JessB

Im on my second flte suit. I out grew the first one. Have been nothing but happy with both of them! Price point is also a factor.

I drilled the hole and secured it with silicone. Hasn't moved in two years. Just smear a little on the lip and the wide part of the hypeye body. Keep it there for a couple hours and off you go.

Something i tell students or newer jumpers is to start by trying to keep your target at a 45degree angle from you. This means the half way point from straight down and straight out. This can give you a baseline for your canopy and the amount of ground speed you are carying. It will help develop your sight window and will also make you use half braked approaches or S turns to lose altitude if you need to on lesser wind days. It will also help on normal wind 5-10mph days to bring you in. This depends on your canopy but give it a shot. Like i said it will help give you a baseline for you to adjust from.

Lok into a wings. I'm 6'4 260 lbs. with a vx109 main and a 250 reserve. rig looks great and is super comfortable. people are amazed when they find out the canopy combination in it.

Gardner, Call me before you head north. Jess

Well said Avery!! LMAO

Helicoptor jump in quincy. My budy and I along with a coupl others from our dz exited first and we planned to open a little lower than the rest of our group. As we were in free fall I pointed at him at 2000' he nodded and smiled. Went for his BOC on a brand new rig. and missed. He went for it a second time and found it. By this time I am holding my pc out and ready to pitch it. once I saw his bag come off I let go of my PC and was in the saddle at about 400'. He and I still talk about the day we spooked our selves. We also turned the beer light on soon after that jump.

Don't worry abut what the little people say. I'm 6'04" 265. I knock on wood have yet to be hurt doing this. (Been lucky a few times) But you can enjoy this sport being a big guy. You'll find yourself in the base a lot but hell. It's all good.

Can't believe Kelly is dry in these. Hopefully the pond in Rantoul doesn't get him again this year.

I agree with skymonkey1. These are far too expensive a canopy to be developing skills with. If you fly a x-braced canopy at a light loading you will not be able to get near the performance that the canopy is designed for. You are far better to stick with an elliptical if you want to be at a more conservative loading level. If at a point you would want to get into a more aggressive loaded x-braced. Your pack volumes would be near the same. I went from an elliptical loaded at 2.0 to a x-brace loaded 2.6. The x-braced fit like "a bug in a rug". My .02 Stay with the elliptical to learn flying. I don't think anyone will dispute this opinion.

I don't know about bowling being safe? I once mistakenly kicked a Bowling Ball. It hurt. I can see the risk with that sport. 735

I agree with both bits of advice. You can learn the feel of the canopy up high. But at the same point you will not know the exact effects of altitude loss until you start working your way down towards the ground. What you will learn is the point that your canopy wants to dive in a flaring situation. and what degree of imput to use to keep it feeling level. I would suggest that once you get to the point that you are starting to do hook's or carving approaches with a straight line surf. Mimic your actions up high and through in a little more right or left (which ever but learn both) you are comfortable with. for the feel of the canopy. Carving is a lot of fun to do. But it can also help you out of situations at times. But as always. Go slow and learn at your own pace. Don't push yourself too hard. You will be around to enjoy it all a lot longer this way. Jess

If you are just learning the canopy. I wouldn't recommend that you use the harness method until you feel comfortable with the riser approach. Go ahead and start with the basics. Keep your chest strap tightened to prevent weight shift in your harness. Once you have the risers dialed. Start adding fome harness input. Just my .02 Jess

Don't forget that the Stilleto came out after about a year after the introduction of the Jonathan. When I had my New Jonathan ordered I talked to LeBlanc at the WFFC. He told me I was nuts for going with an eliptical. They had been trying to come up with an eliptical and they "just don't work" c-ya