Using a loaded, elliptical 9-cell for filming CRW

[cpoxon 0]

This weekend I shall be filming an 8-way speed formation team (and maybe some smaller sequential). I have filmed them before and have used a rig they supplied with a Triathlon 135 in (I weight 168 lbs, so with 20lbs of gear that's about a 1.4:1 wingloading - Plastic, if you are reading this, what are you guys loaded at?). On some of the jumps I have struggled to keep down with the formation, even using when using the burble from the stack, and have had to resort to some fairly serious bell-ringing to keep down. I am considering using my personal equipment (Crossfire2 109 loaded at about 1.8:1) to film instead. What concerns should I have about doing this? Firstly I thought turbulence from the formation may be an issue as the Crossfire won't react as well to it as the Triathlon. Secondly is whether the altitude loss on opening would be too excessive. The Triathlon is bagged like the Crossfire but the slider is packed collapsed...I wonder how the Crossfire would react to that?!

We are doing some training jumps tomorrow so I might give it a go, but would be interested to hear if anyone has any comments. Alternatively should I just put on some weight or find a smaller Triathlon/Lightning? I'd really like to use my Crossfire; that way I can get some decent swoops at the end, and also dissuade those pesky dogs from trying to dock on to me!

Skydiving Fatalities - Cease not to learn 'til thou cease to live

[Gadget 0]

Knowing Plastic and his gang one crossfire won't discourages them.So run fast and duck deep if you don't want to get pinned

Hans

If people from Poland are called Poles, why aren't people from Holland called Holes???
My logbook

[dragon2 0]

The xfire will have a lot of forward speed you need to get rid of, plus because it's wider, if you're in the burble of a stack, the endcells have no/less burble, which doesn't fly very well. also the openings are slow so you'll end up much lower than than the rest. A crw canopy is much better, otherwise a regular tri/spectre etc but these open much slower which can be a problem.

ciel bleu,
Saskia

[parachutist 1]

High aspect ratio canopies work well for filming CRW if you want photos from all sides (like for big-ways). You can stay at the same altitude with the formation, but you'll have a very diffuclt time slowing your forward speed enough to stay behind a team the whole time. If you do end up staying behind the team, likely the video will make people seasick from all the sashaying you'd be doing to stay back there.

So for filming teams I'd say not a good choice. It never hurts to try, though. Just make sure you have both canopies available in case one doesn'work well for you.

Chris W

[klingeme 0]

I used a Stilletto 120 for CReW video. You need to learn to Warp your canopy. Front riser, opposite toggle. Talkk to the dogs about it. It works like a charm but is scarry as hell the first few times you try it.

Mark Klingelhoefer

[kkeenan 13]

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scarry as hell the first few times you try it.

Just look at Mark's hair. You can tell he was pretty shook up.

_____________________________________
Dude, you are so awesome...
Can I be on your ash jump ?

[plastic 0]

Craig stuck with the triathlon and did an excellent job helping us take gold in 8-way and silver in rotations. the x-fire stayed where it should have, in the back of his car!

cheers craig.
plastic

[cpoxon 0]

Thanks for the comments people. Due to the issues I already had mentioned and those raised here, as well as my lack of experience filming CRW and jumping with the team, I elected to stay on the Triathlon 135 for the four training jumps (of 8-way speed) and the competition itself. We did okay; 2 Golds (8-way speed and 2-way sequential) and 2 Silvers (4-way rotations and 4-way speed)! :-D

I did get the opportunity to follow out a 2-way sequential plus camera during a jump off and took my Crossfire to see how it would handle. I assumed that it would take longer to open than the Tri packed with the collapsed slider, so I gave the 2-way a good 10 seconds before exiting so that I had horizontal and vertical leeway. The Crossfire predictably opened slowly (mostly due to the slider coming down - I do wonder how a high aspect ratio canopy would open with a collapsed or modified slider? perhaps a question for the Canopy Control forum?) and used all of the height buffer from the delayed exit but I was quickly able to make up the horizontal distance back to the 2-way. I was pleasantly surprised how compatible the flight of the Crossfire was with the 2-way (arguably the floatiest formations but with decent drive). However, the Crossfire really didn't like the turbulence I was picking up, and this was jsut 3 canopies, although I was flying a lot closer than I would have done for competition. Whereas the way that the Tri reacted to the turbulence was almost predictable, the Crossfire felt quiet unsettled by comparison and gave me a bit more concern. However, this could be something I could get used to after a while? I modified my flying style so that I passed through the burbles are quickly as possible, minimising my exposure to it, unlike sitting in it, with the competition flying. It gave some interesting footage but I prefer being right behind for competitive purposes.

Also had a lot of fun spiralling around Gordon and Gav whilst they "trashed" their canopies (both on the Triathlon and Crossfire). I might post some footage when I get a chance.

Congratulations to "my" teams, Cenobites (8-way speed), Lost Boys (4-way rotations and speed) and CFUK (2-way sequential) on the medals. Thanks for letting me film you; it was an honour and a privilege, as well as quite a bit of fun. It's just a shame we didn't enter the 4-way sequential too! Congratulations to all the other participants and medallists as well.

Uh oh, now they are threatening to get me inside the formations too!

Skydiving Fatalities - Cease not to learn 'til thou cease to live

[cpoxon 0]

Quote

You need to learn to Warp your canopy. Front riser, opposite toggle.

Yes, my team-mates told me about cross-control, as they call it. Due to the wide variation in flight characteristics of all the different formations I was filming this weekend, I did try to employ it (especially with the fast dropping 8-stack versus the forward moving Triathlon!) but I found it tricky to get the right balance and didn't want to be perfecting it in competition so mostly reverted to sashaying. Need to practice more!

Skydiving Fatalities - Cease not to learn 'til thou cease to live