BrianSGermain

Or holding way too long in rears, resulting in having to have a longer toggle stroke to transition from deep rears to toggles. Also true. There are actually several more possibilities than just excess energy in the body, of course. (I know this one because I have done it myself: Hanging on the rears with too much energy for too long, then being forced to jam a bit of toggles to prevent the canopy surging into the ground at the end of the swoop.) Another possibility is, by gaining altitude during a down-wind swoop, popping up (as Chuck Blue mentioned) will allow you to stay in the air longer, which results in a longer swoop. The wind carries you further down-range, as opposed to your airspeed on a swoop involving no assistance from the atmosphere. Another possibility is that the swoopers in question need to practice the transition a bit more at altitude. Remember, changing canopies requires re-practicing every aspect of your flight. If the toggles on the new canopy are longer than your old one, for instance, (more slack in the brakes), you may find yourself sinking while switching from rears to brakes. Many possibilities...all in need of consideration. + Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

It is over-reaction as a result of excess adrenalin, aka fear. Opps. Quick apology: I thought I was logged in as Me (Brian Germain), but I was on someone else’s computer. This was from me, not from “BlueFox”. Sorry. But I still think it is mostly excess adrenalin… + Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

Another unconsidered possibility is, I can get rid of the subtitle altogether. Do I really need one anyway? + Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

Big Air Sportz!!!!!!!!!!! Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

Dude, water is imperative! Don't you want to take a hot bath after being out in the cold?!? Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

What do you folks think of: Transcending Fear Conquering the Enemy Within By the way, I am LOVING the converstations and comments on this topic. Now you know what I do when I am home! THANK YOU! + Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

"I had the pleasure of reading this book at a very close, very detailed pace and I have to say that it is my all time favorite book. It is easy to understand, thought provoking, and progressive. It is one of those life changing books that you read and know that you will keep in your collection forever. I can't tell you how many times I've found myself repeating lines from the book when trying to calm down and solve a risky situation." That comment changed my whole perspective on life. Thank you. Bri Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

Is there something about surrendering to gravity that makes one a wise ass? Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

The content is pretty much the same, but I had it professionally edited. I re-arranged the order a bit to promote flow, and added a few sections here and there. However, the original message is unchanged, and that is the important part. The next step is getting this book out to the whuffos. That is why we are considering the subtitle change. -Bri + Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

Keep 'em coming! Bri Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

I am taking last minute votes regarding the subtitle of Transcending Fear, 2nd Edition. The book goes to print in about a week, so get your vote in right away. To vote, simply reply to this post with one or the other. (Please, no suggestions beyond the presented options, I have worked very hard to narrow it down). Option One: Relax, Focus and Flow Option Two: Battling the Enemy Within Thanks, Everybody!! Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

As soon as someone takes the bull by the horns and makes it happen! I hope it's soon, my schedule is filling up! BG + Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

Actually, that is why I am now offering the Intermediate Course. There are tons of canopy pilots that don't want to swoop, but do want to continue advancing their skills. The focus is relative flying, pattern and accuracy. I also work on curving the landings for crosswind situations. It is a blast! Brian + Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

Absolutely, yes. All Samurai and Lotus Canopies can be serviced by PD now. You still have the option of having me do it. BG Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

Press Release: Effective Immediately: Performance Designs Service For Samurai and Lotus Canopies! Due to the increasing demand for service, Big Air Sportz canopies can now be serviced by Performance Designs in One to Two Weeks. (In case you haven't heard, Big Air's Parachutes are manufactured by PD at the Deland Facility). Lineset kits must be ordered through Big Air, but complete reline service is now available directly through the PD Service and Repairs Department. You can contact PD at (386) 738-2224. For relining other Brian Germain Parachutes such as the Jedei, Jedei Sweptwing, Genesis, Shogun and Sensei, please contact Big Air by phone (703) 349-2639 or (845) 264-5298 or email: bgermain@bigairsportz.com. For printable reline form to be enclosed with your canopy, go to: http://performancedesigns.com/customerserv.asp Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

Hi Chanti, It is hard for me to accurately suggest a canopy for you, not knowing exactly how you land, or what your wing loading will be. However, it is my experience that eliptical parachute do not have more or less lift based on the "elipticalness" alone. It is possible that the hurricane or the Samurai will have more lift than your current canopy, but that is not because what you have right now is square, it is because the Sam and the Hurricane are better parachutes in general. The eliptical design allows for more maneuverability, that's all. This means that it turns better in general, especially on the harness. If are not rock solid on deployment, the elipticals will turn, sometimes aggressively. If you are not paying attention to your roll axis (hand symmetry) during the flare, you will fall over bigtime on an eliptical. If this is not your tendency, and you land with your parachute over your head (with zero bank at the end), the Samurai or the Huricane will be a wonderful step forward for you. This kind of canopy creates possibilities for you. If you are in control of your canopy on a profound level, the increased maneuverability will result in more fun. If the parachute is flying you on the other hand, such a choice will eventually result on some nasty landings. The trick is to assess your actual ability right now, factoring in any advanced canopy flight training you plan on receiving prior to flying the eliptical. It really does help. Perhaps we can arrange for a course at your DZ. The organizer gets in for free! CYA Brian Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

