Aerodyne's Pilot...Very Nice

[StearmanR985 0]

Just when I though I was done with demos...

Nick from Aerodyne showed up with all sorts of gear at our DZ this Memorial Day Weekend. More than a few people have suggested I look at the Pilot so I snatched one up and gave it a try. Here are my thoughts.

Openings: This canopy has a SWEET ASS opening! Nick mentioned it was going to be good and he was right. They are on heading too and unlike the Sabre2 there are no end cell closures to deal with.

Turns: Toggle turns are smooth and predictable. You can crank a toggle and dip the canopy below the horizon if you so desire. The performance here is much like the Sabre2 but I do remember being able to make tighter turns with the Spectre. Riser pressure seemed 'normal' to me. The canopy was happy to go where you wanted with rear or front riser input.

Flare: Plenty o' Power on the flare. Not once did I time a flare properly (the whole not used to a 9 cell thing) yet I was set down on my feet each time. If I was early I could hold it a bit and there was still enough flare left to stop the canopy. If I was a little late I could stab the toggles a bit and dig right out.

Surf/Swoop: I did not tinker with this too much but I did get a surf out of it on my last jump and without any 'added' speed (straight in approach). This leads me to believe there is good potential for swooping once one starts inducing turns and/or riser input.


The Pilot is my new favorite. I would definitely recommend taking a look at this canopy if you are thinking about a semi elliptical 9 cell with nice openings.

Jeff

[darkwing 5]

I too am very enthusiastic about the Pilot. I demoed a Sabre2 170, and ended up buying a Pilot 168. It is better in every respect so far-- openings, landings, and in between. If my next 4 jumps are malfunctions I may change my tune.

-- Jeff
My Skydiving History

[StearmanR985 0]

Glad to hear you are enjoying your Pilot! I am hoping to make a purchase by the end of the month...

[DancingFlame 0]

I did like Pilot too (thanks Aubrey for that chance!)
It flew like my Safire, but with greater amount of oversteer. Also, Pilot remembered me that packing matters, and one should pack with care or he could get a hard opening.
That will be a hard choice between Sabre2, Safire2 and Pilot... whatever you choose, you won't get disappointed.

[diablopilot 2]

I told you you'd like it!

Now come on down here with whatever you buy and let's have some fun!

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You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[Conundrum 1]

I LOVE the Pilot. I jumped one for a while, but got a killer deal on a Triathlon I just couldnt pass up, plus I was spending money everytime I flew the Pilot, because I was demoing it.

It has great openings, and flies awesome. I'd recommend it to anyone.

[StearmanR985 0]

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I told you you'd like it!

Yes you did. And you were right!

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Now come on down here with whatever you buy and let's have some fun!

Actually, I hope to pay a visit down there before harvest this year. We may try to work it around my birthday in July if finances permit and the grapes hold off.

[phoenixlpr 0]

I envy you much. Ive bought mine, but my gear is in my rigger. Thanks RWS for producing my reserve PC for 4+ weeks...........

[nicolesser 0]

does the Pilopt flies more like the Stilettos ? or definitely pilot is a intermedia canopy ?

Nico

Orbital Flyer

[efex 0]

My 2 cents,

I love my pilot, I have flown a few others and the pilot has always remained the most predictable . Which is exactly what im looking for with my number of jumps.

Warwick University Skydiving Club

[HeatherB 0]

Intermediate....similar to a Sabre2.

I absolutely love my Pilot 132. I've put about 100 jumps on it and I don't have a single complaint.

[freakyrat 1]

My Pilot 124 flies very similiar to my Stiletto 120 but is easier to stop on the bottom end even in no wind conditions. The nice thing about it being semi-eliptical is that it isn't so sensitive when it comes to line twists. Incidently, I have not had any line twists on my Pilot and the openings have always been soft, smooth and on heading. It turns great, I can pull down on one toggle and make it spiral like my Stiletto. My Pilot has a very smooth glide into final and is a breeze to land. In summary It's a very nice canopy.


Chris

[mjrod 0]

I only wish they made a 230. My exit wt is 250, so I was looking at the Pilot. The folks at Aerodyne said the Solo was the same thing but as a Hybrid.
Quote from the rep" Along the same lines of the Navigator we have the Solo, which is our student canopy. However, it is just a Pilot, the exact same canopy, however built of hybrid construction. We build it in 230,250,270. There are some all ZP's out there that size, for instance we make the Triathlon in 260. I'm assuming you want an all ZP canopy because you think it will last longer? That may not be the case. The two factors that make canopies deteriorate the most is the sun, and touch (there are some other factors as well, such as very fine sand, and fertilizers, and farm chemicals) But mostly it is sun and touch. So a canopy with a zp top skin will last for thousands of jumps, without loosing all that much porosity. And the reason that we make those sizes hybrid, is because of both pack volume and ease of packing. If you want the performance of the Pilot, in those sizes, give us a call and take the Solo for a spin. See what you think."

I would like to try them, but want a ZP, so I guess i will have to lose wt, or improve my canopy skills. I am flying/renting a Sabre 230 without issue, but I think i will see what my instructor thinks.

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[diablopilot 2]

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but want a ZP,

Why?

