Merrick

First off, let me start by saying that I'm 100% tried & true Lesbian.... I enjoy the occasional "rug rat" or "carpet muncher' comment! Second, What the HELL is wrong with purple jumpsuits!?? This came up in the pub last night too, I know a LOT of guys that jump purple jumpsuits.... Now, hot pink & skyblue I might worry about, but purple kicks ass! "Grab the grass, it's the bounce that kills!" Merrick

Yeah, I saw on the news this morning where Oklahoma is one of the states that's going to tax this refund!!! Isn't there a law against double taxation, or some such?!?? What Bullsh*t! "Grab the grass, it's the bounce that kills!" Merrick

To quote my good friend Kris, and the true Dr. Evil: "Yeah sure, more like the 'diet coke' of evil!" LOL "Grab the grass, it's the bounce that kills!" Merrick

OH FUCK!! Not again!?!? "Grab the grass, it's the bounce that kills!" Merrick

So What's up Ice cube... the man you are pissin, for the woman you are sniffin.... all day long a foot up a subtle ass! Made almost as much sense as his did huh??? LOL Sorry man, couldn't resist! "Grab the grass, it's the bounce that kills!" Merrick

Does anybody have any experience shipping things overseas?? I don't, & I have a few people interested in Pam's old rig that live WAAAY accross the Atlantic. I've called around & the Post Office will do it for about half the price of UPS & FedEX. I know that once something that the Post Office has shipped is out of the USA it's no longer their responsibility, so would that be a bad idea or what? I'm sure that FedEX & UPS are completely global, but is the extra $150 worth it? "Grab the grass, it's the bounce that kills!" Merrick

Thanks everybody, I just started letting that one line fall into my pack job, it seems to work really well.... plus I don't have to really deal with it now while stowing my lines! Now, if I can just figure out why my canopy kinda dives off to the right every other time I deploy! This could actually be body position, but haven't really tried looking at the problem yet. Again, thanks for all your help! "Grab the grass, it's the bounce that kills!" Merrick

Well, I generally don't have too many probs, but every once in a while I'll move the canopy back & sometimes let the lines drag on my shoulder, which pulls that one line out of it's keeper (currently the same as the stowed line). Who knows man, I think I'm going to be downsizing to a 170 or 150 soon anyways, so I guess it doesn't matter much! LOL "Grab the grass, it's the bounce that kills!" Merrick

You should come check out Oklahoma Skydiving Center in Cushing OK... It's just a one cessna DZ, but he usually has another for the entire summer. It's a very reputable DZ.... Well, as reputable as a DZ can be! lol I think we're about 215 miles or so from Wichita Falls. The website's kinda old tho! "Grab the grass, it's the bounce that kills!" Merrick

That's cool, I may try that..... Yeah, we're definitely going to be out there this weekend. Gonna' try to get there early Saturday morning, so I'm sure we'll see ya out there! Anybody else got any ideas as well??? "Grab the grass, it's the bounce that kills!" Merrick

I think the last thing I listened too was "Days of the New,"

I jump a Sabre 190, and I'm sure most of you know that the bigger Sabres come with dual steering lines. One of these lines are a non-loadbearing line, meaning that I could simply pull on it & it will come out of the velcro where I stow any excess line after setting my brakes... Well, as you can imagine, this is no good.... sometimes leaving me with one line sagging waaay down on each line set (would make for some ugle line stows)! Is there any way to subdue this little sucker, aside from having the cascade modified into being a single steering line? It can really be a pain at times when I'm packing! "Grab the grass, it's the bounce that kills!" Merrick

lol - Yeah, you'll definitely want to start hitting the Gym if you're planning on using these. Pam & I tried some of the superbandz out & they were a complete BITCH to stow your lines with! EXACTLY! I was told that those 'cheap little rubberbands' aren't used so much just because they're cheap. A lot of R&D went into those little suckers, they're designed to break when they need to. Tube stows, skybands, & superbandz were designed for strength & longevity. Much like you screwbag, I'd rather replace a rubberband than go for my reserve! "Grab the grass, it's the bounce that kills!" Merrick

Cool Weid, thanks! I'll try the rolling & pushing the nose into the middle technique this weekend.... Hell, I may just not roll it at all! Everything else you described sounds pretty much identical to how I do things now. Thanks again! "Grab the grass, it's the bounce that kills!" Merrick

I Don't think that has anything to do with it. It's just not very profitable to take it any higher.... We usually jump a cessna 182 wide body with wing extensions & some other kind of mod on the front of the wings.... all to make it climb faster, and it still takes us 25 - 40 minutes to get to altitude (10,000agl) depending on the err.. umm... gravitational pull of each individual on the plane & the heat. So taking an extra 10 minutes or so to go to 12 or 14ft agl on each load would break a small one or two cessna DZ. Our DZO took a jump-buddy of mine up to 14 a week or so ago, but he was the only one on the plane... and he works for him. Also, I'm pretty sure that FAA regulations restrict aircraft that size from venturing above 20,000 ft. Could be wrong tho!

