zerospinskier

Alright it has now been several years that both these engine modifications have been around, and used in skydiving. Any updates from people who have been using 1 or both? I still am having trouble choosing which conversion to go with. We are at a 4300 msl field elevation going to 18k msl every load in hot weather, so climb power is a priority. However, reliability is always important of course. Any new advise from experience over the years of having one of these conversions?

Mirage will send you one. Ask your dealer. We are a dealer and I just ordered a velcro RSL a couple weeks ago. No problem.

I have used the 16/2.8 pancake for a couple years now and it is perfect. It is just the right width for docked or undocked, and full exits. On top of that it is so small! I love it.

It's not a big deal to buy the tools as you need them. It will get you started, and no matter how good of a "set" or "kit" you get, you're still going to have to buy things here and there individually for certain needs. So I say just start that way and build it slowly. I bought someone's old lot of tools and wish I hadn't. I ended up replacing most things because it was too old or used and broke.

Definitely the Leiagrine

The slider was almost all the way open during the snivel. So my guess is that the slider draw strings are the style where there is 2-3" sticking out when fully cocked. Then when packing the slider probably wasn't cocked all the way and left something like 5" of draw string out. This loose draw string snagged on the main lines during opening and caused that side to fully collapse and get stuck as the slider tried to come down. Always try to leave as little draw string sticking out of the slider when packing

I load my Crossfire fairly lightly at barely 1.5 and it still doesn't seem to handle turbulence well. At least not as well as the Sabre2 I had before it. I assume this is from the small nose openings and flatter glide. Those low loadings should probably be avoided as everyone had been saying. Stick with a Sabre/Safire/etc for a couple more downsizes to avoid this.

It sounds like it is a canopy prone to bad openings. But that one looked like the center of the nose was shoved in too much and the slider pulled out forward. Causing a bunch of bottom skin inflation behind the slider and allowing the outer cells to inflate before the center.

Every tunnel is different, so the numbers won't give you much reference. It has been a little since I've been in there, but I think most flying for me ranged from 60-85% if I am in there alone.

I would opt for a more traditional approach first and just wash it with water and Woolite like any other rig. Then move to another option if it still is bad. I would think a normal washing would take care of it pretty well though.

I usually try to make edits that emphasize the "fun" to a nonjumper. Here is one that has some of that stuff (freefly, belly, tracking, swooping). https://vimeo.com/79249387

If you end up low, you should work on getting back up first. But either way you need to stay with the group. If the plan was a belly jump, but you go low and track off, who knows if the group randomly decided to start tracking together for the rest of the jump. You have no way of knowing where they are. You need to stay with them no matter what they do. The ultimate root of this problem is getting on jumps that are too big and over your experience level. It is more fun to stick to smaller, more simple jumps with goals you can actually accomplish anyway. You will be able to learn and get better that way.

Jesus. I don't even know what the "dive" was supposed to be. During the first part of the video everyone is just randomly wobbling around the sky like leaves. I assume they are inexperienced jumpers that were trying to get together? If so, it is a simple case of people who aren't comfortable/competent enough in freefall to jump with a group that big.