BrianSGermain

Gotcha. I misinterpreted your sentence. The "Zero effect" was the primary point I was trying to address. It all depends on the canopy. Regardless, I see that your point is that there are no disadvantages to keeping your toggles. I agree with you whole-heartedly. Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

You bet. Roll angle is the driving force that creates high descent rate. This is due to the fact that your lift vector is angled with respect to the horizon. In other words, your lift is less effective against gravity, but it still exists in full force. By keeping the high roll angle, we can keep the canopy in a dive. As soon as the roll angle is zeroed, the lifting force begins to make the canopy struggle back to level flight. The way to apply this is the following technique: 1) Initiate the roll with the front riser up high 2) Allow the canopy to turn for at least 90-180 degrees to attain more airspeed, and allow the centrifugal forces create a balance that keeps you in the spiral. 3) Slow the turn rate between 45 and 90 degree of the final approach heading by applying the opposite front riser during the turn. You are now in "off-set double fronts". 4) Dive the canopy in the bank until the approproate altitude and then ease yourself onto final heading. The goal is the get the dive going up high, and slow the rate of turn as you get to final approach heading. The "fastest" part of the turn is up high, the initiation phase. The slowest part is just prior to level off, as you ease into your final heading. You can, however, slow the turn rate in this manner at any point during the turn. You are flying the approach, rather than blindly "whipping" it around. This method allows you to dive a canopy longer, even if it has a fairly strong recovery tendency. The opposite technique is the whip the turn around aggressively and then pull your other front riser when you get to final heading, regardless of altitude. the problem of this method comes when you reach final heading too high. The "G's" spike, and the lift pulls the front risers out of your hands. In other words, do not reach final heading until the altitude is right. Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

I think of the situation as being similar to the old "Pink Panther" movies. The main character was constantly being attacked by Kato, his assitant. This is the feeling I get at boogies. We must remain on our toes... Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

Very nice shot, thanks!! Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

Huh? Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

Curious, how are you suggesting that having the toggles in your hands during rear riser landing will "severely hamper" you? I have perfomed many thousands of rear riser landings, and have not experienced any hampering at all. + Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

the previous posts are listed in reverse order, so don't get confused... Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

Having your toggles in your hands will have no effect on the performance of a rear riser flare UNLESS there is tension on the brake lines during the rear riser application. If your brakes are set tightly, there will be a small degree of improvement in rear riser slow flight. This is why some swoopers have a separate brake line from the cascade-point to the rear riser link. It does seem to work, but the effect is not terribly significant or noticible on light wingloadings. The point that was being made was that having the toggles in your hands when performing rear risers landings provides another option in the event that you need to abort. If you turn too low or dive too long, the toggles are a much better way to save yourself. You may not need them, but it's important to have them ready to save your butt. + Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

The interesting thing is, the airfoils on most canopies out there today have the "center of lift" in the same position, slightly forward of the midpoint between the "A" and "B" lines. I agree that the center of lift can be a major factor in the recovery arc, but this is not a variable that is commonly manipulated in today's canopies. Just thought you'd like to know... + Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

I have begun a thread on this topic. We should take this conversation there so the original discusion can remain "germane". I always wanted to use that word in a sentence... + Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

This is a continuation of an ongoing discussion of the issue of pulling high when the spot is long enough to put you off the DZ. My thoughts relate to probability. The odds of landing off when pulling low on a long spot are very high, perhaps an impossible scenario. The odds of getting hurt when landing off the DZ are much higher than a landing on the DZ. The odds of someone falling through your canopy when pulling high are fairly low, given the use of safe separation between exits and ample canopy tracking practices. Due to the probabilities given here, I choose to pull a little higher when the spot is long enough to put me off the DZ. I understand the concerns for the uninformed. There will always be risks associated with not knowing the rules of the sport. Such people will get hurt with a greater frequency regardless of policy. All we can do as people that are "in the loop" is protect ourselves from harm and teach others to do the same. Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

Yours will be built with the new lines, yes. Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

I wish it were that simple. I agree that there are some similarities to airplane flight, but using this kind of comparison is a metaphor at best . The fact is, both inputs effect the angle of attack, they just do it in different ways. As long as the pilot understands the distinctions, the appropriate inputs can be utilized when the circumstances call for a specific functionality. Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

Actually, I diagree with my statement as well. Sometimes I need to proof-read more. The point I was making, so very late at night, was that toggle-braking provides a slower "Minimum Sink" mode than rear risers, which represents "Maximum Glide." Hope that does ya. + Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

There are two keys to ample separation. One is time in the door between groups. This comes as a result of intellect winning over emotion. Panic results in bad decisions. The second component is "canopy tracking". Separation can be significantly enhanced by flying the canopy perpendicular to the jumprun immediately after opening. Given both of these measures, issue of opening altitude becomes a moot point. The act of pulling high (4-5000') does not effect the outcome of the scenario. The salient factor is Location, not Altitude. If you are not directly above a canopy, you cannot fall into it. Think More, Discuss More, Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

