CygnusX-1

I have both a Neptune and Pro-Track. I have the Neptune as a visual and Pro-Track as an audible in my Oxygn A3. I wear earplugs and with the Pro-Track set to the low volume setting, I don’t have any trouble hearing it while in freefall. I have never tried the Neptune as an audible. The reason being is that I like the way the Pro-Track does its alarms, specifically the final alarm. The Neptune’s final alarm is a flatline tone, while the Pro-Track oscillates between two frequencies. I believe the changing frequency would grab my attention faster than just a single frequency – especially while I may be fighting with a canopy malfunction.

I didn’t mean to imply that downsizing is the only way to get a performance increase. I was more or less stating my observations between my 190 and the 150’s. Downsizing though does give you more kinetic energy, i.e. speed. Another one of my reasons for downsizing is that I want to get more penetration into the wind. I’ve never gone backward while under my 190, but I have on a few occasions turned onto final and come straight down. As for wing loading, I’m not exactly sure since I never weighed myself with the smaller rig on. But guessing it would be around 1.16 to 1.2 : 1. Personally, wing loading means nothing to me. It is just a number you can throw out to either try to impress somebody or in our case give a very rough estimate on how a canopy might perform. I’m more interested in can I control this canopy given my experience/talent and what I expect to do under a specific canopy. To me canopy choice is more of a personal decision. I would not ask “Which canopy should I choose” or “What size should I be jumping”. For me the question is, “What is the difference between this and this.” Let me know what I should expect and how to get out of problems and then let me experience it. I’m not one to just try something and then ‘lets see what happens’. So yes, I have taken a canopy control class. After I get my new rig, one of the first things I’m going to do is take one of Flight-1’s advanced canopy classes and maybe, just maybe, I’ll get some more time to work with Jay Moledzki. But who knows. And AggieDave…wait a minute; skydiving is dangerous?? Damnit why didn’t somebody tell me this before? Now I guess I’ll just have to find another more docile sport. Anybody up for some tiddly-winks? (sp?) No that won’t work, I could choke on those little plastic disks. Oh well, the search continues…

Please do NOT follow this statement verbatim. Generally, instructors will try to get you to land safely. I have also heard stories (first hand account) of directions that would send you into a gully, building, or (pick an) obstacle. You are the one under canopy, not your instructor. Trust your instincts. If you think you are being led somewhere you don’t want to go, don’t do it. This may seem logically obvious, but if it were true these accounts would not have happened.

Off topic, but I couldn't resist. Last year in the county (not country, or state) that I live in there were approx. 125 vehicle fatalities. And this year I think we are up to 5 already. Now let's see, which do you think is more dangerous - driving on the roads or skydiving. (Rhetorical question, please don't answer)

Yes it is, and that is what I'm looking for. I've made a couple of jumps on a 170 and wasn't happy with the performance increase. The 150 gives me the performance increase without being too big of a step down such that it becomes dangerous. I'm also kind of biased toward PD. I don't know, maybe it has something to do with driving past their factory every day to work...

First, this is by no means a recommendation for a specific canopy. It is more of an observation I have made. I am currently in the process on downsizing myself. A couple of weeks ago I spent two back-to-back days jumping first a spectre 150 and then a saber2 150. I only made a very limited number of jumps on either one. Some of what I say could (and probably is) be wrong. Please someone correct me if I am wrong as I also would like to know that. All disclaimers aside, here is what I noticed: 1) Both canopies responded to toggle turns very well. I could not tell you if one had a tighter turn radius than the other one. 2) Flat turns were fairly easy to do without loosing altitude on both canopies. However, I have heard from more experienced jumpers that there is less over-steer on the spectre and therefore you have better control. 3) Toggle pressure seemed less on the spectre than the saber2. I only noticed this while flying in brakes for a long time and my arms didn’t seem to get as tired under the spectre. I’ll update you all on this one after I get my arms back from calibration… 4) Flare on landing seemed to be flatter on the saber2 which may be useful for those of us learning how to not kill ourselves while doing performance landings. 5) I’m not going to go into the obvious aspects which anyone can find out with a little bit (and I do me very little) of research, snatch force, snivel, opening characteristics. I am also in no way qualified to comment on front riser turns or high performance landings on these canopies and therefore shall leave that to someone else. So which did I choose to get? I’m not saying except that it begins with a ‘s’ and ends with a ‘2’. Now if I could only find a used one that is a decent discount from the new cost.

The porter sucks.... I'll jump out of the Otter or Skyvan anyday over the porter. I won't argue that it is quick, but in my opinion it is too cramped. Call me crazy but I perfer to do at least some type of gear check before exit and you can't do that when you shoe-horn 10 people into a porter.

The one thing that wasn't mentioned here yet is get used to clearing closed end cells. About 80% of my openings have had closed end cells - no real big deal, this canopy flies fine on 7 cells. As far as hard openings: mind your packing. I've has some incredibly soft openings with mine, but it has also knocked the s**t out of me too. Luckily I was over a wooded area and it landed harmlessly on a bird’s head. My biggest complaint is with a 0.92 wing loading, it turns very slowly. But I think that is also good if you are just starting to learn. You won't find yourself horizontal with the canopy. Look at my stats (my low # of jumps) and take what I have written for what it's worth....