hillson

Always recline.

To the OP: many of the manufacturers offer a military discount - might be a good idea to give each a ring and see what the deal is. Some are better than others. Can't hurt anyway. Also - email dealers and ask for a quote...email a few and see what the story is and compare. Most rigs are pretty comparable on features, price etc. Some of the more popular "extras" (skyhook, magnetic riser covers) will narrow the field a bit. Just do what everyone else does a spend time at work fucking around with the container design / coloring programs on each manfu.website. Figure out what you want and then figure out more specific questions - options, closing loop location etc. The time between order and delivery for most places is roughly similar - except for UPT which is atrocious. Mine will clock in at 40+ weeks... Though I already have a rig so I really didn't care. I bought everything new. If I had to do it over again I still would have purchased a new container but stuck used nylon inside. Even then I've put 700ish jumps on it in 2.5 years so it hasn't been too bad. It's your money...figure out how you want to spend it....

from the googlemachine...could be bullshit, dunno http://www.faasafety.gov/gslac/ALC/libview_normal.aspx?id=7720 Skydiving operations with continuous activity may file a permanent NOTAM. These areas are often, but not always, depicted on aeronautical charts with a parachute symbol and are listed in the Airport/Facility Directory. The actual location of parachute symbols on the chart does not represent the precise location of drop zones. The symbol on the chart may be in the only free spot that is clear of other markings. Another reasons to make sure you look for these symbols is because the FSS will not normally identify these permanent NOTAMs during a preflight briefing, unless specifically requested to do so. Pilots and skydivers need to be alert and follow the rules. It is the responsibility of everyone to watch for, and avoid, each other. Because skydivers freefall at a speed of 120 mph or more, they are extremely difficult to spot from other aircraft. Unless you are flying into, or out of, and airport where skydiving is taking place, it is best to avoid overflying such an airport by at least 2 miles. Maintain a listening watch on UNICOM. http://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/flight_info/aeronav/faq/?print=go How can I get a parachute jumping symbol for a specific area put on a chart? Parachute-jumping symbols designate airspace areas to alert the flying public of special air traffic activity. Charting these areas may be accomplished by contacting the FAA Air Traffic Facility (Control Tower, Approach Control Facility, Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC)) having jurisdiction over the airspace and requesting the specific area be charted. The FAA specialist will submit a Special Activity Area Data Sheet to the National Flight Data Center (NFDC) at FAA Headquarters for publication in the National Flight Data Digest. For depiction on a chart, the parachute jumping area must: •Be in operation for at least 1 year. •Operate year round (at least on weekends). •Conduct (and log) 4,000 or more jumps each year. FAA Regions can nominate jump sites if special circumstances require charting. Once published in the National Flight Data Digest, FAA AeroNav Products adds the PARACHUTE JUMPING AREA to that section of the Airport/Facility Directory. If it meets minimum charting requirements, the FAA AeroNav Products depicts the appropriate charts with the Parachute Jump Area symbol in the next publication cycle.

Forgetting to go to the store and realizing that your woman's "booze" is the only thing left in the fridge. Prost!

GoPro "is it on?" faces are funnier...

~2100

If you go...focus on the basics. Good arch, good body position, stability at pull time etc. all of these are solid building blocks for the stability drills in cat e - of wherever they place them. It is unlikely that they'll allow someone with just a few mins of tunnel time to drill barrel rolls and loops in the tunnel for a variety of reasons. In the end they're no big deal anyway...but are fun. I was not a natural flyer by any means...the basics in the tunnel helped me and gave me much confidence.

Sirius 70: BB King's Bluesville The guilty pleasure, of course, is Margaritaville Radio.

Here's another one for you (pin caught in kill line window)...this was on a Wings. Not mine...was just there for the show after the fact.

