What is the AVERAGE WL of people on 1st gear at your DZ

[koppel 4]

I am interested to hear what is the average WING LOADING of people on their 1st set of Sports Gear at your DZ.

To do this you need to take a broad selection of people that have got gear in the last 12 months at your DZ and do some averaging, it shouldn't take you long.

Thanks for helping with my research


edited to add: obviously there are recommendations, I'm curious to where people actually end up.

I like my canopy...


...it lets me down.

[jas8472 0]

do you mean student kit or individual first kit.

[riggerrob 643]

At Pitt Meadows, most junior jumpers have wing-loadings in the 0.9 to 1.1 range when they buy their first parachute.

[koppel 4]

Their first own set of personel gear.

I like my canopy...


...it lets me down.

[GravityGirl 0]

.08 - 1.1

But almost never under a 170. If I have to put a light jumper on a 170 that I know will downsize quickly, I'll offer a trade-in so they are not out of pocket much, if anything.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Peace and Blue Skies!
Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

[bob.dino 1]

In general, 0.9 - 1.1 or so, with no-one under anything smaller than a 170... I might be able to find a very heavy person whose first rig was loaded higher than 1.1, and I'm sure I could find a light girl whose wingloading was less than 0.9, but the average would be close to or maybe a little less than 1.0.

[Peej 0]

I don't know the average but at my home DZ the maximum wingloading limit is 1.0 for all jumpers who do not have a B licence and less than 100 jumps. Period.

Advertisio Rodriguez / Sky

[YISkyDive 0]

Quote

'll offer a trade-in so they are not out of pocket much, if anything.

That is an AWSOME thing that you do, and I respect it highly.

[Squeak 17]

1.2 - 1.3 at my old DZ, don;t know about the current DZ, there's a few light weights there, so maybe about 1.0 - 1.1

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[nessvegas 0]

Quote

In general, 0.9 - 1.1 or so, with no-one under anything smaller than a 170... I might be able to find a very heavy person whose first rig was loaded higher than 1.1, and I'm sure I could find a light girl whose wingloading was less than 0.9, but the average would be close to or maybe a little less than 1.0.

As a newbie jumper I have a question for all of you. Is a wingloading of 1.1-1.19 on a 230 for a bigger skydiver less dangerous than an equally skilled newbie loading @ 1.1-1.19 on say a 170? I would have assumed that on identical canopies with identical wingloading the flying characteristics would be the same. Is my understanding incorrect?

_________________________________________
I married the right one......it just took me 2 times!

[bob.dino 1]

Here's your answer, according to John LeBlanc of Performance Designs. Read & re-read this, as it contains a large amount of useful info.

[nessvegas 0]

Quote

Here's your answer, according to John LeBlanc of Performance Designs. Read & re-read this, as it contains a large amount of useful info.

Thank You. The article was very informative and now sits on my desktop for re-reading.

Blue Skies

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I married the right one......it just took me 2 times!

[koppel 4]

Thanks to all who took part in the poll.

I started to get worried when I noticed a trend at my last DZ of people to start on an average of 1 : 1.2

Having seen a few start at around 1 : 1.4 I felt that I should look into the averages around. I realise there are suggested starting points by people that have plenty of experience and I find it curious that so many (1 in 6 approx) start FAR OUTSIDE any recognised sensible starting point.

Next time you see a newbie out there on something that resembles a death trap, take the time to speak to them, try to help them understand the dangers that they face. Too often people get caught up in their own sphere and forget that experience can be shared (it was for them when they started).

I know of a couple of people that are way outside a sensible WL for a first canopy who wont listen as their Chief Instructor has okayed them for that particular canopy.

Hopefully if enough people tell them they are crazy to be on something so small for a first canopy they will get the message and think about a different canopy or at least plenty of canopy training jumps.

Thanks again to all who voted

Koppel

I like my canopy...


...it lets me down.