darkwing

go skydive. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

It might work. Be prepared for the thread to not take the dye well. Also, are the booties and grippers made of different fabric than the jumpsuit? There is a good chance it will be very different than you hope if you dye it, but it may be OK. Be prepared for it to be even uglier, but nothing ventured, nothing gained. Also, if you do it in a washing machine, you had better be the owner of the machine, or prepare to incur the wrath of the owner if you don't clean it out better than you think you need to. Either way, it is good for your character to wear the ugliness proudly. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

I searched for them on the internet some time ago and found several sources at very reasonable prices. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

I remember a 1-ton 10-way at a Freakbrothers convention back in the early 1980s. I didn't qualify at the time. Not proud to say I do now. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

Get references from the seller. Call their home DZ and talk to DZO or someone who might know of them. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

also, with the brakes released, how many inches (or cm) of toggle does it take to correct the problem? I second the idea that sometimes it can occur even if all lines are perfectly right. Even if the harness is right. Even if you are not sitting lopsided. Sometimes a canopy will just turn in spite of those things. I suspect every manufacturer has a tolerance for how much toggle correction it takes to get it to fly straight. When you talk to them BEFORE you send it back, they will likely want to know the toggle differential. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

My generic advice "shut up and jump." Really, it will sort itself out. It is all good. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

I have two L&B products, an Optima in my left ear, and a Pro-Track in my right ear. Their customer service is beyond terrific. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

I'll answer one you asked, and some you didn't... I think the first modern 4-way at the nationals was 1977. When I say modern I mean that was essentially like today's rules. Prior to that the competition was what many people call hog-flop 4-way -- 4-way, backloop, 4-way -- based on the time to build the second formation after breaking the first. Teams were doing transitions on the hill immediately under the new rules. Initially competition was out of Cessna 182 aircraft for several years. I don't know when it went out of other planes. Judging was ground-based video. I don't know when it went to in-air video. Blocks were in modern 4-way from the beginning, although block transitions were specified for an entire dive, not just two points on a dive. See attached 1979 divepool. (I particularly like sequence #7). One big difference between then and now was that the formations had to look like the diagrams (although they could be mirror imaged). For example, a cat had to be straight, without reaching across and "cheating" grips. It made it slower. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

Old tyme rigger guy speaking here... I have certainly seen the type of cross connector you describe. I never made any of them though. My recollection is that I thought they were military, and I don't recall I hesitated to pack them. I can't imagine it only connecting two of four links though. It seems a very bad idea to me. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

They have been saying "very soon now" and "any time" since roughly May 2007. Draw your own conclusion. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

Ask your instructors. There are many choices to make, and lots of suitable options. Don't be in a hurry. There is lots of gear advice at http://www.dropzone.com/safety/Gear_and_Equipment/. There is another thread on this just a few down from yours. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

I think Volplane too. See images: http://farm1.static.flickr.com/70/178069886_f2fc15b8d2.jpg?v=0 and http://www.pionnair-ge.com/spip1/IMG/jpg/Bohn-A-1970-09-22-Volplane.jpg -- Jeff My Skydiving History

Quite a while ago a guy brought me a similar rig to pack. I told him it wasn't airworthy, and no rigger I knew would pack it. He got mad, saying I was trying to sell him a new rig. I offered him the new rig at cost, and he was still mad. He went to the FAA and they told him to pay close attention to what I said, and stop bothering them. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

For people that know what they are doing zero height is OK. Many people carve a turn while landing. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

Physicist and rigger here... Their assertion seems reasonable to me, but could only be determined by actual measurements on the real thing--there are too many important variables that you'd have to estimate. The force on the terminal knot depends on the friction in the system above the knot. It isn't amenable to analysis except very crudely, not in such a way as to cast any doubt or support for their position. Still, their value seems quite reasonable to me. When tested to failure, I suspect the place the loop breaks is at the business end of the loop, with the reserve pin in it. Regarding the Vigil system. I have never handled one, so I can't say much, other than it is likely they tested it to failure several times. I don't see the strength at the washer end as being a tricky thing to insure. I suspect theirs also breaks at the pin end. Jeff -- Jeff My Skydiving History

http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=585697 -- Jeff My Skydiving History

get a helmet that you like, and put pads in until it fits properly. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

Dogs at the DZ are the second worst thing to happen to skydiving in my 35 years of jumping. The worst is Skyride. The third worst is squeezing every last penny out of students. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

You don't want these thoughts to be an issue at 1500 feet going 100 mph. Buy a new reserve. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

welcome to reality. It sucks. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

For those of you who don't know, it is http://www.miragesys.com/ -- Jeff My Skydiving History

Personally I would, but I promised my wife I wouldn't, so I checked the "no" box. My first 1600 jumps, after I got off student status were without an AAD, so I don't have much of a psychological hurdle. A promise is a promise though. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

"proper installation" needs to include a check to see that the slider stops on the canopy are sufficiently larger than the holes in the grommets. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

I couldn't find the video, but from your description it just sounds like your legs are relaxed, not necessarily a bad thing. -- Jeff My Skydiving History