FataMorgana

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Everything posted by FataMorgana

  1. Here are some pictures of the black hardware from UPT (Vector) after 5 years of jumping and ~1000 jumps. It still does look cool IMHO. Also, there is absolutely no damage to the webbing that came in contact with the oxidized surface of the hardware.
  2. Another benefit of pulling the slider down is an instant unobstructed view in the front and above you
  3. Typically bursitis is considered to be a repetitive motion injury. Therefore, it would be rather unusual to get it from a single "event" (tunnel crash). The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge. Stephen Hawking
  4. Hi Skytrooper, You mentioned that you were doing a lot of free flying. Then you cannot go wrong with a Vector which has been embraced by free flying community for a reason (skyhook , Collins lanyard, magnetic riser covers and ton of other options). I used to jump Icon and it definitely worked fine(got ~600 jumps on it). But I like my Vector way better. Plus it provides an extra peace of mind at higher free fall speeds (Vectors seem to be a primary choice for serious angle flyers). Just my opinion. The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge. Stephen Hawking
  5. Apologize for my ignorance but could you elaborate on the source of your information regarding supposed "10%" skyhook releases (for skyhook assisted reserve deployments). Seems a bit high. The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge. Stephen Hawking
  6. Okay I will bite. I have seen some very experienced organizers sticking to the same flying techinques year after year and some other also very experienced organizers changing their flying techinques quite frequently. It seems to me that massive tunnel experience leads to noticeably similar angles flying styles/techiques that are different from angle flyers with massive “sky” experience. Plus different styles appeal to different people. At the end of the day the only thing that seems to matter is whether you can get quickly to your slot and stay there for the whole jump
  7. Lol. Knowledge of all but one of the listed areas is actually part of the D license exam. Or perhaps you are just trolling . The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge. Stephen Hawking
  8. Well, it seems to me that skydiving is all about taking unnecessary risk. So, I ams not sure why it is bothering you that one of the licenses requires candidate to perform 2 night jumps. People are skydiving voluntarily because it is simply fun. Why would you want to sanitize this sport? Do you really think that somebody trying to land a parachute first time in their lifetime (cat A AFF jump) is taking less risk than the night jumper? Yet, there is endless supply of people that really want to do it. I do not understand where you are going with this “irrational risk” argument. Also, not everyone needs to have a D license! The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge. Stephen Hawking
  9. I have seen videos of the cutaway and reserve handles (modern “bulky” pillows) flipping back and forth in a free fall with amazingly high frequency. The said “oscillation” of the handles was mainly observed for the handles that were not seated very well/deep in the corresponding Velcro pockets. Also, it seemed like it was happening mainly during belly jumps. I am not a rigger and do not know the exact details of the construction for pillow type cutaway handles. However, I am always wondering whether the constant flipping of the handles could lead progressive weakening of the attachment point between yellow lolon cable(s) and the pillow. Of course in the case of D-ring handles the the above potential failure mode is much harder to imagine. The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge. Stephen Hawking
  10. Hi Mirino, Since, one of your AAD choices is M2 I wonder whether you could provide some more background info on the immediate ban on MPAAD issued in the Czech Republic on Sep 23 . http://www.caa.cz/file/7994 The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge. Stephen Hawking
  11. So... I have to admit that I am failing to see your point regarding feasibility of the attempt (scuba diving to 365.76 meters or 1200 feet). Current world record for the technical dive seems to be set at 332 meters (or 1,089 ft) which is not light years away from the attempted depth https://www.deeperblue.com/ahmed-gabr-breaks-scuba-diving-world-record/. I do agree, however that we should test our limits wisely and with a sufficient amount of experience. The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge. Stephen Hawking
  12. https://www.chutingstar.com/skydive/replacement-icarus-main-canopy-lineset
  13. It almost happened to me! On my jump # 32. I was planning to repeat the dive flow from my A license check dive, so back barrel rolls were included. At 8400 feet my PC come out of the pouch and initiated the deployment sequence. Luckily it happened before I got to my intended barrel rolls. Scary shit. I was jumping rental student gear on that jump. Once on the ground I realized that the BOC pouch was seriously worn out. This issue did not catch my attention prior to the jump. However, the idea of wrapping myself in a bridle (and possible consequences) would not leave my brain for many weeks. That incident got me started on learning about gear and "getting my own rig" projects real quick ... Be careful out there... The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge. Stephen Hawking
  14. It seems that how you exit does not matter as much. The enclosed video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caFJxmJzITY) shows transitions and flying style that you are interested in (1:34). The level of flying in the enclosed video shows pretty well free flying proficiency that is required. Tunnel time and good coaching will get you there sooner
  15. Training may be easier than it appears to be (aside from the massive ball that will be needed to execute this stunt). Remember Jeb Corliss training for the Flying Dagger stunt. He actually used a visualization software allowing him to fly through the virtual replica of the crack.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRBXF_Unwm0 The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge. Stephen Hawking
  16. http://vimeo.com/102971415 Awesome jump..... The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge. Stephen Hawking
  17. Replay to the similar question, that I asked Icarus some time ago, did not seem to leave too much room for interpretation. Of course this is a bit contradictory to some opinions that you will find searching this forum
  18. Searching this forum for "thermals" will lead you to the relevant information
  19. ZHills has regular High Altitude Loads for experienced B License and higher skydivers only. You jump from from 22000' for $60 (price does includes the altitude and the oxygen and a near two-minute freefall). The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge. Stephen Hawking
  20. I have ~100 jumps with the roller mount and it is awesome. Easy to adjust (but rock solid), easy to remove camera when you do not need it and most importantly it really does minimizes the snag hazard. As for drilling the helmet there is nothing to worry about. With all kinds of unavoidable scratches and discolorations pretty soon you will not even remember that you drilled holes in it . The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge. Stephen Hawking
  21. Could not agree more, especially that this is kind of what I was indicating in my original post. And I do not really have a preference whether we call it the Risk Homeostasis Theory or Booth's law. The basic point is the same though: acquired experience will never catch up with our propensity for increasing risk (inherent urge to downsize comes to mind as a prime example) and being current only slightly tips odds in our favor. The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge. Stephen Hawking
  22. This is what common sense would suggest. However, statistics are telling a different story (see below the most recent incidents from 2013 USPA fatality report). Recorded number of low turn accidents and corresponding high levels of experience levels seems to be a good example. One would assume that accumulated experience should prevent jumpers from attempting low turns. Yet, year after year highly experienced jumpers continue to go in while performing low turns. Seems to me that the common sense approach is not really grasping the problem here. Part of USPA Fatality Report for 2013 [inline uspa.jpg] The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge. Stephen Hawking
  23. Hmm...that is pretty consistent with the Risk Homeostasis theory that states that humans optimize their level of risk according to four utility factors: • The expected benefits of risky behavior • The expected costs of risky behavior • The expected benefits of safe behavior • The expected costs of safe behavior The level of risk that provides the greatest net benefit is termed the target level of risk. The theory predicts that people will compare their target level of risk to the perceived level of risk and adjust their behavior until the two are equal. So, it is not totally unexpected that more experienced jumpers are getting themselves in all sorts of troubles. Assuming that this theory is correct it appears that human nature can override any experience level and will continue leading jumpers down the dangerous path no matter how current and experienced they are. Statistics seems to support this…. The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge. Stephen Hawking