Hello all: I'm trying to track down some information on the Florida Parachute Council...there are a few references on this site and on Google...but the history of the org seems lost to time (to me, anyway). A few years ago someone, now forgotten, brought in some old memorabilia to the ZHills bar (there were many beers had...). Several of the items were gifted to local jumpers when display space couldn't be found. I ended up with a pewter mug (attached) with the logo and "1st Place Titusville W Combs 76" engraved on it. IIRC, there were 5 or 6 mugs spanning a few years in the 70s with various "places" and several different dropzones. Anyway...just looking for some history as I've always wondered about the mug (sorry that they're blurry...had to compress to fit).

Pretty much a nothingburger...for the most part the fence runs around the airport perimeter. It is topped in bright yellow so it is very easy to see from the ground and in the air. I'm guessing there were some strongly worded letters etc exchanged which put the kibosh on the original dumbass plan. There is a mini fence that encloses some of the RV park... Serves no purpose that I can tell other than someone made money installing it. It is a bit of a goof. I'm sure someone will run into it someday. People aren't supposed to hit trees and buildings yet they do that too...lol Don't land out / in a tree to the south and you won't even know it is there (no more easy cut through). 100% success rate with the new fence - zero terrorist infiltrations since installation.

A while, it looks like. http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=4345087;search_string=Vector%20closing%20loop;#4345087 Same complaint...can't RTFM if they don't update TFM. I remember searching this when I put in an order a while ago..

All do the job. There is a long thread here about the BH...give a search and read. I didn't like the latching mechanism on the Phantom...kind of shitty IMHO. But people like them so what do I know... Like most I have a G3. Does everything I need. Light. Excellent viz, I like the latching mechanism. Sufficient for minor bumps and kicks. Happen to think it is an excellent product for what it does. Whichever one fits your head the best if you have the opportunity to try them all on. EDIT: here's the Rev2 thread http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=4557473;search_string=rev2;#4557473

That would be the least of my worries. Now the world record Mr Bill with 50 people from 35K would be a story to tell...

I'm a bit surprised (well, not really) about the poll results given that a quick glance around any of the larger DZs I've been to in my neck of the woods the visual evidence is flipped. 2/3 to 3/4 pillows. Interesting I suppose. I have a pillow fwiw.

I think that Airspeed may have offered something similar (and Kurt offered it at the skyleague site...?) and maybe the Spaceland folks...? Maybe Fasttrax too. Shit, I don't remember. There are some old spreadsheets linked around this site...maybe search 4 way training plan or something. Don't remember that either... I'm pretty sure for the freely available ones SDC's has the most functionality...plus they're great peeps in my opinion At the end of the day anything to make life a bit easier for the video review bitch that has to sit there with a stopwatch and hand jam "time to first point" etc...

Rhythm has a fairly decent tracking tool http://www.rhythmskydiving.com/resources/tools

Make sure your reserve is in date for the entire trip...

I think we're seeing the real 'sock-puppetry'. Nah...he's ok. Chatted off DZ...once the dick measuring was over it was productive (I think, at least). I'm not the world's greatest skydiver or some ace canopy pilot...just your typical weekend beer-leaguer that sometimes earned "experience" not by watching and listening but by doing (because I wasn't watching and listening...)...quickly learned the relationship between the skill bucket and the luck bucket...and that even a D license is merely a license to learn.

