BrianSGermain

I think a lighter wing-loading in a Samurai is probably the best way to go for you. You have become accustomed to the way an eliptical flies, so all you really need is a bit more fabric. A 105 or 120 should be fun and practical for you. We'd love to build you one. CYA, Brian Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

Aspect ratio has many effects. The situation is farily complex, making it farily difficult to predict the potcome without controlling the variables. Generalizing the effects, therefore, is a dangerous game. Regardless, there are some things we can say about aspect ratio. First,m a definition: "Aspect ratio is the Span of the wing (measured wing-tip to wing-tip), divided by the Chord (average measurement from nose to tail). The aspect ratio has a significant impact on the performance of a parachute. All other variables being equal, the higher the aspect ratio, the better the glide ratio. Likewise, lower aspect ratio canopies generally have a shorter turn radius than wider wings. This does not necessarily mean that the canopy will turn slower, only that the flight path will be a wider arc though the sky." --The Parachute and its Pilot Brian Germain Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

Nope, I like the Sam the way it is, and until I hear the pilots asking for a change, I will leave the canopy in its current form. I got a bad wrap in my early days as a designer, changing things too often. This is why I now try to test the hell out of things and then leave them alone. The demo will be exactly like the product now. Actually, I haven't made any changes to the line in several years. As for the brake lines, it depends on how they look. You should never go beyond 700 jumps just to be sure. Ince we've tested them beyond 1000 jumps, that number is still conservative. Vectran will vary in its longevity based on how hard the canopy opens, the cleanliness of the lines, and a mystery factor that remains unisolated. If they look nasty, replace them. Brian Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

No, the Lotus Max has about the same toggle pressure as the original design. I was concerned about that at first as well, but testing left me pleasantly surprised. Bri Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

This is in reponse to the question regarding "Flare Power". There are many ways in which we judge the quality and power of a flare. In this case, I am refering to the way in which the canopy "pitches", or rocks on the pitch axis in order to increase the angle of attack. The Lotus Max converts airspeed into lift very efficiently and quickly. The reasons for the differing characteristics of "pitching" are complicated and dependant on many variables. By altering the trim at the aft portion of the canopy, this particular design demostrated a significantly improved quality andmagnitide of effect in this parameter. The slow-flight characteristics are improved by the eagle trim, the shape of the airfoil, and the trim fm A-B; assuming a constant aspect ratio. Bri Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

Max is definitely a sweet dog, but the name was cool before I realized the parallel. Acutally my cousin Dave named the canopy, and he hasn't been to Lebanon yet. Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

You are correct. Nobody ever pays retail. Typically, 15% off is attainable from any dealer. If you email me directly, we can hook you up with someone in your area. My direct email is: [email protected] Brian Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

Nope. Just pack it like you love it. Leave the nose open, clean the inside and the stabs, quarter the slider and roll the tail from the top down. The openings feel great, and are rather forgiving of asymetrical body position. It is also quite forgiving of pack-job. It usually opens in 600-700 feet, but the forces on the body are really low. You don't have to snivel for 1000 feet to have a "soft" opening. Once you have reached "snivel terminal", you won't go any slower so the slider may as well start working its way down. Long snivels just waste precious canopy time, and some of us feel that pulltime is just the beginning! Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

The new specs will be updated in the owner's manual on the website. That is one of the things I've got on my list for the next week. As for the shrinkage tolerance, I still recommend relining the canopy when the difference between the outside and inside "A" is more than 75mm, or the brakes are 75 mm longer than the "B"; whichever comes first. We have tested the canopies beyond 1000 jumps on the same lineset with no dangerous effects. Regardless of the trim, canopies should still be relined around 700 jumps or so just to be safe. Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

