RMURRAY

thats a good loading, but it really starts to perform at 2.4, i like it ALOT! at 2.6! how does your PD106R land with that much weight strapped on you - I guess you need to shed it before landing??? rm

After some discussion with Jim about what would be the right size, I ordered a JVX 96 in custom colors which is supposed to be ready in approximately 5 weeks from now. I believe Stew S and Nick B also ordered ones. what wing loading did you go with on the jvx? rm

I guess you mean "clean and lubricate". I thought the need to flex the 3 ring was a myth - didn't bill booth say it was not necessary? Or am I thinking about rotating the rings. rm

No, I expect my rigger to do that shit. Then I expect him to put some kind of magic loction on the cable to keep them safe. don't most people disconnect your own main before handing to your rigger??? This is when I clean my cables. If mine were a yellow cable that would not be often enough. rm

to me really makes sense for a tandem canopy - to make easier to pack. why do we not see more sport canopies with zero P top and F111 bottom and ribs??? what are the advantages and disadvantages of both? rm

yes, more and more people don't "know" the gear they are jumping. this is the root cause of the problem - along with a relaxed attitude toward gear.

Would you mind telling everyone why they shouldn't use a pocket slider? This is the first time I've heard it, and the only reason I can come up with is MEL would not sell as many domed slider (but as far as I know, MEL wouldn't do that). a pocket slider may improve the brutal openings of some Sabre1s but I believe a dome slider is better. A pocket slider is not symetrical and under certain conditions can "stand on edge" and offer very little resistance - i.e. just like a regular slider can. a dome slider will tend NOT "stand on edge" because (if you can imagine) it will correct itself. It will work more consistantly under more conditions. I am not a rigger, just repeating what he told me when I was thinking about one for my VX - never did get one. My DZO did get one and his Sabre1 170 opens great now - before he would not take it to terminal. Another thing to remember is when a canopy slams you a bunch of times you need to check the trim at the same time as doing any slider mods. The lines may need to be replaced. rm

if you don't mind me asking who did these retractable ledges? Is there a certain rigger who does a good job???? rm

I'm surprised how many people said yes. my situation is the very same as MIAMI. red cable so I voted no. I clean it at repack time (180 days) I have stated this many times - almost no one I know cleans and lubs their yellow cable. even the ones who do probably do not use the recommended food grade silicone. If the have a highly loaded ellipical this really is not a good idea. where can I get the food grade silicone (in Canada). I am thinking maybe riggerrob knows... rm

give MEL a call. he will explain why not to use a pocket slider. rm

my limit for 3500 ft hop n pops is -12C (10F) on the ground - but that is out of a U206 with no door... rm

get MEL to make a dome slider for it. call him and he will explain. they work great - I have seen this first hand. Here is his number... FAA Master Rigger/Owner Skyworks Parachute Service 2222 Buffalo-West Springs Hwy. Buffalo, SC 29321 864-429-8428 rm

and I thought I was the only Racer fan left on the planet..... rm

This really gives me the creeps. Should be "I respect you for serving our country" or something like that. WTF does God have to do with it. rm

can someone post a picture of these? sounds good... rm

just do it yourself it is easy. does your mom still make your bed? just follow the RWS instructions... rm

here is the latest honda. see attached

she has 1000 jumps and has been in the sport for 10 years (ie gained some knowledge along the way). she should be able to select a canopy to try out - if not, I'd say she better stick with what she knows... rm

that is BS. do some reading up on the aluminum lined carbon fibre tanks that will be used. gasoline held in the thin tanks we use is quite hazardous. to get back to the subject. I don't think there will be shortages. the price of gas will go up, people will park their giant SUVs and the price will come down a bit, and the trend continues. just supply and demand. In a couple of weeks, I am going to sell my wifes 3.8 liter Windstar and get myself a 1.5 liter Echo Hatchback (I think it is called Yaris in Europe) - this will be the only way I can afford to jump. rm

what percent of US farmland would need to be used for every gas station were to pump 85% ethanol gasoline. I can't remember the figure but I think it was impossible. Maybe 10% ethanol gasoline is possible? Conservation is a better route...

electric (battery) cars will have their place - everything has advantages and disadvantages. recharge time is a disadvantage. current fuel cell vehicles have a range of about 190 miles. the first production units will have a range of 300 miles (I believe these will have the 10000 psi tanks - 300 miles is on the low end of todays gas powered cars. refilling time will be close to todays cars. compressed hydrogen (gaseous or liquid) is safer than gasoline. hydrogen is the future - it is just a matter of when. Todays IC engines will be obsolete in 20 years. A good thing!

farmland should be used to grow food - not fuel giant SUVs....

all electric vehicles were tried - and did not work out. a break-though in battery technology was needed (to extend range and reduce weight) and never happened. fuel cells using compressed hydrogen are coming - it is just a matter of when. agreed, burning coal for electricity should be banned by developed countries. Ontario (a province of Canada) is closing all coal burning power plants by 2007 to help meet Kyoto targets - at least they are doing something right! rm

someday all the wheels will be driven this way. I am not big on hybrids - Reneault/Nissan are not either - they say high tech diesel is fine. However, hybrids are a good step to develop electric drive trains and get where we need to go --- finally get rid of the internal combustion engine and move on to (hydrogen) fuel cells. produce hydrogen by using renewables (hydro, wind, geothermal, solar etc) as much as possible and nuclear for the rest... rm rm

Poor homebuilder? Kinda funny, I've never seen or heard of a poor homebuilder, especially in this area. The one I knew personally just sold his 4000sq ft house to buy something bigger. Most of the builders I see around here have big F-350s or similar sized Dodge trucks, but I never see them being used for anything that a standard sized truck couldn't handle. I think part of the reason they have such massive trucks that they don't need is due to the huge tax break they get for buying trucks over 6000lb (Tax Code 179 I believe). I live in Canada, I wish we had the choice of small cars from Europe. The would sell like hotcakes. I think the US is another story. Hybrids are good for the city. For crusing at speed for hours on the highway - modern (read European) turbo diesels are better. A diesel electric would be cool. by this I mean only electric drive with the small diesel running constant charging batteries. Might as well make it all wheel drive for the winter up here... rm More info on that is available here: http://www.selfemployedweb.com/suv-tax-deduction-list.htm