JayhawkJumper 0 #1 June 27, 2003 I was wondering if anyone has done this down a mountain. I've seen some video and a few stills, but I hardly ever see much of it or hear about it. I always see people using high performance canopies for it and they are usually loading them up quite a bit, but can you use any canopy? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yoshi 0 #2 June 27, 2003 to my understading those are usually invite only deals because of the amount of danger involved. you could technically use any canopy depending on the degree of the slope. If anyone out there does know a place that allowes jumpers to do a little mountain swooping that would be pretty damn cool... although the amount of inexperienced people that would hurt, break, or kill themselves attempting it would probably make it difficult to find a place.... -yoshi_________________________________________ this space for rent. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steel 0 #3 June 27, 2003 I know that it has been invitation only but I disagree that there is this huge danger in it. That seems more like certain people wanting to shine as the only great ones who have done it. It really does not look any more dangerous than paraskiing, which is pretty much open to anybody with a D-license. To do it they have to fly low at all times to get through the gates. If someone has the accuracy to land on the ski trail as they need for paraskiing the rest of the time they are less than 15 feet over the terrain. The terrain is soft snow!, sloping down!. Being an experienced skier I can tell you the only reason people can jump off 50 foot cliffs and not break legs is because they land on a slope downward which breaks their fall drastically. Putting it all together this talk about extreme danger is really just a bunch of bologny.If I could make a wish, I think I'd pass. Can't think of anything I need No cigarettes, no sleep, no light, no sound. Nothing to eat, no books to read. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yoshi 0 #4 June 27, 2003 while I agree it is not the msot dangerous thing in the world I do believe it is more so than the averange landing. the problem lies where the swoop will last much longer and is close to the ground, so if mistakes are made there is a greater chance you will hit the ground. yeah it is soft snow in some places and it is on a slope, but if someone cuts a corner too fast it would be jsut like hooking into flat ground... never the less I would love to try it! -yoshi_________________________________________ this space for rent. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
diablopilot 2 #5 June 27, 2003 QuotePutting it all together this talk about extreme danger is really just a bunch of bologny. Uh-huh. Ask Dan Fairchild about that.---------------------------------------------- You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freeflyguy 0 #6 June 27, 2003 It is a bit more dangerous. Two years ago, i think on the blade raid a couple canopies went away. The video is scary. One canopy was totally fine, then gone, dumped him right in the snow. Scary looking, but walked away, sore. Problem is, the wind gets whipped around with all the trees and such. That can be bad. That aside, Crystal Mt. in WA lets these guys do it sometimes. For some reason, they don't have a big problem with it. And yeah, any canopy would prob work. ---------------------------- bzzzz Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JayhawkJumper 0 #7 June 27, 2003 OK, so I've kind of gotten the impression that it can be a dangerous thing to do, which is why its not really common, but if you could use any canopy, how about a sabre2 190, 210, or 230 for example. If the glide was right, you could go down the slope and if you crash it won't be very bad. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fundgh 0 #8 June 27, 2003 It would be a blast to be able to fly your canopy around fixed objects....like paragliding. As far as blade running is concerned...if you are trying to get the max performance out of your wing, then it can get dangerous, but if your just flying low to the ground in the mountains...well, it's all dangerous! Then again you did just jump out of an airplane...FUN FOR ALL! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hookitt 0 #9 June 27, 2003 The use of fast canopies and surfing down a slope for a LONG ride, is the draw. You jump fast canopies because it's fun and exciting. That is inherently much more dangerous than jumping a Parafoil or something similar over just about ANY terrain. The approach is generally some sort of hook turn between gates. Blade Running is most certainly a dangerous activity. Snow is not soft when it's packed or icy. People jump off cliffs into powder, not onto packed snow or ice. Being originally from Montana, I'm well versed in snow and what kind of an impact a person can take on powder and packed, and sloped and not so sloped impact zones. Also, people work their way up to this sort of thing. Skydivers tend to jump onto level surfaces into the familiarity of their own Dropzone. Now put that skilled person out of a helicopter and have him hook it between gates and fly down a mountain.... during a contest, where he'll push the limits. Keep in mind the squirrely winds that will mostly likely occur as well. There's a reason it's invite only. Unfortunately some very qualified people are eliminated because of it. The proper run set up is needed as well. Smooth enough terrain so you can hit the ground any where on the run and slide out. That was learned by trial and error, after a fellow skydiver and extremely talented Canopy pilot was paralyzed. I'd be all over entering a blade running event if the oppurtunity arose. The danger is part of the whole thrill. -My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steel 0 #10 June 27, 2003 where the swoop will last much longer and is close to the ground ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Actually this is not the case. They may so much as start with a swoop but its really more like flying crew with the mountain side. Somebody can correct