Crossfire 129 at 200 jumps?

[sakaad 0]

Hey Everyone, I am considering buying a Crossfire 2 129 when I hit 200 jumps. I was wondering what you all might think about it. After my Aff course, my first canopy was a Sabre 150, ( and first rig ) which I only kept for 30 jumps. Got a Safire 2 135 which I am currently jumping without any problems, loaded at 1.4. Is the Crossfire 129 a bit much at 200 jumps or ok? On a 129 I'll be loaded at 1.472. Thanks.

[jurgencamps 0]

Why the rush?

[AggieDave 6]

Kinda shady bro, kinda shady.

There's more to it then just wingloading. Honestly that Safire2 you're jumping is a pretty hot canopy, most decent canopy pilots could take it at your wingloading and consistantly swoop atleast 150ft, if not 200+ft.

I personally would suggest spending another 200 jumps (atleast) on that safire to really put it through its paces. Hell, 200 jumps isn't more then a couple of months of jumping, if you really jump it and really work hard at it, there's no reason why you couldn't have over 500 jumps by the end of the season. At that point I bet you'll be ripping some smoking swoops on that Safire2.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[Stumpy 256]

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Hell, 200 jumps isn't more then a couple of months of jumping, if you really jump it and really work hard at it, there's no reason why you couldn't have over 500 jumps by the end of the season. .

I really need to emigrate....

Never try to eat more than you can lift

[speedy 0]

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Hell, 200 jumps isn't more then a couple of months of jumping, if you really jump it and really work hard at it, there's no reason why you couldn't have over 500 jumps by the end of the season. .

I really need to emigrate....

I'll come with you

Dave

Fallschirmsport Marl

[efex 0]

ditto

Warwick University Skydiving Club

[DancingFlame 0]

Troll?

[BETO74 0]

I don't know..ask the guy that had the bad landing in sebastian a couple weeks ago, check the incident forum, anyone ask about leaving this place... count me in.

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

[davelepka 4]

Read about the incident last weekend in West Tenn. That kid was pushing the limits too.

[LoudDan 0]

IMO until you can fly the piss out of that Safire you have, keep the crossfire on hold. It's not so much the wingloading that'll put you in the corner (it helps though) but a crossfire is a much more agressively designed canopy than your Safire.

Coming soon to a bowl of Wheaties near you!!

[TOTALCHAOS127 0]

A good rule of thumb is:

If you have to ask then you already know the answer, just looking for reason to change it.
The other thing is why do people think that when you hit x jumps you will be ready for something. You have know way of knowing when your ready to downsize untill your there. I spent alot more time on some canopies than others.

I don't know your canopy skills at all so i am not going to say anything like your going to kill yourself. But do me a little favor, don't downsize untill you don't have to ask the question

just an opinion

[Peej 0]

Here's a story from someone who's ankle is still swollen from having a "Repair Kit" installed 7 months ago.

I managed to do 160 odd jumps in 6 weeks last year, including a canopy course. I was flying a Hornet 170, downsized to a Safire 2 150, then a Nitron 150 and finally a Nitron 135 loaded about the same as you're loading your Safire 2.

I returned to my home dz which is 5000 ft above sea level, upsized back to my Hornet and on my first jump back proceeded to break my right fib/tib. That was jump number 266. I wasn't doing anything radical, just a 90deg riser turn. It bit me in the ass.

Dude, I can't warn you enough about being overly aggressive, getting cocky and overestimating your skills, it's what broke me.

Forget the fact that i spent weeks on crutches and in a cast and now have plates and screws to show for it, the worst part is being sidelined for six months while you watch your buddies jump.

Spend another 200 jumps at least on the Safire, get coaching, learn to fly the spit out of it. You'll be glad you did later.

Peace.

Advertisio Rodriguez / Sky

[murps2000 86]

Go for it, and practice swooping with it right away. On that canopy, you will learn quickly what not to do. Get a fast motorcycle, too. And sleep with loose women. And be sure to drink often and to excess. You're good enough to do it now. Go get 'em, tiger.


Totally inappropriate response for this forum. I know you guys get tired of hearing the same old story over and over again, but please refrain from being facetious. Seriously... Chuck

[Jskydiver22 0]

I think dropzone.com is the wrong place to ask this question. People can only give you an answer on here based on your jump numbers, not on your flying skills. If you could find it...i did a post about me switching to a crossfire2 119 at 220 jumps or somewhere around there. My wingloading would only be 1.25:1, and people still kind of told me I was an idiot for doing it.

Once i got the canopy, I was really suprised at how fast it flew. I knew that I wasnt going over my skill level, but it was probably getting there. A 1.4 wingloading at 200 jumps is a bit much, possibly even too much. You could probably handle it, but just be careful.

Be ready for a lot of negative response on here, people are going to look at 200 jumps with a 1.4 wingloading.

