Confused

[darrenspooner 0]

I done 130 jumps. My last 60 have been on a 150 canopy, loaded at about 1.3 or so. I did 40 on a Hornet 150, and then 20 on a Sabre 2 150. My S2 was brand new, but I had opening problems (diving to the right as the slider comes down). On about my 15th jump it dived so hard to the right that it twisted up and put me in a high speed spinning mal, and I had to cut away. So, after reading everything on here about some (especially early) S2s doing this twitchy opening thing, I sent it back to PD, and its still there. They checked it out and the trim and eveything is fine. They are jumping it now, but I don't know the result yet. Meanwhile, I borrowed another S2 150 (PD arranged this in the UK, from USA). I did 7 or 8 jumps and its very twitchy, leaving me to only assume that my body position on opening must be a problem. Yet I've obsessively concentrated on this throughout most of my recent S2 jumps, and it still happens, and I never had this on any other canopy. Can't be packing because its happened with 3 different packers (including 2 senior riggers), plus me, and I packed my Hornet everytime with no problems, plus 40 pack jobs on my previous canopy (ZP170). I'm now at a point where it feels like my wife had an affair and I can never trust her again. I know it might help to get some more coaching and get videoed, but in my heart (and especially because a number of people PM'd me and told me to not fall for the "its your body position" excuse) I feel its the canopy. I might mention that the loaner S2 had been mothballed and was made in the first year of S2 production (surely a S2 150 demo canpopy would be hot property, but this one was a block in a bag, and had clearly not been used in months/years). I don't know what to do. PD are great. They have been very professional.

So I'm considering selling it and buying something else. I lost confidence. So I want to consider something else. But what? Some one has had bad experiences with every canopy somewhere along the line. My choices seem to be, in the same class - silouette, pilot, safire or faqtor.

Any ideas, please?

[KevinMcGuire 0]

Might be a bit too obvious but are you making sure that your leg straps are tight, even, and not slipping on opening?

[darrenspooner 0]

Thanks, but yes, checked that. Its a brand new Odyssey, and its as tight and even when I land as when I get in the plane.

[skybytch 259]

Quote

I know it might help to get some more coaching and get videoed

Be a whole lot cheaper to have someone video a few openings than it will be to replace your main... and while it could be the canopy, it very well could be body position.

If it is the canopy, the video might be something the manufacturer would appreciate seeing as well.

[KevinMcGuire 0]

Are you making sure that you are flying your body all the way through the opening? In other words, you must be aware of and control your harness inputs as the canopy is sniveling. If you lean to the left during the snivel, then thats the direction the canopy is going to go and vice versa. Additionally, if you are reaching up for the risers, this may also contribute to off heading openings if you are not conscious of how you are doing it.
These are things that must be learned if you choose to jump a canopy with a relatively high aspect ratio. Again,sorry if these sugesions are too obvious

[Avion 0]

I fly a Spectre, and when I first started 10-15 jumps, I encountered some turning on opening that resulted in 1/2 to 1 line twist a few times. Then, I learned how to 'Fly the Opening.' This means looking up at the canopy as it it opening and watching where it is pointing. I grab the risers as soon as they stetch out. If the canopy starts turning to the left I lean right and pull on the right riser. If the canopy starts turning to the right, I lean left and pull on the left riser. I pack for myself very carefully, and on the ocassions that the canopy turns substancially on opening, this has gotten rare now, this technique has prevent it from going into twists, ever since I started using it.

Cheers

[chutem 0]

Sounds like it might be hard to sell this main if you tell people why it's for sale. on the other hand if it's not the canopy's fault someone might get a good deal. Did you try haveing someone else jump it that has more experience. I'm still jumping the 210 I bought just off student status at a .9 w/l so I can't coment on openings at 1.3. Good luck with the canopy.
James

[chutem 0]

Sorry I missed that PD is jumping it now. I think that should give you a good idea if it's you or the canopy.
James

[EvilLurker 2]

I have a Silhouette with quite a number of jumps on it (probably 500, I bought it used). I really like it, you might want to demo one and see what you think. It always opened nice and soft, light toggle pressure, easy to pack and lands nice. I know what you mean about losing confidence, I had a Triathlon that caused me some problems, and I got to the point it wasn't fun for me to jump. It takes a lot of enjoyment out of skydiving when you start doubting your gear. Good luck on your choice.

[darrenspooner 0]

Yeah, for me that's what its like. I now pull higher, feel apprehensive when I do, and I've lost faith in my gear. I guess it must be me causing the problem, but it never happened on 110 previous jumps on 5 or 6 different canopies. Maybe its just me and the S2 that don't get on. I decided to take up some advice on here and get someone else to jump it a few times, then get myself videod. If the problem is still there I'll replace it.

