Camera + elliptical = cutaway?

[riddler 0]

Do you think flying a camera with a fully elliptical canopy increases the chances of a cutaway? More than flying a fully elliptical without a camera?

I have an experienced friend with a full camera setup and jumps a fully elliptical canopy. He mentioned that he had zero cutaways his first 1,000 jumps. Then he added a camera and has had three cutaways in the last 800 jumps. He didn't have an idea why. It could be just coincidence of course. But I also think that:

1. A camera can add 5-20 pounds of weight to your head. (could be more or less, depending on your setup).

2. That much weight on your head dramatically increases your chances of opening in a less-than-symmetric body position. If your body is balanced on the air, like a scale with the balance point somewhere around your hips, adding a lot of weight to one end will make the system more unstable. Seems like it would be much easier to be slightly off when flying/opening.

3. Opening in poor body position with an elliptical canopy gives you a better chance of inducing line twists than under a semi-elliptical or square canopy.

4. Line twists on an elliptical canopy are more likely to get worse and become spinning mals than with a semi-elliptical or square canopy.

Finally, I want to add that I currently fly neither a camera nor an elliptical canopy, so I'm honestly just looking for an answer before I start doing both

[velo90 0]

Camera flyers may be using wing suits (not Birdman) which can also influence stability on opening.
When filming Tandems some go on their backs to film the openings then flip over and pull in maybe not in the most stable of positions.
All my jumps from jump #50 have been on ellipticals, I have been in lines twists a few times but never needed to cutaway (~500 jumps with camera)
There again my Sony only adds a couple of pounds weight to my head.

[DaMan 0]

I am thinking you are taking about a side mounted...

It does take some adjustment at pull time (for me)...I usually twist my head 5-10 degrees to give my risers a clear path and create a better deflection angle. Maybe that's where he's having the problem...just a thought.

Z-Flock 8
Discotec Rodriguez

Too bad weapons grade stupidity doesn't lead to sterility.

[jdhill 0]

With over 1K camera jumps on either elipticals or x-braced canopies, I would say no adding a camera in and of itself does not increase your chances...

That said, there are other things that go into the mix... camera suits, body position, what's going on under you at opening time... you must pay extra attention to body position...

If you flip on you back to get a tnadem opening shot, then flip right back over and dump, you may not have the best of body positions... that is just one scenario...

When flying camera, you need to be very deliberate at pull time...

J

All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. - Edmund Burke

[LouDiamond 1]

I jump a D box and still camera with a Firebolt elliptical canopy with no issues. I also know of several FFs that jump highly loaded ellipticals with no issues as well. I think being still and in the right body position is critical on an elliptical canopy regardless of camera(s)

"It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required"
Some people dream about flying, I live my dream
SKYMONKEY PUBLISHING

[ryoder 1,590]

Tell ya what, Riddler;
I'll loan you my camera helmet and my Diablo tomorrow, so you see for yourself.

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[Deuce 1]

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Tell ya what, Riddler;
I'll loan you my camera helmet and my Diablo tomorrow, so you see for yourself.

Funny!

Most camera flier have enough numbers and currency that the back-flip thing doesn't affect opening. With tandems and AFF they open so high that there's plenty of time to get stable, yawn, and stretch before pull time.

I'm the only camera flier at my DZ jumping a 7-cell. Everybody else is jumping Stillettos, Velocities, and Cobalts and can swoop like banshees.

Not me, though. Skeered.

[riddler 0]

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I'll loan you my camera helmet and my Diablo tomorrow, so you see for yourself.

I ain't going nowhere near a DZ this weekend. High of 34 tomorrow. On the ground. At this point, I'm thinking my next jump won't be until Eloy.

And I would buy your camera helmet (since you don't seem to use it much anymore), but I think my heads a little smaller than yours!

Oh, and whenever you're ready to test-jump my lotus

Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

[ryoder 1,590]

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I ain't going nowhere near a DZ this weekend. High of 34 tomorrow. On the ground.

"There's no such thing as 'too cold'; There is only 'improperly dressed'." - Mike Pintamo

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[jeremyneas 0]

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"There's no such thing as 'too cold'; There is only 'improperly dressed'." - Mike Pintamo

LOL, the great thing about Mike is he always has something quotable to say!

[skydance1954 0]

I think it's probably coincidence. I've got over 1500 camera jumps, 1400 of those on a Stilletto. I've yet to cut away the Stilletto. (I've probably just jinxed myself, now, too.)

In fact, all my cutaways to date have been on F-111 canopies with no cameras on board.

Mike Ashley
D-18460
Canadian A-666

[PhreeZone 20]

Mike.. I'm going to be keeping a camera aimed at you now for that cutaway this year

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[x3mcam 0]

Well, hard to say, but being a cameraman myself, I would say no. I see no real reason why a current and stable-opening flyer would start having spins after adding a camera?
I've jumped my biggish camsetup Flat top pro with everything else and all kinds of suits but a Birdman, and have not yet experienced any difficulty in opening my Vengeance. That said, it's no extreme canopy, but still.

I suppose it's more involved in the fact that early camerajumpers (with small jump numbers) tend to focus on the wrong things while opening....

Dunno, thats just me...

Tomppa

[riddler 0]

Want to add this: someone reminded me that this jumper has two rigs and since he started wearing a camera, he has been having staff packers pack his rigs while he jumps with tandems. Could have something to do with the more cutaways

Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

[WFFC 1]

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LOL, the great thing about Mike is he always has something quotable to say!

This isn't Mike's, but can you guess who this might be?
Them - "I'm leaving. I'm done. I'm really leaving. I don't have to put up with this shit."
Me - "OK, Bye."
Them - "Wait, I'm not done yelling at you yet."

You get one guess - you'll probably nail it.

[skydance1954 0]

You better, 'cause after I have this one, it'll be another 19 years before I have my next one. (I hope)

For the record, it has been exactly 2,835 jumps since my last cutaway. And counting........I'd really like to make it to 3,000, but we'll see what the malfunction gods have in store.

This is why I pack my own stuff.

Mike Ashley
D-18460
Canadian A-666

[blazetailman 0]

I voted yes, for the facts of:

When jumping a full camer top mount with stills on the top, Ther are more snag points and extra weight limiting movement to see what is going on.

1 try, 2, nothing better. I'm cutting away.

I tend to be pulling with more altitude, but there is no reason to fight a lossing battle if I didn't gain any ground in the first to attempts.

I film tandems and aff in a freefly suit, so I don't have the extra issues of a camera wing.

Stabilty during depolyment is rarely a problem. I more worried about snag points. Which is still a concern with sidemounts.

my 2 bits.......

www.canopyflightcenter.com
www.skydivesac.com
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