FreeFlyFridge 0 #1 October 25, 2003 Hey I just saw this pic and wondered what canopy this is? Maybe a new prototype from Icarus? Does anybody now something about it? I attached two photos, the one is Jim Slaton with the "new" canopy, and for comparison, the other one is Clint Clawson with a VX. Maybe you have to look closely, but you´ll see that there are a number of differences, not fully xbraced, different air intakes on the 3 inner cells, nearly no stabilisers, etc.. What do you think?------------------------------------------------------ ROCK ON,.....HARD! Proud European!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Canuck 0 #2 October 25, 2003 Last January, Jason Peters was jumping an Icarus prototype in Eloy that looked very similar. It was an 89, and he was flying the shit out of it. Not sure if it is the same canopy or not, I actually didn't notice any cross bracing on the one he was jumping, but I never took that close a look either. Anyway, his comments about that canopy were that it fit somewhere in between a Safire and a Crossfire - that it had a little more "autoplane" than the Crossfire. Who knows, I also heard Icarus was designing a canopy that had 99% on heading openings - maybe that's what Jason was jumping and this is something else... Canuck Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hooknswoop 19 #3 October 25, 2003 I jumped 2 versions of that 89 sq. ft. prototype. It is definately not crossbraced. Nice canopy and I would agree that it fits between the Crossfire and the Safire. I tried to make it open off heading and couldn't, nor would it open hard. Edit: to clarify, I jumped the prototype that Canuck is refering to, not the prototype that Jim is jumping. Derek Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skygod7777 0 #4 October 25, 2003 i went to the pro swooping tour web site, and where it list the top 10 for the world cup meet, it gives the county and the canopy, well, next to jim slaton it says USA, GX. check it out here: http://proswoopingtour.com/FrontPage.htm towwards the bottom later Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ypelchat 0 #5 October 25, 2003 Quote I tried to make it open off heading and couldn't, nor would it open hard. Derek Interesting! Does it have a name yet? Yves. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skygod7777 0 #6 October 26, 2003 QuoteI jumped 2 versions of that 89 sq. ft. prototype. It is definately not crossbraced. Nice canopy and I would agree that it fits between the Crossfire and the Safire. I tried to make it open off heading and couldn't, nor would it open hard. is this the one that has 3 cells in the center that are open like a stilleto, and the the other 3 on either side are closed off like a normal crossfire (but smaller)?? later Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hooknswoop 19 #7 October 26, 2003 Quoteis this the one that has 3 cells in the center that are open like a stilleto, and the the other 3 on either side are closed off like a normal crossfire (but smaller)?? That's the one I jumped, well 2 versions of it anyway. Derek Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FreeFlyFridge 0 #8 October 26, 2003 Ahh, interesting, another new prototype. But I wonder why they want something inbetween the xfire and the safire? What competitors would it have, or is it a replacement of the safire? I guess this new "GX" is then somewhere inbetween the xfire and the extremes, or maybe a replacement of the fx. BTW, count the cells you see, how many do you count? I´m a little confused on that.------------------------------------------------------ ROCK ON,.....HARD! Proud European!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Canuck 0 #9 October 26, 2003 It's a 9 cell - 3 crossbraced cells in the centre, 3 on each side that are not. Interesting canopy, but the only advatage that I can hypothesize is less pack volume. Are we sure this is the "GX" or could this be something different yet? Anyway, I wont be holding my breath - look how long it is taking for the damn Katana and Sensei to hit the market!!! Canuck Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
superstu 0 #10 October 26, 2003 i heard that icarus was trying to develop a canopy to over take the vx but since it's not performing as expected they might have canceled this particular project.Slip Stream Air Sports Do not go softly, do not go quietly, never back down Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FreeFlyFridge 0 #11 October 26, 2003 No, I´m not sure that it´s officially called the GX, but that name is stated as the canopy flown by Jim Slaton at the IPC. And from what I´ve heard, from people that were there, it should be the same canopy. But, I´m not 100% sure, so...., don´t nail me down to that. And, as you said canuck, I´m with you, some companies feed us with a little bit of info way in advance and let us wait forever for the final product! Damn,I´m waiting for my Katana demo for nearly 1 1/2 month now, way too long. Oh, btw, I don´t think that this canopy is out soon. I was just curious if anyone knows why it´s designed that way and what the advantages could be. I could´nt come up with more then pack volume. But I´m not a aerodynamic engineer or something like that. So what could be the advantages of such a design? Why only the middle cells xbraced and do I don´t see any stabilisers?------------------------------------------------------ ROCK ON,.....HARD! Proud European!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Miami 0 #12 October 26, 2003 Quote I was just curious if anyone knows why it´s designed that way and what the advantages could be. I could´nt come up with more then pack volume. But I´m not a aerodynamic engineer or something like that. So what could be the advantages of such a design? Why only the middle cells xbraced and do I don´t see any stabilisers? Maybe the wing distortion is mainly in the center and the crossbracing there gives the greatest increase in rigidity? Dunno, just a guess.Miami Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ToeUp 0 #13 October 26, 2003 Maybe they're working on a canopy with crossbraced performance but with the smoother opening characteristics of the crossfire. If it is, I want one! I've been wanting to switch to crossbraced for a while, but can't quite let go of my consistently snivelling crossfire yet. