edid

I figure pushing out has to give the best performance advantage; albeit small perhaps. Spreading the rears flatens out the canopy and a flatter wing is a more efficient wing yeiding a better glide. What do you do when you want to get back from a long spot? Most everyone spreads their rears (except Velo pilots it seems who seem to be able to hang up there better in brakes).

I can't see any cross-bracing on the canopy in the video. Curious. I thought the onyx was cross-braced.

Also, be very careful with buying/importing a birdman suit. Parachute equipment and accessories do not carry any duty/tariff. However, clothing carries a 25% tariff. And customs in Oz want to classify the birdman suit as clothing. Hence, a $500 (say) birdman suit now becomes $687.50. That's 25% duty plus 10% GST. And, you guessed it, they charge the GST on the total amount including the tariff (i.e. a tax on a tax), which, you would think, would be illegal double dipping. Well, it would be illegal if it was anyone else doing it other than the government. Bletch.

Did anyone do a reserve only drill? i.e. no main out at terminal.

Do you have much time under a Stiletto? Very little. And it's been a long time since I flew one. I am going on my personal experience. While my first Cobalt was on the way I flew a 135 Stilleto a few times. I felt quite nervy on it at the time. So much so that I wondered if I was in fact stupid to have ordered a 135 elliptical. But when my Cobalt arrived and I flew it, as I said, it felt a very natural, intuitive and easy transition. Also, interestingly, I know and know of many who fly highly loaded Crossfires, Samurais, Cobalts etc but I don't know anyone keen on highly loaded Stilletos. That's gotta say something. But indeed, at this stage I must again borrow and jump a few other canopies to extend, refine, confirm or amend my current judgement.

I went from a Sabre 170 to a Cobalt 135 at 200 jumps and found the transition very easy and intuitive. However, I had studied, read, asked, practised and done absolutely everything on my Sabre and was bored with it. When I got on my 135 I went back to the start and learnt everything over again on the new canopy. I would say, if you're ready, go with the Cobalt. I reckon you're better off learning to fly a canopy that dives more; as all modern HP elliptical canopies these days are designed to do. Stilletos are old technology. I think a Cobalt is a very smooth, easy to fly, intuitive canopy. I liken it to (and I'm not claiming this analogy; I think it's been likened this way before) doing 80mph in an old car. It feels fast, jittery and scary. But do 80 mph in a modern car and it feels smooth and controllable.

"There can be NO dorkiness in an SF3".?? Oh yes there can. Lemon and tangerine boy proves it. But hey, I'm a ardent birdman too, however, I agree with Quade, something's gotta be done about that pose. Ah, but thanks for the laugh guys. It was minutes before I could get my breath after seeing those shots and reading LouDiamond's "Bwaaahaaa..." post. No wonder a friend of mine calls it my Birdbrain suit.

What part of ..."(and for the sake of quick and helpful reference, nothing else please)"... did you not understand, Mr Moderator? Can we just have the data please, in any form then, OK.

Seems like there are a lot of discrepancies between everyone's Vladiball experiences as far as fall rate and ball flight. Perhaps an exacting compile of data wouldn't go amiss. So how about making this thread for that purpose (and for the sake of quick and helpful reference, nothing else please). Posts to contain... weight: type of weight and size: tail length /width / material: fall rate (use 1st half TAS): flight comments: (plus, for the sake of correllation and comparatives can we put all data in one standard. Metric would be best. I know America likes to work to the old imperial standard of inches and pounds but metric was adopted in most other modern countries because it is more exacting easily divisible; and every modern tape measure and scale is calibrated for both. Cheers)

Interesting figures from people on fall rates and steel/lead shot etc. They all seem to differ. I just got a Vladi also. Can't find steel shot in this country so had to use lead. Got some 7&1/2 LEAD shot. Filled Vladi to the brim and it only weighed 1.65lbs. Hmmm. I'm going to cut the tail down by 1 inch (making it 6&3/8). I'm hoping that will produce a straight fall rate of around 165-170mph (my comfort zone). Will post my data. P.S. A couple of things I've found. 1) When filling Vladi, open up the cup section and fill one half full. Then close it and fill the rest through the little hole. Makes filling half the hassle. 2) The little bum bag that comes with your cypress (when you buy a new one) is the perfect size for Vladi. Worn around your middle with the pouch on your belly it makes easy stowing in the plane and after freefall.

I've also heard that you can considerably lengthen battery life if, when putting the new ones in (after waiting the prescribed 2mins) you then leave the Pro-track/pro-dytter 15 mins before turning it on or doing anything with it.

Great idea thanks. I'll see if I can get some footage this weekend (if my only wingusit mate is around) and post a little movie . Ed. P.S. Dan, that comp cobalt is one rocking silver daddy canopy. Cheers.

I have 15 or so jumps on my Gti now but I'm damned if I can get my butt below 60mph. I did a 62 average (TAS; pro-track helmet mounted) on my 3rd jump but try as I might I haven't managed to beat that on any further jumps. Incidently, do wingsuit flyers use SAS or TAS? As a freeflyer and tracker I'm no slouch and have good air sense but I must be missing something. Also, I'm 5'11" and only 75Kg (165lbs) so I'm no anvil either. I've tried every combination of arm and leg position I can think of. My suit is definately a bit big for me but as I understand it from Jari this should only have the effect of increasing suit inflation and thus lift. However, could it being too big around the shoulders mean that I am not able to pull the arm wing into the correct poistion? A tuck and stitch of the excess material along the the shoulder perhaps? Or would that be deleterious to the suit? There's only about 3 wingsuits around our DZ (apparently) and I've only ever seen one. And he's not much more experienced than me so I don't have the opportunity of flying with an expert. Any knowledge, tips or tricks appreciated.

Oops. Should have read the further posts on the 'small canopies' post. Question answered.

OK, it seems Birdmen out there are quite comfortable jumping their usual small mains with wingsuits. But small mains, say 120 and below, have small pilotchutes (somewhere between 20" and 26" I am assuming). Are you small canopy Birdmen comfortable and problem free with small pilot chutes? Or are you guys changing PC's everytime you do a wingsuit jump? Which would be kind of a hassle, no?