Canopy Piloting (Swoop)
Safely piloting a high-performance canopy
Canopy Piloting, or Swoop, is an advanced canopy flight discipline that harnesses the speed generated during maneuvers to perform high-performance landings (high turns, ground-hugging glides, accuracy, distance, etc.). It is a high-risk practice, strictly supervised.
Access requirements
- Hold at least a D License (≥ 500 jumps).
- Mandatory specific course: turn techniques, flight paths, traffic and landing area management.
- Prior authorization from the Technical Director (RT) for each swoop jump.
- Equipment: AAD recommended (models suited to high speeds), high-performance canopy appropriate to one’s level (categories VI or VII only after validated progression).
Practice framework
Performed only in suitable areas (wide, clear, obstacle-free).
Flight paths planned and validated by the technical staff.
Safety of other jumpers comes first: standard traffic patterns have priority.
Ongoing training and regular refreshers.
Canopy categories
Category I (Beginner / student canopies)
Ex. Navigator, Prima, Falcon, Solo, Skymaster, ZP Student, Equinox, Nano…
Category II (Entry-level intermediate canopies)
Ex. Pilot >210 ft², Triathlon, Spectre, Silhouette, Pulse, Omni, Omega, Electra, Synergy…
Category III (Advanced intermediate canopies)
Ex. Sabre 2 ≤190 ft², Sabre 3, Storm, Horizon, Safire 2 & 3, Kraken, Volt, Epicene…
Category IV (Sport / semi-elliptical canopies)
Ex. Stiletto, Diablo, Vision, Zulu…
Category V (High-performance - aggressive ellipticals)
Ex. Katana, Vengeance, Mamba, Samurai, Xfire, Instinct, Odyssey…
Category VI (Competition / cross-braced canopies)
Ex. Velocity, Comp Velocity, Xaos 21/27, JFX2, Neos, Helix, Gangster, Scirocco…
Category VII (Extreme swoop canopies)
Ex. Peregrine, Valkyrie, Petra, Leia, Sofia, GTR, Airwolf, XTC…
Wingload Table
Interactive wingload helper
| Number of jumps | Max Wingload without course | Max Wingload with course | Max canopy category without course | Max canopy category with course | Minimum size (ft²) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0-25 | 1 | 1.1 | 1 | 2 | 189 |
| 26-50 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 2 | 2 | 169 |
| 51-100 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 3 | 3 | 149 |
| 101-200 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 3 | 3 | 135 |
| 201-500 | 1.5 | 1.6 | 3 | 4 | 119 |
| 501-1000 | 1.7 | 1.9 | 4 | 5 | 99 |
| 1001-2000 | 1.9 | 2.5 | 5 | 6 | 79 |
| >2000 | 2.5 | Unrestricted | 6 | 7 | Unrestricted |
Points of caution
Gradual, step-by-step progression is essential.
No premature downsizing: wingload must remain appropriate.
Every canopy change must be reported at manifest and validated by the RT.
Category VI-VII canopies are only accessible to experienced jumpers (>1000 jumps and mastered wingload).
Conclusion
Canopy Piloting (Swoop) is reserved for very experienced skydivers, with continuous training and strict validation of equipment and canopies used.
