JohnMitchell

Haha, you should have videoed his opening . . . between your toes from under canopy. . .

Me too. All I'm hearin' is crickets . . .

Well hell, we all know the USPA listens to the manufacturers more than the membership.

Well that's just wrong. I still take big people, but I don't take HUGE people anymore. And at some DZs I don't do fat fees, which means no one over 199.

FAA Part 105.45 is pretty specific that you have to have a "master's parachute license" and have been "certified by the manufacturer or tandem course provider", etc. Without your license and certification, you're violating federal law, not just some USPA rules. The FAA can take you to court and fine the heck out of you. USPA does not issue "Master" licenses. They have not for 15 years. So anyone with a "D" that was after the date they changed would be illegal according to the FAA. Hmmm, I wonder if the FAA recognizes a D "expert" license as being a "master" license? Interesting take on the semantics of it. Does anyone know the answer to this?

Ohhh, Grandma's Fudge Chocolate Chip cookies were my go-to choice in the snack machine at work. I must have bought 3-4 pairs a week for 25 years.

Damn, that came apart really well. I was thinking that 100 kg for a model this big is pretty lightly built. I guess I was right. . .

Nice job! I've done two, one preplanned and the other, well, not so preplanned.

I sure you're correct. It's changed a lot since I got my licenses (1 night jump and 100 jumps for the C, I think, and a real water jump and 200 jumps for the D). Although I'm still an instructor, I'm not an S&TA anymore, so I don't do any license sign offs these days.

Your first night RW jump should be like your first night jump, very conservative and very well planned. Just pulling a 2-way out of the plane, tracking early and pulling high will suffice for the B-license requirements (or is it C-license now?). That's how my wife did her 2nd night jump, although she made her partner turn a bunch of two way points. ("Why not?" was her response. . . ) If you go with a fairly experienced jumper, the risk should be little greater than any risk on your solo night jump. Don't let it scare you off.

Sounds like a place where I'd love having a bigger canopy too. I've done my share of first aid on very experienced people that get just a little "behind the curve" on just one landing. . I like to have a fat margin of error. I'm not a base jumper but have been around for a while. In design, BASE canopies are very similar to earlier square canopy designs. 7 cells, not 9, lower aspect ratio, and more porous, non-zero porosity material, among other design factors, make them more reliable than modern main canopies. Their similarities to our square reserves are obvious. With that said, the factors that make them more reliable make them land not as softly. In the 70's, one of the most popular canopies was the Stratocloud 7 cell. At 230 sq. ft., it was easy to sink into the pea gravel when shooting accuracy. The Parafoil 252 was even bigger, at, yes, 252 sq. feet. It was not unusual to see 150 pound people, or less, jumping those size canopies, especially for shooting accuracy.

Never spent much time on Maui. We're not climbers either, but I've bet they've got some great places. Love to snorkel. Kickball is like baseball, only the pitcher rolls a kickable rubber ball, similar to a soccer ball, to the "batter" at home plate. They kick the ball to put it into play, and from there they run the bases and score runs just as in baseball. More of a beloved kids' game in the U.S. I loved playing soccer as a kid, but as a typical American I prefer our version of football even more.

Did he use turn signals at all? My guess is "no".

About a decade ago I upsized my main from a 135 to a 150. My creaky knees really appreciate it. And my reserve is a 190. I've had to land it off the DZ a few times, even once in a front yard. It was nice to have that much canopy over my head, knowing I could squeeze into a tight spot without injury.

Darn, I was really hoping to get some intelligent feedback on why you think talking to an instructor about using front risers is such a bad idea. I'm always up for new ideas. . . Still don't have any?

I remember my first NJ, like it was yesterday. 4 way out of a Cessna from 7500. Intense. A tip for landing in winds? I see a lot of people do just what you describe. Maybe a cross wind, maybe slightly off the wind line, or maybe just an asymmetric flare. Regardless, fly the canopy ALL the way thru the flare, and all the way to the ground. If you're pushing to the left, steer a little to the right. If you're pushing to the right, steer a little to the left, even if you're right in the middle of flaring. It's just like driving your car down the highway. I call it "killing the drift". Just use differential steering to keep the ground underneath you from sliding back and forth.

Pacific Skydiving in Hawaii gets some nice kickball games going on bad weather days. That's as fun as soccer, right? I also find myself climbing the walls on long weather holds.

I lived in the DFW area, so it was moonpies and a Coke.

So hey, how was the wedding?

My instinct says the flyer should remain "still" as he is not physically connected to the ship , and the walls should bash into him But on the other hand , have you ever put a pinpong ball on the jet of a hair dryer and move it around , ball remains in center of air flow A friend of mine works as an instructor on one of these ships. He says you can notice when the ship/tunnel moves.

Flaring too high is a VERY common mistake. I'm sure it's because you see the ground rushing up. Keep working at it and you'll get acclimatized to it. With that said, there are SO many variables that go into making a good landing that it's almost impossible to coach someone without actually seeing their landings. I'm glad you got someone to watch yours and give you some feedback.

Two of my favorites are M&Ms and Moon Pies. Those are two things that will NEVER be discontinued. . .

However, the forecast says maybe some light showers later. . .

PANC 171453Z 00000KT 10SM SCT070 BKN120 BKN200 08/07 A2944 Looks like a bit of blue skies (a little chilly, in the mid 40's), not windy and NOT RAINING. Best of luck to you today.