me if I am wrong. But as I understand it these courses are much longer than is possible for somebody to swoop. So what they are actually doing is just flying their canopy right over the mountain with enough brake input to maintain there angle of descent at the angle of the slope. Once they have cleared the first gates there is no way for them to get themselves into a steep enough dive toward the mountain to cause serious injury. The worst thing that could possibly happen there is if they were to hit the slope and slide down the rest of the way. This would actually be extremely humourous as I have seen it happen to people with skiis on. (many times). Once you fall on a double black diamond trail that doesn't have moguls to stop, you you won't stop sliding until the end of the trail and that is why its funny. But I have never seen anybody get hurt because of this. (Maybe they hurt their pride)If I could make a wish, I think I'd pass. Can't think of anything I need No cigarettes, no sleep, no light, no sound. Nothing to eat, no books to read. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JayhawkJumper 0 #11 June 27, 2003 I would agree that if you tried to fly a highly loaded canopy fast down a mountain and make tight turns around gates that it would indeed be dangerous. What I was talking about was taking a big 230 canopy and flying conservatively down the mountain. Is it possible, would it be incredibly dangerous? Also, can't you ground launch a canopy on a mountain? I've heard of that being done before. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steel 0 #12 June 27, 2003 It would be extremely possible, probably much easier than a canopy loaded heavier. A canopy of the same make and model loaded lighter will always have a shalower glide. Its not as if you just need to hit a little target area like in a swoop you need to maintain extended accuracy during flight. Its seems to me to resemble CRW more than anything. The ideal wingloading in CRW is like 1.2 (well I know it really just depends on what everybody else is flying but I recall that with the people I did it most everybody else there was at 1.2 or 1.3).If I could make a wish, I think I'd pass. Can't think of anything I need No cigarettes, no sleep, no light, no sound. Nothing to eat, no books to read. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fundgh 0 #13 June 27, 2003 What does it take to ground launch a canopy?...FUN FOR ALL! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hookitt 0 #14 June 27, 2003 Balls mostly.....My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yoshi 0 #15 June 27, 2003 I certainly didnt mean the swoop lasted the whole mountain (as far as what we call a swoop) but the portion of flight over the ground... when blade running there are gates that sometimes take sharp turns to rach the next gate... if you are going streight down a mountain and rip a turn I garantee that it will not result ease free... if you are say 5 feet off the ground and rip a toggle turn you are actually going to traves about 15 feet down (because of your forawrd speed and the slope of the hill) and when you hit (since the slope is there) it will be more perpendicular to your flight rather than parallel (again because of the slope). trust me I am all for it, but I think people should have an excellent grasp on canopy flight before attempting it even with a lightly loaded canopy. -yoshi_________________________________________ this space for rent. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JayhawkJumper 0 #16 June 28, 2003 what do you mean that it takes balls to ground launch a canopy? How do you do it? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhreeZone 15 #17 June 28, 2003 Stand at the top of the moutian, inflate the canopy then run down the side of the mountian right at the trees and pointy rocks and that stuff and hope the canopy takes off before you get to them or before you trip and fall Yesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steel 0 #18 June 28, 2003 Balls mostly..... --------------------------------------------------------- unless your canopy is relatively huge for your skill level, (like somebody flying a 150 that could be flying a 107), or unless its over snow the requirement is stupidity.If I could make a wish, I think I'd pass. Can't think of anything I need No cigarettes, no sleep, no light, no sound. Nothing to eat, no books to read. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hookitt 0 #19 June 28, 2003 QuoteBalls mostly..... --------------------------------------------------------- .... the requirement is stupidity. Very much the same thing in many cases A good friend of mine does this fairly regularily. Actually, I'll rephrase that, he DID that fairly regularaly. He hurt his wrist cuz he flew around a bit too long before flying to his landing zone. So far he's used a Raven 1 -m and a Stiletto 150. So on that I defer back to the first sentence... Very much the same thing in many cases ---------My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riro 0 #20 July 1, 2003 http://www.frittfall.nu/bladerun/ Check out Sweden Problade cup for some canopy-rides from sweden. The site is in swedish... but check out "Bilder" and "Filmer" for pictures and movies. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RichM 0 #21 July 1, 2003 That doesn't look like smooth controlled input. Scary stuff (thopugh it looks a bundle of fun )Rich M Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BMFin 0 #22 July 1, 2003 Theres a nice bladerun video here Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ManBird 0 #23 July 1, 2003 Clicky"¯"`-._.-¯) ManBird (¯-._.-´"¯" Click Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RichM 0 #24 July 1, 2003 QuoteTheres a nice bladerun video here Oh that looks fun, dammit I *WANT* a go Rich M Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BMFin 0 #25 July 1, 2003 Yeah.. Looks like FUN ! There was also one bladerun competition in Finland this year. some pics here The longest run was almost 400 meters long. (wich isa about 1200ft.) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
