Newest, smallest, lightest...

[howardwhite 6]

Seems odd in retrospect that canopy size (square feet) isn't part of the description.

HW

[topdocker 0]

Cuz it only came in one size!!??

I like that it came with a d-bag...
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Jump more, post less!

[fastphil 0]

I've got over 500 jumps and lot of fond memories of the StratoFlyer. Used it for BASE jumps too. Super dependable, and I freepacked most of those jumps. I do know a lot of people broke legs, etc landing them; I liked to hook in with the front risers for maximum speed...

[jonstark 8]

That was the ad that I bought mine to. I had the Relative Workshop build me a new rig for a Strato-Flyer and Strong Lopo. Put 500+ jumps on it including my first 10 BASE jumps. There was no talk of square footage. You got a 5 cell or a 7 cell depending on how heavy or bold you were. What was innovative with the Strato Flyer was the use of lighter materials and more strategic reinforcing so it could be a reserve.

jon

[wmw999 2,374]

You, sir, had godlike powers on the Flyer. I kept my Starlite rather than buy one . That, and I was cheap

Wendy P.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[JerryBaumchen 1,333]

Hi howard,

Worst canopy I ever owned; and I owned a 28 ft C-9.

It was nothing more than an experiment for the Safety Flyer.

'Let those fools be our test jumpers.'

Completely unethical IMO.

JerryBaumchen

[skybill 22]

Hi Howard,
'Many testamonies!! 'Ya may remember the photo of Dean Westguard landing one. The Photo showed him right before "impact!!" .....a cloud of Elsinore dust and a High, Hi-Ho-Silver!!! Funny how the Flyer is the only square chute that I know of that got the nick-name,"The Nylon Hammer!!" Red Beard "gave" me one and I couldn't give it away, Matt McKillowatt was by one night and after a few beers I gave it to him for some base jumps!! Finally!! I got rid of it!!

SCR-2034, SCS-680

III%,
Deli-out

[NickDG 23]

After the Strato Flyer gained the reputation for thumping people in it quit selling so well. So ParaFlite, rather than lose out all together, turned it into a reserve called the Safety Flyer, LOL!

Funny, but it's predecessor, the Statro Star, was probably a better all around canopy.

NickD

[skybill 22]

Hi Nick,
The Stratostar!! Still got my "Black rainbow" star in the archives !! I think the strat was the first canopy to disc out at the nationals?? Never tried a fryer, I mean flyer. 'Did put a couple of jumps on Bobby Gray's "Paramount" (basically a flyer copy) but only in 10 to 15+ mph winds!! Compared to todays' flying postage stamps the fryer is "Huge!!" at 160 sq ft!!

I remember Geno Johnson (this was back a few cases of beer ago) the only canopy he could scrounge was an old fryer that would drill him into the Scare-us hardpan! He would front riser it with great vigor then at the last second he'd flare like there was no tomorrow and pound the ground so hard I thought he'd set off the San Andreas!! (It's only a few miles away you know!!) Wonder of wonders, he came into some cash and got one of Furry's canopys before his knees and ankles gave out. Geno? What ever happened to Geno?? But that's another story??

SCR-2034, SCS-680

III%,
Deli-out

[Jim_Hooper 4]

Quote

It was nothing more than an experiment for the Safety Flyer.

Jerry's absolutely correct on that point. Can't remember which Turkey Meet/Easter Boogie it was when Dick Morgan came into my office and demanded to know why I was jumping a Paradactyl and not a square. "Pack volume," I told him. "If you had something that fit in your rig, would you jump it?" Coupla weeks later, one of the first 40 blue and white Flyers arrived, gratis. Being a cheap bastard, I was quite happy to test jump a freebie. Unliike Jerry's experience, however, I really liked mine, and put over 800 trash-packed openings on it, with one malfuntion. (Out of the previous 1200 round and triangular openings I'd cut away 24 or 25 times.)
Hoop

[gjhdiver 0]

Back in the UK at our old drop zone, it was called the "Stratosplat", for the delicacy of it's less-than-tiptoe arrivals. It landed like a round with the corners cut off.

Mind you, we free packed them in a roll in the container, so most of the time we hadn't quite recovered from the openings before we landed, so we didn't notice as much.

[SStewart 13]

I had a Strato Flyer that was converted to a seven cell. It was called the "added attraction" They sewed two end cells onto it but the end cells were slightly larger than the middle five so they looked kinda like pontoons. Always had end cell closure on opening and it took some effort to pump them open. Landings were OK but I was much lighter back then.

