Lightning vs Prodigy

[Wassituya 0]

I have a question as a newcomer to the sport. I have a friend that wants me to get into CReW. He and most of the people that I will be flying with will by flying Prodigy. What are the major flight characteristic differences between the two?
Will I be hindered as I get better by having a Lightning and flying with mostly Prodigy flyers? If so, at what point will it become a problem.
I understand that I may be jumping the gun a bit, but I want to order a parachute so it is here in time to be ready for a couple get togethers this year.

[DJL 235]

Hey, thought I'd freshen this query and see if anyone has input. We're looking at getting a few Prodigies or Expresses and don't know what the performance is vs. a Lightning. From what I gather, they thump in even more than Lightnings. Is the trim comparable?

-doug

[PhreeZone 20]

I've heard the prodigy and express's are trimmed more down then the Tri's. I've never jumped one, but was told a story of a CRW camp with a lot of Lightning jumpers under Prodigys that ended up having "issues" (read wraps) becasue they were different then their Lightings.

Get a Lightning if you plan on doing formations with others here in the US is what I've been told at least 4 times so far.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[crwmike 0]

Quote

I've heard the prodigy and express's are trimmed more down then the Tri's. I've never jumped one, but was told a story of a CRW camp with a lot of Lightning jumpers under Prodigys that ended up having "issues" (read wraps) becasue they were different then their Lightings.

Get a Lightning if you plan on doing formations with others here in the US is what I've been told at least 4 times so far.

This is good advice. Without getting into the relative merits of each canopy, what it comes down do is you have to have a canopy aerodynamically compatible with the others. I don't know of anyone jumping prodigys these days (I know a few who would love to sell one).

The Lightning is the canopy of choice for all recreational CRW in the US.

CRW Skies,

Michael

[crwmike 0]

Quote

I have a question as a newcomer to the sport. I have a friend that wants me to get into CReW. He and most of the people that I will be flying with will by flying Prodigy. What are the major flight characteristic differences between the two?

Will I be hindered as I get better by having a Lightning and flying with mostly Prodigy flyers? If so, at what point will it become a problem.

I understand that I may be jumping the gun a bit, but I want to order a parachute so it is here in time to be ready for a couple get togethers this year.

Sorry, I missed your post in my earlier response. Unfortunately, the Lightning flyer will be doing mostly air baths if trying to do CRW with Prodigys. They are prohibitively incompatible.

Michael

[PhreeZone 20]

Mike, GREAT to see you posting here!

Hopefully you'll tolerate our "moderated" area

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[faulknerwn 38]

Quote

Hey, thought I'd freshen this query and see if anyone has input. We're looking at getting a few Prodigies or Expresses and don't know what the performance is vs. a Lightning. From what I gather, they thump in even more than Lightnings. Is the trim comparable?
-doug

Prodigys and Expresses are trimmed noticably steeper than Lightnings. Many sequential teams like Expresses over here because they're a touch more docile than Lightnings (less "twitchy") But on the other hand there are good sequential teams using Lightnings as well.

Prodigies and Expresses aren't very compatible with Lightnings however. It can be done, but it makes for weird formations. It is easier to have a Lightning in a Prodigy fomration than a Prodigy in a Lightning formation (affects the performance less.)

W