Should I sell my Pilot 132?

[pinkfairy 0]

I've got a beautiful, red-and-white, all new Aerodyne Pilot 132.

It is, as I said, a perfect main canopy, it opens soft and on heading and flies like a couple of angel wings (or at least so they say). The only problem with it is that I don't dare to fly it.

I listened to advice from my instructors, and the more experienced jumpers at my DZ, and my parachute dealer when I decided on the 132. But they didn't really know how I land, and in the end it all comes down to what I like and what I want to fly. I'm not really blaming anyone but myself, I should really be able to filter out comments like "you'll land backwards with a 150" or "you'll get bored on the 150". Like Obi wan Kenobi said: who is more of a fool, the fool, or the fool who follows him?"



So I bough a nice, used Sabre 150 that will go in my main container no problem, and that has at least a couple of hundred jumps left on the lines (nice and slippery spectra), and I wonder if I ever will want to fly a 132. The plan initially was to resolve some issues I have on my landings with the 150, then go on to fly the 132, but I'm thinking that maybe I will not want to fly anything smaller than a 150, and if I sell the Pilot, I'll be able to buy a really, really nice 150, a spectre, sabre2 or even a Pilot.

Should I put it out for sale, and sell it if I get any decent bids, or should I keep it?

It's my first canopy, I have 63 jumps, and hope to do more than that this summer, and I would wingload the 132 @ 1.07.

Oh, I wouldn't actually listen to any of your advice, last time I listened to advice on gear, that wasn't any good, but it would be interesting to hear your thoughts.

Relax, you can die if you mess up, but it will probably not be by bullet.

I'm a BIG, TOUGH BIGWAY FORMATION SKYDIVER! What are you?

[DougH 270]

No don't sell it.

First, economically, your going to get your ass handed to you when you sell it.

Second, 1.07 is a pretty conservative wing loading, however you must balance that with the fact that the canopy is under a 150 so it is also consider high performance.

It is a great canopy, and your going to like it tons more than your saber in my opinion. Just wait till your comfortable with the idea of flying it.

"The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall"
=P

[mktoson 0]

What ever decision you make will be the right decision for you. Either way you go I think you'll be doing the right thing.

So far, this is the oldest I've ever been.

[tbrown 26]

Keep the Pilot, they're wonderful. 1.07 really is a conservative wingload, though anything under a 150 will fly hot just because it's a small wing with shorter lines.

You've done a smart thing getting an older Sabre in the meantime, that's an economical way to get more canopy experience. TAKE A CANOPY COURSE, in fact when you take the course, explain the situation to the instructor and tell him/her that you will be wanting more follow up coaching afterwards. You're new at this and developing a mentor relation with a canopy coach will help you immensely.

As a Pilot owner myself, I have to tell you, the Pilot is one of the most mellow, best behaved 9 cells you can possibly own. Keep your Pilot and concentrate on learning your canopy skills. Most people don't work very hard on their canopy flying, but if you do, you will not only be able to handle your Pilot, you'll really stand out and shine as the "new chick who really knows what she's doing".

By the way, have you jumped a demo version of your reserve ? It's a rectangular 7 cell and very much like a Triathalon, but it's a good idea to know what your reserve flies - and flares - like before you ever need it.

Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

[skyninja 0]

Had the same dilemma myself with about the same sized canopies around the same jump numbers (160 to 135 - I did not, however, both downsize and change planform). I'd say jump the Sabre to finish working out the kinks, then downsize when/if you're comfortable (after borrowing somebody's Pilot 150 for a few jumps if you can to get used to the handling difference). Keep the Pilot another 100-150 jumps before you decide to sell it. There is a big difference how you fly from now until then.

I think most jumpers (guys) are used to flying a higher wingloading from the start, so their downsizing is not so dramatic. Flyweights like us go from the 240 (0.5-6 wingload!!!) student canopies and are told to downsize 100 square feet within 50-100 jumps (to the magic ~1.0!) so we won't "underload" the canopy.

