Jimbo

*drool*

This doesn't fly as an excuse to prohibit the use of Slinks on a reserve. This was a mistake made by a rigger, that same mistake could have been made with metal links as well. Do the specifications for the reserve system go so far as to determine the method which will be used to connect the parachute to the risers? I can't imagine that Slinks would work on a PD and not a Precision or PISA canopy. Is this just parachute manufacturers being conservative, everyone waiting for everyone else to 'certify' Slinks as 'OK'?

Actually it doesn't. The Student Cypres activates at 750, you're right about the speed though, it's 29mph. The Tandem Cypres activates at approximately 1900 ft and speeds of 78 mph. This from http://www.pia.com/SSK/cypres/faltblau.htm

Considering that Slinks are stronger and less prone to failure than the more common (maybe not anymore) mini-links why wouldn't you want to use them on a reserve parachute? Slinks have been around long enough now that they're field proven, right? At this point I'm wondering why people aren't asking if it's OK to use the metal links on a reserve. Someone educate me.

Ha! You should see our pilot drink. It's amazing that he can fly at all!

Now that surprises me. I would have thought they would have signed you up before your first jump simply for the property insurance. As an AFF student who knows where you're going to land or what you're going to land on? Any chance you did a temporary membership? I think it's a 45 day thing for $11.00.

The idea of UV inhibitors is interesting. Are any of the manufactures of ZP fabric using something like this? Would it need to be imbedded into the fabric or only into the dye? How many hours in the sun before a modern ZP canopy begins to become porous or weaken significantly?

I think there's probably a difference between a streamer and a canopy that's opening slowly. There's more to any deployment than just streamer -> open, there are lots of stages in between. My guess is that the confusion comes from everyones idea of what constitutes an open canopy. Is it out of the bag? Is it canopy partially open? Is it canopy mostly open and slider coming down? Is the canopy not open until the end cells inflate and the slider is all the way down? Anyhow - it's not accurate to suggest that during an 8 second opening that the canopy was 'streamering' for the full 8 seconds.

Exactly! There was a thread a while back about individual emergency procedures and in some cases, maybe most, people did what they had planned, what they had gone over mentally from their beginning in the sport. I wonder what's going to happen to someone who has it in their head that they will get stable before pulling the reserve. Hopefully everything works out for the best. Maybe someone with a few cutaways can answer, is it realistic to have 2 sets of emergency procedures? One for up high and one for down low? Or does the body not work that way under stress? It seems to me that one emergency procedure is best and I'm willing to live with the consequences of that procedure, if it's an unstable reserve opening at 3K then I'll deal with it on the way down, if it's an unstable reserve opening at 700 then I'll be happy that somethings over my head (Or maybe my side, or my feet, or whatever) and deal with that too. - Jim

Charlie Sheen can outact a Baldwin brother any day of the week. Besides, one bad Sheen is still better than lots of bad other people (I can't remember who's in CutAway).

Come on! Terminal Velocity was better than CutAway. At least the acting was better. The skydiving and video was probably better in CutAway. There was a thread a while back, probably a long while back, about various actors who had done skydives. There were a few who had managed to get their "A", more than I would have thought. - Jim

Doh! That cutting away. Heh. That happens too. I watched a guy with a good job cut away over the summer. He wants to be a super swooper - he started packing and living on the DZ. Last I heard he headed overseas for the winter. I need a vacation.

Please tell me this is a poor attempt at trolling. At 13 jumps you should already know that people cut away and why and when. If you don't, you should probably consider your future as a skydiver. No shit.

Then probably it's best to stay out of it.

Lots if they're wearing funny makeup and big floppy shoes!

Uh, has anyone considered maybe contacting the local news station? It seems to me that they live for things like this. Besides the immediate benefit of embarrassing the breeder, the added publicity will/should get the attention of the AKC, the Humane Society, and maybe even the local authorities. Seems like a simple phone call could accomplish a lot here. But, maybe that's been mentioned and I missed it... - Jim

Something to think about when choosing canopy colors is how you're going to find it after a cutaway. If it lands in a wooded area in the top of a tree it's going to be a lot easier to find a brightly colored canopy than it is an all black canopy. Just something to think about...

I can't imagine how it's a bad idea. You can't jump when you can't jump - that's a reality. Just remember your level of currency and don't get in over your head. You'll be fine.

[STANDARD ANSWER] Talk to your jumpmasters. They're the only ones who have seen you jump. They're the only ones who can answer that question. [/STANDARD ANSWER] How about a series of 'sticky' postings or FAQs answering things like this that stay at the top of the fourm. Included might be things like, "I just did my first jump, what should I buy", "I have 33 jumps and want to buy a Velocity 79, is that a good idea?", etc...

Dave said: I think he meant that the women of CK will be right up his alley, if of course he's looking for an innocent, upstanding, and pure young lady. Otherwise he's going to have to look elsewhere. I need to run away before the lightening strikes now!

Doh! I hope this was an AFF level 1 student. You have to think that anyone who's made even one skydive would know better. Ya know - if that accident left him unable to reproduce he could qualify for a Darwin Award! - Jim

Decent money at a busy DZ? The ability to work almost anywhere? Getting paid to skydive? Being self employed?

You can see a lot in a persons eyes. The few instructors I've talked to about this also want the student to see their eyes. Seeing the instructor calm and relaxed helps the student to do the same. - Jim

I wish I was in California. I learned today that even it's warm in January, it's still January and January is not a warm month. Damn east coast. - Jim

Wow. That's got to be a little unnerving the first time, more so if you're not ready for it.