Jimbo

The subject of line over has become pretty popular in the last few days. Suppose you have a reserve with a line over but no knife. What do you do? Do you attempt to unstow the toggles and fly it to the ground, with the risk of the canopy collapsing? Do you attempt to steer by rear risers only? Do you just ride it in and not fuck with it so that the line over doesn't become worse and collapse the canopy? What do you do?

Sweet! I had heard about this a while back, but nothing ever seemed to happen with it. Cool.

What would the organization lobbying for jumpers and not DZOs do? Provide insurance? Anything else? I agree, this needs to be rethought. I've talked with people who have 'achieved' the coaches rating. I'm not impressed with what they went through - they shelled out some $$$ and they got a rating in return. I know coaches who I wouldn't want with someone fresh off AFF and I know just everyday jumpers who have so much information, knowledge, skill, and wisdom to pass along to new jumpers who CAN'T because they don't have the silly rating. It's already been mentioned, but I think this is going to be fun.

I think perhaps the one time you absolutely want a hook knife is under a reserve with a line over. I'm sure that the CReW guys have come up with different and exciting ways to use a hook knife too. Well, are you willing to risk your life on a cheap knife? I've seen knives that seem more like toys than potential lifesavers.

Let's heat things up a bit. Maybe someone who's been around a while can let us in on the benefits and downside of Group Membership. Personally, I'll jump anywhere I feel safe. I don't believe that Group Membership automatically makes one DZ safer than the next, nor do I believe that not being a Group Member makes a DZ unsafe. That said, I think I'll go and vote "No real difference"

Who of what? From http://www.monkeyclaw.com/who.html Incidentally, I've seen the results of coaching from Heath Richardson - looks to be worth every penny. I'll be hooking up with him this spring.

So, I'm bored - I type in www.imbored.com and look, it's a skydiving site! Looks like "Skydive NewEngland" Cool.

My God! It's "Guess the Breast" - We were just talking about such a game not more than 3 weeks ago. Mmmm... Breasts....

Skydive Techumseh is nice, I don't know if they'll be open during the off season though. SDT is only about 45 minutes from Toledo. Other than SDT I think you're going to have to head east to the Cleveland area while in Toledo.

Uh. No. What I'm saying is everyone needs to understand the risk. What I said was exactly this: I'm not suggesting that you don't freefly. I'm not suggesting that you stop enjoying a skydive because you're too busy watching the speedometer. If you read into that that you can't freefly then so be it, but please understand that it is simply a statement about risk, nothing more. I don't think that's too fucked up. That said, it's apparent that the manufacturers also understand this new breed of skydiving. For roughly the last year PD has been bragging in their ads that their reserves are tested well beyond the current requirements, does this mean that they'll hold up? Who knows? PD probably does, but I doubt they'll say so publically. My feeling is that we'll see new or updated requirements for the reserve systems in the next few years.

Is BASE jumping illegal in most places or are jumpers simply charged with trespassing, destruction of property, etc? I don't think that most governments have had the forethought to outlaw base jumping... Am I wrong?

Bill said: Then Aviatrr said: But Bill's point holds true no matter how _you_ skydive. Exceeding the weight and speed limits on your gear is asking for trouble. There's no two ways about it. You're more likely to explode a main if you're over the max weight or if you deploy at an insane speed. You're more likely to die if you try that with a reserve. Stay within in the limits and you've significantly increased the chance that your gear will perform as expected and that you'll get to make another jump.

You wanna see our boobies? Our boobies for your boobies. I think that's fair. - Jim

Yeah. What Tigra said. If the mean time - you might want to take a look through the classifieds on this site and on www.enclave.com. Don't consider buying any of it just yet, but look at the prices. See how much older gear costs and what newer gear costs. - Jim

I think this deserves some clarification - not all of the low turn incidents were hook turns. Some were just bad judgment - ie: Jumper turns low to land into the wind. Don't think that you're safe just because you didn't start a turn with a healthy amount of front riser. - Jim

OK - Maybe you didn't have to along with it, but did you have to make it explode? I've seen the logbook entry - something about atomic something or another... Todays Lesson: Don't piss off Stacy.

I think until you've funneled the Golden Knights that you cannot be the chief formation funneller. Stacy?

Yup. It was intense. It was graphic, though not excessively. It was an excellent movie. - Jim

My home DZ regularly takes jumpers to 13.5, 15 if the pilot is in a good mood or gets to see some skin, and even occasionally 16. I think that 13.5 is not uncommon at any DZ equipped with a turbine aircraft, or two, or three... This is all without O2. - Jim

Vans. Like big comfy slippers with shoelaces.

You're not giving yourself enough credit. I suggest you create a canopy from 8 sq ft of wax paper and some used dental floss. It should give you the performance you're looking for and it's economical. Good luck. - Jim

People thought that way only a few years ago too. Look what happened.

That's true now, but it could change in the future. The manufacturer has on at least one occasion extended the life of the Cypres. - Jim

I don't have the manual handy, but I belive that the first or original firing altitude/speed is 750 ft and 78 mph. I seem to remember that it will fire below 750 (Don't know how fast), but that it will not fire under 150 (At this altitude it's pointless).

Amen. I wish more would realize this. It's a bit of a contradiction to see someone who's usually very safe (gear check on the ground, pin check on the plane, handle check on the plane) not wear a helmet during takeoff. I wish more DZs or pilots would enforce this. Finally - it's not only a matter of their personal safety - it's a matter of safety for EVERYONE on the plane. In the event of a crash an unsecured helmet is going to become a projectile, who knows what damage that might do. - Jim