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tetra316

Good canopy for learning to swoop?

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I understand Chris Lynch began swooping on a PD170 many years ago. You'll find him in the top 20 from the last world meet.

Gary Wainwright is also on the circuit and ranked - maybe he has a good question?

I've been learning to swoop on my Pilot 150 (1.35 lbs/sq ft). Hurt myself once (sprained ankles) - but fortunately that was it. Could have been a lot worse at a higher wing loading I'm sure, and my experience was scary enough thank you. [:/]
--
BASE #1182
Muff #3573
PFI #52; UK WSI #13

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What other canopys are similar to a crossfire or would you recommend?



Your Sabre2 for learning to swoop, definitely. Great canopy that can be swooped far and has a huge range. Once you've got that down, post another question here letting us know how/what you're doing on that and the next step can be recommended.

Blues,
Ian
Performance Designs Factory Team

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If you're looking for a canopy to learn to swoop, then stick with the canopy you are currently jumping since you know it best. A Sabre2 135 is a wonderful canopy for learning to swoop on - it can be flown as aggressively as you want.

Changing canopies at this point will only hurt your progression since you'll need to learn the basics of the new canopy before progressing on to swooping.

My advice - stick with what you've got, get some good canopy coaching and then re-evaluate your canopy and needs in a few hundred jumps.

Good luck! :)
Wind Tunnel and Skydiving Coach http://www.ariperelman.com

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I love my sabre 2 and totally agree. Although my wingloading right now is 1.1. I don't think to down size to a 120 at this point with 700 jumps(400 on my 135) is too drastic a move ;) Just looking for a little more speed when it's windy, which is usually always the case here.

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if your really interested in swooping i would stay away from the stilletto..


i would stick with a sabre2 ANY day before i went to a stilletto...a sabre2 at the same loading as a stilletto, should be a better canopy for learning. and im willing to bet if they are flown the same it will swoop better.

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if your wanting to downsize. get yourself a sabre 2 120 demo, im willing to bet you will like it. plus you wont have to learn a new wing. just a new size.

just because your a 1.0-1 doesnt really mean jack once your starting to get down to smaller wings.

if it did then i would take 90 lbs aff students on 120's. that would be less than a 1.0-1.;)

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I'd say stick to the Sabre2

After about 600 jumps on a Sabre2 150 I wanted something faster as well, and in the end what I got was a Sabre2 135
The Sabre2 is a mean swooping machine when flown right, granted I am loading mine a lot heavier than yours.. still.. the Sabre2 is the ticket when it comes to learning how to swoop :P

(in my humble opinion.... )

Be safe!
Iwan

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I was wondering about that. I've heard some say its hard to transition after learning on a stiletto due to the short recovery arc.....



Tell that to just about every single pro competitor on the PST. Almost everyone who is into flying fast canopies has at one point or another been a Stiletto pilot...

Canuck

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Canuck,

I had a heatwave (ST clone) for a number of jumps, but I'd still recommend the Sabre2 over a ST anyday. I think it has more characteristics that are common with todays 'harcore' swooping canopies than the ST.

The ST is a good wing, and if it's all you've got it's fine, but if you have an alternative like the Sabre2 - I'd take that.

Blues,
Ian
Performance Designs Factory Team

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f-ing awesome canopy to learn to swoop on...

I will tell you this...I started swooping on a sabre 2 170...

and when I got to the point where I could shut the thing down when I wanted to...then I contemplated downsizing and trying the elliptical platform...what I found was...I liked the crossfire2 awesome canopy...loved it, but not wanting to push it, I stayed with the sabre2 and lost 20 sq feet. but learn the sabre2 135 first... believe me if I can swoop the balls out of a 170, you should be able to swoop the balls out of a sabre2 135...

Cheers blues and lets keep our insides where they belong...

Skyjunky 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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I started learning to swoop under a Sabre 2 190 somewhere around 700 jumps later, I now have a Sabre 2 135 (somewhere around a 1.8 WL) at any rate, I am a firm believer in "The pilot makes the canopy perform not the canopy makes the pilot perform". Your learning progression will accelerate by sticking to the same wing, sure when you downsize it's a little twitchier and faster, but you will be familiar with the flight characteristics.

135's like the pond too ;)

Coming soon to a bowl of Wheaties near you!!

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