Putting a new canopy through its paces

[fred 0]

I've tried to search the forums and google, but I haven't come up with anything. I'm finally going to be jumping my first rig. Having been called out for jumping a rental that I didn't do enough research on, I'm wondering what stuff I should do on the first few jumps.

Obviously I'll be opening high--I plan to be under canopy by 5000'--but what are the things you'd recommend to put the new canopy (that I expect to be jumping for a long time) through its paces?

Most of the stuff I plan on is off the A License Card, practiced above 2000':

Practice Flares, lots of them.

A 90 degree turn to the right, followed by a 180 degree turn to the left.

Stalling the canopy.

Braked/Flat Turns.

Rear riser turns and rear riser flair.

Front riser turns.

(I don't expect to be able to fit this all into one jump)

What else do you do to familiarize yourself with a new canopy?

[Blink 0]

Some canopy skill drills recommended by Brian Germain: http://www.bigairsportz.com/art-skilldrills.php

[Milo 0]

I'd also be interested in how it handles with minimal input, does it fly straight with hands off the toggles? How much control do you have by shifting in the harness?

Lots of new stuff for you. Be safe.

Did you buy one of those self packing canopies?

[GaryRay 0]

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I'd also be interested in how it handles with minimal input, does it fly straight with hands off the toggles? How much control do you have by shifting in the harness?

Lots of new stuff for you. Be safe.

Did you buy one of those self packing canopies?

i saw that on star trek, left the theater, put my order in, and started holding my breath!!!! i cant wait.

but, with a new canopy you might as well do a high alt H&P to fit a lot of it in, you can do 2 and be pretty familair with how it handles, just my humble opinion.

JewBag.
www.jewbag.wordpress.com

[JackC 0]

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A 90 degree turn to the right, followed by a 180 degree turn to the left.

Be careful with reverse turns, if you're jumping something a bit twitchy and you're overly agressive with it, the canopy can spin up on you so do it high.

For me, the first thing on my list is find the point where your brakes start to have an effect and the stall point in deep brakes to get your total flare range. Then a progressive flare trying to maintain level flight all through the flare range. Find the stall point on rear risers and how it reacts to rear riser turns. How it handles on toggles, how fast you can turn and how much height it loses in a turn. Front riser turns and dives. Slow flight characteristics, flying in half brakes and deep brakes. Then harness turns and combined inputs.

[shropshire 0]

You don't need to stall the canopy ... IMO what IS important , is finding where the stall point is... so that you can recognise it later.

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[sebinoslo 0]

hey,
i jumped my first rig 2 weeks ago, going from a nav 220 (student rig) to and electra 170 and thought about all the stuff you mentioned...but really, by the time you give a good pull on one of the brakes like you used to (and which would result in a nice, slow, gentle swing on the student rig) you'd be telling yourself "what just happened" (turns will be really fast, the loss of altitude will be much much greater than before etc).

I load at 1 and the first inputs were just like nothing else before...yeah i got scared
so really, just have fun on that first jump, getting a good feeling for the inputs required to turn, get to the landing area and if you can fit a couple of flaring you will be happy...

and remember to ask someone one the ground whether a one or two step flaring will work best too. it can depend on your training but also on your canopy.

and one more time: your fall rate when turning will be much greater than before, so get close to the landing area before doing maneuvers - it would suck to land outside on the first jump

[sebinoslo 0]

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A 90 degree turn to the right, followed by a 180 degree turn to the left.

Be careful with reverse turns, if you're jumping something a bit twitchy and you're overly agressive with it, the canopy can spin up on you so do it high.

For me, the first thing on my list is find the point where your brakes start to have an effect and the stall point in deep brakes to get your total flare range. Then a progressive flare trying to maintain level flight all through the flare range. Find the stall point on rear risers and how it reacts to rear riser turns. How it handles on toggles, how fast you can turn and how much height it loses in a turn. Front riser turns and dives. Slow flight characteristics, flying in half brakes and deep brakes. Then harness turns and combined inputs.

I agree 90% with you but I would leave the risers alone on the first jump though.
Everything said regarding the brakes is gold

[erdnarob 1]

3 flares = 3 x 15 seconds = 45 seconds
90 degrees followed by 180 degrees turn = 15 seconds
Stalling = 15 seconds
3 Brakes flat turns = 15 x 3 = 45 seconds
rear risers turn = 5 seconds
rear riser flare = 5 seconds
Front riser turn = 5 seconds
TOTAL = two minutes and 15 seconds (To be done above 2000')
You have plenty of time if you are open at 5000'
Make sure you keep an eye on where is the DZ.

Learn from others mistakes, you will never live long enough to make them all.

[sebinoslo 0]

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Obviously I'll be opening high--I plan to be under canopy by 5000'

I forgot to remind you to mention this to the jumpmaster, this will affect your exit order. And you can see what is your DZ maximum altitude to open, it may well be 6000' and give a bit more time.

[fred 0]

Thanks for all the input.

It's a Cessna DZ, so we have the benefit of knowing what everybody else is doing, where they're opening, and what their skill level is before a jump.

I love my new-to-me Sabre2. It turns very quickly, and flairs like a champ (high enough so that I have to ask my rigger if my brake lines are long enough, seems to level out and swing me under canopy much higher than I'm used to, possibly too high so I need to look for tail deflection during level flight). Fast, but doesn't seem to spin up when doing a hard turn one direction followed by another.

Two good landings in about 3mph winds. The first one within 10m of the target, and barely had to take a step. The second one, I began the flare a little high so I wasn't able to bleed off as much speed, and I had to run it out.

Still need to play with stalls and risers, but definitely a fantastic improvement over my DZ's rental gear. (not to mention the fit of the rig!)