If you do get the canopy, just be VERY careful, its an awesome canopy and is very fun to fly around, but take your time on it and don't rush into things.

--I don't even know enough to know that I dont know--

[DJL 232]

What is it about the Crossfire 2 that you like?

"I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

[dharma1976 0]

actually if you talk to icarus, they will not sell you the crossfire until you have 500 jumps period the end, that is there policy cause they are sick of hearing all the but I did this and I did that and then reading about that guy in the incident reports

cheers

Dave

http://www.skyjunky.com

CSpenceFLY - I can't believe the number of people willing to bet their life on someone else doing the right thing.

[johnny1488 1]

Let me smoote over what Dave said a bit.

If you try to buy a crossfire2 from an Icarus dealer, you are probably going to find it a bit difficult.

If you like the Safire2, keep jumping it.

It sounds like you want the Crossfire2 because you might want to do some high performance flight? You could probably learn just as much if not more at your stage on a canopy like the Safire2 while keeping yourself in a less dangerous environment. The Crossfire2 is a lot less forgiving of mistakes, especially at the size and loading you are suggesting.

If you have more specific questions. feel free to shoot me a PM. I'd be happy to answer any questions you might have about these canopies, I have close to 500 jumps on both.

Johnny
--"This ain't no book club, we're all gonna die!"
Mike Rome

[Jskydiver22 0]

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What is it about the Crossfire 2 that you like?

Dude...whats not to like?

--I don't even know enough to know that I dont know--

[Kris 0]

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Let me smoote over what Dave said a bit.

If you try to buy a crossfire2 from an Icarus dealer, you are probably going to find it a bit difficult.

The dealer maybe, but not the company. At WFFC '03, the Icarus rep was trying to get me to demo a CF2 loaded at 1.8:1 at 300 jumps.

I stuck with the much larger version.

Sky, Muff Bro, Rodriguez Bro, and
Bastion of Purity and Innocence!™

[johnny1488 1]

Well I'll be at the convention this year and I was at the Holiday boogie also and I turned away anyone who was tring to demo a crossfire2 under 500 jumps. I also pretty much insisted that anyone who wanted to demo a canopy do so on the same size they were currently jumping first.

Johnny
--"This ain't no book club, we're all gonna die!"
Mike Rome

[PhreeZone 15]

Jonny are you now an Icarus Rep? If so I must say I'm happy with the changes I've seen so far with you and discussing canopies on their behalf

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[davelepka 4]

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just be VERY careful, its an awesome canopy and is very fun to fly around, but take your time on it and don't rush into things

Good advice. When was the last time you heard someone say, 'I just got his new canopy, and I can't wait to be reckelss with it, and rush into things I'm not ready for' ?

Everyone says that they'll be careful, and conservative and blah, blah, blah. That plan has proven to have some holes in it, and anyone who proceeds forward under those conditions is an idiot.

[dhracer33 0]

I have a "friend" who has about 300 jumps. He is currently jumping a x-fire 129 loaded at about 1.7 During his first 20 jumps he was doing 20-way night jumps using a 300+ square foot canopy. He than bought a safire 150 as his first canopy. Jumped that about 200 times while doing 90's and 180's on landing while also jumping a camera. After 200 jumps he bought a x-fire 129 and started jumping wingsuits too. Oh yea, somewhere around 200 jumps he also took up base jumping. What an IDIOT. I mean really people, it must be a miracle or something that he is still alive. In fact, next time I see him I'll ask him how he continues to cheat death on a regular basis. I'll get back to you with his secret...........

[johnny1488 1]

I've done a couple of events for them so far and we are working on getting something more permanent going.

Johnny
--"This ain't no book club, we're all gonna die!"
Mike Rome

[listo 0]

for once, I have to say that everyone seems to be giving really good advice. I am going to tell you when you will know you are ready to move on to the next size smaller, but in no way am I suggesting to go out and try this.

When you have about 400-500 jumps on your canopy where you are consistantly doing 270's, holding the fronts to your chest, after the turn, until they are pulling out, switching to rears and landing standing up while using rears, as well as not having to worry about conflicting traffic, because you already know where they are as well as where they are going to be when you are done. When you can honestly say to yourself "there is nothing more I can do with this canopy and hasn't been anything more in the last 100-200 jumps", then my friend you have maxed out your canopy, taken the slow road to radically fast swoops and more than likely you are a safe swooper.

Until then, be happy that you are still alive and healthy. There is a saying in skydiving..."it is better to be on the ground wishing you were in the air, than in the air wishing you were on the ground". The same applies to swooping..."it is better to be swooping than in a hospital wishing you had never tried that last crazy stunt".

Best of luck! Stay smart and live long. Don't worry, there will be a time one day when you look at a video of one of your swoops and think "damn, I am sure glad that I didn't try to do too much too soon". When you take the time to learn, it will mean more to you in the end. As well you will be much more respected by your piers for being smart rather than being brave.

Sam

Live today as tomorrow may not come