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roguender

Advice on downsizing to a Crossfire 2 or 3

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Hi all !

If you can spare some time, I would very much appreciate some advice, please.

I weigh 54 kilos (119 pounds). I have 700 jumps and bought a rig with 170 Pulse when I had 150 jumps.  So I was very lightly loaded : 0.88.
I have sold my rig and borrowed rigs and canopies from friends to see what I could downsize to safely.
I made one jump in windy conditions with a Sabre 2 150 and then in a no wind day. WL : 1. Totally fine.
I then jumped a Pulse 135 on a no wind day. Totally fine. WL : 1.1
I then jumped a Stiletto 135 in average wind conditions. Not impressed.
I plan on taking a Stiletto 120 in windy conditions and then in no wind conditions if things feel right. WL would be 1.25

What do I want ? Get a canopy right for my weight and canopy type experience (with flat glides) that I can learn on and land safely.
How would a Crossfire 2 or 3 feel for me if I landed  them straight-in ? Would I be surprised compared to a pulse of the same size ? I have no intentions of making hooks turns or swooping before taking a canopy course (mandatory to learn swooping in France). What would be a good size for such a canopy and my weight : 120 (WL : 1.25) or 110 ( WL : 1.31). Or should I stay away from such a canopy as it's way too different  from the canopies I have jumped even I just do a straight-in ?

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(edited)

I can't answer your question about the canopies since I don't know them.

I don't understand what the rush is to downsize that aggressively. You spent 700 jumps on a Pulse 170 and you suddenly want to jump down to a 125 even 110 and switch to a different planform at the same time. At my DZ this year we had 3 major injuries within 1 month of operation, 1 femur, 1 Fibula and another unknown broken bone. None of them downsized but got distracted during landing. If you spent that long on the 170, you must have like it. You should stick with the smaller version of your Pulse for a bunch of jumps and then either go smaller or switch planform. 

Parachute de France will limit you in term of downsizing according to this chart so the 110 is already out unless you have canopy ratings 

image.png.11d8911af2762b7ce0e78eb70caf0189.png

 

 

Edited by tabouare
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Thank you for the replies.

To answer Tabouare's question as to why I'm downsizing and considering a crossfire so quickly 

- I have 732 jumps and was already flying a 170 at 27 jumps
- I made 210 jumps last year and I have already 52 jumps since Marsh
- I weigh only 54 kilos and my landings and wind penetration have improved as I tried smaller chutes
- I have been prudent trying smaller canopies : one size smaller at a time doing hop and pops and practicing drills
- I haven't been impressed by the smaller sizes for now
- I was advised to switch platforms by a canopy coach just a few days ago and yet I am here asking for alternate opinions

- I have already negotiated with a friend to use his Pulse 135 before trying a 120 or a 110 (I will get the jumps necessary in two months time)
- I just decided to have fun under canopy and want something that impresses me a bit on a no wind day.

Cheers.

 

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Your choice of canopies and sizes should involve a lot more than wingloading, especially at your weight.

From other posts, you wingsuit. This means you want a canopy known for consistent, on heading, no drama openings. This should eliminate all the more highly elliptical canopies.

At you weight, things are more complicated when looking at wingloading. Once you get below 150’ canopies, the shorter lines change the canopy flight characteristics rather dramatically. It’s not just about the turns you choose to make, it’s more about how the canopy flies in ugly situations. A bad opening spin happens faster, a reaction to poor body position on deployment can go from interesting to cut-away, coming out of deep brakes asymmetrically can put you on your back withline twists and a canopy diving at the ground, what would have been a mildly embarrassing mis-judgement on final can become a femur or death.

I would recommend something like a Pilot 150 or 135.

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On 6/22/2019 at 4:02 AM, ufk22 said:

Your choice of canopies and sizes should involve a lot more than wingloading, especially at your weight.

At you weight, things are more complicated when looking at wingloading. Once you get below 150’ canopies, the shorter lines change the canopy flight characteristics rather dramatically. It’s not just about the turns you choose to make, it’s more about how the canopy flies in ugly situations.

Thank you for this interesting comment. I fly an epicene for wingsuiting. I hadn't fully considered the implication of the shorter lines and how the smaller canopies could get me in situations I am not very used to despite what seems to be a very manageable WL. I am definitely considering a plateau at 135 for now (for my everyday canopy). Cheers.

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