What is the highest wingloading?

[BillyVance 34]

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To add,I think they finally figured out that higher wing loading was not always better

Maybe Dave can help us out here. There is a point beyond which performance deteriorates and more WL is counterproductive. There was some discussion about this a while back, but I haven't seen anything about it in over a year. Of course there are new canopies and new theories, like wearing weights with a larger canopy to get wingload with some actual wing as well.

So at what point does wingloading degrade performance ?

It depends on the canopy. Some perform better at higher loadings than others.

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[Miami 0]

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To add,I think they finally figured out that higher wing loading was not always better

Maybe Dave can help us out here. There is a point beyond which performance deteriorates and more WL is counterproductive. There was some discussion about this a while back, but I haven't seen anything about it in over a year. Of course there are new canopies and new theories, like wearing weights with a larger canopy to get wingload with some actual wing as well.

So at what point does wingloading degrade performance ?

Better for what? Counterproductive to what? Are we assuming, and really this is just a rhetorical question, that everyone who swoops is trying to set a new distance record...either personal or world record?

Miami

[JohnMitchell 14]

Wingloading can go up, size of the canopy can go down, but the drag of the human body remains the same, and the line drag of a small canopy will be proportionally larger than that of a bigger canopy. So you really start to mess with your lift to drag ratio with too small of a canopy. To get a quantative analysis of this, hire an aerodynamicist.

[AggieDave 6]

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There is a point beyond which performance deteriorates and more WL is counterproductive. There was some discussion about this a while back, but I haven't seen anything about it in over a year. Of course there are new canopies and new theories, like wearing weights with a larger canopy to get wingload with some actual wing as well.

There is, but it varies for different canopy designs and I personally believe it varies for canopy sizes as well. For years there was a basic belief that anything over 2.1 or 2.2 on the available X-braced canopys (which at the time was the Xaos 21, Velocity, VX and FX for all practical purposes) was beyond the performance range of that canopy. Fast forward to the past two years. We've seen incredible swoops made on the same canopy designs at wingloadings of 2.4 and 2.5. What I'm saying there is that for the extreme high performance canopy range, we're still trying to figure out what works best. Its pretty much a given at this point though, that a very high wingloading on a very small wing is counter productive for competitive swooping. If you have the skill and simply enjoy an extreme amount of speed (and you're a pilot that can handle jumping that size and wingloading) then go knock yourself out.

On non-Xbraced canopies the story is a bit different. I've jumped everything but the Lightening in PD's line up. I've jumped pretty much all of Icarus' lineup (save the FX and the Neos), same with Aerodyne and some other random canopies and I haven't found one that liked being loaded up all that high.

For me I found that most of the high performance canopies lost their "performance" when I went above 2.0 on them. Some of them freak'n rocked at 1.9 but swooped like crap at 2.1. Some people, however, swear by some of those canopies (like the XF2, the Katana and the Cobalt) loaded up around 2.1.

I have found one truth, however. A Spectre 150 loaded at 1.9:1 doesn't fly for shit, swooping or not.

(although I think you were refering to the other Dave in your post.)

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

[tbrown 26]

(although I think you were refering to the other Dave in your post.)

[sparkie 0]

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I believe luigi Cani jumped the VX39 at least at 4:1, possibly more.

hilarious when they pull the main out from the package it came in. No bigger than what T-shirts are wrapped in.

[hjumper33 0]

Ive seen canopies flown with 3.0+ wingloadings, pretty much anytime someone does a mr. bill. Anyone know of the highest wingloading put on a normally built xbraced canopy during this type of situation? Ive seen the pd video of some factory guys doing it with what I assume are velos.

[brianfry713 0]

I did a Mr. Bill with a VX90 loaded at 4.5, it was spinning a little bit for the short time I held on (due to low exit altitude). I'm guessing I was holding on a little sideways, putting in a harness turn.

You should try it again with a slower/softer opening canopy.

[hjumper33 0]

Hmm I only wish I could think of someone with a slower softer opening canopy that you speak of... I dont know though, that guy I know is afraid to jump a wing suit with it, so he probably wouldnt be down for a mr. bill.

[2shay 0]

maybe this has already been said but chris martin R.I.P. jumped a 21 sq foot xaos

don't try your bullshit with me!!!