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captain1976

1965 Crossbow Canopy Help

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Found this old canopy which is in such good condition, I'm gonna set it up for the younger guys to jump as I did with a PC.

Can anyone come up with a packing manual/instructions? I really don't know where to start. I also need a bag or sleeve for it but can probably have Billy Weber make one.
You live more in the few minutes of skydiving than many people live in their lifetime

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Hi captain,

The Crossbow is a flat canopy. That means that it does not have any 'louvered' panels in it as the ParaCommander did.

Therefore, every gore will lay flat without any over-folding of the individual panels, as you have to do with a ParaCommander.

The only panels that might give you concern ( since you are not experienced with XBO's ) are the Derry slots.

These were used for turning on the XBO. And they were that way because that was as close as Dan Abbott could come to the ParaCommander's LeMoigne ( read louvered ) panels without infringing on the license that Pioneer had with M. LeMoigne.

Does that help?

Oh, and the XBO used a short-sleeve only. This means stowing the crown lines.

If you need more of my thoughts, shoot me an email or give me a call & we can talk.

JerryBaumchen

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Howdy Mike.

Yup, just like a PC.

Side pack it.

Clear the crown area.

Flake the stabilizer panels.

Fold into a bag.

Or pull down the sleeve.
“The only fool bigger than the person who knows it all is the person who argues with him.

Stanislaw Jerzy Lec quotes (Polish writer, poet and satirist 1906-1966)

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andrewhilton

I have a copy of the manual if you want it for completeness, but packing it is as described in this thread. PM me if you'd like a copy of the .pdf file

A jumpable Crossbow main is a pretty rare canopy nowadays - take of that thing!



Thanks and thanks to all that responded. I'm going to take it out this weekend and open it up. I will know more about what I got and try to configure it to jump. Will post some pix of it here
You live more in the few minutes of skydiving than many people live in their lifetime

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Was it a blue and gold Crossbow? I think serial # was 417 or something like that? I sold it on ebay about 8 years ago for $150. I had kept it since 1965 and got tired of moving it. I put 100 jumps on it and then went to a PC. Wouldn't jump it now.
D-1594- USPA Instructor Examiner-PCA LIFE MEMBER #377-National Judge -Gold wings# 1223- Okla Pope #5-Master Rigger

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Back in the Spring of 1973 or was it 72.......I had about twenty jumps. I needed some gear bad. A friend of mine, named Randy, heard of a guy who was selling his gear, in Missoula. Randy had even less jumps than I did. Randy needed my advice on things.

Since Randy heard of the deal first he had first dibbs on the gear. Well we found the guys house, and this salty looking dude pulls out this really great looking canopy. I figured it was one of those new fangled para-commanders. It seemed like a great deal for around a hundred bucks. I told Randy that if he didn't buy it, I would. So, Randy layed out his cash, and we went home happy.

Well, the next day we went out to the airport to show all our buds Randy's canopy. We promptly found out that it was a crossbow and definitely not a P.C. I think someone added that we had just been screwed. We didn't feel so good, after that. I think that was the last time Randy asked me for advice.....

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