the.Legend

The first prototype that will be used by someone other than me :) I've pretty much settled on hardware configuration. There's still some space for optimization (like size for example) but that shouldn't affect the codebase too much. ENGO 2 indeed pretty good for this purpose. Although there was no SDK for ESP32, I was able to write some basic implementation using the documentation available. Still there's a lot of work to be done. In the sort term: * Complete "Competition mode' - UI tweaks, navigation, score computation * Implement data input - home DZ coordinates, altitude offset, target coordinates for competition, etc. * Stability overhaul In the long run it'd be good to have some smartphone app to manage all the settings, as well as create custom screen layouts, but there's still long road ahead

Maybe their old number still works Phone : 770-279-7733 If not, attached are the lineset specs pdf, maybe some rigger would help you ALL-FCI-LINE-SET.pdf

https://indoorskydivingsource.com/tunnels/manufacturers/

AAD servicing - especially: 1) Auto-shutdown feature of Vigils (idk about Cypress) - reminder to turn AAD off at the end of the day manually because they will shut themselves down after 14 hours, but if you leave the rig at DZ overnight with AAD On, it may shut itself down juuust in-between the rig check and boarding the your firts load the next day 2) battery servicing periods for different models 3) Activation altitudes and speeds for different modes

There's no such perfect spot. It's always a balance between snag hazard and the picture Full body view could be achieved by having camera far from the body i.e. selfie stick, but this is dangerous on many levels. I could give a full lecture about why this is a bad idea, but key points: * If you loose it, it might fail on someone's head or property * At terminal velocity it catches air like crazy and affects your flying a lot * Snag hazard * In case of accident/malfunction when you need both hands, what you gonna do with the camera? Just don't do that. Next on the list - helmet camera extensions - they've got their name "deathsticks" for a reason. Avoid that as well. Wrist mounts are widely used by tandem pilots, but those jumps are of completely different nature, shoot specific angles and thus wrist mounts work well only in that environment. Also those mounts have cutaway mechanism. I've seen some people with 360 camera chin mounts, which is comparably safe, but again, no full body view. You know, actually, there's one perfect spot that lets you see your whole body - when it's mounted on the helmet of your coach.

@Annik Which type of lens were you using? And did you use them with clear visor or tinted visor? How do they stand against bright daylight? After deeper investigation and consultations, I'll be experimenting with them because the platform seems very promising, easy to integrate and solves a lot of technical & safety challenges. If all goes well, there gonna be a pretty cool announcement soon :)

Parachute De France has been changing owners many times, no wonder it's hard to find any information. That's some kind of main ("Principale") but the stamp is not very readable on this photo, so you'd have to check the archives yourself: https://web.archive.org/web/20130315000000*/http://www.aerazur.com/en/ https://web.archive.org/web/20230000000000*/http://www.parachutes-de-france.net/

So my tracker from AliExpress has finally arrived. Size-wise it looks good - nearly perfect fit for SkySnatch's pipe handle But turns out this is not a GPS, rather GPRS tracker, just like this review says: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsMKcn3R2tQ (I wish I've seen it sooner) Checked its insides and indeed there's no GPS hardware. Technically you may use it along with call capabilities - i.e. look for a canopy by making noise and listening how close you get to the point, but IMHO its not worth the effort of installing it. Will search for something similar, but with real GPS capabilities

As of October - still Havoks. I've heard some talks about switching to new Intrudair Fin, but it's the same as last year's talk as switching to LowKi - i.e. time will tell. Anyways this shift would probably be gradual because they have full shelve of perfectly operational Havoks with some lifespan left in them.

Looks like old Vertigo's canopy for BASE jumping (nowadays it's known as APEX BASE)

Just a side note: that link shows only USPA-affiliated DZs.

What a waste of perfectly good material! Few month ago I got a jacket from Skylark made of parachute fabric and it's amazing! Wind/water-proof, very light and compact. I carry it in a backpack anywhere I go.

Well, just lay it on the ground and measure the area in sqft (length x width) :) It may not be 100% accurate, but you'll know what's the closest size to look for in manufacturer's catalogue

https://baseline.ws/map It also has some BASE exits. You might want to reach out to @platypii who created it and put few more locations :) And if you're into speedflying/paragliding then use this one too: http://www.paraglidingearth.com/

According to their VK page, Pro-flyers rate is 18 000 RUB (that's around 195 USD) https://vk.com/market-186941659?screen=group&w=product-186941659_7196687%2Fquery The tunnel is 5 meters in diameter If you think about paying them a visit I'd be really really careful - not only this is Russia, but Gudermes is only 40 km from Grozny - the capital of Chechen republic. A republic where even Russian authorities have little to none authority. Random Americans sometimes become pretty good hostages for future prisoner swaps. Just saying. If you just want to get the more information they left this phone number for enquirers: +7 995 811 55 77 though IDK if they speak English

