going back one step - advise?

[el_chester 4]

OK, I am ready to go back one step in my canopy progression, and will appreciate your advise.

No, I have had no accidents
No, no close calls
No, I have not been uncomfortable under my canopy

I'm just trying to keep it safe. I don't want to find out the hard way that I had a canopy on which I couldn't handle a landing misjudgment, or avoid someone near the ground.

I know some people will think I should never have gone to the Stiletto, others will say I'm a pussy for going back, but... I better be safe than sorry. I am not ashamed. In Spanish there's a saying "despacio que voy deprisa" meaning "let's go slow, I'm in a hurry". It means that going fast can slow you down (because of mistakes made on the way while going fast)

My background:

did 150 jumps over 12 years, then in a couple of months did 80 jumps on a borrowed Sabre1 150 and...

jumped at the opportunity to get my present rig with a Stiletto 135 loaded at roughly 1.5.

by now I have around 130 jumps on the Stiletto (only about 50 in my home dz, all others in Perris, Dallas, Houston)

my home DZ lies at 4700ft ASL.

already once had a reserve rive on the Stiletto (chose to chop from line twists which put me in a spin - pulled main at 2500 and was under reserve by 1400ft)

took the canopy control course in Perris, in order to be safer and know the canopy better, and - eventually - start learning to swoop

I do intend to learn to swoop, but I am in no hurry

so far I love the Stiletto except for...

I am focusing on big-ways so the long snivel and off heading openings of the Stiletto are not very appropriate (yes, I know you can make both things better, but fact is, the Stiletto is a weight shift sensitive canopy, which means that it is far more likely to open off heading than other wings; a canopy that is a bit too sensitive for MY current experience level @355 jumps over 12 years, but only 200 as a "current" jumper in the past year)

So, I have decided to put the Stiletto to rest for a while. This decision comes after reading a lot in the "safety and training" and "incident" forums here. After getting some advise from a person whom I consider a great source, I realise that my current situation reads like an incident report. She put it in roughly these words:

"350 jumps (140 of which were done before the year 2000), 

1.52 wingloading, high field elevation but travels to other dropzones, 

big ways and a high performance canopy."


Sounds like an incident report to me. 

I just hope your name isn't on it....

This is admittedly scary (please don't flame me, I'm here looking for CONSTRUCTIVE, POSITIVE feedback - I've read aggressive people here and I don't need that - thanks)

I am thinking of going back to a size of 150sq.ft. I've been recommended Nitro or a Sabre 2. Some other people also tell me to try out the Spectre. I've never jumped any of them. I have little access to demoeing any of those here in Mexico, so that's why I ask here.

Remember:

high field elevation at home DZ: 4700ft

currently focusing on big-ways (usually lower deployment altitudes, so long snivels not an option, preferably a canopy that will not be too weight-sensitive and open on heading most of the time)

my total number of jumps since I'm current again is a bit more than 200 - all my old jumps from 5 years ago don't really count, do they?

I still want to keep improving my canopy skills and keep learning the needed skills for swooping

I want it to be safe, but also fun (yes, I love the Stiletto so far, even when I have flown and landed it conservatively)

So, I want to hear your advise about the right canopy for me, (particularly about the Sabre2 and the Nitro).

Thanks in advance!
Chester

PS Thanks "mom"

(edited for spelling)

--
Be careful giving advice. Wise men don't need it, and fools won't heed it.

[OzoneJunkie 0]

No advice, but will say props for making a decision like this.

[quade 3]

I think you're definately heading in the right direction, but I'm gonna wait to see what billvon recommends.

Me, being a camera flyer, I have nothing to add as I'm almost never that far down in deployment altitudes on big-ways, but billvon does a LOT of big-ways and he's a pretty freekin' smart guy when it comes to canopy choices for specific things.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[Spizzzarko 0]

I think you are going to find that your skill on the bigger canopy will be 100% improved from the last time you jumped it. YOur enjoyment level of the canopy will probably go up to, as you will not have to worry as much aout spinners, and chops and what not. Like the knoght said to Indiana Jones "You have choosen... Wisely"

[hookitt 0]

When the stiletto first came out, PD wouldn't let people have them until they had 600 jumps. I believe it was also recommended to have 200 on another high performance canopy.