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You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[mjrod 0]

Diablopilot,

There is the million dollar question. At my DZ, the choice of canopy is PD,,,ZPs. When I ask about the Pilots, or Tris, I get negative responses. I asked about the Hybrid Sillouette and got a negative response. I am advised by riggers and instructors to stay away from non PD products, especially reserves. Looking at reviews and these post, I see that Aerodyne and other manufactures put out good products, so I am searching for responses and experience within these forums for answers. I don't want to paint myself into a corner, without using my noodle.

back to the original question of "Why?"...From what I understand, the ZP will last longer and has better performance than a F-111 or Hybrid, and the resale value may be better. I may be wrong, but I come to these forums for answers and assistance. I just don't know.

Any advice is appreciated

Thanks

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[DancingFlame 0]

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I only wish they made a 230

I suggest to demo a Safire. Icarus will build it in any size you want.

[yoink 321]

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but want a ZP,

Why?

'cos ZPs are coooool....



Mjrod, there are some really nice Hybrid canopies out there. Give them a try...

[TOT 0]

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At my DZ, the choice of canopy is PD,,,ZPs. When I ask about the Pilots, or Tris, I get negative responses. I asked about the Hybrid Sillouette and got a negative response. I am advised by riggers and instructors to stay away from non PD products, especially reserves.

Do they sell PD products at your DZ?
This could be a reason why they push PD.

[John4455 0]

My complete Aerodyne rig (Icon, Smart, Pilot) came in friday last week. It should be assembled and ready to jump by tommorrow.
I already own two Triathlons, and ordered the pilot not even having jumped one, based on my confidence in Aerodyne Research and the praise that I get from other Pilot owners.
Blue Stuff,

How do ya like it Johnny?

[dgskydive 0]

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There is the million dollar question. At my DZ, the choice of canopy is PD,,,ZPs. When I ask about the Pilots, or Tris, I get negative responses. I asked about the Hybrid Sillouette and got a negative response. I am advised by riggers and instructors to stay away from non PD products, especially reserves.

Every DZ and every part of the country is different when it comes to gear. People are real loyal for the most part. I remember when I first started jumping at Perris and I was theonly one with an Infinity (this was in 1995). Some people actually laughed at me and said I would get smart soon and buy a Javelin. They just didn't know the rig. Now you see Infinity's all over the place.

Buy what appeals to you. All the manufactures are putting out reall good products and they are all safe. Sure company X may have a feature that you really like. Or, you may just think it looks better. What ever. People that say you should only jump this or that are limiting themselves and those that listen to them.

Try as much different gear as you can. Then you will see what fits you and the way you fly the best.

Dom

[billvon 2,991]

>At my DZ, the choice of canopy is PD,,,ZPs.

That's different at every DZ. Some DZ's are PD, some are all Racer, some are all Javelin. The best bet is to try the stuff you want to try and make your own call on it.

[Evelyn 0]

I demoed the Pilot, Spectre, Sabre 2 and Safire before purchasing a Pilot. I love everything about it! One time I had a hard pull and yanked my pilot chute so hard I flipped onto my back as I deployed and thought, oh shit, I'm screwed. But the Pilot still opened without a problem. Don't have enough experience to know if it would have been the same with a different canopy, but needless to say I was very happy with the Pilot at that moment

Life is either a daring adventure or nothing ~ Helen Keller

[tbrown 26]

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>At my DZ, the choice of canopy is PD,,,ZPs.

By now I think we're mostly settled on ZP material because it lasts so much longer and maintains a zero, or close to zero porosity for life. I have encountered some really fierce loyalty to PD as well. Maybe it's because PD is an "American" company, even though a lot of the sewing and assembly work is done in Honduras (check your data panel, it does not lie).

I have nothing but the highest respect for PD. My reserve is a PD193R and for a while I owned a 190 Spectre, which was a great canopy. I jump a Pilot now, for a bunch of reasons, which included curiosity about the canopy and then finding I really love it. It's made in So. Africa, but Aerodyne is an American/Euro/So. African company.

At present, Aerodyne still doesn't offer a cross braced canopy to compete with the Velocity, Xaos, or VX. Probably they will before long. But they're definitely contenders in the sport market now and that's good for all of us as jumpers. For starters their prices are considerably lower than the competitions. Artificially low to grab market share ? Perhaps, but welcome to hardball competition. With canopy prices nearing two grand, is anyone REALLY complaining about a canopy that can be had for thirteen sixty ? I think that the competition for both price and designs is GOOD for all of us. It keeps all of the manufacturers in this market on their toes. None of them can afford to sit back on their duffs because they're "the best". And it keeps pushing the new designs forward, who knows what we'll see next ? Thirty years ago one company ruled this sport worldwide. But their designs and quality couldn't keep up and by the nineties a little upstart outfit called PD knocked their socks off and toppled them. PD knows how they came to be number one and they know they can be toppled if they won't stay on top of the game. They can take care of themselves. And just by being out there, Aerodyne and the rest will see to it that they do.

Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

[tdog 0]

Thanks everyone for the great reviews... I am starting a search for my own gear, and the Pilot really is catching my eye...

[chopchop 0]

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Thanks everyone for the great reviews... I am starting a search for my own gear, and the Pilot really is catching my eye...

As well it should.. The Pilot is a great canopy. With over 1,300 jumps, I enjoy jumping a Pilot at a 1.9 wingloading. With 30 jumps, you can jump one safely at a much lower wingloading.. As you progress, you can stay on the same canopy, only getting smaller one to gain more performance, instead of changing wings and relearning a different canopy.. Once again, I say.. The Pilot is a great all-around canopy.

chopchop
gotta go... Plaything needs a spanking..

Lotsa Pictures