zsombi 1 #1 May 31, 2015 Hi everybody, I have ~225 jumps, my transitions: at ~30 jumps started jumping a Sabre 190 WL 1.0 at ~60 jumps Stiletto 150 and Safire 149 WL 1.25 at ~120 jumps a Stiletto 135 WL 1.45 And ATM I have a Katana 135 WL 1.55. I have 6 jumps on this monster, flies awesome, but opens terrible. The first 4 jumps were Hn'P, it opened Katana-like OK. My 5th jump was my first cutaway, after a line-twist, also Hop and Pop. One week later I had to cutaway again my 6th jump on the Katana. Terminal, line-twist... My father jumped it about 10 times, he can handle it well. I have wrong body position. I never ever had problems with openings, but it seems the canopies I used were too forgiving. I don't wear a camera, but on the last jump, a cameraman jumped with me, and after that everybody told me it was my leg. I let my leg to kick up asymmetrically. Any suggestions from you, HOW TO fly the opening? I dont trust if I deal with this leg-problem, my openings will be better. Body position, legs, hands, looking up, any tricks, ideas to control my opening. I don't want to sell this wing, so please Icarus lovers don't come with Xfire. I have to learn this if I want an any higher performance canopy in the future. Thanks! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DvK 2 #2 May 31, 2015 http://media.giphy.com/media/GjYjLvGErsggg/giphy.gif Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thedude911 0 #3 May 31, 2015 https://i.imgur.com/EDgSH14.gif Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ledballoon 1 #4 May 31, 2015 Ur maybe leaning one way or the other through the opening. Once u feel it out the bag try to relax, don't look at the canopy, hold the risers lightly and if you begin to feel it going one way or the other try to 'steer' it with your butt in the harness dont make big aggressive inputs If u think ur body position is at issue one of our AFF instructors gets students to lie on their bellies and press their toes against a wall, legs bent as if in freefall, to get better awareness of what it feels like they're doin with their legs maybe do high pulls give yourself more time to kick outta line twists? For the difference in price between a hop n pop and full altitude you get proportionally a lot more flight time. Hope that helps and that this is good advice, I'm sure I will be told shortly if it is not! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
XMarked 0 #5 May 31, 2015 I always thought ATM stood for Ass to Mouth. Learned something new today. First thing you need to do is put that canopy away for about 500-1000 jumps by then the material should be properly bonded and will work together better than a brand new wing. Good luck Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zsombi 1 #6 May 31, 2015 2 of the jumps were high pulls. My coach said I have to push my shoulder towards the 3ring, other swoopers say, just stay relaxed, and keep my feet together symmetrically. I'm curious about your opinions. PS.: Thanks the GIFs, and thanks Brenan for putting me on SoFPiDaRF Facebook. I jumping with my coach since my 1st jump (same as my instructor) the 80% of my jumps were canopy piloting, in 225 jumps I haven't even touched the front risers under 1000ft , and I won't downsize for a while, I just wanted to start swooping on a "safer" canopy for this. (I mean Katana has longer recovery, if you make the turn in a safe altitude you have more time to recover or accurate the flight.) Don't eat me because of this non-conservative way of downsizing. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lowhook 0 #7 May 31, 2015 The Valkyrie is much more forgiving than the Katana, especially at higher wingloadings. Luckily with your progression you will be there in 10-20 jumps. So all should be AOK! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zsombi 1 #8 May 31, 2015 It wasn't funny on facebook either... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hookitt 0 #9 May 31, 2015 Don't lean. Stay square and as the harness becomes loaded, put your legs together to keep the harness even. If your canopy consistently opens a certain direction, chances are the tightness of the leg straps is uneven. Your body shape may require that you tighten one leg strap more than the other. Sometimes a canopy will turn hard a direction as it opens. Don't fight it. Keep your knees together securely and just go with the canopy. "Helping" it to open straight causes more harm than good. Many Kananas have terrible opening characteristics. Get used to it or replace it.My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lowhook 0 #10 May 31, 2015 Waching hubris kill someone in this sport is never funny. But you seem to have things covered pretty well. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tristansdad 0 #11 May 31, 2015 Your first mistake is posting on DZ.com and letting everybody know you're jumping only a Katana 135 with such high jump numbers. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zsombi 1 #12 May 31, 2015 http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=4482657;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;;page=unread#unread Please! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lowhook 0 #13 May 31, 2015 This is not bashing you on canopy control. It is just a general observation that your attitude has you headed straight to a wheelchair controlled by a sippy straw. I think you will skip right past the femur part. I think trying to keep someone alive is a positive thing. You can't even get it to open. Just wait until your are flying it into the ground. