JJohnson

At 600 jumps I was looking for a good all around canopy, something I could jump daily and not have to worry about. Like any skydiver I wanted the perfect canopy. It had to open great, be fun to fly and have great flare. My previous two chutes were an Icarus Safire 129 and a Crossfire 119. My exit weight is about 185. Both of these canopies I liked, but they were not all I expected them to be. I had a service issue with Icarus, so I decided to look elsewhere for my next canopy. I had never heard of a Cobalt until I read about them at DZ.Com. I did some research and found that most people fell into two groups. Those that had heard of Cobalt and those that had not. Of those that knew of Atair and the Cobalt, 99% of them loved the canopy and had great things to say about them. So I decided to try a few demos. I got a 105 and 120. I will say up front that I loved the 105, but bought the 120 for a few reasons. The 120 fits better in my VooDoo rig and at my current level of skill the 120 is something I can jump anytime with utter confidence, yet still push my limits on. In short, while trying to learn to swoop with the 120 I can still scare myself. The 105 was great and fast, but I can see myself getting in over my head if I don't pay attention. In the future I do intend on getting a second rig equipped with a 105 or a Competition Cobalt 105. The openings on both sizes, including the 120 I just took delivery of are awesome. By proper packing I can make it open as fast or slow as I want. I prefer a quick opening, without feeling like I'm gonna get my back snapped. The Cobalt delivers. Compared to a Stiletto or Crossfire, the openings are just as soft, without the eternal snivel. With the Cobalt I do have to get body position down better during the opening. I have noticed a few off heading openings, but I believe they are my fault. The Safire and Crossfire also opened on heading most of time. In flight the Cobalt can make it back from a long spot with ease with some rear riser inputs. In toggle turns the canopy responds better than either the Safire or Crossfire. The Cobalt does have some oversteer, but what HP canopy doesn't? The recovery arc is longer on the 105 than the 120. The 105 also has lighter front riser pressure as well. But I had no problem diving either canopy compared to the Crossfire. The Safire is not even in the same leauge on front risers. The Cobalt is very stable. In fact on my first jump on my new 120, I noticed that the steering lines are too short. Any front riser input and I was pulling the tail of the canopy down. Yet the canopy did not buck or kick at all. It flew steady. I cannot say the same for the Safire or Crossfire. Where I loved this canopy most was on landing. This canopy can scoot along the ground and still have flare left over. Jumping the 105, even on a minor downwind still left me on my feet after a small runout. Had this been the Crossfire or Safire I think I would have been trying to remember how to PLF. A big added bonus is packing. I hate packing with a passion. The material that the Cobalt is made from packs easy, the first time you touch it you can get it into the bag. The first time I packed my Crossfire it was like wrestling a greased anaconda. Atair did a good job. My canopy was delivered within 6 weeks. I waited for 2 weeks to get a demo, and the 105 showed up without risers, so their record is not spotless concerning their service. But all in all Atair was good to do business with, their product IS all it was made out to be. I look forward to becoming a better canopy pilot so I can try the Comp models and go even faster!!! Thank you Atair for a great product. JJ

I've been to the Byron Boogie twice now, just cause of the cool Byron boys (and girls) I've met at LP. The Byron Boogie is almost LP part 2. MJ is a riot. Great guy. One of my favorite human beings. I suppose I'll have to get a DZ.com shirt to be recognized by ya'll. I start getting excited for LP around March. By June I'm shaking like a heroin addict 3 days past his fix. By the time my flight is landing in Montana I'm ready to choke the flight attendant for not opening the door fast enough. Normally I fly into Spokane and drive to LP. Beautiful ride and me and girlfriend gotta couple cool spots picked out for a little outdoor romance on the way. The most aggravating thing about the drive is the people in Washington and Idaho are the absolute slowest drivers. They are so laid back and in no hurry to get anywhere. Here I am stoked to the gills to get to LP and they are just cruising along at 3 mph slower than the speed limit. When the passing lanes come along, do they pass each other??? Hell no! One car slides into the passing lane and paces the dude on the right. Happens everytime I ride through that way. I'd have a fit if I didn't know what awaited me at my destination. LP rocks. Heaven on Earth. JJ

At about 30 jumps or so, I fought a sniveling opening...slider up and the risers trying to go into line twists. During the fight I lost track of altitude, burned it down to about 1200 feet. Just as the canopy opened and the slider came down I felt the AAD kick on my back. A cypress will fire higher if you are feet to Earth. Container was a Racer with the RSL disconnected, no fear of chopping it due to that. However being new, I did not know if the risers were crossed. So I sat there and watched the reserve come up nice and neat behing the main. They played nice and I let them land wherever they wanted. Which just happened to be a big farm field. Had they gone into a downplane, the main would have been chopped as soon as possible. Potentially bad situation came out fine. Scared me and as I result I like to pay attention to my altitude a bit closer than when I started jumping. As a general rule I like dumping a bit higher than back then as well. About 3000 ft AGL is my comfort zone. JJ