This is the only version of the Lotus that will be available from this point forward. It is so much better, I see no reason to do anything else. The canopy is exactly the same as the Lotus, with a totally revised lineset and new graffix. This means that existing Lotus Pilots can upgrade their canopy to the MAX by relining it. The original Lotus had no Eagle trim on it whatsoever. The trim ratios are noticibly different, which makes the canopy fly somewhat faster, giving it a more rigid feeling, while providing even better landings. I really like fling this one. If you load it 1.6 or higher, it swoops incredibly far. If you loa it lightly, it a forgiving and docile. I am really proud of this one. Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

Lotus MAX The product of two years in research and development, the Lotus MAX is the finishing touch that makes an already great parachute better. Semi-elliptical in planform, the L-Max is appropriate for jumpers looking for their first canopy, or experienced pilots looking for incredibly soft, on heading openings. With its totally revised line-set, the Lotus Max produces more lift that any canopy of its kind. Using advanced Eagle Trim TM technology, the front view of the new Lotus is clearly flatter than other parachutes. This increases the glide ratio of the canopy, as well as making the flare the most powerful in the industry. By flattening the wing, we have reduced the “tilt” of the lift vector at the wingtips, maximizing the parachute’s actualized lift. There is no way to achieve a more impressive slow flight characteristic; hence the name: MAX. Airspeed is lift. The faster a parachute is flying, the easier it is to convert airspeed into lift. With our all-new Kicker-Tail TM trim, the canopy flies faster than before without significantly effecting the glide ratio. This creates a much more powerful flare, without requiring the pilot to perform a dangerous hook turn. Combined with the safety of our Patented Germain Airlock System TM , the Lotus MAX is the best all-around parachute ever devised. The L-Max is built in the greatest parachute factory the world has ever known, Performance Designs in Deland, Florida. The Lotus is manufactured to the highest standards in the industry, with the same construction technology as PD’s most modern canopies. Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

If you can, please us paypal or send a check.... (Brian - no advertsing in the forums please. See the Forum Rules here. ~ sangiro) You're gonna really dig it! Bri Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

Sorry, no Freebees, I worked too hard on this one... Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

I hand out copies of my Book at every course now, and use it as a teaching manual. I wrote The Parachute and its Pilot in hopes that the text will become useful to everyone, from beginners up through competition swoopers. If I have done the work, other course directors won't have to. I am really proud of how it turned out. I pray that skydivers will actually read it, because it has the potential to save a great many lives. + Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

I just want to thank everybody that has been contribiting to the discussions on the Swooping and Canopy Control Forum. The discussions have been stimulating and incredibly useful for creating new material for the book. In essence, you wrote it, no me. It is finally available. Just PM me for more information. Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

You've got it! Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

Uh, let me chime in here for a sec... There are plenty of wings that can and do achieve level flight following accelerated flight modes. The issue is lift in proportion to suspended load. Light wing loading, for example, will cause most canopies to fly with zero descent rate following a high speed approach; even when they are perfectly in trim. You are correct that short brake lines will significantly shorten the recovery arc. This is not, however the heart of the issue. It is the cause in this instance, but not the "root cause". Lift is what we are talking about here folks. It is a powerful force. The parachute's lift has the ability to change the flight path. That is the center of the recovery arc phenomenon. If the airfoil is tall, the trim flat, or the wing loading low, the recovery arc will be such that the wing will be altered in it's flight path solely due to the lift. When paragliding, I find that I climb following each turn, regardless of whether or not I am in the "lift band" or a "thermal". This is the extreme case, but it is exemplary. Many lightly loaded canopies, or those designed deliberately or inadvertently to have a "strong" recovery arc have the ability to go all the way to level flight, or even climb in some cases. So, how about "strong" vs. "weak" recovery arc? I doubt the mega-swoopers will like the idea of anything that they own being "weak" but the term is very descriptive. Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

Cute. Crucified on my metaphor again... Energetically, however, it dies make sense. I sometime use the example of a Space Shuttle re-entering the earth atmosphere, but then I remember that a shallow entry angle will skip you off into space... Burning up when too steep works, well. Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

