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Leia vs Pulse
JYRO Leia · Performance Designs Pulse · Canopy explorer
What differs — read from the data
- Leia is made by JYRO; Pulse is made by Performance Designs.
- Planform: Leia is listed as elliptical; Pulse as semi-elliptical.
- Leia has 7 cells; Pulse has 9 cells.
- Leia is cross-braced; Pulse is not.
- Leia is listed in 59–99 sq ft; Pulse in 107–260 sq ft.
- The listed size ranges do not overlap.
- 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
| Leia | Pulse | |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturer | JYRO | Performance Designs |
| Status | current | current |
| Cells | 7 | 9 |
| Planform | elliptical | semi-elliptical |
| Cross-braced | yes | no |
| Aspect ratio | not published | 2.59 |
| Sizes (sq ft) | 59–99 · custom sizes available Source: JYRO — Leia product page (page modified 2026-09-02) ↗ | 107–260 Source: Performance Designs — Pulse product page ↗ |
| Designed for (manufacturer wording) |
|
|
| Characteristics (manufacturer keywords) | Soft, well-staged openings · Very sensitive on roll axis and all inputs · Very long recovery arc requiring large input to recover · High stall point Source: JYRO — Leia product page (page modified 2026-09-02) ↗ | Soft, forgiving openings with short snivel · Very flat glide · Short recovery arc · Easy to pack · Easy to time flare · For Novice to Experienced jumpers Source: Performance Designs — Pulse product page ↗ |
| Opening | Soft and well-staged with excellent heading control (JYRO). | Significantly shorter snivel than a Sabre2 or a Spectre, and an inflation that is a bit quicker, without being uncomfortable. Easier to keep on heading; if it opens off heading it will generally stay on that heading rather than continuing the turn. |
| Recovery arc | Very long recovery arc; requires large input to recover from the dive (JYRO). | The recovery arc is a lot shorter than on a Sabre2; when you stop a turn it will plane out into normal flight much more quickly than a Sabre2. |
| Glide | not published | Very flat glide when flying at full flight, much like the PD Stiletto. |
| Speed / dive | Dives fast, sleek and steep (JYRO) — no airspeed figures published. | not published |
| Flare | Massive range, very powerful flare, light toggle pressure (JYRO). | Approach angle is flatter and rate of descent lower than most other canopies, so the flare is quite easy to time; less tendency for unwanted pop-up or "ballooning" on landing. |
| Front risers | Light, excellent feedback (JYRO). | Flies reasonably well on front risers, with a somewhat lower increase in descent rate than a Sabre2; riser pressure is firm and builds as airspeed increases; not designed to achieve steep diving turns. |
| Rear risers | Powerful, plenty of warning before stalling (JYRO). | Rear riser turns are conventional, though the control range is very short; only a modest improvement in glide with rear risers; flaring with rear risers is not nearly as effective as on a Sabre2. |
| Harness response | Very sensitive on the roll axis and all inputs (JYRO). | not published |
| Toggle response | Highly responsive, light pressure; high stall point (JYRO). | Very responsive in toggle turns; takes less toggle movement to achieve a given turn rate compared to a Sabre2, and descends less quickly in a turn. |
| Loading system | Recommended wing-loading range 2.2–2.8 lb/ft² plus a chart with jump-number bands (below). | Maximum exit weight per PD skill category and size (chart below). |
| Manufacturer-stated experience requirements |
| none stated |
| Evidence level | B — Manufacturer product information | A — Manufacturer technical documentation |
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
Leia — JYRO wing-loading chart
Recommended wing-loading range: 2.2–2.8 lb/ft² Source: JYRO — Leia product page (page modified 2026-09-02) ↗
18 chart cells (exit weight × size → wing loading), colour bands = minimum jump numbers: 1300+ jumps · 1500+ jumps · 1400+ jumps · 1800+ jumps · 1600+ jumps · 2100+ jumps · 2400+ jumps
Source: JYRO — Leia wing-loading chart (image) (WL_Chart_V4) ↗Pulse — Performance Designs chart: maximum exit weight (lb) per category
| Size | Student | Novice | Intermediate | Advanced | Expert | Maximum (never exceed) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 107 | N/S | N/S | N/S | 114 | 138 | 160 |
| 120 | N/S | N/S | 115 | 129 | 155 | 180 |
| 135 | N/S | 110 | 132 | 146 | 175 | 202 |
| 150 | N/S | 123 | 149 | 169 | 195 | 225 |
| 170 | N/S | 143 | 173 | 193 | 222 | 250 |
| 190 | 140 | 165 | 194 | 218 | 247 | 266 |
| 210 | 157 | 190 | 216 | 230 | 259 | 275 |
| 230 | 172 | 210 | 228 | 245 | 268 | 280 |
| 260 | 195 | 230 | 242 | 262 | 282 | 302 |
N/S = not suggested by the manufacturer for that category. Weights are maximums, not recommendations.
Source: Performance Designs — Pulse sizing / wing-loading chart (FC-0009 Rev. 0 (PD Pulse Wing Loading Chart)) ↗Sources
- B JYRO — Leia product page (page modified 2026-09-02) — open ↗
- B JYRO — Leia wing-loading chart (image) (WL_Chart_V4) — open ↗
- B Performance Designs — Pulse product page — open ↗
- A Performance Designs — Pulse Flight Characteristics (FC-0009 Rev. 0) — open ↗
- A Performance Designs — Pulse sizing / wing-loading chart (FC-0009 Rev. 0 (PD Pulse Wing Loading Chart)) — 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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