DocPop

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Everything posted by DocPop

  1. DocPop
    I am getting to the point where I want more speed from my canopy and wanted to get some opinions on what should be my next step. I am currently loading my KA120 at a shade under 1.7 and doing 180s (pretty much nailed them) and 270s (still needs work on consistency). I don't do anything other than canopy work (no work jumps etc so that's not a consideration). PD recommend a VE103 as the recovery arc/ sight picture is apparently similar, and I like the idea of having a little more bottom end flare. However I wondered if at that WL (about 1.9) I might better with a KA107 until I can get to the VE96. I will make this move when my 270s are consistent, not before, so really just looking for answers on a 1.9 loading on a VE103 vs a KA107. Thanks. "The ground does not care who you are. It will always be tougher than the human behind the controls." ~ CanuckInUSA
  2. DocPop
    I believe rears actually influence the angle of incidence more than angle of attack, but that's largely splitting hairs. Brakes has more of an influence on AoA. "The ground does not care who you are. It will always be tougher than the human behind the controls." ~ CanuckInUSA
  3. DocPop
    Another thing to do is practice finding your handles under canopy as they will have moved from when you practiced EPs on the ground. "The ground does not care who you are. It will always be tougher than the human behind the controls." ~ CanuckInUSA
  4. DocPop
    Thanks Ian. Is this based on a 450? Am I worrying about nothing doing a 270 with a KA120? "The ground does not care who you are. It will always be tougher than the human behind the controls." ~ CanuckInUSA
  5. DocPop
    How have you refined your technique? Does that result in less dive? Is that a good thing? I am a little nervous about the fact that my Protrack sounds, particularly in light of the recent death in Australia from a Vigil2 fire. Would I be better off turning my Vigil2 off for Hop n Pops? I know I am only jumping a 120 so it's unlikely to reach AAD firing speeds, but I don;t know how much over ProTrack sounding speed I am getting. "The ground does not care who you are. It will always be tougher than the human behind the controls." ~ CanuckInUSA
  6. DocPop
    Here is the back. I like to keep it simple. "The ground does not care who you are. It will always be tougher than the human behind the controls." ~ CanuckInUSA
  7. DocPop
    Arrived today. "The ground does not care who you are. It will always be tougher than the human behind the controls." ~ CanuckInUSA
  8. DocPop
    Absolutely. Their safety rules are strict and strictly enforced. More so than any other DZ I have been to. I don't believe it is fair to blame the DZ for visiting "world class" competitors smacking themselves into the ground/pond. "The ground does not care who you are. It will always be tougher than the human behind the controls." ~ CanuckInUSA
  9. DocPop
    4 people in a Cessna back in the day probably had no problem. 15 people in an aircraft that acts like a brick with its engine out might have reason to be more nervous at 1000 feet today. An initial problem at 1000' isn't a big deal if you're sitting by the door on a Caravan and bailing is the best approved option. If you're up in front with tandems in the back, it's probably not going to be a good day. That's why SDAZ changed it s policy a couple years back now that helmets and belts stay on til 1500. SD Dubai does the same thing and they take their safety VERY seriously. "The ground does not care who you are. It will always be tougher than the human behind the controls." ~ CanuckInUSA
  10. DocPop
    Canopy skills as the training in AFF is woefully inadequate. "The ground does not care who you are. It will always be tougher than the human behind the controls." ~ CanuckInUSA
  11. DocPop
    The 135 was at 1.5. I downsized again to be at 1.7 now. "The ground does not care who you are. It will always be tougher than the human behind the controls." ~ CanuckInUSA
  12. DocPop
    Why would the reserve pilot chute pull in a different direction a cutaway main canopy? The strength of the spring is not going to extract the bag (as we know from ground cutaways) and the relative wind would affect both the PC and the cutaway main in the same direction. "The ground does not care who you are. It will always be tougher than the human behind the controls." ~ CanuckInUSA
  13. DocPop
    - Get a thorough DZ briefing before you jump. Keep asking questions until you're happy that you know the rules. - Use an aerial photo and plan your canopy flight, pattern, obstacles, outs etc. - Watch a couple of loads to see what the locals do. - Do a solo for the first jump or two and get used to the visuals from the air. Maybe a hop n pop or a higher pull (check what is allowed) to give you more time and less traffic. Have fun! "The ground does not care who you are. It will always be tougher than the human behind the controls." ~ CanuckInUSA
  14. DocPop