I think you could find examples of somebody having an accident on pretty much any canopy ever made. That does not make it a bogus canopy. I think the point was that he should be looking for something on the docile and ultra-forgiving side. Never having jumped a Manta, I'll refrain from offering any ideas on it. I would endorse a Triathlon however. MHO JJ

ALRIGHT!!!!!! You are gonna love this boogie. I went once 3 years ago on a whim. Now it is my spiritual retreat. That boogie is my yearly vacation. My whole family knows not to die or get married during that time, cause I ain't gonna be able to make it. Great RW big ways with a guy called Mad John, lots of great freeflyers including Monkey Claw, awesome scenery, laid back atmosphere, great night life. Nothing like it. See you up there. JJ

Way cool. If i'm ever down that way, I'm on it. Never turn down the freebies in life. JJ

"great Achievement comes only at great risk" the Dalai Lama Good choice on the quote Hobbes. Let's face it, the entire skydiving sport is inherently dangerous. Hell you can get maimed walking across the landing area. Whatever requirements we want to see, we can. Vote on it, petition the USPA. We are a self governing sport are we not? Majority rules here. My personal opinion: 1) Canopy training? Good idea. I feared a canopy wrap or collision so I went and did CRW until I felt comfortable. At the time I had NO desire to actually do CRW and did not see what the DOGS were all hooping and hollering about. What did I get out of it? Self satisfaction and a 4 stack night jump award and finding out that CRW is a blast. 2) Do I know how to swoop? not really well. So it is something I work on and ask about. Would I pay for instruction? Yes, if I wanted to be really great. Same goes for Freefly. I dabble in it and want to be good. As a skydiver I owe it to myself to at least understand the principles of it and potential dangers it poses to myself and other people in the air. 3) Water training? At anytime I could be faced with a water jump, cause I cannot say that all of my jumps will be at my home DZ. So I need to have that training. 4) Is it possible that I accidently fall out of the jumpship at night??? Doubtful. But I am a skydiver and I should know and learn as much about the sport as possible. Night jumps are a part of that. 5) Hell naked jumps are a part as well, but I don't think we will ever get a training requirement out of that one. Bottom line is that even if the requirement is not 100% practical or applicable to every skydiver, we should all be willing to expound our knowledge, broaden our horizons and try something different from what we know. None of us would have ever known how much we were going to fall (pun intended) in love with skydiving until we took that first step. I could be wrong JJ

Well said Kopelen. Not being one to point fingers, but there does appear to be a few members whose sole purpose is to pick apart other's posts, find trivial descrepancies and bash the shit outta ideas they don't seem to agree with.....right or wrong. Sometimes it seems that we are more focused on proving ourselves right, than actually finding the truth. More intent on impressing others with our consumate experience than trying to simply add to the collective "smart pool". I agree with you, how someone says something is not quite as important as what they said. Truth is self evident. What is right will always shine through, despite poor phrasing or lack of proper terminology. There is a great deal of knowledge in these forums and I enjoy learning and exchanging opinions and ideas. But there are times that we get a bit carried away as well. I am reminded of a saying by some famous dead person...who said: Ignorance is forgivable and correctable...it is simply the lack of knowledge. Stupidity, which can be defined as proceeding as if the required knowledge is present yet armed with nothing more than best intentions......is quite another matter and is quite unforgiving by nature. Stupidity kills. It is in this fine spirit that I am now forming V.A.S. (Violence Against Stupidity). This organization will be pledged to wipe out stupidity, wherever it may hide. To terminate stupid people with extreme prejudice, so as to stop them before they reproduce and contaminate the rest of the human race. If you want to help this noble cause, then join now. Send $5.00 and a self addressed envelope to:...................I'm sorry was all of this in my out loud voice? JJ JJ

The LP boogie is pretty laid back. Any farther laid back and it would be in full recline. I seriously doubt anyone will card you, hell it would shock me. If they do, don't worry there will be plenty of us there to get you drunk. I quit drinking 12 years ago, but there is nothing I enjoy so much as somebody else's hangover. I'll be there the entire boogie. Just come down in front on manifest, where Mad John is putting together bigways and ask for me, or look for a short scraggly guy in neon green and pink freefly suit incase I'm trying to freeflop. JJ

I will be shocked if Da Kine fails to deliver. I ordered a pair of pants almost a year ago and recently I ordered a top to go with them. I like bright vulgar colors. I sent him the measurements and a digital photo and the top I got was perfect. JJ

