Newbie Canopy Questions

[Phil3D 0]

I've been doing some research on main canopies and I've come across a couple things I couldn't quite figure out.

First, "loading" boils down to the weight of the jumper with respect to the size of the canopy, right? What would be the best size for a newb weighing in at close to 200?

Second, does the cell count matter? Would a 9 cell be too much for a newb to handle? Do I have a real choice here? When I go to places like skydivestore.com, it doesn't seem to mention whether or not a canopy is 7 or 9 cell.

That wasn't flying. That was falling with style.

[virgin-burner 1]

looks like you'd be better off doing your AFF first, most of those questions will be answered there for the time being..

“Some may never live, but the crazy never die.”
-Hunter S. Thompson
"No. Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try."
-Yoda

[AggieDave 6]

As it stands right now, you're like a homeless guy shopping for a coffee table. Sure you could buy one, but you can't use it now and it'll probably be wrong when you get your first house.

Moral of the story, if you want to buy some skydiving gear as you're in AFF, things like goggles, altimeters and helmets are typically OK; however, you must check with your instructors first before you buy anything! Some stuff just isn't acceptable for student jumpers to use.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[skybytch 259]

Wingloading is the exit weight of the jumper (body weight plus all gear) with respect to the square footage of the canopy. It is expressed as a ratio - ie 1.0:1 - but most jumpers refer only to the first numbers - ie 1.0.

If you are 200 out the door (exit weight) and you are jumping a 200 sq ft canopy, your wingloading is 1.0. 200 out the door under a 170, wingloading is 1.17. 200 out the door under a 210, wingloading is .95.

Generally, smaller numbers ("lighter" wingloadings) equal slower and "safer". Most people would recommend that new jumpers stay close to 1.0 for their first canopies (main and reserve).

You can figure that you are about 225 out the door.

Seven and nine cells fly a bit differently. Nine cells tend to have a flatter glide than seven cells. Wingloading and canopy shape are far more important than the number of cells when it comes to first canopies.

Research is a great idea, but don't buy ANY part of your rig until you've completed your student training. Talk to your instructors, local riggers and gear dealers about canopy choices, and be sure to run any possibilities by them before you buy.

[jim_32766 0]

There is a wealth of data on this forum regarding those topics, and many people with a ton of experience (unlike me) that can help you. That said, your AFFIs will be the closest to you and will know your abilities the best. Trust them to give you good guidance regarding wing loading (WL) and canopy type. During your early jumps they will be in control of all this anyway.

Regarding your wing WL question, WL is your total exit weight (you plus all gear) divided by the square feet of the canopy. When you start AFF this will be less than 1.0 lb/ft2, often around 0.7 lb/ft2 or even less.

The meaning of life . . . is to make life have meaning.

[Phil3D 0]

I have no intention to buy right now. I'm just doing as much research as I can.

Yes, I am pre AFF. I figure it doesn't hurt to collect as much information as I can, practice arching, ect prior to even signing up for AFF. Hope that's not a bad approach.

Oh, and Dave, the brutal honesty is appreciated. Compare me to a homeless person all you'd like. I've been compared to far worse.

That wasn't flying. That was falling with style.

[AggieDave 6]

Quote

I have no intention to buy right now. I'm just doing as much research as I can.

Yes, I am pre AFF. I figure it doesn't hurt to collect as much information as I can, practice arching, ect prior to even signing up for AFF. Hope that's not a bad approach.

Oh, and Dave, the brutal honesty is appreciated. Compare me to a homeless person all you'd like. I've been compared to far worse.

Welcome to the sport and good luck. You'll find a lot more direct and brutal honesty from other experienced jumpers as you continue in the sport. It may be even more direct and may involve more colorful language, and not as playful as my comparison. Take heed, the sport humbles a person very quickly. The humbling process sometimes involves serious injury or death.

Furthermore, dropzone.com is great to get to know people in the sport. It is, however, horrible for someone who is a student jumper to ask for advice. During your student progression the best people to talk to are you local instructors. Other advice here may not be correct or it may be correct, just incorrect for your progression in skydiving.

Have fun!

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[Phil3D 0]

Yeah, agreed. I figure any roughing up I got here would be NOTHING compared to what the ground could dish out. I'd rather the former thank you very much. No sugarcoating for me, please.

And yes, I know better than to go into class and say "But at dropzone.com, they said X".

Beyond that, I don't know much but I do know that two straight evenings of ground school and then a jump is going to likely to be like sipping from a firehose. Hopefully, pouring over "The Skydivers Handbook" and googling around will help prep me. But it's best to still walk in assuming I know nothing.

That wasn't flying. That was falling with style.

[AggieDave 6]

Also check out the USPA SIM. The USPA is the governing body for skydiving in the US. The SIM is the Skydiver's Information Manual. It has the USPA's version of the student program, the requirements you have to complete to get your license, rules and the like.

http://www.uspa.org/SIM/Read/tabid/245/Default.aspx

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[hchunter614 0]

Don't do too much prep. There is only a limited amount of information that you'll need for your first jump and that will be covered in your FJC (First Jump Course). The AFF training program is designed to present limited amounts of information when a student is ready for it and then build on what was previously taught. Also, each instructor/DZ has different ways of teaching the material. There will be plenty of time for you to learn.

[timmyfitz 0]

Quote

Yes, I am pre AFF. I figure it doesn't hurt to collect as much information as I can, practice arching, ect prior to even signing up for AFF. Hope that's not a bad approach.

It is usually a good idea to be prepared as much as possible before anything. However, when you are collecting information or practicing anything skydiving related, you may not have factual information (How would you know?) and your practice (Unsupervised) could result in bad habits being formed.

Just something to think about.

[in2jumping 0]

Quote

I've been doing some research on main canopies and I've come across a couple things I couldn't quite figure out.

First, "loading" boils down to the weight of the jumper with respect to the size of the canopy, right? What would be the best size for a newb weighing in at close to 200?

Second, does the cell count matter? Would a 9 cell be too much for a newb to handle? Do I have a real choice here? When I go to places like skydivestore.com, it doesn't seem to mention whether or not a canopy is 7 or 9 cell.

http://www.performancedesigns.com/docs/choosing1.pdf
http://www.performancedesigns.com/docs/choosing2.pdf
http://www.performancedesigns.com/docs/wingload.pdf
http://www.icaruscanopies.aero/choosing-a-canopy
http://www.bigairsportz.com/pdf/bas-sizingchart.pdf