PD-R as wingsuit specific main

[gus 1]

As my wingsuits get bigger and my mains get smaller I'm starting to think about putting together a wingsuit specific rig, one which will allow me to fly for longer/lower than I would dare with an elliptical and one where I can deploy in full flight. Recently I've been having a lot of fun getting out "low" and practicing maxing it out but I'm having to borrow a rig to do it.

I found a few old posts saying some people were using PD-Rs as main, does anyone have more recent experiences or knowledge they can share?

Thanks,

Gus

OutpatientsOnline.com

[dragon2 2]

Get a Spectre. Predictable, and can be opened from full flight, also can be opened really low. And it flares much better.

A PD-R from full flight is going to hurt after a few jumps I'd think. That said I never wingsuited it, I just got one terminal reserve ride and 10 jumps or so on a PD-R when filming CRW.

ciel bleu,
Saskia

[JohanW 0]

Or get a Triathlon. Can comfortably be opened from full flight. Will fly straight in 5 twists at 1.8 w/l. Fully rectangular :]

Johan.
I am. I think.

[VectorBoy 0]

I know some guys who were useing PDRs in their wingsuit spec rigs. They worked great, I don't believe pain was ever involved but these guys actually fly and pitch from full flight.

Their new trend is smaller sized BASE canopy.

[LouDiamond 1]

Jay Moledzksi has been jumping a PD-R as a main for several years now when he wingsuits. If I remember right, it's a 99 and as expected he flys the shit out of it. As far as I could tell, he uses it just like one would use a main canopy in a rig.

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

[JohanW 0]

No pain? Did they use the stock slider?

What would be the advantage of using a PDR over, say, a Triathlon? Both are rectangular, relatively cheap, can be had in sizes from 99 to 260 or so, but the Tri is ZP and already has a bridle attachment point. I honestly don't get it.

I imagine if you're on the PD Factory Team, PDRs are lying around, but for normal people? Do they like white (or baby blue) better than neon rainbow?

Johan.
I am. I think.

[980 0]

The crossfire doesn't like being deployed in full flight?

If you like hp canopies and wingsuits and getting out low... then you might really like the openings on a the Xaos-21.

It seems to be quite happy deploying from full flight too.

If I'm opening at or above the minimum deployment altitudes as stipulated by skydiving associations, I am happy deploying my 100 sq ft Xaos-21, which I load at 1.9 lb / sq ft.

therefore I do not see the point in getting a less fun canopy just for flying my wingsuit from 5000 ft - 2200 ft

[gus 1]

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The crossfire doesn't like being deployed in full flight?

I've had variable results. The openings are definately more conistent if I collapse everything and do a more conventional deployment.

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If I'm opening at or above the minimum deployment altitudes as stipulated by skydiving associations, I am happy deploying my 100 sq ft Xaos-21

All power to you Sam. Maybe I'm soft but having had one quite violent spinning mal on my Crossfire I don't like deploying it at less than 3k on a normal skydive, let alone deploying at 2k with a V2 on.

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therefore I do not see the point in getting a less fun canopy just for flying my wingsuit from 5000 ft - 2200 ft

The point is to have an ultra reliable, fast opening, stable, predictable canopy that I can happily deploy from full flight at 2k.

Gus

OutpatientsOnline.com

[TomAiello 26]

What size range are you looking for?

-- Tom Aiello

Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com
SnakeRiverBASE.com

[Tornolf 0]

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The point is to have an ultra reliable, fast opening, stable, predictable canopy that I can happily deploy from full flight at 2k.

So a small (170ish) BASE canopy?

A waddling elephant seal is the cutest thing in the entire world.
-TJ

[droquette 0]

How does loading a vengence canopy at 1.6 under WS sound to people? I want to downsize my rig and thats what i have a vailable at the moment. I am flying a 190 pilot and have about 20 jumps on a 170 sabre

thanks,
dan

HISPA 72 ----- "Muff Brother" 3733

[piisfish 140]

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How does loading a vengence canopy at 1.6 under WS sound to people? I want to downsize my rig and thats what i have a vailable at the moment. I am flying a 190 pilot and have about 20 jumps on a 170 sabre

does not sound a good idea to me. Get a 2nd rig.

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[phoenixlpr 0]

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How does loading a vengence canopy at 1.6 under WS sound to people? I want to downsize my rig and thats what i have a vailable at the moment.

Sounds great! So you bored with your life. Do you like flying your reserve?

Vengence said to be quite sensitive anyway.

It is so nice to have a quite loaded, nice diving canopy that even sensitve for harness input too.

[dragon2 2]

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How does loading a vengence canopy at 1.6 under WS sound to people? I want to downsize my rig and thats what i have a vailable at the moment. I am flying a 190 pilot and have about 20 jumps on a 170 sabre

thanks,
dan

Sounds great. Really. I jump a veangeance 135 loaded at 1.2 and I did take it on a wingsuit jump once, but I'm hesitant to use it as my regular wingsuit canopy. I've got 200+ wingsuit jumps, more jumps than you total, some 75-100 jumps on vengeance 135/120, and load them way lower. But maybe (well surely ) you have bigger balls than me? Or like sponsoring your rigger...

ciel bleu,
Saskia

[gus 1]

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What size range are you looking for?

