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somethingbitme

Straight-In Velocity landings

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A cross-braced canopy is designed for fast high performance canopy flight.



While this may be true, whats aslo true (and often ignored0 is that they are also great canopies for low performce canopy flight.

I think whats happening is that since they can swoop well, they are being mistaken for canopies that can ONLY swoop well.

For obvious reasons, most X brace jumpers are swooping them. They are the best swooping canopies out there, so thats what you see. Consisder for a moment aall of the time you spend with your canopy when you're not swooping. What does your canopy do that you don't like during these times?

Does it not fly slow well?

Does it not glide well?

Does it have a poor flare on straight-in's

The answers are all no of course, which is why a Velo is a great canopy for an appropriately experienced jumper who enjoys the capability of the canopy, but doesn't want the risk of swooping.

At no time during skydiving do I wish I was jumping something else. The Velo is a highly functional canopy for the experienced pilot. It just works for the everyday stuff. Openings, flying back from a long spot, sitting in brakes to clear the landing pattern, and of course the swoops. even if you take the swoops out of that list, it sounds like a good canopy to spend some time under.

Again, just because it takes an advanced pilot, and just because most of them are swooping, doesn't detract from the usefulness of a Velo.

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a little damp?? i saw you get it wet here in colorado. and you said you would send one of your base videos too. im so heartbroken



Yes, like I said, a little damp ;) PM me your address. I've got a copy sitting right in front of me I can send today. C ya!

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aerialkinetics.com

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You my friend, I will see in January and make a personal hand delivery. Can't wait!



Hey where's my version. Oh I remember now, it's right here with all my other BASE and skydiving movies. I think I need to watch it again. Almost got a jump in off of an interesting "E" this weekend, but it was too windy and there was ice at the exit point. There's always another day right?


Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

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That really is a tough decision. There are advantages to coming in with extra airspeed, especially on a highly loaded or small canopy. Nevertheless, if you have a strong negative emotional reaction to the thought of coming in hot, stay away from it. There is nothing more dangerous than a scared pilot.

That being said, I suggest playing with high airspeeds up high as much as possible. If you are not comfortable with the way your canopy performs at high speed, you are required to NEVER go fast near the ground. That is obviously something that you cannot always guarantee. Therefore, flying aggressively up high will help to expand your comfort zone, and when you find yourself going fast on the outside, you will still feel slow on the inside.

Start there. If you are having fun with the speed, perhaps some straight-in front riser approaches are a reasonable next step. Turning approaches require more thought with regards to the set-up, and therefore complicate the learning process and delay perfection with that phase of your learning. Get really good at that, and then move on to turning a bit.

One step at a time.

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Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com
Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com
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This is similiar to why people drive Porsche's or Corvette's or Ferrari's when they have no intention what-so-ever of taking them to a track. Why have that kind of car and spend that kind of money on something when you'll never use 90% of its capabilities? And yet people do it...many, many people, probably several on these forums!

Just a thought. :|

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That actually does seem to be the reason this person bought the canopy, but to each their own so long as they possess the experience to safely land it.

Personally, I don't like to land my velo (I have owned three in three different sizes) straight in because it requires such a long "runway" to do so. By that I mean the path to the point where you come into ground effect must be clear of trees, other tall obstacles, and must not cross the runway below a certain altitude. Yes, the canopy lands just fine straight in, but, as many others have stated in this thread, that's just not what the canopy was made for.

Chuck

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No offense but that seems a bit like all of the Porsche Twin Turbo driving moms I see in Cherry Creek that haven't the slightest clue that what they are driving can challenge the most advanced car driver in the world.

-- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." --

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