ravel 0 #1 June 24, 2011 I am 200lbs and I jump a SPectre 170 that I have jumped about 50 times.. My total number of jumps is 75. I just realized that every time I jump in no winds I hurt my ankles or end up sliding because forward speed feels crazy fast. Can anyone give me some wise advise on what to do? I use to jump a windy dropzone and I was very comfortable with this canopy. But now on the new place is I cant get used to the no winds... Someone told me that maybe jumping a Sabre 150(the bigger 9 cell I can fit my container) I would get a better flare. ANYONE PLEASE.... SOME ADVISE Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
david3 0 #2 June 24, 2011 Quote I am 200lbs and I jump a SPectre 170 that I have jumped about 50 times.. My total number of jumps is 75. I just realized that every time I jump in no winds I hurt my ankles or end up sliding because forward speed feels crazy fast. Can anyone give me some wise advise on what to do? I use to jump a windy dropzone and I was very comfortable with this canopy. But now on the new place is I cant get used to the no winds... Someone told me that maybe jumping a Sabre 150(the bigger 9 cell I can fit my container) I would get a better flare. ANYONE PLEASE.... SOME ADVISE Have someone you trust (an up-jumper/instructor) watch you landings. I bet you aren't fully flaring your canopy. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DaVinciflies 0 #3 June 24, 2011 In my opinion if your canopy scares you, and you are hurting your ankles repeatedly when you land on the dropzone, you need to upsize your canopy before your next jump. The next jump might be the one where you have to land downwind in a tight off-DZ landing area. If this requires a new container then please get one. Please don't get hurt. [Disclaimer: not seen you fly etc, but your description speaks volumes] Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
artard 0 #4 June 24, 2011 Make sure you are finishing your flare and get canopy coachinghttp://www.mixcloud.com/prajna http://vimeo.com/avidya Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 2,990 #5 June 24, 2011 >I just realized that every time I jump in no winds I hurt my ankles or end up sliding >because forward speed feels crazy fast. Can anyone give me some wise advise on >what to do? 1) Flare all the way. Never land without your hands being all the way down. 2) Learn to slide out your landings. 3) Get video and show it to an instructor. 4) Take a canopy flight course. 5) Get a bigger canopy (say a Pilot 210) and make a few jumps on that to see if it helps. Demos are free. And please, do the above _before_ your sore ankle become a broken leg (or worse.) >Someone told me that maybe jumping a Sabre 150(the bigger 9 cell I can fit my >container) I would get a better flare. Yikes! That makes as much sense as landing downwind for slower landings. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ravel 0 #6 June 25, 2011 I feel comfortable with the rate of descent. Is just at the moment of flaring that I can't manage to make the canopy slow down enough... Does that have anything to do with the fact that is a 7-cell canopy and a 9-cell would help to get a better landing?? Yes definitely next time I will ask someone to see my landings. and thanx for the advise. I have been considering upsizing to a pulse 190 which would fit my container but again I dont want to spend money on a new canopy that maybe I dont really need if I can manage to improve on this one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
virgin-burner 1 #7 June 25, 2011 why hasnt anybody cried out about the WINGLOADING yet!? this site isnt the same as it used to be anymore.. “Some may never live, but the crazy never die.” -Hunter S. Thompson "No. Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try." -Yoda Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pchapman 279 #8 June 25, 2011 To quantify things: (200 lbs + 25 gear)/170 = 1.32 wing loading at 75 jumps. And PD's wing loading table for the Spectre shows 221 lbs (1.3 loading) for 'experts', although 255 lbs (1.5 loading) as the absolute maximum suggested. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
