first rig WL

[dan_iv 0]

ok, i'm getting ready to buy my first rig and am curious about what wingloadings people were at when they bought there first rig.

I realize that probably the vast majority were right aroud 1 to 1

if you started over or under a 1 to 1 WL let us know how it went for you...

[Praetorian 1]

I picked ~1.1:1 but keep in mind I had MUCH more extensive training that 7 aff jumps. and had been jumping with coaching progressively form ~.8:1 to ~1:1 to ~1.1:1 while on student status

Good Judgment comes from experience...a lot of experience comes from bad
judgment.

[Antidote 0]

I started off at 1.1:1 at around 45 jumps or so. Kept that wingload for 400 jumps. No need to rush.

[MarkM 0]

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if you started over or under a 1 to 1 WL let us know how it went for you...

Was at a 1.08 with a Triathlon 160 and had a couple instances where I was really pushing my limits. One was an off landing next to a road crosswind that I was just barely able to keep from landing on the road(jump 30-ish) and the other time I just barely PLF'd out of a landing gone real bad(around jump 90). People were shocked I didn't break anything when I slammed into the ground on that one and so was I.

Oh and for most of my AFF I was on Triathlons, so going from a 240 -> 220 -> 190 -> 160 was my progression.

I have a lot of friends that have gone 1.1 past student status, but I don't think any of them had to deal with bad situations. I was good at putting myself in bad places and it sucks being under a canopy that's at your skill limit when the Bad Things(tm) happen.

[bch7773 0]

don't forget that a lot of people didn't get their first rig at 10 jumps. My DZ has a great gear rental price ($50 per year) and so I didn't get mine till jump 70, and i went 1.2

MB 3528, RB 1182

[dan_iv 0]

thanks for sharing that bit of info, i personally don't plan on jumping my own rig untill I have completed all of my coach jumps, so I'll have around 30 jumps or more by the time i'm done.

these are the canopies i've flown in my short time thus far
260 1 jumps
240 2 jumps
230 2 jumps
210 5 jumps ~ about .95:1 WL

I have been told I'm moving down in the next jump or two, I have stood up every landing except my first with no problems... and my accuracy to the student cone has been really good.

[councilman24 37]

It is NOT this simple. The acceptable wingloading does NOT directly scale. What might be ok at 200lbs is NOT ok at 120lbs. Not to mention canopy type. This poll should have one answer. What is safe for YOU!

I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE

[dan_iv 0]

Quote

It is NOT this simple. The acceptable wingloading does NOT directly scale. What might be ok at 200lbs is NOT ok at 120lbs. Not to mention canopy type. This poll should have one answer. What is safe for YOU!

sure it is, (the poll), granted a person with an exit weight of 120 lbs and a 1:1 WL is alot different then a person w/ and exit weight of 200lbs at the same WL. but generally speaking i'm just curious about what people have began w/ there first rig, and I didn't want to have a ton of options, this is also why I wanted people to comment about there experiences as well.

[MarkM 0]

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I have been told I'm moving down in the next jump or two,

Sounds like you're under instructor control with this, so don't sweat what any of us jumped. He knows you and your skills, we don't. Besides, a lot of DZ.commers probably jumped stuff on their first container several years back that would be frowned on today.

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I have stood up every landing except my first with no problems... and my accuracy to the student cone has been really good.

It's not how well you stand up the good landings that matters, it's how well you crash the bad ones

[dragon2 2]

1:1 at 75 jumps (Spectre 150)

ciel bleu,
Saskia

[Kris 0]

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It is NOT this simple. The acceptable wingloading does NOT directly scale. What might be ok at 200lbs is NOT ok at 120lbs. Not to mention canopy type. This poll should have one answer. What is safe for YOU!

Great answer, Terry. I started at 1.2:1, but that was under a Sabre 210. There's no way I could have jumped that wingloading on a 150 or smaller to begin with.

Sky, Muff Bro, Rodriguez Bro, and
Bastion of Purity and Innocence!™

[councilman24 37]

Okay, 0.3 lbs per sq.ft.


On a C-9 round! Sprained my ankle.

"Your experience may vary."

I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE

[dan_iv 0]

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Okay, 0.3 lbs per sq.ft.


On a C-9 round! Sprained my ankle.