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zsombi 1 #14 May 31, 2015 If I didnt write my transition, would people write a straight answer or opinion? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lowhook 0 #15 May 31, 2015 Writing your transition just verified what everyone probably would have concluded. BTW, since you like stickies, here is another on for you: http://www.bigairsportz.com/pdf/bas-sizingchart.pdf I believe in there somewhere it says that you have no business on a full elliptical at this point. I'll drop it now and wait for you over on SoFPiDaRF Facebook group. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jumpsalot-2 3 #16 May 31, 2015 Sangi might.Life is short ... jump often. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Di0 1 #17 May 31, 2015 zsombiIf I didnt write my transition, would people write a straight answer or opinion? Nah, we'd still give you shit for choosing a canopy that is knowingly extremely touchy on openings without having enough body awareness to even be able to figure out you have asymmetrical legs on deployments without somebody telling you. Then, eventually, after inquiring on your jump number and finding out about your progression, we'd give you shit for flying a katana 135 without all of the above requirements. Basically, you only saved us time and for that we are grateful.I'm standing on the edge With a vision in my head My body screams release me My dreams they must be fed... You're in flight. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gubitarr 0 #18 May 31, 2015 Try to speed up the opening by tucking everything in after you pitch. Just throw, get very symmetrical and bring in your hands and knees as it is standing you up. Then just get very even in the seat. Pretty much you should not be chopping a Katana becuase of line twists at this wing loading. It is an aggressive canopy but unless you have like 5+ twists over your head, and low altitude, there is almost no reason not to fly out of them. Start doing pull ups daily, get fit, and gain some strength, or move up to a less aggressive wing it you cannot handle the openings. I have about 150 jumps on a katana at 1.8/1 and I have had pretty insane openings. Packing makes a difference also. I found that a precision pack worked best for it actually. But then you just enjoy the ride. Next time you jump it just be prepared to fight for a second, and you should regain control of the wing if getting really even in the saddle doesn't work for you. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shane4 0 #19 June 1, 2015 If you have turned to dz.com for skydiving advice, its time to hang it up. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bufobufo 0 #20 June 1, 2015 For the first 100 jumps on the katana I made sure I had the altitude to deal with some of the problems that might pop up during an opening by buying some time. I talked to the load organizer, pilot and made sure all knew I was pulling at 5000 feet. By pulling higher I bought ~10-20 seconds extra to deal with opening related issues, depending on the problem. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7faLWctCAA [Edit]Wall of text removed in favor for a video instead. Long story short: do like this, but mind your neck if you get a slammer(I rather watch the horizon, as the risers give out enough info during the streaming process until it has lost some of the initial speed). Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
piisfish 136 #21 June 1, 2015 just as a quick question, which DZ/Country (if you prefer to remain vague) condones jumping such canopies at those wingloading with your experience ? Seriously, slow down a bit. Read a bit about Sangi, maybe get him on Facebook. He might be the right person to keep you on your feet for a long time.scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bufobufo 0 #22 June 1, 2015 piisfishjust as a quick question, which DZ/Country (if you prefer to remain vague) condones jumping such canopies at those wingloading with your experience ? Seriously, slow down a bit. Read a bit about Sangi, maybe get him on Facebook. He might be the right person to keep you on your feet for a long time. This is the Sangi guy they are referring to btw unless you are familiar with the name already, @Zsombi. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tF578oSkrKk Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dqpacker 7 #23 June 1, 2015 Dump in a track like a man. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BASE1375 0 #24 June 1, 2015 http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=4728303;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;;page=unread#unread10,000 jumps, with a log for every single jump. Unlike some USPA National Directors with 14,750 Fake jumps with the flying skills to prove they are fake jumps.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zlew 0 #25 June 1, 2015 You have probably been bashed on here enough, and you are going to do what you are going to do. But I will say this- The Katana is no joke. It is the most aggressive non-cross braced canopy I have flown. I've never jumped anything that dives more readily than a KA, and recovery is similar to a velo (with much less power to dig out). It's fully elliptical with all of the good and bad that goes along with that (including not being forgiving of mistakes on opening). Go easy man. That wing, wingloading, and your jump numbers add up to very high risk. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
