choice of canopies

[rendezvous 0]

I have slightly over 100 jumps and I've been flying a Triathlon 175 loaded at 1:1 for all this while. I've learnt to fly this canopy quite well and under different circumstances, well atleast enough to think about getting a canopy loaded around 1.15. In my case that would be amount to a 150 sq ft canopy. At my skill level what are my options. I'm looking at used canopies since I don't think I'm at a point where I want a new one yet. I'm also looking at moving to a 9 cell but would love to hear some opinions on the Diablo at that wing loadings. Right now it looks like my only options are either a Sabre or a Hornet for 9 Cells and specter and triathlons for 7 cells. How do these canopies compare and is there anything else available for my level.

[Hooknswoop 19]

At a 1.1:1 wingloading undera 175 puts your exit weight at 193 lbs. Under a 150, that would put your wing loading at 1.28:1.

A good question to ask yourself is why do you want to downsize. Bill Von has an excellent list of skills someone should posses before considering a smaller canopy. A search should turn up his list. Another factor is your container and what size mains it can safely hold.

Talk to instructors that have watched you fly and land your Triatholon. Ask them if they feel you are ready to downsize. If yes, then ask them what canopies you should demo. Options would include, but not limited to, the Safire2, Sabre2, Hornet, Sabre, a smaller Triatholon, Spectre, Omni, etc.

Hook

[PhreeZone 15]

There are lots and lots of choices out there at that experience level.

From PD you have the Sabre, Sabre2, Spectre.
From Icarus you have the Safire, Safire2, Omni, Omega
Big Air Sportz offers the Lotus
Pisa has the Hornet
Precision offers the Synergy and another choice

Lots of options out there...

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[Scoby 0]

Actually, his exit weight at 1:1 would be 175, so his WL under a 150 should be 1.17, right?

[nacmacfeegle 0]

The Diablo is a different animal (higher performance)from the Triathlon.
If your heart is set on a Diablo, I would try and demo one the same size as your current Triathlon, prior to downsizing, that way you are only changing one thing at a time. Fewer surprises, less likelihood of drama.

--------------------

He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson

[Samurai136 0]

In addition to a skill assessment, what is it you are looking for in a new canopy, performance wise?

If you are happy w/ the performance of the Triathlon, you might go to the next size smaller. Which is probably better than moving to another canopy. The other canopies you mention all have different flight characteristics from the Triathlon. Avoid changing to many variables at once.

I would recommend progressing on the Triathlon150, Tri135 and then move over to a 9-cell. That should keep you busy and challenged for a few seasons.

Ken

"Buttons aren't toys." - Trillian
Ken

[Jimbo 0]

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Fewer surprises, less likelihood of drama.

Unfortunately in the case of skydiving and canopy flight drama usually translates directly into trauma.

Be careful.

-
Jim

"Like" - The modern day comma
Good bye, my friends. You are missed.

[Hooknswoop 19]

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lly, his exit weight at 1:1 would be 175, so his WL under a 150 should be 1.17, right?

Your'e right. I read it as 1.1:1. Duh..

Hook

[rendezvous 0]

If I was to practice getting some distance on landing by simply controlling toggle input before fully flaring would I get a lot more out of the canopy if it was 9 cell rather than 7 cell. At this point I'm not even thinking about swooping using turns. Max I do is a little front riser ( and too not always ) on a straight in approach and then try and get some glide out of the canopy. At 1:1 on a triathlon unless it's a no wind or a down wind landing there's not much horizontal distance that I get. From that point of view would it be better to switch to a 9 cell and practice on that. Again I'm not looking at anything radical here in performance. At the moment I'm only interested in fine tuning my basic piloting skills and get a little more performance than what a Triathlon @ 1:1 gives me.

[Samurai136 0]

Either increasing your Wingloading on a Triathlon or switching to another canopy will increase your swoop distance. It's just a matter of degree. If you move to a smaller semi-elliptical (slightly tapered) 9-cell it will turn and dive faster than you expect a Triathlon to turn and dive.

If you elect to switch to another canopy, stick with your current wingloading. Or at least demo some canopies at your current wingloading before buying.

With your experience I'd recommend staying w/ a Triathlon for a couple hundred more jumps and develop your piloting skill by doing CRW. Look at Bill Von's list of piloting skills to determine if you're ready. If you haven't landed off DZ, made some downwind/ crosswind landings, and had plenty of accurate stand-up landings, you should work on thos skills first.

Ken

"Buttons aren't toys." - Trillian
Ken

[rendezvous 0]

I've had a couple of, off DZ landings they were all good even though some were tight, done downwind and cross wind landings quite a few times and I don't have a problem with them, and can fly the current canopy in with quite a bit of accuracy too.

[skybytch 259]

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Again I'm not looking at anything radical here in performance. At the moment I'm only interested in fine tuning my basic piloting skills and get a little more performance than what a Triathlon @ 1:1 gives me.

I'd suggest a size smaller in a Tri, Spectre, Sabre2, Safire2, or Hornet. The Diablo is, imho, more like a Stiletto in how it opens, turns and flies and is not a canopy I'd recommend to someone with 100 jumps.

As others have said, check out billvon's list and be able to do everything on it with your current canopy before jumping something smaller/more aggressive. Contrary to popular belief, 7 cells can be swooped; just takes a bit more pilot skill than it does with a 9 cell. You might try getting some good canopy coaching before downsizing; knowing how to make what you have swoop longer may keep you happy with what you're flying now - and what you're flying now is less likely to bite you hard when shit hits the fan while you're still working on fine tuning your basic skills.

Demo before you buy. You'll be glad you did.

[riggerrob 558]

What do you mean by:

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"and get a little more performance than what a Triathlon @ 1:1 gives me."

For some people, "a little more performance" means softer openings. For others it means flatter glide to get them back from terrible spots.
For others "a little more performance" means faster toggle turns.
For some it means longer turf surfs.
For others, it means more stability in stacks.
For others it means more stability in deep brakes so they can stomp more discs, etc.

Please be more specific in what you want out of a canopy.


Also I cannot recommend Diablos for junior jumpers. Daiblos are seriously-tapered 7-cells that are designed to turn far faster than Triathlons. My boss describes a Diablo as a canopy that flies like a Stiletto without the scary openings. Mind you, the Diablo 135 that I have been jumping lately has been cutaway twice after it spun up on opening.You would be far wiser to put a few hundred jumps on a slightly tapered 7-cell (i.e. Spectre) before trying a seriously tapered 7-cell like a Diablo.