We aren't shipping demos out of the country. We tried it for a while and the complexity of Customs created some unbelievable headaches. I wish I could. If, however, you choose to go out on a limb and buy one, there is a 30 day guarantee on the canopy. I can do this because I know you're gonna love it. Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

You bet. I now see how my wording could be confusing here: “3) Spectra outboards to prevent shrinkage from offsetting the slider stops.” The original line-set design on both the Samurai and Lotus canopies utilized Vectran outboard lines to prevent shrinkage. This accomplished the goal but created a new problem. Due to the shrinkage of the rest of the lines, the outboard lines eventually became longer than the outboards. This, if left unchecked for more than 700 jumps can cause the slider stops to become a “vestigial” element of the system. In other words, the center cell lines were actually shorter than the slider stops on the stabilizer panels. This can result is undue wearing of the center cell bottom skin. The Vectran outer lines were not shrinking, of course. Due to the shrinkage of the rest of the lines, the LACK of shrinkage on the end-cell lines was the source of the problem. This did not create a dangerous situation, just a potential for minor damage to the skins in the long run. The truth is, I have never needed to repair a canopy for this reason. I just wanted to make the change to be on the safe side. Thinking ahead can save a lot of work in the future. The concept of the original line-set was to prevent long-term effects of slider grommet friction from dimensionally altering the line-set. When I realized that the reason Spectra lines were shrinking due to the low melting point (297 F), I realized that the solution was a material with a higher melting point. All Vectran line-sets burn out way too soon, so a mixed method seemed logical. We tested the method with great success, but customers jumped the line-sets beyond the recommended lifespan. It’s ironic, really. By addressing the issue, I managed to create another problem to solve. All changes have secondary effects. It is the anticipation of such effects that is the hard part. + Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

The new line-set for the Lotus Intermediate Airlock canopy is now available for all Lotus Pilots. The new trim includes the following differences: 1) Eagle Trim: reduced anhedral arc for reduced stall speed. 2) Altered "C" and "D" line lengths for higher airspeed and improved flare characteristics without significantly compromising glide ratio. 3) Spectra outboards to prevent shrinkage from offsetting the slider stops. Although the existing line-sets are perfectly safe, the new trim makes the Lotus a better flying wing. If you are interested in putting the new lines on your canopy, contact Big Air Sportz today! + Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

The new line-set for the Lotus Intermediate Airlock canopy is now available for all Lotus Pilots. The new trim includes the following differences: 1) Eagle Trim: reduced anhedral arc for reduced stall speed. 2) Altered "C" and "D" line lengths for higher airspeed and improved flare characteristics without significantly compromising glide ratio. 3) Spectra outboards to prevent shrinkage from offsetting the slider stops. Although the existing line-sets are perfectly safe, the new trim makes the Lotus a better flying wing. If you are interested in putting the new lines on your canopy, contact Big Air Sportz today! + Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

We have found that approximately 3 inches of slack is about right for most people. The design parmeters are as follows: Short enough to have full toggle authority so as to provide access to the stall for full stopping power on no-wind days. Long enough so that there will not be any tail input duing reasonable front riser application. The exact amount of slack varies with the length of the control range of the parachute in question. The shorter the control range, the greater the amount of slack in order to be at the median of the range. + Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

You are correct that a reduction in the chord of the airfoil will result in a higher critical angle of attack in order to precipitate a stall. In common terms, shortening the distance from front to back on the wing will generally cause it to stall at a higher speed. Due to the nature of ram-air canopies, however, angle of attack cannot be increased without either applying the brakes or the rear risers. The fact remains, despite fixed wing theory to the contrary, that parachutes will stall sooner and at a higher airspeed in rear risers. I know it is counter-intuitive, but it is empirical fact. Due to the change of the wing shape from flat lower camber to curved, the slow-flight characteristics improve. Further, by applying the toggles, the internal pressure is increased and shifted forward, especially on airlocked canopies. The center of gravity shifts forward as well, while the center of lift shifts back due to the altered airfoil shape. This in effect alters the equation, and the net result is a reduced “stall speed”. There are dynamics of rear riser application that are very relevant when considering the different stall characteristics between toggles and rear risers. When rear risers are applied, the trim of the wing is flattened. This is a significant change to the angle of incidence; that is, the angle of the mean chord line compared to the fuselage, which is of course imaginary on ram-air canopies. By reducing the difference between the B and C, the airfoil also becomes distorted and therefore causes a disruption in the efficiency of the wing as a whole. Furthermore, the suspended weight is carried further aft, skewing the center of gravity as well. All this results in a higher stall speed. The difference between tail input methods is obviously quite complicated. What we know as scientists is the data, which points to the conclusion that toggles are a better way to finish the flare. This assumption is fundamentally based on the present state of the art, which will inevitably change. The so-called truths that are asserted here are therefore contextual, based on a particular timeframe. Future airfoils may in fact perform quite differently. For instance, the Sensei prototypes that we are now testing have a very low stall speed on the rear risers. Specific alterations have been made to the airfoil with the goal of improving rear riser flight. Perhaps one day we will release the toggles after opening, and never touch them again. Maybe we won't need toggles at all... + Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

