tetra316

Make sure you wait several minutes after taking out a battery before putting in the new one. If you don't it make not register the new battery and think it's the same old one - hence the blinking when the battery is low.

They are actually the same price everywhere I've looked hence the question.

In need a new Cypres finally and see that they are now offering the Changeable mode versions. Is there any reason to get one other than it would appeal to a wider crowd should I decide to sell it? I take it they are exactly the same as the expert when set in that mode.

Contact the Perris manifest. They will have a list of people renting our rooms or be able to get you in touch with someone in the know.

No, what happens if the student has a late pull by the time the coach decides to dump? Then you have both pulling at the same time in near the same place.

I've worn hearing aids in both ears since I very young. I did my AFF at a small Cessna dropzone which did not use radios. They used paddles in the landing area for all students which worked just fine. Don't remember if I kept my hearing aids in or not for AFF but I always wear them now with both my closed face and open face helmets. Depending on the student helmets available, your hearing loss and their radio set up you might be just fine using radios. Definitely test it out in a loud environment first. If that doesn't work my concern would be someone paddling you in who has never used them...it can be confusing if they are trying to mirror you to get you to do what they want. Never had an issue in 2700 jumps with hearing aids....well except for that one time I forgot to buckle the helmet and felt it start sliding off my head. Just kept one hand on my helmet until after I deployed

When I transferred jobs COBRA was a joke. Extremely overpriced. I found an individual policy for way less for a couple months. Well, when I moved jobs, COBRA could be paid for retroactively. For a longer time than I was going to be without coverage at my new job. Since I didn't have any preexisting conditions that would require me to keep continuous coverage, I simply didn't pay for it. If I had needed it, I could have paid for it retroactively. This course of action was suggested by the HR person at my old job. The rules state you only have 60 days to elect Cobra coverage, at which time it is retroactive to your termination. However, after 60 days you are out of luck. Since I had to be employed at my new job for 3 months before getting insurance this was a no go. http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/faqs/faq-consumer-cobra.html

When I transferred jobs COBRA was a joke. Extremely overpriced. I found an individual policy for way less for a couple months.

Black Rock City, Nevada

LOL, well I only knew of last years.....but you history in big ways may go a lot farther back than mine. I doubt that! I just started doing big ways after the 400 way. Hearing about that from a local jumper was quite inspirational.

Correct me if I'm wrong but aren't there several organizers on the east coast who routinely put together 20 to 100 way sequentials (Louis French, Guy Wright etc.)? If so then by BJ/WT retiring then only the 200+ big ways will be disappearing from the east coast. I thought WT really only did Kaleidoscope and the last couple WT sequentials record attempts during the last several years. If this is the case then I don't think we are losing anything in the 100 way and under category. Also, I really don't think we are losing out on big ways in the future. My opinion is the big way world really cannot support two camps of organizers putting together 200+ ways (in the US). As we've seen, while there are a lot of people who jumped with both groups I think most only jumped with one group for whatever reason, probably mainly money. I just don't think there is enough skilled flyers to support two camps. And I think this is evidenced in the last couple record attempts by both groups to build 200+ sequentials. We just don't enough skilled big way and sequential flyers to spread into two groups. So while one group having a monopoly on 200+ big ways is not necessarily a good thing it's also not necessarily a bad thing. I think there are both good and bad aspects to it. And no matter what happens - big ways are still a hell of a lot of fun in so many ways!!!

Are you sure BJ will stay retired? I thought that this was his 3rd? or so come back.

Seconded. I spent a few months hosteling around Europe by myself as well.

I ordered my Infinity in 2003 (I think) with cadmium. Still looks and works great. Just don't let it sit in any moisture - but that should be said for any gear. As long as you aren't constantly jumping on the beach it'll be fine. Plus it's not as slippery as SS which I've seen some complain about in their leg straps. For me the extra $$ is not worth it.

Thanks, that's some good information I hadn't considered. But what about how you actually breathe? I know I breathe naturally through my nose so if I have the hose in my mouth I feel like I have to concentrate on breathing through my mouth instead of my nose. Or does this not matter as you absorb the oxygen anyway?