BigL

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Posts posted by BigL

  2. When I can't wear my swoop shorts I usually just run the $14 Jeans. Fairly rugged and not super expensive to replace if they blow out.

    That being said, if you're new to the sport, moderately athletic, and you're flying a modern parachute you should be able to stand up landings.

    • Like 1

  3. The CF2 is known for that, and that was my experience when I borrowed a 119 for a few loads.

    The CF3 dives more from what I've seen, still quick but fine to learn 90's on.

    I liked the Katana the most and that's the way I went.

  4. You should make your decision on the type of canopy piloting you'd like to do.

    The CF2 is not suitable to learn HP turns, the recovery arc is too short. Nice and safe everyday canopy designed for the non-swooper.

    The CF3 is fine for learning HP turns. It's most peoples introduction wing for doing 90's etc.

  6. Yeah cartwheel, it feels the safest because I can keep easily keep reference throughout. I just try and give myself a bit of speed from the HD side because it takes some time to find the angle get on the gas pedal once HU.

    Another easy-ish one is HD Backfly and float up to the belly slot then go through the back to HU Belly.

  7. · Edited by BigL

    I feel pretty maxed out when following HD yeah, but there is more range for sure.

    At the moment I think the head and the arms are still creating lots of drag. Focused on keeping the head neutral and looking down with my eyes, and to fly on level and not behind.

    The arms are going to take some time because they feel like my main source of stability. Thanks!

  8. On 12/16/2020 at 7:56 AM, cbassmnm said:

    Any FOOTage yet?

    Here are 2 recent jumps. At the moment my focus is flying on level on my belly, and getting more range to play with.

    The HU backflying is still in the building blocks stage.

     

  11. 9 hours ago, HelmetSky said:
    • Choppy Wind
      • The hold that iFly has is why I was looking into other tunnels, like LuxFly. It looks like LuxFly uses TunnelTech as their "Tunnel Provider", just don't know too much about them and how they compare to Skyventure's tunnel.
    • Diffusing Flight Chamber
      • Interesting, didn't even think of that, is this for safety or a holdover from "older" designs (if you know)
    • Size
      • Yeah from what @dolphinka said, I agree the middle of the road is what looks right to me too
    • Wind Limitation
      • Good point, while I'm not the heaviest of a person, I'm not the lightest of them either... I'd hate to spend all my tunnel time on the net. Is there somewhere that compares their speeds or are most companies the same (like all iFly tunnels "newer ones" the same limits?)

    Who's the maker of the tunnel near you? (So I can compare to what's around me)

    Thank you for your reply! 

    I'm unfamiliar with who has what designs, but the freefliers at the DZ will know what's good and what isn't in your area.

    The diffusing - might make first flights safer/easier but I'm not an instructor so I could be wrong there.

    My home tunnel is an iFly 14 Footer. 2 Fan Recirculating design.

    • Like 1

  12. · Edited by BigL

    Here are some things to consider, assuming you have more than one tunnel to choose from.

    Choppy Wind
    Modern tunnels are generally smoother than older designs, they've been improving over time. Patents in your country may restrict a company to a certain design which may be better or worse than their competitor. Reach out to the flyers in your community for a consensus on this.

    Diffusing Flight Chamber
    Some tunnels (including modern designs) the glass gets wider as the flight chamber goes up, meaning the wind speed drops off considerably from 1m --> 2m --> 3m above the net. This is not ideal, and not a good representation of the what the sky is like.

    Size
    12 Foot is cheap but small/cramped. Good for initial solo stuff but once you start moving around does become quite small. A lot of 12 footers are the diffusing type described above.
    14 Foot is reasonably priced and big enough for all solo coaching stuff. Really good for 2-Way Dynamic.
    16 Foot is expensive and good for big formation stuff. No real advantage over the 14-footer for solo work.

    Wind Speed Limitations
    Some tunnels are not powerful enough to fly Head Down in comfortably, becomes more of a problem the heavier you are. To be avoided if HD is your goal.

    Coaching Staff
    Finding a coach you click with and progress quickly with is probably one of the most important factors. A good coach will save you $$$ of tunnel time in the long run.

    I'm lucky to live in a city where we have a modern, non-diffusing 14-foot tunnel that is very powerful and smooth. I haven't flown in any others but everyone I've talked to who has been around loves our tunnel. This is all just opinion of course!

