I just got my new BigAir Sportz Sensei 101. I have 9 jumps on it and so far I am loving it. Openings are great (now that I learned the lesson it taught me on jump 3.... Don't look over your shoulder on deployment.) It comes back from long spots easily on rears. Flies great and the swoops are awesome. Lots of power on the bottom end of the flare. I don't know it well yet but it is very easy to handle and seems to know what you want to do. It just sucks that it is near the end of the season up here in the great white north and if I want to jump in the winter I'll have to go south.
Re: [wildWilly] Got my new Sensei 101
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What were you jumping before this canopy? How does it compair?
I have talked to Brian about one of these in the past. I love my 105 sameri. Love it even more after he tricked it out and now it goes alot further and faster.
I hope he does release these to the public soon. I am in the market for a new canopy Brian if you want to build me one.
(This post was edited by TAXIWAY on Oct 13, 2008, 8:27 AM)
I was jumping a 136 Samurai. I loved my Sam and am still feeling out the Sensei, but so far I have found the Sensei comes down a lot faster, has more power in the flare and turns a lot faster. Feels very stable, and the openings are great, about 700 ft.
Re: [wildWilly] Got my new Sensei 101
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As a fellow "Team Sensei" member, I am glad that you are enjoying it. I have been flying my 81 (I have two of them now) for just over a year now and just over 500 jumps between the two of them. The more you fly it, the more you will fall in love with it. I have let a couple of other swoopers fly it who normally fly a Velo, FX or like. They all had great things to say about it.
Yes, it is nice to have friends like Brian. Swoop far and stay safe.
Re: [BirdWoman] Got my new Sensei 101
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Hi there,
Excuse my ignorance guys but I'm based down in South Africa and we dont get all the cool news. What is the Sensei based on? How many cells does it have? How does it differ from the Velo or JVX's. Is it a competition canopy? Sorry for all the questions but I love reading about new toys!
The Sensei has been in development for a number of years. I remember Mike Swanson jumping one as early as 2003.
I'm not sure what Brian's production plans for it are, but it's a 7 cell x-braced canopy. Someone who has one can comment on the flight characteristics, but my understanding is that its 'velocity-like'.
Re: [ianmdrennan] Got my new Sensei 101
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Yes Ian, you are correct about the "velocity like" flight characteristics. One of my fellow vidiots flies a Velo 88 and I let him fly one of my 81 for a weekend. He said that it opened better, was more responsive on the rears and had a slightly shorter recovery arc. Another swooper who flies a VX-79 was impressed with it's flight and noted that it was more responsive in the harness.
Re: [BirdWoman] Got my new Sensei 101
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I need to send Brian an e-mail. I am about to buy new gear. I was going for the velo but if he let me try one of these then build me one if I like it. I would go his way instead of pd.
His initial design was for an airlocked x-brace. One of the 81s that I have actually had the airlocks in it but he didn't like the way it flying so he cut them out. My pic on my avatar is one of my 81s. Albeit small, it's still a good looking parachute.
I Heard that PD is not manufacturing canopies for Brian anymore, and if you look at bigairsportz websites it states that that the canopies are only availible as "signature series" for 2799$.
Re: [freeflye73] Got my new Sensei 101
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the canopies are only availible as "signature series" for 2799$.
Is this for real? I mean, in Square 1 catalogue brand new Velo costs $2580:)) I remember how people were complaining when JVXs first came out with ridiculously high price tags:))) And that was from a major manufacturer, supported by some of the top pilots, who tested them in pro-level competitions...
Are there people willing to pay THAT kind of money for "signature series"? It's like advertizing Toyota Supra from late 90's, when you can buy a brand new Porshe 911 for less money:)))
One of the riggers on our DZ has got Sensei 91... I think, I should tell him to add some "signature series" badge on it and sell it for 2 grand and then buy a Velo or JVX:)))
Re: [Sergey-san] Got my new Sensei 101
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Sergey,
Not sure when the last time you bought gear was, but the JVX is 3+ grand too. I'm not sure what the Velo retails for these days, but it's not far behind.
High performance canopies are expensive, no matter whom you buy them from.
Blues, Ian
(This post was edited by ianmdrennan on Oct 17, 2008, 8:03 PM)
Re: [ianmdrennan] Got my new Sensei 101
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Brian always made signature version (AFAIK), they're the Big air Sportz canopies without the warning label on the tail. "Signature" is just a way to spin that it's actually Brian Germain making them by hand. I'm looking at getting a lotus (demoing one soon), I hope to be able to get a signature version.
Re: [danielcroft] Got my new Sensei 101
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Yes he has always made signature series but before you had the shoice of getting one that "PD" has made for less money. I personaly loves his canopies, both the lotus max i had and my current samurai, i asked him about the sensei a few month ago, but he only sells them to people he know and i'm not one of them. So i went the velo route...
. So i went the velo route... 
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