most comfortable parachute ?

I have a new Softie. It is less comfortable than my previous National 425.
Regarding a ram air chute, they are designed to open softly and they take about 800' to fully open. An emergency round chute is designed to open quickly in 300'-350'. Is your momentary comfort worth that 500'?

Where I fly, the ability to fly the parachute is a big factor in
reducing the prospect of injury on landing due to canyons, rocks,
bluffs, etc. Being able to pick my touchdown point (allowing for the
winds) can make a big difference. It was for these reasons, and after
one of our pilots, a former Army jump master, received injuries after
jumping a round emergency chute near Moriarty, that I switched to a
square chute.

On 6/8/2017 12:22 AM, Tango Whisky wrote:
You don't need to fly the Aviator, but you can.

Bert TW

--
Dan, 5J

I have had softie and National chutes. My current chute a Butler, with air bladder lumbar support and "crash pad" (little elongated triangle temper foam pad at bottom of chute that fills space between bottom of chute and seat pan. This is by far the most comfortable chute I have ever worn. Loaned it to a friend and he too thought it the most comfortable..

On Wednesday, June 7, 2017 at 2:49:25 PM UTC-7, S9 wrote:
Hey all,
I've been flying with a Security 150 for quite a while. It is most comfortable. I tried a Security 350 and it is most uncomfortable. It's time to replace the 150. What chute do you suggest that is very comfortable for those 5+ hour flights?

Thanks Steve

On Thursday, June 8, 2017 at 9:08:32 AM UTC-4, Craig Reinholt wrote:
I have a new Softie. It is less comfortable than my previous National 425..
Regarding a ram air chute, they are designed to open softly and they take about 800' to fully open. An emergency round chute is designed to open quickly in 300'-350'. Is your momentary comfort worth that 500'?

Not true. They are equal or the square is a bit faster. Either way opening time variances between the two overlap. Besides a handle fumble or pilot chute kicking around for a second before inflating will burn far more altitude than any difference between round/square. If I was in the business of selling pilot rigs I would go to the big contests pay a young durable skydiver to jump a round, then jump a square afterwards land and open my order book. Guaranteed every pilot who saw the difference live would bust out a credit card.

I just spoke with the president of Rigging Innovations and in response
to your claim that the ram air chute is designed to take about 800' to
open, this was part of his response: "When we certified the P-124 in
1996 it was only necessary to measure the opening time. The TSO standard
called for opening in less that 3 seconds from pack opening to inflated
canopy. There was no practical method to measure the altitude loss.
Today we have newer technology and the current TSO calls for less than 3
seconds OR less than 300 ft altitude loss."

I don't believe I'm giving up 500' by wearing my P-124.

Dan

On 6/8/2017 7:08 AM, Craig Reinholt wrote:
I have a new Softie. It is less comfortable than my previous National 425.
Regarding a ram air chute, they are designed to open softly and they take about 800' to fully open. An emergency round chute is designed to open quickly in 300'-350'. Is your momentary comfort worth that 500'?

--
Dan, 5J

Good points Gregg. Also in the information I received from Rigging
Innovations was a note that opening time, and hence altitude loss, is a
function of the jumper's attitude at the time of deployment, i.e., if
the deployment is downward to to the side, the opening time will be
longer. Of course, the same holds true for the round parachute.

On 6/8/2017 10:54 AM, wrote:
On Thursday, June 8, 2017 at 9:08:32 AM UTC-4, Craig Reinholt wrote:
I have a new Softie. It is less comfortable than my previous National 425.
Regarding a ram air chute, they are designed to open softly and they take about 800' to fully open. An emergency round chute is designed to open quickly in 300'-350'. Is your momentary comfort worth that 500'?
Not true. They are equal or the square is a bit faster. Either way opening time variances between the two overlap. Besides a handle fumble or pilot chute kicking around for a second before inflating will burn far more altitude than any difference between round/square. If I was in the business of selling pilot rigs I would go to the big contests pay a young durable skydiver to jump a round, then jump a square afterwards land and open my order book. Guaranteed every pilot who saw the difference live would bust out a credit card.