I had the same problem on a Safire 129, exit weight of about 180. The problem was much worse when any front riser inputs where used. Icarus claimed that some lines were out of tolerance, however the canopy continued to have the problem. Were you using any front risers? JJ

Welcome to the internet.......home of the free! JJ

Congratulations on your new canopy. I think you will find it to be pretty comparable, not as twitchy, better flare. Speed should be a little faster due to the downsizing. Let me know what you think of it. JJ

While that is a good question, I'll go one further. Why would anyone name a parachute company after anything that has to do with flying to high and melting your wings, then plummeting to your death while you father watched? JJ

My best friend's wife, would like to extend a heart felt "Thank You" to us skydiver's in general and in particular those that ran the memorial in Parachutist and Skydiving for Lisa Gallagher. My best friend's wife is Lisa's cousin, and Lisa was supposed to have been at their wedding. Recently while catching up on some overdue reading, I came across the memorial and gave it to my friend. She was touched and asked that I send her thanks to the skydiving community. She still thinks we are a bunch of freaks......... During the wedding, I had the opportunity to speak to Lisa's parents and some of her relatives. They naturally had many questions. I told them I could not give them any reasons for what happened, only that they could rest assured that Lisa knew the risks associated with skydiving and that I could guarantee that she was smiling when she left the plane. JJ

BUT MOM!!!!!!! He started it!!!!!!!! He called me stupid and earelephant....or something. I only called him a dweeb.......I'm sorry......don't make me go to my room. JJ

That largely depends on how strong of a down wind you take....On a flat turn you are going to rob yourself of some flare because you are already in brakes. In the down wind landing just hope you can either run, skid, slidem, PLF and tuck and roll...or a combination of all. One crazy SOB at our DZ intentionally takes downwinders (at close to 15mph by my guess) and slides them out like a madman....he looks like he is in full control and having a ball. JJ

Look man, don't start any shit with me. We ain't at an English boarding school so don't play that rude demeanor bad language game. In my original post I answered whether I thought the Crossfire was safe...it is. I also suggested that the Cobalt be looked at. No bullshit.....just based on MY experience with both canopies. When asked for my comparison I gave it. My comparison also includes how I was treated by the company whose product I was buying...both Icarus and Atair. My job is not to make either of them look good or bad. I don't work for either of them. Looking good is their job. I did not give any details of my FACTUAL grudge with Icarus...(with Simon...not a rep.) because it does not matter. I'm sure that every skydiver out there has a complaint story with some company...Despite that, these companies still sell their products to other skydivers.....why? Because they treat some of them right. So what is important is how you are treated. That will determine if you continue to do business with that company. As for what Dan said concerning Icarus.... sorry again bucko, but that is not what I said. I said I looked up posts concerning the Cobalt...not Dan...not Dan's feelings on Icarus. In those posts concerning the Cobalt....IT'S performance and comparison to other canopies....I found everything to be pretty decent. I did not need to look up anything on the Crossfire....I was jumping one. You SIR have a problem. Do you enjoy nit-picking stupid shit and blowing them out of proportion? Get a life ya dweeb. JJ

They asked I answered. No I love Atair spiel, just my opinion. A canopy is only as good as the company that stands behind it, my experience was that Icarus screwed the pooch. I didn't bash Icarus with specifics, name call or finger point. So kiss my ass. JJ

All I said was they were straight up with me. I read every post I could find on their product, talked to friends about their canopy choices, PM'ed people on the side...all before I ever jumped a Cobalt. In none of the threads did I find that Atair was being vindictive towards other canopy makers or claiming anything outlandish. Had I percieved this attitude, I probably would never have even looked in their direction. My perception was that Atair claimed to have a good product. In phone calls to them, Dan never once even used a competitors name in comparing canopy characteristics. I had to name the canopy I wanted flight differences on. To date yet, Dan and Atair have come across to me as well spoken, knowledgeable on their product and the industry in general and not afraid to voice their opinions. The Cobalt performs as it is stated......and it exceeded my expectations. It performed better, in my opinion than a Safire, Crossfire or Stiletto. I choose not to go to an airlocked canopy or a cross-braced. The Cobalt is a canopy that I can jump and progress with until I go to the next stage. And when that time comes I'll certainly look at all my options again. Atair has been better in dealing with me than Icarus ever was, and I gave Icarus months and months to shit or get off the pot. As for bashing the competition.....name one company that does not in some way do so, or make claims that sound a little too good. The proof is in the canopy and Atair delivered what they promised. MHO JJ

