Raistlin 0 #1 February 25, 2004 Got a nice deal for a reserve canopy at the local DZ. If I buy it, I'd be loading it 1.4 (it's 140 in size). Honestly, I'd feel more comfortable with a 160 or even a 180 reserve, but let's theoretize: just how safely would I land under a standard F-111, 7-cell reserve loaded 1.35-1.4? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skydiverek 55 #2 February 25, 2004 Conscious or unconscious? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Raistlin 0 #3 February 25, 2004 Well, I hope to be conscious at the time. :) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
velo90 0 #4 February 25, 2004 Unconcious might kill you. When concious I have no idea because I have no idea of your experience. If you are staying with the hornet 170 you jump I suggest you go bigger with the reserve. If you downsize your main I still suggest you go bigger with your reserve. A big reserve does no harm right Think about what matches your rig as well. I am not well versed in rigging but I think that rigs only take specific sizes of reserves. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
karenmeal 0 #5 February 25, 2004 My opinion on reserves is that you want one that you can land unconscious with line twists. My reserve wingloading is about 1.1 and I don't think I will ever load a reserve heavier than that for the rest of my skydiving career. Other people have different opinions.. but I am personally more than happy to have a larger looking rig. Also, assuming that you will be conscious when you land your reserve you don't want to have to learn how to fly 30 feet less canopy after a stressful malfunction with the possibility of having to land out.. "Life is a temporary victory over the causes which induce death." - Sylvester Graham Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
piisfish 135 #6 February 25, 2004 IMHO reserves should be same size or slightly bigger as the main... I know persons with reserves quite smaller... It would be the smallest canopy they would have ever jumped... Just strange... edited to add : my opinion is worth 2 cents scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dragon2 0 #7 February 25, 2004 Standard reply: ask your instructor! My point of view (and I'm no instructor): if you have a lot of experience with 7 cells (like spectre's, triathlons, lightnings etc) in the same size range, you may be fine. But 1.4 is overloaded for F111, and if you're not concious it's gonna be 'interesting' I'm afraid ... And if you are concious and have no experience with 7 cells at all, well, ditto! Also, personally I'd be more inclined to load some brands of reserves higher then others. Ie I completely trust PD and PdF, but have doubts about some other brands so if I buy or jump those they should be big. I already have 4 reserve rides, of which 3 on a 1.2 loaded older PdF reserve (128 sqft). Was offered a Tempo 120, no, thanx... ciel bleu, Saskia Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
winsor 186 #8 February 25, 2004 QuoteGot a nice deal for a reserve canopy at the local DZ. If I buy it, I'd be loading it 1.4 (it's 140 in size). Honestly, I'd feel more comfortable with a 160 or even a 180 reserve, but let's theoretize: just how safely would I land under a standard F-111, 7-cell reserve loaded 1.35-1.4? If you want to jump with an undersized reserve, pack REALLY carefully and try not to get blindsided before pull time. I jump main loaded at over 2:1 with a reserve at about 0.85:1. When I'm down to my last handle, I want to get as much nylon overhead as I can. Blue skies, Winsor Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 2,400 #9 February 25, 2004 >Honestly, I'd feel more comfortable with a 160 or even a 180 reserve . . . Then that's the one you should get. >just how safely would I land under a standard F-111, 7-cell reserve loaded 1.35-1.4? How safely have you landed under an old Triathalon at the same loading? They're pretty similar to many reserves, I've found. The best answer is to just try it; get a reserve demo (many companies do them) and jump it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jumperconway 0 #10 February 25, 2004 What brand has ALOT to do with how it flies and flares! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
frankiebrina 0 #11 February 25, 2004 Consider a situation where both are out. I beleive it´s good to have main and reserve arou the same size. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LoudDan 0 #12 February 25, 2004 My 2 cents says: I have a PD 193R and I load it at 1.4. Fired at terminal, it opened soft, and flew sweet albeit a little sluggish due to it being a seven cell. I say if you are not comfortable jumping a main as small as the reserve you a considering, get a bigger reserve. 1500 feet with your adrenaline pumping in a possible bad spot is not the time or the place to start learning to fly a smaller canopy you most likely have not flown before. Just because its a seven cell, don't think for a minute it is all forgiving and can't bite you in the ass. Coming soon to a bowl of Wheaties near you!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jumperconway 0 #13 February 25, 2004 Why would you want a reserve that may be wanting to take over your main with 2 out? You aren't comfortable jumping a 9cell main that size are you? The 7cell will not have the flair that your main does even the same size much less alot smaller! If that's not a PD I definitely wouldn't recommend it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Raistlin 0 #14 February 25, 2004 Well, it's a PD R. And the condition is mint. And the price is unbeatable. And I'd ask the instructor, only I'll get to see him in a week and a half, so I thought I'd ask here too! - Love this place for all the great people it's got :) Thanks! