Stupid question time: CReW canopy as all-around, just-off-student main?

[FrogNog 1]

I'm window-shopping (window-licking for some of you - you know who you are) for my first rig / rig parts, and since I'm leaning heavily toward 200+ sf to be no more than 1:1 wl*, a portion of what catches my eye is CReW mains.

(*I estimate my out-the-door weight at ~215.)

I have read about some diffs between 7-cell and 9-cell, and I know some obvious lining differences between CReW and "regular" canopies, and from what I can see CReW canopies tend to be square and have lower aspect ratios. But this doesn't seem like the knowledge I really want.

So, out in the open: why would or wouldn't I want to use a CReW canopy as a main? (Uh, other than "I want to do CReW", which so far I don't. )

I saw a hint of discussion somewhere that some CReW canopies can take terminal openings and some can't. Are there general rules about this? What about the rest of their flying, like drive, stability in what I like to call "chunky-style air", and flare?

Ooh, and what about mal rates, assuming I continue to take all those anal packing steps CReW Dawgs consider superfluous, like flaking?

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Pull.

[schattenjaeger 0]

From what I've heard, CReW canopies for the most part open bad and land bad, since that's not why people are sposed to buy them. Since typically they're designed to be pitched going out the door, terminal openings will thwack you pretty good, and your landings...well, obviously they land fine, but it's not their specialty. Again though, I've got 8 jumps and this is just what I've heard, I'm sure someone knows better

[Unstable 8]

I have around 150 jumps on an old CReW Canopy - I bought it as along with my First Rig. It is a PD 7-Cell that was modified extensivly. It wasn't a bad canopy to learn on, very forgiving and docile, but after a while, (about 15 jumps) i just got sick of it. I've had to learn to carve in with my front risers with low jump numbers just to get a decent flare out of the thing, and i GURANTEE you, you will be bored with in in 20 jumps. There is such a surplus of GREAT used canopies out there, especially the old Sabre Mark 1's, why would you buy an old CReW canopy (other than to do CReW ) ??

=========Shaun ==========

[AggieDave 6]

You know, Spectres are nice to use for some moderate CReW...never mind that for normal skydiving they open sweet and fly very nice (and land nice as well).

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

[D22369 0]

If you get yourself a triathlon with the crw mods (reinforced with a retractable pilot chute) and a standard slider (no mesh) I believe this could be what you are looking for, Taking a lightning or prodigy to terminal is a good way to support your chiropractors children through college. The triathlon has good drive depending on your wing loading of course, its an extremely stable canopy in turbulance. Just dont expect a lot of performance from it, just good flight characteristics and good landings. Hope this helps:

Roy

They say I suffer from insanity.... But I actually enjoy it.

[Tonto 1]

You don't want a hard core CReW rig as a main.

Reasons why not.

1. Packing without a bag sucks.
2. The canopy will survive a terminal opening fine.. but you won't.
3. They're trimmed nose down for stability in wake turbulence, and this makes them hard to land.
4. They pack bulky because of the reinforcing on the nose etc.
5 Their glide angle is poor - even for a 7 cell - so out landing posibilities increase.

Reasons why.

1. If you ever have a canopy collision - you're gonna be smiling!

t

It's the year of the Pig.

[darkwing 4]

Just get a big "regular" canopy. Not CRW. Something such as a Spectre (my personal fav).

-- Jeff
My Skydiving History

[dragon2 0]

You can certainly jump a fun-CFcanopy for a first main, like a Spectre, Omega, Triathlon.

Some older models were (used as) CF canopies too, like Cruislites. You can pick those up cheap if you really have no $$$.

Newer competition CF canopies are a no-no for freefall, and are a b*tch to land. But there are guys who jump bigger F111 or F111/ZP Lightnings with bag and slider as a regular main and like 'em. So it IS doable should you come across such a canopy. But they still are more difficult to land then say a Spectre.

A good canopy for both more-than-casual CF AND freefall is a hybrid Triathlon (meaning a ZP Tri but with CF mods), but you might want to change the retractable pilot chute for a regular one if you only freefall, makes for less mals, and makes for less potential canopy damage. But so far I haven't seen many of these canopies on the 2nd hand market.

Should you decide to get a CF main, ask a rigger if you're not sure it can handle terminal (or rather, if YOU'll be happy with a terminal opening). There's a lot of CF/semi-CF canopies around, some might work...

Personally I don't find the CF canopies I've jumped hard to land, except for the Diamant. I like 7 cells, and these CF canopies are even more stable in turbulence then regular 7 cells...

ciel bleu,
Saskia

[riggerrob 558]

As long as you:
A - keep the wing loading near 1 pound per square foot.
B - Install a simple bridle

and

C - Install a fabric slider,
an old CReW canopy will do just fine for a junior jumper.
The main problem with modern CReW canopies is that competitors overload them. Overloading results in sh***y landings, etc.

[DJL 232]

I jump a Triathlon Hybrid. This is the best canopy for what you're looking for.

"I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

[FrogNog 1]

OK, it sounds like what I was considering is doable, there are just tricks and details I would have to keep in mind, and it's not worth it for the minor $ saving.

I will give consideration to Triathlons and see if I can find a big enough one to get a ride on. A lot of people around me prefer 9-cells and think I will too, but I have a tendency to be different.

Props to whats-his-Monkey for pointing out right away that I would be the weak link in the repeated terminal CReW-canopy opening process.

-=-=-=-=-
Pull.

[DJL 232]

A Triathlon Hybrid opens at the same speed as any regular canopy. It does come with the retractable (not collapsible) PC multi-ring configuration but I just have my regular bridle at the single connection point. You don't have to do any more "tricks" than you would with any other canopy.

Stick with a 7 cell for CRW, just because that's what everyone else does, so it'll be easier to match canopies. A more experienced CRW-dawg could probably tell you the deeper reasons 7 cells are used. Also, you can get thick A-lines with the Tri Hybrid. See http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=496450;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;;page=unread#unread for what lines can do to your legs.

"I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

[TheMonkey 0]

you want to keep your wingloading at 1:1 till you know what you are doing....typical crw wing loading i believe should be above 1.3:1 ideally....so buy a crw canopy now, break yourself, then not be able to do crw without wearing an monkeyload of weight....i would buy a used canopy suitable for your experience and then worry aboot crw later.....but that's just me, i could be wrong.....btw, there are no stupid questions, just tons of inquistive idiots!

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Never argue with an idiot, they will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience!