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Katana vs Petra
Performance Designs Katana · JYRO Petra · Canopy explorer
What differs — read from the data
- Katana is made by Performance Designs; Petra is made by JYRO.
- Planform: both are listed as elliptical.
- Katana has 9 cells; Petra has 7 cells.
- Petra is cross-braced; Katana is not.
- Katana is listed in 83–170 sq ft; Petra in 55–89 sq ft.
- The listed size ranges overlap between 83 and 89 sq ft.
- The manufacturers publish different systems: Performance Designs lists a maximum exit weight per skill category and size; JYRO lists a recommended wing-loading range and a chart with jump-number bands. They are shown side by side, never translated into each other.
Structural facts only (manufacturer, planform, cells, bracing, sizes, chart system). How each wing flies is described below in the manufacturer's own words; how it flies for you is a question for a canopy coach.
Side by side
| Katana | Petra | |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Performance Designs | JYRO |
| Status | current | current |
| Cells | 9 | 7 |
| Planform | elliptical | elliptical |
| Cross-braced | no | yes |
| Aspect ratio | 2.74 | not published |
| Sizes (sq ft) | 83–170 Source: Performance Designs — KATANA product page ↗ | 55–89 · custom sizes available Source: JYRO — Petra product page (page modified 2026-09-15) ↗ |
| Designed for (manufacturer wording) |
|
|
| Characteristics (manufacturer keywords) | Long recovery arc · Long snivel openings · Very steep glide · Wide speed range · Very light front riser pressure · Long dynamic flare Source: Performance Designs — KATANA product page ↗ | Firm but not hard openings · Highly sensitive toggles and harness · Very long, steep dive · Long recovery requiring pilot input for level flight · High-speed stalls possible with abrupt inputs Source: JYRO — Petra product page (page modified 2026-09-15) ↗ |
| Opening | Soft, smooth openings; long snivel (product page). | Firm but not hard; brisk when terminal (JYRO). |
| Recovery arc | Long recovery arc (product page). | Long recovery — requires pilot input for level flight (JYRO). |
| Glide | Very steep glide (product page). | High maximal glide ratio (JYRO). |
| Speed / dive | Wide speed range; steep dive (product page) — no airspeed figures published. | Very long, steep dive; 'the most high performance wing you can buy' (JYRO) — no airspeed figures published. |
| Flare | Long dynamic flare; powerful flare (product page). | Very powerful and responsive (JYRO). |
| Front risers | Very light front riser pressure (product page). | Very light (JYRO). |
| Rear risers | not published | Range, range and more range; very responsive (JYRO). |
| Harness response | not published | Highly sensitive (JYRO). |
| Toggle response | Long control range (product page). | Highly sensitive; high-speed stalls possible with abrupt inputs (JYRO). |
| Loading system | Maximum exit weight per PD skill category and size (chart below). | Recommended wing-loading range 2.5–3.0+ lb/ft² plus a chart with jump-number bands (below). |
| Manufacturer-stated experience requirements | none stated |
|
| Evidence level | A — Manufacturer technical documentation | B — Manufacturer product information |
Flight wording is quoted or closely paraphrased from each manufacturer's own documents; where a manufacturer publishes nothing for a row it says "not published". No airspeed figures are published by either manufacturer.
Your wing loading on each size
Enter an exit weight to see exit weight ÷ size for every listed size of both canopies and where each number sits on the manufacturer's own chart.
Wing loading = exit weight (lb) ÷ size (ft²). PD's chart lists the MAXIMUM exit weight per skill category — the category shown is the lowest one whose maximum covers your weight, by PD's own rule. JYRO's range is a manufacturer envelope, not a target. The two systems are never translated into each other.
The manufacturers' charts
Katana — Performance Designs chart: maximum exit weight (lb) per category
| Size | Student | Novice | Intermediate | Advanced | Expert | Maximum (never exceed) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 83 | N/S | N/S | N/S | 107 | 142 | 160 |
| 89 | N/S | N/S | N/S | 116 | 155 | 175 |
| 97 | N/S | N/S | N/S | 128 | 171 | 193 |
| 107 | N/S | N/S | N/S | 144 | 192 | 216 |
| 120 | N/S | N/S | N/S | 162 | 216 | 243 |
| 135 | N/S | N/S | N/S | 176 | 229 | 257 |
| 150 | N/S | N/S | N/S | 195 | 242 | 271 |
| 170 | N/S | N/S | N/S | 221 | 255 | 285 |
N/S = not suggested by the manufacturer for that category. Weights are maximums, not recommendations.
Source: Performance Designs — Katana Flight Characteristics and FAQ (FC-0006 Rev. 0) ↗Petra — JYRO wing-loading chart
Recommended wing-loading range: 2.5–3.0+ lb/ft² Source: JYRO — Petra product page (page modified 2026-09-15) ↗
22 chart cells (exit weight × size → wing loading), colour bands = minimum jump numbers: 2000+ jumps · 2200+ jumps · 1800+ jumps · 1600+ jumps · 2600+ jumps · 2400+ jumps · 2800+ jumps
Source: JYRO — Petra wing-loading chart (image) (WL_Chart_V4) ↗Sources
- B Performance Designs — KATANA product page — open ↗
- A Performance Designs — Katana Flight Characteristics and FAQ (FC-0006 Rev. 0) — open ↗
- B Performance Designs — Katana Wing Loading Chart (product page) (TABLE-0171 REV.0) — open ↗
- B JYRO — Petra product page (page modified 2026-09-15) — open ↗
- B JYRO — Petra wing-loading chart (image) (WL_Chart_V4) — open ↗
Evidence levels: A = manufacturer technical documentation, B = manufacturer product information. Knowledge base version canopy-kb-2026.09.23-r3. All sources used on this site
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