bobsled92 0 #1 November 24, 2002 My 1 full eliptic canopy (and it's down a size). 10 mph winds take it easy. I usually jump 190 & 220. 170 Cobalt will be fun vut, I'm taking a consevative landing pattern. Being a bit excited about it but, Dan said it won't glide any faster than the 190 Sabre2(semi) so I should be fine. I dodged trying eliptic & semi's for a long time but, with respect I now want to try it. I'm presently 6' tall. If that changes, I'll let you all know._______________________________ If I could be a Super Hero, I chose to be: "GRANT-A-CLAUS". and work 365 days a Year. http://www.hangout.no/speednews/ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MissMissy 0 #2 November 24, 2002 if you're interested in buying a cobalt, i have a 10% off coupon if you'd like (for free of course). missy--- Missy Nelson **Learning Never Stops** Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jimbo 0 #3 November 24, 2002 Just curious, is that 10% off the MSRP of $1600.00? Not such a great deal really, actually I guess it's the same deal you can get from any Cobalt dealer. Good luck with the 170. I put a few jumps on that canopy a while back, had some serious opening issues, out of the 30 or so jumps I put on it I only got 2 of the 'two stage' openings, the rest were rather quick. The canopy is stable in twists as long as the risers are relatively even and it is a dream to fly. Had my demo not opened hard most of the time I would have bought it on the spot. - Jim"Like" - The modern day comma Good bye, my friends. You are missed. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lippy 776 #4 November 24, 2002 Quote My 1 full eliptic canopy By that you mean your 'first' fully eliptical canopy??? BEEEERRRRR!!!! Have fun with the canopy manI got nuthin Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bobsled92 0 #5 November 25, 2002 Quoteif you're interested in buying a cobalt, i have a 10% off coupon if you'd like (for free of course). missy I would love that. Thank you, Missy Let me know if you want me to PM you for my address. -Grant_______________________________ If I could be a Super Hero, I chose to be: "GRANT-A-CLAUS". and work 365 days a Year. http://www.hangout.no/speednews/ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bobsled92 0 #6 November 25, 2002 Well, it skipped the 2-stag and a little whack=I barrowed a rig to fit it and had the reserve repacked and the guy packed the Cobalt for me.>Cobalt does have specific directions of pushing back the nose and rolling the tail very well& tight,the guy said he didn't do that My pack jobs work fine. Did it have a patch on the top skin when you demo'd it? Quote Just curious, is that 10% off the MSRP of $1600.00? Not such a great deal really, actually I guess it's the same deal you can get from any Cobalt dealer. Good luck with the 170. I put a few jumps on that canopy a while back, had some serious opening issues, out of the 30 or so jumps I put on it I only got 2 of the 'two stage' openings, the rest were rather quick. The canopy is stable in twists as long as the risers are relatively even and it is a dream to fly. Had my demo not opened hard most of the time I would have bought it on the spot. - Jim _______________________________ If I could be a Super Hero, I chose to be: "GRANT-A-CLAUS". and work 365 days a Year. http://www.hangout.no/speednews/ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bobsled92 0 #7 November 25, 2002 Quote Quote My 1 full eliptic canopy By that you mean your 'first' fully eliptical canopy??? BEEEERRRRR!!!! Have fun with the canopy man I would be worth IT!...Well we have exact wriitten beer laws so, if I buy it then it's a case. (I paid alot of beer after Rantoul) _______________________________ If I could be a Super Hero, I chose to be: "GRANT-A-CLAUS". and work 365 days a Year. http://www.hangout.no/speednews/ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bobsled92 0 #8 November 25, 2002 I was very happy with my 1st but, just after I got my pin in after my jump, a thump could be felt and friend of mine's Velocity was laying on the ground. I ran so hard my legs still hurt. He was wrapped inside after a fast landing(over 50mph). he stopped 30ft past point of impact. I removed his main and I could not recognize at first, a person I knew for 10 years. His leg started bleeding and his femur was out soaking he & I. He's going to live(I was just called) but they need more operations for his leg and every bone in his face is broken. He is a very nice, conciderate friend. He made an error,(not a hook turn,built up speed) he avoided a plane(parked) I will be cleaning my clothed and praying for him tonght._______________________________ If I could be a Super Hero, I chose to be: "GRANT-A-CLAUS". and work 365 days a Year. http://www.hangout.no/speednews/ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freeflir29 0 #9 November 25, 2002 Sorry to hear that. Good vibes for a speedy recovery. Those Velocities will bite you!