Advice can be helpful, but remember that in the end it's YOUR judgment and YOUR legs.

Why don't you just play 'chicken' on the railroad tracks? It would be a cheaper way to toy with death, I'm sure.

CWR #2 - "You SAID collision!"

[sdctlc 0]

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Advice can be helpful, but remember that in the end it's YOUR judgment and YOUR legs.

This is ultimatly the real issue. $ is a huge factor in directions people go in the sport. at 63 jumps you are probably not sure what you want and though the 132 might be a direction to go staying on a 150 is your comfort zone! People are saying keep it for 100-150 or so jumps and then think about moving to the 132. How long will that take?? 1 summer, 2 summers?? I dont know. If money is not an issue keep it. If you dont think your going to get the jumps you anticipate to make the move comfortable, it might not make sense t keep it as even unused canopies that sit in your closet depreciate in the used market and buyers eyes.


In a perfect world I would have more rigs then I do, Also a packer for every jump and I would be on every load! I make concessions that fit my needs and maybe extend myself one direction and not so much in another. The Pilot is a very good canopy and as an observer looking at the 1.07 load, that is a good fit for a conservative/younger experience jumper and would be a place I guess you will end up at when your more confy with your landings. If you dont have an issue holding on to the canopy and really think yur going to jump more the upcoming season keep it, more currency will lead to more comfort and an easier transition. If your not sure and money is an issue sell it as you will probably get more cvalue out f it today then next year.

Scott C.

"He who Hesitates Shall Inherit the Earth!"

[gearless_chris 1]

I know a couple of 100 lbs. girls that jump 150 Sabres (.8 wingloading) they have had few problems with the wind. One girl has over 700 jumps on hers but she says she's old (47) and doesn't want to run. the other will go smaller when she is ready (she's mid 30's). Since you've already got the pilot keep it, and don't jump it until you get the 150 sorted out. You will probably change your mind about jumping something smaller than 150 in a hundred more jumps.

"If it wasn't easy stupid people couldn't do it", Duane.

My momma said I could be anything I wanted when I grew up, so I became an a$$hole.

[pinkfairy 0]

The main problem with selling the Pilot, is that where I jump, people get more elliptical canopies as they get more experienced. Even the camera flyers have fast, elliptical things like the Crossfire2. And all the Wingsuit flyers fly Spectres.

Also, PD Canopies is more "in fashion" where I jump.

Maybe I should just post it for sale, and say that I consider selling it, and just sell it if I get a good enough offer.

It will be difficult to find a used Pilot150, though, there are more Sabre2 and spectre to get. And after waiting so long for my Pilot, I really really want to try out what it's like.

Relax, you can die if you mess up, but it will probably not be by bullet.

I'm a BIG, TOUGH BIGWAY FORMATION SKYDIVER! What are you?

[dragon2 2]

If you're scared of it, don't jump it. I've seen 2 lightweight girls buy a 120 to get wingload of .9-1.0 and even after lots of jumps on it (100's) they had trouble landing their canopies because they were so damn small. This is one of the reasons of our nationak canopy rules, you now cannot jump a 120 before you have 700 jumps, which I find a bit restrictive but a 120 at 50 jumps is clearly not a good idea either. It's 400 jumps before a 135 and 100 jumps for a 150, so all the featherweights are jumping a 150 until 400 jumps when they are allowed to switch to a 135 not all of them do! Some even stay on a 170 for a long time.

I started on a spectre 150 at 1.0 at 75 jumps, and went to a 135 at 350 jumps or so (this was before the canopy rules), it didn't give me any problems then which proves that I was ready for it. The 150 was fine for me all this time and would've been fine longer. Most girls are not as interested in swooping and coming in fast as the boys seem to be, a <150 sqft canopy comes in fast enough already! Any canopy <150 sqft is HP, and if you don't feel ready for it (why would you, at your jumpnumber?!) then why jump it. Getting scared of landing isn't productive, regardless what anyone else says.

