jumpgod

like my javalin (J1) very much. rigger friendlier and a nice container. think that mirage makes a nice one too but will probably go with a jav for a while yet.

it takes time to get good. i remember packing 3 times just to jump and taking 2 hours at a time. i even had people put the chute in my freebag for me because i couldn't contain the bulk. but, the good part is, perfect practice makes perfect execution. so the more you jump, the better you'll get. be nice to your chute and do it right and it'll take good care of you. pay attention to the details and never take chances. ...coming from a guy who gets picked on for being so slow... but mine open.

generally have learned to take the conservative stance on canopies. 1) wingloading and jumpers getting hurt due to canopies they are not ready for is a 'trend' item with skydiving ever since these tiny canopies were released -- now everyone's in this daring hurry to land. 2) i've asked this same question with jumpers repeatedly and the consensus seems to be, if you can't fly your currently canopy nearly perfectly (kind of like a diver doing a 1 and a half triple twisting summersault perfect 10.0) keep your current chute and stay alive. 3) don't turn low "dude, where's my main?"

When i was you 3 years ago, here's what i did: New Container: Javalin (not an Odyssey) Used Main Canopy: Spectre 150 (love it -- forgiving of screw-ups, soft opennings) New Reserve: PD 143 AAD: CYPRES Love my rigg and set-up. Proportional to my weight: 150 lbs.

Contact Lenses under a full face helmet for all types of jumps. No problems. Just be careful when you wear glasses as the tight fit will wear them out.

got near your amount of jumps on a big square canopy. plan to keep it. i like my legs where they are.

it's just totally not worth it bro. i never jump unless i'm 100%. plus, a little cold coming down at 120 mph can feel like an ice pick through your skull if your sinuses close up. it's your call though dude. "dude, where's my main?"

grrravy. all i can say is to try to make one without a propellor at the base as a wind source as when you get higher in the tunnel, the air gets too turbulant to pull moves and do good training. also, a wide base of airflow would help as well. sorry if this wasn't what you were looking for but maybe it will help. thanks, jg "dude, where's my main?"

I'm a coach myself with only miminal experience. I can only say that I would recommend a more experienced instructor over myself 100%. Students do crazy things up there and you've got to be ready for anything...even as a coach. My incidents: 1) unstable students -- chasing them all over the sky 2) students tracking underneath me and me having to bolt before they deploy 3) students tumbling and then pulling low 4) and most of all, students with no or very little canopy experience...and this isn't a major subject which coaches spend either much time training or instructing on... I leave the instruction to the veterans when able. Prospective coaches, be ready and don't be hesitant...be very aggressive.

I always jump with 2. One visual and 1 audible. Some veterans jump without any but the only guy I know that does has 6,000 jumps. what about clouds? what about situational awareness? what about being distracted in a formation when you want that last point at 4,000'? what about a cut-a-way situation and you don't know if you've got the altitude? jg

i concur with Tonto, when in doubt, whip it out. who cares what the handle is: hacky, fist, tube, or even ripcord. throw.

try spreading your arms and legs out and then use them to control your heading by selecting a ground reference point. also, go up with a coach and track beside him and learn from him....JUST DON'T TRACK UNDER HIM AND PULL....(had this happen while i was coaching) so be aware. also, try diving slightly into your track, then flatten out your body and you'll feel the track. listen to your body and adjust ever so slightly until you know what's best for your abilities. you should feel tension in your back and leg and arm muscles almost to the point where it hurts. but once you find that "sweet spot", you'll cruise the skies like a mad dog! Peace! "dude, where's my main?"

2,000'....if it doesn't fly....bye, bye. hope my rigger did a good reserve repack. why do all the extra math and risk it all? there's never a guarantee that your reserve will just "POP" open, is there?

I haven't seen one per say, in fact, most malfunctions that i have witnessed were due to packer error....being rushed maybe....uncocked pilot chutes, broken lines, line-overs, but no tension knots ever witnessed. I think it might have to do with tensioning your lines while flaking and stowing. if you leave that mess at the tip of the nose when you start cacooning, it's an accident waiting to happen. "dude, where's my main?"

....i found an experienced packer and asked them to teach me on off days at the DZ. then i had experienced jumpers/riggers watch my pack jobs and asked them for advice. mainly, i think part of the issues come with the student. the student needs to ask and make the effort. AFF instructors and coaches usually won't go that extra mile to watch and teach and beyond this, they technically aren't allowed to teach this, only parachute riggers, who actually are suppose to supervise packers...to the best of my knowledge. packing isn't an activity to be rushed. packing also isn't an activity for kids. my buddy was just off student status and a 13 year old packed his rig. low and behold, coming out of our 3 way, he had a line over. i call this packer error. think about it. "dude, where's my main?"

you mean, spinletto. no me man. good luck. "dude, where's my main?"

No freakin' crap man....I watch these camera dudes swoop right past the tandems and that is total bull$hit. And then you get these guys in the pattern who spiral down and cut everyone off. I agree with another jumpers commentary, land and then stomp the shit out of them.... wasn't roger nelson enough you guys? "dude, where's my main?"

shiznit that's one severe reality check with all the beach jumps i've made on the boarder of Alabama/Florida to the bar. did they have water gear? sucks man. jg "dude, where's my main?"

I think it's a double edge sword... 1) Good -- freeflying's precision makes you an aggressive and accurate RW flier 2) Bad -- they are 2 different types of flying -- RW is arching and your orientation is conventional (if you will) -- where as freeflying sends you in all attitudes and is much more difficult to control. when you spend more time on one than another, both are affected. peace, jg "dude, where's my main?"

skipped A and B and just got the C and tested 3 times all at once at 101 jumps. "dude, where's my main?"

USAF god bless, jg "dude, where's my main?"

well that sucks....i liked having the insurance. ass hole companies. "dude, where's my main?"

I guess all I can say is be careful. Before I bought a freefly suit, I jumped in a pair of warm-up pants and a sweatshirt. Now the catch was, the sweatshirt would puff up in the airstream and threatened to cover my main hacky so....but I always found it without any issues. Also, baggy clothes can cover cut-a-way and reserve handles as well so beware and jump with care. I never had any problems. jg "dude, where's my main?"

How many DZ's would you say actually use a canopy pattern? I've jumped at 6 total and only 2 have announced and regulated a "left hand" pattern. The other 4 were a gaggle. Just a thought for the DZ's without one.... but here's more to my point.... Here's the reality check situation: 4 canopies approaching landing area. Lead canopy performing irratic maneuvers on downwind at 800' forcing other canopies in the pattern to turn to avoid minor possible collisions. Creates fixation on lead pattern canopy so other canopies do not notice canopies around them. Many turn to avoid the problem without looking. 2 canopies miss by 20' at 250' AGL. ....if there is a canopy pattern, shouldn't the lead canopy approaching the pees fly a straight line and give the canopies behind him/her air for smooth flight and approach?

thanks for the post darkwing. i won't take 22 lbs. of pull force for granted as the pin may still come loose. i usually check it pretty quickly and the end of the pin is covered in a little flap but that's a serious reality check. i'll be checking mine more closely from now on. blue ones, jg "dude, where's my main?"