What was your first canopy?

[skyhpp 0]

1st 10 jumps- 28 ft. Military round (non steerable)- great
canopy if you don't know anything else
1st Owned - A very 2nd hand 7 Cell "Viking Superlite" (7
jumps, 2 cut-aways,2 repair jobs
one stand-up - retired it after that
2nd Owned - A 7 Cell Pursuit 230 - a Rolls Royce
compared to the Viking! (Bought it after only
1 jump!)Prone to the occasional "banger"
opening
3rd Owned - A radical downsize to a 9 Cell 190 Predator -
all F111 - state of the art!

Flat packing was the way to go and round reserves were the norm - the first guy to Pro-pack at our DZ drew a massive crowd - for the pack job and the opening!

[wartload 0]

28' 7-TU with a 24' cotton twill reserve. Soon upgraded the reserve to a 26' NavCon and used the old one (once) as an intentional cutaway backup reserve. As someone else mentioned, the switch to a 1965 RW&B PC was like going from driving a cement mixer to a sports car. It was "short lined" about 36", so it packed up pretty well, too.

[wmw999 2,439]

I had a Viking Superlite for awhile; pretty impressive steering pressure (especially compared with the Starlite I was jumping before that
I've done a lot more flat packing than pro packing in my life. I used to have a diaper on my square main that was great, too (and if I tried I could probably figure out how to propack into one, too).

Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[Thunderbow 1]

First jumped: 28' 7TU. 1974

First round (sort of) owned: Thunderbow, blue w/gold arrow in shortened to 3 pin from 4 pin. 1975?

First square owned: red and black Strato Star in SST.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Lord, let me be the person my dog thinks I am.

[Thunderbow 1]

Had some nasty Cardinal Puff mornings. A friend had a shorter mustache one night.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Lord, let me be the person my dog thinks I am.

[Clite 0]

My was a multi-color Pegasus and I sometimes jumped my Dad's Cruiselite. I still jump the Cruiselite sometimes and still have the Pegasus. I have stood up all landings so far and I weight 210 lbs. Now my knees pop all the time thou.Since I have resumed jumping I have picked up a Sabre 190 on my limited budget, and love the landings now.

[skybill 22]

Hi Ralu,
Myfirst canopy was an orange and white candy stripe 28' Pioneer eliptical cut 7-TU in a O.D. B-4 harness and 4-pin container system, 24'T-10A Reserve, combat boots, an old military flight suit for a jumpsuit and a converted Navy flight helmit to crown my head!!! Rig, first jump course and first jump, less than $50.00 1964 U.S. dollars.

The feeling when I first left Milon Nobles Cessna 170 on my first static Line Jump,

PRICELESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SCR-2034, SCS-680

III%,
Deli-out

[wartload 0]

Quote

Hi Ralu,
Myfirst canopy was an orange and white candy stripe 28' Pioneer eliptical cut 7-TU in a O.D. B-4 harness and 4-pin container system

Was that an FSF1? There was a smokejumper canopy by that designation that I got to jump a couple of times. It was docile, but turned pretty well for a round canopy at the time. Don't remember at the moment what they called them, but it had little pockets around the skirt -- to catch a little air if it went into the water, if I was told correctly.

[GreenLight 7]

Frist jump was on a T-10.. First canopy I owned was an RW PC in a Wonderhog II. Reserve was a 26ft LoPo. Used it on my 37th jump.

Green Light
"Harry, why did you land all the way out there? Nobody else landed out there."
"Your statement answered your question."

[bozo 0]

The first canopy I ever owned and jumped was a Parainnovators XL-30. Bought ot from Hank Aschuto in that old loft he had on main street in Perris

bozo

bozo
Pain is fleeting. Glory lasts forever. Chicks dig scars.

[SKPurcell 0]

My # 1 canopy was a T-10 but the # 1 purchase was a Crossbow , followed by a McElfish Strato-Flyer , followed by a Security Unit, two Ravens, than quite a few PD canopys, finally a new L 176 Lightnings

[markd_nscr986 0]

***28' 7-TU with a 24' cotton twill reserve.


Started out with the same setup

Then an American Pap in a Guardian????container.

