How to Become a High Performance Canopy Pilot

Here at JYRO, we are often asked how to transition to a high performance canopy. It’s certainly not a ‘one size fits all’ explanation. There are many variables when moving to HP canopies. So we’ve broken it down into questions and asked two JYRO athletes for their advice on how to become a high performance canopy pilot.

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Who are our Athletes?

These two ladies are bessie mates, badass skydivers and JYRO Athletes. Mention Cornelia Mihai and you immediately think of swooping and high performance canopies. Olga Naumova is a machine when it comes to endurance and pushing beyond her limits. We think they are more than qualified to answer our questions. And honestly, if you haven’t heard of these two skydivers you must have been living in a hole somewhere…

>> FOLLOW CORNELIA ON INSTAGRAM
>> FOLLOW OLGA NAUMOVA ON INSTAGRAM

What experience do you recommend for starting on a HP canopy?

Cornelia
This is a hard question and there’s no real right answer. Some people are more current, some people do a lot of canopy control courses and have a better foundation and some people have an ability to learn/understand faster than others. So I recommend that you start flying an HP canopy when you decide you can handle it. You want this for the right reasons (because you enjoy flying and landing parachutes) and you flew your current intermediate canopy to its full potential.

Olga
HP canopies are super fun, so I understand the urge to fly fast wings ASAP. But you have to remember that just because you bought one, it does not automatically provide fast and cool landings.

There is no shortcut in canopy piloting, and it’s a beauty of this sport. Some people progress faster, some slower for sure, but the “Just send it” approach doesn’t always work with HP canopies.

I’d say if you have enough experience under your current canopy, you can land it in conditions that are less than ideal and you have at least 500 jumps (JYRO has a recommended 1000 jump minimum to purchase a JFX 2). That is a baseline to move onto something faster. If you can’t fly your current canopy in various situations or if you are constantly being pulled up for your canopy handling, then you have no business to start with a high performance canopy. YET!

>> READ 25 WAYS TO BECOME A BETTER CANOPY PILOT

What would you recommend to do on your first few jumps on your first HP canopy?

Cornelia
It would be good to do a couple of hop ‘n’ pops or high pulls to have time and clear airspace to understand the canopy better. You need to understand how inputs (fronts, rears, harness and toggles) affect speed, stability and altitude loss. And you also need to determine which inputs will keep you safe with low altitude or in a tight spot.

Olga
Go manifest for hop & pops. You don’t want to add extra stress by flying in traffic on your first jumps with a fast wing. It’s like driving on a highway right after getting your driving licence – pretty stressful.

If you can borrow an HP canopy the same size as your current wing – do it. Don’t be too quick to drop to a smaller size just because you had a great landing in an open field with no traffic.

The golden rule is to never downsize and change the type of wing in one step. Practise each new manoeuvre up high until you are proficient before trying it close to the ground.

And don’t be hard on yourself. That’s okay if you roll out higher on your first few landings. Higher hurts your ego, lower – hurts your bones 😉

>> READ 10 EXAMPLES OF SKYDIVING MISTAKES

Do you have to learn to swoop first before flying a high performance canopy?

Cornelia
No but with high performance canopies, speed is your friend. The canopy reacts better and you have better landings. I would recommend learning how to generate speed (even if it’s just the first baby steps into swooping) in order to enjoy landing your high performance canopy.

Olga
It’s a conflicted question. You can swoop a Safire if you know how to fly. But you need to understand what you’re doing under your current wing and know how to accelerate it to bring speed. Do a canopy piloting course, learn your current canopy, train your depth perception.

Is there any special equipment you should (or shouldn’t) have when flying a HP canopy?

Cornelia
Once you fly an HP canopy, altitude accuracy becomes more important. An audible is a great tool to keep you aware of how high you are while you’re assessing the spot and the groundspeed.

What you shouldn’t have while flying a HP canopy?! …probably a wingsuit 🙂 It can make the opening quite interesting.

Olga
Does a cup of cement count? 🙂 Ok, get yourself swoop pants with an RDS pocket. Don’t think you will enjoy having your slider come out of your jersey onto your face while snapping a canopy to the ground.

Use reliable audibles. As well as a proper eyewear or visor on your helmet that you still can eyeball through. Although after Worlds in Pretoria, Nick Gallo proved that some can perform pretty epic wearing sunglasses you can barely see through lol. And leave your Ego on the ground.

