Velocity? Future? Competition Regulations?

[CKSCUBA 0]

I understand that Pd is working on the Velocity.

Are they working on a new line trim? new lines? or modifications on the canopy?

Or are they comming out with a Velocity 2.0? or something else??

Anyone know anything.

I also heard that Strong is comming out with High performance canopies also. I guess thats in the works or something.

Thanks

Chris

[Canuck 0]

I had a chat with John LeBlanc at the Unconventional Boogie at Perris a few weeks ago. He said the factory guys are jumping a canopy they call a "Red 44" I believe. John had a "Red 60" there that he was jumping. Basically he said that they are incorporating some of the design imporvements that they discovered while developing the Katana into the Velocity. He did say that they would eventually be releasing something new, but I wouldn't hold my breath. As long as the Velocity continues to top the swoop podiums (and they do, even the stock ones) there is no real reason for PD to outdate it with a version 2.

Canuck

[isaiah85 0]

The numbers refer to revisions or "rev". The canopy coming out will be like a Velocity on steroids, different canopy all together not just trims. It's going to be a competition canopy, competition canopy = high maintenance (300 HMA, RDS...), for people who don't want to deal with the maintenance, there is always the "regular" Velocity. From everything I understand, the canopy is ready, there is a few people flying them now, just some other things to sort out, like production stuff. Should be soon.

Isaiah

[diablopilot 2]

Is it more stable in turbulence than the Velo?

----------------------------------------------
You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[skygod7777 0]

what ever happened to the 5 chamber design that was showed at PIA??

will this be that canopy??

just wondering, i'm way to broke to be buying a new canopy right now.

later

[Canuck 0]

Quote

The numbers refer to revisions or "rev".

Ahhh, Rev not Red. That makes sense...

So this canopy you say will be released soon - will it be the "Rev" 44 that the factory guys are jumping, or the "Rev" 60 that John had a Perris? I believe what he said was the the factory guys didn't like the 60 as much as the 44 - something about riser pressure.

Canuck

[Kolla 0]

Hey Kelly,

The one you are talking about is what we showed at PIA 3 years ago, as a "concept canopy" - the Z brace. That project is still active but nowhere near completion yet.

So you still have some time to save up money

Blue ones,
Kolla

Blue Skies Magazine

[WeakMindedFool 0]

Hey Kolla!
What about these slider snaps I was hearing about in Chicago? Will that be a mod that shows up soon?

Faith in a holy cause is to a considerable extent a substitute for lost faith in ourselves.
-Eric Hoffer -
Check out these Videos

[Kolla 0]

Hi Jason,

That is yet another R&D project we are working on, and at this moment in time its too early to say - much testing remains to be done at this point.

Blue ones,
Kolla

Blue Skies Magazine

[breadhead 0]

Quote

Velocity on steroids

How does this Velocity on steroids relate to the competition canopies the PDFT guys are jumping?

[ianmdrennan 2]

Quote

Quote

Velocity on steroids

How does this Velocity on steroids relate to the competition canopies the PDFT guys are jumping?

Besides scaling adjustments (wing sizes) I believe the wings are the same. Of course, that's not to say they won't continue to improve the wing

Blues.

Performance Designs Factory Team

[AggieDave 6]

Quote

That is yet another R&D project we are working on, and at this moment in time its too early to say - much testing remains to be done at this point.

Its deja vu all over again...

Well, you know the address, a demo in a 120 please, although I'll take a 111 if the "big boy" sizes aren't ready yet.

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

[shogo 0]

Hi. What is "Velocity III"? I have seen it written that way on a warning label before with
PN:VE0IIIP0I.
See: http://coolcatinc.com/DSC09274.JPG from this guy’s gear sale web page. http://coolcatinc.com/Gear.htm
Just curious.

[isaiah85 0]

I'm not exactly sure what sizes or revisions the PDFT members are all jumping, but I'm pretty sure they are all jumping the revision that is going to be sold, like Ian said some sizes are different revisions though, so they might not all be "44". Scaling canopy sizes doesn't always have the desired result.

Dave, I put you on the waiting list for the 75, you're first in line! That should put you at a sporty WL, always looking out for you buddy!

[isaiah85 0]

That's the size, its a 111. P01 is lineset stuff.

[proswooper 2]

glad that PD are finally being open about the factory team jumping a commercially unavailable wing.

i have personally seen this canopy in flight for the last two years in competitions (or versions of it) and it definitely out performs any other comercially available wing.

even the stock velos with hma and rds dont come close to it.

[ianmdrennan 2]

Quote

i have personally seen this canopy in flight for the last two years in competitions (or versions of it) and it definitely out performs any other comercially available wing.

Does that mean we can expect to see you under it when it's released?
Blues!
Ian

Performance Designs Factory Team

[proswooper 2]

sorry not me. i still love my JVX. two medals in three world meets is enough canopy for me.

[Spizzzarko 0]

I have always thought that there should be a class for canopies that are not available to the public. I also feel that any records with modified (and by modified I mean canopies that regular jumper could not easily obtain or change our existing canopies to match) canopies should not be held against those of us who do not have access to the factory resources.

[frost 1]

I agree. If it is not available to Joe R. Swooper, it should not be allowed in events where Joe R. Swooper competes. The argument that the pilots that fly these prototypes probably would kick Joe's ass even on a stock canopy is of no value here...

How do you implement such checks and rules or even if it's going to happen - thats a different topic altogether.