You'll learn an awful lot more about flying a parachute with the decision you've made to move back to a level that more matches your experience.

The Sabre2 and the Nitro are very nice canopies. I have limited experience under them but what I found was quite positive. Skip the Spectre. It's a great canopy but I doubt you'll be happy with one since you've flown the stiletto already.

Opening characteristics were soft and on heading.

Flight characteristics were great. If I recall, the Nitro had the edge on lift. They both turn quickly but not as snappy as the Stiletto. At this point in your career that's probably good. That's not a jab, just a reinforcement of your decision to move back to less radical canopy.

You can learn to surf on either the Nitro or the Sabre2 just fine. In fact, you will probably learn a lot quicker. The distance you can surf on either one of those canopies is so much greater than most people believe.

The decision to move to a canopy that more matches your experience is a grand one. I'll quote you here.

No, I have had no accidents
No, no close calls
No, I have not been uncomfortable under my canopy "

You've touched on good points. Especially the no close calls part. Many injuries/deaths come from overreacting to close calls. The close calls I'm talking about are avoiding power lines, unexpected high winds -- especially off the dropzone -- Pulling low and having limited choices on where to land, unexpected canopy traffic whether it's a real factor or a perceived factor.

Off DZ landings generally are no big deal. However, off DZ landings, cause people to tax their accuracy skills, often a lot more than necessary.

There's a lot more to it, but the point there is, a canopy like a Stiletto, will respond very quickly to how your body tells it too, whether you meant to or not.

I agree with Spizzzarko. Since you've flown the stiletto, your inputs on a Nitro or a Sabre2 will be much smoother.

I can't recommend which canopy but I do know you can get both of them for a demo.

Good luck.

[billvon 2,436]

A few comments:

0. Stilettos are not great choices for big ways. There's nothing horrible about them, there are just newer designs that open more reliably and in less time.

1. If you are going to be concentrating on big-ways I'd consider a Pilot. I used a Pilot 140 loaded at 1.35 at the Thailand record attempt, and a Spectre 150 at the Eloy events. I liked the Pilot a lot better because it opened reliably in 300 feet and on heading. A Pilot 150/168 is very similar to a Sabre2 150/170 but with better openings.

2. If you're more into swooping, consider a Nitro of about the same size. I have a 108 that I've been putting a lot of jumps on, and it always opens on heading and in a reasonable distance. I've had one lineover that I cleared that _may_ be related to the non-cascaded lines but I doubt it. A Nitro 150ish would give you more reliable openings and better landings than the Stiletto, and can be pushed fairly hard on landing if that's what you're into. It has a long recovery arc (good for swooping) and light front riser pressures.

3. As always, whatever canopy you get, get training on it and make sure you can do the survival skills on it (flat turns, flare turns etc)

[dgskydive 0]

Sorry for the late reply Cheste. I have beenout getting my butt kicked at Nationals! Oh well next year and 10 way is still coming up.

As far as your going back up in canopy size. I appauled you. I think you are making a wise decision. I will tell "Mom" you are a good boy!

I agree with Bill. I think you would do better on the Pilot. Nothing wrong with the Sabre2, but I do agree that the Pilot has better openings. That is crucial on bigways. The Spectre would be a good choice as well, but it does take a long time to open and if you are in the base breaking off at 4k and some knuckle head in the wave before you doesn't track well and you have to suck it down........ well, I just want something that opens a bit faster (even if it isn't quite as soft).

The stiletto is one of the most popular canopis in the world and has served many well. IT is just not my first choice for a crowded sky.

Think Pilot! Bueno mi amigo!

Dom