Cold Weather Demo

[dmetz 0]

How much of an impact would you say cold air temps has on canopy flight characteristics?

I'm thinking about demoing a canopy or two, and wondering if I ought to wait til warmer weather arrives.

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"If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a humanitarian eat?"

[nicknitro71 0]

I love it!

Cold weather sucks in FF but it pays itself off under canopy especially when it gets around 20 and below.

I think the coldest I've jumped (ground temp) was around 0.

Memento Audere Semper

903

[dmetz 0]

I like it too; I actually felt a little somethin' from my tired old Sabre this past weekend.

But do you think that demoing a new canopy in the cold could give a false impression of it if most of my jumping will be done in warmer weather?

_________________________________________

"If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a humanitarian eat?"

[FrogNog 1]

The only Winter problems I have are:
* weather. Getting even 3k clear under the clouds is difficult some days.
* hours. Dropzones may not be open 5 days per week in the Winter, and the Sun may set at 16:30, and (see weather above) the fog might not break until 12:00. (Or the fog might not break ever. I didn't see the sun at home for ten days a while back...)
* cold hands. Not really a problem for hop-and-pops.
* hard or wet ground (take your pick
So for demoing, the only thing I worry about is paying to receive a canopy for two weeks and not having any weather / sunlight to jump it.

-=-=-=-=-
Pull.

[Superman32 0]

That's an excellent question. I was going to post the same question.
I had been jumping a 230 canopy, I'm now demoing 210 canopies (a specter 4 jumps and a Sabre2 2 jumps)and have not seen any appreciable difference in flight or landing (all soft standups) to the 230. I own a 190 Sabre2 that I'm reluctant to jump because it will put me at a WL of 1.26 - 1.3.
If I continue to see the same characteristics on the 210, I will downsize again to the 190.
The question is, am I going to see the same flight/landing characteristics once the weather gets warmer?

Inveniam Viam aut Faciam
I'm back biatches!

[dmetz 0]

Ok, good. I was beginning to think I was the only one who had a shred of wonder about this one.

Now I've studied a little thermodynamics before, and I know that the slightest change in temp can have huge affects on lots of things. But how does it apply to us under canopy; especially when it comes to the size and performance decisions of a couple newbies.

Alright canopy guys out there, could you offer a little input, please?

_________________________________________

"If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a humanitarian eat?"

[bob.dino 1]

A search on Density Altitude should bring up lots of info for you to read.

[tdog 0]

The part that really sucks is when you have to line up to get that de-icing fluid sprayed on your canopy before you take off...

Just kidding...

On a real hot no wind day things feel faster to me (the density altitude one day this summer was over 10,000 feet)... But on real cold days, I guess I don't feel things as being that much slower than normal... I guess it is a perception thing.

I would say, if you demo a canopy on a cold day, make sure you are not thinking, "I can do it, but this is pushing my limits" because things might speed up in the summer...

However another thing to think about... Last weekend I found out that having the entire landing area full of white snow really plays with depth perception... I now know why they say it is harder to judge altitude over water, and now I know that "warning" translates to snow too... However - my landings were actually better, go figure, because whatever my brain was miscalculating on the snow cleaned up my flare timing a hair.... he he he....

[benpat 0]