EFS4LIFE

I was never arguing the Stiletto as a student canopy. Then again I think even you D licensed skygods are still fucking students and the second you think you are not I would prefer not to jump with you. I had 90 something jumps before I jumped a Stiletto. Not massive experience I know, but not like I was just off fucking radio status either. As far as the cut off comment well I don't know what kind of instructors you had, but mine made sure I was very well versed in flat turns before they checked that off my A license proficiency card. As far as the Brian Germain downsizing chart response..... well lets see my exit weight is 190....his chart says at 100 jumps I should be at 190.....the hundred non elliptical jump thing...well I had 90. Fucking sue me close enough. Should I post the e-mail Brian sent me when I asked him about my canopy choice? Didn't act like I was a suicidal son of a bitch with low numbers who was gonna kill himself. He did have a word of caution which I follow. He advised to never pull bellow 3. Hell I always do at 4. Anyway I missed typed before. I said don't with this thread.....I meant I am done with this thread. Once again Blue Skies and peace out. I am an asshole, but I am honest

I DON'T HOOK TURN. Enough said. Don't with thread. Peace out and Blue ones. I am an asshole, but I am honest

This type of shit is why I said I never post here and wouldn't again. Now I am being told I have an ego problem by people who have never met me. I do listen 41 more times than I speak. Hence NEVER freaking posting before. I ask a TON of questions all the time, and ALWAYS listen to my instructors. I respect people with WAY more experience than me. I do not think my skills are above average. I think I do listen well and have the ability to apply what I have been taught though. I am not some hot shot who pushes the limits either. Look the bottom line is I know on my canopy I am learning things that I could not learn on a larger square. Things like bad body position on deployment, how harness input can make your wing unlevel when coming on final, that I have to ensure my leg straps are even or I can expect a turn in my canopy, a true two stage flare planing it out and bleeding of speed. These are things that I could not see measurable impacts on a larger square. I tried. My instructor did not have any gain in my canopy choice as I bought a new one from PD either. I am just tired of jumpers giving me shit about it when I know I can handle it, and so does my instructor. I do not say that because I have too big of an ego or I think I am better than I am. I say that because I am learning shit right now that many jumpers don't learn until hundreds of jumpers later. After downsizing and such. Can an elliptical, regardless of size and wingloading spin you on your back? Yes, I know that. I also know what to do as soon as it starts diving in line twist. Chop it period. So far the line twist I have experienced (up to 5 I think) my canopy kept flying straight. I pull at 4 on this canopy just for that reason. I am learning. I love this sport because I know as long as I am in it I will always be learning. There is no end to learning. I also know that if my instructors or DZO thought I could not handle my canopy they would not allow me to fly it period. I also would add that Brian doesn't use that approach for monetary purposes alone either guys. Maybe someone should ask him, but I bet it really isn't in his nature to be like that. Just a guess. Look there are guys I know with 300 or more jumps that I know that have no business on an elliptical, because of their skill level. I don't care how many jumps they have. I see them all the time. I am just saying there are some guys who have lower numbers that can fly one safely in a larger size with a light wingloading. Wingloading doesn't eliminate the risks on an elliptical no, but it sure is a hell of a lot tamer during a mal on a lightly loaded large one. You can't cookie cut everyone into a skill set just by jump numbers alone. Currency is huge. And some ARE better than others. That is life guys. Otherwise a lot more of use would be rich professional athletes. I understand the need for there to be some measuring stick, but that doesn't tell the whole story. Hence the talk to YOUR instructors. If you want to call me crazy for being on the canopy I am then so be it. I have not downsized once. I just changed the shape of my wing. It was a change that is helping me learn a ton more than I otherwise would have, and I feel that it is safe for me. I know how to chop and when. I will not fight with a spinner, ever. Why? Material objects can be repaired or replaced. I will chop. I am an asshole, but I am honest

I never said it CAN'T spin up on me. Hell I have seen spinners on tandem canopies. I am just saying that a larger size 190 or 170 Stiletto at 1 or 1.1 is not a monster. Anyone with a B license should been proficient enough to execute the EP's. Again gentleman I stress listen and talk with YOUR instructors, not instructors on the internet who have NO clue about your abilities. I also do not think this is a good canopy for everyone. It just is for me. My goal was to get some of you old heads to rethink the old adage that no one with under 500 jumps or so has any business on a Stiletto period. That is just not true anymore. A smaller or highly loaded one yes I agree, but the larger Stilettos when lightly loaded are excellent learning tools for intermediate canopy pilots that have shown the ability to be able to handle it, and not make poor choices low to the ground. I urge anyone who is flying a 190 or 170 canopy that is considering downsizing to first try an elliptical in their current size and wingloading. They may discover that they have a lot more to learn before taking the risks associated with flying a smaller more loaded canopy. I know that 25 jumps is nothing. I also know that 115 jumps is nothing. People always remind me of that. I also know that it is not irrelevant. It is my experience. The one thing I can't stand about this sport is people who have to constantly puff out their chest with their jump numbers while shoving the lower jump number guys down. There are other ways of communicating your experience and the wisdom you have learned without doing that. Some of the great teachers in this sport, Brian Germain comes to mind, never take that approach.....with good reason I suspect. I am an asshole, but I am honest

