jmidgley

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Everything posted by jmidgley

  1. Thanks for both responses; looking at the application, I decided (as suggested) that it would be better to replace the whole line. Cheers John
  2. Hi If you wanted to splice (fingertrap) a length of spectra (1000) into an existing length of line, how long would you make the overlap, to retain a reasonable proportion of the original strength? I presume a bar tack (at each end of the overlap?) would be needed for security? Opinions welcome. Regards John
  3. One thing I haven't seen mentioned in this thread yet - maybe because it's bunkum? - if it's not to be jumped for a while, pull the pilot chute out of the pouch to save the boc pocket from premature bagginess. Made sense to me, and I adhere to it; be interested to know what others think. John
  4. Any idea what the manufacturers use for tie-dyeing the cordura when they make rigs in that style? All of the dyes that are easily available 'off the shelf' are cotton-only. Just intrigued to know. Regards John
  5. Mine's in the instruction manual for my hangglider. Thing is, you really don't want to forget to do what it says. John
  6. Mick It's roughly the same aircraft, but it's a completely different experience; very hard to compare. The most telling distinction for me is the difference in what the two disciplines choose to call 'high performance'. A high performance canopy in sky diving is one with a sink rate the wrong side of 1000' per minute, and a glide angle worse than 1:1. (I'm exaggerating for dramatic purposes). In paragliding a high performance canopy has a sink rate better than 200' per minute and a glide angle of 9:1. If you think you might get bored with serenely wafting about, you haven't yet experienced flying in thermals, gaining height so fast you get the reverse of ground rush, fighting a series of asymmetric collapses. How about an air sport where landing out, maybe miles away from take off, is the *goal*? Don't be put off by the course, if you think the flying's a bit dull. It's *all* about canopy control! Regards John M
  7. Not sure about your rules, over here, that AFF instructor has no power over any jumper besides his student. Unless that guy was also the S&TA or DZO. ... At Empuriabrave, they have a big sign at manifest that says 'If we catch you with your chest strap undone, you're grounded for the day'. Most AFF instructors there are on the staff. Regards John M
  8. What's a 182? Some kind of plane, you're saying? I'll keep an eye out for it. Regards John
  9. Hi I fly a Foot Launched Powered Hang Glider. The hang glider is a pretty standard Aeros Target (16m) and the power unit is an English made Doodlebug. In the UK the CAA exempt anything that can be foot-launched, powered or not, from the need for licenses, certificates and the like. I keep thinking I ought to get a reserve for when I fly it... Regards John
  10. Thanks everyone. Problem solved (through the iMovie discussion board on Apple's website). Somehow the camera had lost the date and time, and this prevents it from detecting scenes. Perhaps this falls into the 'bleeding obvious' category, but I mention it in case it helps anyone. Since it's not my setup, I don't know how it's possible to 'lose' the time/date, but the owner's a relieved bunny. John
  11. Nope - this is just stop-start video from the day's jumping. In some cases it may be that the footage has been reviewed and then manually stopped a second or so past the end of the scene, but that doesn't cause Pinnacle Studio (which I use) a problem. Thanks for the idea though! (And keep 'em coming - he's really fed up with the problem) John
  12. (On behalf of a non-Dropzone friend) Can anyone think of a reason why video being captured from a mini-DV camera (VX200) by firewire would not automatically recognise scene changes and split the video into clips (in i-movie on a Mac). The really obvious thing (is the box checked that says split captured video into clips) has been looked at, but where else should said friend look? Regards John
  13. Hi Can someone point me to anyone like Para-Gear, only in the UK? I would like to buy some of this mythical 'E' or '#69' nylon thread, and some shuttle woven binding type, stuff like that. Be damned if I can find anyone. As an alternative, what else is it used for in the 'real world'? That might give me a clue as to where to start looking - haberdashers just look at me funny. Supplementary question - what's the smallest sewing m/c needle that you can realistically sew 'E' thread in? Regards John
  14. Isopropanol (Iso Propyl Alcohol) is a pretty innocent solvent that works on most types of sticker and tape glues that I've encountered, and has never unexpectedly dissolved anything (including nylon) of mine. Handy stuff to have around for de-greasing and the like, too. Regards John
  15. Hi I don't know whether this is exactly what you mean but - I had real problems remembering which leg I was supposed to be using to turn with - it just didn't seem intuitive. Then someone offered a top tip - think of it as offering your leg to someone for them to get hold of. It clicked right into place then - say out loud - 'here, take my leg' and round you go. John
  16. I can't abide all that 'Like, toadally rad, dood' extreme sports crap, but I do quite like: 'If you're not living life on the edge, you're taking up too much space' John
  17. I've had one since April, bought new from TSE. I've found the company to be very helpful, the container is well made and it arrived on time. It's hard to think of too much to say about it really; it does exactly what's needed. It's very comfortable, but then it's made to measure, so it should be. It looks neat - no bulges or wrinkles. Shiny stainless hardware looks cool. I haven't had any occasion to regret buying one. HTH John
  18. Friendly guy, short light coloured hair, name of Jorg or something like? He must live there! He's the other other half of the closest I've ever come to dying. Nice chap, too. John
  19. OK, I've dismantled the old closing loop. It looks like a micro version of the polypropylene rope towing bridles I've made for towing hang-gliders (you don't want a knot, which can whip round and tie itself to the A-frame - bad day). I'm trying to envisage how you employ a piece of wire to tease the cord down. Please relieve my ignorance. As for the packboy, I've got this here lathe... Regards John
  20. Different from/harder to obtain than the Spectra referred to in this thread? If you have a mo, clue me in on the 'no sew' technique. Regards John
  21. I'm not mean, I'm careful... I like to be self-reliant, I like to know how things work, and I hate mysteries. John
  22. Hi I'd like to make some closing loops to have as spares - what do I ask for? And is it the same stuff as the cord on a powertool/packboy? Do you (questions, questions) 'spike' the hole where you thread the line back through itself, or cut? You'll guess I haven't made any before... John
  23. This is what I *did*: I bought a Teardrop Superfly from TSE, having played endlessly with colours on their rig designer (on their website), and having terminally bored them with questions. The rig arrived 3 weeks later, exactly when they said it would. It fits, it's neatly made, and so far I've 'saved' about 450 quid that I would have spent hiring shitty, ill-fitting rigs, waiting for an Odyssey. As near as I can tell, with my limited experience, there are no 'death rigs' being made now. Try and find a bad review of a container by someone who owns it. There are small individual design details that proponents of one system can debate with proponents of another, but they all appear to work. Someone else around here pointed out that when a fellow skydiver criticises a container (or main, or whatever), they can usually be silenced by asking 'how many jumps do you have on xxxx?'. But hey, we must all ride our own ride... Regards John
  24. From what I understand, gliding is pretty much a perfect example of the "Big Sky Theory". Sad to hear about this, though... _Am As a hang-glider pilot and paraglider pilot, I'd be amazed to hear that this was true. I was trained to observe the internationally accepted rules about right of way[1], with the additional rule that the first person in a thermal sets the direction of rotation. These rules apply everywhere - except the French alps, of course... [1] You do all *know* these rules, don't you? John
  25. jmidgley

    stable sit

    I've been having a bit more success with my sit, holding it for virtually the whole jump. Frustratingly, I pitch over onto my back perhaps once per jump, for no particular reason that I can identify. I ball up as I feel myself go over, and am back sitting in a second. How are you turning? I've had three different versions; turn with the hands (no success), turn by dropping one leg (very limited control, usually results in instability), turn by angling the lower legs (not tried yet). John