Actually if you read the thread after you asked why the OP was in half brakes the discussion really revolved around braked approaches into off-field landings - which often results in having to flare from half brakes as well. You may have heard it called "sinking it in in half brakes" which I'm pretty sure that the poster you accused of sock puppetry was referring to... But the surprising thing, I think, is that you say that you're unfamiliar with the concept. It is part of the learning and performance objectives if Cat F on the two jumps, assuming that your progression somewhat followed the ISP. Noting, of course, that you may have flown the brakes approach in the pattern and landed normally which can be the case. The mechanics should have been covered, though...a quick, powerful stroke likely a little closer than normal flare height as it is unwise to attempt to recover the canopy to generate speed / lift. Now, as to *why* one would do this on an off field landing...think back to your Flight 101 course and the exercises where they had you replicate and transpose your std landing pattern over an alternate area when it is clear that you're not making it back home...the typical "oh shit! Not gonna make it back but have to land somewhere safely" routine the basics of changing glide and sink rate were covered, briefly, but that was not the chief aim of the exercise. As you know braked flight can significantly alter your glide slope...maximum glide in some cases. But it also significantly decreases your forward speed and rate of descent. When you absolutely have to land on that patch of planet it can really help...plus it allows for braked turns to rapidly change heading with a minimum amount of altitude loss. When the shit really hits the fan it allows for obstacle avoidance as maintaining (for the most part) the most important landing priority - wing level. At least more than a toggle turn and it allows you to quickly make sure that canopy is above your head and flying straight. So, put it all together...why would you use a braked approach when landing out? Max glide and slower descent provide options. General turns and obstacle avoidance can be performed with a minimum of altitude loss while generally having the wing remain (or allow for quicker righting of the wing) above your skull piece. Lastly, when landing it allows for the safest way to get your ass on the ground if you're too low to return to full flight to get a full flare. This isn't about flight cycles, the general order of normal pattern flying etc...as it can prevent minor injury, more serious injury or, in the worst case, the great goodbye. At the core these are *survival* skills. Likewise, it is of little merit arguing the semantics of a proper "two stage flare" to someone with 4 or 5 total skydives. Indeed, it is perfectly reasonable to assume the OP performed a proper "stage one" given his / her frame of reference and lack of overall skydiving knowledge. Lastly, outside if whatever other canopy courses you've taken if we are speaking of Flight 1 you would not have seen this topic covered in depth as you have not taken the course (at least according to their matrix) where it is discussed and practiced - Flight 201. Go do another 100-130 jumps so that you meet the minimum requirements and go sign up. At the very least go talk to someone about this extremely important skill set - even if just at "bar school" or the bonfire. I'd rather hear about you learning something than reading about you in the Incidents. Matt

On final? Never had an instructor tell me to do that. Also given that you have no info on your profile and this is your first post in 4 years of having this account.....whose sockpuppet profile is this really? What the fuck is wrong with you? At any rate, in the older SIM (as that is what I have downloaded): 5-1.F Landing Emergencies Under the Off Field Landing portion: Canopy control a. A braked approach and braked turns allow for the canopy to be flown at a slower forward speed and descent rate but may lengthen the approach glide. b. Altitude-conserving braked turns may be necessary to avoid an obstacle. c. A braked turn at a low altitude may not allow enough time for recovery to full flight in time for a landing flare, and a jumper may need to make a braked landing. d. Jumpers should practice braked turns and approaches often to prepare for this eventuality. Likewise, review Cat F.

I doubt it would fit...I've found RI to be pretty size specific...and there is less wiggle room given that the closing loop is on the flap instead of in the tray. You're trying to jam canopies in an entire size bigger than the chart lists (both main and reserve)...and the guy above already notes that the OP160 is snug in his VC3. Call / email them after 6 Jul when they reopen. They're very helpful. When I ordered from them I told them what canopies were going in and they picked the size. Easier that way; they know what they're doing. You're not going to get the tiny, sexy rig with 170s.

Why don't have you have a rigger tighten / snug the toggle hood by tacking them down a bit more? That's what I've done to a few pairs of RI risers. Basically a run of stitching down the *inside* of the existing stitching that runs from the 1st (4th?) horizontal stitch above the hood down to the hood opening. Keeps the toggles nice and secure and have noticed zero difference unstowing (no hard yanks, hung toggle etc). I think I have a picture at home that I can find.

You're in Deland...ask around a bit. If no one can help you out...get in touch with Sebastian. That's where most of the real FF action is in FL anyway.

Did you get a nickname on the DZ?