sammielu

Check near a major airport to see if there is a doctor who specializes in FAA medical screenings. That person will be able to help you understand the parameters and how to get exceptions made (that's not the official term but I can remember what is). A lot of doctors do FAA exams only a clew hours a month as a side gig and will have much less FAA specific experience.

You need more time. Keep flying, you'll get there.

If you're nervous about it the answer is always yes, it's too small. Less canopy and shorter lines (plus it's a canopy you've never flown before) = faster everything (turns, flares, mistakes) plus everything will be new for you when you have a malfunction (maybe youe first one) and are already nervous. Remember that can happen on any jump, perhaps the first time you jump that rig - so be prepared. Jump different rentals, try different sizes, and when you feel ready to try a 150, do so. Read up on what type of reserve you have and jump the canopy that is closest to that design. Ultimately, you will probably be fine. Statistics show us that we can do all kinds of dumb stuff under canopy or with gear choices or wingloading choices and most people survive. It's the broken bones that aren't always/often/ever reported that you personally have to watch out for. The fact that you have doubt tells me you are concerned snd want to be safe - so go slow, try new things one thing per jump at a time, and try to prevent a jump where you have your first malfunction, your first yse of your EPs, your first flight on a 150, your first time lsnding any reserve, etc, all in one jump. Personally, my first rig had a 170 main. I had 100+ jumps on a 170 before I bought it and am comfortable with the idea of using and landing it any time and have no regrets and I don't jump when my gear makes me nervous (I need a new pilot chute so I'm grounded until I do that). 5 years later I'm still happily on my "first" rig, its probably going to be my only rig, and I'm choosing to upgrade my 20+ year old reserve in case it turns out to be crap (there's a difference between a reaervery that is nice to fly and one that a rigger says technically passes inspection). I'm going low pack volume so I get to upsize my reserve to a 176, even though my main is a 139. You will not regret being as safe as you think you should be.

I agree with everything above. CRW is usually (and most effectively) done with everyone on the same type of canopy and wingloading. Check with the dawgs around you and see what they're jumping and match that... it's very likely that everyone jumps lightnings which you don't want to use for terminal openings. And of course dacron all the way around, to save your friends' skin when you wrap.

Officially it's as high as the TI is comfortable. I think it varies per landing area. At my home dz I'll jump in higher winds, as long as it's steady, not gusty, and from the direction where I know from experience it will stay steady. Wind from the south and I want to stop in any winds. I fun jump in Eloy and they really get gusty winds and don't have a direction where it is usually steady, so my answer would be different. It also varies per TI experience, physical strength, and their ability/prefrence for the gear they jump. Give me the big dudes when it's windy, for example. There's really a lot of factors.

If you have a bad back I'd think you want the biggest safest reserve you can get. Invest in lighter weight clothing instead, a jeans and shoes weigh 3lbs - 5lbs each, your AAD is 2lbs+, whole rig is 23 - 25 lbs, canopy to canopy is going to be less than a pound.

Why is weight so important? The difference isn't going to be more than 1lb. Have you contacted PD to ask them the weight?

NZ Aerosports split from their counterpart company and they both use the name Icarus at the moment, it's the new brand Icarus that has a new tandem canopy out. NZ Aerosports designs their canopis using a whole bunch of 3D software and virtual physics testing that is way above my head - but that allows them to set the recovery arc exactly where they want it, for example. This technology was used on the Crossfire 3 and Safire 3, so consider both new, better, and more precise than the 2 series where they wanted to make changes. Cypress Wingsuit model is out. Mars M2 now has a changeable mode with more detailed display. Interesting that their AADS have 5 modes: student, intermediate, professional, tandem, and one I can't remember because it's 630 am (it's either slow for wingsuit or fast for speed). Several companies are using/introducing VR tools for training. Mostly military applications because what dz can afford a harness set up that moves you around and let's you physically practice canopy flight - but we'll see some goggles etc for sport jumper training too (i.e. for EPs).

