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First Velocity Jumps

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Transitioning to the Velo, I found some threads on here very useful so thought I would post this to help anyone else going down this path...

From - Crossfire 2 129 ~1.7
To - Velo 111 (500HMA) ~1.95

I also have a couple of jumps on a RAGE 107.

The 1st Velo jump was from altitude and I was in the saddle by 7K. I followed the same sequence as on the Crossfire i.e. don't look up. don't fight it and go with the flow. The snivel was longer than the crossfire and canopy hunted L & R but opened pretty much on heading, the slider came down slowly and stuck halfway but cleared with a couple of pumps on the rears. Canopy handling was divey & fast as expected. Recovery from dives was very efficient and effective, but the dives are so aggresive that it still eats a lot of altitude, you definately dont want to be in the corner on this!! 1st landing was straight in with no wind at all (1500' elev) no additional induced speed and was no drama's with plenty of flare to bleed the speed off.

The other 5 jumps all had similar openings, the slider came down mostly unassisted but slowly.. Two of the openings had 180's (half line twists) but these were no issue to deal with. I was told a technique of grabbing both sets of risers and pulling them apart and this seemed to work pretty well.

The other landings were all 90's from brakes initiated from 470'. Riser pressure built quite quickly and harness input was effective. Oversteer was very noticable compared to the xfire (which had none). Recovery always needed some input - not due to turning low, but I suspect that I was not producing enough speed from the 90 for the canopy to plane out to level under its own steam... it was definately moving though!!

Overall - a fantastic canopy - I have a totally renewed love of flight!! I am looking forward to exploring what it can do as the jump numbers build. The openings were twitchy and 'exciting' but I had been well prepped for that so I actually found them less eventful than I had been expecting - so far. The openings were however very long and snivelly, even compared with the XF - I do feel that a smaller slider might be beneficial but at the moment, I don't feel the need to go down that route.

Oh - and I know I'm at the bottom end of the wingloading but I'll be happy enough on this for the next season or so before considering taking it up a notch.

Hope this helps if you are thinking of going down the X-braced path!

Paul.

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I actually found them less eventful than I had been expecting - so far



Thanks for the post, welcome to the world of the Velo ;)

I liked the "so far" part of that sentence. I had two hundred or so uneventful jumps on my Velo then two mals within six jumps of each other, all i can say is that when she goes, she goes!

Have fun and be safe

Advertisio Rodriguez / Sky

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Transitioning to the Velo, I found some threads on here very useful so thought I would post this to help anyone else going down this path...

From - Crossfire 2 129 ~1.7
To - Velo 111 (500HMA) ~1.95

I also have a couple of jumps on a RAGE 107.

The 1st Velo jump was from altitude and I was in the saddle by 7K. I followed the same sequence as on the Crossfire i.e. don't look up. don't fight it and go with the flow. The snivel was longer than the crossfire and canopy hunted L & R but opened pretty much on heading, the slider came down slowly and stuck halfway but cleared with a couple of pumps on the rears. Canopy handling was divey & fast as expected. Recovery from dives was very efficient and effective, but the dives are so aggresive that it still eats a lot of altitude, you definately dont want to be in the corner on this!! 1st landing was straight in with no wind at all (1500' elev) no additional induced speed and was no drama's with plenty of flare to bleed the speed off.

The other 5 jumps all had similar openings, the slider came down mostly unassisted but slowly.. Two of the openings had 180's (half line twists) but these were no issue to deal with. I was told a technique of grabbing both sets of risers and pulling them apart and this seemed to work pretty well.

The other landings were all 90's from brakes initiated from 470'. Riser pressure built quite quickly and harness input was effective. Oversteer was very noticable compared to the xfire (which had none). Recovery always needed some input - not due to turning low, but I suspect that I was not producing enough speed from the 90 for the canopy to plane out to level under its own steam... it was definately moving though!!

Overall - a fantastic canopy - I have a totally renewed love of flight!! I am looking forward to exploring what it can do as the jump numbers build. The openings were twitchy and 'exciting' but I had been well prepped for that so I actually found them less eventful than I had been expecting - so far. The openings were however very long and snivelly, even compared with the XF - I do feel that a smaller slider might be beneficial but at the moment, I don't feel the need to go down that route.

Oh - and I know I'm at the bottom end of the wingloading but I'll be happy enough on this for the next season or so before considering taking it up a notch.