I had just one cutaway on it compared to 3 on Strato Stars (two in one day on back to back loads)

The last jump I made on my Strato Flyer was when I had a premature deployment in a 182 and it was destroyed when it went over the horizontal stabilizer. It was the first canopy I actually owned. I have a picture of it somewhere, maybe I will scan it and post it if I can find it.

Onward and Upward!

[fastphil 0]

Quote

You, sir, had godlike powers on the Flyer. I kept my Starlite rather than buy one . That, and I was cheap

Wendy P.

Thanks Wendy, you’re way too good to me.

Wow, real polarization; you either love this one or hate it. I made countless barefoot jumps on mine. Actually I had two; I wore one out and then pulled my wife’s out of the closet. I made demos with it also, but of course, I was the guy to land first so the others could see what ground conditions were like. I guess me and the Flyer were on the same wave length…

[RogerRamjet 0]

I have a half dozen jumps on a flyer, all stand-ups (135lbs at the time). It landed harder than my Strato-Star, but was ok at my weight (IMO).

-----------------------
Roger "Ramjet" Clark
FB# 271, SCR 3245, SCS 1519

[dudeman17 323]

Quote

... Matt McKillowatt was by one night and after a few beers I gave it to him for some base jumps!! Finally!! I got rid of it!!

Ya, except I never got the nerve to actually base jump the damn thing. I couldn't give it away either, so I eventually gave it to this whuffo girl I knew. We cut the lines off of it and made an awning for the side of her motorhome. Best thing that could've ever happened to it!

BTW, Bill, how the hell are ya?!

[jonstark 8]

Attached is an unconventional landing technique I used quite often. I used to cut away after climbing onto the slider sometimes if the air was smooth. Sitting up there in the strings on a bumpy day was thrilling. Got a few dead centers this way too.

jon

[manchuso 3]

wow!

Do you have any more pictures?

Blue skies, Rafael

[jonstark 8]

Quote

wow!

Do you have any more pictures?

Blue skies, Rafael

No more pix but I had a Kestral after this (similar sized 5 cell from Pioneer) that I could get on the slider after closing the end cells and come diving and flapping towards landing only to pop them open during the flare. That canopy would close two cells on either side if you stalled it then pulled on the front risers after letting go of the toggles. I'd come screaming out of the sky on one cell barely able to steer but it would open right up during the flare too. I wish I had pix of that!

jon

[brokenwing 1]

for its time the flyer was great; well as long as one was not excessive in their demands to the suspended mass.

only drawbacks i found were the comments about jumping the world's first ram air pilot chute -- kind of amusing with what is available now.

Other was the openings could be a tad squirrely for a sec or 2.

i completely enjoyed it -- going from 145lb to 185lb while at school in florida was unique -- never 'thumped' but did have some brilliant green knees on my white jump suit.

[377 22]

Whats the diff between a Safety Star and a Safety Flyer reserve?

377

2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

[JerryBaumchen 1,333]

Hi 377,

Mostly size with some differences in the brake stowage systems.

JerryBaumchen

[vanair 0]

I think the saftey flyer was smaller but Im not sure. The safety star was 186 sq ft 5 cell I was 230 and could do a stand up. As I did off the world trade center 9/13/1980.

[skybill 22]

Quote

I think the saftey flyer was smaller but Im not sure. The safety star was 186 sq ft 5 cell I was 230 and could do a stand up. As I did off the world trade center 9/13/1980.

Hi Van,
186'sq???? The Stratostar was 180'sq* and the Fryer was suppose to be smaller than that at 160'sq. the clincher was the negative aspect ratio,...more cord than span!! 'Also had a steep angle of incidence and forward C.G.

* To be sure, I have a '76 model Black Rainbow Strat in the archives and can measure it if need be.
..Anybody got a set of the drawings??...As Gordo Foster usedta' say,..."Cartoons!!"

SCR-2034, SCS-680

III%,
Deli-out

[andrewhilton 1]

Info from ParaFlite here -

http://www.flickr.com/photos/43867826@N07/4096369568

I have both a Strato Flyer - configured as a Safety Flyer wrt brakes and lack of pilot chute attachment point ; and a Safety Star reserve - was that a reserve version of the Strato Star?

One day I might get round to jumping both. they are in excellent condition.

[JerryBaumchen 1,333]

Hi andrew,

Quote

Safety Star reserve - was that a reserve version of the Strato Star?

Yup; Para-Flite's 2nd reserve canopy on the market.

JerryBaumchen