flyingarab 0 #1 June 12, 2004 Hey all, I have a Stilleto 150 and it has slammed the hell out of me countless times. The canopy itself has about 450 jumps now (200 of which were mine) and I finally quit using it after one opening caused me to have compressed vert. Here is the deal! I have had multiple experienced Stilleto packers pack this canopy and 9 out of 10 times it opens hard. I recently had a rigger put a pocket on the slider and now it opens slow. I have had some people tell me that doing this is not smart and that is only hides the problem but does not fix it! Is this the case? I am pleased with the canopy as long as it has a pocket slider. Thanks ahead of time for your assistance.Sincerely, FlyingArab www.flyingarab.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhreeZone 20 #2 June 12, 2004 When was the last reline? 450 jumps on it puts it right into the reline window. A complete reline if the canopy is out of trim will help identify the issue.Yesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kris 0 #3 June 12, 2004 Mine went out of trim by about 6" with around 250 jumps. It had started opening a bit funky at that point, and a lot firmer. Then it opened really hard and blew out a cell. Once I had it repaired and re-lined, she's opening like butter again. Stiletto's are known for opening soft when they're in spec. I'd have a rigger check the trim. A pocket slider on a Stiletto is nothing more than a band-aid for some other issue that needs to be taken care of.Sky, Muff Bro, Rodriguez Bro, and Bastion of Purity and Innocence!™ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skr 1 #4 June 12, 2004 I just got a new Stiletto 170 and I was getting like 1 out 3 hard openings. I was doing all the things I knew: good rubber bands, slider all the way up and so on, and I was starting to think about a pocket slider too. Then the PD traveling circus came through and Vladi thought I was not keeping the slider all the way up and showed me a couple ideas. So now I've had 5 good openings in a row, although I still cringe and get ready every time I throw the pilot chute. I've really started watching what I might be doing that could move the slider from the time I lay it on the ground till it's in the bag. The Stiletto is apparently much more sensitive to slider position than other canopies I've jumped. I probably won't relax for another 50 jumps but if it really was my packing technique causing the problem I'll be happy because I otherwise love the canopy. I would call PD and ask for help, send it back, get a reline, have them jump it or whatever. I have always found them to be really helpful. Skr Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hookitt 1 #5 June 13, 2004 Greetings Tarek If the canopy is in trim and it opens a bit rougher than you would like, the pocket is just fine. Not all Stilettos are created equal. There is the occasional, consistantly brisk opening stiletto. There's nothing wrong with putting a pocket on it to make it comfortable. Especially since you put cameras on your head. Sometimes a different slider altogether makes a difference. If the canopy is in reasonable trim, opens on heading ( as far as a stiletto is concerned ) with the pocket on it, then it's fine. Brakelines shrink rapidly. It's very likely they are much shorter than original. The outer lines will shrink more than the inner lines. Hang the canopy over your shoulder like you're going to propack it. Take note of how many inches shorter the outside lines are than the inside lines. For instance, the outer "A"lines, were originally the same length as the inners. That will give you some indication on how well trimmed the canopy is. Good luck TimMy grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flyingarab 0 #6 June 14, 2004 Thank you all for your information. I guess I will have a rigger look at it and determine if the lines are ok. I love the canopy just not the "brain jolts" I get all the time. OH well, again, thanks for the advice. I will get this done ASAP!Sincerely, FlyingArab www.flyingarab.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
peek 21 #7 June 14, 2004 Although most Stilettos open fine, I wanted mine to open "finer", so I put a larger slider on it. Worked great. (Yes it had very new lines on it when I did this.) Why are so many people against putting larger sliders and pocket sliders on canopies? Unless they slow down the opening too much, (or mask a line trim problem so bad that it might cause a malfunction eventually), who cares? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites