Strange Crossfire openings

[RichM 0]

I recently started jumping a 119 Crossfire at 1.5:1 and I'm getting some very squirrely openings. I wonder if anyone here can suggest some ideas.
The first stage if all fine and dandy, but the inflation is weird. The outer 3 cells on each side inflate first, and then the middle inflates, but by now it's hunting left and right and nearly always dives off.
A couple of days ago I forgot to stow the brakes for the first time ever, and god it spanked me. My neck will take a week or so to recover properly. But, it did open absolutely on heading, with full inflation acroos the canopy (albeit instantaneously).
I'm inclined to play with fast release of the brakes to see if it will cause the canopy to inflate more predictably. But I wondered if any here has experienced and cured the same symptoms, and if so how?
TYIA
Rich M

[weid14 0]

new or used? year made? how many jumps on it?configuration of A/B lines?

[rmsmith 1]

Quote

I recently started jumping a 119 Crossfire at 1.5:1 and I'm getting some very squirrely openings. I wonder if anyone here can suggest some ideas.
The first stage if all fine and dandy, but the inflation is weird. The outer 3 cells on each side inflate first, and then the middle inflates, but by now it's hunting left and right and nearly always dives off.

Is this your first canopy at 1.5 to 1 wing loading?
Are you sure of your body position and legs?
You might take a look at the Pier 2001 Swoop video, which has several excellent clips of what a highly loaded elliptical looks like while inflating; they're not for the timid pilot!

[RichM 0]

Used - ex Icarus demo canopy that was on the recall list and has had the trim done by Icarus. I estimate it's done 150 jumps
My previous 200 jumps were made on a Sabre 120, with very predictable openings. I'm pretty confident that it's not me. I had to change my pack job to get this slippery beast in the bag - I use a half psycho pack variation now - normal propack (nose left alone, pushed to middle of bundle, front of slider pulled forward, 6 wraps in the tail) then instead of S folding I roll the top 3/4 of the pack with just the stabiliser end back folded into bag (so that the whole thing looks like a 2 in section but with more curl at the top of the 2). Although I'm not sure this would cause a weird inflation. The spanky opening has got me thinking about brake line lengths, something I read about in a post here recently (can't find it now) and I wonder if lengthening my brakes may help the openings.
I've watched Swoop and thoroughly enjoyed it :) The openings I'm getting are not an issue as the Crossfire has shown no tendency at all to turn a dive into a spinning mal. I believe it has improved my canopy control and awareness through those first few seconds of canopy iride - I'm right there in control on the rear risers before it's even flying now, and am gaining (potentially) valuable experience in dealing the nasty off-heading openings on a canopy that plays nice here.
If this is just a characteristic of Crossfires then no problemo. I'll just be very careful on big ways to avoid cuddling people at 2000 :)
Rich M

[weid14 0]

don't push the nose in and don't pull the slider out in front, you're causing air to get to the outer cells first by doing that... give that a whirl and see if that helps.

[skycat 0]

I have a 104 at 1.2-1.3:1 WL. It sounds like a pretty normal opening to me, on heading first stage, searching second stage which I harness steer threw, to usually a slight off heading opening which I use rear risers to correct. That is for a normal belly to earth openings.
What I do to get perfectly on heading openings for big ways when dumping low...I dump in a full out track. The best openings I've had have been from opening in a track. The canopy opens soft enough that the speed isn't an issues, and for some reason it's always on heading, but I do sit there ready on the rear risers just in case.
fyi...my canopy was not on the recall list and was built after all of that stuff happened so the line trim hasn't been modified.