You are correct. Brand loyalty plays a big role. I have jumped PD products, Icarus and others. I liked Icarus products, but I did have a problem with one of them and I did not like the way it was handled. Atair has to date been straight forward and reasonable with me. After looking long and hard I choose the Cobalt. Primarily because I really liked the performance and Atair took the required steps to keep my loyalty. Icarus did not. JJ

I can only think that everything and anything is more difficult at an airport for an Indian or Middle Eastern person. It is simply human nature for security to be more suspecting of those of that nationality. Right or wrong, it's bound to be so. MHO JJ

I have not jumped the Crossfire2 so I cannot comment on it. As Atair has said, their canopies fly a size larger. After demoing the 120 and 105, I agree. The 120 was a bit more docile than the Crossfire 119 I had. But the 105 was a touch more extreme. Don't get me wrong, when I jumped the Crossfire I liked it and it was the best canopy I had jumped up to that time. So for point of comparison, I'll compare all three: Openings. Cobalt 120 and 105 were more consistently on heading. Most openings were dead on, a few at 90 degrees off. Openings were soft without being slow. By changing my pack job I could get a consistent 700 foot opening, with the two stage deployment. (which by the way does take a little getting used to.) The Crossfire was a sniveling bastard that made my ass pucker. Icarus says they could speed it up by a smaller slider. I tried every packing technique known to speed it up. As for on heading, the Crossfire was good, the Cobaly was just better. Crossfire was always a little off heading, but nothing to make me think it was a rotten canopy. Riser pressure: Cobalt was much lighter front riser pressure, both 120 and 105. The Crossfire was modified, so this will explain the increased riser pressure of the Crossfire. Perhaps the Crossfire2 is better, I don't know. Dives in front risers: I could maintain a dive on the Cobalt all day, and the dive was good steep and aggressive. Recovery arc was long. Crossfire was a harder to get into the dive and harder to stay there. Once I let go of the risers, the Crossfire came out of the dive real quick. Flare: Cobalt had tons of flare. I down winded one on the 105 at Elsinore this weekend in about 8 to 10 mph winds. I set my feet down too early and turf surfed it out. But there was tons of flare left and I should have flown it out a bit further. At the end of the turf I popped the brakes and found myself a foot in the air. In no wind conditions it still set me down like a feather. Big swoop and great pop-up at the end. On the Crossfire I never had this kind of flare power. Full flight: The Cobalt 120 flys slower than the Crossfire 119, the 105 is faster. Here is where I say that the Cobalt 120 is more docile than the Crossfire 119. Glide ratio was great on all three. On any of the three I would have no worries getting back from a long spot in rear risers. Turbulence was handled better on the Cobalt than the Crossfire. Toggle Turns: Crossfire has less oversteer than the Cobalt, the Cobalt turned faster and tighter than the Crossfire. Neither canopy was twicthy, but the Cobalt was more responsive to toggle inputs. Packing: Cobalt packs like a dream, Crossfire was like wrestling a greased anaconda. Lines: despite the advantages with the new lines I prefer spectra over vectran or HMA. When my canopy flies funny, I know it's time to re-line. I don't want to figure it out by breaking them. I'm not pro-swooper, so I can live with the increased drag and pack volume....at least for now. For me the biggest thing is customer service. Icarus dropped the ball with me and Atair has not. Icarus had lots of stories and excuses, Atair has been straight up. They have not promised me anything they could not deliver, Icarus has made promises they had no intention of keeping. JJ

Is the Crossfire safe? Yes it is. The only real difference you will notice on a Crossfire after modifications is that the front riser pressure will be greater than without the mod. I put about 100 jumps on a 119 Crossfire, while Icarus was busy stroking the dog on my Safire. It is a fine canopy. The slow openings take some getting used to, but can be remedied by going to a smaller slider. All in all if you are looking at a Crossfire, please do yourself a favor and demo a Cobalt. I would put the Cobalt over any Crossfire in ALL characteristics. MHO JJ

NO SHIT!!!!!!!!! Well your weather is worse than ours in Chicago...which I may add has been iffy at best and generally for shit. Lotsa wind, lotsa rain, many clouds, like a fucking sky blanket, low temperatures........mixed in with a few good hours, while you are at work, to tease the shit outta you. I'm thinking this is God's fault. I keep seeing really good weather in areas where the people don't even skydive. One of us must have done something to piss God off. C'mon now who is it? Fess up! Somebody out there jump a reserve outta date, not buy beer on a 1st something or other.....Take money out of a collection plate? C'mon God!!!! Whatever it is we are sorry!!!!! We are skydivers for cryin out loud. We need sun, heat and cool breezes.......not clouds, torrential downpours and gale force winds!!!! Cut us some friggin slack here Mr. High and Mighty. I need to get in the air and I don't need any more shit from you! uuuhhhh.....please sir? JJ