b0bro

Hi,

Im building my own skydiver here in Australia and having some troubles. I have sewn a parafoil as per this site,

http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homep...rrecchute3.htm

The thing is, that parafoil is designed to hang off one center point, and not be steerable. Now i know that you turn a parafoil by pulling on the back strings on either side. My Problem is rigging

A) the Slider,
B) Connecting risers to parafoil and connecting risers to skydiver (how far apart etc)
C)The best way to get a servo to pull on turning strings

Im about to build a man like this one (link below), hopefully make him look better and sew a suit. But i dont think i can get arms to move the way he does? Whats the best way to make the arms move? If you guys could show me pictures of your rigs that would be very helpfull.

Link of some one elses skydiver: http://www.olywa.net/yosemiteflash/parequip.htm

Many thanks,

Byron

Huntster

If you look at the Jumpers at http://www.Dropzone.com there are many pix on that site and there is also a Forums section that will allow you ask questions. I did and it was suggested that I go to a local DZ and actually measure a canopy and the location of all the risers.

There is also a DropZone Finder that will help you find a DZ any where in the world. You might find some luck there. I can't get ANY answers here just other guys like you and I asking questions of people who have been here before us, But no answers! [:@]

edge_pilot

My Feedback: (73)

I realize you guys and many like you have alot of questions. I had the same questions a few years ago. The problem is, these are the problems you must solve to have a good skydiver. Many of us have spent alot of time and money to design what we currently sell. All these dimensions are relative to your canopy and how it flys. There is not a set number that is perfect. Only relative numbers to size, weight, and how you want your chute to fly. We welcome anybody to the hobby of skydiving, but don't think it is as easy as it looks. There is alot of research and development in building a successful skydiver. I try to talk people into buying there first one, nomatter who from and then learning from that to build your own if you prefer. I made many dirtdives early on learning what didn't work. I wish you the best of luck and hope you get into the air.

Huntster

Edge_pilot I agree, From all the info I have received from both the RC side of the hobby and the FULL scale Skydiving have said that the shape of the canopy and length of all the risers are VERY important and can (more likely will) adversly effect the way the jumper flys. I am rethinking my plans to build a jumper first and buy one this fall and then drop them next spring.

b0bro

That all sounds very well guys. But i cannot justify spending $500+ on a jumper. Our dollar is crap to the US. Plus, with a few months of mastering this, I wish to make affordable skydivers for my fellow Australians.

I have spent alot of time researching this before i started. I spent the last week getting my prototype chute perfect. And beleive me im sick of picking out treads. My chute is at a point now where it glides perfectly hanging from a coke bottle with water.

I just wanted to see how your guys rig the chute to the model skydiver and best methods of pulling with servos. Thus fast tracking my trial and error.

Any pictures or help, other than advise on buying one already made, would be greatly appreciated.

wjones

bodro, Hello!

and hello to everyone looking to make a skydiver. I have info that will help you all. I will post the info in a few days on my web page. The skydiver design is not my design so before I post it I will try to email the person that design the jumper to ask if i can post it on my web page. I got the design free off his web page, but it no longer is up and running.
so ck my web page in the next few day. I will post here if it is a go to post it on my web page. The design will take you from A-Z, Yes even a chute that he came up with. I will post a Chute design to. give me a few days to email some people, and if everything goes good it will be a great help in making your own skydiver.


Thx, Wil
www.rcdropzone.com

b0bro

Wil,

That would be a great help not only to me but to others looking to do the same.

*wjones recives b0bros rubber stamp of approval*

wjones

Hello just to let you all know im still trying to email the preson but no luck right now! I will keep trying!

thx, wil

wjones

hello everyone I never did get a email back! so i will keep trying. Sorry about the delay!

Wil
rcdropzone.com

HankTurner

Nice websites Byron!

Years ago, I ordered some plans for a skydiver and canopy.
While the skydiver looked easy enough to build, the canopy was a bit beyond my sewing skills
I've seen a couple of websites for custom chutes, but they are rather expensive.
I was wondering if anyone has tried using the ram-air type para stunt kites. Most of them span out at just under two meters, and come in many styles and colors. I'm sure they could be modified for RC use. I've seen them on ebay for much less than it would cost buy one specifically for RC.

wjones

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_1550925/tm.htm

HankTurner ck out this link, this is a older reply to what you are asking.

Thx, wil

rcdropzone.com

HankTurner

Thanks,

That was the info I was looking for.
Saved me a lot of time and money.

wjones

Any time, Happy to help!

thx, wil

rcdropzone.com

wjones

Hello everyone I still never did get a email back. So Im not going to post it on my web page. If you want the info email me and I will email it back.

thx, wil

harrier81

Hi all:

I´m from Mexico, so here you can´t get a comercial skydiver so i decided to build mine.

I´m scratch building my own skydiver but have some problems with measures. My dude is 18" tall, so he has plenty of room to install radio gear.

My problems start when i have to figure out how big the parafoil should be, i have read most of the comercial skydivers has 60" by 24" more or less, but its dude is 14" tall.

Question is what are the most adequate measures for my parachute?

what is the correct weight for my dude?.

I will appreciate any help.

edge_pilot

My Feedback: (73)

you are going to get alot of different answers on this one. alot of combinations fly good you just have to find a spot. ours are 49" wide and the jumper are 3 lbs. or so. this works great for us. we also have a 32" chute that has a 10oz. skydiver on it and works great. our biggest is 4-1/2 lbs and has a 63" chute. That is the problem of building your own , there is alot of trial and error. the length of the lines with very with people also. No one combination is perfect so to speech, there are several that fly good with different combinations.

spinbotz

oops. Edge Pilot, I just sent an email asking about the dimensions of the small canopies you sell, and you answered that right here.. >< *needs to search the forum before bothering folks with questions that may or may not have already been answered here*

John Sedovic

If I where you I would contact Bob Deadmond, His E-mail address is as follows. [email protected]

I know he will and can help you because we helped a guy down close to you. You can all so visit our web page at http://www.mindspring.com/~sanyo1
That is our personal web page. Try it you might like us.

John

DPKII

My Feedback: (2)

I just found this board. Neat!

In reply to the question of using a ram air kite for your chute- The link suggests it will not work.

A couple of years ago I played around with a self built RC skydiver. I figured it would be something fun for me and my son to do.

I saw the adds for the kites and figured why not? To make a long story short. I built the man and rigged him to the kite. I did do some drop tests with a chunk of wood first to see how the kite flew. I don't remember which brand kite I used but it opened just fine. I did use a small drogue chute attached to the to center of the main chute. The only fouling problems I had were when we would let the skydiver free-fall for a long while and reach terminal velocity. Then when the chute was deployed the jerk would sometimes flip the man up into the strings and foul the chute. The drogue chute mostly elimintated this problem. The thing I never totally solved was the best angle (speed) and steering set up for my rig. Mine typically flew a little slow and didn't have the authority to manuever in windy conditions. I know by changing the foil angle I should be able to fix that.

Anyway, it was a fun project for the summer. I guess I need to get it out again.

David