I think Tim-Daves astute point was missed somewhere in the thread. There is a discrete "canopy terminal velocity" for each parachute. One it is reached, subsequent heading change is unnecessary. The trick is to take all that speed into the swoop at a shallow angle in order to preserve as much energy as possible. The metaphor I often use is skipping rocks off of water. If you throw the rock at the water at a steep angle, it does not matter how hard you throw it or what the shape of the rock is. It will not skip. The secret, as we all have discovered, is to interface with the surface of the water at a shallow angle, with tremendous speed. + Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

There are several reasons to avoid performing a hard toggle turn prior to going into straight front risers. The first is that the "G" loading will drop drastically immediately following the hard toggle turn. If you hit turbulence at that moment, you canopy can collapse. Bad thing. The second is that your front riser pressure will spike sky high in a short time frame, limiting the amount of time you can keep the canopy diving. This is due to the fact that the canopy is swinging dynamically on the "pitch" axis, and is struggling to level-off. The swing out will always be followed by an aggressive return back to center. Try performing a 90 degree turn, and then straightening it out into both front risers. If the front riser pressure is increasing too quickly you can begin carve the canopy through the turn with offset-double fronts. This maintains the dive while keeping the turn-rate slow. The idea is no0t to whip it around, only to gain speed and extend te recovery arc. You need to rehearse all this up high, and use your altimeter to discover how much altitude is lost in the maneuver. Try to make the canopy dive as much as possible in the shortest possible amount of heading change. Good luck, and take your time with the process. If you survive, you'll get good at it. + Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

Actually, I only bring specific demos on request. I try not to fly the Big Air flag too wildly at the Seminars. I am there to teach, not to sell. Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

Brian Germain’s Canopy Seminar Schedule 2004 *To schedule a seminar at your DZ, email us at: [email protected] March 13-14 Skydive Alabama Canopy Camp Contact: Steve Crawford (256) 339-0456 (256) 735-0493 March 20-21 Skydive Virginia, Louisa, Virginia Contact: Jens Email: [email protected] March 27-28 SD Orange, Massachusetts May 4,5 Skydive New England, Lebanon, Maine Contact: Mike Carpenter Website: www.skydivenewengland.com Jun 4,5 Skydive New England, Lebanon, Maine SDNE Free fly Film festival Website: www.skydivenewengland.com Jun 12-13 Skydive Tecumseh, Tecumseh, Michigan Contact: Sporto (248) 790-0494 email: [email protected] July 2,3,4 Skydive New England, Lebanon, Maine Canopy Camp and Big Air Competition www.skydivenewengland.com August 6-15 World Freefall Convention, Rantoul Illinois Seminar/Coaching Website: www.freefall.com Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

OK, how about: Ideas do not materialize into reality without hard work. So often, great thoughts come and go without seeing fruition. It is through inspration combined with perspiration that we see our ideas complete. Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

Herein lies the problem of generalization. For some canopies, "optimum glide" may require a steepening of the trim, while others require flattening. The design of a canopy's lineset is based on many things, and full flight is rarely the optimum glide ratio. Pilots must learn their wing if they are to use it to its full potential. Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

Hey Wen! Nice to have a CRW-dog in the conversation. It is a continuum, obviously. Pulling the front risers allow the wing to fly faster. That's airspeed. I would be a moron to argue that point. My point is that pulling the front risers in hopes to get significant penetration does far less than more people assume. The increase airspeed gives an erroneous feeling of "penetration", but what is actually happening is the canopy is dramatically increasing its decent rate. It is flying at a steeper glide angle, trading altitude for airspeed. I agree that there are times when facing into the wind and front risering will be helpful in preventing the wind from blowing you away. It does far less than most folks think, however, and is no substitute for opening and flying you canopy upwind of the target area. Remember that, when doing CRW, you can dive down behind the stack by pulling the front risers. This can be done with little or no forward progress. It is this phenominon that I am trying get across, since most folks don't have the benfit of doing lots of CRW like you do. Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com