darkwing

I used UPS and Fedex to send my gear back/forth between South Carolina and Lost Prairie, Montana. Not cheap, but on a 3 flight day, I worry MUCH less about the rig. Full insurance too. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

I'm virtually certain that neither O'Connor, Morgon, nor Ponce were on Mirror Image that early. I remember Mike Gennis, Hod Sanders, Steve Mayes, Jim Captain, Gary Carter (original Flite Suite owner I think), BJ, Bird... -- Jeff My Skydiving History

whateve the local rules dictate. Ask for details before you jump. At our DZ it is "first point of significant deceleration" so you can swoop the ditch and drag a toe, but you better not land in it. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

Mirror Image? That would have been in 1977 I think. There was a world cup in South Africa in 1976, and the US was represented by 8-way and 4-way teams that were selected at a meet that wasn't the US Nationals, as the nationals used the older rules. It may have been that there wasn't an 8-way at the nationals, only 4-way (hogflop) and 10-way speed. Someone can correct me on that. Anyway, all of that just leads to the notion that the 1977 world meet was the first (non-world cup) world meet with more-or-less current 8-way and 4-way rules (although judging was ground-based video.) -- Jeff My Skydiving History

I have a Pro-Track in one ear and a Pro-Dytter in the other, for just this reason (plus an altimeter on my hand). I'm on my third set of batteries in about 200 jumps, and I do use economy mode. I have a friend here whose Pro-track recently quit working within a few weeks of being new. I don't recall the resolution, but I have only heard good stories about the manufacturer. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

I have jumped a Havok for about a year now. I had a Z1 before that. The entire front of the Havok folds up, so your face, mouth and chin are completely free. This is an advantage for people who wear glasses (I hated hasseling with glasses on my Z1) and for people who need to communicate in the airplane before exit (i.e. jumpmasters and instructors). I don't view a Havok as a good camera helmet, but then I'm not a camera flyer. If I didn't wear glasses I'd go back to a Z1 or try a similar full-face helmet. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

That would be me. Wait, no, I forgot, I suck. Never mind. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

Infinities are also relatively cost effective. A recent thread on them was very, very positive. I ditto the used rig suggestion though. I think you would be happier with a used rig versus a new Dolphin. http://www.skydivenet.com/vse/Infinity.htm -- Jeff My Skydiving History

I agree that it is pretty much a pilot issue also. Remember too that bigger canopies are often designed for less experienced jumpers, and are thus less zoomie. (zoomie is a technical term;-) Also a good observation that the biffs come on smaller canopies too, which is also a pilot issue! -- Jeff My Skydiving History

Knowing what to do is fairly easy and fast, being able to do it takes longer, and depends on things like is it a new zp canopy, or an old f-111 canopy. Practice, practice, practice. I've let a beginners practice on my rig, and if I didn't watch them very closely I just open it up and repack it myself. Don't hesitate to ask permission from other experienced jumpers to let you do some or all of a pack job under their watchful eye. Ask the DZO if you can practice on an unpacked student rig, just as long as you unpack it when you are done. Don't get taken advantage of though! -- Jeff My Skydiving History

I agree. A great $14 investment. We are extremely pleased with it. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

thanks for the tips. The tunnel camp curriculum is a great starting point, so we won't have to reinvent the wheel. It is too late to get everyone organized for a formal coach, but perhaps next time. Everyone sure speaks highly of a well-coached experience. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

The physics guy says.... In the absence of air resistance "terminal" velocity for any object dropped from really, really high (=infinity) to the earth will be 11,200 m/s = 25,000 mph. Here I have defined terminal as the speed you are going immediately before impact. Say you are dropped from only 100 miles though, you will be going 1750 m/s = 3910 mph. At real skydiving altitudes of say, 14,000 ft you would be going 289 m/s = 648 mph. In the absence of air resistance it wouldn't matter if you had a parachute or not. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

I'd like to get recommendations for various tunnel drill exercises. I will be with a group of six, with widely varying experrience levels. One has been to the tunnel several times, a couple have been once, and others never. Any and all suggestions for specific solo or duet tunnel drills will be appreciated, and make it in to my archives of helpful stuff to give to other people. I did a search and didn't come up with much... -- Jeff My Skydiving History

It has been a real learning experience. We got in about a dozen practice jumps, although I doubt there were any two with the same people or the same exit. At least we have figured out some of what NOT to do. We are going to Lake Wales for the meet. About 15 people from our DZ are making the trip. your advice has been very valuable to us. thanks again. We have the experience and capability to not suck. In any case we will have fun. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

there are other canopies that you hear great things about including their customer service. Buy from them. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

Maybe email the golden Knights and ask them? I am a rigger, and a loooong time ago, when in the Air Force I looked in to their rigger program. It struck me as pretty much useless for a civilian. Although the army probably has a much higher percentage of riggers actually doing personnel parachutes. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

I may be a little unfeeling here, but it sounds like they (and perhaps others) learned a much needed lesson, and nobody died. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

I am pushing 2000 jumps and I gladly equip myself with a cypres. I turn it on and then ignore it, as it is only a backup - not only for my own failings, but for the failings of others I jump with. While I didn't need it then, a while back when a cameraman hit me HARD in freefall I was glad I had a cypres. My lites were only out for a couple of seconds, with lots of altitude. That was a good reminder why I have a cypres. ps - my home DZ requires them for under 100 jumps. The large majority of experienced jumpers there have them. I think the DZO sells them at cost, and installs them for free. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

I have a Pro-track in one ear and a Pro-dytter in the other. I also have a wrist mount altimeter. I want the entire universe to break me out of my reverie when it is time. I have seen (and jumped with) national champions who ignored audibles and kept on skydiving. ps - I love the comment in response to the "distracting?" Yup, distraction is goooood sometimes. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

It is realistic to consider the effective altitude changes at any one dropzone over the course of a year are in the vicinity of 5000 feet, so if you jump in only one place you have jumped over a wide altitude range. I'm referring to density altitude, the actual density of the air, which is affected by air pressure, temperature, humidity. The variations with "real" altitude are no more than the variations you accommodate just by going from a very hot, muggy day, when the pressure is low, to a cold dry one in the winter when a high pressure is sitting on you. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

I'm a blissfully happy owner of a current-style Infinity. I'm certain that '96 is older style. I have seen a couple of older ones, but I can't remember enough detail to be useful to you. They are sufficiently changed to be considered a new, different rig these days, as are most rigs when compared between then and now. I'm sure if you email them at: [email protected] they will answer any questions you have. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

I doubt that downsizing slowly is ever less safe than downsizing quickly. It is easy for downsizing too fast is to be a mistake. It seems that if there is significant disagreement you should always take the safe route. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

Some very good skydivers had much shakier student experiences. Just keep working on it. -- Jeff My Skydiving History

I was on a 4-way that built to a 6-way. We were sharked. Probably no sharks on a 330-way. Even when I was a younger and better skydiver big stuff scared me. -- Jeff My Skydiving History