Ron

All I am gonna say is this..... Higher wingloadings cause higher problems. It is shocking to me how many people are jumping highly loaded canopies without high jump numbers. Under 500 jumps and a 1.8 wingloading?!?!?!?!? I am I nuts here to think that it is to high of a wingloading for under 500 jumps? I have 2,500 jumps, I have a Stiletto 107 at 1.77 Sabre 107 at 1.77 and Velocity 96. at 1.97 Had a 88 Extreme at 2.1 put several jumps on a 69 at 2.7 34 jumps on a T-10 at .172

Well, they are only black on the back of the gripper. Black is better for Judging....the grips are for competitiors...if its a big deal for you to have other colors....don't get them. easy huh? Ron "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

One of the things that alot of people don't think about that makes the tunnel so damn good to use. When was the last time that you did a solo? For most of us I would bet that it has been a while. And in the tunnel you work on the basics, and get instant feedback from yourself, a coach, or the wall. I see it all the time, a person goes into the tunnel as a solo, and does alot of good work with his knees. As soon as a two way goes in, they stop using the knees as much. 3 way they are almost back to the way they used to fly....4way, back to the old habits.... For most people I would recomend using the tunnel to work on the basics....make the moves natural. Then work on RW in there. I am coaching in the tunnel tonight, and flying with my team. It is a great tool to use. Teams like Tunnel Rage, Tunnel Vision all have shown that you can use the tunnel to really improve your skills. Take Arlo and Laura. Arlo is a great jumper. In less than 2 years she brought her 4way Avg from less than a 10 with Z Girls, to almost winning the Advanced class with a high 13. That is very impressive. And most of that was done in the tunnel. (David Van G. didn't hurt however). Laura with no 4way experiance before this year, and not many jumps total almost won the Gold in Advanced....Very impressive. Both these two were invited to try for the US Womens team with Sally H. and Jamie J. I wish both of them luck, and I am sure that they will do well. No one can argue with Thomas or Eliana....Both world class, and both learned alot in the tunnel. Majic and Airspeed both use the tunnel. My team Frost only did about 60 jumps this year. Most of our training was in the tunnel. My best 4 way Avg went from a 12.6 to a 14.9. Frost as a team went from 13.6 to a 14.9. (we had a 15.2 after round 8, but we had to use an alternate for the last 2 rounds which hurt us.) I am a big fan of the tunnel, and plan on using it this year as well. Ron Frost 98-02 "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

I would say that the Mantis causes you to fall slower. I say this based on the fact that alot of people have to add lead when they learn this positon. You are cupping the Air....One reason that you do this is to take all of the "slack" out of your controls. Imagine a 77 Chysler New Yorker...ya know the big boat. The steering wheel could move 4-5 inches before the wheels would turn. That is alot lile how you turn in the Boxman. You have to move your Arm several inches before you get a reaction. When you bring both arms down. It does a few things. 1. It takes out the slack. 2. It makes you legs more effective. 3. It brings your head up so you can see better. Lay on your stomach on the ground with a pen and paper..... Write a letter to your Mom.....you really need to do this anyway. How are you laying? Is your head flat on the ground? Are your Arms out 90 deg. and level with your head? Nope. You will lay there on your elbows, head high, hands in close to center. Your upper part of your legs will be flat on the ground. This can make you fall slower, due to the fact that you are not spilling air with your arms, but insted cupping it, getting ready to push it. And you are not spilling air with your legs back. Ron Frost 98-02 "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Well Quade, Most blocks require some pulling. Randoms as well. We had Garry Smith from Majic fly with us in the tunnel one night. We only had 3 there, and he just finished coaching a team so we asked if he would join us. One of the things he told us to start working on was pulling and pushing each other more in the randoms. He told us only to do this in areas where it would be helpful....such as comming out of the compressed on M (Bundy). It helps alot, and now that he brought it up it seems only natural to do it. Now when I watch them or Airspeed, I can see them "Helping" each other. He also said that most teams don't need to do this yet. But we were around the 15 range, and we should start trying it. Quade you are also right that alot of people take grips and use them to hold slot. Way wrong. And if the group is really working on it a 100 way does not have to have tension...Then Javelin 110 ways had very little tension. Tension, and the need for iron tight grips come into play when people don't fly the slot they have. Or when doing block moves. But back to cool Gripper designs.... Why not? Ron "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

