Aerodyne Research Corporation VISION- opinions

[Steve-in-VA 0]

How is the Vision (looking in the 150 range)? Anyone have an opinion one way or the other?

[Joellercoaster 6]

I have one in exactly that size.

Took me a little while to get dialied in but I've really enjoyed it since then. It's agile, dives nicely (better than my friend's Stiletto, side by side), it puts up with my low-rent swooping, and it has a pretty big control range.

BUT, a hundred jumps on it later, the one remaining complaint I have is its utterly random openings. It's been inspected by riggers and packed by quite a few people, and it still opens on heading about one time in three. The rest... well. I guess I haven't had to chop it!

It's been a good and interesting first elliptical but I'm going back to Pilots now that 4-way isn't the only way :P

--
"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?

[Joellercoaster 6]

Something else I would say... it's fully elliptical, and the Dutch parachute federation wouldn't let anyone with under 400 jumps jump one, judging it to be in the Stiletto class of potential hurtiness. Having jumped both, despite not having a super amount of experience myself, I think they're right on the money.

Your profile doesn't list jump numbers, this could be of no relevance to you, but it's worth keeping in mind.

--
"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?

[surfbum5412 0]

IMO. it's the worst canopy I have ever flown.

Openings are brisk and forceful, flight characteristics are fine, and the landings are AWFUL. As other people have said, if you come in on a straight-in approach, the canopy has no shutdown flare and literally drops-out-of-the-sky. Out of the 20 jumps I put on the canopy, I had one normal landing where it didn't drop out and the rest were just painful.

IMO, if you're going that route, get a Crossfire2.

[Steve-in-VA 0]

Thanks- just curious.

Jumps: 716.

[billvon 2,400]

>IMO. it's the worst canopy I have ever flown.

When did you try one?

The first few I tried were about 5 years ago, and I didn't like them much. Combined some of the worst characteristics of the Stiletto, Sabre 1 and Diablo.

I tried a Vision about a year ago, though, and it was _much_ better. I wouldn't hesitate to jump one now if I needed a canopy for the weekend.

[surfbum5412 0]

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>IMO. it's the worst canopy I have ever flown.

When did you try one?

The first few I tried were about 5 years ago, and I didn't like them much. Combined some of the worst characteristics of the Stiletto, Sabre 1 and Diablo.

I tried a Vision about a year ago, though, and it was _much_ better. I wouldn't hesitate to jump one now if I needed a canopy for the weekend.

The Vision I jumped was brand new, and was manufactured in April 2009.

At first I thought my canopy skills needed work. Then I thought about other new canopies I have flown; IMO, on a new canopy the flare should not only set you down softly, but also will ascend a little if you give it too much flare. I tried everything with flaring the Vision and no luck. It reminded me of a BASE canopies landing characteristics.

I will say though, in hopes to look like I'm not bashing Aerodyne. They are currently inspecting the canopy and sent me out a complimentary canopy in the meantime. Also, the Pilot is one of the greatest semi-elliptical canopy I have flown. And I heard the Mamba is a kick ass elliptical canopy from many people.

[Joellercoaster 6]

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I tried everything with flaring the Vision and no luck

In my review, I said the same thing about the flare. In the 80-odd jumps on it since I posted the review, I've figured it out and now land it fine even without front riser input, but you're right - it shouldn't take that long, or require so much precision...

I've also been told the pickiness about timing goes away when you load it higher, but I don't want to! 1.45 should be enough to flare well in my non-canopy-expert opinion.

As I said before, I like my Vision plenty despite that, but I'm going back to Pilots for the openings.

--
"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?

[JohanW 0]

It's everything the Stiletto is except for the short recovery arc. It's a better Stiletto than a Stiletto.
Yes, it's elliptical. (I like how a Brit is quoting Dutch rules to an American BTW.)

Johan.
I am. I think.

[Joellercoaster 6]

Actually, I'm Australian

The irony is well taken, but. But. The Dutch chart has come in handy a few times for waving at people wanting to make silly purchases... "why do you think a parachute federation would go out of their way to explicitly ban what you're about to do? Is it because they've never seen your skillz? Or maybe theres a better explanation."

Anyway. Yes. Stiletto good, Vision better (but they both have habits).

--
"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?

[koppel 3]

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1.45 should be enough to flare well in my non-canopy-expert opinion.

of course the manufacturer suggest that the optimum loading for this canopy IIRC is 1.6-1.8

I have owned three. One of the very early models and two of the new versions. I liked them all. I got better swoops out of the early model but better openings out of the later ones.

I found that the first stage of the snivel on opening was gentle and that the second stage could be brisk, though never hard.
All in all I did around 900-1000 jumps on this size and model and loved it.

I like my canopy...


...it lets me down.

[Joellercoaster 6]

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1.45 should be enough to flare well in my non-canopy-expert opinion.

of course the manufacturer suggest that the optimum loading for this canopy IIRC is 1.6-1.8

Indeed they do...

--
"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?

[JohanW 0]

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Actually, I'm Australian

OK, so you don't speak the Queen's English after all. Hey, at least you're not a Yank! From your profile, I just had no way of knowing ..

Ellipticals have their habits. But all ellipticals have those I guess. Crossfires, Pilots, they're almost square. (I said almost! Relatively speaking, they are.) If turning is easy while flying, it's easy during opening. But there are no shortcuts; more elliptical wings have better L/D, less elliptical wings have more directional stability. It's always a trade-off.

Interesting how the Dutch rules are being exported informally already. I guess we can start the self help group for people who are afraid they'll be exported formally now .. (Oh, if you want to tell someone he needs 500 jumps to fly a Stiletto, wave the old version of the rules at him. One less category, 25/100/500/1000 instead of 25/100/400/700/1000. 500 was split in 400 and 700, mainly. You can jump a Stiletto? Here's a Katana .. No more of that. I don't know if that's worth having a 400 jump wonder having a go at a Stiletto already though. )

Johan.
I am. I think.

[surfbum5412 0]

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of course the manufacturer suggest that the optimum loading for this canopy IIRC is 1.6-1.8
.

Mine was loaded at 1.67 with still no luck