BrianSGermain

I have been reasearching the phenominon of fear as it relates to performance and outcomes of dangerous circumstances. This area is one of the most neglected areas of skydiving instruction, as so it turns out, one of the most important. If you are interested in this area of study, please check out the research I am presenting here: www.TranscendingFear.com You life depends on it! + Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

This is why I changed the designation of the primary number from "Recommended" to "Middle of Range". There is nothing wrong with jumping a larger parachute than the Chart suggests. This is just a benchmark to get an idea of where you fall in the overall scheme of things. It is a guide, not a directive. + Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

Parachutes of the same design and the same wingloading will not perform the same in different sizes. In other words, a 120 is much quicker than a 170 even at the same wingloading. Smaller canopies turn faster due the the shorter lines, and have a diminished glide ratio due to the shift in the balance of drag between the jumper and the canopy. Further, size is scaled based on canopy AREA, which is a square function, while the VOLUME inside the canopy (airfoil drag) needs to scale as a cube function. In other words, when we scale a wing down based on the scale factor generated for the area, the internal volume reduces at a greater rate. Bottom line is, small parachutes can handle less wingloading if they are to perform in a similar manner. + Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

How's this? Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

Here is the most current chart. It has been modified significantly based on your suggestions. Please don't bash it until you have really thought about it. Brian + Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

Hi Wen, I had to chime in here on this one. I know it appears to be "cheating" the lighter jumpers out of getting their hands on a juicy 97 so they can be at a 1.2 lb/sf. The problem is, smaller parachutes are simply too radical in every way for a beginner to jump them at all. This is the reason why wing-loading is not the way to guide people to the right parachute. That is part of the equation, but we also need to take into account the fact that SIZE DOES MATTER. A 120 is way tooo twitchy to start on, regardless of the wingloading. + Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

The trouble with smaller jumpers with smaller canopies is, little canopies fly more radically, even with a fairly light wing-loading. A Lotus 120 with a 1.0 lb/sf wing-loading turns faster than a Lotus 190 with a 1.0 wing-loading. The smaller canopy also has a diminished glide ratio. So we cannot compare apples to apples, in other words. If we are to achieve the same kind of performance, the lighter jumper needs to be on a larger parachute. It may be possible to change the small canopies to have longer lines and a taller airfoil, but this has not been done yet. Nevertheless, the smaller wing will still be more radical due to its size. This is why it appears that smaller jumpers are losing out on this chart. The truth is, they are getting their hands on a more radical parachute earlier. + Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

Hi Folks, Here is the current Chart. This is still evolving, but we are getting closer. Brian Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

That really is a tough decision. There are advantages to coming in with extra airspeed, especially on a highly loaded or small canopy. Nevertheless, if you have a strong negative emotional reaction to the thought of coming in hot, stay away from it. There is nothing more dangerous than a scared pilot. That being said, I suggest playing with high airspeeds up high as much as possible. If you are not comfortable with the way your canopy performs at high speed, you are required to NEVER go fast near the ground. That is obviously something that you cannot always guarantee. Therefore, flying aggressively up high will help to expand your comfort zone, and when you find yourself going fast on the outside, you will still feel slow on the inside. Start there. If you are having fun with the speed, perhaps some straight-in front riser approaches are a reasonable next step. Turning approaches require more thought with regards to the set-up, and therefore complicate the learning process and delay perfection with that phase of your learning. Get really good at that, and then move on to turning a bit. One step at a time. + Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

Maybe you should mention the idea to Dianne Pond. She seems to make things happen up there. I love that DZ. + Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

There has been talk of a course at Cross-Keys. Perhaps you could put a bug in John Eddows ear... + Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

I would love to. Let me know when and we will make it happen! Brian + Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

Hey All I just though I would let everone know that I am holding an Advanced Training Camp in Holister, California Dec 6-9. The Camp is open to anyone with over 300 jumps. It is a four day course, which will include lecture, in-air training, video debrief and lots of other cool stuff like yoga and meditiation training to sharpen your situational awareness. To get in on the course, email me at bgermain@bigairsportz.com or call (703) 349-2639 or call Aviva at Holister: (240) 355-1852 (cell) or (831) 636-0117 (DZ) Hope to see you there!! Brian + Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

