Sew-on 5 cell to 7 cell conversion

[pchapman 279]

I came across an old Parachutist ad to have your 5-cell canopy converted to a more modern 7-cell design, by sewing on an extra cell at each end.

"Make your Strato-Star perform like an XL-Cloud"!

Odd but sounds workable.

That was before my time, so does anyone actually remember seeing this mod?

The ad from May 1981 is attached.

This reminds me of another entry in the category of odd 1980s canopies, the do-it-yourself canopy sewing kit. That's been discussed in this forum before. (The Lone Star kit.)

[councilman24 37]

That was up there with Lone Star Parachute who sold a kit to sew your own main.

I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE

[slotperfect 7]

That is PRICELESS!

Thanks for making my day!

Arrive Safely

John

[jbrasher 1]

Only saw it once
I was doing some large ways in the early 80's and I had a Unit III that was blowing up every once and a while.
I'd just split the left side from the nose to the tail and a couple of lines and landed it and was looking to borrow someone's rig.

A friend of mine's son had just gotten his 5 cell converted to a 7 cell and hadn't jumped it yet and offered it to me.

I did the jump and the center blew out of it and I cutaway and landed a Preserve III.

No one else would lend me another rig and i was thinking that maybe it would be better to have a beer, so I did

It turned out that the center cells had been added to the canopy but only HAND TACKED.

That's my only experience with the 5 to 7 conversion.

Red, White and Blue Skies,

John T. Brasher D-5166

[darkwing 5]

I have done that sort of thing. You can either add cells on the end, or in the middle. Personally, I found it easier to do it on the ends.

-- Jeff
My Skydiving History

[murrays 0]

Pete,

When I started jumping (1980) there was at least one canopy being used that had been converted...I think they called it a "Modi-Flyer" which indicates that the original canopy was a Strato-Flyer. I just called someone who would know for more details but he's out getting pissed I think.

If it is the person I am thinking of I likely have a photograph of it.

--
Murray

"No tyranny is so irksome as petty tyranny: the officious demands of policemen, government clerks, and electromechanical gadgets." - Edward Abbey

[PROGRESSIVE 0]

Yep, early 80s. The added attraction appealed to the college student on a tight budget. Rita Volp, later Brown, Gary Brown's wife, I believe had this and was jumping at Baldwin Wisc.

Everyone thought this was the next best thing to sliced bread. I think it had a snivel problem though.

[mark 107]

I tried converting a Strato-Star into a Strato-Cloud by adding cells to the outside. I made the extra cells from F-111 instead of the heavier 1.55oz fabric used in the 'Star and 'Cloud, and I left the stabilizers where they were since I didn't want to pick the stitches and sew them on again.

When I was done, I had a canopy that packed and flew like a Strato-Cloud, at a time when the bottom had just fallen out of the used Strato-Cloud market because of new and much better canopies (Cruiselite, Pegasus). I figured up the time and money I had invested -- buying a regular Strato-Cloud was more cost-effective.

Who was offering the mod in Parachutist?

Mark

[murrays 0]

I just confirmed that we had 2 guys here that added 1 half cell on each end of their Flyers...making them into 6 cells. But I realized I don't have any photos after talking to my old buudy.

--
Murray

"No tyranny is so irksome as petty tyranny: the officious demands of policemen, government clerks, and electromechanical gadgets." - Edward Abbey

[wmw999 2,444]

I had a Firefly that I sent back to have 2 more cells sewn onto; it worked like a champ, and I was very happy with the results.

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)

[murrays 0]

Quote

I had a Firefly that I sent back to have 2 more cells sewn onto; it worked like a champ, and I was very happy with the results.

Wendy W.

I think that it was then pretty much turned into a Dragonfly...the nine cell built by Django at the time....which became the Raider when Django became Glide Path. I believe the chord of both canopies was the same and just the span was larger on the Dragonfly due to the 2 extra cells. I owned a Firefly as well....great little canopy for its day.

--
Murray

"No tyranny is so irksome as petty tyranny: the officious demands of policemen, government clerks, and electromechanical gadgets." - Edward Abbey

[peckerhead 0]

The first canopy I bought was an added attraction. Before that I was jumping rounds and rental squares owned by the DZ. I paid $350 for a complete rig including the container and a round reserve, it was a sac I think.

My added attraction was 5-cell strato flyer with two extra cells added on to each end. I have a picture of it somewhere. I think the strato flyer was 178 sq.ft. and with the extra cells it was just under 200. It was kind of funky looking because the added end cells were larger than the original cells so they looked like pontoons. It was a piece of crap but being young and my first rig I loved it. I made about 50-60 jumps on it

It was destroyed when it went over the tail of a 182 on jump run. My container came open and the main D-bag went out the door while I was still in the plane. I tore a hole in it big enough to walk through and ripped off about half the lines. This was followed by a very scary round reserve ride from 11,000 ft. on a windy day. Fortunately all the jumpers were able to exit safely. The horizontal stabilizer was damaged but the pilot was able to land the plane without further incident so all in all I would say we were pretty lucky.

Ah yes, the good old days.....



!

[usedtajump 1]

The first square parachute I ever jumped was a converted Strato Flyer in 1979.

The older I get the less I care who I piss off.