Does anyone drop streamers before first jump anymore?

[benpat 0]

Do all these wonders of modern electronics take into account opening altitude, size of RESERVE, after all, thats the reason we (SPOT)...Lest we forget.

[tbrown 26]

I remember throwing a few streamers out on morning loads back in the seventies. It's kind of fun and a real feeling of accomplishment to watch the thing all the way to touchdown and then interpret its location into an exit point - AND have everyone on the load land on the DZ using your spot.

But I always wondered if we weren't littering up the landscape with the things, I mean even one a day adds up pretty quick. I don't think the neighbors could be too happy, especially with the steel rods that weigh them down. But I never heard of the rod hurting any machinery (lawnmower, farm equipment, etc). Since I've been back in the sport I haven't seen a single wind streamer, everything's gone to global positioning and green lights in the door. But I still spot to make sure I can see the DZ and to watch for aircraft below.

Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

[ECVZZ 0]

Quote

I was told that's what the hop-n-poppers were for.....

Lmao...the thought's kinda funny, but I actually saw this very thing result in a tib/fib fracture, accompanied by ankle dislocation with a full 90° angulation.

Paper streamers are definitely cheaper.

G. Jones

"I've never been quarantined. But the more I look around, the more I think it might not be a bad idea."

[benpat 0]

Steel rods!!! man you are talkin' the seventies, Nowadays,4 sheets of a newspaper,taped to 15ft.by 10 ins. of crepe paper weighs 2oz. dropped from 2000ft. should take 2 mins. if not,then adjust the distance. Like I said , The lost art of spotting.....

[EvilLurker 2]

Steel rods, huh? No wonder there are so many farmer McNasty's around.

[RossDagley 0]

I was on the first load of the day yesterday at Hinton (UK). Streamers were dropped.

Actually, I was quite pleased to watch them as I'd had a spotting briefing that morning and it was good to try and put the puzzle pieces together

[mattmais 0]

wouldent this be littering??

[sweeney 0]

before every demonstration jump

[peckerhead 0]

Great question!

I have thrown two since I moved to the east coast and both times the DZ crowd acted like I was either a retard or from outer space. Both times we had to (at my insistence) go find them because no one had thrown one in years. Yep, they were still there , in the old cabinet with the kicker plates and blast handles....

They were tattered and old looking and the pilot seemed annoyed to have to open the door on the way up.

Spotting seems to be a lost art. With square reserves we can make it back but what about our freebag, pilot chute, and main?

We stare at the wind meters and turn students away but nobody has the nuts to toss a WDI?

Sad!