    It didn't scare me but the biggest step in performance so far was from a Sabre2 150 to a Katana 135 at about 150 jumps. The rate of descent when I released the brakes was amazing, and I had to bump up my pattern altitudes a lot. I had been doing 180s on my Sabre2 so the speed straight in on the 135 was not an issue. Next step will be to x-brace (?VE 103) so we will see how that feels, but I don't anticipate it to be as big a step as the above. I have lots more to master before that move and 1.7 is a nice WL for me right now. Not boring but not scary. "The ground does not care who you are. It will always be tougher than the human behind the controls." ~ CanuckInUSA
  15. DocPop
    That is basically just you saying "because I said so", and is not satisfactory. I suspect you have no way to back up your original assertion. "The ground does not care who you are. It will always be tougher than the human behind the controls." ~ CanuckInUSA
  16. DocPop
    I agree with you Dave. The context of what I wrote was that I was disagreeing with billvon's blanket statement about the drag induced by rears vs toggles: I also gave the following caveat in my statement in post 44: My point being that used correctly, rears will improve glide ratio with less drag than toggles (or "brakes" as the are also known for some bizarre reason!) "The ground does not care who you are. It will always be tougher than the human behind the controls." ~ CanuckInUSA
  17. DocPop
    Does this actually improve absolute glide ratio, ie would you cover more ground in still air? I am not so sure about that. Brakes add drag, using a touch of rears will improve the glide path without adding to the drag. Of course this may be offset by the fact that holding rears for a long time is hard work. According to John LeBlanc of PD (but what does he know???) it is very canopy dependent whether brakes or rear risers has the better result. Did he say that in still air? What exactly was the context? "The ground does not care who you are. It will always be tougher than the human behind the controls." ~ CanuckInUSA
  18. DocPop
    I like that! "The ground does not care who you are. It will always be tougher than the human behind the controls." ~ CanuckInUSA
  19. DocPop
    Now that I must take issue with. If that were the case then why would swoopers use rears to maximize their glide ("swoop") and only switch to toggles when the airspeed drops to a point where extra lift (with its attendant drag increase) is needed? To be clear, in the long spot scenario, I am talking about a "touch" of rears, not a full plane-out. "The ground does not care who you are. It will always be tougher than the human behind the controls." ~ CanuckInUSA
  20. DocPop
    I do get that... but there's a difference between the direction of movement of the atmosphere relative to an airfoil and the influence that the actual direction of the wind have on the ground speed of that airfoil. Relative wind and groundspeed are totally independent concepts. In an uncoordinated turn when the canopy is "skidding" sideways the relative wind may be coming slightly from one side but otherwise it is from the front and slightly down (as evidenced by the fact that the pilot chute trails directly behind the wing). "The ground does not care who you are. It will always be tougher than the human behind the controls." ~ CanuckInUSA
  21. DocPop
    Does this actually improve absolute glide ratio, ie would you cover more ground in still air? I am not so sure about that. Brakes add drag, using a touch of rears will improve the glide path without adding to the drag. Of course this may be offset by the fact that holding rears for a long time is hard work. "The ground does not care who you are. It will always be tougher than the human behind the controls." ~ CanuckInUSA
  22. DocPop
    No, all that goes with your main is the slider and slinks. It is very easy - but if it's your first time ask a rigger to show you. Hooking it up right is more important than how you dismantle it! "The ground does not care who you are. It will always be tougher than the human behind the controls." ~ CanuckInUSA
  23. DocPop
    This won't happen. To feel the relative wind on your back, you would have to be flying backwards. Forget about windspeed (which is measured relative to the ground) - your canopy is designed to fly with forward airspeed which is how it stays inflated and creates lift. ETA: I saw that you subsequently worked this out yourself. Good stuff! This is important knowledge to have - and not everyone does! "The ground does not care who you are. It will always be tougher than the human behind the controls." ~ CanuckInUSA
  24. DocPop
    To add to what Dave said - you should also make yourself small if you are upwind - it will still improve your glide ratio. "The ground does not care who you are. It will always be tougher than the human behind the controls." ~ CanuckInUSA
  25. DocPop
    Put a piece of 8x11 paper with the long edge on top flat on a surface. Imagine the wind hitting it directly along the top edge. That's what the wind "sees", right? Now turn the paper 30 degrees or so to the right and imagine the wind coming from the same direction. Can you see that the wind now "sees" more surface area and not less? This is not realistic. The relative wind under canopy is always from the front (unless your feet are on the ground). "The ground does not care who you are. It will always be tougher than the human behind the controls." ~ CanuckInUSA