First Canopy

[sillie1111 0]

Ok before I start I will let you know I have spoken with my instructors and have taken in their advice. I still would like to know how others feel about this.

I am about to get my A I have one jump left I started AFF in Sept. I have 24 jumps and my canopy control is good from what I have been told, I do also agree that my control is good, and I am very comfortable with it.I feel I am ready to get my own gear. I have one problem with the student rigs, I jump a Raider 220 and I am to small for it, i think the term is underloading?. I attempted to do front riser turns and hung from them, they wouldn't go anywhere. when the winds are at 10 miles and hour I don't go anywhere but down, no forward penetration! Pretty boring canopy ride.

I have been looking at a sabre 170, I have been told that for my size a 170 will be ok for me at 125 lbs. The reserve of course is a 175. I would like to know what people feel about that. At my dropzone I have people who agree that a 170 is ok for a first rig, but then I have a few who say I should not jump from a 220 to a 170. I would appreciate it if I could get some more feedback from different people. I would like to demo a different rig before I buy one, but the problem is I cant find one with my container size they are all to big. Even the student rig is to big and hurts my legs.

Thanks

~Shelly

[piisfish 140]

if your instructors say it would be ok for you to jump a 170, then go for it, but if possible jump a few times some intermediate size, do it gradually.
listen to what your instructors say.

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[betzilla 56]

My first canopy was a Sabre 170, and I weighed about 160 at the time. I bought that one at 50-ish jumps, and before that had jumped a Manta (25 jumps), a Raider (1 jump), a Triathlon 220 (10-15 jumps), Triathlon 190 (5 jumps), and a Triathlon 175 (5-10 jumps).

After all that, the Sabre 170 was no big whoop for me. It was really fun and easy to fly.

You'll be at a pretty conservative wingloading, and your instructors think you're ready, so go for it! Try to get a few jumps on something in between the two sizes first, and if you're nervous, have someone put you on a radio for your first couple jumps on it.

Respect the new canopy, and it'll treat you fine.
-B

[sillie1111 0]

"and if you're nervous, have someone put you on a radio for your first couple jumps on it. "

When I was in AFF I lost radio twice both times at the beginning of my landing pattern.I did very well without it so, with the instructors ok of course I stopped using radio before I got on solo status.

I must say I am a bit nervous to jump a new rig, a big part of that is because I had my first hard pull 3 weeks ago and it scared the hell out of me , I ended up opening lower then I wanted to . I have had 24 jumps on the Raider, and I know that doesn't seem like a lot but I can tell when I am having a normal good opening. I know if I was on a different canopy and I wasn't sure how the openings are, it can be faster, harder ect. I probly would have freeked out. But when my big old 220 Raider came out of the bag I felt relief like no other!

I cant wait to get more experience with a bit more performance but I defiantly don't want to put to much on my plate.

Thanks for the feed back

~Michelle

~Shelly

[bch7773 0]

if you have been jumping a 220 and your instructors say you are ready for a 170, don't forget you can either borrow someone's 190 and jump in a few times, or you can demo a 190 from a gear store, or demo a sabre 190 from PD.
and btw, it doesn't have to be a 190, you could choose any size between 220 and 170... 190 is just a common size in there.

having a few jumps on a slightly smaller canopy will give you confidence, or if your landings don't go well on the 190, consider getting a 190 instead of the 170, or sticking with the 220 a little longer.

MB 3528, RB 1182

[nael 0]

I have another question along the same lines as this. Although I'm not getting a rig of my own for a few more jumps I've been looking into it and talking to lots of people at the dz. I have a similar problem in that I am pretty small under the student 220 canopies. I would have a wingloading of 1:1 on a 150, which I am not comfortable with (and have had many discussions with experienced jumpers trying to get me to buy a 150 for my first canopy), so would be looking at a 170 also.

Now, the question - I have yet to stand up a landing but I've heard the student canopies can be more difficult to have a good landing on than a smaller canopy, is this true or are people just trying to make me feel better?

www.TerminalSports.com.auAustralia's largest skydive gear store

[vt1977 0]

At around 50 jumps (I was a slow learner on static line progression ) I went from a Raider 220 which was my student canopy straight to a PD-170 which I had bought. I weighed about the same as you too.

I stood up the first landing on the 170 in the peas… . It was a very big step down and if I were to do it again, I would definitely try to put a few jumps on a 190 in between.

Having said that though, the 170 was a great canopy for me to learn on and I kept it for the best part of 400 jumps.
Speak to your instructors and get their views, but it would certainly not do you any harm to put a few jumps on a 190 if you possibly can.

As for the reserve, if you and your instructors feel comfortable with you jumping a 170 main, then IMHO there is nothing at all wrong with having a 175 reserve.

Usual stuff - make sure you have a rigger check over any kit you are thinking of buying before parting with any cash.

Good luck!

Vicki

[dmbale 0]

If at all possible, do not skip a size. I went from a 218 to a 190 at around 50 jumps and felt like an AFF student again. Even if you only do 5-10 jumps on each size inbetween, you will thank yourself.