Small Canopies

[txblondie 0]

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Seriously, both of you please take your pissing match / blonde defends her bf to the talk back forum. I am getting tired of coming in here to read and learn and share information on swooping only to see this shit and others are too. If you can't play nice don't. FYI blondie, let your bf handle his own posting, it makes him look far more credible.

~Chachi

Not a pissing match, that would be if I was angry. Just a clarification. Anyway, I'm handling in per Bruno's request, simply because he can't get away from a conference call to follow the thread; I'm sure he'll post later. He's more into this canopy control stuff than I am.
The only reason I'm responding is because he and I both wanted to be clear as to what he does and has, and he couldn't deal with it at the time.

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Blondes do have more fun!

[Levin 0]

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Second, I am from Skydive Dallas and know him personally. I have seen all but about 5 of his landings on that canopy.

good for you. a round of golf clap.

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Also, when the canopy collapsed, that was an issue where the pilot chute had NOT collapsed. It folded his canopy, and he still managed to only go down on one knee.

that's bs. it's because he turned to low and had to stab out hard on a 4.0 canopy to keep from cratering. Not his fault. He was just dialing it in. I've done the same myself only not at that loading so not as dramatic.

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You should look a little closer at my profile and previous threads;

until now I've never looked at your profile and I don't believe I've seen any of your post even though you have alot of them. Like I said above, I don't check this forum as much as some of the others.

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I'm from the same dropzone and have a close relationship with Bruno, I think I am pretty well aware of what he has, can, and will do on that canopy.

that being the case, why don't you talk him into buying a bigger reserve.

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Certainly better than you.

maybe so

[Levin 0]

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Seriously, both of you please take your pissing match / blonde defends her bf to the talk back forum. I am getting tired of coming in here to read and learn and share information on swooping only to see this shit and others are too.

sorry dude. my 1st offense in this forum. I'll try not to let it happen again.

[diablopilot 2]

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Not his first choice for a reserve - it's what fits in his container.

That is dumb.

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You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[Steel 0]

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Seriously, both of you please take your pissing match / blonde defends her bf to the talk back forum. I am getting tired of coming in here to read and learn and share information on swooping only to see this shit and others are too.

sorry dude. my 1st offense in this forum. I'll try not to let it happen again.

We spoke briefly about this at lunch but I really did not care to get into it. But since so much has been said and there appears to be so much interest, I will try to clarify some points.
First of all my reserve is the largest possible reserve that fits in my container and Rigging Innovations will NOT, (believe me I checked), make a container for a main the size of mine and a larger reserve. Sun Path would not do it either and for that matter, nobody would. They all had the same answer, there is not enough people like you out there for it to be worth our while to make that design. Yes its not simple to give a little more space for the reserve. Some time last year I heard that Mirage was making this type of container but I never confirmed it with the company and I have not purchased a new container in almost three years anyway. Still the bottom line here is that I have landed the 113 reserve 3 times and one of those times was in no wind. No wind at my loading doesn't make for a pretty landing, but if you know what your doing it can definately be a safe one. (as mine have been). Also anybody who has jumped around me knows I always pull high so that I can deal with line twists or mal functions with plenty of time. I believe that this question too was asked.

But we can;t forget about addressing this special waiver. Thats funny it can only make one wonder how do rumours such as this get started? I mean somebody had to start the rumour and being that I know I didn't sign any such waiver, well lets just say I find it funny. I mean I wouldn't mind signing such a waiver and I certainly wouldn't deny it if I had, it just simply never happened.

And one more thing, in one of these messages Skyfest 2002 was mentioned as if there was supposedly some screw up that happened there. Lets just draw out a timeline. Today is the Nov.2,2004. I have about 200 jumps on my VX55 that I got on June/2003. My VX62 that I had before this, (that I put 200 jumps on also), I got on Jan/2003. Actually throughout all of 2002 and all the way back to Sept/2001 I had a VX70 and incase anybody cares, I put 500 jumps on that.
Cheers,

If I could make a wish, I think I'd pass.
Can't think of anything I need
No cigarettes, no sleep, no light, no sound.
Nothing to eat, no books to read.

[chachi 0]

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Seriously, both of you please take your pissing match / blonde defends her bf to the talk back forum. I am getting tired of coming in here to read and learn and share information on swooping only to see this shit and others are too. If you can't play nice don't. FYI blondie, let your bf handle his own posting, it makes him look far more credible.

