Getting 100% from a canopy

[br0k3n 0]

I notice that there is a fairly regular trend of post in this forum that goes along the lines of someone asking the question about downsizing / changing canopy, and among the plethora of replies the majority will inform that person that they are not getting 100% out of their current canopy.

So this leads me to think, at what point do you know that you are close to getting all you can out of a canopy.

Now for example, I am currently flying a Spectre 170 @ 1.1:1, I can fly my canopy and land it within 5m of target 99% of the time, in all conditions jumped in so far. I can flat turn at 50ft, and all my approaches are all 90 front riser turns. I am able to fly the canopy on rears and fronts, also I’m able to get to where I want to be in the sky, and feel confident that I would be able to deal with all situations. I am able to fly confidently and safely relative to others under canopy, and be aware of others in the sky.

So as a percentage what am I getting out of my canopy? Can it even be represented at as percentage?

Over to you?

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--+ There are 10 types of people in the world: Those who understand binary, and those who don't.. --+

[alain 0]

I'm just slightly more experimented than you: take the following with a grain of salt

At the point where you are you seem to have a good idea of how that canopy flies and if you feel that you want something slightly faster it's probabely resonable to go one size smaller (ie 1,3:1).
One thing you should keep in mind for the next 500 jumps is that whatever you canopy piloting skills become (even with training seminar), you still have to built awareness that will prevent you of doing Stupid Last Minute Manoevres.
You will do SLAMM's in the mean time (all of use did, me first: last one 40 jumps ago) and a resonable WL with good piloting skills will let you walk away with just minor bruises...

go safe

[quade 4]

Geeze! Do you even know what a rhetorical question is?

Seriously. I think you're right in your assesment that it can't be expressed in absolute terms and therefore not expressed as a percentage either, but it's a phrase and concept that people have become comfortable with.

I think it's safe to say that I haven't come anywhere near -some- of the performance limits my canopy is capable of. Then again, I don't want to. I want a very comfortable margin of error.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[VectorBoy 0]

Sounds like you are ready for CReW!

[DancingFlame 0]

It's a good time to start practicing a 270 approach...

[Samurai136 0]

My slider has a little display that tells me when I'm getting 100% out of my canopy...

Ken

"Buttons aren't toys." - Trillian
Ken

[kaerock 1]

Well, I don't think it's possible to get "100% from a canopy". The point is to have fun and be safe doing it. If feel very safe but the canopy isn't fun, you'll never get 100% from it. Having a checklist of things that you should be able to consistently accomplish is a good way to measure your skill on the canopy, but if it isn't fun anymore...well then...there you go :> Brian Germain breaks it down as sort of path...perceived risk versus perceived skill. In the middle, you have equal amounts, it seems fun, still challenging, but not overwhelming. One one side, if there is more risk than skill, it's scary and uncomfortable. On the other side, if there is more skill than risk, it's boring. If you FEEL that you can handle your canopy and then some, you probably could, but is that your goal...more, faster? With more speed comes more danger and more responsibility...can you handle that? You need to ask yourself that.

Hey, some people get their jollies by stopping on a dime every time. Some people get their jollies by scraping their toes over the water at 50MPH, some people just want to get down. What's your goal? Will your canopy help you achieve that goal? There's your 100% rule :>

-R

Quote

I notice that there is a fairly regular trend of post in this forum that goes along the lines of someone asking the question about downsizing / changing canopy, and among the plethora of replies the majority will inform that person that they are not getting 100% out of their current canopy.

So this leads me to think, at what point do you know that you are close to getting all you can out of a canopy.

Now for example, I am currently flying a Spectre 170 @ 1.1:1, I can fly my canopy and land it within 5m of target 99% of the time, in all conditions jumped in so far. I can flat turn at 50ft, and all my approaches are all 90 front riser turns. I am able to fly the canopy on rears and fronts, also I’m able to get to where I want to be in the sky, and feel confident that I would be able to deal with all situations. I am able to fly confidently and safely relative to others under canopy, and be aware of others in the sky.

So as a percentage what am I getting out of my canopy? Can it even be represented at as percentage?

Over to you?

You be the king and I'll overthrow your government. --KRS-ONE

[jmfreefly 0]

Mention of Brian Germain made me think back to a jumper at the canopy seminar at our dz given by Brian.

Brain asked what we wanted to get out of the seminar. The jumper's response was:

' ... and to push my canopy beyond its limits'


BEYOND it's limits? Like... to failure??


j

[par 0]

hi,

i'd like to know is there let's say just a basic checklist of maneuvrs, you can easily do with your canopy before downsizing canopy?

[piisfish 140]

yes, Billvon's check list for downsizing, in the safety section, canopy control.
here is the link, but it's good to go searching on this website, loads of very useful info.
www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/safety/detail_page.cgi?ID=47

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