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BenW

Wingloading on Spectre 150?

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Hey all,
I *might* be purchasing a Spectre 150. Currently I have a Sabre(1) 170. I've checked out the PD information about wingloadinds and exit weights. I weigh about 218 or so lbs out of the door and am wondering what people think about loading canopies above the manufacturers recommendations?
My Sabre is loaded above PD's recommendations anyway. The Spectre 150 will be loaded at about 1.43 lbs/ft^2. The recommended for an expert is 1.3 and the absolute max is 1.6. Anyone got any views on this subject??
What'dya all think? Spectre loaded at 1.43 (above the recommended for an expert)? Oh yeah, I've got 170+ jumps.
Thanks
B.

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What do you expect to gain from over-loading a canopy?
If you over-load a canopy, it will be more responsive/turn quicker, but the glide performance will suffer. When a canopy is so over-loaded that glide performance suffers, so do your ankles on landing!
It is difficult to determine when you start over-loading a canopy. The numbers published by manufacturers are based on engineering data and hundreds of test jumps. Unfortunately those numbers are clouded by so much legal garbledegoop that some of them are useless. To protect themselves in today's sue-happy society - curse all lawyers - some manufacturers publish conservative numbers knowing full well that customers will exceed those numbers.
The only hard numbers come from balde running competitions. For example, Sabres max out at about 1.5 pounds per square foot. Stilettos max out at 1.7. Icarus Extremely Extremes max out at around 2.2. Only one woman has medalled in the Para-Performance Games with a Spectre. I don't know her wing-loading, but guess that she loaded her Spectre at 1.3 or 1.4 psf.
In conclusion, yes you can over-load any canopy, but what is your goal? If you just want the fastest turning canopy on the DZ, then over-load anything. If you want the best glide, then compare numbers from blade-running competitions.

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RiggerRob,
Thanks for the info! This is the kind of thing I'm looking for! So, she was loading it at about 1.4, well that's what i'll be doing on a 150. I'm not interested in going smaller than that. The 150s I've jumped give a nice mix of performance with a decent glide ratio as well as being a little easier to pack (less material).
The reason I'm looking at this canopy is that a friend is selling it and I'm looking for a new canopy - just sort of sounding things out here before I try it!
Thanks for the advice
Ben

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I *might* be purchasing a Spectre 150. Currently I have a Sabre(1) 170. I've checked out the PD information about wingloadinds and exit weights. I weigh about 218 or so lbs out of the door and am wondering what people think about loading canopies above the manufacturers recommendations?


Well, I think I can comment here.. I have about 70 jumps on a Spectre 150 with an exit weight everywhere from 210-225.. At those wing loadings, the canopy flew great, was very responsive, built up speed very well in front riser turns, and surfed quite an impressive distance for a Spectre.. On the downside, the glide angle sucked(better make sure you have a good spot), I spun it up on a not so hard toggle turn after a 360 front riser, it dives like hell and loses a lot of altitude in front risers, and it surfs way further than expected......Ok, so the last one isn't a problem when you get used to it..
At those loadings, I was always sailing past most canopies like they were sitting still - but I was also dropping like a rock.. On the bright side, I could sink that thing into a back yard if I needed to(and did twice) without a problem..
A friend of mine jumps his girlfriend's Spectre 107 every now and then, and he's 205 out the door.. He says it flies fine, but it sure won't get him very far.. His surfs are ok, but I think it's overloaded for optimum surfs..
Mike

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No, you misunderstand. Remi IS 375lbs out the door....

Ben, since this is a moderated forum, I wont stoop to the depths you demonstarted here... :P
Be carefull. A 1.4 to 1.5 wingload is starting to be quite aggressive.... not telling you to go one way or the other, but just be carefull....

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Chopped my main at Chicago so I was jumping demo gear.
I am 220 out the door, I jumped a Spectre 150.
I have 450 jumps (270 in past 10 months) I jumped everything down to 109 FX straight in conservativley, though I get a little radical on a 150 or 135.
My thoughts....I thought I was overloading that canopy a little bit. a vengeance 135 will land softer...
I felt...maybe because of the way I fly that I had to build up a little speed to land and did so softly although I was running full speed. I think I would rather a 9 cell at that wing loading. I think If I landed one straight in I would be ok, but I am not sure I would enjoy doing that all day (sore ankles, know whut ah mean).
Why don't you demo one and demo a similar sized 9 cell. For me I like a 175, 9 cell (1.28-1.3)
In fact after flying that canopy I declined to jump demo gear with reserves smaller than 143....period.

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