CKSCUBA 0 #1 August 6, 2007 I am comming up on 1000 jumps. 5 years in the sport. i have been swooping for a year. I fly a crossfire-2 139 and a crossfire119. i am 6ft and 205 with gear. i currently do 270's around 500 - 600 ft and 180's at 400 if I am out of my lane. I am a good canopy pilot for my jump numbers nothing special and my swoops are doing well and safe. I have for the hell of it flew or demo a Velocity 96, a FX-99, a xaos 21 108 and i put about 25 jumps on a xaos 27 -118. over the last 12 months. I am spoiled under the crossfire with the openings and easy of flight. My question is what is a good direction from a crossfire loaded 1.8? What canopy would be the easiest to transition to. I have been told that the Velocity is easy to fly and get used to. When i flew it i found it a bit reactive for my taste. the xaos didnt turn as sensative but the flare was harder to figure out. I am 39 i want to shut down the canopy and not slide or sprint on every landing is that possible? I would like something as close to a crossfire2 loaded 1.8 and want to load a xbraced at around 1.8. I would like the easy flare the openings are not as important to me. predictable flight and ease of transistion. Skydive tampa where i jump is a super small dz so i have to make it back. do the xbraced have different trim or are they close to the same?? I know these few canopies xbraced all flew different. I would be looking toward Christmas time for getting the xbraced. Could anyone give me a bit of direction. i also flown mamba and katana. i dont like diablo spinning canopies if thats anything thats avoidable. thank you very much Chris Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Spizzzarko 0 #2 August 6, 2007 Velo 96 I'll sell you one cheap! Just kidding... Not really... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CKSCUBA 0 #3 August 6, 2007 It is an amazing canopy. i wanted to load lighter like 120 or 111. 96 to small for me. i am sure it has sentimental value so you cant sell it right? Chris Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CanuckInUSA 0 #4 August 7, 2007 How about a Velo 103? The only problem with this Velo 103 I speak of is that nasty nasty nasty person Spizzarko used to jump it back when nickles had pictures of bees on them. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Spizzzarko 0 #5 August 7, 2007 Money has more sentimental value to me right now! It is a good flying canopy, and so is that 103 that Steve speaks of. Trust me, I KNOW! Steve, get your ass to Colorado so we can talk trash to you through the megaphone! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
johnny1488 1 #6 August 7, 2007 Warning Biased opinion to follow: Contact Icarus and try demoing a Neos. It opens better than any xbraced out there and is really nice to fly. It could be a really good step up from the Xfire2 without sacraficing ease of use. Johnny --"This ain't no book club, we're all gonna die!" Mike Rome Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dharma1976 0 #7 August 7, 2007 Chris I would say this Try the crossfire2 109 The difference from 1.7 to 1.9 is kinda intense do some jumps at that and then 103 Velo so you can smack your balls on the pond like I did last weekend... Davehttp://www.skyjunky.com CSpenceFLY - I can't believe the number of people willing to bet their life on someone else doing the right thing. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Spizzzarko 0 #8 August 7, 2007 Ball smacking.... It's what's for dinner! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
diablopilot 2 #9 August 7, 2007 The Xaos 27 is my suggestion. But you'll want to load it a bit more than that 118. Try a 108. Precision probably can set you up with a demo..... give them a call. What was your problem in "figuring out the flare?"---------------------------------------------- You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CKSCUBA 0 #10 August 7, 2007 I flew a crossfire 2 109 also i have my own world record swoop on the 109. i was told if i was going to load a crossfire out to 1.8 to 2 i would be better to fly crossbraced. oh the xaos 27 i was late with the flare alot and when in deep flare the canopy got real touchy like a mamba or something. maybe i need the break lines shorten for me. so shutting it down was fully was an issue for me the more i flared the more squirly it got. i didnt have this problem with the xaos 21. i was told my dumb ass had to get used to it and how to shut it down in the end also. is a xaos easier to flare and land then a velocity?? and what about the neos is that a logical step up for me? thanks chris Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rhys 0 #11 August 7, 2007 Quote a Neos. It opens better than any xbraced out there and is really nice to fly. I beg to differ! Have you ever jumped a JVX? My Jvx has been opening like my old crossfire since I put the stock slider back on and it is really fast to flynot that I am suggesting a JVX at this stage but damn they open good, well my hybrid loaded at 2.0 does anyway."When the power of love overcomes the love of power, then the world will see peace." - 'Jimi' Hendrix Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pendragon 1 #12 August 7, 2007 3 things you could do first on your Xfire2 before going x-braced: 1) Experiment with the rears (if you haven't already) - you need a rotation of 270+ to have sufficient speed to make any real difference 2) Try higher rotations: I was doing 270s from 580ft at that wingloading; I think my 450s are around 730ft - and these come in quite a bit faster! They're also much harder to get to grips with; you begin to see how much variation in altitude loss you can put in by how much harness input / length of riser input etc etc you put in to the turn 3) Practise flying the openings; you've got harness weight-shift and risers (gently!) to play with - if your Xfire2 isn't throwing you around on deployment so much, the transition to x-braced will be easier Anyone else, feel free to chip in! Richard-- BASE #1182 Muff #3573 PFI #52; UK WSI #13 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dharma1976 0 #13 August 7, 2007 yeah grant it was my new freestyle move the toe dig ball smack top of head swoop still clear the entire pond 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. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
frost 1 #14 August 7, 2007 QuoteQuotea Neos. It opens better than any xbraced out there and is really nice to fly. I beg to differ! Have you ever jumped a JVX? I've jumped both, neos is a bit more predictable and a little softer on openings then a JVX with a STOCK slider... but who'd want to jump a JVX with a stock slider anyway? :) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Spizzzarko 0 #15 August 7, 2007 I have seen Stu do a lot of ball smacking in the past. I gues that's what you get when you have unnaturally large Balls! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Spizzzarko 0 #16 August 7, 2007 In my opinion that canopy does fly better in the "Shit off" configuration! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
