Is my Wing Loading gonna kill me?

[dorbie 0]

A pilot is more responsive than a triathlon so downsizing to a smaller triathlon than your pilot seems like a real mixed bag, and your wing loading is getting excessive.

If it was the same size canopy I'd say your instructor was trying to keep you safe by moving you off that Pilot, but that Triathlon is too small.

At 25 jumps you've not spent much time working on your canopy skills, you need to accept this, absorb this and believe it.

Going from a pilot to a smaller triathlon, well it just seems like a dumb canopy choice in too many ways, not just the wing loading number, which you're right to question. Don't downsize.

[Scrumpot 1]

Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, --Yada, Yada, Yada. Not being personally disparaging because trust me - I HEAR what you are saying.

The problem is, it has ALL been said, oh so often, so many times before. Over, and literally OVER again. Seems to be inescapably indemic to the sport (and these threads - just search 'em and see how much HISTORY you can uncover). For those of us who have "been around for a while" - we have heard, it, we have seen it (and even sometimes LIVED it). Again, over, and OVER!

That's why, in of itself too, there seems to be such a disconnect with patience (read: frustration) and tolerance, and/or lack thereof.

There always seems to be a new "crop" of better than anyone, - wunderkund, exception to the rules, etc. or what-have-you skydivers and canopy pilots out there, just around the corner - again & again like a never ending revolving door on this subject. I guess we'll never escape that.

Those of us that have "been around" now for a while (and probably to our -at the time "elders"- did ourselves in many cases - exactly the same things as you are now, to them then ) just don't KNOW or appreciate your natural talent, or abilities, or ability to translate your experience with OTHER high risk sports or activities so easily and readily into this one. - Right. Those of us who have that other perspective just don't seem to carry the respect either, and patience/tolerance to actually listen to and APPRECIATE those that have come and (trust me - there's not much new here, truly) also done before.

There are WAY TOO MANY examples, and links I could post in here, to support this OBSERVATION, sadly.

Here is only ONE though, now that I will:

THE STORY OF "DUDI"

I know that straight out of hand, there will be many "but this is not me" dismissals. Fine, that is not my point, to have this identify specifically and directly with everybody. But I will ask you all this, when you are reading this thread:

Consider: This is a jumper who truly thought AND PRACTICED as many of you are saying. He was clearly one who was (supposedly) knowledgable, talented and way ahead of the curve! He knew what not to do too, because he was doing (supposedly) EXACTLY what you are saying. "Did the research, trained specifically" - yada yada yada so that he WAS so different than all us others. Right. He took that path you are now herein at your what, only 65 jumps (yeah, yeah, I know jump #'s all by themself, in of themself, mean "nothing" - HORSE HOCKEY!) advocating.

Dudi had @ 500, BTW, FWIW.

Do what you want. It is after all, bottom line YOUR CHOICE, and your option. Again, there are just many of us out here who have seen it all before. Really. No SH**. Trust me, your stance unfortunately is nothing all that new, or as un-understandable to us "old farts" as you may think. Yes, we get FRUSTRATED as a result, regardless when we see it all over AND OVER, (and over & over & over & OVER) again is all.

Again, there are even just in these relatively "active" forums (let alone the archives) just literally TOO MANY EXAMPLES to possibly begin to even list!

THAT, is indeed the sad, and yes (in case you could not tell already by now ) indeed, the FRUSTRATING part.

I hope you do well with your progression, and your skydiving "career". I hope it is a LONG and successful one. Sincerely. No matter which your progression path of choice.

My apologies to all for the long (and I'm sure - disjointed, as I am so "famously" known for ) rants. The only reason you hear these rants from some of the folks that do still post on here, is because they (I/we) CARE. Be concerned more rather, - when and if we don't.

That is all.

Blue Skies,
-Grant

coitus non circum - Moab Stone

[chrismgtis 0]

Quote

he recommended I jump a smaller canopy (Triathlon 175, loaded @ 1.26)

Not that I know what I am talking about, but that seems like a pretty high wingloading to jump with the number of jumps you have.


At that number of jumps I feel that how well you've adjusted and how much you have learned is irrelevant to what wingloading you should be jumping and more of a "is this a safe wingloading for your exit weight and almost no experience?".

That's just my opinion as a student though, which means I don't really know what I'm talking about.

It seems like .9, 1.0 and 1.1 would be alright if your comfortable under canopy, but wouldn't you want to get in some more experience before jumping a 1.2 wingload (and at 1.26 you would probably want to consider that a 1.3).

Rodriguez Brother #1614, Muff Brother #4033
Jumped: Twin Otter, Cessna 182, CASA, Helicopter, Caravan