Maximus1 0 #1 November 29, 2003 Wouldn't it be cool to have a transparent or clear canopy! The obvious setbacks would be visibility to other jumpers and perhaps packing, but otherwise it would be a be blast. Any problems with getting ZP material in a transparent format? - Maximus It's not that I'm afraid to die, I just don't want to be there when it happens. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FrogNog 1 #2 November 29, 2003 Well, it would have to be a translucent canopy, because I don't think woven nylon will be optically clear anytime soon. :) I think it would look like a canopy that someone put in their mouth, sucked all the flavor out of, and spit back out. Sort of like the ice in a slushie after the tasty juice has been all hoovered out. It would look Unique, I suppose. But I prefer the white topskin/bottomskin with the bright-colored ribs idea. The one of those I saw looked sweet. -=-=-=-=- Pull. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nightingale 0 #3 November 29, 2003 would be cool if a canopy could be made out of those fiber optic fabrics... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riggerrob 643 #4 November 29, 2003 Two materials would produce transparent parachute canopies: plastic and wet F-111. It would be possible to sew a complete canopy using the clear plastic they build Cypres windows out of - Javelin and Softie have already sewn display containers - however no-one expects clear plastic to survive opening shock. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kirils 1 #5 November 29, 2003 How about flying a black canopy at night?? As a kid I used to built transparent triangular box kites using 1mil PE. They always got a lot of attention because it always looked like you were just holding a magically suspended string. The PE stretched and deformed quite a bit, requiring at least partial replacement after every flight."Slow down! You are too young to be moving that fast!" Old Man Crawfish Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TheJokergs 0 #6 November 29, 2003 have a normal container and use thick clear plastic that is welded together. have you ever been to the airport and gone on a comericial flight and had something of yours put in a big plastic bag? thats the type of plastic im thinking of, really heavy stuff. it'd be kind cool too because if they worked and were easy to make then cutting away wouldn't be such a costly event.Build a man a fire and he will be warm for a night, set a man on fire and he will be warm for the rest of his life.??? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
darkwing 5 #7 November 29, 2003 How about mylar? Is it used to make clear parts on sails for boats and boards? -- Jeff My Skydiving History Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riggerrob 643 #8 November 29, 2003 Every decade or so, the U.S. navy parachute test center in China Lake, California experiments with glued or welded nylon parachutes in an effort to reduce production costs. None of their designs have been strong enough to make it to market, but the technology is slowly improving.We will probably see glued or welded canopies first in a disposible scenario, i.e. drogue chutes on smart bombs. If you have enough patience - for enough years - someone will invent what you want. Hee! Hee! Reminds me of something Spider Robinson said Thursday evening. You all know Spider Robinson: the famous sci-fi writer .... anyways, Spider was reading from his latest Callahan's Crosstime Saloon book at the Vancouver Public Library and he mentioned that a German fan had mailed him a futuristic coffee-making-machine that Spider had mentioned in one of his books ..... "How dare you call it automatic! I still have to push a button!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
alain 0 #9 November 30, 2003 Quote Wouldn't it be cool to have a transparent or clear canopy! nope, because: ***The obvious setbacks would be visibility to other jumpers end of story as far as i'm concerned Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TheJokergs 0 #10 November 30, 2003 yeah you were saying they tried welding nylon, does that hold strongly beauces couldn't they just use plastic sheet or soemthing like that.Build a man a fire and he will be warm for a night, set a man on fire and he will be warm for the rest of his life.??? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tonto 1 #11 December 1, 2003 Quote The obvious setbacks would be visibility to other jumpers Since we're more likely to hit canopies below us, some green/blue colour schemes are less than wise depending on your DZ environment. I'm sometimes perplexed at some jumpers choice in colour. I friend of mine, who has a gear store, wanted to put a sign up which said something like "Nomatter how poor your taste, we'll build it for you." When you look at cars, they all look good, but some appeal more than others. I've seen some hidious canopies! tIt's the year of the Pig. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jimbo 0 #12 December 1, 2003 Quote I'm sometimes perplexed at some jumpers choice in colour. My canopy is bright yellow. I figure it'll be easy to spot in the tops of the trees. - Jim"Like" - The modern day comma Good bye, my friends. You are missed. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LouDiamond 1 #13 December 2, 2003 Quote Wouldn't it be cool to have a transparent or clear canopy And while we're at it, How about some monofiliment for the line set I'm just curious as to how one would pack this transparent, plastic chute in a D bag? Ever see plastic stick together?"It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required" Some people dream about flying, I live my dream SKYMONKEY PUBLISHING Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kris 0 #14 December 2, 2003 Quote I'm just curious as to how one would pack this transparent, plastic chute in a D bag? Ever see plastic stick together? Tsk, tsk, tsk...silly monkey. Haven't you ever beheld the wonder that is known as putting baby powder in someone's canopy? It's the perfect solution.Sky, Muff Bro, Rodriguez Bro, and Bastion of Purity and Innocence!™ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FrogNog 1 #15 December 2, 2003 Quote Quote Wouldn't it be cool to have a transparent or clear canopy And while we're at it, How about some monofiliment for the line set I'm just curious as to how one would pack this transparent, plastic chute in a D bag? Ever see plastic stick together? Monofilament maybe. But please don't ask for monomolecular lines - they eat rubber bands like nothing else, a riser slap can take your head off, a canopy collision would be unbelievably icky... etc. -=-=-=-=- Pull. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hooknswoop 19 #16 December 2, 2003 OK, getting off-track here. Derek Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fudd 0 #17 December 2, 2003 Back on track... Yeah, I think it would be cool (maybe not practical, maybe not safe, but cool.) I would be suprised if someone havent made a material yet which can be used. I wouldn't be suprised if its ridicously expensive. How about just one or two transparent cells? There are only 10 types of people in the world. Those who understand binary, and those who don't. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
alain 0 #18 December 2, 2003 one thing i've learned after years using windsurf sails is that they don't stay tranparens for very long... how not so cool would it be to have a sort of ugly grey canopy after 100 jumps for a couple of demo flights, just for the sake of having done it, that would be cool. useless aswell but no one can claim skydiving is fondamentaly usefull. it's just not the point Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
voodoo78 0 #19 December 2, 2003 I have seen a clear main from Atair made out of some funky matiral ,but I wouldnt expect to see it any time soon for public use. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pchapman 279 #20 December 2, 2003 One transparent paraglider canopy was built: (So packing and opening shock are not issues.) http://www.expandingknowledge.com/Jerome/PG/Strange/Image/WING_Transparent_VL_1994_11_p10.jpg The short description about it is on the next higher level page: http://www.expandingknowledge.com/Jerome/PG/Strange/Album.htm (Search for "transparent".) The site is a fascinating one for anyone interested in ram air technology, although the site is for paragliding and not skydiving ram airs. Peter Chapman Paraglider pilot too Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ZoneRat 0 #21 December 2, 2003 Well. Just supposing one could create a tranparent canopy... You don't have to make every cell transparent. Perhaps every other cell. or only the center cells. Then you could still be seen by others in the air. The bonus would be that if they are above you, you can still see them, too. Even if the material is cloudy, it'd still be nice to see if there's a shape lurking up there. It bugs me when someone is flying up in my blind spot.“There are more things in Heaven and Earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophies.” Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bch7773 0 #22 December 3, 2003 Quote One transparent paraglider canopy was built: (So packing and opening shock are not issues.) http://www.expandingknowledge.com/Jerome/PG/Strange/Image/WING_Transparent_VL_1994_11_p10.jpg The short description about it is on the next higher level page: http://www.expandingknowledge.com/Jerome/PG/Strange/Album.htm (Search for "transparent".) The site is a fascinating one for anyone interested in ram air technology, although the site is for paragliding and not skydiving ram airs. Peter Chapman Paraglider pilot too picture http://www.expandingknowledge.com/Jerome/PG/Strange/Image/WING_Transparent_VL_1994_11_p10.jpg the page http://www.expandingknowledge.com/Jerome/PG/Strange/Album.htm MB 3528, RB 1182 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