Hope this helps if you are thinking of going down the X-braced path!

Paul.



I found that as I got more jumps on my HMA 500s my canopy's "great" openings decreased in consistency and I have to use the risers more. My VELO 111 is a DOM 2003 not sure if that has anything to do with it. I'm on my third HMA500 line set and its happened with each so far. I also make sure there are no twists in my steering lines.

If you relax during the opening too much, it will spin up - at least mine does LOL. I spent 7K kicking out 7 linetwists on a night jump when I opened at 11K. So I guess just watch out and don’t treat it as an XF2 during openings to much? I never flew my XF2s in the opening stage as much as this canopy. 700 jumps on XF2s Just under 1000 on my VELO.

Nice write up - You'll love the transition. Its a fun wing!


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Recovery always needed some input - not due to turning low, but I suspect that I was not producing enough speed from the 90 for the canopy to plane out to level under its own steam... it was definately moving though!!



Felt the need to comment on this. With the velocity, it isn't that you weren't going fast enough. I can only speak for the non-pro level swooping that I do (I'm not doing 450s, etc) but in my experience as fast as I can make that canopy go with 270s it doesn't ever plane out on it's own. Input is always required to get level flight. If I crank a 270 and then do nothing it just dives for awhile untill it has slowed down to normal flight.

it's the concept of a "negative" recovery arc that people always talk about on here. I think the term negative isn't great, but it doesn't have a positive recovery arc like your crossfire does. (I fly a V103 and a XF2-129 in my rigs.)

Hope that helps, stay safe. :)
~D
Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me.
Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

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**Update**

Have now put 24 Jumps on the Velo - A line twist or 2 on a couple of the openings but nothing too dramatic. I have stuck with 90's for now and have rear risered a few of them. Major difference to the Xfire here as the Velo needed much more input, not really higher pressure but just a lot more input... Loving the canopy, no regrets at all!

Thanks for feedback and input :-)

Paul.

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> Hope this helps if you are thinking of going down the X-braced path!

Yes, it did very much – thanks :-) I just did a similar thing to you. I’m doing my 90's a touch higher. I had some [pilot error] issues with the openings, I’m told the openings are an acquired taste...

Have you started on 270s?
Blue Dreams Benno

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I now have 120 jumps on the 111. Most of the last 50 or so have been 270's from 650-700'.

I haven't chopped it yet, but have had 5 spinning line twist openings that very nearly went!!! The cause tends to be in the latter part of the opening, the canopy will occasionally surge (usually left) then suddenly stop on a heading as the slider comes down and the canopy inflates. The problem kicks in if I am unable to stop my body turning as the canopy stops and I spin up under the canopy, see 3:05 www.pauljcooper.co.uk/videos/SibJumps_17April2010.wmv
There is a more 'normal' opening at 06:05 & there are a few 270 landings (not the best) at the end too...

I have put the smaller slider on and that has definately helped the openings - it is still slow to come down though.

I have tried a few different tips on opening, but what I find works best is to focus on looking at the horizon, keeping symmetrical in the harness and either leaving the risers alone or pulling all 4 apart slightly. As the slider comes down, I get on the rears and go with it. Most of the openings are interesting, but not too bad - it really is a lottery!!

Overall, it's a fantastic canopy - flies and lands great but the openings.... I'm still learning!

Any suggestions or comments welcomed :-)

Cheers
Paul.

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That sounds about normal for a velo. I also swapped out the slider for a smaller RDS one and that improved the openings, the faster openings were more on heading. I have a comp velo now and the openings are really good, no searching just soft and on heading. I use it for normal skydives with just the slider rather than full RDS. Maybe time PD released a Velocity 2 with the improved openings of the comp velo?

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I have tried a few different tips on opening, but what I find works best is to focus on looking at the horizon, keeping symmetrical in the harness and either leaving the risers alone or pulling all 4 apart slightly. As the slider comes down, I get on the rears and go with it. Most of the openings are interesting, but not too bad - it really is a lottery!!

Overall, it's a fantastic canopy - flies and lands great but the openings.... I'm still learning!

Any suggestions or comments welcomed :-)

Cheers
Paul.



thats what i do on my katana. (also known for exiting openings) Before i tried steering the opening on rears...gave me some wild rides.

PS your casual grips on the toggles gives me the creeps ;)

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