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IntroductionList of all CRW Specific Canopies ManufacturedPerformance Designs - PD Lightning Description - PD Lightning Order Form - Price Sheet - PD Order Forms - Performance Designs
New Zealand Aerosports - IcarusThe Icarus MatrixThe Matrix is a Zero-P, purpose built, competition CRW canopy. It is available in any size to enable a match of wing loadings for different weight team members. It can be configured for rotations or sequential/speed formation. Design Concept This was a difficult one. So many teams have different theories and techniques that have developed independently from each other that what some peoples perceived needs are directly conflicts with others. CRW is so equipment intense that after training on any one canopy design anything else will feel quite wrong and less controllable. Ultimately the canopy we have come up with is based around our New Zealand CRW techniques and background over the past 10 years. After doing CRW with every thing from F-111 220sf 7-Cell canopies to a set of customised ICARUS 95 sf ZP 9-Cells, the Icarus Matrix is our state of the art to date. We have also customised canopies to other teams' needs that differ from our own. The parameters we used to define our ideal competition CRW canopy where:
At NZ Aerosports all our canopies are computer designed and cut, we use no patterns or templates. The biggest advantage for CRW workers is that our canopies can be custom sized very accurately depending on jumper weight. Flying Characteristics The canopy we have is a very low aspect ratio (1.8/1) 7-Cell, we have managed to reduce the "A" lines to around 2 m (for the 140) without too much problem due to the low wingspan there is a little more tendency to pendulum under canopy. However this can be controlled with a little practice and is well worth it for the reduced distances you need to travel, and the ability to literally man handle the canopy around due to its close proximity. The aerofoil we have used has a quick sharp stall and does not generate too much lift (still O.K. for landing). You can stop or slow the canopy without a ballooning effect. The nose and cross porting are simply massive with almost no down side, The canopies are very solid in the air and will take a lot of punishment before collapsing, they can often be reinflated after collapsing completely and not being dropped from the formation. Front risering is easy and very stable, getting radical on front risers remains smooth. Toggle pressure is about normal but feels light if you use the extended brake line option instead of extended toggles. Openings By going to a 1.8/1 aspect we have kept things docile and aided the opening heading characteristics. By using a bagless deployment line twists are eliminated and off heading openings are reduced significantly, however opening headings are still limited by the direction of canopy lift off from the container tray. Opening speeds are reasonably brisk to not wast working time or give the canopy much chance to vary in altitude from your planned opening height and position. Landings The canopy has a very short and noticeable recovery arc it will not dive very long unless on front risers. Landings can even be done by letting the canopy flare its self after a dive however with the light front riser pressure controlling this is simple. Landings are good although obviously not up to the standard of an elliptical 9-Cell. There was a little sacrifice to reducing the ballooning turns and braking when it comes to the flare. To date we have had canopies used with wing loadings of up to 1.7 psf still with good landings. The canopy can easily be brought to zero decent rate for touchdown. Computer generated sizing As we mentioned before all our canopies can be customised to individual weights and requirements If you want a 131.5 sqft canopy or a 155.3 sqft canopy, that's no problem. There are several different schools of thought on this so we have allowed for them all. In an ideal world each team member would weigh the same. Obviously this is not always the case and there is several ways people have been dealing with it.
We have 2 methods of varying the size. One is just a direct computer scaling of the canopy and line lengths, the other is to scale the canopy but re-adjust the line lengths in order to leave the "A" lines the same throughout the team. both systems have advantages and disadvantages. Customisation Many teams have developed there skills and ideas based on what they are familiar and comfortable with. CRW equipment must be the most modified and customised equipment used in parachuting. For us having a standard product is not as important as giving teams what they feel comfortable with. We are a relatively small company, all our orders are custom orders anyway. If your team wants 75mm webbing on the nose or mesh sliders or rubber band stows for the slider then we can customise your canopies to your requirements. You may not feel that what we have designed is the best way to do things for what you want. Just let us know exactly what you want with your order and we will work with you to achieve what you want. Risers and Pilot chute. The canopies as standard do not come with these. We are often asked to supply them with canopies. We have a different sequential riser setup and rotations riser setup that are standard to our methods, this may not be what you are used to. You may wish to supply detailed drawings of what you want. Our normal pilot chutes are 29" Zero-P for pull out unless otherwise specified. Sequential and 8 way setup For sequential we use a wide spider slider, we found that the canopy flies best unrestricted by the slider and chest strap, the load runs down the lines and directly to your hip through the risers and main lift web. This spreads the canopy and allows less movement in the rigging as well as reducing the pendulum effect on stair steps amplified by the short lines. Red 800lb center and corner lines are used. Our sequential risers consist of a pulley with a jam type yaught fitting on the front risers, the pulley is located and covered so it may be grabbed itself as a handle. We use spring open type bulky single toggles. Rotations setup For rotations having a narrow spider slider works better. This allows the front risers to be pulled down from above where you are stronger rather than angled to the side, it also positions the center lines more centrally for easier catching and hooking in as well as allowing less chance of disappearing out the back door on a hard dock. We use 8mm braided coloured rope on the center lines for ease of locating, catching and holding on for dear life. Our rotations risers consist of a vertical folded flat section in the front riser with a large lump underneath to stop your hand sliding down the riser. The toggles are the same as for sequential. Conclusion We have tried to developed the ultimate CRW canopy as we see it. All the teams that have switched over to our technology have been out scoring there previous scores within about 20 jumps. For experienced team we recommend a wing loading based around 1.4 psf. At first the canopies will feel a little dead (unless you are coming from larger canopies) but pretty quickly you will see the advantages. Having a more controllable canopy is a bit like wearing a tighter more docile jumpsuit for freefall sequential.