[superstu 0]

how about if the z-brace or JSX canopies were out but were $5000 or $6000, is that accessable to everyone? i don't think so.

there have been other companies besides PD that have had non-available canopies flown and win in competition. the JSX has been flown in competition, XAOS's with cascaded HMA have been flown in competition, and i think most of us know the PDFT has flown prototype canopies in competition. yes, 99% of us don't get to be at the tip of the speer when it comes to this stuff but sometimes it's not that great to be at the tip

Slip Stream Air Sports
Do not go softly, do not go quietly, never back down

[Spizzzarko 0]

You say:

"how about if the z-brace or JSX canopies were out but were $5000 or $6000, is that accessable to everyone? i don't think so."


I say it is accesablle to everyone because they could go out and buy it. The onus is now on the consumer to decide if they want to spend that amount of skrilla on a canopy or not. It seems as if people are currently balking about buy a $3,000 JVX Sail canopy, so at 5k it may be to much of a price point but at least common people will have the ability to purchase the same wing.

You say:

"there have been other companies besides PD that have had non-available canopies flown and win in competition. the JSX has been flown in competition, XAOS's with cascaded HMA have been flown in competition, and i think most of us know the PDFT has flown prototype canopies in competition."


Correct. Many of the factories are using the comps to judge how well the modified or prototype wing racks up against the rest of the competition and that is a good way to do it. I maintain that those wings should be in a different class when it comes to records and prize money. Did you not feel bad when you came in second and got a hole handfull of damnit from Jim as far as prize money goes? If Jay had been forced to be in a different class then you would be about 6k richer my friend. There are certain things that I as a non sponsered person can do to even the competition such as going to Mel and getting blue lines and RDS's, but I cannot get the same trim or easily mod the line attachment points. Jay even said that sewing the excess binding tape into the canopy reduces 48" of binding tape drag, so therefore that is a modified canopy that I as a commoner cannot get. I agree with you that all the mods in the world do not always add up to an ultimate canopy. Those mods may fuck the openings, and I would not want to be doing AFF with a canopy that opens like shite! So being the lanyard of the speer is often better as far as everyday performance may be th eplace to be, but that is skirting the issue of having seperate classes for modified canopies.

Jay set the world record with weight and a modded canopy(674' or something like that). How many people have come close to that on a "stock" canopy? Stu you are doing really well with 475' but I have not seen you get anywhere near 674'. That is not saying Jay cannot be beat, but he has had an unfair advantage against the rest of us "Stock" swoopers. I only use Jay as an example as I am sure that the canopies that Team Extreme jumps are a little different than stock. Jim has told me that they are different, but he has always been fairly forthcoming about the changes that they are making when I have asked. If you noticed at the last comp Team Extream had blue lines... I asked Jim about this, he said they were testing the UV coating. I asked Jim about the containers with the belly bands. He seems to think that body position has a lot to do with drag reduction. I think they are on to something there. Nick and those dudes (when they had a good run) were fairly competitive with Maha and Jay, but you did not see a lot of other competitors within 5' of their runs. All of the Fastrax guys were landing within a small radius of eachother but their distance runs were not as long as Nick's or Jay's. So in my opinion that allone should be a good argument for having seperate classes for modified and stock canopies. The CRW people are very demanding of their canopy specifications for record attempts and they check line lengths, slider types, pilot chute configurations, material age, and jumpsuit types, so I feel that we as a swooping community can only add credibility to our self by creating different classes.

Diatribe complete!

[superstu 0]

Quote

Did you not feel bad when you came in second and got a hole handfull of damnit from Jim as far as prize money goes?

i'm not going to lie that it sucked not to win any "skrilla" but it wasn't because jay was or wasn't on a prototype canopy that he won. tieing jay in the fastest speed time, winning one of the freestyle rounds, being competitive in accuracy, were all personal goals and accompishments i had. the only thing that i, and the rest of load 3, got fucked on was the 2nd round of distance when they held our load off for an hour to get tandems up and by the time we got to jump the wind went from 0 to 8mph head wind, but hey, that's competition i guess.

Quote

...but I cannot get the same trim or easily mod the line attachment points.

why not? my friend took his stock VX and got the stabilizers taken off and had a JVX line trim put on, boom there you go, he now has a highly modified canopy that you couldn't buy at the time.

Quote

Jay set the world record with weight and a modded canopy(674' or something like that). How many people have come close to that on a "stock" canopy? Stu you are doing really well with 475' but I have not seen you get anywhere near 674'.

ok, well lets strap on 80 #'s and break the record. hell, lets make it one of the events at the next PST after the pro/am.

Quote

That is not saying Jay cannot be beat, but he has had an unfair advantage against the rest of us "Stock" swoopers.

The only unfair advantage i can really see jay having is that he has 6000+ jumps. if others put in the time and money to develop their skills then they'll also have that advantage, but when it comes down to it i personally only know of a few people that are willing to do that.

personally i have no problems competing against pilots who have modded canopies because i know they can be beat (look at paul and zuliani), it still boils down to the pilot. however, that being said i'll still gladly take what ever PD puts out when it finally does come out.

Slip Stream Air Sports
Do not go softly, do not go quietly, never back down

[Canuck 0]

Quote

even the stock velos with hma and rds dont come close to it.

I'm not taking anything from John Zuliani, but is he really that much better a pilot than Jay Mo that he managed to beat him (and other PDFT members) at both last year's world meet and this year's Canadian nationals under his hma and rds but otherwise stock Velo?

Canuck

[frost 1]

There are many variables on any given day of jumping. Everybody has a bad day when nothing they did seemed to be working... Then the next day everything was back to normal. I think swooping is a lot like poker, you can have a good day and beat the more experienced guys or they may be having a bad day or something... But in the long run, there is no substitute for experience.

All that being said, the key point in this discussion, i think, is this: if competition swooping is going the route of professional sports, it needs to be regulated as such. The argument of pilot skill is irrelevant here.