Call them. That's usually the best way to get immediate response from manufacturers.

Sometimes things break or malfunction. L&B definitely has the best customer service for their stuff and they repair or replace no problem - which is what counts for me. Gopros consistently break too but good luck getting help from them; instead buy them from a retailer that will replace them (costco or REI for example).

Battery changes have to be done by the manufacturer for all new AADs (older vigils maybe a rigger can do). So yes it can be done during a repack but you'll be without an AAD for 2-3 weeks and it'll cost a couple hundred $$ - not ideal to do every year.

Ask your rigger. Some will decline to deal with reserves older than 20 years. Personally, it's quite a gamble to buy from another country and risk getting gear that is not serviceable that you may or may not be able to use (after inspection and dealing with customs).

Your instinct to have a rigger look at you in your rig is correct. Canopies do take up room in containers, so it will fit a bit tighter. Anything specific would be a guess. If you got measured for a rig (by a rigger or dealer - someone with experience doing rig measurements), how do your measurements match the manufacturer measurements?

Consider having a harness resized with the manufacturer or a local master rigger (if you know one). That would put you shopping for a container that fits your canopy size where the yoke (shoulder to shoulder of the rig - basically that the shoulder straps are the right width for your body). Like all rigs, you want to work with an experienced rigger to determine how something fits you. Ask them which manufacturers they recommend looking at and keeping the option to resize the harness as a possibility. In my personal experience, UPT, Sun Path, and VSE are great so a Vector 3, Javelin, or Infinity container are contenders. A resize + legstraps wI'll run about $550 so keep that in mind when pricing rigs. Searching for a used rig is always a long process, so be patient and picky and compensate your rigger for their time and expertise.

The Dr I went too for my FAA medical exam only does FAA stuff - all day long (he's got a sweet deal going, $100+, cash, every 15 minutes). Since he has so much experience working with the FAA, versus the majority of doctors who do these exams for a few hours once per month - he specializes in the tough cases that require extra communication or followup. He's the guy to ask, or your friend should look for the most experienced FAA doctor they can find. My guy is Dr. Richard Pellerman, he's in Seattle, and Google can get you his contact info if your friend is local or can come for an appt. For anyone who is local, this guy is all around rad. His office is the top floor of a gas station, his posters with reminders and his out of office schedule are handwritten, he listens to classical music at top volume and brings his pet parrot to work. He skydived a bit in the 60's and some in the military, and got hurt the first time he tried to land a square parachute. He is a pilot, scuba dives, rock climbs, and says skydiving is the safe one. He is awesome!

^^^ especially true given that newer jumpers are more likely to be looking for used gear and not really know what they're looking for, and on a budget since a complete rig is expensive, so they're more likely to be interested in any canopy that is ____ size on the cheap. Add to that the 5ish year cycle of jumpers entering and exiting the sport and information on older canopies can easily be lost in a given set of jumpers/instructors. It's confusing, I know. Plus most jumpers are eager to say "I've jumped this Jimbo canopy size 170 for 200 jumps and it's the best thing ever! Get a Jimbo!" When it's really the only canopy they've jumped for 200 jumps and they haven't compared it to anything. I always advise: stick with the big brands. Icarus, PD, UPT, Infinity, Javelin... they have the most information available and can help if there are any issues. What if your Jimbo canopy from some other country is out of trim or worn in wierd places after sitting in someone's rig, in their garage, for a bunch of years, who can help you then? Sometimes the cheap option is not the best. And if at all possible: try a bunch of canopies (and rigs, and each piece of equipment) to see what you like best for you. It's worth a trip to a big dz that has a bunch of demos, try things out.

Maybe we're looking at different versions of the thing Spotty? I did mean to say 300 jumps (not 200) and Petra as was in the example further upthread; the max wL for 300 jumps at SS is 1.35, min canopy size 135. The original question was that this one canopy list approves a Petra at 300 jumps, which I guess it technically does, though the specific Petra to fit the example doesn't exist when you consider the rest of the dz canopy policy.

