Kirils

My wife and I took the class from Scott together. we both considered it a total waste of our money. Sure it's nice to have video of your landings, but what the hay, it's not worth the price of the course! We both walked away feeling burned and learning nothing.

Has anyone jumped the "Fireball"? I hear it's a Crossfire II type from Jump Shack?

The ASTRA is a much better deal. It's tougher, batteries are cheap. And it can be turned off under canopy. The unit has been improved over the years
and is just as good, if not better than the Cypres.
I sold my Cypres and bought a new ASTRA. If you fly a hot canopy and hook, you need an ASTRA.

I have even a earlier model and called NAA (North American Aerodynamics) http://www.naaero.com/
They sent me a manual free of charge. and chatted about the canopy and flying it. (try that from PD) Great service, great company! Call them, you will be pleased!

I just tried it on an old pilot chute. It worked ok, but the color is blotchy.

It is my understanding PISA is still continuing to operate it's military sales under the PISA name. The "New Arodyne" is just a sport equipment marketing ploy. Other than being able to get Parachute's of France equipment here in the States,
I just see it driving up the price of gear and slowing innovation.

Here is a nifty article I pulled off the Chute Shack web site:

How to Dye Your Parachute:

WEAR GLOVES unless you want your hands dyed, and clean up any spills immediately!
In a large metal pan or bowl (4 quart, that you will never use for cooking again) place 1/2 gallon of water and 1/2 bottle of RIT brand LIQUID clothing dye. Make sure to shake the bottle vigorously as the pigment will have settled on the bottom while it has been on the shelf.
With the pan on the stove, slowly warm the dye/water solution to a temperature that is near boiling. You will start to see "wisps" of steam coming off the top before the water boils. You want this solution VERY hot, but not boiling.
Turn off the stove and SLOWLY immerse the parachute into the dye solution. Use a paint stirring stick (or other implement that you do not mind being dyed) do stir the parachute in the solution. Slowly turn the parachute over, and generally try to expose all of the 'chute that you can to the solution. Stir for about 10 minutes. BE AWARE that this solution is HOT and will be quite uncomfortable if you get it on bare skin. Wearing platex type kitchen gloves is wise.
Make sure that ALL of the 'chute is under the liquid. If it is not, add some hot water to the pad. DO NOT leave the shroud lines hanging out of the pan, they will allow the dye solution to wick out.
Make sure you have CLEANED UP any spills, the dye is pretty permanent.
Allow the 'chute to sit in the pan for 3 to 4 hrs while the solution cools. While wearing gloves, slowly lift the 'chute out of the pan and let any excess solution run off of it. Squeeze as much excess solution from the 'chute as you lift it out. Be careful not to drip..
Rinse the 'chute in COLD water for just a minute (30 to 60 seconds). Don't wash out all of the color. Squeeze out all of the excess water.
Hang the 'chute somewhere to dry with something (like a coffee can) under it to catch any liquid that will drip out of it.
That's it. Your 'chute should have a nice, permanent color to it. The RED works really well, I imagine the dark colors like black would also.

PISA no longer makes the Heatwave.

I have stalled my Xaos21 with brakes, but was warned tha rear riser stalls were not rcommended.

I have Psycho packed all my canopys except air-locked. Quick...neat and sweet.

I was looking at the Canon Optura 200MC Mini DV Camcorder. It has great features. Has anyone jumped one?

I have had a similar experience with Bill at Mirage.
They have earned my loyality!

Xaos 21..no doubt.

If you are serious check out http://www.works-words.com/Chapt1.pdf

As a former Jedei owner, I'll wait till the 14th revision before getting one.

Hitting the water at the wrong attitude can be like hiting concrete. Get a few hundred swoops over ground before attempting water.

I wouldn't be too concerned. It's hard to be precise about Jedei flight characteristics. The canopy has been tweeked and modifies as many times as Carter has liver pills. I demo'd a Springo and it opened and flew better then the Jedei I used to own.
i think all the air -locked canopy's claims are just hype.

I have less than 10 BASE jumps now and I'm still very skeptical if I willl continue. What amazes me is the rapid advancement of BASE canopy technology!
You guy's gotta be embarassing the conventional canopy manufacturing community! Why not apply your brillance and port over your concepts to non BASE community? Is there so much political pressure to prevent it? I just bought a BASE PC for my regular rig because it has a superior deployment.
The new BASE designs are great.

I have an AR-11 I occasionaly jump. Some DZ's won't let me jump it because of a bad rep from a few with manufacturing defects. i lucked out and got a good one! So goes the Nova.

I gotta say a Xaos has a soft opening. It hangs in brakes incredibly well. It's a cameramans HP dream.

The Conquest was a great canopy. So was the Pappion and the Excalibur... But time moves on and these are relics. 1000 jumps on a Conquest? Don't be an idiot! Cover your car with it.

And dude believe it or not the Stiletto ain't so new either! The Stiletto was a great canopy for it's time, but the newer canopies are far safer and superior. PD tends to be slow to change and squeezes the last drop of blood out of all it's designs. Don't screw around with out-dated technology; there are too many good modern canopies out there. Fly smart...Fly safe!

I've jumped a Jedei and a Vengence...the airlock concept sounds good, but where is the imperical evidence to show they are superior in any way?
You can keep your bulky airlocks,,,when their performance comes close to my Xaos, maybe I'll think about airlocks. Until then I tink airlocks are just a gimmic.

I've jumper the Mirage, Jav, Vortex, Stunts, Reflex, Dolphin and Vector III.

Every one of these manufactures has had bad times and good. Mirage has made an incredible comeback and has in my opinion has the best customer service and it is at the top in quality. The Jav has had some problems with delivery schedules and friends have reported QC problems...but it still is a great rig on par with the Mirage. I have 4 chops under a Reflex and it was the best of the pop-tops. The VectorIII is awesome, with excellent construction and comfort. nuff said...

Bottom line...demo them all and find the one for you. They are all good...you decide what is great for you.

Actually, I PREFER the ASTRA to the Cypres. That external off/on switch can be used under canopy to help prevent 2 canopy's out. The batteries can be purchased at most stores (I get mine from Target)
Look at the savings on batteries and maintenance and you will see the real value of the ASTRA. I have gotten rid of both my Cypres units and replaced them with ASTRA's.

I heard a rumor that PISA, which has always been the low price-point leader, is going to raises it's prices up to par with the rest of the industry. look for that $900.00 Heatwave to cost $1600.00 by years end. Thank you AR!