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TALONSKY 0 #15 February 25, 2004 I would suggest calling PD and having them send out a PD143R for you to demo. I think it cost some where in the area of $40.00 and they can get them out to you pretty quick. This would either give you the confidence to down size to it or would let you know you are not ready for it. Kirk Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 2,400 #16 February 25, 2004 >Consider a situation where both are out. >I beleive it´s good to have main and reserve arou the same size. Derek did a few test jumps and showed that canopy size wasn't that big a deal. Even a reserve twice as large as a main flew OK together. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Praetorian 1 #17 February 25, 2004 Smaller reserve (according to the Military and PD) is the better option, it stands a better chance of resolving into a biplane in a two out, larger reserve = grater chance of a side by side which could lead to entanglement or worse go directly to entaglement especially when paired with a smaller highly elliptical main .. (WARNING BOOK KNOWLEDGE NOT EXPERIENCE I"M A COMPLETE NOVICE) now I think this means smaller but not TINY if I remember right smaller but CLOSE in size was the final suggestion in both reports(military and PD), but as a novice I have to ask is the risk of having to land a seven cell f-111 160 when my main is a 9cell ZP 170 a lesser or greater risk then the one I run IF I end up with a 2 out? (I think so and thats how I made my choice) but I weigh just under 160 with out gear, so my choice was PD160 because it was the BIGGEST reserve that would still be smaller then my main, I feel confident in my ability to land a 160(as do my instructors) or I would have gone with a bigger main so I could have a bigger reserve or maybe re-evaluated my risk assessment Good Judgment comes from experience...a lot of experience comes from bad judgment. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jumperconway 0 #18 February 25, 2004 Can you get a PD demo in Russia? If not can you borrow a 7 cell 150ish? The PD143R will fly bigger than the # in my opinion. A triathlon 150 would probably give you an idea of what it will fly like. If you're ok with the Tri you'll probably be ok under the PDR (if you're conscious). My PDr is at 1.64/1 but it's also 43% bigger than my main! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Raistlin 0 #19 February 25, 2004 I think the only demo gear available here is Atair's... but not PD, definitely not. If I really, really wanted to, I guess I could take someone's reserve (I don't think anyone at my DZ flies a Diablo, let alone a Tri), pack it as my main and jump it? That'll be the cost of a jump, a repack and quite a few beers! :) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jumperconway 0 #20 February 25, 2004 The Diablo wouldn't give you any Idea about the PDr, it's eliptical. The Tri is square but ZP. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kramer 0 #21 February 25, 2004 Paul Meagher at ZHills (smart guy) told me that you "never want the smallest canopy you have ever been under in your life, to be the last hope you have for survival". Take that for what you will. The FAKE KRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMER!!!!!!!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
frankiebrina 0 #22 February 25, 2004 Quote>Consider a situation where both are out. >I beleive it´s good to have main and reserve arou the same size. Derek did a few test jumps and showed that canopy size wasn't that big a deal. Even a reserve twice as large as a main flew OK together. My bad then. just buy anything then. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GravityGirl 0 #23 February 26, 2004 QuoteWell, it's a PD R. And the condition is mint. And the price is unbeatable. And I'd ask the instructor, only I'll get to see him in a week and a half, so I thought I'd ask here too! - Love this place for all the great people it's got :) Thanks! What is the DOM on the PD143r? Maybe I can find you a trade, so you can have your cake and fly a bigger reserve too. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GravityGirl 0 #24 February 26, 2004 So where are you? Asia? Russia? DZ? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sdgregory 0 #25 February 26, 2004 Earlier this month I was looking at getting a 160 PDR. I just bought a 210 Pilot. The only reason I was thinking about buying it was because it was used for a good price. Needless to say, I was not thinking at all. Quite a few people smacked me upside the head saying why a 160 with a 210? Duh, I realized my mistake and said thanks and did not buy the 160. One of the things that people kept repeating to me is that one of the functions of my reserve (when taken together with my cypress) is to hopefully get me to the ground safely should I be unconscious. Would you really want to land a reserve loaded 1.4 while unconscious? Armed with this new info I am not going to go over a wingloading of 1 on my reserve. Think about this, please, before you heavily load your reserve. To all of you who smacked me upside the head, thanks for looking out for me. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
