tetra316

I hardly call your requirement for a size 8 or less as looking at what counts

You can also make your own Skytye. It's very easy with a bit of elastic and magnets. Just be sure to have your rigger check it out before you actually use it.

The type of canopy has no effect on wingloading. Wingloading is simply your exit weight divided by the size of the canopy. The canopy fight characteristics however do change with the change in the type of canopy. A good rule of thumb when changing canopy types to stay at the same size then downsize on the same platform.

I would bet the difference comes in that if someone is a manager of a known dz and flies jumpers, whether paying or not, that is quite different than a Joe Blow flying jumpers, paying or not. I think the circumstance would play a lot into how the FAA looks at this. The more obscure you are the more you could get away with, probably....?

And it had nothing to do with line shrinkage or stretching or wear? You are comparing a brand new HMA lineset to a brand new Vectran line set right?

No actually you win for getting a thread drift going and me responding

I've always thought they were very similar in wear and tear and strength and strechiness factor. Just the HMA does not show the wear as vectran does and is smaller. Besides these two factors is there really a difference..?

There was a rigger who, a couple months ago, mis-routed the cable (not sure how) during an assembly thereby causing an impossible cutaway. It was caught after one jump on the system. The rigger blamed the jumper for not doing a complete gear check prior to jumping.

I vote for Infinity. I'm only 5'2" and had one custom made. No issues at all with the fit. I would also look at the Wings. They are generally built more 'out' instead of 'long' which is better for somone with a shorter torso. But really, any container should fit you fine, if correctly made. You are really not that short in terms of fit.

So sorry you are having such a hard time understanding those are examples I've given as to what some dzs are implementing.

Geez, a little reading comprehension please. I never claimed to make blanket statements. I listed examples of some things dzs are making mandatory: Examples, radios are mandatory, AADs are mandatory, no turns over 90, holding a fun jumper load because you don't trust them to spot through clouds, relying on GPS instead of your own spotting, etc. If you are going to nit pick please do so accurately. Turns over 90 and AADs are also mandaotry in the same respect that radios are mandatory, AT SOME DZS.

Yes radios are mandatory at some dzs, along with other things I listed. You said radios are not mandatory which is wrong. You don't know what you dion't know either it seems.

I think you should print this and give it to her. She may not realize how you feel and that you need some alone time. Not everyone needs alone time so this might not occur to her but you need to talk about it.

Because he said it included everything from jump tickets to medicals. The $300 figure is only the examiners fee, it doesn't include anything else. From friends that have gotten their rating recently, it's about $1300 total. So you are comparing $1200 to $2000. The difference probably is due to exchange rates and different economies.

It would be interesting to really find out. Not from just a couple people but out of 100 or so 182 dzs I wonder how many used radios 5-10 years ago. I've always thought radio useage amount them was the rarity. Maybe not.

Incorrect. I did my first jump in 1993. Didn't jump again until 1999. On my first jump in 93 all students had radios. In 99 all students had radios. They were both 182 dropzones. Since 99, I have been to a handful of 182 dropzones, all with radios. Radios are not mandatory. Spotting through clouds is different than spotting around clouds. One may get you in trouble with the FAA. Which rules might those be? The ones that increased safety? If you are comparing a few dropzones that have set up mandatory rules as opposed to the entire dropzone world, I don't see any babysitting. You don't know what you don't know. If radios were so common then why did four different dzs out of 5 in one state not use them? I find it very hard to believe that this is such an anomoly that you paint it to be, especially among club type/small dzs. I never said radios are mandatory. Don't know where you got that from. And I'm saying that holding an experienced jumper load while sending tandems because you don't trust fun jumpers to spot is babysitting. Teach them to spot. By the way I've only seen this happen at one place but still. I've already stated what the 'rules' are that keep getting added - go back and reread my post. You might better understand what I'm trying to say. Especially that yes I do agree some are safety oriented improvements but some are not. You don't know what I don't know but I do know what I don't know. I've may have only been around for a few years but I have been to many different dzs large and small in many states. My opinion is still my opinion, even if some don't agree with it, and I do have some experience on which to base that opinion. After all opinions are like assholes anyway, including yours and mine

You are misinterpreting and/or twisting my words. I'm talking about AADs for experienced jumpers. I think that should be a jumper decision. Not a dz decision. Radios were not common even a short while ago at 182 dzs. Out of four different dzs within several hours none of them used radios when I went through AFF. Spotting through clouds, you are telling me that you think it's common to bar experienced jumpers from going up because you don't trust them to spot but you will still send tandems all day? That's is messed up. Who's fault is it they can't spot? The dz. They are there to educate jumpers, so educate them to spot. Yes I do think the sport has moved into a more 'babysitting' role. Even with 7 years in the sport I have still been to upwards of 20 dzs, from 182s to multi turbine. Simply look at all the rules that are in place today that weren't there even 5 years ago. Yes I do some are safety improvements, but I don't think all are.

I fully agree. However, there are other ways to communicate with a student under canopy than using radios. You can use paddles and whatever else may have been used in the past. I just find it interesting that this sport seems to slowly be moving into the babysitting aspect in all areas from student to experienced. Examples, radios are mandatory, AADs are mandatory, no turns over 90, holding a fun jumper load because you don't trust them to spot through clouds, relying on GPS instead of your own spotting, etc. Yes I know there may be some places where the above do not exist but they are getting fewer and fewer.

Well I'd rather have a non functioning unit for a max of 4 years then 20 years

+1 And that's the major reason I'm hesitating to switch to something that claims it never needs to be inspected. Although I'm sure you could still send it in to be checked out anyways. And for those who say it will tell you something is wrong, what it that component doesn't work?

A lawsuit can also result simply by using a radio. Haven't we all heard of instructors getting confused on which student they are guiding? What if they tell someone to cutaway and the wrong student cuts away and dies or is severly injured? Major lawsuit right there. What if the instructors misjudges the student's altitude during the descent and that results in injury or badly timed flare. Again they could blame the radio operator. I do agree with you that radios are a good tool that is available now so why not utilitze it. I'm just pointing out that there are good and bad aspects of using and not using a radio. Just interested in others take on the whole thing. I don't have an opinion since I've never used radios. That's why I posted the question.

I wouldn't be one to answer that since I always have "earplugs" in, lol. I wear hearing aids which electronically muffle sound levels above a certain decibel. I do know a lot of people still wear ear plugs with full face helmets though.

No matter which helmet you go with it will most likely take a few tens of jumps to get used to it. I didn't jump a full face until I had 1500 jumps an it took a good 20 jumps before I stopped feeling clausterphoic. But I love it now and wonder why I waited so long. Much quieter and allows me to concentrate more. I have a Mamba, went with it over most other designs since the visor seems most secure and yet easy to release. Just got to practice a few times.

Protec!

I would say come and check out the dz's in the area up here, Skydive Oregon (Molalla) and Kapowsin (Shelton, WA), but do not try and do any AFF. It will most likely cost you more since they have no experience with any of your previous jumps. Finish AFF in one place and get your A license. It will be cheaper and quicker.