cpoxon 0 #1 April 19, 2008 If anyone is interested, here is what has been happening on the 100-way diamonds event at Spaceland. Yesterday there was no jumping due to high winds, and we were released mid-afternoon until 10am the next day. Thunderstorms blew through in the early morning but it was clear by midday and we all went up to do multi-point 20-way diamonds. We did that twice. Due to the lost time from bad weather yesterday, the decision was made to skip the 50-ways and go straight to the 100-way. The plan is to build an opposed diamond before going on to the facing diamond. We had two attempts at the 100-way opposed diamond this afternoon. The first attempt was exciting with some levels issues and a bit of a funnel on one side, but built to something like 68 docked. The second attempt was a lot cleaner and quieter but a visibility issue with one of the trailing aircraft meant that nearly all of that plane didn't make it down to the formation but it was a much better jump. We are meeting at 7am tomorrow for a dirtdive with jumpsuits and rigs and we are going to go straight to the aircraft from that. It's going to be a great day!Skydiving Fatalities - Cease not to learn 'til thou cease to live Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Remster 24 #2 April 19, 2008 Good luck guys! Post pics!Remster Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
padraigbrowne 0 #3 April 19, 2008 Word from Spaceland is that they have completed the 100way opposed diamond on the 6th attempt . 100way facing diamond next Good luck guys Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
el_chester 4 #4 April 19, 2008 when i read a post like this, i ask myself, why did i choose to come live in australia!?!?!? from mexico a weekend in spaceland was an easy thing. even from germany it was a fairly doable thing (but expensive and a couple of days more to take off work). but from sydney... between costs, jetlag and days off work it gets a lot more difficult. good luck, and craig, please say hi to friends for me i sooo wish i was there. it was painful to decline this one, and it's painful not to be there. -- Be careful giving advice. Wise men don't need it, and fools won't heed it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cpoxon 0 #5 April 20, 2008 Day 2 (well, day 3 but we didn't jump the first day). 7am start dirtdiving with jumpsuits and rigs on and taken off by 7.30! Not a great jump, theory being that lots of people were bulked up due to extra clothing (come and try skydiving in Northern Europe people!) and caused fall rate issues. Jump 2, building better but a lot of waves passing through the formation which caused a small funnel on the diving side. Jump 3, much quieter, built to something like a 98-way, or maybe bigger but with just a groken grip or two. Jump 4, 100-way opposed diamond built and held for 3-5 seconds! Jump 5, first attempt at a facing 100-way diamond. BJ said we'd be venturing into unchartered territory and this would be a learning experience for everyone, and it certainly was. It was building really, really nicely. Well enough to allow people to think we were getting close to completing it. The guys turning and backing in were taking it nice and smoothly and it was proceeding well but there was some tension on the diving side and we witnessed what has to be one of the most spectacular and rapidly forming funnel ever seen. What was also impressive about the funnel is the way that everyone dealt with it, and we all stayed safe. Jump 6, a greatly improved dive. The front side of the diamond was again building smoothly and cleanly. A small communication issue meant that not as many on the divers side docked but there were no funnels on this dive. As Kate said, we ran out of time on this jump (as opposed to it being over due to mistakes) and that's not a bad place to be. This jump is within our grasp. Jump 7, a fun 12-way on the sunset load including Bob Stumm, Mary Bauer and Larry Henderson which was a lot of fun :-) So, we have another 7am start tomorrow. We are under strict instructions not to bulk up like we did today (it's predicted to be 15 degrees warmer at the same time tomorrow). We are being released at 4pm tomorrow and we are hoping to do five jumps tomorrow. It's been an awesome day today, doing 6 100-ways, stepping into new territory, learning and getting better with each jump. We're looking forward to nailing the facing diamond tomorrow so we can have a go at something else!Skydiving Fatalities - Cease not to learn 'til thou cease to live Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cpoxon 0 #6 April 20, 2008 QuotePost pics! Andrey Veselov and Willy Boeykens are here as well as the locals so keep an eye on their websites (nothing posted yet). Eric Boyd has a nice top shot of the completed opposing diamond and Andery has a nice shot from underneath which is on the wall. Two jumps this morning so far. Small funnel but in the middle put an end to the second jump. We are putting that behind us and turning around quickly. 