schumacher

http://www.skysport.ru/modules.php?op=modload&name=Downloads&file=index&req=getit&lid=5 This is video from Russian 100-way Record :) Any comments will be gratefully appreciated! http://www.tolya.com

Actually we had this competition before at Moscow Freefly Challenge. I got 137 km/h average. I landed in the middle of nowhere :) http://www.tolya.com

We want to run a competition in tracking (I think the right word will be Maximum Distance). Does anybody have the rules of such competition? We plan to make Olympic system with 2 people competing with each other. The aim of the jump - to cover the maximum distance. How to make judging? Any tips will be gratefully appreciated! http://www.tolya.com

If you have DV camera, all you need is 12$ Firewire card (if not included in your notebook or PC) and very good program Scenalyzer (http://www.scenalyzer.com/main.html) It will split your video into scene files, so you can easily edit them in Ulead Stuio Pro or Adobe Premiere. And for editing it's better to install Windows 2000, if you want good speed and don't want to reboot your computer after software bug. http://www.tolya.com

If you want to share your tunnel time at 4-8 March, please contact me. http://www.tolya.com

Just for guys who have Heatwave-120 HEATWAVE 120 Base Line A 2733 mm 1 + 10 A to B 57 B to C 123 2 + 9 A to B 87 B to C 157 3 + 8 A to B 39 B to C 149 C to D 197 4 - 7 A to B 43 B to C 167 C to D 197 Full Flight 60 Above D Brake Setting 100 Below C There are no new revision levels between the 1997 HEATWAVEs and 2003. P.S. I heard some talks about new rounded nose on heatwave from 2000 - it's not true. http://www.tolya.com

As for my little expirience for piloting Stilleto and Crossfire, I've noticed that Stilleto at the same size is much more aggressive to turns, but swoop distance is equal or longer on Crossfire. Crossfire seems to me slugish for toogle turns, but dives more using front risers. As for swooping - be safe! You can see a lot of people (espessialy Russian 8-way), who can outswoop X-braced little tiny rockets by their 135-Stilletos. Proper tecnics and using brains will extend your swoop, not a downsizing. 1.6 is very good load, even for Crossfire. And ask Mr. Mineev for swooping course. http://www.tolya.com

I heard that one Russian army men felt to the sea, because he can't turn hist Golf to the shore. He jumped Golf for the first time and didn't mention the ammount of oversteer. http://www.tolya.com

Heatwave-120 at 1.56 downsized from Spectre-135 at 1.35 loading (my first chute) 390 jumps

I'm jumping Heatwave-120 with moderate(hope so) loading 1.56. But max size sewn on label says that I'm overloading my canopy. Well, the most interesting thing that I knew from this canopy, that it very oversteering. 90 turn followed by another 90 oversteer (if not pumping opposite toggle). 180 turn - another 180 oversteer. 360 Front riser turn - wow another 90 oversteer turn. May be I have special canopy, but this thing need to be noticed.

Thanks guys for info! I don't want to buy another semi-elleptical canopy like Sabre2 or Safire, I think they have the same performance as Spectre. I'm not planning to jump only with wingsuit, so I think, I will try Crossfire 109-119 in winter (snow is soft :). I hope I will not overcome my abilities and stay safe.

Hello all, I need advice of wisdom for my decision. Currently, I have about 300 jumps and about 250 on my Spectre-135 at 1.35 wingloading. I try to land it crosswind, downwind and even at night (it was amazing and terrifying). Week ago I demo Stilleto-120 and was surprised by his glide. I travelled much more distance on the ground using straight flight then on my Spectre front riser turn. So, I want real high performance elliptical main. I know, that it can add new bad things like progressive line twists and so on. I've heard that Crossfire will not spin like Stilleto. But the optimal loading of Crossfire start at 1.8. So I need Crossfire 99. Isn't it too "hot" ? I jump every weekend and all my jumps were made at this year. Also I jump with wingsuit and stable openings are very important to me. What do you recommend? Stilleto or Heatwave (probably 120) or Crossfire 99 ? What chute is more stable on openings, can be flown at low speeds and worth its money? :)

Jaybird, sounds like you bought Ferrari to drive 40 m/h max. Crossfire at 1.3 wingloading doesn't fly like "real" Crossfire (starting 1.6 wingloading). The pilot must fly his canopy, not to be flown. Have you jumped big formations, when you have to steer away from other canopies? Do you have feeling that your canopy much faster than you think? But, it's your own decision, may be you choose your right canopy, hope, you are happy with it. :)

I have very deep brakes on my Spectre-135. If I need to stall it, I have to pull my brakes to full arm. I don't know if it is good or bad. I've talked with my rigger, but he suggested not to trim brake lines, because I can easily do front riser turns without pulling my brakes.

Do you really want Crossfire as your first canopy? Damn, as a first canopy it's good only for suicide. It's better for you to make a choice between Spectre, Hornet, Triatlon or Safire. If you can find a Sabre in good shape for little money - go on. And try to demo all possible choices, when you practice, you will know what you need. For example, my instructor recommended me to buy Sabre-190... After 10 jumps, he offered me used PD-170. After 50 jumps I try Sabre-150. After all, at 80 jumps I bought Spectre-135 (1.4). After 200 jumps I can tell you, that it right canopy for me. So, just try to demo all things what you can find. But stay away from Fully elliptical canopies (Crossfire and Stilleto), because you don't need their line-twists and oversteer right now.