"Your experience may vary."

that's funny, except the ankle part, i knew atleast one of you old-timer, (i'm not saying you are old) would chime in w/ a sub .5:1 WL but if it's round is it really a WL

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It's not how well you stand up the good landings that matters, it's how well you crash the bad ones

now that is a really good point!

[KrisFlyZ 0]

I got a Sab2 190 for my first canopy loaded at 1.15:1 when I ordered it. I was jumping a Sab 190 on student status.

However, I broke my ankle on jump 23 and was out for two and a half months. I did start back on the 230 and downsized over 20 jumps to the Sab2 190.

I have about 460 jumps now and my am loading my Sab2 170 around 1.15:1.

Kris.

[dan_iv 0]

thanks for the honest post about your experience! Glad your all healed and back in it.

[SkiD_PL8 0]

I was once told "all the cool kids smoke pot and jump tiny elipticals." In all seriousness though just talk to your instructors and get something you feel comfortable under when the proverbial shit hits the fan.

Greenie in training.

[Fab 0]

1.25 at 100 jumps...

_______________________________________

[karenmeal 0]

What did your instructor(s) recommend to you, and what wingloading are you wanting to jump?

"Life is a temporary victory over the causes which induce death." - Sylvester Graham

[skysprite 0]

I just bought a rig that had a PD 210 in it but sold that and bought a Sabre 190 to put in it instead. It puts me at slightly below 1:1 WL, and I plan to get really comfortable with that before I even think about considering doing something else. The next canopy I get will likely be a Sabre2 190. I plan on sticking with a 190/around a 1:1 WL for a long while.

~skysprite

[dan_iv 0]

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What did your instructor(s) recommend to you, and what wingloading are you wanting to jump?

I have spoke with a couple of my instructors about selecting my first canopy. It's not so much about a WL to be at as much as how much do I want to be able to handle, if the worst situation arises. If I put myself under a 170 (After I have my license and atleast 20 or so jumps under a 190) I would be at a wingloading of aproxamately 1.14 depending on my clothing, and current weight.

I am also signing up for the scott miller canopy course in June of this year.

edit: the basic "recommendation" to me was that either a 190 or 170 canopy would be acceptable canopies to start w/ for me, also that it is my choice and to consider jumping in all conditions under a smaller canopy.

[anthonylock 0]

1.4 under a pilot 168, from about 90 jumps. before thats loads of jumps under PD 190s.

[Gandhi 0]

mine was a touch over 1.2 on a sabre2 150 at 80 jumps, that said, I had done about 40 jumps at about 1.0 on a 190 and down a little on a 170.
I love the canopy, but it gave me a bit of stick to start with.

in my opinion there is no requirement to downsize unless you can rag the living shit out of the canopy you jump now, and that certainly wasnt the case with me jumping 190's. you'll be surpised at how much fun you can get from a larger canopy but still maintaining the safety margin required at lower experience levels, im lucky i didnt injur myself during the first 20 jumps or so on my new rig!

quote 'you are to go around... next time extend your landing gear'

[GTAVercetti 0]

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ok, i'm getting ready to buy my first rig and am curious about what wingloadings people were at when they bought there first rig.

I realize that probably the vast majority were right aroud 1 to 1

if you started over or under a 1 to 1 WL let us know how it went for you...

I was at .9:1 for 200 jumps. I think it was the perfect loading to learn canopy control and landing skills while being less affected by a higher loading.

Why yes, my license number is a palindrome. Thank you for noticing.

[dan_iv 0]

that's cool that you spent that much time at a conservative WL and learned alot.

I got 7 jumps in on Sunday and 6 of them I flew a sabre 190 at a wl of about a 1.02:1

as part of my first jump on the 190 canopy I was asked to perform a 1/2 braked final to flare at landing which went fine for me.

[dmetz 0]

After my first handful of jumps after AFF, my instructors recommended that a Sabre 170 at 1.17:1 would be a good starter main for me. At some point around 20-25 jumps, they had me jumping a rental one. So that's what I bought for my first and current main. However, I had to take about a year off after only 40 jumps. When I came back, I did a few on a Tri 190 before using mine. I also came back about 10-15 pounds heavier and felt every one of them under canopy. It was kind of scary for a bit, and I considered upsizing, but then I got more comfy and shed a few pounds too. So its all good now, but I don't plan on downsizing for a couple hundred at least. I'm at around 1.22:1 now.

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"If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a humanitarian eat?"