The sure grips are good. But like others have posted, not needed for most "fun" RW. How much extra do they cost? And to Quade....I pull, push, bend, swing, pray, bite....do whatever it takes to get the block done. Randoms I don't even really take grips, I just place my hand on the grip (exception is cat grips on Inside or Outside Center. I grab with the inside hand and pull while moving to reach the other grip.) But on Blocks I pull like hell at times. At these times it is nice to have some of these "Gimmicks" Out there. Tony's "Sure Grip" and Bevs Square grips with the hole in the middle do really help if you are really getting on it. But my Merlin grips, and my Michigan grips work just as well. But hell if it does not cost much more....get it. If you want to do 4way, why not dress the part? You could skydive with out booties, but if you plan on doing really fast RW....why would you? My thoughts Ron Frost 98-02 "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

I have mine set at: 3,500 feet... 1. For one reason, I really don't know how to change it. 2. I do mostly 4way team stuff, and thats about as good an altitude to leave anyway. And when anyone tracks off..the jump is done. 3. I can get away from almost any jump I go on from 3,500. Or someone will leave before that...as soon as the 1st person goes...Im gone too. I have the second warning set at 2,500.....I don't really use this to tell me when to deploy. I deploy as soon as I have tracked enough to not get killed. But it lets me know I am about to scream right by 2,000 feet if I have not deployed yet. The last warning I have set for 1,500 feet. I don't use this to tell me when to chop. I chop when I look up and see something I don't want to try and land. It also just serves as a warining that I am about to roll right by 1,000 feet. I don't use my Alti much either.... I leave when someone goes, my 3,500 foot warning goes off, I look down and see that I am at the right time, or I look down and see a very bad spot. I track till I have safe airspace to deloy....It can be a few seconds, or in some cases 1,500 feet if there are people still above me. I cut away as soon as I say to myself "Self....That is gonna hurt like hell if you try and land it." My thoughts.....2,500 jumps, so far so good. Ron "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

My first suggestion is Don't bounce!!! I would recomend a Low solo....also find a small Cessna DZ and learn what most people never learn...To spot. Ron "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

under 10 posts....around 2,500 Jumps Ron Frost 98-02 "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

You're gonna take advice from Boxman????? What is the world comming to? Did he tell you the rig has to be Ugly green to work right? As for the Design of the Javelin.... I think it was Henry "Pullyourlinein" and Mike Fury that Designed the rig.....Others have made changes. Ron "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Well, you can fall out of a rig....I remember a story about a guy with "Gutter" gear in the 70's tracking out of his rig. Think about it...Very loose ill fitting gear, arms pulled back, relative wind on the rig hitting the rig trying to pull it to your feet....Could happen. I have seen quite a few people goto the plane with a chest strap undone.....Me included. I know several people that remove the chest strap after the canopy opens...I think a bad idea. What happens if you get into a collision and have to cutaway? I do loosen my chest strap alot after opening, but not undo it. As for how tight? Well Derick Thomas does tell people to tighten the chest strap as hard as you can. But Derick is British and a little weird. (Just Kidding). He knows how his rig was designed to be worn. Yes, making the chest strap to tight will hinder your arch. I was told long ago to leave the chest strap a little loose so I can arch hard. However I wear mine fairly tight....I do alot of 4way, and my team has a pretty well matched fall rate. We don't usually have to arch like hell at any point. As a student you need to Arch like hell. If you are a light fun jumper, and refuse to wear weights, you may need to arch that hard. The chest strap will keep you from doing so. If you put the rig on, and it feels right, it is not to tight, and not so loose that you feel uncomfertable...Its right...If you need a way to measure, try the flat fist method someone wrote about.... For peace of mind, put the rig on, and loosen the chest strap. Try to squirm the rig off of your shoulders. If you can't, then it is tight enough. What feels good, and can't be pulled of your shoulders is right....I can't tell you what feels good for you. Ron "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Well, I have over 100 jumps on a Extreme FX 88. 3 on an Extreme 69. Over 100 on a Velocity 96..... Guess which one I bought? If I am ever asked what canopy to buy....simple PD. The FX were the new cool toy on the block. They were designed after a PD product. But they opened so damn hard. One time Boxman from Zhills asked to jump my 88. I let him (In reality he took my rig from the gear room while I was not looking, Its ok I steal his from time to time) Anyway he landed looking white....He also looked pissed. Later he told me he wanted to hit me because it opened so hard. It did, and I sent it back. My Velocity has yet to whack me, and in fact I jump it with a camera. I would have never jumped the FX with a camera. I am not sponsored by PD....Relative Workshop yes, but not PD. I choose to jump PD products. I have yet to find a canopy company that has time after time put out good products of all types while having a high standard of quality. Ron "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

