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sakaad

Crossfire 129 at 200 jumps?

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My first canopy was a Sabre 150 and after the 2nd back cracker I couldnt wait to get rid of it!!! I made a phone call and the local Icarus dealer was quite prepared to sell me a Crossfire 129 at 50 jumps!!! No kidding. I knew this was a potential disaster.
I currently only do 90 or 180 front riser turns and land consistently doing either. I have been told that doing anymore than that is unsafe on a Safire. I have done many 270 fronts up high but have listened to those in the "know" and not done it close to the deck. Is the 270 front riser unsafe on this canopy????
The reason I wanted the Crossfire is because of the snapier turns, a bit faster, better glide and all round more fun to fly. Also I can progress to the 270's and easily keep this canopy for 500 - 100 jumps even longer.
Just for the record, I am not going to race out and order one as soon as I hit 200 jumps, I was just after some good advice on the viability of getting one. I love my jumping and plan on doing it for alot more years yet, without any more trips to the hospital. ( other extreme sports ).
Appart from being less forgiving for obvious reasons, how much faster is the Crossfire?
I appreciate everyone's advice, thanks again.

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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.



Screw the jump numbers man..

What have you learned. What can you do? Have you mastered slow speed flight? Who is your primary coach? Secondary? Have you watched videos of people bouncing under canopy?

How's your accuracy? How many standup landings? How many hop-n-pops from altitude?

It has very little to do with jump numbers and EVERYTHING to do with canopy time and knowledge.

I'm in the ballpark of 650 jumps now.. I've done at least 400 hop-n-pops from 14k+. = 5,600,000 feet flown under canopy.

I know every tendancy my canopy has.. in chop, out of chop.. up high, down low.. in cold and hot weather. I know it damn near by reflex and I just know what to do because I've flown the damn thing so much. I am by no means complacent under my canopy but I am definitely in tune.

Do you get what I am saying?

I could say it a million times.. SLOW SPEED FLIGHT. PLAY UP HIGH. I probably did a thousand hook turns up high before I brought that thing down. I would check my alti at the top of the hook and at the bottom.. Over and over again until I had an accurate window of how high to swoop from.. Taking into account that I would loose more altitude in the thinner air..

I started my swoops at 700 feet leveling out about 100-150 feet high.. inched down jump by jump.. Finally I had it.. After a couple million feet flown under canopy and some awesome coaching by the best swoopers in the business I had the BASIC swoop down without killing myself.. That's like a white belt..

I didn't consider myself a swooper until the people I wanted to be like said "Damn man, you fly the fuck out of that canopy." or "You got it bro!"...

I'm at that point now and I AM A BEGINNER. I am teachable "as you should be" and I don't know a damn thing accept what my coached told me.

Do it up high.. Spend a lifetime under your canopy.. If you want to swoop nothing else matters...

I've seen 5,000 jump wonders that don't know how to land a canopy. What is impressive is seeing a 200 jump wonder that can flat turn, hit the p's and land on his feet every time. That's impressive. I don't care if you can belly fly or free fly. I want to see you fly that canopy to the ground safely under complete control and able to respond to people cutting you off with a safe maneuver, sinking in or flat turning because YOU PLANNED YOUR OUTS.

What do you think? Are you ready for 1.5 at 200 jumps?

I had 100+ hop-n-pops by then. I was at 1.8 on a Diablo 110. I had coaching. Practice and an urge not to die.

Where is your mind in this game? You are stuck on numbers? Where is your game?

Rhino

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Love your sense of humour!
***

I'm sorry not everyone can appreciate it, but it's good that you can. A sense of humor is an essential asset if you're ever in a hospital for any length of time.

On the serious side, I've jumped a few crossfires 1 & 2, 1.4 to 1.9 WL range, but I never really wrung them out. It was easy to see that it's an advanced canopy. Like others who have already posted, I think that bringing a solid set of prerequisite skills and some experience to the table before buying it is a good idea. Not only will it make you safer, but you will get more enjoyment out of flying it.

Think of it this way, it would be a shame to get that canopy, and just about the time that you start getting comfortable with it, and really want to have some fun, it's due for a reline. Better to wear out the Safire preparing for the Crossfire.

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this isn't a dig so please don't take it that way.

While Rhino is quite correct in what he is saying about doing hop-n-pops, the only thing that wasn't mentioned was currency.

One of the things that will help you the most is currency. Reptition is good, and the more repitition you have, the better and that comes down to currency.

Having been around the sport for 10 years and actively in it for a little over 7 years now as well as having travelled across the country. The one thing that I have seen that caused the closest of calls is the person who has tons-o-jumps, hot canopy and is uncurrent.

If and when you get your little hot rod canopy, always respect the fact that it wants to kill you. If you ever let it go to your head that you are a good pilot, then you are actually probably one of the most dangerous ones.

*edit* Icarus or PD will not sell a x-fire or stiletto to anyone with less than 500 ramair jumps, however there seems to be a few reps out there that will. Pay attention to what the manufacturer says and not someone with a dealership. They are only trying to make money when it comes down to it. Manufacturers have guidelines for a reason.

*note* Personally, having been in the sport for a long time and having the experience that I have, I wouldn't take canopy coaching from anyone with less than 1,000 HP landings.

Anyone wanting to swoop can go to canopypiloting.com and they have an online coaching seminar for those who aren't able to get to a coached course. However, going to a full on coached course is the best means of learning because they will teach you how to teach yourself, regardless of your jump numbers or what you are flying. That is what those guys are for.

Sam
Live today as tomorrow may not come

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Love your sense of humour!
***

I'm sorry not everyone can appreciate it, but it's good that you can. A sense of humor is an essential asset if you're ever in a hospital for any length of time.

On the serious side, I've jumped a few crossfires 1 & 2, 1.4 to 1.9 WL range, but I never really wrung them out. It was easy to see that it's an advanced canopy. Like others who have already posted, I think that bringing a solid set of prerequisite skills and some experience to the table before buying it is a good idea. Not only will it make you safer, but you will get more enjoyment out of flying it.

Think of it this way, it would be a shame to get that canopy, and just about the time that you start getting comfortable with it, and really want to have some fun, it's due for a reline. Better to wear out the Safire preparing for the Crossfire.



hey man, I get it, the nurses started to get sick of me in the ER they were like this is serious you know....

even better is cursing out the entire surgery staff when you come out of anesthesia...

I tried a crossfire2 two days ago loved it...but watching a medivac leave a dropzone is always a big bummer on the day, so I'll stick to my sabre2 170 for now ;)

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.

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Is the 270 front riser unsafe on this canopy????



There is nothing unsafe about front riser turns under a Safire. I watched Max Cohn swoop the crap out of his Safires when he was jumping them. Your friends "in the know" are mistaken.

If you really are in this for the long haul, then get out there and jump, get the coaching and experience and get a Xfire when you are ready for it. 300 more jumps should be nothing to someone who is motivated and hungry to learn. And in that time you can gain the awareness and know how on a more forgiving canopy that will save your life one day.

Believe me when i tell you that a Safire is better suited to help you learn to swoop.

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

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