Willi91

I really think you should consider a Tonfly helmet. I have a CC1 with a SLR and a Gopro2 mounted and I will soon be having a CX-115 on the side as well. Everything looks very neat, the mounting system works like a charm, and it's a really nice fitting helmet. I don't know how it compares in price, but in all cases it's worth a look.

This goes into the top-ten of sensible things ever said on this website. Agreed! I applaud this attitude towards downsiszing

Yes, correct. The intervals becomes shorter and shorter to give you an idea of how fast you are descending towards your 3rd beep-altitude. I love that function and it has made my setup much better since the first jump with the OptimaII.

So you're adding a short fourth leg to your landing pattern?

http://ultimate-switch.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=4 This should work for you. I ordered one myself today.

I witnessed a two-out situation earlier this year. I was in the plane and my father was the instructor. We also use static-lines. The exit itself was perfect, the student did a great job being stable. Not only get two out, he also landed in a lake. But he did everything he was taught. We teach our students not to touch anything at all if the canopies are stable next to each other. And this particular student did absolutely nothing. Exactly as he was taught. Which is also the reason for him landing in the lake. After inspecting the gear, we came to the conclusion that the cause was a reserve handle with too little slack in the wire. In was simply to short. The opening shock pulled the pin out.

I am no expert, and I don't have that much more jumps than you. But I've been told that a slower turn gives a longer recovery. Someone correct me if I'm wrong. And I also agree on what was said earlier about making it more smooth. Smoot input simply makes you swoop longer if done correctly :-)

Not sure what you mean by the recovery being "faster". If you mean the canopy takes less time and altitude to recovery from the turn-induced dive, I believe the opposite would be true. Higher temperatures decrease air density, making the air "thinner" and thus delivering less lift for a given airspeed. Higher humidity levels do the same thing. Yes, that was exactly what I meant. Your explanation makes good sense, so I better blame the pilot rather than the temperature

I've had different experiences where I get the feeling that my recovery from the turn becomes faster due to higher air temperature. Could temperature have an influence on the recovery, or do I suck at making a consistent turn?

Well, I have heard experienced swoopers say that it can be better to skip a 180 and go directly from 90 to 270. But I suppose you don't agree on that.

Semi ellipticals are canopies like Sabre2, Safire2 and Sonic from JoJo Wings. Stilletto is a fully elliptical and requires 200 jumps before jumping it.

There are a lot of things that could be improved. But as I see it, the best thing you can do is to kick your legs back and arch as if it was a matter of life and death (which it almost is). If you look at your legs, they are bent and your knees are lifted in front of you. The transition from sitting position to freefall position can be tricky and especially with that step below the door. If it had been a C-182, you would be hanging in the strut, which I'm happy that my students get to do, because the freefall position is basically there before they let go. But keep on training

Have you tried harness turns? Depending on your canopy, it can speed things up quite a lot.

Even though it is true that too many people pound in and get injured or die and maybe because they overestimated their skills, it is sad that it's impossible to ask a question in this forum without being compared with a whole lot of guys who got hurt. I agree that the best way to achieve good skills in canopy piloting is to get coaching at the dropzone from a coach who sees you fly, but I think it is a shame that curiousity is a sin here. The guy asks a question. Why not guide him in a proper way instead of telling him that he's going to die?

I also use this method. There isn't very much room in my bag for the canopy, and therefore I find it much easier to not put the entire canopy in the bag at one time, but to do it over two steps. Honestly, I don't understand why this method isn't used be everyone. Sometimes I see people having an extremely hard time putting it in the bag, because they do both folds before bagging. Stick with this method, if you got it down.

I have an OptimaII and a Viso. The Optima I use for both freefall alarm and swoop alarm, which I am very happy with. The setup for my swoop is so much easier to do thanks to the guide beeps. Before the Optima, I used my Viso for setting it up which also worked, but there's less stress with a swoop alarm because you can keep your eyes on the ground all the time.

In Denmark we've had regulations for years now. Some might think, that they aren't strict enough to have an effect, but as I see it, they really have. Below 200 jumps, you are allowed to jump canopies loaded at 1.0. At 200 jumps you can raise your loading to just under 1.4. 200 jumps also allows you to fly elliptical, but not above 1.0 WL. 400 jumps lets you jump elliptical above 1.0. I don't remember if there is an upper limit for WL here. If you want to jump crossbraced, you need 600 jumps. Sometimes I see people who wants to jump a canopy that is way to small for them, and this is where the regulations step in. If not all people have common sense, which they don't, they do stupid things such as flying a canopy they are not capable of flying safely. I see regulations as a good idea, if people aren't able to manage their freedom. I have no complaints about the most of the rules we have in DK. The same goes for jumping with a camera. You need 150 jumps to wear one, AND you need approval from a videoinstructor.

I'm gonna agree with the others who say that the reserve is too small for you. But that's up to you. Now you can't say that you thought it was okay, if you get hurt. But I don't see any problem in a 15 years old PDR. I've never heard of any problems with PDRs of that age. My previous reserve was a 143 from 94, I think, and I trusted it fully.

Since I've been in the sport all my life, I can't relly say that anything has changed, but from time to time, I experience that I take notice of i.e. the weather much more than my friends do. When I'm driving somewhere, every cornfield or whatever I pass by can be considered a landing area. I think I can see almost everything in a skydiving perspective..

My father has been jumping since '78, so on december 31st 2007, I made my first solo jump. 16 years and 5 days of age. I've been waiting my whole life more or less.

In Denmark, there is no lower age limit. I made my first jump at age 13.. So come to Denmark!

I agree with dragon2. I went from a Sabre 170 to a Sabre2 135, and there is a huge difference. I know that there is also a difference in performance when going from Sabre to Sabre2, but two sizes down will definately let you feel a huge difference, even when it's the same canopy.

I actually agree on this one. Seeing things on video that scares the crap out of you and knowing that this could be you, is sometimes what is needed to make people remember, what they're dealing with. At least thats my own opinion. I really do think ecerything through an extra time when seeing swoopers get hurt.

To answer your question, I started pretty early. I think around 60-70 jumps, I began making 90's. My own opinion is that I didn't do anything stupid. None of my 90's was too low, bad looking or anything. But when everything went well I thought, why not take the next step? I advanced to 180's and everything happened in much too fast pace. With way too low experience, I did a low 270. I didn't get hurt at all, but boy, was I ashamed. But today, I have really learned from it. I'm taking all the advice I can from the skilled swoopers and in my training I'm doing what I can to be consistent.

My opinion is that you'd be fine under that canopy. If your situation is exactly as you're describing it, I wouldn't worry too much. You just need to be aware that the Nav is more tame than the Sabre, and you will be flying faster, so be careful with your landing.