[ps5601 0]

While there may be a problem with your canopy (or both of them), I would say from talking to people and jumping the Sabre2 that they are intolerant of a poor pack job. Like wise, I suspect that they are intolerant of poor body position (Sorry PD, just my opinion though I have no actual data to back this up).

If you have lost faith in your canopy then at pull time you are probably very tense (ie not even close to relaxed). This in itself can give some interesting body positions and COULD cause opening problems.

I know telling someone to relax is not much help, and finding a way to relax is very personal, but if you have a way that works for you try thinking "relax" just before you go for the pull and while you are waiting for the snatch (while being time and altitude aware of course). It may be nothing, but it may help, you never know

Blue skies

Paul

[darrenspooner 0]

Well, I guess I should know how to relax, I'm a psychologist! I tried just that this weekend. I relaxed, focussed real hard on being symetrical and relaxed, and it still had a couple of twists and an off-heading opening. The deployment goes normally, with a nice lift off, sensible snivel, and nice symetrical opening. Its when the slider comes down it all wobbles. And its been packed by a few others, including a master rigger, with the same problem.

Its interesting that out of the 33 reviews on here for the S2, 17 had opening problems, some severe, and some resulting in getting rid of the canopy in favour of other models. Sure, this might not be a representative sample, but this is far from an isolated incident and for a canopy who's manufacturer states "From the moment you release the pilot chute, the Sabre2’s consistent, soft, on-heading openings will please you" this comes as somewhat of a surprise. The openings are anything but consistent for numerous S2 owners. I find it hard to believe they are all to do with body position.

I will hold my conclusion about this until I have heard back from PD (who, again, I have nothing but praise for), had someone else jump it, and get myself videod.

[Brains 2]

If possible, have someone with a camera jump it and video the openings. That would be more beneficial than to have someone video YOUR opening.

Never look down on someone, unless they are going down on you.

[Fast 0]

Quote

While there may be a problem with your canopy (or both of them), I would say from talking to people and jumping the Sabre2 that they are intolerant of a poor pack job. Like wise, I suspect that they are intolerant of poor body position (Sorry PD, just my opinion though I have no actual data to back this up).

If you have lost faith in your canopy then at pull time you are probably very tense (ie not even close to relaxed). This in itself can give some interesting body positions and COULD cause opening problems.

I know telling someone to relax is not much help, and finding a way to relax is very personal, but if you have a way that works for you try thinking "relax" just before you go for the pull and while you are waiting for the snatch (while being time and altitude aware of course). It may be nothing, but it may help, you never know

Blue skies

Paul

heh yeah... I jump a S2 170 and it really is perticular about packing and body position on opening. I think if I got into the really big bigway stuff I would want something else.

~D
Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me.
Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

[NWPoul 1]

I had some issues with my bodi position at deployment when I started jumping in my RW suit with booties. Actually I didn't noticed it by myself cause I started to packing myself at the same time so when the canopy after inflation did some tilt and going to right dive i just fixing it with rears and claimed my packjob...But one day instructor told me - he saw that I pulled keeping significant forwarg movement after tracking...
Just my 20 kopeek:)

Why drink and drive, if you can smoke and fly?

[DancingFlame 0]

W/L 1.3 at <100 jumps... seems to me like you haven't developed stable position for opening. Taking high-performance heavily loaded canopy was not a good idea. The more you load the canopy, the more careful you should be when packing and deploying. It takes a lot of jumps to learn the right position. You need to get used to the canopy. It can behave unpredictevly. Try lo learn how to 'catch' it before it did something irrecoverable.

[darrenspooner 0]

PD finsihed testing the canopy and its fine. Many thanks to PD. This kind of looks like it must be me. I jumped again yesterday and had a 270 degree turn, yet I practice pulled all the way down and was dead on heading and dead stable on deployment, and I focussed on the horizon without looking up. I guess now I need to try to learn how to fly the opening as a few people have suggested. Thanks for all the input.

[Buried 0]

have others watched you deploy and give you any feedback?

Where is my fizzy-lifting drink?

[spanky39154 0]

Hey i have only done a couple jumps on a sabre 2 with no probs but a few mates and other ppl have mentioned the turning how they solved it This coming from our CCI who jumps a s2 150 is to keep your feet together on opening keeping the pendulum effect balaced to the centre!!! give it a try everyone i know who had this prob then tryed this, generally gets on heading openings everytime now!!
blues!

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Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large Groups!!