The Parachute Shop - France - Rubis & Diamantfrom parachute-shop web site
Flight Concepts International - Express, Prodigyinfo from Paragear.com The Flight Concepts Express & Prodigy For the serious CRW enthusiast, we offer Express and Prodigy Zero-Porosity CRW canopies EXPRESS...CRW
Competitors have always needed and wanted a canopy specifically designed for
CRW. In response to this need, the Express was the first
all Zero-P CRW canopy at the U.S. Nationals. The Express' task designed airfoil
makes it perfectly suited for four way or eight way canopy relative work.
Winning gold, silver and bronze medals in national and international
competitions. PRODIGY...Using the Flight Concepts' EXPRESS as a guide, we designed the ultimate recreational CRW canopy ...Prodigy! Using the same uncompromising standards of quality and workmanship that competitors demand, The Prodigy offers the recreational jumper unsurpassed stability and versatility. Whether it's your first CRW jump or a seventh row wing on a new world record, the Prodigy makes docking easy. In fact the Prodigy is so impressive, it was chosen to be used exclusively by Diamond Quest for their world record breaking formation. Express Specifications Chart:
Prodigy Specifications Chart:
Flight Concepts 7-Cells Flight Concepts 7-Cells, the key to versatility.
When you're finishing some hot RW, let one of our 7-Cell mains help you complete
the dive. The stability of our canopies also makes them great for recreational
CRW and demo jumps. Ranging from 145 to 290 square feet, we have a 7-cell to fit
every type of jumper. Specifications Chart:
Performance Designs
info from Paragear.com
If you are serious about C.R.W.,
then there really is only one choice, the P.D. Lightning. The Lightning is not
just a "regular canopy with C.R.W. lines", it is a specific canopy for
a specific job...canopy relative work. C.R.W. requirements are unique. The
Lightning is designed and built to satisfy those requirements. From pilot chute
and bridle retraction system, to heavy duty reinforcement, special trims to tail
pockets, the Lightning has what you need to perform at your best. Free (Unless Otherwise Noted) Option Choices: 525 lb. Dacron (Only). 10-ft. A Lines, 9-ft. A Lines (Standard), 8.5-ft. A Lines (176 and Smaller), 8 ft. A Lines (176 and Smaller). Sequential, Rotation, or Demo Trims. Standard or 1 ˝" Type 3 ($75.00 Extra) Nose Reinforcement. Tail Pocket ($75.00 Extra). #25 Stainless Steel or #8 Brass Slider Grommets. Stainless Steel Standard or Mini Links or . Available Colors Include: Gold, Yellow, Lemon, Lime Green, Kelly Green, Pink, Neon Pink, Watermelon, Tangerine, Magenta, Red, White, Light Blue, Turquoise, Royal Blue, Navy Blue, Purple, Black, Silver, Jade, and Blackberry. Specifications Chart:
Precision Aerodynamicsinfo from Paragear.com The Interceptor The Interceptor, first
introduced by the Precision Tension Free CRW team at the 1988 U.S. Nationals and
at the 1988 World Meet at Vichy France, remains the choice of champions
throughout the world. Specifications Chart:
Aerodyne Internationalinfo from Paragear.com
The Triathlon is a seven-cell, zero-porosity ram-air parachute; designed for
skydivers who want one parachute that does it all. Free Option Choices: 825 Microline, 525 lb. Dacron. #25 Stainless Steel (Add $25.00) or #8 Brass Slider Grommets. Available Colors Include: Neon Pink, Neon Orange, Neon Yellow, Neon Green, Neon Blue, Neon Purple, Red, Jade Green, Royal Blue, Navy Blue, White, Silver, Black.
