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Yo,

I have heard of Rock Dragons loosing some power in their flares around 200 jumps or so. They are still flying great but doing some carrier landings. Brake lines have been shortened but still, have same landings. Any info out there on this situation?

I started seeing that in mine after about 100 . . . more noticeable at high density alts when the flare's diminished anyways. I thought this was common on most f-111, the canopy's a few yrs old and assumed that was normal. Are you seeing different behavior w/ other canopies? Might be the combo of the f-111 aging and the steeper/slower trim of the design, I really wouldn't know.

My buddy has a RD and was complaining of hard landings too. I suggested flaring higher, he said it helped out . Are you sure your getting in a full flare ? For vented canopies I prefer having my toggles buried at 5-7 feet off the deck. I would much rather fall straight down 3-5 feet than having to runout landings.

If it stalls you wont fall straight down... you will be on your back.

Buy a Blackjack....

You'll only be on your back if you still have forward speed and you stab the brakes (your body keeps going while the canopy has stopped ).

Not true - a properly timed flare ending with a stall will cancel the horizontal and vertical component at the same time. If you happen to be 3 feet off the ground you will fall straight down. I do it all the time on my Spectre 170 and Troll 265.

I own an Ace (basically an unvented blackjack) and a Fox. And jumped newer and very used RockDragons. And can say I really do NOT like the rock dragon at all for BASE!

But would not ever recomened the Blackjack for everybody. The Fox has a much safer recover arc than the Ace/Blackjack.

If your in the market for a MORE docile BASE tarp get a Fox. The Fox also has a tremendous amount more forward speed which isnt saying that the Fox is fast ,
But
Only saying that the Rock dragon can be
Very sluggish ; often , and un exceptble!

The fox is a "slower"'type canopy that's really great for urban areas , tight spots and even for areas where you need forward speed.'but I must admit that it's not good for all because I use my Ace for
All kinds of stuff and more often lately!

But for a beginner who wants canopy that's forgiving and not so agrssive and that will last at least 400 jumps and still flaremget a FOX.
If you experienced and confident getn an Ace or Flik or etc.

Yeah

 

just heard from a rigger who has talked to the manufacture. That is actually canopy design that is fucking the RD.

Would you rephrase that please?

I'd like more clearly defined info than that as well.

Yeah, sorry It is short on brake line. It was designed this way to have turns perform more like riser turns. Nice and slow for the BASE environment. So since it already flys with tail deflection there is not much juice in the flare.

That alone won't do much on a big seven cell canopy. Accuracy type approaches either partial or deep braked, are used regularly with BASE canopies so that sounds more theoretical than fact.

The canopy has plenty of forward speed so I'd be reluctant to believe that if I were you. Personally I do not.