m0ng00se007 0 #1 January 19, 2009 More detailed information about the expedition can be found on the PD Factory Team website: http://www.pdfactoryteam.com/expedition_italy_2009.php Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnDeere 0 #2 January 20, 2009 QuoteMore detailed information about the expedition can be found on the PD Factory Team website: http://www.pdfactoryteam.com/expedition_italy_2009.phpNothing opens like a Deere! You ignorant fool! Checks are for workers! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnnyZ 0 #3 January 20, 2009 I bought a Lotto ticket tonight... If I win I'm going! That would be so bad ass! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ianmdrennan 2 #4 January 20, 2009 Mind splitting that lotto ticket with me? I checked into tickets today and it'll cost me $900+ dollars to get to Munich - coupled with the price tag it's a little out of my price range. I'll bet, for those who can afford to go, it'll be worth every single penny! If anyone here is going, don't be shy - please share the experience with us when you return Blues, Ian Performance Designs Factory Team Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #5 January 20, 2009 Quote it's a little out of my price range. A little out of your price range? I have a better chance of my wife bringing home a set of Playboy twins then me coming up with the money to go on a trip like that! And like the twins, I have great dreams of doing a trip like this! --"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DSE 3 #6 January 20, 2009 I'd like to go, but it's out of my skill range no matter the cost. Super fun group of guys to hang with tho.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pierre3636 0 #7 January 20, 2009 ill make the next one...FACT! ~ time is ~ time was ~ times past ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ianmdrennan 2 #8 January 20, 2009 Quote I'd like to go, but it's out of my skill range no matter the cost. Super fun group of guys to hang with tho.... No doubt. I'm trying to juggle finances to make it work. A lot depends on my tax return IanPerformance Designs Factory Team Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
beowulf 1 #9 January 20, 2009 Yeah it's way out of my skill range too. 1000 jumps on a HP canopy 2.0 or higher? Hell I don't even have one jump anything like that! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
yoink 321 #10 January 20, 2009 Those are some pretty high requirements.... especially considering skiiers are flying in those mountains with speedwings not too far from those loadings with zero skydives.... Not that I think those guys are right, but that requirement seems a little high to me. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
beowulf 1 #11 January 20, 2009 I think the requirements are reasonable. They are not flying along ski slopes and you can't compare speedwings to canopys. Flying along those mountains is very dangerous. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
yoink 321 #12 January 20, 2009 Most of the flying that others are doing in the Dolomites aren't on ski slopes either. The big runs are reached by heli-drop off, and as for the speed wings not being similar to canopies, I've a 105sq ft crossbraced speedwing that's based on the JVX... Some might be more similar than you think. I'm aware that flying in the mountains is dangerous. I've been speed flying for the last 3 years but the added dangers aren't something that gets massively reduced simply by increasing the number of skydives you've made. There are hazards in the mountains that are unique to that environment that specific training will mitigate - knowledge of turbulence, avalanches, weather patterns. My point is, they're using skydiving limits for something that isn't wholly skydiving, but then not knowing exactly what they're up to, and if I was them, I guess I'd err on the side of caution too. Anyway, I'm sure it'll be a fantastic time. I'm only slightly envious of anyone who goes. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Couloirman 0 #13 January 20, 2009 QuoteI think the requirements are reasonable. They are not flying along ski slopes and you can't compare speedwings to canopys. Flying along those mountains is very dangerous. My speedwing(12 m/(115 sq ft projected) gin nano) is pretty much just a stiletto with trimmers on the risers and a hip attachment point, add on my skis and mtn climbing gear and Im loading it at about 2:1 flying it along cliffs as high as 14,400 ft. That being said, the requirements are what they are, these guys aren't flying with skis on which ups the danger 10 fold IMHO, and I suspect part of it is that since they will be filming, and they will be loading they're canopies that heavily, you better be able to keep up with the team. Cant wait until I get enough experience to join a trip like this... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
adamT 0 #14 January 20, 2009 Keep in mind it is being marketed to skydivers and the meat of the trip is the heli jumps, with the goal of swooping high performance skydiving gear down mountains. The speedflying experience helps greatly with flying the terrain, more so then any number of flat land swoops. But it doesn't help with the jumping and deploying of high performance equipment at high altitudes as well as entering the terrain from a high altitude(big turns into the run, ye haw). Hence the skydiving requirement. If it were primarily a speedriding expedition I would consider the requirements to be unreasonable for people with prior experience. I would give them your skydiving and speedriding experience as well as references and see what happens. I'm sure the speedriding experience would have some weight. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
matt002 0 #15 January 20, 2009 I think its awesome that PD have opened this opportunity up to non team members, hope it runs yearly as I wouldn't qualify yet, cant wait to see the write up. Experience requirement seems fair enough. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
davelepka 4 #16 January 21, 2009 QuoteThose are some pretty high requirements.... especially considering skiiers are flying in those mountains with speedwings not too far from those loadings with zero skydives.... Those aren't the requirements to fly in the mountains in general, just to fly the mountains in close proximity to the team. I, for one, would be VERY selective about who I would want flying with me in that circumstance. With a mountain on one side of me, I want to make sure I can trust the guy flying a canopy on the other. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kami-kaze 0 #17 January 22, 2009 Man...it's a beautiful place! The mountains, yummy food, great snowboarding ! Yeah, Foern (wind) and local meteo can get tricky. So having a high w/l is essential to get some penetration and mountain swooping experience would be a must. Me? I'd love to do it but not ready, yet. Fractured my elbow snowboarding, too. Haven't got that experience on w/l 2.0 That will be 65 for me. I am envious... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pierre3636 0 #18 January 23, 2009 reg. previous points - i think skydiving requirements are the basic criteria to judge your readiness. once those requirements are met i suppose they check other criteria. i might add that you would rather have people be over qualified than under qualified if you are taking anyone on a branded expedition to do something so dangerous. damn work - i would have realllly liked to do this. ~ time is ~ time was ~ times past ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