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mouth 0 #10 November 25, 2002 So sorry to hear about your friend. Hugs to you both as seeing that had to have been tough on you as it was on him. Wishing a speedy recovery with good drugs. -- Hot Mama At least you know where you stand even if it is in a pile of shit. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #11 November 25, 2002 I'm with Jimbo on this one, my experience with a Colbalt 170 sucked. It flew ok, but the openings were the worst I've ever had. I even talked to Dan on the phone for almost 20 minutes about them, after changing some of my packing techs. on his advice I actually had the worst opening of my life. Harder then any of the original Sabres I've jumped. It was hard enough that it took me a bit to clear my head and look up at the canopy, I thought there was no way that the canopy survived, but it did. I was willing to put some more jumps on it and try to figure out how that particular canopy wanted to be packed, so I called Atair, told the person who does the demo program my situation and asked if I could keep it one more weekend so I could get the openings sorted out. She said NO, so I said ok, wrote a digrunteled note, sent the note and canopy back. That leaves me here, stating more then a few times how much I hate the canopy and especially hate the openings. So here I sit with a Heatwave 170 that opens great and IMHO flies better then the Colbalt (and I don't have to jump through hoops when I'm packing it, like most of the people I've met who jump Colbalts do).--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #12 November 25, 2002 Crap, I just now read the rest of the thread! Sorry to hear about your friend, best wishes and best of luck to you both!--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bobsled92 0 #13 November 26, 2002 A friend of mine was at the site (& club member) who is also a Surgeon at the hospital he was sent to. He just sent me this: >Hello, all, >I was able to visit Denny Gehr late Sunday night in >the Trauma-Neuro Unit of the Lancaster General >Hospital, and I am happy to report his condition >appears stable presently. He is on a ventilator and >heavily sedated, but according to the nurses he >seems to be neurologically intact. Although his >injuries are very serious, they all seem to be >recoverable. He will be facing more surgery to >repair his facial fractures and will be in the hospital >for some time to come. >Cards and letters can be sent to: > Patient Dennis Gehr -- TNU > Lancaster General Hospital > 555 N. Duke St. > Lancaster, PA 17601 >All prayers for return to full health will be >appreciated by his family, I am sure. > Blue ones, > Dave It is good news... I just went from work to Church then home.---Prayers, good vibes, everything helps,. Thanks, -Grant (p.s. If I keep getting whacked I'm going else where for a new custom canopy)Heatwave?Sabre2? I want to walk when I'm over 35.) _______________________________ If I could be a Super Hero, I chose to be: "GRANT-A-CLAUS". and work 365 days a Year. http://www.hangout.no/speednews/ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jimbo 0 #14 November 26, 2002 Actually, just to make this clear, you're not with me, entirely. It's true, I disliked the openings, but there are other Cobalt jumpers at my DZ who were as preplexed as I was when they heard about my opening troubles. However, once the canopy was open I absolutely LOVED the way it flew. The riser pressure was light, turns were responsive but not jerky or twitchy. A nice carving turn to final set me up for some incredible swoops (incredible to me. ). Over all, once it was open the canopy was very predictible and a dream to fly. Had I not had the opening issues that I did I would have bought on the spot. My loading on this canopy was about 1.5:1. Oh well, now I'm thinking about a Crossfire 2. We'll see how that goes. - Jim "Like" - The modern day comma Good bye, my friends. You are missed. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #15 November 26, 2002 Glad toe hear that he's making progress, slowly, but surely. (Look at a Heatwave or a Stilleto. I love my Heatwave, but if I had had the $$ I probably would have bought a Stilleto, gotta love those PD canopies, gotta hate the price).--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #16 November 26, 2002 The demo I had was loaded at 1.6-ish. A mouse told me once (a very connected mouse, not just some jumper, but I'm not going to say his/her name here) that the 170's are like that, they don't really care about them, they're just happy that they made one. They weren't really tested, just scaled on a computer, which may lead to a good canopy, but often doesn't.--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jimbo 0 #17 November 26, 2002 I would believe that. It's unfortunate too. Had I been thinking I might have taken the giant slider off of my Safire and put it on the Cobalt. I wonder if that would have tamed the openings, or just made a 3 cell canopy that doesn't open all the way? - Jim"Like" - The modern day comma Good bye, my friends. You are missed. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bobsled92 0 #18 November 27, 2002 Quote The demo I had was loaded at 1.6-ish. A mouse told me once (a very connected mouse, not just some jumper, but I'm not going to say his/her name here) that the 170's are like that, they don't really care about them, they're just happy that they made one. They weren't really tested, just scaled on a computer, which may lead to a good canopy, but often doesn't. >>>Scaled on a computer is what's made my Triathalon 220 a WHACKING Bastard from hell! A-R is going to take it and test jump it. I have to jump it with a LARGE slider pocket on AND the nose stuffed as deep as possible into the center cell and tight as hell with the tail at the WFFC I tore 3 cross-ports in 2 jumps spent $400 all total just to make it airworthy. And it too was that SOUTH AFRICAN FABRIC I really wanted a Cobalt but, I MUST have consistant openings to continue with jumping. I gotta find something soon or I'm out. After rescent events, if I come home with welts,hurt back,or walking poorly(TRI-a= ligiment damage last summer) my family won't let me jump again. Thay already started tonight about it. I'm a big boy but, they can nag without stopping to breath like windmill._______________________________ If I could be a Super Hero, I chose to be: "GRANT-A-CLAUS". and work 365 days a Year. http://www.hangout.no/speednews/ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jerm 0 #19 November 27, 2002 hrmm..... one of the issues i have with cobalts is a gripe i heard from a rig mnfr about how atair always recommends pilot-chutes smaller than what most everyone else recommends for pilot-chute sizing -- the conclusiong being that part of their "miracle of wonderful openings" is that they rely on less drag from the PC translating into getting things out more slowly... YMMV, it's hearsay opinion, but it makes sense. That being said, i DID like the way the cobalt flew. i've never flow a triathalon, but i've heard both ways about them... some people get slammed, some people have great openings..... both pretty consistantly. My further $0.02 is that no matter what i've done to pack my samurai (flat, pro, laving nose open and not pushing it in pn a propack) i have yet to get a hard opening on it... some quicker than others, but never been slammed. In fact, the packing instructions recommend doing nothing with the nose... again, YMMV, but that's mine :) Landing without injury is not necessarily evidence that you didn't fuck up... it just means you got away with it this time Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bobsled92 0 #20 November 27, 2002 It's the canopies that are of larger scale that should be re-engineered that do the slamming. I always jump with a 24inch PC and my 220 Triathalon still goes BAM! if it's not stuffed rolled, tucked and double band twisted. I'm going to look to Big AIr next_______________________________ If I could be a Super Hero, I chose to be: "GRANT-A-CLAUS". and work 365 days a Year. http://www.hangout.no/speednews/ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #21 November 27, 2002 I have a Heatwave 170 and I have nothing but great openings, I don't have to do anything weird to pack it, just do a normal propack and stuff the nose, roll the tail, just like 80% of the canopies out there. I jump with a "normal" PC (28") and I haven't had any problems with it. Never mind that I got my canopy brand new with custom colors for under $1k...--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhreeZone 15 #22 November 27, 2002 And did'nt you order a larger slider with it? Pocket sliders are a wonderful thing... my Jedei is a nice opener with one.Yesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #23 November 27, 2002 Yeah, sorry, I forgot to mention that, I did get a larger slider, I'm sure that helps tremendiously. --"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
blewaway5 0 #24 November 27, 2002 Just for the record every interaction I've had with Brian Germain has been nothing but perfect. He's making some great canopies and he's a hell of a down to earth sort of guy. He'll listen to you and explain anything you want to know. A for real stand-up guy, IMHO. Truman Sparks for President Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhreeZone 15 #25 November 27, 2002 Stuffing the nose has been known to speed up openings on certian canopies. I'm pretty much the only one that can pack my Cobalt to open how I want it to. Its all in slider placement for me. Lots of tiny adjustments can result in a super sweet canopy opening. >I MUST have consistant openings to continue with jumping. I've been nailed by Spectre's, Sabre2's, Cobalts, Hornets, Monarch's, a few other canopies and lets not go into the Lightnings... Any canopy can and will nail you when you least expect it. If you have conditions that require soft openings I'd look at the Spectre, it was the most consistant openings I had. I'd advise other canopies but with a back ground on a large Tri... I don't think a Samurai is a good option right away. Check out a Lotus too...Yesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
