rendezvous 0 #1 July 17, 2001 How difficult is it for a beginner to pack a ZP specially if it's a used one, let's say a Sabre with 300 Jumps on it. Also does it make sense to go with a F111 for the first 100 or so jumps in order to get use to packing and then may be switch to a ZP later. Another question would be, normally how many jumps is a F111 canopy worth before you need to start thinking about retiring it. Thanks. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RedBull 0 #2 July 19, 2001 Well, my first canopy was a used Sabre with about 400 jumps on it. It was certainly a chore to pack in the beginning, but so long as you have experienced folks around to give you tips, you should be fine. You'll have to learn to pack those slippery monsters sooner or later. I find that swearing helps. I can't answer you F111 question. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ClayFowler 0 #3 July 21, 2001 The F-111 question. I asked this one a lot in my first 6 months of skydiving and never got a straight answer. Here's why, F-111 lasts a long time. It has a myriad of factors that contribute to it's deterioration. Every canopy spends a different amount of time exposed to sunlight, water, mold, and everything else that makes it rot. Until such time as it is so bad that it fails it will be considered "airworthy." Now, a canopy with 100 jumps and 6 months old has far less porosity than one that is 10 years old and has 5,000 jumps on it. The old one "leaks" far more air through the fabric and becomes less and less responsive as this happens. So, the real answer is this....depends on how well you take care of it. If you are in doubt have a rigger check it. If you feel like you are falling from the sky and the parachute is very slow to respond to your inputs you may want to retire it and move on to a new one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skybytch 273 #4 July 21, 2001 Quotedoes it make sense to go with a F111 for the first 100 or so jumps in order to get use to packing No. I packed a couple thousand F111 mains before I started packing zp. Didn't make it any easier to start packing zp. It sucks, but get used to it. It's worth dealing with that in exchange for the longer life of the canopy and the better flare.Quotehow many jumps is a F111 canopy worth before you need to start thinking about retiring it. If it's very well taken care of... maybe 1000? But I've seen many that have little to no flare power left in them at 600 jumps. It depends on how it is taken care of.pull and flare,lisa----I am a nobody. Nobody's perfect. Therefore, I am perfect! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skybytch 273 #5 July 21, 2001 QuoteNow, a canopy with 100 jumps and 6 months old has far less porosity than one that is 10 years old and has 5,000 jumps on it. The old one "leaks" far more air through the fabric and becomes less and less responsive as this happens.Actually the newer canopy is far less "permeable" than the older one. Permeability is the correct technical word for the amount of air that can pass through the fabric - the word porosity is commonly and incorrectly used to describe this. "Porosity" is defined in Poynter's Parachute Manual as "the ratio of void or intersitial area to total area of a cloth expressed in percent. The ratio of open space to covered area of a drag surface." Whatever that means pull and flare,lisa----I am a nobody. Nobody's perfect. Therefore, I am perfect! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