Yahoo! That is music to my ears. Brian + Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

I would compare it to the Velocity that the PD Team flies, with some very significant differences. It rocks. There is a chance that the parachute will be available sometime this spring. I have tested the 81 and th 91 exhaustively, and the 101 will fly soon. Brian + Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

To answer your question directly, I normally do a 270 approach, with C-Point at 1190, B at 890, and A (initiation)at 590 feet. I am under a Sensei 91 at 2.25 lbs/sf. The VISO is a great visual altimeter, which is absolutely essential for data collection. In order to do experiments with recovery arc up high, you need a visual data collection device. In order to implement that data in the real world, you need a heads-up display. That's where the audible comes in. I love my Optima (audible with guide mode), and my Neptune(waterproof visual information). They both do what they are supposed to do. Nevertheless, you can still hook in. The telemetry simply tells you where you are. It doesn't tell you whether or not the altitude you pre-selected is the right height. Given changes in density altitude and/or technique, you may lose much more altitide than you expected. This is where physical rehearsal of your "bail-out" procedures comes in, as well as your powers of assessment during the dive. The dive angle as compared to your altitude at any given portion of the approach is what allows you to recognize a problem and make the necessary adjustments. If you realize that you are moving toward a point that is directly below you at 100 feet above the ground, you need to flatten your flight path to prevent getting in the corner. This is the only way to prevent impact. I am a huge proponent of the new altitude data aquisotion methods. It allows us to calibrate our eyeballs, and creates a much higher degree of consistency in our flights, in the way that similar technology has improved general and commercial aviation. However, it is important to always recognize that these instruments can be improperly calibrated or erroreous for some other reason. We must always be prepared for the worst case scenario, so that we are not caught off guard. Ultimately, it is not the high-tech instruments that fly the aircraft, it is the pilot. Pay attenion. Assume nothing. Do not panic. Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

On Finding the Perfect Canopy Before arriving at a decision about which canopy you should use, there are many questions to be answered. It is best not draw your conclusion for several months if you want to make the right choice. There can be no rushing if you want to find yourself a parachute you can live with. In order to truly "Love" your canopy, you must arrive at the decision to purchase it based on a very exhaustive process. The beginning is to answer the following question: 1) What do I want your new parachute to do that my old parachute does not do well? And the second question is: 2) Do I honestly have the skills to handle all the new possibilities that this new level of performance will give me? And finally: 3) Am I willing to pay the price of the learning process to attain such skills? I am not specifically referring to a canopy course. I am referring to the intense learning, either through written works, video, conversations or formal education. It is that or the Great Teacher (IPA: Incredible Physical Agony). Take your pick. Once you have answered the three questions, you need to take it a step further: 4) How good am I willing to become? This is the biggie, the one that causes most people to hit a glass ceiling. If you honestly believe you are going to become a great canopy pilot, you will. This entails a commitment to the achievement of this goal. Giving up along the way is not permitted. The ground will weed you out, and it does not grade on a curve. If you are willing to honestly think about each of these questions, regardless of the specific answers you come up with, you will create the correct choice for yourself. It will be, in fact, incredibly obvious. If it makes sense to you after all that thought and discussion, it is probably the truth for you. Brian Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

Not that I should steal the props from John and Bill, as the Sabre 2 is a great parachute. But Before honestly telling you which canopy I think you should use, there are many questions to be answered. It is best not draw your conclusion for several months if you want to make the right choice. There can be no rushing if you want to find yourself a parachute you can live with. In order to truly "Love" your canopy, you must arrive at the decision to purchase it based on a very exhaustive process. The beginning is to answer the following question: 1) What do you want your new parachute to do that your old parachute does not do well? And the second question is: 2) Do you have the skills to handle all the new possibilities that this new level of performance will give you? And finally: 3) Am I willing to pay the price of the learning process to attain such skills? No, I do not mean paying for a canopy course. I am referring to the intense learning, either through written works, conversations of formal education. It is that or the Great Teacher (IPA: Incredible Physical Agony). Take you pick. Once you have answered the three questions, you need to take it a step further: 4) How good am I willing to become? This is the biggie, the one that causes most people to hit a glass ceiling. If you honestly believe you are going to become a great canopy pilot, you will. This entails a commitment to the achievement of this goal. Giving up along the way is not permitted. The ground will weed you out, and it does not grade on a curve. If you are willing to honestly think about each of these questions, regardless of the specific answers you came up with, you will create the correct choice for yourself. It will be, in fact, incredibly obvious. If it makes sense to you after all that thought and discussion, it is probably the truth for you. Best of Luck on your Decision Brian Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

