Why an Elliptical?

[Islandcool 0]

Help me out here. I have a Lotus and I love it. I haven't even began to push this canopy to it's (or my) limits. Why is it then I look thru catalogs desiring Elliptical canopies? Ego? If I am not a aggressive canopy piolt is there any benefit of owning an Elliptical canopy?

By the way I have no intention of getting an elliptical anytime soon so no lectures needed.

Blues,

Ed

[ManBird 0]

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If I am not a aggressive canopy piolt is there any benefit of owning an Elliptical canopy?

I say "no". For a lot of people, they're fun later on. By no means are they necessary to enjoy skydiving. I've been going back and forth between my Katana 97 and my Fox 245. I've found that landing a canopy in the tiniest little spot can be as much a rush as swooping. Whatever floats your boat.

Edit: And don't buy that "wind penetration" crap. You'd be surprised what a big canopy can do in sketchy winds.

"¯"`-._.-¯) ManBird (¯-._.-´"¯"

Click

[ianmdrennan 2]

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Edit: And don't buy that "wind penetration" crap. You'd be surprised what a big canopy can do in sketchy winds.

I knew I liked you for a reason

Blues,
Ian

Performance Designs Factory Team

[supafly 0]

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I've found that landing a canopy in the tiniest little spot can be as much a rush as swooping.

I know what you mean. Not that I'm particularly good at either yet, but I just got a Stiletto 170 and have been having a great time learning how to swoop (and I stress learning). I also got a Fox 285 a couple weeks ago and have been skydiving it to get ready for Bridge Day and BASE in general.

I thought landing the Fox for accuracy was going to be boring but necessary. Nope. I found myself day dreaming equally about flying/landing both canopies over the last week.

--Keith

Arizona Drive 4-Way VFS - www.DriveVFS.com

[Tonto 1]

I have 3 canopies.

A Stiletto 107, A Safire 119 (Really about a 109?) and a Safire 135.

I love the Stiletto for AFF when I'm doing lots and lots of dives. Nice snively openings, being able to hang up there on deep brakes till everyone but my student is down, great little swoops without much effort at all.

I see lots of people on elipticals and see them cutting away, and cutting away, and hooking it in.
I don't think the performance advantage of an eliptical outweighs the increased risk unless you're using it as a progression tool to a crossbrace.

My Safires, which I bought as conservative canopies to jump with my wingsuits, have really surprised me with their swoopability. I'm getting longer, slower carves from them and with their fuller brake range, can do some really interesting things I'd struggle to do on the Stiletto.

I think Elipticals are great, but I think too many skydivers are the victims of marketing. As others in this thread have said, flying any canopy to the best of it's chosen design is a challenge, whether that be a tiny crossbrace, a not so tiny eliptical, a bigger square or a 7 cell BASE or CRW canopy.

Enjoy each jump. They're all part of the learning curve, or at least they are to me.

t

It's the year of the Pig.

[Swoopgoddars 0]

Hi dude,

Elliptical canopies help you to go faster. Ive been swooping for a while now - i have 63 swoop jumps and ive moved to a vx89 to help me with that extra speed that comes from an elliptical canopy.

(Dont worry dude, I find that questions like these are quite normal at my dropzone. Our Cessna is quick to 3000 feet and im the only one swooping so i get directed questions like these all the time).

Long swoops dude,

Give a man a fish and he will feed himself for one day. Give him a swoop pond and he will feed himself forever.

[j3zz 0]

Please tell me you are missing a 0

63 swoop jumps then a VX89 I sure as heck hope not, also it is not merely an elliptical but cross braced so a whole different ball game,


jezz

"Now I know why the birds fly"
Hinton Skydivers

[Tonto 1]

He's new. Only 9 posts.
I looked at his profile and took it to mean 63 dedicated swoop dives - not after AFF or camera or some such, but high hop and pops.

I have 1000's of swoops - but he still gave me advice. I like to learn.

t

It's the year of the Pig.

[j3zz 0]

Just checking anyway ,
It is still a bit misleading, but thanks for clearing that up

jezz

"Now I know why the birds fly"
Hinton Skydivers

[Swoopgoddars 0]

Hi Jezz!

Yes ive been to Hinton and swooped a couple of times- its great to see such an advanced dropzone in operation. I like their big aircraft compared to my cessna dz. I was just trying to help people with their questions because at my dz Im the only one swooping and i get questions like these all the time.

I knew my canopy was also cross braced I just didnt want to confuse the original post by adding this into the elliptical question. Its important to take things slowly with canopy instruction, I have found.

Sorry to Tonto if i inadvertently gave you advice. Wasnt trying to be rude. Im sure you are a mean swooping dude! Yeehah! I love long swoops.

Long swoops to all!

Give a man a fish and he will feed himself for one day. Give him a swoop pond and he will feed himself forever.

[Tonto 1]

No Apology nessesary.

I really do learn from everyone. Some what to do - some what not to do. Truth is we will see many more landings than we will ever do - and life is too short and too painful to learn only from our own mistakes.

Incidently, elipticals do not go faster. They turn faster, and generally lose more altitude as the result of a turn. Crossbraced canopies, (IMO) while being eliptical, have had several more traditional eliptical charecteristics engeneered out. (Oversteer, faster turns) This allows slower turn rates, meaning more time to build speed for the swoop. As I said, an opinion. I have little experience jumping crossbraced canopies and certainly would not lable them as simply "eliptical."

Some advice. Get off your Cessna DZ and get to a DZ where others swoop - and get some coaching. Living in Africa has shown me the dangers of living "in a bubble" too many times.

t

It's the year of the Pig.

[nicolesser 0]

hi tonto

im interesting in buying a Safire 2, now i jump a Spectre 135. Is Safire better than Sabre 2 ?, in much less aggressive than crossfires ?
thanks folh

nicolas

Orbital Flyer

[Tonto 1]

Hi Nic,

You have a lot of Skydives. I've not jumped a Sabre 2 or a Safire 2 and so am not qualified to even have an opinion. Both will be higher performance than your Spectre though, while not as radical as a Crossfire. Best bet is demo plenty gear and discuss with your peers at the DZ.

t

It's the year of the Pig.