darkwing

It must be post 1975, since it has a slider... -- Jeff My Skydiving History

They publish budget stuff in Parachutist every year, but I don't recall the details of the budget, although some breakdown is given. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

Cheapo Photo: I think it is a Cloud also, The only other canopy with vents like that (I think) was the Viking, but it had round holes. Candy stripe 28's were pretty old I think. I'm not sure what year the military switched to the "modern" 4-panel color scheme. c photo: I agree, the split tail makes it a sled I think. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

Notice in the photo that Jerry Bird still looks the same. I also don't get where the 18mph number comes from. Maybe assuming you are comfortable going as fast backwards as you are forwards in a no wind situation, assume a 9mph canopy speed (which still seems too fast). -- Jeff My Skydiving History

I not entirely sure I understand your complaint, but if you are putting your main risers under the secondary cover I think you are making a mistake. I'm pretty sure they only go under the first cover. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

That's a Pioneer 23-foot triconical main, part of the famous Jerry Bird RW system they had. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

Is it a volplane? -- Jeff My Skydiving History

In addition to materials costs being higher for the main, mains are generally more complicated. Reserves are rectangular and easier to sew. Mains are generally elliptical, or tapered, and more complex to cut out and sew. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

This is a conversation that is best to have with the dealer you are buying the rig through, or with the Vector people. The answers to your questions all pretty much start with, "It depends..." -- Jeff My Skydiving History

That was a pretty long canopy ride. The spot looked good, but that's generally easy for 300 foot exits. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

Maybe Orofino, Idaho. Deep canyon, fast river, tiny airport. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

I agree with pretty much everyone's responses above. I am curious what the DZO/S&TA at this DZ would tell you? -- Jeff My Skydiving History

They aren't scary until afterwards. Just do it. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

"someone" needs to pack for a better class of skydiver. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

I just consider it a courtesy to the tandem passenger. I want them to have a great experience, and get hooked on skydiving... -- Jeff My Skydiving History

I rarely have strong reactions to questions, but I did with this one. Skydiving is serious, at exit, in freefall, and under canopy. If you are listening to music you are distracting yourself, and putting yourself in much more danger, and more importantly, putting me in much more danger. I very, very strongly urge you to never do it. In fact, I beg you. I would respond the same to anyone, with any experience level. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

Quote I have not much experience but if my control range goes from my ears to the middle of my chest then I will take a Sabre 2 where I have a longer control range and the canopy doesn't stall rapidly like the pilot.Quote You must have jumped a mutant Pilot. My Pilot 168 only stalled if I took a wrap of the control lines around my hands. It had a great control range. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

That gets me thinking... When were floaters and chunks invented? -- Jeff My Skydiving History

In my area people much prefer the Pilot. We had some Sabre2's and I demoed one from the factory. The pilot opens better (although there are apparently some Sabre2's that open nicely). Sabre2 may fly a LITTLE better, but its a Pilot for me. PS - Don't waste anyone's time telling me my opening problems with the Sabre2 were due to body position. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

I have always figured that getting on the airplane costs me a jump ticket. Emergencies, weather, etc, don't change the price. I realize that sometimes you get a break, but I have never asked for one, nor will I. I chalk it up to karma. How many times have I been on a plane and had them circle a while to find a hole? How many times have I gotten extra altitude and not been charged? Lots. Anyway, a few "extra" bucks for the experience of jumping out in an emergency is worth it, don't you think? Also, I am a big fan of not being dead, and 10 bucks is nothing in comparison. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

Just remember, the first load is when you pretty much believe the numbers, after that, you believe what you actually experience. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

I have never even considered it. In my years of jumping I have never seen a case where I thought someone fudged their logbook. I have seen many cases where they logged too few jumps though. Only one more month to go for me in China, then back to the USA!! -- Jeff My Skydiving History

Is it possible that this is some coating on the lines that has deteriorated instead? Painting the reserve lines seems almost too bizarre an explanation. Definitely contact the reserve manufacturer also. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

Quotecould you elaborate on why?Quote Sure, because there is value in orderly deployment of lines, and having them haphazardly fall out of the stows during deployment is not conducive to a clean deployment. I am pretty sure that NO canopy/rig manufacturer would recommend what you are recommending. Please do not confuse success over the span of a few hundred jumps with a statistically valid sample. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

I think this is a really, really bad idea. Partial line dump during deployment is not a good thing. -- Jeff My Skydiving History