How current do you need to be to start, and does currency matter to continue to fly an HP canopy?

Cornelia
I think currency is vital. Whether you work in the sport or you are part of a team that trains quite often, you need to be committed to the sport and can also afford it. I noticed that the first skill you lose when you’re not current is realising how fast you’re going across the ground, towards the ground or towards other canopies. For me, currency and HP canopies go hand in hand. There’s no substitute for repetition.

Olga
Being highly active really helps to actually get some performance out of HP canopy, not just land it.

As a female skydiver, what advice would you give women wanting to become high performance canopy pilots?

Cornelia
The same advice I would give to men: if you’re sure this is something that you want and enjoy, go for it but just make sure you are smart about it – the ground hurts!

Olga
If another human can do it, so can you! I think being able to see other women who you can look up to or relate to is super encouraging. So I really want more women to get their hands on HP canopies.

I guess my advice would be the same for everyone – stay motivated, work hard and enjoy the journey. And when shine comes off the coin and you have a  “F$%k this” moment – look within and ask yourself “what do I love about the sport?” and get back in the plane.

>> READ PROJECT 19: WOMEN IN SKYDIVING

When is a good time to enter CP competitions? How much experience do you need?

Cornelia
Whenever you are consistent enough to fly a course on every jump (either beginner, intermediate or pro category). Competition adds an extra level of stress and all of a sudden passing through that gate becomes the most important thing in your life at that moment. Being consistent will save you from making last minute adjustments/inputs that might put you in a dangerous situation.

Olga
Don’t! It will consume all your free time & money. Stay away! Lol. If you fly an HP canopy – it’s a good time! My first CP comp was at the Intermediate category and I swam in the pond more than I swooped it. But it was a start and an amazing experience.

Learning to swoop at the high level is challenging and it’s frustrating. But when you compete with other canopy pilots, it makes you a better canopy pilot. And the first time you’ll skim across the water, you will know it is worth all that effort. Swooping is a rewarding game if you approach it with the right attitude. Get on it!

>> READ GETTING COMPETITION FIT: 5 ATHLETES TOP TIPS

What do you enjoy most about flying a high performance canopy?

Cornelia
I feel that I am one with my canopy and it really feels like flying 🙂

Olga
I love how many opportunities to play you get by flying a fast wing. From swooping the pond to swooping the mountains. A solo sick freestyle or a sunset canopy flock. Flying through a giant arch at SwoopFestival or docking on your wingsuit buddy at 10,000ft. And every work jump is just a bit more fun with a free swoop. You can’t beat that with any other skydiving discipline.

Is there a mistake you’ve made on your journey that has helped make you a better pilot and that others can learn from?

Cornelia
I definitely downsized too fast and I don’t recommend it to anyone (but that’s how the circumstances were at the time). I found myself on a canopy that I wasn’t flying even at 50% of its potential because I didn’t know how to. When I saw somebody on a “slower” canopy swooping the sh%t out of it, I realised it’s not the canopy, it’s the pilot. Or even better, it’s the pilot with the right canopy. Then a whole new world opened for me, a world where I wanted to learn…everything 🙂

Olga
Lol no one is immune to making mistakes – we are exceedingly fallible creatures 🙂 I didn’t see anyone who actually enjoyed failing. That’s why we never give up the gates and trust our rears.

Ok… 5th training jump of the day. Half way through my turn I saw another swooper (that jumped after me) pretty much at the same altitude. He aborted. I should’ve done the same. But I didn’t. I had “finish the mission” focus. The correct action to bail was recognised and intended, yet not performed.

So I went for the gates with peripheral vision on him. And when I realised that I was a bit too low, it was a bit too late. I hit the water hard (got the gates though lol). Knees, head, somersault, big splash, small fracture in my back, torn MCL and ACL, multiple bruises.

What I learned is that you need to be ready to give up a run if things don’t feel right. Know when to bail. Even if it’s a competition run. But if you don’t, well, at least make an impression 😉

Any last advice for those wanting to progress and learn to fly a high performance canopy?

Cornelia
Enjoy the process and don’t get frustrated with the learning process… it’s even slower if you get hurt.

Olga
Being a canopy pilot is not just about how talented you are, but how much you’re willing to put into it. Everyone gets better if they keep at it.

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KEEP READING

18 Levels of Swooping: Which One Are You?
10 Examples of Skydiving Mistakes
25 Ways to Become a Better Canopy Pilot
Downsizing Checklist for Skydivers