3 jumps left to go. So close. We have a bit of cloud around today, hasn't caused an issue so far but it is being monitored.Skydiving Fatalities - Cease not to learn 'til thou cease to live Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cpoxon 0 #7 April 20, 2008 I spoke too soon, we went on a weather hold due to cloud but have just been up for another jump. The forward facing front half built! Awesome job by those guys. On the back half, someone was out on one of the wings and there was a lot of momentum, tension and lift at the back and it broke apart right on break off. So close. We're back on a weather hold again now and we've got 2.5 hours before the event closes, so we've probably got one more jump left if the weather co-operates!Skydiving Fatalities - Cease not to learn 'til thou cease to live Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cpoxon 0 #8 April 20, 2008 That's it, the event has been called. The weather has beaten us!Skydiving Fatalities - Cease not to learn 'til thou cease to live Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cpoxon 0 #9 April 23, 2008 Quote Post pics! Here's a picture of one of Willy's shots of the facing opposed diamond. Edit: Facing/opposed. I wasn't the only one who kept on getting that confused during the event! Skydiving Fatalities - Cease not to learn 'til thou cease to live Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 1,623 #10 April 23, 2008 QuoteQuotePost pics! Here's a picture of one of Willy's shots of the facing diamond. Oooh, that's NICE!... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kirkverner 0 #11 April 23, 2008 Fantastic! ParacleteXP Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cpoxon 0 #12 April 23, 2008 A couple more. One from the ground, and shot of Willy's shot of the closest we got to the facing diamond. Borrowed from Gordon Hodgkinson's Facebook gallery, because I don't have access to my camera at the moment.Skydiving Fatalities - Cease not to learn 'til thou cease to live Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bodypilot1 0 #13 April 23, 2008 We almost had it. Post a pic of the amazing funnel. www.WestCoastWingsuits.com www.PrecisionSkydiving.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cpoxon 0 #14 April 24, 2008 Quote We almost had it. Post a pic of the amazing funnel. Video would be better! A couple more pictures. The underneath one is Andrey Veselov's shot of the completed opposed. And a couple of top shots from Eric Boyd, the completed opposed and the almost completed facing.Skydiving Fatalities - Cease not to learn 'til thou cease to live Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
el_chester 4 #15 April 24, 2008 Thanks for the pics!!! I am so glad for you all - must have been a very cool event to take part in. -- Be careful giving advice. Wise men don't need it, and fools won't heed it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Merkur 1 #16 April 24, 2008 Hey Craig, thanks for the updates and the pics. Congrats on the great jumps! M.vSCR No.94 Don't dream your life - live your dream! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gemini 0 #17 April 25, 2008 Hey never did get to thank you for the formation with names. Added it to the handout/booklet and told all the captains it was from you. thanks again Blue skies, Jim Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AMax 0 #18 April 26, 2008 Beautiful diamonds ... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dqpacker 7 #19 April 27, 2008 The jumps looked cool from the ground. Wish the weather would have held off sunday. Oh and No mals. No injuries. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cpoxon 0 #20 April 29, 2008 Willy's gallery Andrey's gallerySkydiving Fatalities - Cease not to learn 'til thou cease to live Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cpoxon 0 #21 April 29, 2008 Quote We almost had it. Post a pic of the amazing funnel. http://skyphoto.ru/phpgallery/displayimage.php?album=91&pos=17 Skydiving Fatalities - Cease not to learn 'til thou cease to live Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bodypilot1 0 #22 April 29, 2008 Quote Quote We almost had it. Post a pic of the amazing funnel. http://skyphoto.ru/phpgallery/displayimage.php?album=91&pos=17 Yep, just how I saw it! Thats me at 11 oclock in the black suit just a few feet from getting sucked into it..... There is even people still docked 20 feet down in the funnel! Thanks Craigwww.WestCoastWingsuits.com www.PrecisionSkydiving.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Remster 24 #23 April 29, 2008 Quote Quote Quote We almost had it. Post a pic of the amazing funnel. http://skyphoto.ru/phpgallery/displayimage.php?album=91&pos=17 Yep, just how I saw it! Thats me at 11 oclock in the black suit just a few feet from getting sucked into it..... There is even people still docked 20 feet down in the funnel! Thanks Craig NOICE! lol Seriously, looks like you guys did some awesome jumps.Remster Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