diablopilot 2 #9 June 25, 2011 You won't want to hear this, but you're on too small of a parachute. Going to a smaller 9 cell won't help. Trust me, I know as I started with too small of a parachute and I hurt myself many times in my first 100 jumps.---------------------------------------------- You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ravel 0 #10 June 25, 2011 aaaah yeah that's a good point you brought up the wing loading something I haven't really understood yet. PD saids one thing for max loading but yet I see people loading same canopies at 2.0 You are right I probably downsize way too soon but when I got the gear I was weighting 170 lbs, 2 years ago and I got it when I only had 25 jumps. Also, As you can see I actually don't jumps as much as I would like to. I just find it weird I can absolutely manage this canopy on windy days. I have super comfortable landings. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #11 June 25, 2011 QuoteI just find it weird I can absolutely manage this canopy on windy days. I have super comfortable landings. What happens on the day that you have a nice 10mph breeze and you end up low and flying downwind? Are you going to panic and make a low turn, seriously hurting yourself? Are you going to crash out the easy and slow downwind landing and seriously hurt yourself? Can I please highly suggest two things: 1. Upsize. Immediately. 2. Canopy coaching. There are some important fundamentals that have been missed, they will help you keep from getting hurt or hurting other jumpers around you!--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ravel 0 #12 June 25, 2011 thanx Make sense I actually have been on that situation already.. going downwind and I actually just do the same as the no wind day slide on my butt sideways :S but definitely I will consider upsizing but I know is not cheap Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #13 June 25, 2011 Quote but definitely I will consider upsizing but I know is not cheap Riding in the back of the big red van to the ER for a femur will cost you around $10k when you're all said and done...that's a lot of canopies. (Or 1 all-sail JVX).--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ravel 0 #14 June 25, 2011 right on upsizing or going on a serious diet will have to do then :) thanx all for the advise have been eye opener Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Freeflaw 0 #15 June 25, 2011 the size of your parachute is not inversely proportional to your cool factor Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
theonlyski 8 #16 June 25, 2011 Quote aaaah yeah that's a good point you brought up the wing loading something I haven't really understood yet. PD saids one thing for max loading but yet I see people loading same canopies at 2.0 You are right I probably downsize way too soon but when I got the gear I was weighting 170 lbs, 2 years ago and I got it when I only had 25 jumps. Also, As you can see I actually don't jumps as much as I would like to. I just find it weird I can absolutely manage this canopy on windy days. I have super comfortable landings. IMO if you've made 50 jumps in the past 2 years (not to mention 75 total), you're asking for an injury jumping a 170 at ~1.3. Whomever told you to go to a 150 to have better landings... "I may be a dirty pirate hooker...but I'm not about to go stand on the corner." iluvtofly DPH -7, TDS 578, Muff 5153, SCR 14890 I'm an asshole, and I approve this message Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DrewEckhardt 0 #17 June 25, 2011 Quote I am 200lbs and I jump a SPectre 170 that I have jumped about 50 times.. My total number of jumps is 75. I just realized that every time I jump in no winds I hurt my ankles or end up sliding because forward speed feels crazy fast. Can anyone give me some wise advise on what to do? Switch to a canopy size appropriate for your limited jump numbers like a 210 and learn how to fly it landing up-wind, cross-wind, down-wind, up-hill, down-hill, in a turn, with a 90 degree flat turn starting at the tree tops, on concrete, etc. The 1.0 + .1 / 100 jump canopy size guideline comes from the practice and experience necessary to deal with those situations which you'll eventually find yourself in (if you don't break something with an attempted hard turn back into the wind instead). Learning those things with more square footage over your head is easier and hurts less. Quote Someone told me that maybe jumping a Sabre 150(the bigger 9 cell I can fit my container) I would get a better flare. Nope, but your crashes would be faster and perhaps more entertaining for the rest of us. Quote ANYONE PLEASE.... SOME ADVISE Get video, especially if you plan on trying the 150 in spite of other advice. Coaching from some one who understands both canopy flight and how to teach it would be prudent. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
