Downsizing

[alyssakitten415 0]

I am about to get a rig and I wanted to know if a 150 Sabre 2 would be too aggressive for me. I have 44 jumps and am currently flying a 190 Silhouette. My exit weight is 165lbs and I have had consistent landings with the 190. I wouldn't get my gear until December so I am wondering if I should buy a 150 instead of a 170.

[likestojump 3]

You should absolutely NEVER go down more than one size. Stick with a 170

[chuckakers 369]

alyssakitten415

I am about to get a rig and I wanted to know if a 150 Sabre 2 would be too aggressive for me. I have 44 jumps and am currently flying a 190 Silhouette. My exit weight is 165lbs and I have had consistent landings with the 190. I wouldn't get my gear until December so I am wondering if I should buy a 150 instead of a 170.

That depends on you.

A 170 would give you a wing loading of .97:1 while a 150 would put you at 1.1:1. That is very little difference and considered moderately light for most people. You should always step down a single canopy size at a time, but if you can fly a 170 between now and December, a 150 at your wing loading would be quite reasonable assuming your skills are in order.

Personally I do not advocate downsizing for the sake of downsizing, but having sufficient forward speed and performance is important and even necessary if you jump where winds are consistently brisk.

My best advice is to get with a trusted instructor or senior jumper at your local drop zone that knows your abilities and local conditions. Folks that have seen your progression are in the best position to help.

Chuck Akers
D-10855
Houston, TX

[medic0079 0]

just my 2C a 150 is probably fine for you, but as you approach a 1:1 ratio the landings level out more and you have more lift. it is easy to get into a situation where you can "pop up", or even stall your canopy. I would at least borrow a 170 for few jumps as you will see a significant difference between a 190 to a 150.

[Joellercoaster 6]

There is a cliche in canopy flight about buying the canopy you need to fly now, rather than the one you think you'll want in the future. What if you don't get many jumps in between now and December? What if you twist an ankle and get laid up for a few months, you hit a run of bad weather on the weekends you can make it to the DZ, work/life gets in the way, etc etc.

I don't know you and you don't know me, so my advice is worth what you paid for it. But a 150 is quite a lot of canopy for anyone at 40 or even 100 jumps, even loaded at 1.1:1. I would, in your shoes, absolutely buy the 170.

(Full disclosure: I downsized too aggressively fairly early in my career - in particular around the 200-500 jump mark. I look back and think two things: firstly I was lucky not to get hurt, and secondly, I hurt my development as a canopy pilot in ways I am only beginning to understand now. Your mileage may, of course, vary!)

--
"I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan

"You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?

[mathrick 2]

You'll be downsizing two sizes and changing to a different canopy type. That sounds like trouble. I bought Sabre2 170 at 40 jumps after flying Navigators 240 and Spectre 190, and I feel like not enough consideration was given to the pilot skill (or lack thereof, in my case) and flying style when very competent people recommended Sabre2 to me. I've got enough coaching and practice to have made peace with it now, but I wish I understood the differences in canopy styles earlier. I load mine at just under 1.1, similar to your target WL, and that's enough to make it expect that you know what you're doing when landing. Silhouette and Pulse are much more forgiving when it comes to flaring, but Sabre2 dives steeper and if you don't have a plan, you'll end up with lots of speed you don't know what to do with. That's not something you want to discover on a no-wind day on a canopy two sizes below what you know how to fly.

Try getting ahold of Sabre2 190 and 170 before you order, to make sure you even like the change in piloting compared to Silhouette. And if you do, try to log many jumps on them and be sure you have landings down pat.

"Skydivers are highly emotional people. They get all excited about their magical black box full of mysterious life saving forces."

[FreefallingCari 0]

My advice is coming from my own experience, FWIW.

I flew a .85:1 wing loading until jump 186. I flew a 170. It is not about consistent landings, as landing is only one of the many skills of canopy piloting. I feel that I am a better canopy pilot from downsizing slowly and gaining all that I could from my 170.

Skydiver Survivor; Battling Breast Cancer one jump at a time. DX June 19th 2014
I have been jumping since October 5th 2013.
https://pinkribbonskydiver.wordpress.com/

[dthames 0]

Joellercoaster

There is a cliche in canopy flight about buying the canopy you need to fly now, rather than the one you think you'll want in the future. What if you don't get many jumps in between now and December? What if you twist an ankle and get laid up for a few months, you hit a run of bad weather on the weekends you can make it to the DZ, work/life gets in the way, etc etc.

I don't know you and you don't know me, so my advice is worth what you paid for it. But a 150 is quite a lot of canopy for anyone at 40 or even 100 jumps, even loaded at 1.1:1. I would, in your shoes, absolutely buy the 170.

(Full disclosure: I downsized too aggressively fairly early in my career - in particular around the 200-500 jump mark. I look back and think two things: firstly I was lucky not to get hurt, and secondly, I hurt my development as a canopy pilot in ways I am only beginning to understand now. Your mileage may, of course, vary!)

A friend downsized (I think maybe a 150) at about 90 jumps. Did 3 jumps, was off 10 weeks because of winter, went on a trip and got busted because of a late or weak flare, the first jump of the trip.

Not long after I started jumping a bunch of old guys on DZ.com were talking about upsizing or not downsizing. I joined their club, being that I am not a young man and continued active jumping is way high on my fun list. At times I would like to have something that would penetrate the wind better. At times I am glad I have a larger than average (lightly loaded) canopy. It is all a choice. Choose wisely cause "you" have to deal with your choice.

Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”