Katana vs Vengeance?

[NeedToJump 0]

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What I hear more and more is that the Katana doesn't like to be too underloaded

I load my Katana at 1.45:1 (which is pretty light as far as the Katana goes.) My openings are also soft, consistant and almost always on heading. It took me about 20 jumps to really learn how the canopy opens and how to fly the openings. To me it was worth it because I absolutely love every aspect of the way this canopy flies. It was worth it to me to learn how to deal with the openings and now the openings are great. The Katana rocks!

Wind Tunnel and Skydiving Coach http://www.ariperelman.com

[ianmdrennan 2]

Great, I'd be really interested to see what you think of it. It didn't have some characteristics I personally like in a canopy but it was fun to fly and I think it'll have what you're looking for.

Either way keep us posted.
Blues,
Ian

Performance Designs Factory Team

[rustik 0]

I have a Katana 120 and load it about 1.6, I am struggling to get consistent openings, so far I have had everything from a real boomer that hurt like hell to twists and lots of end cell closure. I have been trying putting the nose in / out, slider pulled out / flush but can't seem to find the consistency.
Any Katana owners out there can help? I have about 50 jumps on it at the moment.

cheers

If it's safe it ain't fun

[Dazzle 0]

I had a similar experience to you (no slammers but lots of off headings) Seemed to be opening nice usually and then at the end would throw me around, not usually enough to twist the lines but I'd get turned 180 or occasionally 360. Other times it felt like I had twists as soon as it came off my back (can't describe the feeling, I've tried, even just after it happened)

Recently I've started to get better ones / learnt how to control it. I now find myself feeling the movements coming through the harness and really trying to counter the force and then watching for it to go the other way.

When I first started doing that it seemed like I would have to do so several times during opening. Now I seem to find myself expecting it and being suprised by it going ok, maybe I'm reading it easier and reacting better but the last 20 or so have been better. Still get the odd one though

I've got about 80 on mine now, 107 @ 1.7

[lewmonst 0]

Quote

I have a Katana 120 and load it about 1.6, I am struggling to get consistent openings, so far I have had everything from a real boomer that hurt like hell to twists and lots of end cell closure. I have been trying putting the nose in / out, slider pulled out / flush but can't seem to find the consistency.
Any Katana owners out there can help? I have about 50 jumps on it at the moment.

cheers

My 120 (w/l 1.6) was opening funky so I sent it to PD. They test jumped it and are replacing it at a fair prorated cost. For the last month since it's been gone, I've put about 60 jumps on a 107 (w/l btwn 1.8 and 1.95) and it's been sweet. I'm not sure whether it was the 120 or the wingloading, but the 107 seems to perform much better. And I know others who say the sweet spot for the Katana is a w/l around 2:1. And when I have all my weights on, it's fun. But it is fast, so if you downsize or increase w/l, be careful.

I would definitely suggest you contact PD. Their customer service is excellent and they will help you.

peace
lew

http://www.exitshot.com

[hkf 0]

Keep an eye on any twists in your brake lines, Katana seems really sensitive to this.
My openings seemed to really improve once I started checking them after every jump. It was also round about the time I started trying to fly the openings a bit more, so can't really say what cured them, but it may be worth looking at!

[rustik 0]

thanks guys, i'll try all of the points you mention

i do try and fly the openings by dipping hips etc during the opening to try and correct but sometimes it seems to come straight off my back and twist, think it might have been how i was stowing the risers so am adjusting that. I also tried just relaxing in the harness during the opening but that didn't seem to work either. Frequently she'll open 80% with either the left or right last 2-3 cells closed and folded under giving a spiral, scared the sh!t outta me on the first ever jump on it.

as for going to the 107, wouldn't really be comfortable with doing that yet, only once i can nail the 120 landings consistently and safely, I jump at a relatively small DZ where the outs can be tight and going to a 107 could make life v interesting in a bad spot situation.

If all else fails I'll have a word with PD, could just be i am a crap packer but haven't had any probs with the sabre and spectre i had been jumping previously.

thanks again

If it's safe it ain't fun

[ManBird 0]

I need to compile some video of my Katana openings. I get consistently kickass openings. As far as nose, slider, etc. I don't do anything. I don't shove the nose and don't cup the slider too much (like I did on my Sabre and Sabre2). Don't roll anything. Just flake it and wrap the tail. During deployment, just hold real still. I've found that attempting to correct with harness just result in a spinning opening.

I did notice at one time that PD recommends, on the Katana, to not shove the nose or cover it with the slider, as it contributes to off-heading openings.

And good call by hkf on twisted brake lines. I've noticed that they not only affect the opening, but the flight itself. I check for and correct twists on every pack job now (at least every three), and that helps a lot. I have a tendency to stow my left brake with a twist. Weird.

"¯"`-._.-¯) ManBird (¯-._.-´"¯"

Click

[maretus 0]

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And I know others who say the sweet spot for the Katana is a w/l around 2:1. ... But it is fast, so if you downsize or increase w/l, be careful.

Don't know about sweet spot but last weekend I demoed a friends KA89 with wl of 2:1 and I was very impressed. Of course I only made one jump with it so I really can't give much of a review but overall it felt very good indeed, fast as hell and I was able to pull quite a decent swoop out of it. And very good point there by lew, it really is a fast motherf*cker with those wingloadings so be careful, I regularly jump FX88 and felt that Katana had pretty good dive ...

http://www.ufufreefly.com

[ManBird 0]

2:1 is what I load mine at and I love it. I demoed one at 1.8:1 and it wasn't quite there. 2:1 is sick as f*¢k. Fast, fast, fast, fun, fun, fun.

"¯"`-._.-¯) ManBird (¯-._.-´"¯"

Click

[rustik 0]

Wanted to give you some feedback on the openings issues I was have with my Katana 120. Has been a while since i jumped as been offshore a lot. Anyway, took away your suggestions, removed any brake line twists (think there were 3, I always stow my brakes when i land so don't generally put many in).
Changed all the bungees to smalls, makes packing a bit tougher but who cares?
Stwoed the risers such that the lines weren't getting tucked near the bottom of the reserve tray (wings container).

Early doors but the last two openings have beeen sweeeeeeeeet. think it was a combination of too loose line stowes giving the line dump for the boomer effect and the risers catching on the bottom of the reserve tray unevenly giving me twists right off the bat.

Pretty happy now, and despite being away for a few weeks still had a nice surf at the end of it.

thanks for your help guys.

r

If it's safe it ain't fun