www.AtairCanopies.com
Dragon User Manual
Page 10 Atair Canopies
The surface area of our canopies is printed on the data panel, on the centre rib, or on
the centre cell top surface near the tail. (Be sure to actually check the data panel –
canopies of different sizes may be the same.)
A typical skydiving rig weighs 20 – 30 lb. Add this, plus the weight of your jumpsuit,
clothing and accessories to your body weight to get the total suspended weight.
For example, a jumper who weighs 165 lb with his jumpsuit on and who jumps a
packed rig that weighs 25 lb would have a suspended weight of 190 lb.
Here’s an example of how to calculate wing loading of a 210 sq.ft. canopy and the
jumper used in the example above:
190 lb / 210 sq. ft = 0.9 lb / sq. ft.
Calculate the wing loading now for the canopy you intend to jump.
If this figure is below 0.9 the parachute will be relatively docile and easy to land. It will
also have reduced penetration into the wind.
If this figure is between 0.9 and 1.2 the canopy will turn fast and have high forward
speed. It will require skill to land well in many weather conditions or at high altitudes.
Be sure your skill level is up to the demands of this wing loading.
If the wing loading is greater than 1.2 lb / sq. ft. you are exposing yourself to a
dangerous situation. Turn rates, forward speed and rate of descent will all be very
high. Control range may be very short with stalls happening very abruptly with little
warning. Normal landing techniques may not work. Extra speed on approach to
landing may be required to get enough flare to stop your rate of descent. Therefore, a
double front riser approach, or front riser turn may be required, either of which are very
dangerous.
We do not recommend that anyone jump a canopy that will result in the wing loading
exceeding 1.2 lb. / sq. ft.
It also is useful to compare the wing loading of a canopy you intend to jump with the
wing loading values of parachutes you’ve been jumping. If the difference is great, you
should expect the new canopy to perform very differently than the ones you’ve
jumped before.
