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JeffD

Terminal Openings...Rough

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Alright well I'm 250lbs and my terminal is ~ 135-140mph. My openings on the student pd280's, pd300's are a little rough.
They go something like Pitch, one thousand , two thousand, Three Grraaahaha , 3-4 more seconds and its open. Is this really short? My body doesn't like me very much the next day (feels like I played football without pads). Is there anything I can do, and since I dont pack them I can't pack differently. Thanks.

P.S. Thanks Paul M. for wearing 26lbs to keep up with me. :o

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I'm also 250 lbs at 5'9" and yes I've had a few uncomfortable openings. Are you 250 with or without gear? With gear you shouldn't be having these rough openings, but I'm assuming that it's without gear. Let the DZ know that your openings aren't feeling too great. Some of the things you can do to help yourself are sinching down the leg straps and tighten the chest strap so that you have only the slack that you need, so that the shoulder straps sit square over your shoulders and don't move too much.

Now, the BEST way to help yourself, is to drop 10-20 lbs. Seriously, 10 lbs makes SOOOOO much difference. My openings now are so comfortable it's really incredible how much the openings changed. Also, get as big as you can before pitching without messing with your stability so that you can slow yourself down as much as possible.

Again, make sure that your instructors are aware of your problems. If you could use some good pointers on how to drop some lbs, send me a PM and I'll see if I can't help you out. Right now I'm down to 240 from 275 in August. I'd be more than happy to help ya out. B|

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I'm 250 w/o my rig and my openings are not that bad. I roll the nose on my raven and the openings seem to be ok, not slammer fast but not real slow either. Talk to the packer and see if they can slow down the openings for you.



Big Ed

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Hey guys... I couldn't help but jump in here. I've been jumping off & on for 23 years. I'm 6'6" tall and am 235 butt naked - exit weight around 260# My fall range is 107-121 MPH depending on the situation.

There are some things you can do to help here.

1. For those hard openings. You can roll the nose two-four times and stuff them in the center cells. IF you're still jumping student gear, they probably won't let you do that... so once off student status, get your own gear as soon as possible. IN addition, a larger slider will constrain the opening and slow it down (note: don't combine rolling the nose and a larger slider at the same time). Work with your canopy manufacturer and rigger to come up with some solutions and a test jump plan when you amke any changes.

2. FliteSuit makes an RW suit for Anvils. You can have it made with up to a 10" wing. The wing has a ZP liner in it, which captures the air and slows you down. Flying in the mantis position, I'm able to extend my elbows tightening the ZP material in my wing and slow down to 107 mph easily.

3. Now, if you're a fireplug body shape (6' or under) and weigh over 230, you're going to have to lose some weight. I don't care if you're built like schwarzegger, that mucle is heavier than fat and increase your density, which makes you fall faster - but you know this. IF you want to be taken seriously or get on some serious RW, bring it down.

Here's how it works... you want to get to a weight that is as closest to the factor of; .03

Take your height in inches and divide by your exit weight. For example, I'm 78 inches and exiting at 265. 78/260 = .03

If that number is greater than .03, (i.e. .04) then slicking down and/or weights will be required.

If that number is lower than .03 (i.e., .026), then you've got to lighten and/or baggy up.

It may require a combination of losing weight and getting a suit to help.

That's your goal. If you intend on doing solo's or being below the formation your whole skydiving career, then do nothing. If you're below the formation a lot, you're going to quit getting invited.

It may be about slowing your opening down now, but later, its going to be about much more.

Hope that helps...

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Here's how it works... you want to get to a weight that is as closest to the factor of; .03

Take your height in inches and divide by your exit weight. For example, I'm 78 inches and exiting at 265. 78/260 = .03

If that number is greater than .03, (i.e. .04) then slicking down and/or weights will be required.

If that number is lower than .03 (i.e., .026), then you've got to lighten and/or baggy up.



are you sure about this? According to that rule, I need to gain around 40 lbs to stay with the formations. I can stay with all the people at my DZ just fine, without weights or a special jumpsuit.

So someone who is 5'8" needs to weigh 207 lbs naked? Thats seems kinda heavy to me.

MB 3528, RB 1182

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Its just a guideline. It helps when working with students of varying sizes and how to dress for success.

In most cases, those that are lighter and experienced can adapt easier getting down to a formation by arching a little harder. Getting back up is a biotch.

And yes, you should probably eat some more pizza and drink more beer. ;)

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I'm 5'10" and 240. I got a baggier suit and my openings got softer but still fell like a rock. At around 90 jumps, I got a suit with big wings and spun up when I pulled -- do practice pulls!!! I could also keep up with sit fliers. Then, I hit the tunnel and figured out how to fly really slow (112 mph and could still go up). I wasn't using my arms and hands enough.

--------------------------------------------------
the depth of his depravity sickens me.
-- Jerry Falwell, People v. Larry Flynt

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I weigh 215, with a 240'ish exit weight. I find that Spectre canopies have lovely openings, I just make sure to throw it out a little higher as they take a while to open. I don't do anything special with the packjob, like folding the nose or doing anything fancy with the slider. It doesn't need it. It's a NICE opening canopy, lands nice too, even in no winds, where I only have to run a quick step or two at most.

Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

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Is there anything I can do, and since I dont pack them I can't pack differently. Thanks.


Learn to pack.
The mind is like a parachute - it only works once it's open.
From the edge you just see more.
... Not every Swooper hooks & not every Hooker swoops ...

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It's a NICE opening canopy, lands nice too, even in no winds, where I only have to run a quick step or two at most.



The Spectre is an awesome canopy.....but the landings depend highly upon wing loading(more so, IMO, than 9 cell canopies). At 1.5 to 1.8, I have to take much more than "a step or two" in calm winds. I can, however, bring the Sabre2 at the same wing loadings to a dead stop in no wind by stabbing at the end, and popping the canopy up a foot or so. I have not been able to do that with the Spectre. I switched from a Spectre at 1.5 to a Sabre2 at 1.5 with only 2 jumps on the Sabre2.

Mike

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