Not sure really. I'm about 180 out of the door. I have 2 rides on my PD-R 126 and I was very happy with how it flew and landed.

Gus

OutpatientsOnline.com

[jumpnaked69 0]

I had a friend tell me that the only way he could get his Vengeance to open decently was to deploy in a slight track instead of a neutral body position. That being said I think going from a 190 Pilot to a 170 Sabre to a highly-loaded elliptical airlocked canopy might be a bit aggressive and just downright silly for use as a wingsuit main. With my wingsuit I fly a Spectre loaded at about 1.4. In addition to Spectres and Sabre2s at similar wingloadings, you'll also come across some Pilots, often loaded quite a bit higher. They seem to perform just fine at those higher wingloadings even when deployed in a wingsuit.

As far as the initial question in this thread, it seems like finding a multi-jump used pd-reserve to use as a main canopy for WSing would be a good idea, maybe just change out the slider. You can find it for cheap, it's F-111 and will open great and very fast and its damn good construction. The only downside I really see is (besides possible pain from the fast opening), might be getting back from a long spot. In my very limited experience ZP canopies will have a better glide ratio and so when flying your wingsuit, make sure you dont enjoy the flight so much that you land way off the airport. A ZP canopy will do a better job of getting you back if you manage to get out away from the landing area. If you can handle that (i.e. pull high enough to get back, stay aware of your location, etc), then sweet, go for it, and let us all know how it works out.

just my two cents
Alan

[Tonto 1]

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How does loading a vengence canopy at 1.6 under WS sound to people?

Anything's possible..

http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=2403356;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;;page=unread#unread

What's the worst that could happen?

t

It's the year of the Pig.

[Bowie 0]

I have used Katana for the last 200 ws flights it might not always open on heading but never had to use the backup one.
i also sometimes use my velocity 103 for ws it is just so much better to fly and land than the katana.
I demoed one of PD's demo Pd R 113 and i don't think the 1000 ft of extra airtime is worth the pain from that opening.
I always open in full flight with all my canopys and never had any problems

My advise use a canopy that you rely on and just fly the hell out of it..

Bo Wienberg

vimeo.com/bowienberg

[phoenixlpr 0]

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What's the worst that could happen?

Kill someone else too?

[Tonto 1]

And Luigi has landed a 39. We all have different skill sets and risk profiles.

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My advise use a canopy that you rely on and just fly the hell out of it..

It's always ok until it's not.

If you want to start your skydive with one known link in your events cascade, that's fine, but I think advising others with a third of your experience to do the same is less than responsible.

In my experience, every skydiver who died from hitting the ground thought they'd be just fine when they went through the door.

All of them were wrong.

t

It's the year of the Pig.

[blair700 0]

Yo.
I have 300 WS jumps on a Veng 150 (1.5). I eventually sold the 150 and got a 135 because I love the way the Veng flys, I also bought another rig and a Pilot 168 becasue I REALLY LOVE the way my wingsuits fly. Then I sold the Veng and bought another BASE rigSeriously, I had a few spinners on the Veng. and never had to chop it, but came close enough to realize I prefer a more stable canopy for WS flights.

YMMV,
Blair

[jojo0815 0]

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I know some guys who were useing PDRs in their wingsuit spec rigs. They worked great, I don't believe pain was ever involved but these guys actually fly and pitch from full flight.

Their new trend is smaller sized BASE canopy.

Hey Glen.... got my Dagger 150 in and it even fits in my rig :)... I was a little worried about that after unwrapping it. it's just like xmas, but better :).

but to answer the question of the original poster. I don't like flying hp canopies with the WS because I had some really bad experiences. wasn't the last WS fatality on a stilettto? I know a bunch of people that do fly elipticals but I have been flying strictly F-111 7-cells with my WS and no pain is not involved if you deploy in full flight. you might have a couple of brisk ones until you figure out the packjob and body position but I am getting consistent 300 foot openings from pitch to full canopy. why does the FAA hard deck say 2K... damn ;).
make sure you have a 9ft bridle and 30-33" PC for full flight deployments!
also brings a total new dimension to hop and pops.... I have gotten like 51 seconds from 3.6K and 73 or so from just under 5K in my matter and acro respectively. a whole lot of fun for $ 12.00!
for canopies I flew a PD-176 with a dacron line kit and a Icarus reserve demo. the spectra lines can give you more of a jolt during the opening so the dacron lines are preferred but none of my WS openings are anywhere near where a terminal reserve ride would be...

[VectorBoy 0]

>Hey Glen.... got my Dagger 150 in and it even fits in my >rig :)... I was a little worried about that after unwrapping >it. it's just like xmas, but better :).

Tomorrow Ira and myself will be down there to fly with you and your new x-mas present. its been a long time. We will see if we can talk you into joining us for Moab.

[VectorBoy 0]

Tomorrow Ira and myself will be down there to fly with you and your new x-mas present. its been a long time. We will see if we can talk you into joining us for Moab.