Crossfire2 loaded 1.4??

[klafollette 0]

Time to downsize and get a new rig after flying a Safire 209 for 500 jumps. Looking at getting a Crossfire2 169, and looking for anyone with advice.

Question: Being 240lbs out-the-door, a 169 sq.ft canopy would put me about 1.4 loading. According to Icarus, that's at the bottom end of the recommended loading for a Crossfire2. Any issues anyone has had flying one that lightly loaded?

I hear the loading sweet spot is around 1.8, but I'm conservative in my flying and not thinking it wise to drop down to a 139. I'm not interested in 'hooking it in' pond-swooping, doing front-riser 270s, etc. Just want a good flying fun canopy with smooth, soft, on-heading openings with plenty of drive in the headwinds, and good glide ratio.

Reason I'm looking at the Crossfire2 is I really like the idea of the closed nose, being more like a fully formed wing, being more aerodynamic and giving better glide ratio. My other consideration is a Safire2, since that's what I'm familiar with.

Anyone with experience jumping a Crossfire2 similarly loaded, or comparison with a Safire2 loaded at 1.4??

Thanks in advance

[SansSuit 1]

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Anyone with experience jumping a Crossfire2 similarly loaded, or comparison with a Safire2 loaded at 1.4??

Thanks in advance

Not quite similarly loaded but I did jump a Crossfire 2 this summer loaded at 1.2. Very nice. I loved it. I felt like I was driving a Ferrari in first gear around the K-Mart parking lot. I offered to trade, even up, for my canopy, but they wouldn't bite.
.

Peace,
-Dawson.
http://www.SansSuit.com
The Society for the Advancement of Naked Skydiving

[rwieder 0]

i fly a X-Fire 2 loaded at 1.6:1 and i love it. it opens and flies really good. and the turf surf is good as well. i would reccomend it to upjumpers.

-Richard-
"You're Holding The Rope And I'm Taking The Fall"

[diablopilot 2]

First of all a 40 square foot drop isin one fell swoop is foolish at best, and secondly, I want to know if you've flown the Ccrossfire in ANY size?

Smarter would be to buy something like a 189 Safire (or save a few bucks and look at a Pilot 188)

----------------------------------------------
You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[rmsmith 1]

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Question: Being 240lbs out-the-door, a 169 sq.ft canopy would put me about 1.4 loading. According to Icarus, that's at the bottom end of the recommended loading for a Crossfire2. Any issues anyone has had flying one that lightly loaded?

First, 1.4:1 is not lightly loaded. Second, you will need to start selecting a runway...not a spot in the landing area. On the bright side, you'll find the Crossfire's front riser tension is lighter, and it will dive longer than you're used to with the Safire. You'd be wise to seek-out a couple of experienced canopy pilots at your DZ to bring you up to speed safely.

[Remster 24]

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i would reccomend it to upjumpers.

Would you? Its a damm aggressive canopy. Really good for what it does, but very aggressive.

Remster

[Tonto 1]

Remember that the Safire (1) is sized about 7% smaller than stated, so your Safire 209 is really a 194.

I can't see any reason for you to go to a Crossfire2 from your description of what you require from a canopy or what you do under canopy. A Safire 2 or Pilot around 160 sq ft is a moderate jump for someone with your number of jumps. Going smaller than that, and changing planform may be increasing your risk profile more than your airframe is prepaired to flex.

Either way, you'll need to live (or not) with the choice you make, so demo, demo, demo.

t

It's the year of the Pig.

[rwieder 0]

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Would you?

not only would i, i did. i stand behind my statement. the canopy is aggressive, but it's not a man killer. at least he's not wanting to go cross braced yet. my exit weight and wing loading are real close to his, i haven't seen anything i couldn't handle yet.

-Richard-
"You're Holding The Rope And I'm Taking The Fall"

[CanuckInUSA 0]

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Anyone with experience jumping a Crossfire2 similarly loaded, or comparison with a Safire2 loaded at 1.4??

I put about 225 jumps on a Crossfire2 139 loaded between 1.4 and 1.5 and had no issues whatsoever with it's performance. Yes the optimal performance may be in the 1.8 range, but you shouldn't be on this wing if you can't jump it at a lower wing loading.

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[DancingFlame 0]

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Remember that the Safire (1) is sized about 7% smaller than stated, so your Safire 209 is really a 194.

Is it? I've found at least 5 threads about this. But there are still two different opinions (and a lot of speeches). I've found a quoted letter from Icarus telling that Safire1 built by Precision is smaller. But I've also found somebody from Icarus telling that canopy size was not measured differently, and Safire1 139 is a 139 and not a 129 (planform factors were not taken into account).

However, if it is, it explains why my old Safire1-139 performed a little better than brand new Pilot 132...

[Tonto 1]

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Is it?

It is.

I jump Safire 135 / Pilot 132 and Safire 119 / Stilleto 107's. No way are Safires sized the way they're stated.

Safire2 corrected this, however.

t

It's the year of the Pig.

[mattjw916 2]

I have to agree here. My Precision made Safire 189 feels quite a bit sportier than then Sabre2 190 I was demoing.

NSCR-2376, SCR-15080

[TALONSKY 0]

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Remember that the Safire (1) is sized about 7% smaller than stated, so your Safire 209 is really a 194.

Is it? I've found at least 5 threads about this. But there are still two different opinions (and a lot of speeches). I've found a quoted letter from Icarus telling that Safire1 built by Precision is smaller. But I've also found somebody from Icarus telling that canopy size was not measured differently, and Safire1 139 is a 139 and not a 129 (planform factors were not taken into account).

However, if it is, it explains why my old Safire1-139 performed a little better than brand new Pilot 132...

To clarify all original Safire's and Omega's are 7% smaller than their stated size when comparing them to PD products.
Kirk

[meatbomb 0]

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the canopy is aggressive, but it's not a man killer

A Manta 288 is a man-killer. See here.

On another note, I did 850 jumps on a Sabre 190, loaded between 1.2-1.4, then downsized to a Crossfire2 169 (1.4-1.6). The guys at Icarus wanted me to get a 149, to load it up, but I'm glad I took the step...It was frustrating to begin with, when I was coming out of swoops just right, and going back up in the air without touching a thing but the extra dig has saved me on occasion too...currently done 200 jumps on it, and I'll probably do another 200 or so before going to a 149/139...

My advice to the originator of this thread: go with a Safire2 169/189 or thereabouts...If you don't want to use the swoopiness of the Crossfire2, why risk the femuriness...?

---
Swoopert, CS-Aiiiiiii!
Piccies

[johnny1488 1]

I'm about 240 out the door. I put about 400 jumps on a safire 209 before I downsized to a safire2 169. I put a little over 100 jumps on that before I moved to a crossfire2 169. I would have liked to go straight to the xfire but felt I wanted to only change one thing at a time.

I dont know you or how you fly, but often we are not the best judges of our own performance. I would suggest demoing if not buying something in the 169 range (if you want to go that small yet) like a safire2 before you go elliptical with the xfire2. It can be flown perfectly safely, but that doesnt mean you can't kill yourself real easy.

Johnny
--"This ain't no book club, we're all gonna die!"
Mike Rome