I've just come back from doing my AFF in Lake Wales and i used a Nav 240 for all but the first 2 of my jumps. Can't remember what the first canody i used was (don't have my log book to hand, sorry!) But i do remember when i changed to the Nav 240. It was a lot more responsive than the first one and a lot more fun in the air. As a student it is VITAL that you feel safe under canopy as you slowly start to experiment and push your comfort zone on each jump. This Canopy made me feel totally safe and, when i finally got the courage to start some (what i thought were) tight 360's and 720's it was responsive and secure enough to give that thrill without the fear that something was going to go wrong :o) The landings on this were great too. Being the student, i obviously made a few early flairs (i'm sure they wont be the last either!) and, as mentioned in other reviews, i too found that, as long as you keep your bottle and don't let go of your brakes, your pretty much going to get an OK landing without the canopy staling on you and i was standing up mine from the get go so its all good :o) I'm not one of these people who are looking to down size as soon as poss. either, so i would say that i would be more than happy to get one of these to get my first couple of hundred in. Now, not knowing my backside from my elbow with regards to comparisons, i can only say that, if you are looking for a canopy that is safe to learn on and then keep for a while to just have good, safe fun on, you wont go far wrong on a Navigator 240.