Selling the canopy is your choice, I'd keep it though if you do not need the cash now and like the sabre enough to keep jumping it, as you'll very likely will like the pilot at a later date. If you don't like the sabre all that much, then I'd sell the pilot (or trade it to a jumper wanting to downsize) and sell the sabre too.

ciel bleu,
Saskia

[peregrinerose 0]

If you need the cash, go ahead and sell it, it won't hurt you.

But it also won't hurt to store it properly and hang on to it while you make a couple hundred jumps on the sabre 150 and then see how you feel from there.

Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

[pinkfairy 0]

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By the way, have you jumped a demo version of your reserve ? It's a rectangular 7 cell and very much like a Triathalon, but it's a good idea to know what your reserve flies - and flares - like before you ever need it.

No, but I want to, and I'm gonna ask both my parachute dealer and one of the owners of Aerodyne (who occationally jumps at my DZ) to let me jump a demo version of it. (My parachute dealer doesn't have demo versions of the Smart yet).

I really feel good about it anyway, I hear that it opens fast but soft, and it will probably be packed by a rigger who teaches other riggers how to pack the Smart in the Icon, but it's always good to have tried it.

Relax, you can die if you mess up, but it will probably not be by bullet.

I'm a BIG, TOUGH BIGWAY FORMATION SKYDIVER! What are you?

[billvon 2,998]

>Should I put it out for sale, and sell it if I get any decent bids, or should I keep it?

Put it out for sale at 5-10% less than what you paid for it. If you sell it, use the money to make more jumps, or put it in the bank and buy another canopy in a year or so (if you want one then.) If you don't sell it, you'll have a good next canopy to use.

[pinkfairy 0]

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This is one of the reasons of our nationak canopy rules, you now cannot jump a 120 before you have 700 jumps, which I find a bit restrictive but a 120 at 50 jumps is clearly not a good idea either.

Wow! that IS restrictive, but I can see the point. A 210 loaded at 1:1 is something entirely different than a 132, even at the same wingloading.

And no point in flying something I can't land properly. Thanks for the examples. Everyone at my DZ is saying that I'll be OK on the 132, "whoever heard of anyone having problems at that wingload?", but that clearly is not right.

And anyway it's my decision. My canopy, my jump ticket, and my ass.

Relax, you can die if you mess up, but it will probably not be by bullet.

I'm a BIG, TOUGH BIGWAY FORMATION SKYDIVER! What are you?

[dragon2 2]

I just remembered, when one of those 2 girls was complaining about her perpetual landing troubles, she was advised to buy a 107 because her 120 was obviously too big for her at .9

One more for the canopy rules.

Both girls quit jumping after a few hundred jumps and both of them went into BASE (big canopies anyone?).

ciel bleu,
Saskia

[phoenixlpr 0]

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Also, PD Canopies is more "in fashion" where I jump.

Sure! Sell it right away. How can you have something uncool and outdated stuff?
You have to be cool! Its fashion not flying...

Ask camera flier what have they jumped before that hot shit!
I fly a Pilot with WS. Pilot is perfect for anything and everything,but swooping. Ok my WL is 1.4+ on my.

[jeremy_o 0]

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Also, PD Canopies is more "in fashion" where I jump.

So?

Also, have you tried the 132 yet? I didn't notice if you actually said that you jumped it.

http://planetskydive.net/ - An online aggregation of skydiver's blogs.

[kaerodyne 0]

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By the way, have you jumped a demo version of your reserve ? It's a rectangular 7 cell and very much like a Triathalon, but it's a good idea to know what your reserve flies - and flares - like before you ever need it.

No, but I want to, and I'm gonna ask both my parachute dealer and one of the owners of Aerodyne (who occationally jumps at my DZ) to let me jump a demo version of it. (My parachute dealer doesn't have demo versions of the Smart yet).

