has contributed 11 reviews

(Review ID:2200)

7 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

Pulse 150

Rated by: tkdsd on 2009-06-16 (user profile) (user reviews)

Review of: PD 9-cell in Unknown Tag: 'cat_linked'

Pros: Long glide, responsive on toggles, good landing
Cons: New product line

I've been jumping for about 2 years (158 jumps). I'm about to order my first main and have been flying a Sabre 2 150 (wing loading 1.23). I've demo'd a number of mains over the past 2 years. I got the chance to demo a Pulse 150 last Saturday and managed to get 3 jumps between the rain and clouds. With respect to packing, it was clearly smaller than the Sabre 2 150. Although new, it packed easily. The bottom fabric did have an odd texture but I could get use to it. The openings were on heading with no end cell closures. The snivel was a little shorter than the Sabre 2 150. The canopy was nicely responsive on toggles with fairly rapid changes between 180 left to 180 right and back again. It seemed more responsive than the Sabre 2 150 but it was only 3 jumps. I probably looked like a nut but I pulled high and stayed away from the other jumpers. It was not overly responsive and I did not have any troubles with induced line twists. I could feel when I was pushing it too far and pulled back without a problem. The recovery arc was short as advertised. I was able to land within 20 ft of my target on all 3 jumps. The glide was relatively shallow in full flight (again, as advertised). I could not get much more out of it with respect to glide using the toggles or rear risers. Attempts at stalls (with altitude) were clean with smooth recoveries. With respect to landing, the flares were fine and I had no pop-ups. The landings were easy to time and predictable for all 3 jumps. With the wet grass from the rain and the low winds, I was able to skid across the ground for a decent distance on my feet. I was going to work with the front risers on the 4th jump but the rain settled in so I have no decent info on the front risers although they seemed fine when I used them briefly on the first 3 jumps. Overally, I really liked the Pulse but I generally do not buy when a new product line is introduced. I will have a difficult time deciding between the Pulse 150 and the Sabre 2 150 (order next week). Both canopies are a lot of fun!

Was this review helpful to you?

(Review ID:2138)

10 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

PD 9 cell 210

Rated by: LongWayToFall on 2009-02-12 (user profile) (user reviews)

Review of: PD 9-cell in Unknown Tag: 'cat_linked'

Pros: Great openings, very responsive, low pack volume
Cons: At higher wing loadings, the flair is reduced quite a bit

This is my first canopy, and I picked it up for 300 bucks. I have to say, I really really like the canopy. The openings are on the brisker side, but not uncomfortable (always consistent, for the 70 jumps I have on it). When I get another canopy, I will be looking for openings as close to this as possible. Always on heading, and open in about 500ft from the pitch.

I am loading the canopy quite a bit higher than most people, at about 1.25, and it still performs great. The only thing I will be looking for in a new canopy once I buy one, is a more powerful flare. To date, all of my landings have been stand up, but it takes a single motion flare all at once.

The low pack volume is really cool, because you can have a container sized for a 190 and fit the pd210 in it. The f-111 fabric is very easy to handle while packing as well. If you buy one of these canopies and plan on having a higher wing loading like mine, make sure the canopy has a low number of jumps. When I bought it, it had 50-100 jumps, and after the 70 I put on it, I can already tell a slightly decreased flare, so the wing loading has got to be taking a toll on the fabric. Even so, for 300 bucks it got me in the air and I really like the thing. Thumbs up for a great canopy!

Was this review helpful to you?

(Review ID:1937)

4 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

PD 300 Student

Rated by: FlyinRyan86 on 2008-02-08 (user profile) (user reviews)

Review of: PD 9-cell in Unknown Tag: 'cat_linked'

Pros: Safe design, great flare, great control,
Cons: slow forward speed

I jumped a PD 9 cell on my fourth jump (and again after). This was my first stand-up landing. It was very easy to control and fly. As others have said, the forward speed is weak. I literally hung in the air for at least a minute or two longer than with other canopies of equal size (due to WL). But for beginners, this canopy couldn't be better! Of course the WL could be increased for improved control, flare and speed--this would make for an even sweeter ride.

