Jun 16, 2012, 6:39 AM
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Blue Track BT60 canopy
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I have just acquired a Blue Track BT60 canopy. It is in fantastic shape for a 23 year old,and has less than 100 jumps. It looks and feels like new, still crisp and shiny, and not stains or tears. The only other information I have is from the warning panel on the tail. Max weight 220lbs. I believe it to be elliptical. So can anyone help out with the following. Canopy size. What material ZP or F111. What are its flying characteristics. Many thanks Bob
Jun 16, 2012, 7:16 AM
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Re: [Trackawaybob] Blue Track BT60 canopy
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It's a French made high performance eliptical, and par with the Stiletto line of canopies. It's not a great choice if you have less than 500 jumps, or intend to do any sort of competiton-style swooping.
Jun 16, 2012, 8:00 AM
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Re: [Trackawaybob] Blue Track BT60 canopy
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It is mostly similar to a Stiletto (it flies flat and has an Aspect Ratio of about 2.5) This canopy measures out to 175 sq ft and has a packing volume of 410 cubic inches.
old school semi-elliptical canopy, which was quite hot in the 90s, but does open very firm.
as far as ZP or F111 - If you cannot figure that out, you have no business owning a canopy.
Jun 16, 2012, 9:03 AM
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Re: [likestojump] Blue Track BT60 canopy
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I don't know the difference between ZP & F111, because I haven't jumped for 23 years, and things have changed somewhat I was jumping a Scorpion 178 sq ft, high aspect (3.1) canopy and really wanted to know how different this would feel. They would have almost the same wingloading 1.0 Obviously I won't even consider jumping this canopy until I feel completely confident. I have over 350 jumps on my Scorpion. I never seen people really flying this type (elliptical) canopy.Or any other for that matter. A parachute was just to get you safely to the ground, ready to re-pack and get back up. I hope you can forgive my ignorance.Im just trying to get as much information as I can about the Blue Track BT60. Thanks Bob D7479
Jun 16, 2012, 11:21 AM
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Re: [Trackawaybob] Blue Track BT60 canopy
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If you're not used to modern-ish canopy flight, a BT is probably way over your head for the next 300-500 jumps... You would be better off looking for a square/square-ish canopy like a sabre 1 or triathlon, if you want something cheap but safer to fly.
Jun 16, 2012, 12:16 PM
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Re: [Trackawaybob] Blue Track BT60 canopy
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Everyone talks about the flight and landings... to get there you have to survive the opening You don't want to try it, belive me, (And I'm talking only on the times it did open at all - I have about 15 cut away in 1000 jumps) I have about 200 jumps on the BT-50 and 800 jumps on BT-40 (and 200 on Stilletto 89) I think was taller by 2 inches befor jumping the Blue Track
Jun 16, 2012, 12:57 PM
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Re: [Trackawaybob] Blue Track BT60 canopy
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I have just acquired a Blue Track BT60 canopy. It is in fantastic shape for a 23 year old,and has less than 100 jumps. It looks and feels like new, still crisp and shiny, and not stains or tears. The only other information I have is from the warning panel on the tail. Max weight 220lbs. I believe it to be elliptical. So can anyone help out with the following. Canopy size. What material ZP or F111. What are its flying characteristics. Many thanks Bob
I lost track of how many jumps I have on Blue Tracks, but it's somewhere between 500 and 1,000.
The BT-50 is 150 square feet and the BT-60 is 175. It is claimed to be ZP, but it is not the slick ZP or the stuff used in Triathlons and so forth.
A couple of notes:
Being a first-generation elliptical, it was not detuned so its handling is twitchy. If you bury a toggle in full flight, you will put the canopy between you and the ground (literally - I have pictures of the event). If you do a panic turn on short final, you WILL die.
It is also sensitve to packing. If you know how to pack it, there is no problem at all. However, DO NOT simply hand it off to a packer and hope they will get it right. You may have an opening that loosens your fillings, or one that takes about two or three rotations to settle out before you realize that it is simply a funky opening and not a mal.
Needless to say, I will not jump someone else's pack job, considering it worth the time to repack it myself.
In any event, my primary canopy is a BT-60. It opens great and flies beautifully, but I would not recommend it to someone without a lot of experience.
It's a brilliant canopy, but it certainly is not for everyone.
Jun 16, 2012, 1:17 PM
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Re: [gilead1] Blue Track BT60 canopy
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Everybody seams to think that after a 23 year break from skydiving, that I am about to jump this canopy. Far from it, I now see myself as a complete novice, and will be jumping student gear for as long as it takes to learn to fly a modern canopy. My original question was not "Should I jump it ?" But as it is in such good condition, I wondered if it would be worth holding on to. I was given the canopy so have nothing to loose. I'm actually considering buying a PD Storm 170. I'm sure you were jumping all these canopies at a far greater wingloading than I would ever consider. Bob
Jun 16, 2012, 6:42 PM
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Re: [Trackawaybob] Blue Track BT60 canopy
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I'm actually considering buying a PD Storm 170.
How much you weigh out the door will make a big difference on what canopy you should choose. You mentioned you haven’t jumped in 23 years so that should put you somewhere around 45. Remember that at 45 we are not as cat like as we used to be. I would suggest you contact PD and demo a few canopies. http://www.performancedesigns.com/demo_sport.asp You might also look into a Silhouette, also made by PD. http://www.performancedesigns.com/products.asp?product=si Good luck and welcome back.
