Downsizing for first rig

I'm sure this topic has already been beaten to death, but I'll bring it up again...

I'm a new skydiver with about 35 jumps. I've been doing almost all my jumps with either a PD or Icarus Student 240 canopy. I'm not having any issues with my landings and have been flying the canopies as about aggressive as you can for a 240 (hard steep turns, diving 360's, doing pull ups on the front risers to get it to dive, rear riser landings, etc.) My only real complaint is that the flares on both canopies feel really weak, especially with the Icarus student.

I just purchased my first rig, which has a 210 Sabre 3. My exit weight right now is right around 205-210. 

With all that being said, is going straight from a student 240 to a 210 Sabre 3 too big of a downsize at once???

Any information is greatly appreciated.

Not really.  You'll be right about 1:1, which is a good place for you to be.  From what I've read,  the S3 is a decent canopy for lower experienced jumpers when lightly loaded. 

Personally I went from a 288 Manta student canopy to a 190 Triathlon loaded at 1:1. No issues, other than re-learning to flare (zp Tri flares a LOT better than a ragged out Manta).

Student canopies typically fly relatively flat at full glide compared to what you now have.  Don't be surprised by the comparatively steep approach and more responsive flare.  Talk to instructors about how to deal with the more intimidating glide angle/speed, that extra flare power and managing the pop-ups that are likely.

Sorry to go off topic, but I'm interested in the G3 helmet you had in the classifieds and haven't been able to get in touch with you for a month now any other way. Happy to move this to private message, but wanted to get your attention and see if you're still selling.

23 hours ago, Robbybiscuit said:

...I just purchased my first rig, which has a 210 Sabre 3. My exit weight right now is right around 205-210. 

With all that being said, is going straight from a student 240 to a 210 Sabre 3 too big of a downsize at once???

 

Get professional coaching. It makes a difference, even at 1:1.

 

On 8/17/2022 at 8:48 AM, Robbybiscuit said:

I'm sure this topic has already been beaten to death, but I'll bring it up again...

I'm a new skydiver with about 35 jumps. I've been doing almost all my jumps with either a PD or Icarus Student 240 canopy. I'm not having any issues with my landings and have been flying the canopies as about aggressive as you can for a 240 (hard steep turns, diving 360's, doing pull ups on the front risers to get it to dive, rear riser landings, etc.) My only real complaint is that the flares on both canopies feel really weak, especially with the Icarus student.

I just purchased my first rig, which has a 210 Sabre 3. My exit weight right now is right around 205-210. 

With all that being said, is going straight from a student 240 to a 210 Sabre 3 too big of a downsize at once???

Any information is greatly appreciated.

 

Barring knowing you and how you perform you're going to be fine. Basically the exact same thing I did with exact weight and specs. Only difference between us is I waited until B license and around 50 jumps to buy my first rig—wings with a 210 pilot sized for a 190. Still have it and jump it and I'm around 180 jumps. Take your time with your first rig and learn it in and out.

You’ll be fine. That’s a pretty small change.
 

That said, I just want to take up some things you said about how you’re flying your canopy. The aim isn’t generally to fly canopies aggressively. You need to fly them predictably in a pattern to keep you and others safe and, even when you get on to high performance landings, the aim is to do it as smoothly as possible to get the best performance although it may look aggressive from the ground to the uninitiated. There are specific techniques to learn in time but you need to do them with proper canopy coaching.

IMO doing pull ups on fronts on a student canopy or aggressive 360s without instruction is not the right approach and, when you do downsize, doing what you’re doing can have very adverse effects. For example, the manoeuvre you’re likely using to initiate an aggressive diving turn on a student canopy may well induce line twists on a smaller canopy and you need to be above your hard deck if you’re doing this as you may create a malfunction you need to chop.