Get in-touch with Arnold Collenteur he is the Eurpoean Sales Rep, and he has Smart Reserves for demo.

arnold@flyaerodyne.com

If you dont hear from him, e-mail me and i'll follow up for you.

On the subject of the Pilot 132, it seems like you might have been the victim of others Ego, when they suggested you buy a canopy that is at this time in the sport to small for you. In time as you get more jumps and skill you will most likely be looking to get off the Sabre 150 and look at a smaller canopy in the 132 range.

So I would keep the Pilot and when your ready in a few hundred jumps there will be a new Pilot 132 ready to jump.

Please feel free to contact us at Aerodyne if you have any questions.

[pinkfairy 0]

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Also, PD Canopies is more "in fashion" where I jump.

So?

Also, have you tried the 132 yet? I didn't notice if you actually said that you jumped it.

That just means that a PD canopy will be easier and faster to sell.

No I haven't tried the 132 yet, but I don't want to. Easy as that.

Relax, you can die if you mess up, but it will probably not be by bullet.

I'm a BIG, TOUGH BIGWAY FORMATION SKYDIVER! What are you?

[tbrown 26]

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Also, PD Canopies is more "in fashion" where I jump.

Sure! Sell it right away. How can you have something uncool and outdated stuff?
You have to be cool! Its fashion not flying...

That's not what she's getting at. If PD canopies are what the "in crowd" is jumping at er DZ, then she might have trouble getting a good price for another brand.

You've been beating up on newbies lately, why don't you just knock it off, or go pick a fight with a cop or something ?

Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

[billvon 2,998]

>No I haven't tried the 132 yet, but I don't want to. Easy as that.

Good call. If more people were willing to make a decision like that and stick to it, we'd have fewer problems with jumpers getting into wingloadings over their heads.

[headoverheels 333]

How many jumps will you make in a year? If you make another hundred between now and July, you may feel like jumping the 132 by then. If you stop jumping for the winter, you may not like jumping a smaller canopy when you resume jumping months later. It may be easier to sell the canopy now at the start of the season, than next September.

I made 900 jumps, starting when I had over 1000 jumps, on a Raven 3 at a w/l of under 0.71; it was not a problem for me. I did pull down on front risers sometimes to increase penetration into the wind.

If your landings are not good on the 150, you should not go to the 132.

[phoenixlpr 0]

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Also, PD Canopies is more "in fashion" where I jump.

Sure! Sell it right away. How can you have something uncool and outdated stuff?
You have to be cool! Its fashion not flying...

That's not what she's getting at. If PD canopies are what the "in crowd" is jumping at er DZ, then she might have trouble getting a good price for another brand.

You've been beating up on newbies lately, why don't you just knock it off, or go pick a fight with a cop or something ?

I have my opinion. Try to argue with that. Please don't take it personal. Keep on topic.

Her problem is herself and not the canopy. Why would it better now, taking advice from strangers again, if it was not working before?

[pinkfairy 0]

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Her problem is herself and not the canopy. Why would it better now, taking advice from strangers again, if it was not working before?

Well, thanks for the reply, that was certainly on topic and useful.

You are right in the fact that I am the problem. People are usually the problem in parachute incidents. People turn low and don't perform EPs when needed and so on. That has nothing to do with gear.

I will really just make up my own mind, but I've been thinking about this a lot, and some of the replies I got here were really helpful.

Thank you!

Relax, you can die if you mess up, but it will probably not be by bullet.

I'm a BIG, TOUGH BIGWAY FORMATION SKYDIVER! What are you?

[phoenixlpr 0]

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I will really just make up my own mind, but I've been thinking about this a lot, and some of the replies I got here were really helpful.

Wow! Closing to the right track

[IanHarrop 42]

You know... maybe this is an idea. You might consider taking the Pilot out for a jump and see how it goes.

On the other hand.... better safe than sorry.

.... I have issues with decisiveness...

"Where troubles melt like lemon drops, away above the chimney tops, that's where you'll find me" Dorothy