SpinDoctor

I had a ZP EXE 155. I did about 250 jumps on it in a 12 month period. Nice canopy... Packs very nicely - closer to F1-11 type fabric rather than the slippery PD type material Apparently it has quite a steep glide angle - but I had nothing to reference it to. You can fly it conservatively, straight in or you can give it some stick on front risers if that's your thing. But it does flatten out quite quickly (short recovery arc) Openings are nice... I had the occasional twist - but that was probably my body position. I would recommend rolling the tail quite a few times to get a nice slow opening ----------------------- Connextion: British 8 Way Team www.bodyflight.co.uk -----------------------

There was no need for more than one set... I share Surely not... and there was me thinking it was all good natured.... How short sighted of me... Anyway - I don't care... it keeps me doing something skydive related whilst @ work.... You remember that don't you ----------------------- Connextion: British 8 Way Team www.bodyflight.co.uk -----------------------

There are loads of things you can be doing... http://www.dropzone.com/features/DereksGearTips.shtml ----------------------- Connextion: British 8 Way Team www.bodyflight.co.uk -----------------------

That's it... i am hanging up my RW suit and going free flajing - I know i don't need to touch people in the air... but there are some HOT FF chix by the looks of them there photees... hmmmmmmm.... hunneeezzz ----------------------- Connextion: British 8 Way Team www.bodyflight.co.uk -----------------------

Dude.... that's like... totally normal.... (sorry... i don't really talk like that... I'm British goddam it) I printed all the randoms off, colour coded, based on our jump suits, in the 'A' slots (and laminated them) We also use these to draw dives. I have recently started coaching - and i have one of those artists wodden manequins to show the students body position. I also thought about making a video to brief the students on each level of the WARP (UK RW) system, although i believe this has been done already. It's just sooooo normal. Not at all sad ----------------------- Connextion: British 8 Way Team www.bodyflight.co.uk -----------------------

Eewww.... Anyway... back to Learning RW... Stay flat my friends... it rocks! (And you get to touch hot chix without getting your face slapped) ----------------------- Connextion: British 8 Way Team www.bodyflight.co.uk -----------------------

Oh...some guys.... A freaky Kiwi called Gus, A wierd Aussie called Darryl, a Brit called Kev, some US guys who have done a bit of 4 way - and some more Brits that have been around a bit too... Unfortunately, I missed the inspiring debriefs of Saunders... but I am planning some CRW - so you never know... ----------------------- Connextion: British 8 Way Team www.bodyflight.co.uk -----------------------

HTF did you know that...? I have only 450 on my profile - and I only just updated my logbook yesterday... are you stalking me - you phreak!? ----------------------- Connextion: British 8 Way Team www.bodyflight.co.uk -----------------------

It's from two years ago - you are just post whoring now.... or very very bored at work and checking out all of our previous posts LOL ----------------------- Connextion: British 8 Way Team www.bodyflight.co.uk -----------------------

You saying i'm a sh!te coach? ----------------------- Connextion: British 8 Way Team www.bodyflight.co.uk -----------------------

I was speaking generally.. but i take your point... As for reading between the line re: canopy control... I think I was pretty open about it... If you are demo-ing a new canopy (of any make/model/size) you cannot make a decision based on one jump... There are threads running here at the moment that suggest 20+ jumps as a minimum. This makes a lot of sense to me... So then the reverse must also be true... If you jump a canopy once and it does not resopnd in the same way as your own canopy and, let's say you over shoot, does that make you a bad canopy pilot? If I test another (smaller / faster / red / blue / green) canopy once and I land it - does that make me a great canopy pilot? Of course not. I said I jumped a Safire 149 once and I over shot. If it was my EXE - would I have over shot? Maybe. Maybe not. So - did i over shoot because i am a poor pilot or because I was jumping a different canopy with (potentially) different flight characteristics than the one I have 200+ jumps on? I didnt want to protesteth too much - but i think it's too late ----------------------- Connextion: British 8 Way Team www.bodyflight.co.uk -----------------------

ok... agreed... I think you'd have to take that up with Brian Germain though... i am just saying i like that as a 'reference' as opposed to a reference based purely on jump number and canopy size. I saw it here... and it made sense to me... Obviously there are other factors to take into consideration. ----------------------- Connextion: British 8 Way Team www.bodyflight.co.uk -----------------------

It's difficult not to get defensive about all this... I know that low turns kill... i know that smaller canopies give you less time to react to f**k-up Are you saying a Sabre II / Safire II loaded at 1.4 on 500 jumps is a bit too advanced? ----------------------- Connextion: British 8 Way Team www.bodyflight.co.uk -----------------------

