Sergey-san

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Everything posted by Sergey-san

  1. I don't think that in both cases the slider will be securely stowed... and might come off in the most critical moment: during your final 270 turn execution:)))
  2. Looks like somebody was flying XF15 during World Cup 2008 in South Africa;) here is the picture: http://photos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v768/45/74/1023031530/n1023031530_30219777_1225.jpg
  3. sounds like it's a high-performance swooping machine of the Stiletto era:) Which doesn't make it a bad canopy... judging from the videos on your website it opens really softly and without much snivelling! just what camera-guys dream of:)
  4. Ok, but how about loading that standard Cobalt or Pilot up to or exceeding 2lb/sq ft??? and then trying to get a decent performance out of it (landings, getting back from far-away spots, predictable openings etc.)???? will it work? You are right, Atair stretched the range for their Cobalt canopy... but why they didn't stretch it even further, making it one-good-for-all canopy? Why they decided to make a Competition model dedicated for higher wing-loadings? and then went further to creat an x-brace Onyx? Why modern Atair has introduced 7-cell Dragon for moderate wing-loadings and Radical as high-performance elliptical? only marketing??? Or maybe optimizing every model for their performance envelop...
  5. my point was, that it is very hard to have the best of both worlds:))) and I haven't seen such a wide range of wingloadings for other canopies... for instance for Crossfire and Katana lower recommended by their manufacturers wing-loadings are around 1.4...
  6. Maybe they have invented some groundbreaking canopy, that can fly both as Intermediate and as advanced high-performance swoop-beast.... But all this sounds a little bit strange... on their website they state recomended wingloading range 0.5-2.3 lb/sq ft!!!!! I mean up to 2.3!!!! that's X-brace territory Now, I just can't imagine the situation, when somebody would call PD and ask if he can buy Velo 200sq ft for sub 1.0 wingloading and get a positive response from them:)))))) ohh, they don't make one in that size:) And what is that dual break line system? maybe that's their secret weapon:)
  7. you can demo virtually anything, as long as you can find somebody who owns, what you want to demo:) PM Paul Russow known on this forum as proswooper. He used to compete in the PST under various JVXs and now he has switched to Velo, so he probably can provide you with some comparison of their flight characteristics.
  8. they should've called this "PDFT-Team X joint project" :))))))))))))))
  9. animal rights activists might consider this incident as animal cruelty:)))))))))
  10. From introductory statement under Skydiving section on manufacturer's website: "...Since than we have been developing high performance tandem canopies. The HOP330 is a pioneer in 'small tandem canopies"... here is the link: http://www.jojowing.com/skydiving/skydiving.php Those guys really take to the next level:))) high-performance tandem, yeah! Looking at the pictures, it seems like XF15 has a lot in common with one very popular x-brace canopy:) May be people, who jump XF15 can tell how it's different from the Velo? And also that Raptor canopy... I couldn't find any pictures of that high-performance monster on their web-site... Am I safe to assume that it might have a lot in common with Katana? :) Strange enough, it's only available in relatively big sizes.... If PD started testing their Katanas from smaller sizes to larger, looks like JOJO went in reverse order:) They have sizes from 170 to 108 availabe and nothing smaller:((( no mercy for skinny jumpers:(((
  11. Man, I didn't know that Paratec hired such experienced test-pilots, they're gonna rock the canopy world!!! I think PD spends too much money on Jay Mo & Co., they should get closer to the real customer and offer test-jumping Velo-2 prototypes to virtually anyone:))) you're simply too demanding... if your slider refuses to collapse, just roll it really tight and put it in your mouth, welcome to the old-school;)))) probably the first canopy on the market which brings you faster to the ground under lighter wing-loadings! Atair once boasted that Cobalt could be deployed even in head-down position, even made a video of it... nowadays people seem to settle for much less... please don't slam me on my hop&pop:)))) Have you tested all of them, really? you're the man! That's a really good comparison, and don't worry about that handful of freaks, who don't jump Cayenne and have no clue what other "brand new canopi" you have in mind:))) Please, don't be too shy! why setting such a low standard? try to go for a Jay Mo's distance record;) "Impossible is nothing" Adidas slogan:)
