Dec 5, 2004, 8:29 AM
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Is your Wingloading within the WNE Chart?
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I am just reading "The parachute and its pilot" by Brian Germain. On the topic of wingloading there is a chart wich contains the maximum recommended wingloadings depending on number of jumps, altitude and canopy size. I am courious how many jumpers are actually within their limits, so here is the chart:
Substract at least one point for every 2000feet of elevation or density altitude above mean see level If you fly in a location that often experiences conditions of low air pressure due to high temperature and humidity, you should reduce the WNE by at least one point. Substract two points for canopies above under150 square feet.
By the way the book is very good.
(This post was edited by FrancoR on Dec 5, 2004, 11:13 AM)
Dec 5, 2004, 10:27 AM
Post #3 of 139
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Re: [FrancoR] Is your Wingloading within the WNE Chart?
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Substract two points for canopies above 150 square feet.
...this confuses me, can anyone explain why this is so? By 'subtract two points' I assume you mean go, for example from 1.0 to 0.8, from 1.1 to 0.9 etc. But if this is the case, then someone with, say, 100-199 jumps has a recomended maximum WL of 1.1, brought down to 0.9 if the canopy is bigger than 150. But this means that a jumper weighing 160lb is within the 1.1 WL on a 150 so it "should" be okay for them to jump a 150 (yeah I know this also depends heavily on skill level, experience etc. but this is just going by the figures, which is all we have), but is ABOVE the 0.9 WL on a 170, so should NOT be jumping this canopy (IF strictly following this WL chart)... this cannot be correct. Am I missing something, or am I missenterpreting this in some way? I don't own a copy of this book, so can't look at it for refference.
Dec 5, 2004, 12:01 PM
Post #8 of 139
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Re: [FrancoR] Is your Wingloading within the WNE Chart?
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I've got about 1400 jumps and am loading at 1.9:1, so I'm under the chart right now. Until I had 900 jumps I had been well over the chart since just under 200 jumps. Well over.
Dec 5, 2004, 1:40 PM
Post #12 of 139
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Re: [FrancoR] Is your Wingloading within the WNE Chart?
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Ah, right - makes sense now. Just thought there might have been some warped logic there somewhere!
I know PD sell the Stiletto in a 190, and I think Icarus' quirk is that they'll sell you a canopy in whatever size you want - not sure if they have any limits. My VX230's on the way, though! :) Are Icarus the only manufacturer to do this, I wonder???
Dec 5, 2004, 2:18 PM
Post #13 of 139
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Re: [FrancoR] Is your Wingloading within the WNE Chart?
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I haven't been within the parameters of the chart since off of student gear. 1-40 student gear 0.76 - 0.83 40-150 sabre 150 @ 1.2 150-350 Stiletto 135 @ 1.35 - This is close, except for the 'subtract 2 pts for <150' parameter.
Dec 5, 2004, 3:51 PM
Post #14 of 139
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Re: [FrancoR] Is your Wingloading within the WNE Chart?
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I am just reading "The parachute and its pilot" by Brian Germain. On the topic of wingloading there is a chart wich contains the maximum recommended wingloadings depending on number of jumps, altitude and canopy size. I am courious how many jumpers are actually within their limits, so here is the chart:
.
That seems like a non - sequitur. Just because someone exceeds an arbitrary number on a chart does not necessarily mean that he or she exceeds his/her limits.
(This post was edited by kallend on Dec 5, 2004, 7:57 PM)
Dec 6, 2004, 3:14 AM
Post #18 of 139
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Re: [kallend] Is your Wingloading within the WNE Chart?
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Just because someone exceeds an arbitrary number on a chart does not necessarily mean that he or she exceeds his/her limits.
Yeah, but how does a person know what their limits are untill they break them? We need people who have found thier limits and/or the limits of others to TELL US where our limits are, or we will be like a blind man walking towards the edge of a cliff and someday, we might just step over...
(So in other words, we should all take up BASE jumping...)
(Edited to just say that I agree with you, we all have our own personal limits - just raising the point, I guess)
(This post was edited by JonBonGraham on Dec 6, 2004, 3:21 AM)
Dec 6, 2004, 4:20 AM
Post #19 of 139
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Re: [FrancoR] Is your Wingloading within the WNE Chart?
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Well at 370+ jumps I'm in the "right"spot according to the chart HOWEVER I've been at this wingload on this canopy since jump 50 so make of that what you will.
(This post was edited by Squeak on Dec 6, 2004, 4:40 AM)
Dec 6, 2004, 4:58 AM
Post #20 of 139
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Re: [jumpinjackflash] Is your Wingloading within the WNE Chart?
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I have 400+ jumps and am at a 1.25ish wingloading. So I'm below the maximum.
I jump a Firebolt 164 which is elliptical and they make them all the way up to Tandem sizes.
With my currency what it's been lately (~70 jumps a year) I wouldn't want to be jumping anything more loaded than that. I'm actually really suprised that there's no point deduction or something for currency included.
Dec 6, 2004, 6:40 AM
Post #22 of 139
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Re: [JonBonGraham] Is your Wingloading within the WNE Chart?
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Just because someone exceeds an arbitrary number on a chart does not necessarily mean that he or she exceeds his/her limits.
Yeah, but how does a person know what their limits are untill they break them? We need people who have found thier limits and/or the limits of others to TELL US where our limits are, or we will be like a blind man walking towards the edge of a cliff and someday, we might just step over...
(So in other words, we should all take up BASE jumping...)
(Edited to just say that I agree with you, we all have our own personal limits - just raising the point, I guess)
Do you believe the limits of, say, a test pilot are in the same place as the limits of, say, a couch potato with 20/180 vision?
We have test pilots and couch potatos within the ranks of skydivers.
With the greatest respect to Brian G., one number does not fit all.
Dec 6, 2004, 7:09 AM
Post #23 of 139
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Re: [FrancoR] Is your Wingloading within the WNE Chart?
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282 jumps, 0.85:1 wingloading. Have been on that wingloading since jump # 8. I'll be downsizing to a 150 sometime next year - probably mid to late season as I'll do custom colors again.
Dec 6, 2004, 7:52 AM
Post #25 of 139
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Re: [kallend] Is your Wingloading within the WNE Chart?
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With the greatest respect to Brian G., one number does not fit all.
But the original poster explicitely stated that Brian Germain's book gave a recommended maximum wingloading. I'm sure Brian does not consider his one chart the end all, be all of the issue, but it is certainly excellent information to be out there. Some jumpers (I have seen some on this board) have been recommended by their instructors and fellow jumpers to purchase canopies that are much to advanced for their skill level, even the best 50 jump wonder out there. Just like BillVon's downsizing recommendation isn't the end all, be all, neither is Brian Germain's downsizing recommendation, but the existence of a explicitly stated recommendation from individuals with much more experience than the majority of jumpers isn't something to be criticizing.
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