cwhitchurch

Before the flames start... I didn't mean to imply that all digitals are dumbed-down. Between white balance, response curves and the like, getting perfect exposure with digitals can be challenging sometimes, just like film.

There are some solid 35mm choices out there for ~$300. Between 4-6 frames/sec, and no buffer to worry about. Get a fair neg scanner for another $300 and you'll get upwards of 11 Megapixels, and you still have the option of getting professional prints enlarged off your favorites. You can shoot Velvia for projects, or push-process cheap 400 on cloudy days. 35mm's require a little more user input and patience, as they aren't as dumbed-down as many of the digitals, but I'm still hanging on. And the used market is well established. We had humidity problems this weekend. All the digitals were shutting down. Some of our digital shooters are now having warenty problems. Neither is perfect. Either way, you're gonna spend some money. Plan your choice. -c

I did primary video for some bigway camps last year. Organizer wanted me off early but tight & facing jumprun. My best luck was to time my exit on the outside center. (I'm tall enough to see over all them folks). Find out if the jumper you are sharing the step with plans to drop straight down, or go out. Make him promise to one or the other, you get what's left. If you can take the hole between the floaters leaving and the base exit, and either drop or hop depending on what the share-guy does, you'll get clean air 90% of the time. If you make contact, just grab the rig and push them aside gently. It's understood, it'll all work out.

Howdy, The club calendar is a little light on the RW side this year. So I'm looking for some organizers that either havn't been here, or haven't been here in quite a while. Anybody know how I can find Jerry Bird? Also, I'd love to hear any reviews of weekends he's organized jumps. If you don't want your review public, feel free to email me directly. [email protected] thanks, -christian

4-8 way video. Otter. I have been doing float exits for a couple seasons with good luck. But i'm feeling the need to expand. I want to get the trailing exit figured out. Or that almost trailing hybrid I'm seeing more of, where the video falls under the plane and turns 90. any pointers? are you guys setting up with your right or left foot on the step? do you push at all with that foot? push back? push left with the peel-off? I've heard the "feel all the rivets down the side of the plane" thing, but I havn't hit it yet. any help would be appreciated, by me and whoever has the tail and inside slots. -chris

My personal best average is 48 mph. lots in the low 50's. By JumpTrack I did hold 40 mph for about 12 seconds once. That's my best effort at sustained slow. I remember fighting the stall the entire time. Super slow decent always seems to cost me glide. But I know if I'm really hauling forward I can get a lot of that back as extra lift. It's kinda like a canopy. To come down slow you can either be in brakes/rears and flatten it out, (drop yer knees a bit and de-arch hard) or be going balls out fast forward and get lift from the speed(push yourself really long/tall and de-arch). ok, lame analogy, but worth a thougth i think. -c

6'4 and 170 +gear. -christian

Also: The cutaway cables don't pass through the little loops simultaneously. The side with the RSL always has a bit more cable. Maybe an inch worth. Check it out. The idea is to let the other riser (non RSL) get clear a moment sooner. It helps your odds on an entanglement. Get a local rigger to check it out. Worst case you get a new handle and trim it, or switch the risers over. And, if you do move RSL over, check the routing and length, as mentioned above. And, learn it. get it into your head that it moved. It's good to know where that shackle is, in case you need to release it. The when and where's is a whole new thread. -chris

here's what I got in response. Hi Chris The new main bag design we are working on is still in testing and doesn't use any rubber bands at all. We are getting positive feed back from the people that are already using this bag. More on heading opens, a little smoother and once the've got used to it a little quicker to pack. I estimate that this will still be in testing for about 6 - 8 more months. Only when we are 100% happy will we introduce this type of bag. [blah blah blah] Best Regards, James Haggas (aggie) Sun Path Products I havn't given up hope though. I'll keep you folks posted on my search. it really bugs me that us birdfolks seems to have a higher cutaway percentage. gotta solve this somehow. -chris

Will you post what Sunpath tells you?? yup. I sent a fairly detailed email. I'll share the goodies that come back. -chris

thanks folks. I'll call sunpath and see where this goes. -chris

Howdy, Somewhere I picked up some gossip that a container manufacturer was researching a free-bag-ish line stow pouch for their D-bag. The problem is that I can't remember who it was. Any help? I spend a lot of time jumping wingsuits. I jump a Mirage with the Wingsuit Mods. I'm really considering sewing a pouch on my bag, so that I can stow lines just like a free bag. I'd really like to talk to folks who have done it. I'm thinking I could flip the bag over, even place it grommet to BOC, mirroring the reserve. It sounds like it could be a cleaner opening. The bag leaves me at a 45. Why not point the bag in that general direction anyway? Folks are already packing grommet to pin. Wouldn't the bag fit the container better this way? Anything to avoid twists. Diving twists and wings don't get along. My "terminal" is slow enough that PC hesitation is common. I don't think I'll miss the rubber bands. especially when a tight stow could be a twist enducer. somebody help me with this. -chris rigger, bird-man instructor, and generally hyperactive geek

k- I recently bought the jumptrack thingy for this very reason. lemme know when you're gonna be out next, and I'll loan it for a while. Or just bring a laptop if you have one. You can download the entire vertical speed v time data. kinda cool. -christian

Kevin, I'll miss next weekend (family) but if you're still frustrtated when I get back, I can help you out. My excess pushes back into the handle, just like handles on a rig. If you can't cram the excess into the handle, and would rather not have them hang out the top, we'll trim them. (I'm also a rigger, I repack and maintian Ned's student rigs) -christian

I got my first flat spin a few weeks ago. the story: I recently ordered a SkyFlier, so lately I've been trying to push the GTi. Trying flips and barrell rolls in series, working for more control. I'm out on a solo, and things got weird. I find myself on my back, spinning like hell. Arch - nothing. Arch harder - nothing. Curl up - Bingo. it slows, I roll out onto my belly, and promptly dump at 7k (I was last out, and long). While under canopy, wondering where the hell that came from, I find my right arm was unzipped about 2/3 the way up. I'm not sure when it happened. I doubt I left the plane that way, but regardless, I don't think an open arm helped anything. It took some effort to ball-up. I had some wicked rpm's going. But it worked. lesson - when things are a little goofy, arch out. When things are way goofy - be the ball. I'm glad I heard the word on this earlier. My vote goes with Kim. -christian