It's Ron's post... a couple of times

Fair point... although as I said... it was one jump after about 200+ on the ZP EXE... The characteristics are obviously different - and you cannot find out those differences in one jump Could you expand on this please? You are probably right... I could wring a bit more out of it... but I have already swapped it for a Hurricane 150 It's the same thing... When he's there Good point - I should put this on my 'to-do' list ----------------------- Connextion: British 8 Way Team www.bodyflight.co.uk -----------------------

True enough... you wouldn't want to be getting a new canopy every 100 jumps... What I should have mentioned is that I saw somewhere a 'table' (on DZ.com IIRC) that linked wing loading and jump numbers. This is what I was referring to when I said 1.5 - 500 jumps. Seemed to make more sense to me rather than jump numbers / canopy size. I'll see if i can find it ----------------------- Connextion: British 8 Way Team www.bodyflight.co.uk -----------------------

Hi folks... I'm planning on a new canopy and thought i'd get your input / thoughts etc etc I have been jumping for 2 years - and am very current, I jump every weekend. I weigh 175 lb - so that puts me about 195 out of the door (I don't wear any lead) My canopy progression so far has been: Student canopies > 200 - 40 jumps PD 170 @ 1.14 - 150 jumps ZP EXE155 @ 1.25 - 240 jumps (this is a South African square ZP - steep glide angle / long recovery arc, apparently) Hurricane 150 @ 1.3 - 15 jumps (this is a South African elliptical ZP - which also has a steep glide angle. I have just started jumping this whilst decide what I get next and wait for it to turn up... I am guessing about 80-100 jumps. I wanted to go elliptical on the same wingloading first) I was thinking Sabre II 135 or Safire II 129/139 or even a Crossfire II 129. I would be loading the Crossfire at 1.5 - which would be about right I guess for 500 jumps. I have also jumped a Safire II 149, which i found had a very shallow glide angle... I overshot the PLA compared to my EXE - although, it was _only_ 1 jump ;o) Also jumped a Sabre II 135, again, only 1 jump - it was ok... but I wasn't kicking the arse out of it. Thank you all in advance... Let the flames begin ;o) ----------------------- Connextion: British 8 Way Team www.bodyflight.co.uk -----------------------

a previous post of mine ----------------------- Connextion: British 8 Way Team www.bodyflight.co.uk -----------------------

You can turn faster because you are smaller and you are using both ends to turn (Legs and arms) Also much better range (try going faster when you are already maxed out in a box man) Great for picking up grips too... try a cheated cat grip when your thumbs are around your ear 'oles It is one of those "time in the tunnel" things... but eventually you will start to do it without thinking (There was s'posed to be a pic of Pete Allum exiting in the mantis here - but i couldnt find it...) ----------------------- Connextion: British 8 Way Team www.bodyflight.co.uk -----------------------

Yeay! Lake Wales.... Be there over Xmas and the New Year.... Can't wait!! Yeeee haaaaaa!!!! ----------------------- Connextion: British 8 Way Team www.bodyflight.co.uk -----------------------

Eway allcay isthay ackbay angslay inyay ethay Ukay kaysay Hatway oday ouyay allcay ityay... Igpay Atinlay? Icenay! ------------------- Itsay ayay itchbay otay ypetay oughthay!! ----------------------- Connextion: British 8 Way Team www.bodyflight.co.uk -----------------------

woo hooo! I just love the interent

yuo might still be covered... check it out with your bank / issuer! ----------------------- Connextion: British 8 Way Team www.bodyflight.co.uk -----------------------

What.... you mean there are other currencies besides dollars? You're quite lucky - the dollar and the Euro are *about* the same. ----------------------- Connextion: British 8 Way Team www.bodyflight.co.uk -----------------------

LOADING I am 5'10' and 175lb plus kit - so let's say 195 out the door. My first bit of kit was a PD170 in a TearDrop which i started jumping on #39. That made my wing loading 1.14 ( a touch too much?) After 200 jumps i got a ZP155, making my loading 1.25 and some of those first landings were fast. I now have 400 jumps and if i were to downsize to a 135 (which i am not planning for at least another 100 jumps) then i would be loading at 1.44 I recently jumped a 135 and landed it no problem... but that was on a good spot, light winds etc. I can't remember where i saw it - but it made a lot of sense to me... Wing loadding ratio: < 100 jumps = 1.0 100 jumps = 1.1 200 jumps = 1.2 300 jumps = 1.3 400 jumps = 1.4 etc This is not a recommendation to downsize every 100 jumps - but it gives a bit of a clue to the sort of wing loading you could expect as an 'intermediate' or 'experienced' skydiver. It's not a race to get to the smallest hankie... KIT Personally - i would (and did) buy second hand... There is some good kit out there and you save the tax. Kit is generally good for loads of jumps. 600-800 jumps per line set and in excess of 1000-1200 jumps per canopy. (These are very loose numbers and are based on information on DZs and here, so please don't flame) Be Safe ----------------------- Connextion: British 8 Way Team www.bodyflight.co.uk -----------------------