Spotty- the link is only to the canopy model list, it doesn't include the wing loading and minimum canopy size information. From just the link provided, it does say you can jump a Petra at 200 jumps. You'd have to see the wL and size chart to see that the Petra would have a minimum size of 135 and a max wL of 1.35, that's the other half of the puzzle, not to mention using your brain to identify that the Petra is not available that large and that it definitely is not a 1.3 ideal wL canopy.

Not yet. You can call the dz to ask, they can't schedule a jump but they will know once it starts back up again.

Can you explain why the difference when flying down- and upwind? The bigger canopy has more surface area for the wind to push - so the wind will push farther when going with the wind and the bigger wing will resist the wind more when flying into the wind. This only applies at the same wingloading though.

^^ agreed. Noticing how the reserve pack is seated/distributed and any reserve closing loop length issues are pretty deep nuances that most jumpers don't understand (myself included) - though heads up jumpers might notice something looks different and ask a rigger to look. Also, some riggers pack better than others. The riggers seal location and what to look for is taught from students on up and should be with all instructors, IMO.

I thought the OP was talking specifically about counting to 4 while waiting on deployment after pitching. OP posted additional questions down thread.

been using mine since jump number 4 That's different from recommending them to a new jumper who should be listening to their instructors (who can evaluate the student's skills, individal learning rate, etc). I've definitely had students focus on stuff they shouldn't - including one who put an audible in his pants pocket (I wouldn't let him put it in his helmet - first learn to read an altimeter!) and then focused on listening for it so much that he didn't listen to the radio talk down instructor, time his flare, or PLF - he broke an ankle and his Dr barred him from jumping in the future. Everyone is different. Listen to your instructors.

That list is really scary, I wouldnt use it at all... Or atleast it needs another category for most of the wings listed under +300 jumps right now... That link is missing the dz canopy requirements that list minimum wing loading and canopy size according to experience and currency, here:http://www.skydivesnohomish.com/Licensed_Skydivers/Canopy_Policy.aspx Sure you can jump a Petra at 300 jumps, but only with a maximum wL of 1.35 and that Petra can't be smaller than a 135... so you'd first need to convince the manufacturer to custom build a canopy that goes against their recommendations.

Time doesent matter during freefall, altitude does. If your school has the practice altimeters, use those (they're a stopwatch with the face of an altimeter that counts down at approximately 5 seconds for every 1k). You are training yourself to check your altitide often (before a maneuver, after a maneuver, anytime you're struggling, and at least every few seconds) - and to have the correct reaction at each altitude. Practice the dive flow, doing each maneuver correctly, and then practice it with unexpected altitudes thrown in there at different times (what would you do if your altimeter says the following at any point in your dive: 10k, 6k, 5500, 4500, 3500, 2500) - that's the advantage of using an altitude-trainer, in addition to helping you practicemoving through the complete dive flow in the time you will have. When I work with students, I'd walk through that with their first few dive flows, first focusing on body position and doing everything in the dive flow, then throwing in "what if" questions throughout and including instructor queues (hand signals, what to do if they see me track away, what to do if they see me deploy my parachute, etc). Counting helps for short time periods or when you can't look at an altimeter and maintain good body position at the same time - like during tracking/breakoff procedures or during opening. Re: how long does it take to get to 5500ft: Look in the SIM to understand the concept if the hill and descent rates. It depends on your exit altitude - if you exit the plane at 5500ft, it will take you zero seconds. Its 10 sec for the first 1k feet and 5 sec for every 1k afterwards, so to breakoff at 5500 ft and have 55 seconds of freefall, you'd need to exit at 15,500 ft. Most dropzone exit at 12,500 - 13,500', definitely check with your instructors and look at your altimeter before you exit the plane. Example: exit at 13.5k, breakoff at 5500ft, working time is about 45 seconds from when you leave the aircraft until you're at 5500ft and break off.