SSkydiver

As always thanks for all the help. Amazing the things one can learn and absorb on this site. I got alot of different ideas from several people and now i can apply some of this advice which in turn will just make me a better pilot and safer skydiver. Thanks everyone. P.S. Does "Fly like a Pro" help any? I just got that along with "Pack like a Pro, Body Pilot in Command, Trouble Free Zero P and Breakaway>

Ok guys, i dont want to piss anyone off or anything, but i really dont care about tandems and who can fly what canopy in Europe. I want to know if anyone has suggestions and advice on how i can improve my landings and become a better skydiver.

I posted this in the General Skydiving Discussions and thought i would try here to. Lately my landing have been of as far as my flare. I used to jump a PDF Merit 170 and recently purchased a Sabre2 170 (1.1 WL) I only have 6 jumps on the Sabre2 but this problem started when i still had the Merit. Yesterday on my landing it seemed as if one second i was at 20 feet off the ground and the next second i was at 2 feet. I did flare but to low and came in for a skid landing. I do seem to find myself looking down at the ground instead of forward so basically i am killing my pheripheral vision. All i see is the ground go by but not how high off the ground i am. The landing i have problems with are days with lille to no wind. 0 to maybe 5 mph. My approach is good, my awareness around me is good by my landings suck and the last landing seemed to go by in a flash. I'm looking at geting some of my landings videod to help me out because i'm starting to get frustrated. What am i not doing? Am i possibly trying too hard to get that perfect landing? Any suggestion would be appreciated.

Ok guys and gals. Stright to the point. My landing lately have really sucked. I have just recently purchased a new main (Sabre2 170, 1.1 WL) which i have only put 6 jumps on, but was having a similiar problem with my previous canopy, PDF Merit 170 just prior to getting the Sabre2. My exit, freefall, stabilty, openings and piloting are good. I get into the landing pattern and do a stright in approach. Last week we had pretty much 0 wind, maybe 3-5 mph if we were lucky. Today pretty much the same. Last week i remembered it seemed like i was screaming in for my landing compared to my Merit 170 but managed a standup in nil winds. Today same thing but it was as if i was at 15-20 feet one second and 2 the next. I think for some reason i was looking straight down, like at my feet, which left me with no visual on my landing as far as ditance from the ground. I find myself on landing to be looking down instead of at the horizon or just further out in from of me. My landing today was not a terribly painful landing but i had a little bit of a knee skid. My landings in the past have been pretty good making at least 95% standup but all of a sudden i seem to be loosing my forward focus on landing. I have very limited experience jumping in light to no wind days. I'm just starting to get really frustrated with my landings all of a sudden. What am i doing wrong and where am i not focused or not focusing at. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

I jump a Javelin J-2 which is set up for a ZP 150 but a ZP 170 fits just fine. As mentioned above, i'm not looking to get slammed because i have the wrong pc. The Sabre2 isnt installed yet and was trying to be proactive in making sure i have the right pc to do the job and get good openings. I need to measure my current main pc and see what size it is. Thanks for the info

Just got a used Sabre2 170 and i need to get a pilot shut. I havent checked with PD yet because of the weekend and i havent talked to my rigger yet but what size pc should i get. I'm 190 out the door if that makes a difference.

Hey Steve. I'm new to this sport to with a few more jumps than you. At around 50 jumps i purchased a used Sabre2 135 from the advice of a few people. After i got it i checked with even more people including instuctors and then it was decided maybe i should stick to a canopy no lower than a 150. I'm 190 out the door so i would have had a windload of 1.40. Well, i resold the Sabre2 and continued to jump my Merit 170. Instead of buying a 150, i decided to buy a Sabre2 170 which i actually got today. My wingload is now 1.11. I know i can fly a 150 but i thought to myself "why the risk". High wingload on equals to much faster flight and much faster malfunctions. Read the reviews of the Sabre2 and the Spectre. We newbies feel invinsible sometimes thinking we know it all but we really dont. At 1.3 wingload at your level your looking at some possible serious pain or worse. Is it worth it? My DZO said the same about me getting a 135 but i researched for about a month a stayed with a 170. A 150 gives you a 1.16 wingload. Low enough to have a forgiving canopy yet high enough to have some good fun and thats what skydiving is all about........FUN.

