Am I doing wrong?

[base698 1]

So I have 800 jumps, 450 on a Stiletto @ 1.8 and now I'm jumping a Velocity @ 2.1. I have 30 on that canopy. Everyone I've talked to with a bunch of jumps (more than 2000) that has seen me land thinks this is perfectly ok. There have been one or two people however that think I'm just going to die. Granted I don't respect their opinion but given the data presented what is everyone in forums opinion. :)

[skygod7777 0]

well, i haven't seen you fly a canopy. but it does sound like you went down pretty quickly to a stilleto, then stayed with that to learn it 450 jumps. and i guess if you knew the canopy well enough, then you downsized.

it sounds like you'll live just don't hook in. always look for trafic 1000 feet below, and ahead of were you going to be, because you'll be there real quickly. make sure you plan early, and don't cut anyone off.

later

[rgoper 0]

Quote

There have been one or two people however that think I'm just going to die.

well, sad but true you will one day, so they're right in that respect.

Quote

Granted I don't respect their opinion but given the data presented what is everyone in forums opinion.

if you don't respect people's opinions that you know, why the poll here? if your looking for absolution, you'll find none here. but this much i know for sure:

Quote

"Every Man Has Got To Know His Limitations"

in the end, you are the master of your own destiny. good luck, take care and be safe.

--Richard--
"We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

[base698 1]

When to start hooking in though? I mean eventually that's what I'm aiming for. I've just started to mess with double fronts and carving during my double front swoop. Nothing too dangerous.

My current progression plan is comfortable with double fronts (and perfected). Then 90s etc.

I did the same progression with the Stiletto.

[base698 1]

Quote

if you don't respect people's opinions that you know, why the poll here? if your looking for absolution, you'll find none here.

I respect all the opinions of people I know with one exception. I'm just trying to get a feel on a larger scale for how people have downsized.

[hookitt 0]

Quote

.

My current progression plan is comfortable with double fronts (and perfected). Then 90s etc.

I did the same progression with the Stiletto.

Honestly... it sounds like you downsized before you were ready. However, you did it already and by the sounds of it you're cautious. Have fun.
-
-

My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto

[skygod7777 0]

Quote

When to start hooking in though?

i'm a bit confused?? do you mean about how high?? well if that is it, then i believe i was doing 360's from about 800 or 900 feet. they were hook/carve kind of hook. i was level with the horizon, but it wasn't a snap. 270's about the same, i just sped up the 360's a bit more than a 270 if you understand what i mean.

later

[base698 1]

No, I meant how many jumps on a canopy (roughly) before they safely start swooping on a smaller canopy. Assuming they knew the previous one.

[hookitt 0]

I'll butt in for a minute.

If you know the canopy you are flying very well, and and surf the sh** out of it consistantly and skillfully, You can start right away with the next canopy. Just build up to it.

To some degree, I tend to hook every canopy I jump from the first time on it. I just do it less agressively if it's unfamiliar to me.

Jump the new one and just start up with the progression you are comfortable with.

My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto

[skygod7777 0]

Quote

No, I meant how many jumps on a canopy (roughly) before they safely start swooping on a smaller canopy. Assuming they knew the previous one.

ok, i think i'm still a bit confused. i think you are kinda saying how many jumps on a canopy before downsizing to a crossed braces?? well it really does depend on the person. if you are jumping a stilleto, and hooking it, maxing it out, consistantly, then your ready for the next step it may take less jumps for some, and more for others. The usual is about 1000 jumps or so. most will have the canopy figured out by then, and be ready to handle a crossed braced.


later

[skygod7777 0]

Quote

To some degree, I tend to hook every canopy I jump from the first time on it. I just do it less agressively if it's unfamiliar to me.

hehe, this reminds me of me on my vx that i just got. i tend to do the same thing, like the first jump a nice easy 180, then the second on a 270 or 360. well on my vx. i did just a little 90 on the first jump, then on the second jump did a big phat 720 . it was fun. then on this vx 74 that i jump a couple of days later, first jump a 270. and on both, i was rear risering them on the second jump.

some tell me i'm kinda dumb, but hey, if i can do it, screw em . it's only me that i'll be fucking up

later

[listo 0]

A good rule of thumb that I go by is to make the first couple of jumps with double fronts like you say you have been doing. Personally, I like to ease my way into things with carves. They are easier to bail out of if you need to. As for how many jumps it takes to get to a certain point.....well that is solely up to you. I would say that once you have mastered a carving 360, then go back and try some high snappy 90's. Stay with the same approach for a while until you have it mastered though.

Just because you pull something off doesn't mean that you have it mastered. Good judgement should always prevail. For instance, if you are used to jumping a 96 velocity and hooking the snot out of it and then go test jump a PD 190 for a friend and come down and hook the snot out of it, then chances are you will misjudge your approach on that PD 190.

I tend to err on the side of conservancy. I have biffed in before and it hurts like a bitch. Then you have to consider what getting hurt will do to your job as well as how many skydives you will miss out on. Oh yeah, getting hurt really plays hell on your sex life too.

Play it safe and don't let your desire to get good out weigh your experience on the canopy you are flying.

Chics dig scars and glory, but you won't get any if you are a gimp.

Listo

Live today as tomorrow may not come

[apoil 0]

Quote

When to start hooking in though? I mean eventually that's what I'm aiming for. I've just started to mess with double fronts and carving during my double front swoop. Nothing too dangerous.

My current progression plan is comfortable with double fronts (and perfected). Then 90s etc.

I did the same progression with the Stiletto.