I pick my altimeter, and alot of my other toys (SCUBA,Skydiving,Mustang parts ect) based of SERVICE from the companies.... I had an ALTI III. It broke. Man did that suck. Well I just threw it in my gear bag and and quit using an altimeter. I have 2 eyes!....Then I bought an Audible. After a few years I wanted to start having an alti again. I sent my old ALTI III into ALTI 2 (now in DeLand, then somewhere else). It had not been used for several years, and was broken when I stoped using it. Well they fixed it free and sent it back. 10.00 covered shipping. And that was that. I then bought several more. I had one other break...I think a Tandem student dropped it...alot. It was not that old, but it was the Plastic shelled one. They sent me a new one. So I pick the company that has for me great service. Altimaster. As to where to put it, I mount mine on the front of my left leg strap. You can see it most of the time, and I can see it when I look at my handles....Not that I have EVER looked at an Altimeter before cutting away....If you can't land the thing, you can't land it. Recognize its crap, cut it away! Why wait? Ron "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Many years ago at the old DZ. A guy was walking to the Cessna with his leg straps undone....B12's. If you don't know what these are, buy beer for an old guy and he will teach you. He was to cool and groovy to actually put the rig on before getting in the plane "It's uncomfortable" he would say. The pilot told him to put his rig on as if he were ready to go out the door or he was not going to fly the load.. This guy bitched and whined, but put the rig on. He then sat behind the pilot seat, and "Ill show him" Took of his B12's. He left the plane with his group and noticed that something was wrong. He fliped over and tried to connect his B12's....Hell he was a good jumper. He managed to connect one of his leg straps...the right one, and flip over and deploy. He did all of this by 4,000 feet. Like I said the guy was good. However he had a 180 degree twist in the leg strap. It was a ROL....If you don't know what that is....buy lots of beer. He had a pilot chute in tow. He freaked out. Started trying to swim. He hit the ground in front of his family, and a DZ full of people.... Man he did look cool going to the plane with his rig loose. He didn't look cool dead with his rig loose....Any questons? This is why I yell at people who are to f--king cool to have the rig on when they go to the plane. Another thing....Be standing infront of me when the pilot yells at us to "Get the He-- out of my plane!!!" With your rig loose. I am running right over you. I am not waiting for you to do something you should have done on the ground. Be ready to jump when you get on the plane. Ron "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

OK... Long time Ago in a DZ (ARK) far from where I am now.(FL) I had a friend show up and he wanted someone to video his 300th jump. He was going to video a Tandem, and he wanted me to video him. Seemed simple enough, hell I had over 200 jumps and was a "Master"...No really my D license said so!!! They got me some video gear. We got in the plane, and started to climb to altitude. It was the last load of the day, and it started to get darkish. The Tandem Master decided to bail out around 7 instead of going to 10,000. Thats cool. I didn't have an Audible, (the "Timeout" was not even around yet, only the old style Dyter) And this was a 15 min. thrown together helmet. The Tandem Master pulled. My friend fliped on his back (I thought COOL I will do that for him). He flew up and waved then dumped....I fliped on my back to video him. Thats when I saw it.....Horizon moving fast by my feet!!! Oh ,this is gonna suck! The Tandem Master jumped from 7 grand, but I guess he wanted to give the student more freefall for his money. (Or he had problems getting the handle I was not looking at him, but at my buddy). I timed it awhile ago and the Tandem I an guessing deployed around 2,500. My buddy around 1800 ish. I rolled over and saw what I hope most people will never see. One spot on the ground, that does not move....The ground all around that spot however was moving away from that center spot at a very high speed. That non-moving spot was the place my head was going to hit. I of couse died on impact. Well not really. I had done a half roll to the left when I saw the horizon flying past. I was thinking "PULL THE RESERVE!!!!!" I was thinking this, and reaching for the silver handle when my main snapped open. Back then where I was a Raven 2 was the hot canopy. I am glad I didn't have a Stiletto/Velocity back then, I would have been dead. I guess I instinctivly threw the main as soon as I started to flip over. I made one 90 deg turn and flared.....I did get my friends landing,and then the Tandem. Looking at the video, you can see my Altimeter on my hand as I reach for the toggles....it was hard to see the exact Altitude, but the people on the ground and the video of the altimeter seem to point to around 400 feet AGL. Thats ground rush!!!! Well, I was lucky. Don't just "Do" something new....work it out before. Employ every saftey device you can....the most important of these is a good plan. Ron "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Mustang GT...... Had a Jeep...Loved it, but with a rag top I couldn't lock it, so I had to pull all my gear in all the time, and worried when I would be out about it getting stolen. Ron "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334