Alti2_Staff

@ChrisD: Interesting that you would assume that I was not aware of the scientific analysis of which you speak and the conclusions that came from it. Actually, I have done a lot of homework on the subject and have read summaries of the NASA research as part of my own effort to gain a better understanding on the subject. The science shows clearly that picture-to-action provides a more rapid and effective path for triggering a response.
As a student, if I was simply taught picture-to-action, and was able to carry that technique throughout my entire skydiving career, an analog display would have served me quite well. Point of fact, from day one I was taught to associate action with altitude - a numeric value. In cases when I was able to use picture-to-action, such as beginning my pull sequence when the pointer hit the yellow on my old Altimaster II, the tool was a perfect fit for the job.
As I became involved in more complex skydives, I personally found that a numeric altitude that my N3 provides was a faster and more efficient path to the associated action. When I was an AFF Evaluator, it kept me from having to train myself to associate 5 critical actions with 5 separate pictures and eliminated the time it took to process what my eyes were seeing and convert the picture to a numeric value already associated with each action. It also provided a clear, accurate altitude for me to mentally record Candidates' actions to make an objective go/no-go decision and debrief them on the ground. My fellow Evaluators, and a large percentage of the Candidates, discovered the same.
I will keep using the analog gauges in my car to translate picture-to-action...it works very well as the science has proven. On my wrist I will stick to the digits. I will also continue to educate myself on this subject and others in the hope that I can engage in thought provoking conversations, which was my intention for this article from the start.

@coticj: That is a very good idea. I have personally been using my own custom Excel spreadsheet for years, altbeit with manual data input. I experimented with logbook software, including Paralog, but found that the combination I mentioned works the best for me. I will look into the idea of exportable data N3>>NMU>>Open Source and put it on the list of things to include in future projects if it fits. Thanks very much for the feedback!

Alti-2 experimented with a heads-up display that fit in an Oxygn helmet called "Titan" in the mid-2000s. Frankly, the skydiving market was not ready for that type of product at that time. The challenges for that product were many: viewing angle of the display, visibility in bright sunlight, and rigging (cables) were all pieces to the puzzle. The decision was made to shelf the project. For us, sometimes it becomes a matter of focused priority - we are a small company and do our best to spend our limited resources carefully. Off-the-shelf HUDs made for other sports are starting to make their way into skydiving. With technology available to us now that was not when Titan was in development, perhaps it is time to revisit the idea? After all, we are always working on something....

Both electronic and mechanical altimeters have their own set of failure modes. The key lies in completely understanding your device, being aware of its known failure modes, and (as you said quite well) are prepared with scenario-based actions to deal with emergencies regarding a device malfunction. I have an electronic AAD in my rig that I am not only very well-acquainted with, but I have also built it into the pre-flight routine of my rig before I put it on. I do something VERY similar with my N3.