9 cell vs. 7 cell?

[NoShitThereIWas 0]

Hey everyone,

So I have a question for those who know a lot about canopies...

I now fly a Spectre 150 and I weigh about 130 pounds maybe a little less. My exit weight is about 150 so I am 1:1 wingloading this canopy. This was my first canopy that I bought when I had 80 jumps. I now have almost 600 jumps so I put a little over 500 on it.

After flying it at the Blue Water Boogie where the winds were high and feeling a bit like I have outgrown it, I am looking to downsize to a 135. I have tried flying a few different kinds of canopies and love my Spectre because the openings are so nice. I like consistency and soft openings because I also fly camera. I am a conservative canopy flyer, not a hot dog but I also want something with a little pizzazz. Eventually want to learn to swoop and all that but not for another 500 jumps or so.

So my major question here is: if I get a bad spot and want to make it back to the landing area will I have a better chance of getting back with a nine cell as opposed to a 7 cell? The canopies I have liked the most are the Spectre, Stiletto and Sabre 2. But after flying my friends Stiletto I was like this is a fun canopy but I can see myself hurting myself under this thing. My strongest skydiving qualities are in freefall and although I am a consistent good lander, I have had enough off DZ landings, downwinders and close calls to be concerned about safety.

Does anyone know the flight characteristics of 9 cells vs. 7 cells and/or have any canopy recommendations? I don't need anything too technical just a general this is what you can expect to get landing after landing.

Thanks and blue skies!

Roy Bacon: "Elvises, light your fires."

Sting: "Be yourself no matter what they say."

[nicknitro71 0]

Demo a Sabre 2 135. It is not as radical as the Stiletto and it should give you more glide than your Spectre.

Memento Audere Semper

903

[Watcher 0]

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Does anyone know the flight characteristics of 9 cells vs. 7 cells and/or have any canopy recommendations? I don't need anything too technical just a general this is what you can expect to get landing after landing

9 cell typically has flatter glide and gets you back easier.
7 Cell typically has a bit steeper glide going to go down faster
You can put a Stiletto anywhere including a 2m x 2m accuracy box once you understand how to fly it.

I find the normal 9 cell easier to land than normal 7 cell.
Openings all seem to be the same.
Stiletto is alittle more senstive to harness inputs, but is nothing difficult, I know many people with far fewer jumps that have no problem on that canopy.
Its a proven design, that you can pick up a nice used one pretty easily.

A Velocity will out glide them all with rear risers but thats another story.

I would say go with the stiletto, its a nice easy fun loving canopy that can easily be flown docily especially at the 1.2 wingloading a 135 would give you.

--

Jonathan Bartlett
D-24876
AFF-I

[BETO74 0]

I just got a Crossfire 149 and I love the glide is better than my Safire 169. More than radically overload my canopy, I rather try with different shapes of wings. I think is great to get the most of the canopy we fly before we try something else. Safe landings is a must.

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http://web.mac.com/ac057a/iWeb/AC057A/H0M3.html

[nicknitro71 0]

I had a similar experience. I went from a Hornet 150 (really good canopy) to a Viper 135. The latter has a flatter glide despite the higher wing loading.

Demo as many canopies as you can!

Memento Audere Semper

903

[dragon2 0]

My first canopy was a spectre 150 too, got it at 75 jumps, also loaded it at about 1:1. Then I traded it for a spectre 135. Loved it. It was more fun flying, landings seemed about the same.

But then I demo'd a safire 135...
Much more flare, and it has about twice as flat a glidepath (sorta tested that by letting both my spectre and that safire fly with not much input from me, starting at 1000 ft, with zero winds; the safire put me down almost twice as far). It's a safire 1 tho, so it's a bit smaller than the spectre.

They're both great canopies. I think I'd have less difficulty landing a spectre in a really tight place, but then I have only 40 jumps on my first 9 cell in a looooong time.

I'm keeping the spectre (unless somebody happens to make me a really great offer for it) for when I'm ready to start camera flying (CREW).
I think it would also make a better canopy for demo jumping too, but I suppose once I really get to know the safire that'll work too.
The safire is more fun to fly.
The safire makes it easier to get back from a long spot without rear risering etc, but the spectre will usually get you back too, with some work.
The spectre handles turbulence much better. I was wishing I was hanging underneath my spectre a couple of times .
The spectre allows me to easily stay close to CREW guys with a much higher wingload (~1,8:1) than me, and that without collapsing too much
I can follow those guys with the safire but it's more work because I float so much then.

Oh well, I love both canopies...

ciel bleu,
Saskia