  12. Our DZO jumps similarly modified Aerodyne risers with his JVX-79.
  13. A few points about Mamba: - to open a visor you will have to use both hands, unless you have a really large hand:))) but I think it's easier than opening Z1 with one hand in thick winter gloves:))) -I don't think tinted visors are available for Mamba for some reason... I couldn't find one on Paragear when the time came to replace the visor on my Mamba. -Mamba looks really nice in standard carbon fiber color, I haven't seen other color patterns besides the white one and I didn't like the look, that's why I got myself standard one:) -I think oxygen or factory diver are more narrow-profile and their visibility range is better, but as an all-around, all-conditions full-face helmet Mamba is second to none in my openion! It saved my face from winter jumping in Russia, jumps through rainy clouds... you name it:) But I advise, if it's possible to try on both. Unfortunately I'm not familiar with Freezer, haven't even seen one in real life...
  14. Great! We found somebody, who has actually seen one in existance! Maybe you can find out, what kind of lineset they put on that canopy? Or any general feedback from the person, who jumps that canopy on your DZ: openings, recovery arc, soft front risers or not so soft? any details are welcome!!! Or maybe even photos in flight:) Thanks
  15. FireBird (formerely known as Performance Variable, manufacturers of Demon high-performance elliptical and Rush and Quick reserves) have introduced new canopy: http://www.flyfirebird.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/90_21/products_id/659 Description on their web-site is a little bit confusing: first they say that it's a bad-ass "high-performance canopy for experts", then however describe it as a good all-arounder... Among new features: -inflated stabilizers (idea taken from NEOS?) -new ZP material made exclusively for them, which is 35% lighter and thinner than regular ZP Has anyone got more details on this canopy and the material it's made out of? What kind of line-set do they put on it? Is it more high-performance than Demon or just more expensive?
  16. I would like to say a few words in defense of cut-in laterals and chest rings... Of course you can be better off without them, if you're buying a brand new container and have the harness specifically tailored for your body parameters... But what if you're looking for a second-hand rig? Then you might end up buying the container with a harnes one size smaller or bigger. It is easier to replace a chest strap, if you have chest rings... For example, I bought a rig with a short chest strap and had it replaced with a much longer one, when I was in DeLand in March. It took only about an hour for a local rigger to replace it. Less stitching - less work time - less money out of your pocket:)
  17. ha-ha Nitro... probably the funniest canopy out there... with those line-over keepers on the top skin;)))) So if you're familiar with that line-up, why don't you try out a Blade? I thought, they positioned it as their ultra hight-performance flagship:) On their website the recommended wingloadings are up to 2.2! Sounds pretty high-performance to me:) http://www.hiperusa.com/ As for other canopies in the same class with Katana and Crossfire-2, you can throw in Aerodyne Mamba, Atair's Cobalt Competition (mostly on second-hand market) and Radical. Also Ukrainian manufacturer Skylark makes a nice elliptical high-performance canopy called Odyssey: http://www.skylark.com.ua/ru/odyssey/ And probably this thing too: http://www.flyfirebird.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/90_21/products_id/61 If you're in the market of air-locks, then probably this http://www.bigairsportz.com/samurai.php and maybe RAGE from Paratec: http://www.paratec.de/index_start.html sounds like plenty to choose from, ha?