  14. · Edited by BigL

    On 1/28/2020 at 8:39 AM, BigL said:

    Thanks for the reply, this is pretty much what I've heard around the DZ as well.

    I was on a Sabre2 120 and personally decided to use a KA107 to bridge the gap between the Sabre2 and the JFX2 while I'm still loading my wing under 1.8. I would have considered the Crossy3 if it dived more, just my $0.02

    I put my first 13 jumps on my new JFX2 94 this weekend past as well!

    I came from a KA107 loaded at 1.69 and I'm loading the new wing at 1.93.

    Initial impressions:-

    - Way more responsive to harness, I can do the flick in my 270 all harness now.
    - Fronts are easy to get down after my bump, but they come up earlier after being held down than my KA.
    - The rears actually work, compared to the KA rears which were terrible by comparison.
    - Toggle stroke is a lot shorter than most of the wings I've flown, stalls just below my armpits.
    - Dives a touch more than my KA, felt like a pretty easy transition between recovery arcs.
    - Swoops for days! The thing cuts through the air and is just so efficient at converting vertical speed to horizontal.

    Super stoked, so much to learn!

  17. 4 hours ago, EvilGenius said:

    I'm also 70kg and started my 90's at similar height (~420) on a Sabre 2 it dives more than a Saf2 and possibly more than both the Crossfire 2 & 3, the 3 doesn't dive a whole lot more than the 2. The Gangster from Fluid Wings is the one I'd choose (and I did) due to the recovery arc, I prefer it to the JFX (haven't tried the JFX2) but it's still a high perfomance wing and please please check with some smart people whether you're ready for it!

     

    Sweet, what height is your 270 on the Gangster, and what size wing?

  19. · Edited by BigL
    Changed wording

    I have dozens of feet first angles, plenty of 2-Ways as well. I can hold a slot on my back with a HU Leader, I'm still working out belly.

    Been playing around with it, generally I'm finding if I chase it HD Back first then transition to HU Belly this is the easiest way to get relative and start working out the inputs. I do it off the side of the jump in my own airspace so it's safe.

    Will keep updating this thread as I figure it out, and maybe post some footage.

  20. On 12/21/2019 at 6:04 PM, Jaysus said:

    For me personally, the step from Crossfire3 to JFX2 was the biggest step so far when changing canopies.

    The JFX2 is a total beast when coming from a Crossfire. Not in a bad way, but you really have to treat the JFX2 very carefully to get to know it.

    It has so much more power in every aspect, and you feel way more connected to the canopy, especially when just flying with harness input, its just so much more fun.

    And once you jumped it, you never want to go back

    Thanks for the reply, this is pretty much what I've heard around the DZ as well.

    I was on a Sabre2 120 and personally decided to use a KA107 to bridge the gap between the Sabre2 and the JFX2 while I'm still loading my wing under 1.8. I would have considered the Crossy3 if it dived more, just my $0.02

  22. I freefly a lot, I have a suit for the Wind Tunnel only. It's a tight dynamic suit which isn't suitable for the sky.

    In the sky I just wear tight jeans and a shirt. Just pick a shirt long enough so you can tighten your leg straps over so it won't blow over the top of your handles if you're head-up flying.

    What matters is consistency. Always wear the same or similar clothes so you become familiar with your flight surface, this is the advantage of a jumpsuit - it always flies the same.

  23. Posted

    Thoughts on when to start chasing angles on your feet? When did you start? Is there a limit of how flat/slow you can chase?

    Is it constructive to start chasing them earlier rather than later? I'm confident I can chase them and stay safe (will start on my back).

    My general train of thought is when I learned angles on my head I spent quite a few jumps chasing them before learning the exit and flying efficient enough to make and stay on the jump.

     

  25. · Edited by BigL

    4 hours ago, blouberg said:

    Think it will be some time before I can do 45 minutes a day. Did 20 minutes today, as I'm still learning the basics it*s a lot to absorb, body holds up fine, but i get mentally worn out. 

    Absolutely, work up to what you're comfortable with, everyone is different!

    When I'm doing 45min in a day, I usually fly 3x blocks of 15 minutes an hour apart between each session. This gives you the debrief time in the tunnel between rotations, and the 30 mins debrief time between sessions.

    Edit to say: When I'm flying VFS with my team, we usually only do 20 minutes a night (20 x 1min).