~Chachi

Not a pissing match, that would be if I was angry. Just a clarification. Anyway, I'm handling in per Bruno's request, simply because he can't get away from a conference call to follow the thread; I'm sure he'll post later. He's more into this canopy control stuff than I am.
The only reason I'm responding is because he and I both wanted to be clear as to what he does and has, and he couldn't deal with it at the time.

I don't really care and neither do the other's in this forum. This is not a forum about special waivers or whether Bruno jumps a reserve that is safe or smart. This is a canopy control and swooping forum. Can we please try and keep these posts to the topic at hand and not about the ego's around here?

~Chachi

[Levin 0]

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neither do the other's in this forum. This is not a forum about special waivers or whether Bruno jumps a reserve that is safe or smart. This is a canopy control and swooping forum

actually I care. It may not be a forum for unsafe unsmart reserves but it is or is fixing to (after I reply to Bruno) become a thread for one. this reserve issue strikes more interest in me than just about anything I've read in any of these forums. And since it is >only< swoopers jumping these extremely highly loaded reserves then I think this forum and thread pertains.

[Levin 0]

i'm replying out of order in which you wrote it

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in one of these messages Skyfest 2002 was mentioned as if there was supposedly some screw up that happened there. Lets just draw out a timeline.

I screwed up the timeline. I meant to say Skyfest 2003 instead of 2002. I didn't make it to this years Skyfest so I guess it made me think a year off.

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But we can;t forget about addressing this special waiver. Thats funny it can only make one wonder how do rumours such as this get started? I mean somebody had to start the rumour and being that I know I didn't sign any such waiver, well lets just say I find it funny. I mean I wouldn't mind signing such a waiver and I certainly wouldn't deny it if I had, it just simply never happened.

Okay. If you say you didn't have to sign one then I believe you that you didn't have to sign one. Which leaves me scratching my head and my memory like wtf. Since other people have expressed their disinterest; I guess we're done here. But if you'd like to discuss it further we can thru PM.

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First of all my reserve is the largest possible reserve that fits in my container and Rigging Innovations will NOT, (believe me I checked), make a container for a main the size of mine and a larger reserve. Sun Path would not do it either and for that matter, nobody would. They all had the same answer, there is not enough people like you out there for it to be worth our while to make that design. Yes its not simple to give a little more space for the reserve.

First off a disclaimer. This is in no way anykind of personal attack. It is not intended as one and I'll try not to make it sound like one.

At first glance the thought of a reserve being highly loaded strikes me as a very stupid choice of gear. I find it hard to believe that not one gear manaufacturer will make a custom container designed to fit a properly loaded reserve and a tiny main. But if you are right then that really sucks. In order for you to be able to fly a small canopy you have to use a reserve that greatly increases the chance of you getting killed. With a reserve that small you >will< die if it opens in twist, spins and you are unable to get out of it. And it is very possible that you will be unable to get out of it. I don't see any difference other than some difference in the rate of descent between a PDR loaded at 2.0 and a FX at 2.0 used as a reserve. I don't think anyone would try and use an FX as a reserve. I quickly went thru one other thread clicking profiles and found 4 - 5 people with highly loaded reserves.

jeffmullins - Raven Dash-M 109 ft² (1.88 lbs/ft²)
Steel - PD Reserve 113 ft² (1.99 lbs/ft²)
Spizzzarko - PD Reserve 126 ft² (1.71 lbs/ft²) @ 5000' msl
proswooper - PD Reserve 113 ft² (1.73 lbs/ft²)
ianmdrennan - PD Reserve 113 ft² (1.72 lbs/ft²)
Canuck - PD Reserve 126 ft² (1.63 lbs/ft²) moderate to high loading
crewkeith - Raven Dash-M 120 ft² (1.83 lbs/ft²) @ 5000' msl

How much demand does there need to be for a manufacturer to make a container for properly sized reserves and tiny mains? How much demand can there be for the JSX yet they are selling those. Do the people jumping these highly loaded reserves fully understand the increased risk of dieing under a malfucntioning reserve? If a manufacturer would make containers for properly loaded reserves with tiny mains then would there be a demand for it from the people that currently have highly loaded reserves or are thinking about getting one? I load my reserve at 1.25 - 1.3 and the most I would consider loading one is 1.5. And thats just because I don't have a cypress. People with a cypress shouldn't be loading a reserve over 1.1. What's the point in having a cypress to save you in case you are knocked unconscious if you aren't going to be able to survive the landing unconscious? Personally I wouldn't want to survive an unconscious landing on a reserve loaded at almost 2.0. Better off dead.