yoink 321 #18 June 25, 2011 Quote 2) Learn to slide out your landings. Why did this become the norm for teaching sketchy landings instead of PLFs? You blow a PLF, you end up with a broken arm / leg. You get unlucky with a sliding landing and you hit a rock and shatter your spine... Tandems, OK, I sort of get it, or specialist swoop comps where there's a designated sandy landing area that's been cleared. But I don't believe it's ok for anyone else to think that it should be an option in standard landings. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
popsjumper 2 #19 June 25, 2011 Quote To quantify things: (200 lbs + 25 gear)/170 = 1.32 wing loading at 75 jumps. And PD's wing loading table for the Spectre shows 221 lbs (1.3 loading) for 'experts', although 255 lbs (1.5 loading) as the absolute maximum suggested. ...with a PDR160. Appears to me like an accident looking for a place to happen. Hopefully he will upsize BOTH the main AND the reserve be fore his next jump. TO OP: What's more important to you... - a few bucks for gear that fits your skills or - your safetyMy reality and yours are quite different. I think we're all Bozos on this bus. Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chuckakers 425 #20 June 25, 2011 Quote I am 200lbs and I jump a SPectre 170 that I have jumped about 50 times.. ANYONE PLEASE.... SOME ADVISE Get a bigger canopy. You are at least 1.3:1 at less than 100 jumps. I may be a bit "old fashioned" but I can say for sure that you will be able to land a bigger canopy better than the one you have. Wing loading is cool, but good landings are cooler - and less expensive!Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skybytch 273 #21 June 25, 2011 QuoteI dont want to spend money on a new canopy that maybe I dont really need if I can manage to improve on this one. Flying a 1.3 wingloading at 75 jumps makes for a steep learning curve. You might get a break and make it through unscathed.... or you might get broke. New Pulse - less than $2000. Broken ankle - $10k+ Badly broken leg - $30k+ Weeks off of work - $???? Bottles of pain meds - priceless! Your choice. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
-ftp- 0 #22 June 25, 2011 like said downsize please. rent some gear if you have to in the meantime, and tell whoever told you that about the 150 to go the nearest instructor immediately. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
davelepka 4 #23 June 25, 2011 QuoteYou are right I probably downsize way too soon but when I got the gear I was weighting 170 lbs, 2 years ago and I got it when I only had 25 jumps. To be honest, you're an injury waiing to happen. Jumping at 1.3 with under 100 jumps and 30lbs overweight. Think for a second what that extra 30lbs is going to do to your skeletal system in the event of a significant impact with the ground. Did your bones also get bigger when you put on 30lbs? The others are right about the cost of an injury. Even with insurance, the co-pays, deductibles, and lost income will make the upsize pale in comparison. Your reserve is another area of concern. What you should do is sell your complete rig, add whatever cash you can swing to the proceeds, and use that as your budget for another rig, with a larger main and reserve. Most rigs that will hold a 190 will also be able to hold a 170, so if you lose the weight or your skills come up to par, you can trade in just the 190 for a 170 at that time, while hanging on to the container and larger reserve. The last thing you need if you jump infrequently is a canopy that you can barely land. The other thing you don't need is brand new gear. The used gear market is a good place for people switching around sizes, as you can sell your stuff and buy different with little to n cash outlay. You might even make money. The idea with skydiving is that you want to make choices that are in the middle of conservative and aggressive. The more frequently you jump, you might be able to scoot toward the aggressive side of things, and the less frequently you jump the more conservative you want to be. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ShotterMG 0 #24 June 25, 2011 I would guess your problem can be fixed by learning the 3 stage flare. Many times students don't get taught this technique quickly enough and have trouble as they down size. Learn it from an instructor and you will have it figured out in a couple jumps. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
virgin-burner 1 #25 June 25, 2011 i'm aware of the 2-stage flare; can you elaborate on a 3-stage flare please? how about flaring progressively while we're at it!? it aint rocket-surgery.. “Some may never live, but the crazy never die.” -Hunter S. Thompson "No. Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try." -Yoda Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