  18. Chris, regarding JVX send a PM to Frost or Proswooper or other people who fly or used to fly different versions of JVX... Returning to Sensei, in that short description of his new canopy Brian mentioned so-called FAT TAIL tm airfoil design, which supposedly gives HUGE power in the rear risers... Anyone on this forum has any idea what kind of modification Brian is talking about? http://www.bigairsportz.com/sensei.php
  19. It's a fact, I agree. But speaking of JVX, they have something to justify this high price tag with: it was an innovative canopy, they experimented with new designs & materials, put together a competition team, launched a spin campaign... It has become an 9-cell alternative to Velo on the market. And looking at Sensei now... well, it's a ghost:) One can't even find a description of this canopy on Bryan's website. What exactly are you getting for your money? How different is it from a Velo, now when the air-locks have been taken out of the equation? If it's still at the proto-type stage, then people will probably buy a test-pilot status along with one of these canopies:)
  20. Is this for real? I mean, in Square 1 catalogue brand new Velo costs $2580:)) I remember how people were complaining when JVXs first came out with ridiculously high price tags:))) And that was from a major manufacturer, supported by some of the top pilots, who tested them in pro-level competitions... Are there people willing to pay THAT kind of money for "signature series"? It's like advertizing Toyota Supra from late 90's, when you can buy a brand new Porshe 911 for less money:))) One of the riggers on our DZ has got Sensei 91... I think, I should tell him to add some "signature series" badge on it and sell it for 2 grand and then buy a Velo or JVX:)))
  21. Speaking of Atair products, if you're looking for a brand new canopy, it's better to stick to Radical. Cobalts and Cobalt Comps are mainly available on a second-hand market, some of them might be a good value for money, but generally speaking it's older technology. Radical is a true high-performance elliptical with a long recovery arc. Major improvements are the vectran lineset (buying used Cobalt you should consider lifespan of a spectra lineset) and a different design of the end-cells (additional rib, which probably was supposed to make end-cells thinner?). And the fabric is now more similar to the slippery PD and Icarus material, goodbye South-African ZP:). The control lines on Cobalt Comp. seem to be shorter than on, say a Crossfire-2, which shifts the stall point higher. According to the advice from a very experienced Cobalt Comp. owner (1000+ jumps on Competition model) to fix this problem you can make the lower portion of your control lines longer, this will also increase the recovery arc. He believes that all Atair canopies can be improved by this procedure, he's also got ONYX in his second rig. After the break-up of the Atair, the Slovenian engineers are going through major re-branding:) I think more info about Radical can be found on their new website: http://www.basetroll.com/
  22. That's right, maybe they no longer offer those tiny handkerchiefs:) Although I have very limited experience with Katana (a couple of jumps on 120 and several demo-jumps on 107 when PD rep visited our DZ in Michigan), I will definately agree with you that Katana has a noticeably longer recovery arc than a Crossfire II. Does it mean that one is better than the other? I wouldn't be so sure, because I've seen some remarkable swoops on a Crossfire and some lousy landings on Katana... much depends on the pilot and his personal skill level:) I've also put several demo jumps on Radical 105, and its recovery arc was very long as well! But that's not enough to draw a decent comparison, that requires a couple of hundred jumps on each canopy and much more experienced pilot:)))) I think SkymonkeyOne can tell a detailed story of Cobalt platform... And maybe someone who's got experience with the new Radical can step in and share his knowledge of that canopy.... Problem is that we have considerably less info about Cobalt and Radical because most of the seasoned pilots fly either Katana or Crossfire:(
  23. Then your friend must have a pretty rare canopy, cosidering the fact that PD don't make custom sizes for general public:) As far as I know the smallest Velo available is 75sq.ft.;) And not to deviate from the subjuct, I think it would be much more interesting to compare Katana and Radical (new canopy from Atair Slovenia, which is an evolution of the venerable Cobalt). Although I realize that skydivers in the US are much more familiar with Cobalt and Cobalt Comp., but those are the canopies from the era of Crossfire I and Stiletto... Katana entered the stage much later and now mostly faces competition from Crossfire II and Mamba. Cobalt, in its turn, has evolved into Radical. The most noticeable improvements are vectran lineset and interesting end-cell design. http://www.basetroll.com/products_3.html
  24. Thanks everyone for your advices and opinions, very useful! And photos were of great help too!