Basejumper.com - archive

I'm getting a free raven 218 with bridle attachment point, Never jumped. Would you even consider using it in a backup rig?
What about for wingsuit jumps? I know a few people jump them at bridge day, but what about real world?

I have a raven III I slapped a tailpocket and tailgate on that I use for intentional water landings in an old warlock container. That's basically all its good for. I wouldn't use it for much of anything else.

I made my 4 BASE jumps at bridge day with an old raven 2 that was 199 sq. Ft. With an old bikini slider and stayed dry and landed fine. But from what I've read on the old forums on here the newer ravens (perhaps like yours) would be ok with some modifications. But that's just coming from an old skydiver that doesn't know much about the real base world.

ive got one to...its base modified havent used it yet.....but i have flown raven 2s and 3s ground launching and towups 100s of times they fly really well ive gone through a lot of shitty air with them....but think most people use them for bridges etc one thing u will notice is it will be missing a set of packing tabs...my base one has the extra tabs and dbs stronger bridle attachment and tailgate etc etc.....but all my others ive used have all had a group of packing tabs missing (compared to base canopies)i dont remember which line group

yeh apparently the newer ones are called super ravens and theres a fair bit of difference and are much better for base....all mine had sail slider but think the older ones (non super raven) wer bikini slider.....theres a number or letter on the warning label that will tell u which it is i just forget as its been years since i researched old ravens

I have a Raven III 249 sqft base modified (tailpocket only) and jumped it slider up and down (hand held, and PCA). (80 kg exit weight). All good, but it does not flare well if jumped hand held below 70 meters. Learned that the hard way. I would still jump it though, very tough canopy.

I have a raven 4 282 and jumped it in Norway in 1998:) now I use it as a spare rig or loaner rig at Bridge day..

As others have said, they work fine although I doubt they are anyone's first choice. I have an old Raven II I bought years ago from JT who probably had made many jumps from it as well.
It flies fine, but is pretty fast for me as I am not getting any lighter, so I now only use it for water jumps in my duct tape rig. :)

We used to do intentional cutaway jumps with a Sorcerer packed with a pair of Raven II's; lots of fun, but man do they open ugly...

This is all older memories, so correct me if I'm wrong, but as I recall...

Back in the day I made lots of jumps on Ravens. They worked fine then and I'm sure they'd work fine now, but by today's standards I'm sure they're outdated. Raven II's are 218, not 199. Mine, both the older and newer, all came with sail sliders, not bikini, but of course I had mesh ones too.

I preferred the design of the original ones over the newer super Ravens for the following reason: On the original ones the bridle attachment was over the B line, and the stabilizers started at the B line. On the super Ravens, the bridle was over the C lines, and the stabilizers extended up to the A lines. My experience was that the original design opened on heading more reliably.

Ravens are awesome for terminal jumps and for low jumps too. Bridge day is the real world.

I jumped a Raven III with a tail pocket and Dacron lines for a couple of seasons. It’s a great canopy if you figure out how to fly it.

just got the raven2 in and it is from the 80s. Im guessing this will not be suitable for freefalls? maybe a rollover?

If its a Raven, (not Super), I'd only use it for slider off IF you've also reinforced the bridle attachment point.
I have about 40 slider off jumps on one and ONE bikini slider up jump with one. Won't repeat that one again.

If its a Super Raven, they are solid canopies for both slider up or down as long as you've reinforced the bridle attachment point and use a tail pocket.
I have over 100 jumps on one.

They fly and flare better than a similarly sized Fox.

That's all I got, but its REAL WORLD Experience, not just conjecture.

Ciao

ps, I still have it and would jump it again, specially for slider up, mesh slider applications.

George designed good stuff............ eventually.

Craig

Awesome man, really appreciate the info.
I've decided it's probably best to leave it be.
I've got a decent canopy right now.
Wish it would have been a super raven.

Are you sure it's not a super raven? Origianal ravens weren't made very long. If it a roman numeral it's super. If it's arabic numeral it's original.

I thought that Precision had addressed the weak pc attachment point. In my years of rigging, I´ve only reinforced the original version of the Raven. Please correct me.
To the OP. What would be your wingloading? If it is too high, that may relegate it to bridge jumps and water landings same as any other canopy with a high wingloading IMHO.
Take care,
space

I'd be loading it at .68 and it had a Dom of 1993, the label is completely worn out. Is there any other way to tell?

It is a Super Raven with that DOM. I believe that the stabilizers are counted in the surface area from the manufacturer´s data. PIA standard of measurement would be smaller surface area.
I will check.
Take care,
space

I've read on another forum that the super ravens have a logo on the stabilizer and the older ones do not? Also read about the rib reinforcement. Older ones have a vertical reinforcement and super have crows foot? Any other differences m I'll look again this eve after work.

Here are the pics of the canopy in question.
It's got raven labels on the stabilizers, it looks like the ribs have the crows foot reinforcement, bikini slider, not sure about the attachment point. Any help in identification would be greatly appreciated!

could be wrong,,,but thats not a bikini slider..

ill elaborate the bikini slider should have some of those triangle bits completely missing.....again i could be wrong....but im fairly sure lol

Thanks man, pete swan got back to me and confirmed it is a Super Raven! I really appreciate everyone's help!