I was asked to comment on this issue. Yes, it is true that eliptical parachutes tend to turn on their own when the brakes are stowed. This is due to the increased horizontal component of lift while the canopy is locked in brakes. The lift vector is on an angle to the horizon, and therefore can create a self-sustaining turn. Releasing the brakes will usually stop the turn, although opposite rear riser is often the way to go as it allow the jumper to pull the slider down once the turn is stopped. Hope this helps. + Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

Thanks, it was great fun. As for courses in the US, we are working on putting on an Advanced Camp in Holister, California in December. Contact person is: Aviva Adventure Center Skydiving 1800 Fun-Jump http://www.1800funjump.com/ More on the Advanced Course here: http://www.bigairsportz.com/education.php#advanced To Schedule a course near you, send me an email at bgermain@bigairsportz.com + Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

Wonderful! I am glad to be of assistance. + Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

Actually, any time we focus on doing "nothing" we learn huge amounts. Holding still is the most important skill in flying in formation. More importantly, holding still allows us to calm down and wake up to what is actually happening. Let the Zen seep into your Vertebrae ... + Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

Thanks, forgot... + Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

I think that everyone that is reading this thread should perform the following experiment. Fly next to another canopy, and match their forward speed and descent rate perfectly. Let things settle out for a minute. Once you have achieved "Zen", try leaning forward in the harness for ten seconds, then try leaning back. Obviously, if you reduce your body drag as you do this you will be presenting a confounding variable, so try to keep your presentation to the relative wind the same for your experimental body position. Report back with your results... + Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

Figured I should get in there and say something. I had no intension of suggesting that you start your 90's at 800 feet. That would be silly. What I meant was that your initiation altitude should not be altered based on wind conditions. The only things that should alter initiation altitude is density altitude, and the degree of heading change. Sorry I didn't explain myself well enough... + Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

Pull high and figure out if your brakes are set up properly. It is very common that people assume that the toggle setting is perfect from the factory, but this is not often the case. If the risers are not the standard 21-22 inches, you will need to modify the toggle setting. Further, if your canopy is used, the brake lines will have shrink faster than the suspension lines, shortening the toggle stroke. This will place the stall point higher, and cause the front risers to be unstable when used with the brakes in your hands. You are a test jumper each time you fly a new canopy. Take your time and evaluate each parameter of performance. Never assume that things are as they should be. + Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

Free Download! Brian Germain gave a long interview on SkydiveRadio.com. The topic was canopy flight dynamics. Check it out here: http://skydiveradio.com/shows.htm Show #14 + Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

No Way, dude. Sorry to be direct, but I need to say something when I see a non-truth. Your weight is balanced on the confluence wrap on your risers. Leaning forward or back will not alter the center of gravity of the parachute at all. Now, that is not to say that should not bother to lean forward. There are benefits, but they are not aerodynamic in nature. By leaning forward we keep our bodies over our feet so that we will be able to avoid hitting our asses on the ground. Further, by leaning forward we are afforded better visibility, and even more importantly, we can feel what the canopy is doing. By leaning against the main lift-web of the harness, a pilot is better able to stay in touch with what the parachute is doing. Otherwise, all we feel is the legstraps. Sorry to go right at you with this one, but I need to make sure the truth gets out there. Blue Ones, + Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

Adrian was my camera flyer in the X-Games. Thanks to his incrredible flying and inspirational speaches, he took Robert Mahaffee and I to the very top. I can remember him saying to us: "Just think of it...Champions of the World!" We did it, Adrian! I will never forget the time I sent Adrian some clips of the freefly stuff that Robert and I were doing, in an effort to get him to come and film us. Somehow the tapes got switched, and he received the one of me playing guitar and singing some hippee crap for my friends in Vermont. As soon as I realized the error, I called him to tell him not to watch the tape. It was too late. I asked him if he had realized that the tape was not intended for him, to which he replied: "not immediately..." He filmed us anyway. He made us Champions of the World. I will miss him. I will look forward to seeing him again. Thanks for everything, bubbles... Brian Germain + Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

The amazing thing about Brian was the fact that he was on a 135 Jedei !! It just goes to prove that a larger canopy, when properly loaded, can surf like hell... + Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com