Specifications Chart:
info from Paragear.com
info from Aerodyne
The Hybrid is terrific for those jumpers who want a canopy adapted and reinforced for intermediate to advanced CRW that can also be comfortably deployed in free-fall. The Triathlon Hybrid airfoil is identical to the RW version with the addition of ľ inch leading edge reinforcing tape and the proprietary Aerodyne Research 4-point retractable pilot chute system. Center 'A' and 'B' lines are non-cascaded and made of high-visibility orange 900 pound Dacron. The Triathlon Hybrid is extremely popular for many skydivers because nearly everyone does some CRW at one time or another. For only an additional $100, the extra reinforcing, pilot-chute retraction system, and non-cascaded centerlines are a real bargain--eliminating the potential need to purchase another costly, specialized, CRW canopy. Many Hybrid owners purchase our kill-line collapsible pilot chute for use on non-CRW jumps. When the opportunity for some serious CRW arises, they simply swap the KLPC with the retractable CRW bridle and a standard pilot chute--a process that takes only a few minutes. The KLPC is quick and easy to pack and saves wear and tear on the CRW bridle as well as eliminating a step from packing when the retractable bridle is not needed. Exiting features:
The Triathlon Competition CRW Series are highly specialized parachutes designed exclusively for World-Championship level competition. This canopy uses the basic Triathlon airfoil--but has been highly modified for maximum CRW scoring performance by professional teams. The inlet is an open design with a modified sweep angle for maximum opening consistency and minimum inflation time. The canopy also features a mesh slider and tail-pocket deployment system. The reinforcing tape on this canopy is industrial-strength to survive the rigors of competitive CRW team use. It is important to note that he Triathlon Competition CRW Series is designed for sub-terminal competition exits. It cannot be comfortably deployed at free-fall speeds--and may cause serious injury if used for traditional free-fall purposes. The Triathlon Competition CRW Series is the choice of the current CRW World Champion Russian Army team as well as the silver medallist Italian CSE team, and bronze medallist French National Team. These canopies are typically ordered in sets of four or more by teams. Aerodyne Research has several former CRW World Champions on staff to provide the specialized individual guidance necessary to suggest perfectly matched performance and to select proper wing loading at the very-high levels preferred by World-Class competitors. Exiting Features:
Using Skydiving Canopies for CRWPerformance Designs
Free Option Choices: 825 Microline, 550 lb. Microline, or 525 lb. Dacron. #25 Stainless Steel or #8 Brass Slider Grommets. Standard or CRW Center Cell Lines. Stainless Steel Standard or Mini Links or . Available Colors Include: Gold, Yellow, Lemon, Lime Green, Kelly Green, Pink, Neon Pink, Watermelon, Tangerine, Magenta, Red, White, Light Blue, Turquoise, Royal Blue, Navy Blue, Purple, Black, Silver, Jade, and Blackberry. Specifications Chart:
Through extensive Research and
Development, and the use of both Zero-P and more conventional F-111 low porosity
fabrics, we have developed a 9-Cell that combines characteristics formerly
unattainable in a single parachute. The Silhouette has a Zero-P topskin and
F-111 stabilizers, ribs, bottom skin and slider. Free Option Choices: 825 Microline, 550 lb. Microline, or 525 lb. Dacron. #25 Stainless Steel or #8 Brass Slider Grommets. Standard or CRW Center Cell Lines. Stainless Steel Standard or Mini Links or . Available Colors Include: Gold, Yellow, Lemon, Lime Green, Kelly Green, Pink, Neon Pink, Watermelon, Tangerine, Magenta, Red, White, Light Blue, Turquoise, Royal Blue, Navy Blue, Purple, Black, Silver, Jade, and Blackberry.
Specifications Chart:
The P.D. 7-cell is your canopy. Like the P.D. 9-cell, it is constructed entirely
of traditional (Low Porosity - F-111) fabric. Designed and built for the
skydiver who wants traditional 7-cell characteristics, including the ability to
do low speed (braked) approaches for casual accuracy and demos as well as having
excellent flight characteristics for casual C.R.W. Free Option Choices: 825 Microline, 550 lb. Microline, or 525 lb. Dacron. #25 Stainless Steel or #8 Brass Slider Grommets. Standard or CRW Center Cell Lines. Stainless Steel Standard or Mini Links or . Available Colors Include: Gold, Yellow, Lemon, Lime Green, Kelly Green, Pink, Neon Pink, Watermelon, Tangerine, Magenta, Red, White, Light Blue, Turquoise, Royal Blue, Navy Blue, Purple, Black, Silver, Jade, Orange, and Blackberry. PD 7-Cell Specifications Chart:
Modern CRW CanopiesBasic Aerodynamic Theory
CRW AerodynamicsCharacteristics of CRW CanopiesCanopy HistoryConfigurationCompatibility
Following are notes & other ideas relevant to this section that require further development. Please ignore.
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