On learning to swoop a new canopy: 1) Find out how little altitude you can lose in your typical turn for landing. Quicken the turn, add rears during the bank, and even bang a bit of brakes during a harness turn to see which method bails you out of a mistake best. You will most likely find that collective brake pressure combined with harness input will be the shortest recovery from a mistake. Practice bailing out OVER and OVER. This includes switching from rear risers to toggles during the last part of the recovery. It may not be instinct to do this, but it is the best way out of a hole that you have dug yourself into. Lift your eyes to where you want to go and stab the brakes about a foot, regardless of your bank angle. Pitch pulls you out, not reduction of roll; that is secondary. 2) Find out how much altitude your canopy loses in a "normal" approach. This should include density altitude variance, which can be significant. Do test swoops at various altitudes, and work hard to make consistent turns. 3) Learn how to extend your recovery arc in the event that you find yourself high. Off-set double fronts are a very effective tool. If you are using rears or harness to initiate and carry out your turn, you will not be able to keep the canopy in a dive beyond a certain point without continuing the turn. That is a very silly way to keep your speed if you are in traffic, so practice the front risers possibilities so you have more options. 4) Use good instruments!! If your altimeter(s) are not perfectly accurate, you are playing russian roulette. If you rely completely on your eyes for the initiation, you are playing russian roulette as well. Start the turn at a consistent height (which is different from your huricane), and make modifications only to account for differences in air density. I suggest both a digital visual altimeter and an audible alert. These are great tools, but you still want to keep your "veto" power. If it doesn't look right, lift the nose. Notice what is happening during the process of the turn, rather than waiting for the turn to be complete to realize you have a problem. Know how high you are, and alter your flight path accordingly, as early as possible. That way the change can be minimal, which will result in a longer swoop and better accuracy, but you will also increase the chances that you will grow lots of grey hairs in your ears, eventually. Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

Hi Pierre, There are going to be many things that are different between the two canopies, as you might expect. The most notible will be the longer recovery arc. This will allow you to turn higher, but will not allow you to turn low without significant rehearsal. My advise is this: 1) Find out how little altitude you can lose in your typical turn for landing. Quicken the turn, add rears during the bank, and even bang a bit of brakes during a harness turn to see which method bails you out of a mistake best. You will most likely find that collective brake pressure combined with harness input will be the shortest recovery from a mistake. Practice bailing out OVER and OVER. This includes switching from rear risers to toggles during the last part of the recovery. It may not be instinct to do this, but it is the best way out of a hole that you have dug yourself into. Lift your eyes to where you want to go and stab the brakes about a foot, regardless of your bank angle. Pitch pulls you out, not reduction of roll; that is secondary. 2) Find out how much altitude your canopy loses in a "normal" approach. This should include density altitude variance, which can be significant. Do test swoops at various altitudes, and work hard to make consistent turns. 3) Learn how to extend your recovery arc in the event that you find yourself high. Off-set double fronts are a very effective tool. If you are using rears or harness to initiate and carry out your turn, you will not be able to keep the canopy in a dive beyond a certain point without continuing the turn. That is a very silly way to keep your speed if you are in traffic, so practice the front risers possibilities so you have more options. 4) Use good instruments!! If your altimeter(s) are not perfectly accurate, you are playing russian roulette. If you rely completely on your eyes for the initiation, you are playing russian roulette as well. Start the turn at a consistent height (which is different from your huricane), and make modifications only to account for differences in air density. I suggest both a digital visual altimeter and an audible alert. These are great tools, but you still want to keep your "veto" power. If it doesn't look right, lift the nose. Notice what is happening during the process of the turn, rather than waiting for the turn to be complete to realize you have a problem. Know how high you are, and alter your flight path accordingly, as early as possible. That way the change can be minimal, which will result in a longer swoop and better accuracy, but you will also increase the chances that you will grow lots of grey hairs in your ears, eventually. I hope your transition to the XB canopy is uneventful, and that you survive the learning process. I am sure you will. Just keep your eyes open and stay awake. This shit gets a bit dangerous, if you know what I mean... Take Care, Brian + Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

I would be happy to come over to Europe again. I don't have anything specific on the schedule yet, but if you have an idea, lets make it happen! Email me here: bgermain@bigairsportz.com Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

You bet. As the dates get ironed out for the various courses, I will be posting them on this calender. I already have a second date at Z-Hills, during the 200 ways. Cool time to be there. If you want to work toward putting a course together, just let me know and well figure out how to make it happen. Lots of dates are still open. Brian + Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com