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Miami 0 #14 October 27, 2003 QuoteI've been wanting to switch to crossbraced for a while, but can't quite let go of my consistently snivelling crossfire yet. Demo a Xaos 21...sweetest, smoothest, on heading openings I've ever had.Miami Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TomAiello 26 #15 October 27, 2003 QuoteI also heard Icarus was designing a canopy that had 99% on heading openings Dude, sign me up for one of those! Seriously, does anyone have more info on that? I'd be real interested to hear what a big manufacturer is doing to improve heading rate (with an eye, obviously, to improving my own heading rate).-- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ToeUp 0 #16 October 28, 2003 QuoteDemo a Xaos 21...sweetest, smoothest, on heading openings I've ever had. I did a few jumps on a Xaos 27. Openings were great and the surf was sweet too. But I didn't like the sensitivity of the toggles much, just too twitchy. It might just be something I would have to get used to. (Unless Icarus releases my new dream-canopy while I'm scrounging up the money for a new canopy). Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Miami 0 #17 October 28, 2003 What w/l were you jumping with the 27? I know what you mean about twitchy...mine are very twitchy w/toggles, but at a lower w/l they are actually quite smooth.Miami Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
andrewstewart 0 #18 October 28, 2003 QuoteQuoteI also heard Icarus was designing a canopy that had 99% on heading openings Dude, sign me up for one of those! Seriously, does anyone have more info on that? I'd be real interested to hear what a big manufacturer is doing to improve heading rate (with an eye, obviously, to improving my own heading rate). It would seem to me that a canopy that opens on heading close to 100% of the time will only do so if you include a caveat that says ASSUMING the body position is correct... assuming it is packed correctly, etc, etc. And so in that respect, it has to be no different that any other low aspect canopy. No? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ManBird 0 #19 October 28, 2003 QuoteIt would seem to me that a canopy that opens on heading close to 100% of the time will only do so if you include a caveat that says ASSUMING the body position is correct... assuming it is packed correctly, etc, etc. And so in that respect, it has to be no different that any other low aspect canopy. No?Body position, of course. Packing... maybe not... to a degree. If your pack job is lopsided, uneven, etc, it seems like the way the canopy inflates would make up for that a bit by inflating nose to end cells evenly and consistently. Maybe it won't be in the exact direction you are facing (if the pack job is at an angle, the bag rotates, etc), but it wouldn't hunt for a heading."¯"`-._.-¯) ManBird (¯-._.-´"¯" Click Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ivanrockon 0 #20 October 28, 2003 Don't you think that the "GX" could be a typo? See the proximity of the G from the V on the keyboard. Maybe just maybe it was a VX and whoever wrote that page in the PST website made the typo. I guess we have to wait until Icarus reveal the real name...this thread seems like a deja vu from the Katana mystery thread Patience, wait in patience Ivan "Rock On" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Canuck 0 #21 October 28, 2003 If I recall, during the World Cup someone from these forums who was actually there and updating us made some comment about Jim jumping a prototype, so with that, the picture, and the "GX" on the website, I'm guessing that is exactly what it is. Canuck Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ivanrockon 0 #22 October 28, 2003 I guess you believe in Santa Claus also? I'm not saying that the prototype is an error, I've read about the prototype in the magazines already. My comments are based on the "name"...maybe is really called GX but until I read or hear it straight from the source (Icarus Canopies) for me it is a typo (did you looked at the keyboard?....common at least give me the benefit of doubt!!! ). Rock on and safe swoops. BTW I won't be abounding more on this subject Ivan "Rock On" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ManBird 0 #23 October 28, 2003 It is called the GX. Those who were here at SDO and bombarded Jim with questions about the canopy will confirm that. Edited to add: I've noticed attention to the rigidity of the center cells to improve openings on newer canopies. On the Sabre2, the ribs between the center cells have these sort of "stiffeners" at the nose."¯"`-._.-¯) ManBird (¯-._.-´"¯" Click Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
andrewstewart 0 #24 October 28, 2003 QuoteIt is called the GX. Those who were here at SDO and bombarded Jim with questions about the canopy will confirm that. Edited to add: I've noticed attention to the rigidity of the center cells to improve openings on newer canopies. On the Sabre2, the ribs between the center cells have these sort of "stiffeners" at the nose. Now that is interesting! TomA - what do you think of this? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ManBird 0 #25 October 29, 2003 QuoteQuoteI've noticed attention to the rigidity of the center cells to improve openings on newer canopies. On the Sabre2, the ribs between the center cells have these sort of "stiffeners" at the nose. Now that is interesting! TomA - what do you think of this?I don't know whether it is actually effective or not. While my canopy opens on heading pretty much every time (a pretty big deal when combining wingsuit flight with my horrid pack jobs), it does do some hunting before picking the right heading out. I've heard a lot of complaints about off heading openings on the Sabre2, as well... so this "steffening" technique might either not be really effective, have some other benefit, or may work right but need to be packed properly."¯"`-._.-¯) ManBird (¯-._.-´"¯" Click Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
