ianmdrennan

STF-Vega is looking for someone to fly tail on an intermediate team. We have discounted jumps, discounted tunnel time booked (approx 1.5-2 hrs per month for the next few months), Angela Nichols from the US Army Golden Knights 4 way team as a coach.

Would prefer someone with 4 way competitive experience (not necessarily this slot), who has the right personality, time, and budget to commit to training both air and tunnel, and attending US Nationals with us.

We're laid back, but serious about what we do. Members are Nicholas Rashod Walker Sr., Annie Cripe Drennan, and Ian Drennan.

PM me if you're interested in coming to play!

Once I go below my 75 I don't turn my cypres on.

The 64 and 67 are way too close to activation parameters for my liking.

Rollout for me is around 500-450 feet. Above where it would shut off. Peak speeds in excess of 96mph vertical.

To me a speed cypres is stacking the odds in my favor, however in this real it's more likely to hurt than help (IMO)

Ian

Hey Sandy,

I found once the slider got at an angle, and was over the risers in some fashion, it didn't want to shoot back up again - so no, it didn't jump back up for me.

As for the RDS, I use the same size VC slider on my VK. I believe that they are identical, and you should be able to use your 103 RDS slider on your VK 96. I'd call PD to confirm though, I don't really have much experience on the larger sizes.

Blues!
Ian

I squeeze my rear risers together. That annoyance also went away when I switched to a RDS slider.

Jay, who revolutionized how we do hp turns, based his technique off of that sequence

On special occasions

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I also want to say to see a factory team guy be so hateful and ridiculing disturbs me your supposed to be professional at all times end of story.

Sorry you feel that way. I stand by my words, and my observation. I don't recall ridiculing Charlie in any way (sorry if you interpret my assessment of the "love tap" video as otherwise), even when I was personally insulted on numerous occasions.

If you care - Charlie, and I, have already discussed this and we're good - there's no hard feelings there. He totally understands where I was coming from, and I totally understand why he thought I was attacking him. BOTH of us realize that there was miscommunication, and again neither of us have our panties in a bunch.

If you'd like to PM me, and discuss where you feel I was hateful, I'd love to clarify any comments you may have misconstrued.

Ian

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Still I think you should protect your teeth.

Bold words, and not acceptable here. Get your ego, and your temper in check. If your delicate feelings can't handle it here, feel free to go elsewhere.

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Do you think in a million years I'd take coaching from you? Seriously? That is so fucking funny. First, I have a coach, second...well...I'll do the right thing here and say nothing.

As I suggested, I can point you in the direction of a few world champs I know who'll be happy to coach you. Doesn't have to be me by any means

Ian

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Nick developed techniques that people were laughing at then.

Not to my recollection. I don't remember ANYONE laughing at Nick for his techniques. He did, however, emulate the top pilots and then took what they were doing a step further. Exactly the same thing Curt has done, incredibly effectively.

In Charlies video, it sounds like he clips something "love tap"....am I off base on that? That is where my judgement comment came from, not the turn (or the toggle stab).

Demo'ing a new wing (and design), small canopy, no outs, stunt swoop AND clips something. Yes, to me, that's questionable judgement.

Ian
ps: I've certainly made my fair share of stupid decisions, but I own them too.

Sorry you feel that way Charlie, but you're welcome to hold whatever opinion you'd like, of course

If you'd ever like any coaching I'd be happy to help. If you don't want it from me then I can highly recomend some world champs who can help you and tell you the same things I will.

Balls in your court

Ian

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f I do a 1080 after it, am I slower?

With enough time in rotation, no you wouldn't be slower. But then that begs the question of why do it in the first place? Swooping is all about being efficient, it's a far cry from the game you may be familiar with from many years ago. Go look at the US Nationals, and WC Speed times and see how the top 10 speed (for example) are separated by milliseconds (cumulatively) after 3 rounds.

The bigger issue, honestly, is the childish rants you go on when you get resistance that maybe you're doing something wrong.

It's been my experience that the CP community is VERY open to helping people along regardless of their skill and competence. You've just gotta be open to receiving that advice, or you'll just be "that guy".

Ian

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There's probably a reason no competitive swooper does a 180 one way followed by a 270 another.

Yeah - why would you generate energy, and then waste a bunch of it changing direction. Nevermind the inability to accurately predict altitude loss.....

That video demonstrates some seriously questionable technique and decision making. No offense Charlie.

Ian

I believe the claim is "based on" the plan-form.

Not sure (could be wrong) that either of the players (PD, or NZ) have claimed to have copied the plan-form, but rather have based designs on it.

And I laughed my ass off at the NZ video - well played lads!

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lots of muscle mass.

Lol - lets not go throwing the word "muscle" around like that
......waiting for wiseass Windmiller to comment.

BigSteve

301 exit weight on a Velo 103.

He's lost weight now, and doesn't really compete any more though.

Ian

I stopped turning mine on for PI jumps a while back. I do still keep it on (Speed Cypres) for every other kind of jump.

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What the F***, who does that?"

People who think they won't do it.

How many years ago?
The XAOS is a appears to be a great freestyle canopy - it does not do well in the power events (even before the latest Peregrine/Petra influx)

Yep, and that competitor said "I KNEW shouldn't have gone for the gate. I was too tight, but I said I was going to go for it anyway"

On an unrelated note I predict an increase in these kinds of incidents the next year or two as more and more people are getting extremely highly loaded wings such as Petra's and Peregrines. What was once a "small skip" is now much much more given the speeds and sizes of the wings.

Ian

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Where have you seen pilots getting over 700' using the traditional distance rules? Nick went 730' during the PD Big Boy Pants in 2011 but conditions were ideal (5055' MSL with a 14mph downwind). I wasn't aware anyone else had broken 700' during a competition.

Nick just did it twice recently in NZ. Once under the Petra, and once under the new Leia wing (I believe). Last year at Klatovy the last round of distance was "old rules" everyone extended their swoop 30-40 meters on that round alone.

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I observed both crashes this year (one from the packing area and the other one from the air). In both cases the pilots ended up on the shore which tells me they had very little vertical speed when they impacted. Based on that I don't think they would have impacted the water under the traditional rules.

Fair point, but I've seen people die from impact under the old rules, and have had my hardest water strike to date (in Raeford) under the old rules. I've seen Nick smash in on his belly doing speed, Curt has hit, Bobo has hit, etc. All amazing pilots, all pushing hard. To me, that's the piece that the rule isn't going to take away. Pushing hard is always is the factor imo.

Making a pilot touch water before the gate shortens the swoop approximately half a speed course (if you think about the best runs there, we are descending through the entry and typically getting to water level "mid" course).

Good seeing you at Nationals again....and good discussion :)

Ian

Dan,

I don't disagree we are getting better at the new rules and squeezing more out of them, but 'traditional' runs recently BLOW the new school rules out of the water for distances (700+ feet). The new rules, without a doubt, are limiting distances (although you can argue that it's not by as much as people wanted/thought).

I would agree that adding another gate further down the course would limit distances even further though. Removing the water touch would increase the distances a bit, even with the addition of gate(s) further down the course so I'm not sure removing that would help.

Both pilots who hit the water were attacking the entry gate, by their own admission, and at least one of them said (paraphrased) "I was sure I was going to hit and went for it anyway". This is not a rule problem, and is a pilot problem that would surface if they were attacking the tops of the 5 footers anyway, I believe.

Cool to see the data being collected, I wonder if we'll see further limitations imposed as distances continue to grow.

Ian

skydivah1

Alright, I've gotta get this off my chest: LEIA??? You're naming a supposedly bad-ass canopy after a princess??

Did the marketing department take the day off that day?

Seriously, why don't you just call it the prancing butterfly. We'll all wear pink tu tu's when swooping it in.

Will you have to cut it away once a month when she's on the rag?

Is it too much for a swooper to see Satan's Breath on the bottom skin when he looks up??

For crying out loud...
Rant off...

Actually, I believe their prototypes are named after porn stars

i take it full terminal all the time. I do get the occasional rogue opening though - so be cautious.

Ian

Far as I know, yes.

I don't notice any negative impact at all from them.

Jay has them, so does Bobo.