AlexDias

In Switzerland I've seen a lot of people coming on dropzones with base rigs and wingsuits asking to be dropped somewhere over the mountains... But they won't drop them above the DZ and they must not land on the DZ .

I don't think someone would have done it... Cypres has a market share of around 80-90% and it is VERY hard for new entrants in this market because the entrance barrier is so huge and it takes so long to build a reputation.. I don't think if tomorrow someone comes up with an AAD as reliable as cypres but half the price it will sold that good.. because people are too fond of cypres especially in a market where reliability and consumer's satisfaction and trust means everything... look at vigil.. it entered the market in 2003 and it is still not considered 100% reliable even though it probably is.. (or at least close enough).. and cypres is still dominant.. Not really an incentive to launch a new company in that market.. if you know it's gonna take 10 years until people start trusting your product and buying it...

Look I understand all of your argument and I'm not trying to prove anything.. It's just a guess here.. but seriously a technology thats 20 years old.. still cost the same price? I call bullshit! But you know.. maybe I am wrong. And either way it does not matter because AAD are awesome and I'll be more than happy to pay 1'000€ for something that might save my life for the next 12-20 years! It's just my personal, not very educated, opinion... but if I look back I remember having a phone that was called the sony Ericsson P800 around 2005 and it was SOO awesome and cost like 800€.. now it's just a piece of crap that a wouldn't even buy for 10€... so if this applies to practically every new technology.. why shouldn't it apply to AAD? I mean it's just a little computer chip and some wires and a cutter.. Being young and having grown up in this whole tech revolution I don't understand why something that was invented when I was 4 is still top notch technology when I'm 23 when everything else I used to know has just become obsolete like crazy! Take the time to think about this point of view instead of getting into the details of the products, reliability and blablabla

Siri, Can you remind me to open my parachute please? I don't mind paying that much for something that could potentially save your life and that lasts 12-20 years... I'm just positive that it could cost less/have a longer lifespan... I am pretty sure it's not that hard to make it have an unlimited lifespan provided you do some check ups.. Reminds me of the story on light bulbs... at first they always tried to make them last longer.. then they discovered that if it was the case then no one would ever replace them so the market would die.. and now every regular lightbulb has a lifespan of around 1'000 hours or so..

My Neptune N3 works exactly the same way but only cost me 300$ .. and has a lifetime of.. well.. unlimited! I am sure some tech freak could program a N3 to activate another device in the case of still being in freefall at given altitude... If you ask me charging more than a thousand dollar for an AAD is a complete ripoff but unluckily we don't have any choice... because if you're looking for a fairly reliable AAD there's only 2 products! so no competition = max producer surplus!

Was there 3 weeks ago and without any hesitation: MESQUITE! Totally worth the hour drive!

You just said first.... Bring a case of beer! That'll teach you !

I have had the chance to visit four awesome dropzones so far and this one really is too. Got the privilege to be driven from Vegas to Mesquite by two locals, met tons of new very friendly skydivers and did my first jump in the US (yeah don't worry i brought beers along...)! If you're looking for a very good time to jump or even just hang out with fellow skydivers, in a place where it's never about the profit but just about the fun... Skydive Mesquite is the only place available in the Las Vegas area! Will definitely come back if I'm visiting again.

I did a Helicopter jump (actually two in a row) in Switzerland a month ago ... I only had 47 jumps at that time and I did a two-way with a friend and it was AWESOME! you are going to love it! The pilot was a professional pilot with training to drop skydivers (he is actually a skydiver himself) so he knew how it was done. We went up to 10'000 ft in less than 5 minutes and then experienced real freefall! the Heli was a Lama from Air Glacier. Thing I can tell you: 1- Give EXTRA attention to your pilot chute during jump run and before exit. If your pilot chute get out prematurely and gets caught in the pales you will all end up dead so this was priority NUMBER 1. 2. It depends on the heli I guess but Don't JUMP out of it, just let yourself go. If you jump you're going to apply pressure on the step and the heli is not going to be stable anymore and you don't want those pales rotating in your face... 3. Regulations in Switzerland say that when you use a helicopter for dropping skydivers the exit door must be removed prior to take off. I don't know if it's the same everywhere but I recommend it. if you do so make sure you are well seated and fastened upon take off.. Apart from that.. It was the 2 best jumps i ever did! ENJOY , have fun and blue skies!

Still no news from Mesquite I have therefore contacted Sin City Skydiving which is closer and apparently welcomes experienced jumpers. I really hope I can find someone to drive me to Mesquite...If not I will be happy to jump regardless of the place!

Hey I posted on the Facebook page but still no answer... going to vegas next thursday through monday... really keen on jumping as it's been a month and i'm starting to freak out!

Hey I just read this on 20minutes.ch (swiss free info site): "A skydiver crashes with another skydiver and end up paraplegic" with a video linked... http://www.20min.ch/ro/videotv/?vid=228357&cid=120 So my question is: has any of you ever seen this? Comments? I don't know if i am correct but i think he chops and release reserve while completely entangled with the other guy's main.. could that have been avoided ? Would just like some insight to make sure this doesn't happen again... Poor guy.. blue skies

I didn't even think of facebook...what an idiot! thank you so much for the info ! blueskies

Hello everyone! I will have the chance to fly to Vegas again with a couple of friends for 4-5 days and i would really like to take advantage of my trip to go skydiving! (cause it's fucking cold here in Canada!!) I was thinking about Mesquite because I hear it's the best place to skydive in the area. The problem is it's an hour drive and I will have to rent a car. Being 22 years old it is pretty expensive to rent a car and if you add the plane rides it's gonna be a costly experience! So my question was: Is there anybody going to vegas or living in Vegas at that same time (feb 2-6) that would be willing to split the cost / drive / fly me there? It would be greatly appreciated and i can definitely chip in for gas money, jokes and laughers...! Blue skies everyone alex

Woah great story! This is something no one is looking forward for :) But you're alive so I guess you did great! I don't know if waiting to pull the reserve is a good thing though... As i've been told lineover happen when you've got one of your A,B,C or D line thats outside of the stabilizers when you pack that is why you always want to make sure you have all your lines nice and in place before you start bringing in the stabilizers... but that might not be what happened! Where do you jump in Switzerland?