Thanks PD

Was this review helpful to you?

(Review ID:1585)

1 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

PD 9-cell 260

Rated by: jcecil on 2006-07-03 (user profile) (user reviews)

Review of: PD 9-cell in Unknown Tag: 'cat_linked'

Pros: Forgiving in packing and flying
Cons: none (but I've never flown another canopy besides student mantas)

I moved from 288 square foot student Manta canopies to a 260 square foot PD 9-cell, and have been very pleased with it. It is responsive and fun if I want it to be, or it can be very slow and gentle. Very easy to learn the basics of propacking with it, as the material isn't determined to escape at every opportunity. Doesn't get very much drive once the winds get around 25 or more, but that just means I've learned to spot better. This is exactly the canopy I needed to transition from student to A license holder to my current status.

Was this review helpful to you?

(Review ID:1375)

10 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

Good beginner canopy if properly loaded

Rated by: Jeth on 2005-09-12 (user profile) (user reviews)

Review of: PD 9-cell in Unknown Tag: 'cat_linked'

Pros: Very forgiving, sweet to pack!
Cons: Not a lot of drive

I had my PD 9-cell for 6 months. I was going to wait longer to review it, but I recently had to cut it away. Since I lost it, I won't be putting any more jumps on it, so I figured I'd give my impressions from the jumps I did put on it.
This was a great canopy for a first canopy. It was very easy to fly and land. The toggle turns and rear riser turns were responsive and the flare was good for not being ZP. (You do need to complete the flare, though. It will not give you the lift like a ZP canopy does.) I had some fast no-wind landings, and I had a soft slide-in landing on those. It was soooo easy to pack, everyone with ZP was jealous!
The thing I didn't like was that I didn't get very good drive into the wind. I think this may be because I was too lightly loaded under it (~.8:1). I would suggest not going lighter than 1:1 if you want to be able to fly this thing on a windy day. Even with just a 10mph wind, trying to get upwind was a battle. I would basically just sink down and get very little horizontal movement.
Overall this was a great canopy for a beginner. I'm sorry I lost it so soon, I know I could've enjoyed it for a few hundred more jumps.

Was this review helpful to you?

(Review ID:1108)

11 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

My first canopy and I love it

Rated by: Iflymkv on 2004-10-31 (user profile) (user reviews)

Review of: PD 9-cell in Unknown Tag: 'cat_linked'

Pros: Smooth control, very forgiving
Cons: None

I just bought my PD-210 used with about 50-75 jumps on it, and was worried about the step from a 260 down to a 210 at my experience level (<100 Jumps/215 Lbs). No problems at all. Good response in the air, I can make the quick turns I want with little worrys, and fly through the coastal air thermals with very little buffeting. I have walked/ran out every landing so far, and agree with the people who recommended it for me, that this is a great beginner main for me. Enjoy, Stack

Was this review helpful to you?

(Review ID:740)

17 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

Very Reliable and Forgiving First Canopy

Rated by: fcajump on 2003-07-14 (user profile) (user reviews)

Review of: PD 9-cell in Unknown Tag: 'cat_linked'

Pros: Smooth flying predictable canopy
Cons: Not zippy, not for vertical accuracy

In a world of ZP, swoops, and high speed canopies, the PD-9 cell is a sedan. This canopy will not win swoop contests (though it may have when it was first brought out), but it will consistently get open, get you where you are going, and set you down softly.

I loaded my PD-260 ~1:1 in keeping with my experience when I bought it (~30 jumps, in 1991). As a casual, conservative jumper, I enjoyed flying it ~400 jumps before getting a Spectre. I am now passing it on to a friend who is just off student status, and I have every confidence that she will find it just as reliable and predictable as I did.

Flight behavior is consistent from full flight to pre-stall. As a 9 cell, its stall buffet tends to be a side-to-side buffet before it starts deflating. Break turns are smooth and without allot of swing, full flight turns are more brisk and swing a bit. Flares are smooth and predictable. Loaded conservatively, this canopy is very forgiving.

As with most other F-111, very easy to pack (flat or pro).

Blue Skies,
Jim

Was this review helpful to you?