PILOT CHUTE DEPLOYMENT/ALTITUDE

[Dougiefresh 0]

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My Stiletto opens in almost exactly 500 feet. I roll the nose 5 times.

I have owned 3 Stilettos over the last 2400 skydives and don’t believe rolling the nose has anything to do with the rate at which a Stiletto or Saber for that matter inflates. The moment the canopy leaves the D-Bag the pack job is shot, the body position at deployment time and slider regulate the rate of inflation.

Of course that is just what I subscribe to, I could be wrong...

All I know is, when I don't roll the nose in, I get slammers. I never rolled the nose on my sabre2. So at least for this particular canopy, I've developed a technique that works. I've jumped other stilettos that don't need the nose roll to open ok. It seems to me that the second it takes to unroll the nose before the cells can inflate makes a difference.

Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so. --Douglas Adams

[billvon 2,400]

> It seems to me that the second it takes to unroll the nose before
>the cells can inflate makes a difference.

I don't think that's the case. Once all that fabric hits the wind, all that careful rolling is gone in a millisecond. However:

>I've developed a technique that works.

That's what IS important. If you get a technique where all the basics are covered (slider against the stops and spread, lines under control and in the center, canopy oriented correctly in the bag, line stows tight) then you will likely get good openings. If rolling the nose is part of helping you control the slider or lines (for example) then it may well make a difference.

[ernokaikkonen 0]

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I don't think that's the case. Once all that fabric hits the wind, all that careful rolling is gone in a millisecond.

I have to disagree. After having worked as a full-time packer for two seasons, I've noticed that "doing things to the nose"*) does make a difference in the deployment. This opinion has been formed after packing the same parachutes for the same people several times within a short period of time(teams training). Many of the people would ask the packers to roll the nose, so we would. Unless we were too busy to do it, in which case we'd often get feedback that "the opening was a bit stiff this time".

I believe that if the packjob is neat and tight and the slider stays all the way up until the bag is closed, it is possible to make a brisk opening canopy open more comfortably by doing things to the nose. However, if the packjob is sloppy and the slider is all over the place, no amount of rolling will save you from a slammer.

None of the above is taken from a scientific study, so psychological effects, subjectivity and selective memory may skew the results. Some experiments would be in order, I suppose.

*) "Doing things to the nose" in my case includes rolling the 3 or 4 cells from each side into the center cell or doing the "nose inversion trick", but NOT stuffing the nose into the packjob, which I believe to do nothing except increase the chances of a line-over.

[zoobrothertom 5]

I've seen a lot of good replies to your question, so I thought I'd throw in one more (.02 cents). Your question is pretty general as you've seen in the answers. Just a guess, but I'd say your asking about a student canopy or something similarly docile. A flat packed student canopy, or any other F-111 canopy, is pretty steady at around 325-400 feet unless you really play with the nose. There are a few exceptions, but on average this is probably true. Even pro packed isn't too much slower, maybe +50 feet or so.

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