[RichM 0]

I'll try each suggestion, one at a time, and let you know what happens. Thanks for the input.
Rich M

[airdrew20012001 0]

My understanding from talking to one of the Icarus dealers is that searching, twichty openings are part of the loaded eliptical canopy experience. A friend of mine just got the same canopy (demo, returned, retrimed) and has the same sort of report on the opening. My stilletto does the same thing, so does the Alpha I jumped, so does a friends velocity. Ask around.
Drewfus McDoofus

[amir1967 0]

So does my Vengeance ,it love to go right then left then right and finally after a nice pull on the rear riser the slider start to come down and it's ready to fly.
amir
AM67

[RichM 0]

Heh, that's the strange thing. Our local freefly coach also jumps a 119 Crossfire but loaded at 1.8, and he says he (nearly) always gets stable consistent on heading openings. Hence my search for an answer :) maybe he's just a jammy git, or a fibber ;P
Rich M

[weid14 0]

mine (at about 1.5) opens consistenly on heading. I jumped a smaller (new) one and it opened differently -- twitchier and flared much much different (I liked mine much better). I also jumped a stilleto the same day -- the newer one opened more like the stilleto.
Same weekend we also took pictures of opening sequences. Crossfires clearly showed even inflation... the velocity inflated outside in. the stilleto opened about even too, if I remember correctlly (lent the pics out)

[polarbear 1]

I jumped a Crossfire 149 @ 1.55 and got the softest openings ever...but also the most off-heading. Out of ten jumps, every one was AT LEAST 180 off. Twice I had it open into end cell closure and it started spinning so fast it was turning me on my back. It was the same story every time...it would come out of the bag straight, start to inflate straight, the slider would start down, and then it was turning-diving.
I have had no such problems over 150 jumps on 170 ellipticals (Heatwave and Vengeance), nor did I have any trouble with a Stiletto 150. 3 other people at my DZ jumped that Crossfire 149 and they all had similar experiences, which leads me to believe it was the canopy.
Lots of people seem to like Crossfires, but in my opinion there is something not quite right with them.

[alan 1]

Quote

I'm right there in control on the rear risers before it's even flying now, and am gaining (potentially) valuable experience in dealing the nasty off-heading openings on a canopy that plays nice here.

Another hint, go easy on the risers during the inflation stage, it is easy to "over steer" without realizing it. Risers, with brakes still set will give a lot of input and cause over steer on a fully inflated canopy as well. Try using more weight shift in the harness during inflation and just be ready on the risers for emergencies.
alan

[JJohnson 0]

I too had some interesting openings on a Crossfire 119, loaded at about 1.55.
I do not care for the sniveling opening, but that could be rectlified by a smaller slider. Which may also solve your problem. Demo canopies are sent with large sliders on them, slowing the opening down. If you speed it up the canopy may inflate faster and not get the chance to dive or turn so much. (which mine did as well. Normal of 90 degrees or more off-heading)
Another thing to check might be the brake line length. Too short and the canopy will open slow, almost in a stall. As it fights to open, it is bound to search and open off heading. Check how much bow is in your steering lines at full flight. Your flare point on a Safire for Crossfire should be pretty deep.
MHO.
JJ

[Hooknswoop 19]

The amount of bow or slack in the steering lines is controlled or set by the length of the brake-to-toggle line. The lower you set the toggles, the more slack in the steering lines in full flight and vice-versus, but not on opening. Setting the toggles low or high will not change the amount of steering line between the canopy and the riser, because the brakes are set and the brake setting is not affected by toggle position.
To change the amount of steering line between the riser and the tail of the canopy you have to change the length of the line between the brake loop and the tail. I wouldn't recommend changing that setting unless you really know what you are doing.
Hook

[SkymonkeyONE 3]

Quote

Another hint, go easy on the risers during the inflation stage, it is easy to "over steer" without realizing it.

Agreed. I generally sit very still till I have "most" of my parachute over my head and it decides what it's going to do. From there I harness steer if I need to, which is rarely.
Chuck
My webpage HERE

[Opie 0]

You've changed from a sabre that you can let go of the pilot chute and general count on a on heading opening to one that requires more input during inflation. I jump crossfires at 2.0 and love the openings. What you describe seems normal to me but you have to be willing to give it some rear risor input during that second half of inflation with the rear risors. Don't over do it as noted earlier the rear risors are very sensitve but with some practice you should be able to hold the heading to within 10 degrees or so every time.
Opie
If your not on the edge, you can't enjoy the view!