Newbie question on hard openings

[Orange1 0]

This is possibly a dumb question

If a hard opening is caused by bad body position, will the size of the canopy make a difference? I know some canopy types are said to be more forgiving, but if a jumper has the same body position will different sizes of the same type of canopy make any difference?

(Edited because I feel obliged to add that other than my first 2 AFFs where I went head-down as I pulled, my body position on opening is not a problem! Just something I was wondering about)

Skydiving: wasting fossil fuels just for fun.

[shall555 0]

Body position is only one possible cause.

I'd suggest that things like packing technique, the brand of canopy ( some have a reputation for attention-getting openings ), harness tightness and your speed at deployment time are more likely.

Packing technique: make sure that the slider's up against the grommets and make sure the deployment bag closing bands are the correct size/type.

Harness: make sure you don't travel to the end of a loose harness during opening ! Cinch the legstraps and chest strap tight.

Speed at deployment: make sure, if you've tracked away (and have altitude ) that you slow down before you deploy. "Flare" like crazy, wave off and pull.

Learned about that last one the hard way, one time .

Cheers !

shall

[larsrulz 0]

Saying bad body position is responsible for hard openings, isn't actually correct. Hard openings are often due to gear selection (some canopies just open hard a lot) and most likely packing. Body position is what is responsible most the time for some of the malfunctions that can be caused by sitting non-symmetrically in your harness during opening, i.e. bad body position. This is the ever common line twists which lead to spinning.

More likely than not, wing loading will be insignificant with respect to the likelihood of a hard opening. If gear related, it is merely that some canopies are just prone to hard openings, i.e. large sabres and all cobalts.

I got a strong urge to fly, but I got no where to fly to. -PF

[crotalus01 0]

my sabre1 regularly spanks me. a lot of people thought it was body position until a local "up" jumper did a two way with me where i got briefly knocked senseless on opening and had a bajillion linetwists...he said when he saw my bag come off my back he knew it was going to be ugly, and had nothing to do with my body position at all.

As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD...

[sundevil777 102]

If he could tell it would be bad just by seeing your bag lift off, then that observation had nothing to do with your canopy.

Did he witness bag dump?

I think a great way to prevent that is to not use regular rubber bands for the locking stows.

Why don't those with original Sabre's or any canopy that acts up go right to the proven remedy of the pocketed slider? I certainly would, any decent local rigger can do it.

People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

[SabreDave 0]

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Why don't those with original Sabre's or any canopy that acts up go right to the proven remedy of the pocketed slider? I certainly would, any decent local rigger can do it.

Or try this..... I have a Sabre 230, it used to spank me way back when. Once, I had huge structural failure form a hard opening. After PD rebuilt it I changed my packing methods.

Of course, it is important to make sure the slider is "clover-leafed" and roll that nose up! I roll the 4 cells on each side about 11 or 12 times tightly and place them inside the centre cell a good 6-8 inches. It works great.......

Also, big and tight locking stows (obviously not too tight).

SabreDave

[sundevil777 102]

I just would not want a canopy that sensitive to packing.

Especially when the pocketed slider is so easy and cheap to do.

People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

[apley 0]

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This is possibly a dumb question

If a hard opening is caused by bad body position, will the size of the canopy make a difference? I know some canopy types are said to be more forgiving, but if a jumper has the same body position will different sizes of the same type of canopy make any difference?

)

if you really want to get a nice, controlled, SOFT, reliable opening... switch to a spectre! it is one of the favorites of wingsuit flyers, and of course, i've owned 4 of them...

in 9 cell, i have experienced unbelievably soft openings from the saffire2 and pilot. (loaded the saffire2 at about 1:1, the pilot at 1.4:1, and the spectres from 1.25:1 to 1.4:1.)

i know this wasn't specifically your question, but you are at the stage where you will be buying your first long-term canopy, and i would suggest staying away from SABRES alltogether. nobody should have to do special pack jobs to keep from getting beat up! i do NOTHING with the nose or slider on any of these 3 canopies, and they are all gentle.

those sabres make me nervous as a nun in a cucumber patch!

i had to make one more edit... you've heard it before... there are NO dumb questions in this sport. it is full of complexity, and at over 1,000 jumps, i'm still learning!

[Orange1 0]

I'm jumping a pilot (club gear) at the moment but should be test-jumping a Sabre2 soon... will see ...Pilot openings are generally very soft, but definitely susceptible to packing too!!

No-one's yet answered my question: all other things equal, including make of canopy, does the size make any difference to how hard it might open?

Skydiving: wasting fossil fuels just for fun.

[HydroGuy 0]

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More likely than not, wing loading will be insignificant with respect to the likelihood of a hard opening.

Someone answered you, but I'm not saying they are right. I too have wondered if canopy size has any relation to getting slammed.

The material of the lineset makes a definate difference though. Micro lines will transfer something like twice as much force to your harness due to their lack of stretch.

Get in - Get off - Get away....repeat as neccessary

[tkhayes 348]

1. Buy a parachute that historically opens slowly, Dacron lines if you have to
2. Match the pilot chute carefully to the rig and the main
3. Learn to sit up as you get to line stretch, especially if you are a big person, this reduces the whiplash on your neck and allows compression of the spine instead of whipping
4. Don't keep doing the same things over and over if it does nto work. 1000 jumsp later, your spine will look and feel like mine - which is not good

TK

[Travman 6]

My sabre1 170 has no mods and has NEVER spanked me.

[Remster 30]

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My sabre1 170 has no mods and has NEVER spanked me.

Jumps : 79

No offence, but before making such definitive statements, hang around a bit more...

Remster

[ryoder 1,590]

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My sabre1 170 has no mods and has NEVER spanked me.

I second what Remster said. I have three different rigs. All three open nicely almost all of the time. All three have slammed me. I my experience, I expect to get slammed about once every hundred jumps.

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[Travman 6]

I make the statement because a lot of people are saying they get spanked all the time by their sabre.
I admit it is not a large sample size, but even if I get spanked 1 in a 100 I wouldn't say its "all the time".
I psycho pack my sabre, and the person that taught me to pack previously had a sabre 190 that he psycho packed and he put many hundreds of jumps on it and he said the openings were always good.

[SabreDave 0]

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I just would not want a canopy that sensitive to packing.

Especially when the pocketed slider is so easy and cheap to do.

Well, my packing methods cost zero dollars, can you get me a pocket slider for that price?? Also, packing is something that interests me. I have tried many different things over the years on my skydive gear and BASE gear. I thnk it is a good thing to know the myriad differnt packing methods, ideas, tweeks etc....

Wasting money on gear when a change in packing can fix things seems pointless to me.

SabreDave

[yoink 321]

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My sabre1 170 has no mods and has NEVER spanked me.

Jumps : 79

No offence, but before making such definitive statements, hang around a bit more...

OK.

I have a Sabre 135 and it's never spanked me.


I've jumped ones that have, but mine's fine.

That reply was a bit harsh Rem - there are good Sabres and bad Sabres.

It is true however, the Sabre does seem to be less forgiving than a majority of other canopies when it comes to packing. I make absolutely certain the slider is to the stops and then roll the tail a few times more than I would on another canopy. Other than that, it's as normal... I'm a little worried about changing the slider, but I'm getting a removable one soon, so we'll see what difference it makes.