My last round was a Starlite that snivelled every time it opened

Marc SCR 6046 SCS 3004

[wmw999 2,439]

Quote

My last round was a Starlite that snivelled every time it opened

Yours must have been the only one (well, unless you had the slider on it). Mine got me used to quick openings; now almost anything else is a snivel.

Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[rmaden 0]

28' - white/ od/ green/orange canopy with double L modifications packed in a surplus container and harness with watermelon size front mounted reserve paid $35.00 for it and was glad to have it. Saved me $1.50/jump rental fee

[wartload 0]

Three colors (white, OD, and orange)? We used to see those going around for very reasonable prices ($15 unmodified and w/out a container). We called them NATO canopies...I'm assuming that was for a reason.

[piisfish 140]

THE 1ST I JUMPED : 280 NAVIGATOR
The 1st I owned : Sabre 150
The most antique : Paracommander

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[RogerRamjet 0]

Quote

Quote

My last round was a Starlite that snivelled every time it opened

Yours must have been the only one (well, unless you had the slider on it). Mine got me used to quick openings; now almost anything else is a snivel.

Wendy W.

You're right about that. Most people who jumped them where I jumped thought they were well named as they would occasionally see stars on opening. I only jumped one once and it certainly opened quickly and firmly for me!

-----------------------
Roger "Ramjet" Clark
FB# 271, SCR 3245, SCS 1519

[norman8791 0]

Mine was a 28 foot 5 TU, with a 24 foot twill reserve.
Norm

[slug 1]

First canopy jumped:Double L
Graduated to: Double T
Moved up to 7TU Bought my very own 7TU had it cut with a elipitical (more perfomance

PC after 75 jumps so we wouldn't hurt ouselves to bad to soon

R.I.P.

[skybill 22]

Hi Wart,
In reply I should add that it was a "C-9" about 1952 or 53 vintage that I got from my first jump instructor for $10.00 at the time. C-9's were all over. We cut the mod. out with a pair of sissors and got binding tape from a fabric store in town. Got a spool of E-thread from scare-a-gear and did the sewing on my grandmother's treddle singer sewing machine!!!!

That was "My" first canopy. On my first 3 or so jumps I used my harness and sleeve but Dave Murray let me borrow his 7-double L 28' C-9. Then I got to jump the 7-TU.

SCR-2034, SCS-680

III%,
Deli-out

[markd_nscr986 0]

Quote

Yours must have been the only one (well, unless you had the slider on it). Mine got me used to quick openings; now almost anything else is a
snivel.




It was probably the way I packed it.......I always rolled it real tight before I stuffed it in the bag......

It was almost as slow as my Stratostar which also went into a bag..........it snivelled as well,so no base jumping or low pulls with that either


I made the mistake of borrowing my wifes wonderhog and 'star to make a load rather than repacking mine.........her star had a slider-diaper on it instead of a bagAfter break-off,I didnt set up( I never did with mine),I released the pilot chute and "instant canopy"(knees hit your face,and your seeing stars for a couple of minutes)
I understood then why she could smoke it so low and not get nervous about it

Marc SCR 6046 SCS 3004

• Quote

[rmaden 0]

The colors where to be used by downed pilots or paratroops for camoflag...white -snow...od-desert...orange -signal....green - forest

[Speed2000 0]

Rascal 227 and a Firelite reserve in an exposed riser Racer

Got a stiff talking to from the DZO/STA about the dangers inherent in square reserves.

[Bartje 0]

55 jumps with a Manta 288 and Lopo reserve.
One landing with the Lopo. Flat pack for the Manta, later Pro Pack the next canopies:

Turbo Z 210 my radical downsize to a
Pd 170 later,
Sabre 150,
Sabre 120,
Stil 107,
Fx 89,
Velo 79,

A FreeFly Gypsy

[sfullerman 0]

"I had a Viking Superlite for awhile"
---------------------------------------------------------
I did too, 40 jumps and four malfs later, it became an awning!