richravizza 25 #1 February 1, 2011 Just got my 1st (used rig) after 2yrs.of renting & searching for the RITE ONE,that will actually FIT. 2003 InfinityI-44,Tempo,& Cypres,Hornet 170 main. I've done the search thing,gear review, ect. read everything posted to date about this canopy. I've been jumping a Pilot 170 and love it!! Is there anyone out there that has Flown them Both? Any Info/Comparison would be GREAT!! Thanks to all Richr PS. YES, THERE WILL BE BEER Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
labrys 0 #2 February 1, 2011 I've flown both and I found them very, very similar.Owned by Remi #? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SStewart 13 #3 February 1, 2011 The Hornet is much easier to pack due to the fabric, otherwise there is not any significant difference between the two canopies. And, yes I have jumped them both.Onward and Upward! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
labrys 0 #4 February 1, 2011 I didn't mention packing in my post but I agree very much. The material used in the Hornets is gold. I've wondered many times why it isn't used for more canopies.Owned by Remi #? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
richravizza 25 #5 February 1, 2011 Thanks, Any nasty habits? I noticed what seemed like an oversized slider. Some posted talked about hard openings,and to insure the sider is over the nose,nose pushed way in & the tail wrapped real good. Did they Change the slider in the latter models(larger) to help.Mine is I've been doing braked turns, riser,hard toggle & harness turns.As well as trying to find the stall point,which it WONT,All on the rental Pilot, I found to be ROCK SOLID.The flare is srtonger than any thing I've ever Flown.I put it in a360dive and flared about 6" and my Chin was buried in my chest.YAA!! You Mean I actualy SCORED!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bofh 0 #6 February 1, 2011 QuoteThe material used in the Hornets is gold. I've wondered many times why it isn't used for more canopies. Explained here: http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=2574804;search_string=fabric;#2574881 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
labrys 0 #7 February 1, 2011 Thanks for the link. Now I can stop wondering...Owned by Remi #? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pilot-one 0 #8 February 2, 2011 QuoteThe Hornet is much easier to pack due to the fabric, otherwise there is not any significant difference between the two canopies. And, yes I have jumped them both. Were you smoking crack? These two canopies are completely different in the way they open and the way they fly. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
richravizza 25 #9 February 3, 2011 Could you Elaborate, I just wanted to be Heads-Up Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
labrys 0 #10 February 3, 2011 Quote Could you Elaborate, I just wanted to be Heads-Up Plenty of people have commented on the similarity of the 2 canopies in other threads. I'm not sure where pilot-one is coming from. The Sabre2 is similar to both of these canopies also. It's been said that the Hornet tends to be a snappy opener, but I didn't notice that with either of the Hornets I've owned. I've never owned a Pilot, but I've demoed one a few times and found that it flies very similarly to the Sabre2 I own now, but the few times I jumped it, it opened on-heading and fully inflated which is something that my Sabre2 rarely does. So, I've owned a couple of Hornets and a couple of Sabre2s, and flown a few Pilots. I don't smoke crack and I found them all very much alike. Owned by Remi #? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pilot-one 0 #11 February 3, 2011 The Pilot, Hornet and Sabre 2 are similar in that the are of a semi elliptical design. In my experience with all three that's about where the similarities end. For the record I have flown all three at equal sizes for hundreds of jumps. In my opinion the Pilot is superior. The Sabre 2 is close to the Pilot but is less responsive and doesn't open as nicely as the Pilot. In other words when you pull on a toggle the Pilot is much quicker than the Sabre 2. The Hornet opens very "snappy" and is very sluggish in comparison to either the Sabre 2 or the Pilot and the flare is non-existent. The only thing the Hornet has going for it is it's easy to pack. The Hornet opened so hard I couldn't wait to get rid of it. I can detail more but this really isn't the venue for that. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Southern_Man 0 #12 February 3, 2011 I've got a Hornet 210, but I have basically only flown student canopies beyond that, so I have basically zero comparison. I am interested in what other people have to say about it. I have not found my Hornet opens hard, although I've heard that about them. It may be bacuse I have a later version or perhaps I take extra care when packing because of the reputation. Not sure. Do other people find the hornet sluggish and lacking flare?"What if there were no hypothetical questions?" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AllisonH 0 #13 February 3, 2011 I owned 2 Hornets and both of them opened and flared quite nicely. I was very happy with them. Toggle turns were a little less snappy than the Pilot, but I never had any complaints about either of my Hornets. **Disclaimer: they were a 170 and a 150, both loaded at less than 1:1, and both were late model Hornets. I can't speak for ones that were made earlier or loaded more heavily. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SStewart 13 #14 February 5, 2011 Quote Were you smoking crack? These two canopies are completely different in the way they open and the way they fly. I have never smoked crack, have you? The Pilot is the new improved version of the Hornet and by "improved" I mean harder to pack. The best thing Aerodyne did when they "improved" the Hornet was to keep the color coded tabs at the attachment points. The over all design did not change that much. I just laugh when I hear "It is a totally different canopy dude" because it is not. I made about 400 jumps on my Hornet 135 and I have made over 100 jumps on Pilot 132's, and pilot 111's. As a rigger and over all gear head I have hung them up and inspected both as well. THe new Pilot is a bit different but not that much. Both canopies are semi-eliptical 9 cells, the pilot is just the newer version. Newer is not always better. To be fair I put an oversized domed slider on my old Hornet because I wear two cameras and want to save my neck so I never experienced a hard opening but I put big sliders on all my canopies for the same reason. The Pilot is a great canopy and I would probably buy one as my next, because they open and fly just like my old Hornet, maybe a bit better. Too bad they don't pack as well. Seriously, the old joke goes like this: Q:What's the difference between a Pilot and a Hornet? A: They changed the name, made it harder to pack, and doubled the price! Ha!Onward and Upward! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
richravizza 25 #15 February 5, 2011 Thanks a million for your input.Just what I wanted to here.Can't wait to jump/Fly it Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The_Don 0 #16 February 5, 2011 Quote I've been jumping a Pilot 170 and love it!! Nit-Pic... Pilot 168. I am NOT being loud. I'm being enthusiastic! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