I don't think many would focus on Yepzon because it's a bit of too much effort. I don't see UART pins on the board, so probably it's all via JTAG (i.e. USB) which is a bit more complex Thus the only reason to hack into this device for I see would be as a personal challenge, because there are few alternatives that require significantly less effort and skills: * No-brainer - sew an AirTag into your freebag * GPS tracker from AliExpress ( additionally you may install own opensource GPS tracking server like OpenGTS) You can then 3D print a custom pilot chute handle to serve as casing for the device https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006032717925.html folks from Empuria brava already doing something similar: https://empuriabravarigging.com/gps-handle/ * Build your own device: https://www.instructables.com/Homemade-Realtime-GPS-Tracker-SIM800L-Ublox-NEO-6M/ use Seeeduino or Adafruit Trinket to save space List is sorted in ascending order by skills & effort required UPD: I just ordered one from China, will do its review keep you posted

Please describe in more details what you mean by "best"? I.e. which characteristics you're looking for? Are line twists your only concern, or you want something maybe a bit less "stable" but more performance that can reliably get you from the long spot? Do you pack yourself or not? Would you like softer slower openings or normal are fine? etc... Apart from canopy you might want to look at pilot chute too - something like Skysnatch 2 or its less-advertised alternatives

+1 for DaVinci Resolve - the best free tool on the market, with lots of features that you'd usually find only in expensive programs. Another big plus is that on its website there are really good and really helpful video tutorials, which I highly recommend watching. This tool replaced Adobe Premiere for me. Its only weakness so far is lack of compatibility with Insta360 format, but it's manageable. Available for all platforms (Windows, Mac, Linux)

Congratulations on pulling this off! May I ask what's the biggest challenge in maintaining constant horizontal speed? Did you have thrusters "On" at constant RPM all the time or was it impulse acceleration?

Late response, but might be useful to someone: about a week ago I've been to Stockholm's WS tunnel and they still have one or two Low-Ki demo suits to try (don't remember which sizes), as well as ATC (most sizes), and if you ask in advance, Freak 5 Drop them an email and ask for details

Obsidian has been in making for few years already (last news dates 2021), and it might still take them some time to get it to the market - pre-order summer 2023 with 100 units I'd be keen to test it but I can tell you already it will not be a good match for competitors from their own FAQ: Smartphone GPS is 1Hz which is not enough. I tried this frequency in my early prototypes and speed change feedback is too slow. 5Hz like in FlySight is optimal. What's more, depending on phone's firmware, at high vertical speeds some phones go crazy and stop sending their readings. I'm wondering if Obsidian would be able to display anything else apart from plain numbers - majority of competitors I've spoken to don't actually care about ground speed or GL as much as they do about hitting the gates as precisely as possible to perfectly time the flare, and staying in the lane to avoid penalties. BTW after a long fight with the library I've finally switched to UBX protocol and now can calculate all the data exactly as the FlySight does, so what you'll see on display will be exactly what will be in scoring on the ground

The cheapest one is in Venezuela - 230$ per hour excluding coaching. But other than the price you should ask yourself what exactly you'd like to train. The further you progress, the more you tend to seek people who fly well and teach well, and that's not something every tunnel can offer. Also you'd start noticing the quality of the wind is not the same across the tunnel brands, with some offering more consistent and stable airflow. In Europe AFAIK Poland, Finland and Sweden offer the cheapest hours Complete list of tunnels around the world: https://indoorskydivingsource.com/tunnels/

Not a base jumper, but a person who came back to skydiving after a very serious spine injury. One thing that helps me mitigate the risks and shocks is strong core muscles. A good physiotherapist or trainer would help you build a corset of muscles around your back which should make it safer for you, especially on rough landings which are more frequent in base jumping. If money is the issue, a smartphone app called "6 pack promise" from Athlean-X is very good at strengthening all the necessary muscles. Out of all apps that I've tried this one worked the best.

I think that may have the opposite effect - not knowing if your equipment is working or not causes stress levels to raise. Imagine you and your friends are about to film an epic sunset jump you've been practicing all day. You did all your rigs checks, and finally you want to check the camera. But as there's no light or any indication so you start bothering people around you to confirm if equipment is in working condition. That may cause additional stress for you and distraction for both jumpers at times when everyone is focused on something important (like repeating jump plan in their heads) If someone has safe and reliable techniques of checking their equipment operating status, I see no reason as to why change it.

Maybe, but that may prove be difficult https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IiACV0Ly4j4 On the other hand, fellow FF trackers were keen about it's "Heading" functionality because apparently less experienced jumpers often loose their bearings and fly in the wrong direction.