darkwing

I don't drink either, but not for religious or philosophical reasons, it all just tastes like crap. I have bought beer though, but wouldn't hesitate to buy soda or water of equivalent value. I would expect to get some crap for doing so, but it would all be good natured crap. Don't worry about it, water, Dr. Pepper, Red Bull, anything.... -- Jeff My Skydiving History

It is pretty clear to me that you are entitled to a major jumping excursion when they return. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

I reseated the pin. Strictly speaking though, the seal was broken, so he should ride down. Please don't use up too much bandwidth making that the issue though. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

At about 12,000 feet in a Pilatus Porter, jumper is kneeling in front of me, we are both next to the door (closed). He didn't ask for a pin check so I gave him one anyway. Main is OK. Reserve pin is less than 1/8" (3 mm) past the loop. Loop pressure has the pin tilted upwards, very close to sliding off the pin and opening reserve... I figure there was about a 95% chance it would have opened on climb out. He was going to be front float. Lives were saved. I'm glad I wear Depends. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

timing.... it's all about timing. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

The main purpose of the covers is to prevent the slider from coming down past them. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

Also, there are always groups of jumpers and non-jumpers who are off do do something else, either for weather breaks, or just to take a day off. She will have no problem hooking up with someone for off-DZ adventures. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

I think the most likely time for it to occur is when you throw it out. Watch slow motion video of throw outs some time and you might agree with me. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

Don't confuse ignorant with stupid. If your only exposure to skydiving was the news and movies, which is the case for 99% of the population, you'd probably be the same. The one advantage we have, is that having seen the news and movie coverage of skydiving, we no longer believe anything we see about stuff of which we are ignorant. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

If she is outdoorsy at all there is plenty. Otherwise not much. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

does your instructor jump? I bet not. Anyway, he is wrong. Head down it is. I'd guess that head down is faster than standing, even if the arms in the stand are straight up. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

This testosterone-laden sport has tended to supress such things (although not actively as far as I am aware). It will be interesteing to see what works out for you. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

Thanks so much for the info. If anyone can send me even just the team names, what year they won, team members, contact info, etc. it would be greatly appreciated. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

I'd like to put together a history of competitive 4way here in the US. I don't have any Parachutists from the 1970s, so I'm going to rely on the kindness of strangers. If you have some info, or could send me xeroxed pages from relevant Parachutists I'd love to put together a web page of early 4way. I want to concentrate on 1985 and before. Perhaps some youngster could extend it to the modern era. I hope that USPA would eventually have some competition history pages on the web. Any potential contacts or other information would be greatly appreciated I think that a team with Tony Fugit won the first 4-way nationals, which was maybe in 1970. There was also a team "Godfrogs" which won in 72 I think. Then came the Rainbow Flyers dynasty. I knew Sam Brown of the Rainbow Flyers, but don't know any other names, and don't know if he or any of them still jump. The last hogflop competition was at the nationals in 1976, after which things were pretty much as they are now. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

Safety issues are always constrained by economics. Every car can be safer, as can every airplane... We decide just how much we are willing to pay to get an incremental increase in safety... The very safest skydiving is no skydiving (similarly for driving and flying...). Obviously we have decided that it is safe enough as it is, but we will still welcome inexpensive improvements. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

I am certain that there is no single answer, other than "it depends"... rubber band tightness, snatch force, riser covers, the degree of "set" in the 3-ring part of the risers..... -- Jeff My Skydiving History

Hey Chile, that seems to mean that all good ideas have already been thought of? I think not. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

because sooner or later you are going to wish you had it. So get a D license, then you don't have to worry about it, or miss out on the neat demo, or something.... -- Jeff My Skydiving History

A spectre is more docile than a sabre2. I have nearly 500 jumps on a spectre. I'm going to demo a sabre2 soon. For a person of your experience level I'd definitely recommend a spectre over a sabre2. You need forgiveness much more than you need performance. Go to the performance designs web site and download the flight characteristics documents for each of the canopies. What PD says is vastly more valid than what most posters tell you (except me of course). Of course check with your instructors, etc. A person is far better off taking the conservative approach than being 1% too aggressive. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

Check the grommets in the slider. Check the suspension lines for rough areas.... -- Jeff My Skydiving History

Unless you have doppler radar eyeballs this can happen. There are general rules about turbulence, downwind from obstructions, thermals, etc., but they are all just rules of thumb. The thing you need to learn is how to react when it happens again, because it will. So, what will you do next time when the bottom drops out? -- Jeff My Skydiving History

I think it must have been routed incorrectly originally. A chest strap that is undone and the jumper is aware of it is not much of a problem. It is the ones that aren't known to the jumper that are a problem. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

try it and find out. Just don't try it on my canopy. Perhaps find out if any mfr does it. Then try to find out what paint they use. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

I'm sure a Rodriguez brother will want it. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

No real help from me, but you do get a comment. I suspect that the fatality statistics will be relatively easy to get. The problem is how do you compare them? By number of participants, by frequency of participation, by jumber of .... For example. Considering bowling fatalities-- do you consider someone with 100 jumps to be an equivalent participant to someone with 100 bowling games, or is it 100 frames, or is it 100 nights of bowling.... I too am interested in the statistics, as I can probably twist them in arguments with people who say I shouldn't skydive. I recall having read many risk comparisons, and they all suffered from comparing apples to oranges. -- Jeff My Skydiving History