TimDave

This information is not new but I will repeat it for the sake of this thread. All canopies regardless of planform will fly at nearly the same speed at the same winloading. Smaller canopies (of similar design) will be more responsive than larger due to line length. The most important thing when it comes to skydiving is your personal reference. What is your experience and how do you handle stress. Lower wing loadings allow you to make mistakes and recognize them (hopefully) before they become a huge problem.

There are military designs out there that use flutes in addition to single free stow designs.

I have 90% of my jumps with boneheads with various chin strap/cup configurations and am completely confident with the safety of the helmets. Even had some violent spinning mals test jumping canopies and no issues. If you are not comfortable with it send it back. Otherwise keep asking more until you are satisfied that there is limited risk of snagging.

If you want a great canopy buy a Samurai or a Katana (bigger sizes coming soon). If you like airlock buy a Sam, if you like the way PD canopies fly, wait for the Katana. I've got ~100 Stiletto jumps, 10 Vengeance, 50 Katana and 500 (at least) on a Sam.

I have some experience testing materials used in parachutes and do know that the strength in different directions is quite different (especially in line/cord). Braided cord (like suspension line) is much stronger in tension (along the axis coinciding with the length). Larks-heading the line on the ring like this creates force that is along the shear direction (perpendicular to it's length). This is an area of concern for structural integrity. It also is easier for the loop to come loose and the link to release than the recommended method. It would have most likely worked fine but this is not something that needs to be found out the hard way. Hope the rigger appreciated you contacting him and helping improve his/her craft. I have found worse rigging errors than this with soft links also.

Packing and body position do affect the opening enough to cause line twists. With the Safire, rolling the nose should be avoided, but with other canopies like a Sabre or Monarch uneven nose rolling can cause a turn severe enough to twist the lines (especially if loaded moderate to high). I have a few thousand pack jobs and don't experience line twists when I pack very often. It does happen occasionally though. But I know a packer that seemed to cause line twists very frequently. After a friend observed them packing noticed that when stowing the lines the bag was being twisted inadvertantly. After changing the way they packed the problem magically went away. Packing definately can and does cause line twists. Getting someone to look at your packing and getting someone video your deployment sequence should be the start of the end of your line twist problem.

Wingloading is the total canpoy area divided by the suspended weight. The way that manufacturers measure canopy area does vary greatly. I would use the smaller of the 2 numbers, therefore being more conservative (creating higher) wingloading. PD reserves are usually larger than stated on the data panel. Icarus canopies are usually smaller. It just depends on how they measure. It can be off enough to significantly affect the calculation.

The couch idea is a great one. Concentrate on pushing your hips off the floor a couple of in ches. Look into a mirror. Last thing, when you are in freefall, say out loud: Relax, arch, legs. After a jump of saying this outloud to yourself you may be fixed. What you experienced was not unstable. You are learning t fly your body. Unstable is going on your back or potatoe chipping so bad you have to be redocked or a spin that has to be stopped by your instructor. You sound like you don't have a big problem. Practice this and talk with your instructors and you will be tearing it up in no time.

Sweet! Guess what you owe?

I second that motion. They know your abilities and personality.

Nice addition there.

If you are comfortable jumping w/o one that is fine. If you are not that is also ok.

Than you should save a few bucks then! You are welcome.

In the big picture it will cost maybe $100. I would also have the rig taken apart and looked over by your rigger to see anything internal or subtle. It should only cost about $20 and a repack. Well worth that investment.

There looks like enough wear and damage to warrant replacement but your local friendly rigger is your best source. I would replace it if it were mine.