--
Dan, 5J

Considering the information came from a Master rigger (3+ decades), ex Para-Phernalia manufacturing employee, Dealer for Softie, and over 10,000 jumps, I am pretty certain his information is accurate.
Making assertions about operator error if using a round chute and not with a ram chute and using that as reason for possible performance differences is ridiculous.



Not true. They are equal or the square is a bit faster. Either way opening time variances between the two overlap. Besides a handle fumble or pilot chute kicking around for a second before inflating will burn far more altitude than any difference between round/square. If I was in the business of selling pilot rigs I would go to the big contests pay a young durable skydiver to jump a round, then jump a square afterwards land and open my order book. Guaranteed every pilot who saw the difference live would bust out a credit card.

On Friday, June 9, 2017 at 12:55:37 AM UTC-4, Craig Reinholt wrote:
Considering the information came from a Master rigger (3+ decades), ex Para-Phernalia manufacturing employee, Dealer for Softie, and over 10,000 jumps, I am pretty certain his information is accurate.
Making assertions about operator error if using a round chute and not with a ram chute and using that as reason for possible performance differences is ridiculous.

There is your problem. Information came from someone in the business of selling round parachutes to the ignorant. Variables in deployment(pilot speed at pulling, pilot chute hesitations, etc.) variables not necessarily operator error, easily offset any difference in opening distance round/square. Although squares are faster and more reliable. And easier to find someone to pack. The most common backup automatic opener used in skydiving for the last 20+ years is set to start the reserve opening at 750' if square reserves(all there are in skydiving now) take 800' to open there are a lot of people who opened at -50' and lived.

"...if the deployment is downward or to the side, the opening time will
be longer."

What I meant to say was altitude loss would be greater.

On 6/8/2017 7:54 PM, Dan Marotta wrote:
Good points Gregg. Also in the information I received from Rigging
Innovations was a note that opening time, and hence altitude loss, is
a function of the jumper's attitude at the time of deployment, i.e.,
if the deployment is downward to to the side, the opening time will be
longer. Of course, the same holds true for the round parachute.

On 6/8/2017 10:54 AM, wrote:
On Thursday, June 8, 2017 at 9:08:32 AM UTC-4, Craig Reinholt wrote:
I have a new Softie. It is less comfortable than my previous
National 425.
Regarding a ram air chute, they are designed to open softly and they
take about 800' to fully open. An emergency round chute is designed
to open quickly in 300'-350'. Is your momentary comfort worth that
500'?
Not true. They are equal or the square is a bit faster. Either way
opening time variances between the two overlap. Besides a handle
fumble or pilot chute kicking around for a second before inflating
will burn far more altitude than any difference between
round/square. If I was in the business of selling pilot rigs I would
go to the big contests pay a young durable skydiver to jump a round,
then jump a square afterwards land and open my order book.
Guaranteed every pilot who saw the difference live would bust out a
credit card.


--
Dan, 5J

Am I reading you correctly? Are you trying to BS the situation with
information from "a reliable source"? I'm talking about an FAA TSO
which was tested to the FAA's satisfaction. Dream on, Friend.



On 6/8/2017 10:55 PM, Craig Reinholt wrote:
Considering the information came from a Master rigger (3+ decades), ex Para-Phernalia manufacturing employee, Dealer for Softie, and over 10,000 jumps, I am pretty certain his information is accurate.
Making assertions about operator error if using a round chute and not with a ram chute and using that as reason for possible performance differences is ridiculous.



Not true. They are equal or the square is a bit faster. Either way opening time variances between the two overlap. Besides a handle fumble or pilot chute kicking around for a second before inflating will burn far more altitude than any difference between round/square. If I was in the business of selling pilot rigs I would go to the big contests pay a young durable skydiver to jump a round, then jump a square afterwards land and open my order book. Guaranteed every pilot who saw the difference live would bust out a credit card.

--
Dan, 5J