1234hutch

Hi People are correct to point out the the elipticals are going to turn faster, dive a little harder, particularily when loaded past 1.3:1. Also at the higher wing loadings the "bad" characteist Another point of veiw is that the elipiticals are often generally flatter gliding and a little slower in full flight particularly when loaded at 1:1 hutch ps . I have some gear email me outside the forum

fair enough hutch

My humble apoligies I just read the 'rules ' and discovered that I committed a faux pax and "Shouted". I grovel before the moderator and all that I may have upset I am now crawling on broken glass to earn forgiveness Ouch.. ouch Hutch

hi You'll just wreck almost any non industrial machine on most skydiving stuff. having said that there are a couple of portable industrial machines that will fit the bill... I just do not know their names or models etc. I suggest blowing 200-400 on an industrial Pfaff or similar. in the long run you will be happier. And remember folks you legally must be a rigger to sew on rigs hutch

dave likes bad puns hutch

yes firelite were a main and I even think flight concepts still makes them. In their day they were a great canopy. Remember stilletos and zero p have not been around forever hutch

your steering lines are too short as you assessed or conversily your arms are too long. as you do the turn you are stalling that side of the canopy causing theat side of the canopy to rotate backwards as the other side moves forward. Canopies have a definate control range the top is full speed the bottom is is WHEN the canopy stalls. Your arm length may easily exceed this distance. First determine that your steering lines allow the canopy to fly with the tail all the way up and adjust it so that they are. Second, determine where your canopy stalls. This is not nessecarily when your hands are all the down. It might be at you waist, your midriff, your nipples, where ever. Thrid, never turn or flare past this point with that canopy because you now know where the line is that that you get into trouble. Fourth, do this with every canopy you ever own. Hope this helps hutch

Speaking as a senior dude who has been swooping canopies since about 1983 I hope you were not suggesting that F-111 canopies cannot be swooped. the velocity type canopy originally appeared circa 1988-90 as a f-111 canopy called the excaliber ( made by pd), and was well received as such. Jumpers over loaded it radically for a f-111 canopy and had problems as the porisity increased. It faded away when pd intro'd the saber. I have swooped hobbits, firelites, unit's, fury's and manta's (yeah a student canopy). Admittly not for hundreds of feet. It is a matter of piloting technique and having enough SPEED to generate the EXCESS lift to maintain altitude (level flight) and still have the SPEED to move forward. Get any canopy past this threshold and you are skimming. (lets not add the phsyic's of ground effect to the disscussion) A canopy gets the speed to produce this lift one of two ways: 1. by loading it so that the canopies is flying fast enough to produce the excess lift on a straight in approach and flare or 2. by doing radical moves to build the speed High performance pilots are using both concepts Hutch

hi I pack a naro quite often. as an experinced master rigger I like the the fact that the reserve free bag has a kicker plate/stiffener build in reducing the total number of flap involved in closing the the rig. the velcro for the rizer covers is almost identical to the racer NOS (narrow over the shoulders) and no one seems to poo poo them. They are more than adequate for rw and free fly IF WELL MAINTAINED. reserve pin protection is great, the main is adequate. They do have some options like stainless 3 rings and collapsible p/c. I admit that the one I pack is a little older so they may have even more options by now. hutch