You also said you have a mal about every 500 jumps. What is your wingloading? Don't you believe that wingloading makes an elliptical canopy more likely to spin and less forgiving? I guess PD is lying about that too though, because they say it....in that same article I mentioned. Listen if you don't have any experience on a LIGHTLY loaded LARGE Stiletto then don't act like you do. No matter how many jumps you have. A lightly loaded LARGE Stiletto is a lot more docile and forgiving than a smaller or highly loaded one. The Storm 190 I flew for 12 jumps during my demo felt a TON more dangerous to me, and it is a 7 cell! I am not an expert but I do know enough to know that because I personally felt it. I am an asshole, but I am honest

Not trying to sound like a dick i just have found that a lot of experienced guys have plenty of experience on a Stiletto just on smaller higher loaded ones that really don't relate to lightly loaded larger ones. I have had one mal on mine and handled it fine. Like I said not ok for students no, but competent canopy pilots(even with lower numbers, B license at least) under the close supervision of a single instructor with his or her approval it can be a great tool for learning. I stand by that, because I am living it. Again I realize this is a sport dominated by people who tend to think that lower jump number guys can't possibly be decent canopy pilots because everyone's skill level equates to their jump numbers entirely and nothing else matters. People listen to YOUR instructors. Take what people who have never met you, flown with you, or know your skill level, with a grain of salt. Their intentions maybe good, but they can hold you back unnecessarily as well, if you let them. That being said do not disregard the advice of your instructors, ever! No one wants to see other skydivers hurt. Me included, but I know my Stiletto 190 is the canopy for me. As I said not for everyone, but it is for me. If you don't think so I challenge you to come watch me fly it and then judge me. Until then you don't know me or my canopy skills period. No matter what you may say. I am an asshole, but I am honest

"claim" to have 25 jumps on it? No I do. I don't give a shit if you believe me. "spin up" well I had about 5 line twist that took me quite a bit to kick out of and it kept flying straight. PD didn't seem to call me crazy even though I was exceeding their "recommendations" when I ordered the demo. I did not lie to them about my experience either. I simply told them my experiences, and what exactly I was looking for in a canopy. So do you have any experience on a Stiletto 190 at a 1 to 1 or are you some uber experienced jumper that probably down sized way too fast, or have only have flown Stilettos 150 or smaller? Just curious. Oh yeah and try to be honest. For yourself at least. I am an asshole, but I am honest

I have never posted on this website. Probably won't again. Although I will buy from the classifieds. I have 115 jumps. Nothing I know. Trust me I know. I am constantly reminded. I was around 90 jumps when I went to a Stiletto 190 at a 1 to 1 wingloading. Crazy right? What DZO or S&TA in his right mind would let this occur? Well maybe one that thinks for himself and is ahead of the curve. I had experience on the Pulse, Storm, regular F1-11 Pd 190, and student rigs before the Stiletto. I loved the Pulse for the same reasons stated as the Stiletto. Responsive. FLAT GLIDE was a huge comfort for me. Rapid recovery was a big help. The only problem I had was that I could do chinups on the front risers and not get anything. Harness input? Please. Not happening. I seem to remember front riser turns being part of my proficiency card for my A license. I couldn't pull them off for crap under my student PD 260, but I somehow got my license anyway. Strange how that works. The SIM talks about a two staged flare. Never could even attempt it on the others. Listen, even PD states on their website on choosing the right canopy that a larger elliptical canopy in the same wingloading might be a good option as opposed to downsizing. I understand the myth of the "spinetto" but please unless you have some experience on a 190 at a 1 to 1 WL rethink that myth because it is not true. Students on a Stiletto? No I can't agree. Low timers with good canopy skills that are looking for more without downsizing? Perfect, as long as it is on a large size, like a 190, and they don't exceed 1 to 1. I have been in line twist and it never put me on my back. I can two stage it and plain it out for 20 feet on a no winder. I am not dead, and have 25 jumps on mine. Not one biffed landing. Landing crosswind, no wind, down wind. This canopy is perfect for me. I know it is not perfect for everyone. It might be dangerous for someone else. I am NO expert. What I can tell you is that I am learning canopy skills now, on a larger more forgiving Stiletto, that will make me a hell of a canopy pilot in the future, and they are skills that I attempted on other larger canopies that I could not do. I know I am a low timer that doesn't know shit though. I am an asshole, but I am honest

I demoed a Pulse 190 from PD and I love this canopy. Super soft openings that don't take 1200 feet to open. Easy breezy landings. This canopy has the ability to get you back to the DZ from a long spot. My only complaint is the color selection as the ribs and underside are all white and you can't have it any other way, for now. PD PLEASE change this! Oh yeah another bonus is it will pack up a size smaller!