Dutton

Exactly right. If you dont completely straighten your legs, it makes no difference what you are doing with your arms or torso... Thinking about your toes also brings awareness all the way down your legs, another good instructional tip for those with stiff or noodle legs.

Check out Rifle Dynamics. Jim did my AK and did a wonderful job. You could get a great Saiga build from him, or look into Dinzag Arms in Michigan and get the parts to do it yourself.

I suppose for the average Egghead Libertariarian that would suffice.

A few years ago someone was killed by a hard opening jumping a stiletto. I think she tore her aorta or something. I have also heard of someone who broke a femur on opening jumping a Sabre2. Those parachutes were designed to be deployed at terminal. However, your mileage may vary...

Fixed it for you.

What are "collective actions"?

"What would a libertarian do about a prince?" Assassinate him.

Who gives a damn. I'll not be freeing mine any time soon.

An effective way to teach tracking is by telling the student that the tracking position is infinitely variable and as it becomes more efficient, it becomes less stable. Start out with your legs completely straight, slightly de-arch and sweep your arms at 45 or so, but limit your aggressiveness only as far as stability (exact heading control) allows... In other words, put them on the ground and show them how to smoothly move into a tracking position while maintaining precise heading control. The speed and floatiness can come later. Every time you track you will further refine your position and try for more performance, I am still doing this almost twenty years in... There really is no one type of tracking position for everyone. We are all shaped differently and have different capacities for stability. You can't tell them what position will work, but you can show them how to find out for themselves! Whatever you do, don't accept any off heading tracking- patience is important in learning this.

Do not do this if you have stiffeners in your container flaps or snag points. However, I had a friend who jumped an old SST and Unit and had good results figure-eighting his lines in the pack tray and rubber banding his slider up. Cliff! Looked cool unpacking, too...

Shari and I are thinking of you both. Hang in there.

Check your messages, friend. John

Instead of wearing a big scary full face helmet, its best to focus on not getting hit, just stay out of the way when they pull. Full face helmets limit your ability to communicate with the student in freefall. It really helps when a student sees you smiling and happy, it relaxes them. AFF is dangerous, if you feel the need to wear a helmet, try a protec with a aftermarket liner, they are very comfortable. Good luck and happy hunting.

I like using flex z goggles, pariticularly the mini flex z. The only problem is the tubing that goes around the outside comes off over the nose part. Has anyone found a glue that works to stick this back on?

AFF Instructor's International? Local No. 1 Meeting next weekend at my house. BYOB

We have a winner! Good for you. I get from $20 to $30. I think we should all get at least $30 for either side and split responsibilities. Many times I have started out "secondary" and found myself taking care of business on the main side shortly after exit. If the student needs two highly trained skydivers with him in the air, he should pay for it.

How much are we getting this year? Any takers?

THE ANSWER BELOW.... Ragged out PD 150 been there, done that.

This may be helpful.

The "optimal wingloading" on any canopy is that which makes you look the most in control. Don't be in a big hurry to downsize! The wingloadings being tossed around here are very high considering no one really knows how much experience you have. I have over 4,000 jumps and I have been jumping for 14 years. I put over 2,500 jumps on a St 97 (Its cool to wear out a canopy) and I now jump a Sabre2 107. I could easily handle a Velocity, or a Katana, but I like jumping a canopy that is conservative. You know what though, I can consistently out-swoop most of the jumpers on my DZ who use x-braced canopies. Its not how big it is, but whether or not you know how to use it.

You are flogging a decomposed horse Dave. The last time I looked at my canopy it had a big orange warning label that already has a wing loading chart on it. If there was ever a good reason for a skydiver to learn to read, that label would be it. BUT, we all know you just can't tell some people what to do... If you insist on packing it in on a canopy you have been repeatedly told you can't handle, well... More food and air for the rest of us! Unfortunately these meatheads are usually the ones who think it is a bright idea to swoop downwind in a crowded landing area.

Yeah, it was. Gimme a call, I'm on standby this week, we'll see Eddie.

I see an article has been posted on "Stretching for Freeflying". Its time to start doing something else, I guess. First it was $200 ratings. Then you had to have a $200 jumpsuit. Now you have to stretch. Ughhh.