Size of Main vs. Reserve

[gemini 0]

You and Bill are correct. When you get out on the extremes, the general rule does not apply.

But for people considering their first canopy purchase or if you are a conservative jumper, the general rule is main and reserve should be nearly the same sizes since you are trying to match the flying characteristics of the canopies.

Bill is also correct that it is imperative to determine how each canopy will fly before making a canopy purchase decision. For example, an small, hot, aggressive canopy may fly better with a different sized F-111 reserve because of the specific flight characteristics of each canopy.

Then there is Nicks problem of extremely small main and decent sized reserve. It may be a problem and the jumper needs to be aware of it so he can make the proper decision in time if necessary.

I believe that if you mentally plan for a two out situation and a resulting downplane you have a better chance to react properly.

What you want to avoid if you can, is mixing a faster flying canopy with a slower flying canopy. One will tend to try to fly ahead while the other will tend to drag behind.

A downplane still may not occur, but the chances seem to increase as the flight characteristics diverge. And as we all know, you could even have the canopies perfectly matched and still go into a downplane.

None of this stuff is really simple to state when you consider all the variables in canopies out there today. Hope this clarifies the rationale behind my "rule of thumb" statement.

Blue skies,

Jim

[tso-d_chris 0]

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What you want to avoid if you can, is mixing a faster flying canopy with a slower flying canopy.

I'm not sure two fast canopies is the solution. Better to deploy a bit higher on a regular basis, while still maintaining a reserve sized appropriately for the unconscious/injured jumper that may one day land beneath it. I'm not sure that scenario is any less likely than two out.

As a general rule, your reserve should not be loaded over 1:1. Many choose to do so, anyway, but that does not make a highly loaded (by F111 7 cell standards) reserve a smart idea.

[gemini 0]

I thought that was covered here:

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Then there is Nicks problem of extremely small main and decent sized reserve. It may be a problem and the jumper needs to be aware of it so he can make the proper decision in time if necessary.

Blue skies,

Jim

[tso-d_chris 0]

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I thought that was covered here:

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Then there is Nicks problem of extremely small main and decent sized reserve. It may be a problem and the jumper needs to be aware of it so he can make the proper decision in time if necessary.

Just wanted to point out that even though many people jump with reserves that, if deployed, will be loaded well over 1:1, it is a still not a wise choice. There are better ways to avoid having two canopies out that don't want to fly well together.

It is not a "problem" to have a decently sized reserve, even if the main is quite small. It is simply good planning.

Dress for the crash, not the ride.

[mouth 0]

I have a Sabre2 135 with a PDr 126 and a Nitron 120 with a PDr 116. The reserves on both are a bit smaller than my mains. I KNOW (yes, I've done it) I can land the 126 on rears.

--
Hot Mama
At least you know where you stand even if it is in a pile of shit.

[peckerhead 0]

My reserves are larger than my mains.

My mains are z-p and the reserves are f-111.

Makes sense to me.