to stop the chipping....relax.. I know, it's what everybody says - but how do you relax when somebody is trying to shove a planet up your ass? It's just something that comes with experience.. I honestly do believe that the tunnel will help - and you can get like 15 minutes of tunnel time for the price of(or less than) one single JM AFF level.. Mike

I went through all the trouble of picking out a frame that makes it look like a picture perfect landing, and you go and destroy the image... Jeez.. In the pic, it looks like you're just inches off the ground.....ya can't tell that the ground is really 3ft below ya..

Hell, ya should've gotten in on some of the jumps.. We wouldn't have turned anybody away.. I know you and JT were gonna jump together(did you ever get to?), but we should've gotten in that freefly jump we talked about.. Unfortunately, the weather didn't cooperate all day.. Ah, well.. Let me know the next time you're gonna be down to Deland, and if I'm not working, we'll do some freeflying.. Mike

Same here.. I was flying into the group when this happened.. Had I been 2 seconds ahead of where I was, I would've been part of the funnel....and the video would not have been anywhere near as good..

Yea, I have a Kenko .5 wide angle on my PC5.. The shots of my freeflying were taken by the other guy I was jumping with, and he uses a Kenko .42 lens.. With the .42 you get the black at the edges - with the .5 you don't.. All these were taken off of video and turned into stills.. We talked for a few minutes, but it wasn't until after you left I ever found out who you were.. I knew you looked familiar - but figured it must've been from Skydive Daytona.. I was only there for a few weekends before they closed, though.. Mike

Tell him to also try out some Rigging Innovations rigs.. They make the Voodoo, Talon 2, and Genera.. I have a Talon 2, and my next rig will be a Voodoo.. Both are very comfortable, and the customer service I have received from them is nothing short of excellent.. Mike