The difference is the context and thereby the intent. Using deep carve to arrest the swoop is a deliberate seeking of a high angle of attack, while a carve may involve a lower roll angle so as to maintain the swoop distance. In other words, you wouldn't want to perform a shallow harness/rear riser carve in a backyard. The distinction, in short, is the goal of the maneuver. Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

I think that some distinction needs to be made with regards to the nature of brakes and rear risers with as it relates to high-speed stalls. The following is part of my upcoming book "The parachute and its Pilot". The risk of high-speed stall using steering toggles certainly exists, but is less likely than a rear riser stall. This is because toggles increase the angle of attack in a different way than rear risers. When you apply the toggles, the induced drag causes the wing to retreat behind you, which increases the pitch angle and thereby the angle of angle of attack. Since it takes time to actually move the suspended load on the pitch axis, the angle of the relative wind changes slowly enough to prevent the critical angle of attack from being exceeded. Furthermore, the physical strength required to change the angle of attack with the steering toggles is prohibitive of quick changes to the angle of attack. This does not mean that the pitch angle does not change quickly, merely that the relative wind angle has ample time to stay in the window of angle of attack that works for flight on that particular wing. Rear risers are a different story entirely. Application of the rear risers requires less effort and a shorter critical distance in order to exceed the maximum angle of attack. This allow the wing to be stalled with less physical effort, and at a higher airspeed. This is true for several reasons. The most significant reason is that the pilot is actually changing the angle of attack of the wing itself, without the necessity of a pitch change. In other words, by altering the trim of the parachute by shortening the C and D lines, the wing is actually tipped on its own in a very short period of time. Further, the stall speed of a wing with such a flat trim is higher than the originally designed trim specs of the parachute. In short, you need to watch yourself when performing rear riser landings. If you need to dig yourself out of the corner, do it with your toggles. You have already killed your surf distance by diving the canopy too low and for too long. A steep entry never produces a very long swoop. Your priorities have changed from glory-seeking to self-preservation mode. Knowing when to abort is perhaps the most important skill of all; it is the skill that allows us to get old. Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

OK, I'll try to elaborate on the "hockey stop" landing technique. (The following is an excerpt from my upcoming book: "The Parachute and its Pilot".) The concept is to induce drag through angle of attack in order to arrest the surf distance. There are a few aerodynamic principals that are essential to bring to the surface in order to truly get the idea. 1) As Roll angle increases, the canopy's lift vector tilts which reduces the amount of "net lift" that the canopy is producing. This is why a wing tends to loose altitude in a turn. 2) If the pitch angle is increased in conjunction with the roll, level flight can be attained given sufficient airspeed. 3) The higher pitch angle increases the magnitude of induced drag, which causes the wing to loose airspeed at a greater rate than a zero-roll angle landing. 4) The roll angle allows the pilot to increase the pitch in a shorter amount of time than during a wings-level landing without causing an increase in altitude. In other words, by banking and braking at the same time, the wing will maintain roughly the same altitude while loosing airspeed quickly. This results in a shorter swoop for situations involving a smaller landing area. For example, when I do football field demos, I often start my swoop near one endzone, favoring one side-line. If I were to let it fly across the field I would end up in or near the other end zone, which is dangerous and worse yet, not in front of the crowd. Instead of maintaining the heading, I carve the canopy when I get near the 50 yard line, and set it down on center field. By carving the canopy at a high angle of attack, I shorten my swoop dramatically. The overall distance can therefore be reduced by at least 40 percent. I must refresh my previous statement that this is an advanced maneuver. With insufficient airspeed and/or an aggressive pitch increase, the canopy can stall during the bank maneuver. That could smart. The keys to the maneuver are: 1) Carry airspeed into the maneuver and make a smooth, shallow entry into the swoop to reduce he chance of roll or pitch oscillations during the level-off phase. 2) Do not wait until the airspeed diminishes to begin the bank. 3) Be sure to be at "normal" surf distance from the ground when beginning the turn, as excessive altitude upon completion will result in a significant drop at the end. 4) Use both brakes to maintain altitude once the roll is initiated. 5) Use both toggles to lift yourself out of the bank. 6) Once the canopy has climbed a sufficient distance from the ground, smoothly level the roll angle to zero for the landing. I hope this clarifies the maneuver for you. If you practice it enough up high, it may save your butt as effectively as it has mine. + Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

But where are the airlocks? Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com