Looking for opinions on the Sabre2 vs Spectre. Looking for overall opinions on performance on both mains and which you would choose and why. I'm 190 out the door with 70 jumps and have a Sabre2 170. Wingload 1.1

That's a misconception. Generally speaking, people who aren't interested in obtaining any ratings don't get signatures in their log books after their D since it doesn't really matter. Although according to the SIM, its not a valid log entry without an oppropiate signature (not your own), as well as a handful of other things. Strangely enough, from what I understand (I don't have first hand knowledge here), some course directors for various ratings, only look at entries, they don't necissarily look to make sure that they're all signed. (I wonder is Snopes has anything about this? ). As you can see this question gets various answers. I log all my jumps but have not had anyone else sign my logbook for quite some time. I've asked around my dz and everyone seems stumped at the question. There doesnt seem to be a concrete answer to this question

In AFF all students require an instuctor to sign there jumps but at what point after AFF are you not needing the signature of an instuctor. Basically when can you begin to sign your own jumps?

Hey Robert. I appreciate your questions but i am ready to fly a 170 only because thats what i have been flying. I currently have a Merit 170 which is a fun as hell canopy to fly with its fairly fast turns (at least for me) and its good flare. The only thing is that the Merit has this tendency to open hard. I did three jumps 2 weeks ago and i was sore from the openings from about the middle back on up. Felt ok the day i jumped but two days later i really started to feel it. I've heard alot of good things about the Spectre and its the size i need. I appreciate the info. Thanks

Looking for opinions on a Spectre 170 that someone is selling for $1000. I'm 190 out the door with 64 jumps and was looking at purchasing this canopy. Total reported jumps on the main is 18 due to team getting sponsorship. Good deal??????. Thanks for any input.

Checked the website and they have a Hornet 150 Puts my wingload at 1.26, too much. 170 puts me at 1.11. Damn.

I couldnt agree with you more sparky. So are you an expert or veteran? I would guess veteran seeing how your still alive.

Hey Andrew. I'm the last person to give anyone advice on this or any other thread, but you did say you were looking for some education. Most responses are given by jumpers with 100's to 1000's of jumps. There is your education. I ask info in here so much people are probably tired of seeing my damn name, but i post what my experience level is to get the best advice and information that i can from these veteran jumpers who may save my life with their advice. When you refuse to give wingload, jump #'s, exit weight etc etc etc its going to make people think your a newbie like me. I only have 64 jumps under my belt and I could have told you what all those holes were. You got pounded by the vets and its sad to see that happen. Have fun with your new canopy and be safe.

I know they are not making the Hornet anymore and have been looking for a used one. Called a guy yesterday that was selling one but havent heard back from him. Does Ralph have a # or e-mail?

There has been alot of rumors going around about the new Aerodyne Pilot actually being the old Pisa Hornet. Does anyone know if this is true or is there really a difference between the two canopies.

Ok. Hook was kidding.......thats awesome. Now, where in the hell do you go on this planet to get a Hornet. I cant seem to find one.

I think Hooks reply may not have been meant to be as harsh as it sounds, but why he thinks it was a bad purchase could of been explained. I'm just as interested to know as the other guy.

One more thing Hook. Is it the Javelin that was a bad purchase or the main? I'm really interested because i'm looking at purchasing a Hornet to.

In that case... You did badly. What a stupid purchase. --- Edit: Darn you you edited your post! Nothing like a great response from a veteran AFF Instructor. Hey Hook, if he did so badly and made a "stupid" purchase, why dont you also tell him why you think he did badly. Nothing like a little positive reinforcement for us young skydivers. Us new guys here look for information and advice from veterans like yourself. I dont think we are looking for a knockdown response like that.

Hey Skybytch. What i've been able to find out is that both canopies open nice and the landings seem to be comparable so i guess it comes down to turns both toggles and riser turns. I have noticed new is about the same price and used the Tri's go a little cheaper. I know the Spectre has an elliptical shape as opposed to the Tri being square so maybe thats where the turns are faster. Just trying to get all the input i can from the more experienced because once i get the Tri or Spctre, it's going to be the canopy i jump for the next several hundred jumps. I jumped the Tri 160. Although it was a fun canopy it didnt seem to have that little bit of excitement that i currently get from my Merit, but i havent jumped the Spectre but heard alot of good things about it. Thanks for the advice

I'm looking to purchase either a Triathlon 160 or Spectre 150/170. Most of what i have been able to research on both main puts them at almost equal performance (or so it seems). Looking for information from all experienced skydivers out there on the performance of these 2 mains. Looking for peformance characteristics input for both mains and which over all is the best. I'm 190 out the door so my wingloads will be 1.1 to 1.2. Thanks ahead for any information.

Hey Zig. My gut says stay with the pillow. It feels comfortable in the hands, i'm always going over emergency procedures on the ground, in the plane and sometimes in freefall by touching all my handles. I can touch and grab all my handles by feel and not have to visually look at them to know where they are. It is different having a pillow after having metal for all my jumps but its something i feel confident using