New technology

[dexter]

To quote another thread...


>"Given that I have now heard experienced, trustworthy jumpers
>reporting pressurization problems with both the Flik (at go
>and throw type airspeed) and the Blackjack (at sub-terminal
>slider up airspeed..."

This is very interesting. What kind of problems is the Blackjack experiencing at sub terminal airspeeds? I'm thinking about getting a Blackjack but I was also told by a very experienced jumper (best in the world perhaps) to take a serious look at the Troll MDV.

So there are reports of problems with the Flik and Blackjack... then again I've seen two exact same canopies do very different things in identical conditions, so they could be isolated examples.

What are the general opinions of the newest line of BASE canopies? The Flik, Blackjack, Troll MDV... Should we include the non-vented canopies too?

What have you flown, what do you like or dislike about the canopies, and what problems have you had?

Stay safe out there! ---Dex
dexterbase@hotmail.com

[base428]

This is why I personally wait a few years before dumping my money into new technology.....

------------
Jason Bell (BASE428)
Email: jbell@vertical-visions.com
Web: www.vertical-visions.com or www.bridgeday.info

[imported_Tom Aiello]

Reports are of generally slow (hence less consistent) inflation in both cases.

In general, the BJ/Ace problems have seemed to be largely correctible by leaving off any slider control. Personally, I've stopped using direct control on my Blackjack, even at terminal. Obviously, you will want to adapt your technique for your particular pack job, wingloading, canopy size, etc, etc, etc.

At the moment, the most consistent performers (certainly the canopies with the longest track records) appear to be the "old" canopies like the FOX vtec (no covers). Unfortunately, the manufacturers don't really seem to want to keep providing them, so it's very difficult to acquire a new Mojo or a new BR canopy without covers.

Side note: There are definitely still niches for all the canopies. For example, the FOX Vtec (no covers) still appears to have the best zero airspeed inflation characteristics around, and the Mojo is ideal for wingsuit flights and monster tracks due to it's low pack volume. If you're looking for a canopy for a particular type of jumps, you might consider looking for a used canopy from the last generation. It'd be cheaper, too.

--Tom Aiello
tbaiello@mac.com

[Dwain]

>In general, the BJ/Ace problems have seemed to be largely
>correctible by leaving off any slider control. Personally,
>I've stopped using direct control on my Blackjack, even at
>terminal.

Having no control on the slider on a freepacked canopy deployed at, or near, terminal is a very dangerous thing to do.

Lines dump out of the tail pocket far more frequently than most jumpers realize. With line dump and no form of slider control, the slider is free to travel down the lines before line stretch is reached. This will create an opening very similar to slider down. This opening at or near terminal can result in severe injury or death. (It has been suspected that this may have been a contributing factor towards a number of BASE fatalities).

There have been (and continue to be) plenty of fatalities in skydiving due to hard openings. Most of the time the cause is attributed to the bag locking stows coming undone which allows the slider to move down the lines before line stretch is reached (similar to the above scenario in regards to line dump with a tail pocket).

Some form of slider control at terminal is extremely important – Whether it be a bag, sleeve, direct or indirect slider control (or a combination).

With a terminal deployment, freepack and no form of slider control you are trusting your health/life to a couple of small pieces of Velcro next to the tailpocket mouth which is known to fail on a semi-regular basis.
During deployment when the tail pocket is snatched out of the container, the lines slam up extremely hard against the tailpocket mouth Velcro. Worn Velcro (over 100 uses) will fail often. Higher airspeeds and too-large pilot chutes will greatly increase the snatch force against the Velcro. If line dump occurs then the slider control (direct or indirect) should hold the slider at the top of the lines until line stretch is reached.
(Note: there is also a chance with line dump that a tension knot will occur).

There are a number of different ways to speed up the opening of a canopy at terminal without having to resort to not using any form of slider control. I simply can not stress enough the importance of some form of reliable slider control at terminal. Any canopy manufacturer (BASE or skydiving) will tell you this.

On a side note:
Every single brand/size of BASE canopy ever created has had reports of inconsistent "this or that". The fact is, a canopy is inconsistent by the very nature in which it is used. There are too many variables in a deployment (both within and outside our control) to expect complete consistency.

Also individual canopies are variable themselves. Case in point: I once owned two Mojo-220's created in the same batch and they flew and opened very different (I did hundreds of jumps on both). One was a fantastic canopy and the other not as good. So what generalized report can I possibly give to Mojo-220's? In the end I am only knowledgeable about those two individual canopies - not about Mojo-220's in general.

It is valuable to determine which brand/sizes of particular canopies are significantly less consistent than others. However it's also pretty common to hear cries of "Wolf" with new technologies. (I remember all the claims that the tail gate greatly increased the off-heading rate when it was first released).