It almost sounds as if you are trolling.
I mean, if you haven't been doing 270's on your stiletto at 1.8 then you certainly aren't flying it close to its full potential.
So why did you downsize to a crossbraced? Because you think it's the coolest thing? crossbraced is specifically designed for highly experienced pilots with lots of jumps under a loaded elliptical. It doesn't sound to me like that's who you are.

Maybe I'm more conservative, but I didn't start jumping an elliptical (1.8) until close to 800 jumps, and I've got nearly 1000 on that and I'm STILL learning it. Now not everyone progresses at the same rate as me, but are you absolutely sure you are such a natural at canopy piloting that you can afford to put yourself at the high end of the performance spectrum so quickly? Even if you are good enough at this stage that people think you "probably wont die" it doesn't mean you are getting the most out of what you are flying.

[Auryn 0]

damn it!

[base698 1]

I was doing 270s on the Stiletto and coming out of them I could no longer hold down the riser. Hence the etc. Yes I realize I probably did this a little premature now, but I'm careful about it as I'm not going out and cranking 180s and have no intention too until everything is dialed in.

I jumped several canopies in that wingloading range and liked the Velocity the best.

And of course I'm not absolutely sure, but my judgement about not doing things I know I couldn't pull off 100 out of 100 times has been pretty good. I can swoop the canopy with no input, turn and carve during that minor swoop, hit within 5 feet of the target every time, braked turn and avoid traffic. I am completely confident in my ability to fly the canopy safely (not swooping) 100 out of 100 times.

My post is mainly directed at learning what other swoopers have done in their progression to swooping their new lower wingloading canopy.

[apoil 0]

Quote

I was doing 270s on the Stiletto and coming out of them I could no longer hold down the riser. Hence the etc. Yes I realize I probably did this a little premature now, but I'm careful about it as I'm not going out and cranking 180s and have no intention too until everything is dialed in.

I jumped several canopies in that wingloading range and liked the Velocity the best.

Ok, I misunderstood you then. When you talked about just getting into double fronts you weren't talking about what you'd done on the stiletto before, but what you are doing on the velocity now.

In that case you are not progressing insanely at all and as long as you respect what you are flying, and proceed sensibly, you should be fine.

Me, like I said, I've got nearly 1000 jumps on an elliptical at 1.8 and I'm planning to go to a smaller elliptical for another 1000 jumps or so before going crossbraced. But that's more about preferences.

[Treejumps 0]

Yo,

If you can't already do maxed out mac daddy hook turns on you current canopy, why exactly wold you downsize? A V-lo at 2.1 is simply NOT the canopy to learn to do hook turns on. It is a better than average chance that you will dig a hole with yourself by using a v-lo to learn to hook turn. Go back to about 1.5 and when you can land your canopy on a front riser 90 without using your toggles to bail out, and have a great surf each time, and you can do this 9 out of 10 times, then start going past 90 degrees progressively, and slowly work yourelf up to 180. After you can land that canopy on a 180 10 out of 10 times without diggling out on toggles, you may be ready for something past 180. Same progression. When you can wring every once out of that canopy on perfectly executed 270s without using hardly any input for corrections, and setting it down right where you planned to, then a smaller canopy would make sense. Do it the way your doing it now and the odds are way against you. Its all good until it isn't, like when someone cuts you off at 100' and you have to make a big, quick correction. I'm not slamming you, I just don't understand how people can think that they should downsize when by definition (can't hook it but want to), the can't fly their current canopy to even half of its potential. Learn before you burn.

Tree
BASE 610
AD-A 219

[listo 0]

Quote

Quote

Learn before you burn.

I have to agree 100%! Burning sucks big time.....been there, done that.......it hurts like a bitch. Sitting in a hospital bed thinking, "damn, why did I do that, I knew better" is not a smart option to a slower, more methodical progression. Titanium hurts as long as you have it in there. I can tell anyone within two hours of when a thunder storm is coming. Not to mention the BS that I have to put up with when I try to get on a commercial flight somewhere because I set off the metal detectors.

The worse thing is not knowing if you will ever be "right" again after such a screw up. The crazy thing is that my accident wasn't a vertical accident as much as it was horizontal. I pulled the "femur breaker" manuever trying to slide a "low" one in, which caused me to skip up and flipped me through my risers. Flipping at that speed is extremely disorienting, which caused me to "slide" off to the side, which caused me to land on my hip/butt. That is when I broke my back.

Being smart and vigilant will keep you walking straight and tall a lot longer than pride and an ego when it comes to looking cool with a tiny rocket ship.

BASE 698, I am not bustin on ya, just saying to be extremely careful if you are going to go with such a canopy and wing loading. One misjudgement could be extremely detrimental. Good luck brother, be safe, be smart.

Listo

Live today as tomorrow may not come

[skydivegirl 0]

Quote

If you can't already do maxed out mac daddy hook turns on you current canopy, why exactly wold you downsize? A V-lo at 2.1 is simply NOT the canopy to learn to do hook turns on.

I just want to reiterate what he mentioned in an earlier post. He isn't learning on the velocity 96. He has 450 jumps on his last canopy and had already been doing 270's under it.... and from what I've seen they've been consistently nice swoops.

Just trying to clarify...

If he was learning on the velocity 96 that would be stupid and I'd kick his ass.

Pink Mafia Sis #26

[SkySlut 0]

My progression was pretty much exactly what you are doing...I spoke to quite a few people about jumping a Velocity before I made a jump on it and had Scott Miller watch my first few landings. He said that I was fine, especially because I didnt reach for the ground, like most people tend to do. Just be accurate (without sacrificing your body to do so) and be carefull. Things can go bad in a big way and quickly.

[blair700 0]

Your'e gonnal die....definately......

or at least break a finger....

call me ....
I'm ready.

7huuunnngggeeee...