You're absolutely correct! However, this is how I was taught to pack my sabre by several other sabre owners. It does give me the occasional "weird" opening as you said, but when I try to roll the nose & nestle it into the middle of the canopy (instead of stuffing) the rolls come out & I end up with a mess.... any ideas? Also, what do you do different with your line stows, and aside from getting a bigger slider or adding a pocket, what's something else I could do to help as far as "slider handling" is concerned? Sorry, I sort of turned this into a gear & rigging thread. "Grab the grass, it's the bounce that kills!" Merrick Edited by Merrick on 5/24/01 10:15 AM.

You could definitely be my "anti-me!" cuz we are almost exactly opposite, 42 jumps (all from cessnas) and I'm not sure that I'D know how to jump from anything bigger! lol "Grab the grass, it's the bounce that kills!" Merrick

Your ONLY two 182 rides?!?! Man, can you say spoiled brat!??! lol No, seriously tho, there are those of us who's never even gazed upon the promised land of the turbine... much less been fortunate enough to jump out of one! lol ALL my jumps have been from a c-182 (with the exception of 2 out of a 206), and frankly, the bigger planes make me a little nervous! If that's not basackwards I don't know what is! "Grab the grass, it's the bounce that kills!" Merrick

I've actually never had a 'slammer' on my sabre... even going so far as to not rolling the nose (just stuffing in the center cell). I think they're kinda like the old Johnathans, if you get a good one they're awesome, but if you get a bad one it's gonna' break your neck (OK, so that might not be the best comparison - Sabres are nothing like Johnathans LOL). Yeah, my first pack job was my first jump on my own rig, and it was a re-currency jump after not having jumped in about 3 months. lol it was a blast!!! "Grab the grass, it's the bounce that kills!" Merrick

Congrats on the new rig man. When I first got mine (a beautiful Javelin/Sabre 190/pd176 mix) I was nervous, excited, & any other emotion you can think of about jumping it & my own pack job for the first time. It was AWESOME tho!!! & the sabre's are so much fun to fly for us newbies that haven't flown anything else but huge ass mantas & skymasters. All I can say about packing it is roll the nose (I roll mine 4 & 4 and stuff in the center cell), make sure your stablizer is flaked, lines are straight, quarter the slider & pull it way out over the nose, and roll... roll... roll... the tail. Otherwise, definitely check out the few recent Sabre discussions in the 'gear & rigging' forum, there's some really good hints there. Be safe & have fun!! "Grab the grass, it's the bounce that kills!" Merrick Edited by Merrick on 5/23/01 12:16 PM.

I think CST would be at 8:00pm I believe!

ROFL - Those are called bionic-situps!! lol pretty funny when executed properly! "Grab the grass, it's the bounce that kills!" Merrick

Yeah, I guess by "adult" you mean loud, obnoxious, cussing, nudie jokin, drunken ass holes huh! Sounds like me... WHEN I WAS 16! I realize that it's my responsibility what I do & don't subject my kids to, and I think the DZ is the least of their problem..... *gasp* that my little girl might hear the 'f' word or something. Kids can be raised to understand that what's OK for some adults isn't OK for children... ours know that, & they don't test the line that has been drawn, no matter who they're around! Everyone here gloats on how completely wonderful skydivers are, so why wouldn't I want my kids to grow up seeing first hand what it's truly like to live your life, not just exist. Yes, I do believe that there's a time to bring the kids to the DZ & a time to leave them at home (i.e. they go home when the beer light comes on), I also realize that no one should have to adjust their behavior just because there are kids around.... if they feel that they have to, then maybe they need to "adjust" their behavior PERIOD! On the other hand, while we often are under the misconception that the DZ is our little slice of heaven. Our "Home Away from Home," created just so we'd be blessed with a place to frolic at our leisure... the one thing we tend to forget is that all DZs are a business.... for the sole purpose of making money (well, cept for that guy we met last weekend who runs a non-profit DZ in Illinois). There is certain tact to be shown whether there are kids around or not. Like the guy/girl who does his 100th jump nude then lands right up front in the peas in front of a huge class of students along with all their parents & grandparents standing around. Everyone should think before they speak or do anything in that light, because everything you do is a reflection on the DZO & his/her business. It's not for you to dictate who does or doesn't become a return student or jumper just because you don't care if you offend someone or not. "Grab the grass, it's the bounce that kills!" Merrick Edited by Merrick on 5/22/01 09:58 AM.

Absolutely baby, visualization is one of the key elements that helped me to relax in the beginning. The other.... BREATHE!!! I can't stress that enough, anytime I had any kind of problem all I'd have to do is take a deep breath & let it out. The best time to do this is right on exit, take a deep breath in as you go over the hill & breathe out just as you settle onto your stomach.... as you breathe out it litterally feels like you sink into the air. It'll feel like there's this giant soft hand just cupping your body.... Once I finally felt that, I haven't had to worry, or even think much about relaxing since. As for the weather delays, all I can say is "welcome to skydiving!" Pam & I would have graduated a looong time before we did if it weren't for the weather or winds, we had countless weekends where we didn't get to jump at all even tho we hung out at the DZ all weekend! Just be patient, it'll come.... and once you get off of student status you'll be amazed at how much you learn & how fast! "Grab the grass, it's the bounce that kills!" Merrick

Ohhhh... Bwahahahahaha, Ouch! Don't generalize girl, I'm as picky as some of the most tight-assed women out there!