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Some time last year I heard that Mirage was making this type of container but I never confirmed it with the company and I have not purchased a new container in almost three years anyway.

Again I ask does the increased risk of likely death on a highly loaded malfunctioning reserve not concern you enough to call to check and see if this type of container is now available?

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Still the bottom line here is that I have landed the 113 reserve 3 times and one of those times was in no wind. No wind at my loading doesn't make for a pretty landing, but if you know what your doing it can definately be a safe one.

The bottom line is you are at a much greater risk of dieing under a malfunctioning reserve. You have been lucky 3 times just like you've been lucky hundreds of times with your main. IMO, everyone is lucky to a small degree everytime their parachute opens correctly, even though they always open correctly . But what about that one time you are unlucky? Use your reserve? But what if it is your reserve? Then what? RIP

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Also anybody who has jumped around me knows I always pull high so that I can deal with line twists or mal functions with plenty of time. I believe that this question too was asked.

Your profile says you mostly do formation skydiving. All of the formation skydivers I know break off lower than what I consider pulling high (4k+, emphasis on +). What do you consider high? Formation skydivers, atleast the ones I know, pull between 2500' - 3500'. Lets assume 3500'. At 3500' you are open around 3000'. After cutaway you are open around 2500'. 2500' does not leave alot of time to deal with a twisted up spinning reserve loaded close to 2.0.

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Today is the Nov.2,2004. I have about 200 jumps on my VX55 that I got on June/2003. My VX62 that I had before this, (that I put 200 jumps on also), I got on Jan/2003. Actually throughout all of 2002 and all the way back to Sept/2001 I had a VX70 and incase anybody cares, I put 500 jumps on that.

If you don't mind sharing I am curious what your canopy progression was and when and how much canopy coaching you got along the way. First off I don't think there is anything wrong with downsizing quickly if you can safely handle it other than the fact that you never fully learn any particular canopy. Your downsizing seems rapid fast. May canopy progression was as follows...

Raven 4 - 16 jumps
Sabre 150 - 40 jumps
Sabre 135 - 160 jumps
Sabre and Stiletto - about 15 jumps together demoing canopies
Stiletto 107 - 325 jumps
Stiletto 97 - about 1/2 dozen jumps demoing canopy
Aplha 84 - about 300 jumps
currently Fx 74 - 700 jumps, Spectre 120 - 75 jumps and a Raven 2 - 4 jumps

After I put about 300 more jumps on my FX74 I plan on getting a FX64-66 before I get a VX. I started getting canopy coaching around 350 jumps from David Armstrong. I got alot of it. Also got some help from Jim Slaton when I had around 500 jumps.

I thought I downsized fast but I think you have the record for it. Again there's nothing wrong with that. You obviously can handle it.

edit: edit to add crewkeith to the highly loaded list

[crewkeith 0]

wow thats deep.



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The skies are no longer safe

I'm back

[chachi 0]

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neither do the other's in this forum. This is not a forum about special waivers or whether Bruno jumps a reserve that is safe or smart. This is a canopy control and swooping forum

actually I care. It may not be a forum for unsafe unsmart reserves but it is or is fixing to (after I reply to Bruno) become a thread for one. this reserve issue strikes more interest in me than just about anything I've read in any of these forums. And since it is >only< swoopers jumping these extremely highly loaded reserves then I think this forum and thread pertains.

then it would be better suited for you to start a new thread instead of spiraling other threads if you feel like discussing it. this quickly became an attack Bruno thread, and while i don't thinking some of Bruno's choices are the best playing back and forth in here is getting annoying.

~chachi

[justdumi 0]

Actually i think the topic is still online..well as far as the reason that i started the thread.

From the Arizona incident i had to question the size of canopies being used out there.

Now it appears too that there are some small reserves being used out there too.

At the end of the day its the same question (small canopies used in different circumstances...as mains or reserves) so please so let it continue.