pack40

Much better and easier in my opinoin to ask for a business visa. You will still need -an invitation letter from the inviting company (actually they send the inviatation letter to the Interior (?) Ministry in Russia and the Ministry issues a A5 size brown official invitation letter) -valid passport -photos -visa application form You can ask for one-month (single entry, multiple-entry), 3-month (single entry, multiple-entry), 1-year visas (multiple entry). For the 1-year you need an AIDS/HIV test. BUT they won't ask you for hotel-reservation, tickets etc. IMPORTANT once you are in Russia in 3-days you have to register at the police. Usually the hotel is doing where you are staying. Do not forget this, unless you want to enf up in jail or want to have HUGE problems when leaving Russia. How can you ask for a business visa? Many Russian companies offer such services aranging business visas. OFF-TOPIC When last time I was in Russia an MVD Trooper aksed for my documents, he was not even interested in my photo in my passport just looked at the "registration paper" which is a little paper put into you password with a stamp on it. OVER

I am not an expert old old chutes, but its color (canopy material) looks like a Russian/Soviet D-1-5U Check this: http://www.progres.org.ua/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=11 OR http://pavelhitech.narod.ru/pic14.html But there was a "squarish" shaped round canopy I think it was PD-47 OVER

Last saturday I had my first jump in 2004, unfortunately it was not my best/nicest jump in my life. I made pretty big mistakes, thus I have some questions, I hope somebody with more experience can answer them. The story will be long. I have 99 Jumps (10 round static line + 40 round freefall + 49 ram air freefall) The rig was a Raider 225 sqf. in Centaurus container with Swift Plus Reserve and Cypres. 1.) After a really ugly exit, while I thought that I was stable -in fact I was not - I opened. (This is where in my opinion I made the big mistake.) As I was not 100% stable I made a nice loop while the canopy was opening I "looped" through/between the two risers. While I was in the loop I knew I that something is wrong. After the canopy opened, I checked it everything was in order except the risers were twisted. I checked the manouverability of the canopy with turns and flares it was ok, than I landed. Question 1.) My question is to the "experienced ones" can the twisted risers cause any problems (even if I can turn/flare)? I have tried a bit to loop back when the canopy was open, but I relised that its not easy. It was not like lifting my self up -like in a gym- so decided not to do it. Question 2.) I had altitude, should I have try to loop back? I do not want to decrease my responsibility, but unfortunately there were some facts that lead to my mistake. A.) Due to the cloudly weather the jump was scheduled for 1200 meters or if the base of the cloud is lower than to 1000m -the jumpmaster would decide-. While on the jumprun the jumpmaster realized that the exit altitude will be 1000m, thus the half of the jumpers jumped out. We stayed for the 2nd run. Here came the problems while searching for the LZ the pilot descended to 900m and refused to ascend to 1000m again. What I feel is my second mistake, better to say more like an attitude or fear that I do not like jumping from altitudes lower than 1200 meters maybe it is stupid but in this case this fear led to a mistake which could have gone really bad. I do not know why it is while jumping static line I had many jumps from 800 meters. Question 3.) Would it be usefull for me purely psychologically to have some 1000 meter (low altitude jumps)? OVER

Some of the countries I have been does not exist anymore: Soviet Union Chechslovakia Yugoslavia East-Germany West-Berlin (West-Germany) OFF-TOPIC I was in Berlin for a week we lived in East-Berlin it was cheap and everyday we went shopping to West-Berlin. At that time Hungarians could travel anywhere not like others from socialist countries. You should have seen the faces of the East-German Border guard when we were crossing the border (Berlin Wall) everyday loaded up with what we bought. We came back on a Tuesday, on Thursday two days later "the wall collapsed". But, I am happy becasue I saw the Wall, "Chekpoint Charlie", the occupation zones. ON-TOPIC Still existing: Austria, Croatia France Germany Greece Israel Italy Kazakhstan Monaco Poland Romania Russia Slovakia Tunesia United Kingdom OVER

Who needs satellite radio? I have just bought a far better radio: R-326 "Rustle" -Designed in the 60s! -Comes with tubes. -No digital thingies. -Made in CCCP for the Soviet Army. -From 1 to 20 mHz (AM, CW, SSB) -Oopps it is only 12kg (26 pounds) That is a radio, I hear stations from far far places: Various HAMs, Israeli Broadcasts, Russian Merchant Marine, VOLMETs and long range aeronautical stuff, SPY stuff. OK I am just happy to see a radio related post at Dropzone. What you bought is that the same XM system that you can have in new cars built-in? (At least in US) OVER

I think an outsider can not understand. Maybe somebody with experience in an aeronautical sport like hang-gliding, hot-air balloning etc . might have better feel or understaning as in my opinion sports related to flying/flight have much in common not to mention being much more "noble" compared to other sports (let say soccer (I do not want to hurt any soccer fan)) OVER

Cool pic an AN72 jump is one of my dreams. Or to jump out of any plane which has a back (cargo) door/ramp/opening. Maybe once... Here in Hungary we had some years ago (before I started jumping) an Antonov 28 or 32 which crashlanded somewhere in UK. I would have loved that plane. The AN72 drop speed is really 100 m/sec? That's what 360 km/h ~270 KTS, that is high speed higher than terminal velocity, so you are deccelerating rather nat accelerating!!! OVER

You want fast climb rate Buy an Antonov AN-74 (4-5 minutes to 13100 feet) Read this - written by a Finnsh DZ The first jet jumps in Finland were made in the beginning of August -98 in Utti. The event finally became reality after a lot of preparatory work during several previous years, and a few training jumps abroad. The performance of the plane, an Estonian AN-72, was known to be quite impressive: It took from four to five minutes to get to 4000 meters (13100 ft) after take-off. The exit speed was also in a real jet aircraft class! Nearly 100 m/s (200 knots) at the jump run forced the skydivers to perform a few "special maneuvers" before reaching a stable flying position. After the first load it also became obvious that no 10-second-delays were necessary between the exit groups at this speed. Source: http://www.utti.org/english/events.htm . OVER

I have some good babyname suggestions: starting eith letter C, J, M, O, S, V A...., B...., Charlie, D...., E...., F...., G...., H...., I...., Juliet, K...., L...., Mike, N...., Oscar, P...., Q...., R...., Sierra, T...., U...., Victor, W...., X...., Y...., Z.... OVER

Skydiving is not a sport it is more it is a lifestyle. OVER

Sorry, I thought I am posting to another topic, So here is the relevant part. For the non-Hungaraian speakers it says that the "eligibility to jump" of a parachute system exipres if a catastrophe happend with it. 39. sz. LÉGÜGYI EL?ÍRÁS és végrehajtási utasítása az ejt?erny?s tevékenységr?l és az ejt?erny?k alkalmazásáról 1. AZ EJT?ERNY? 1.4. Ejt?erny? alkalmassága, nyilvántartása 4. Egyedi alkalmasság megsz?nik: d) az ejt?erny?vel katasztrófa kategóriájú esemény történt; OVER

You might not think so but YES. Hungarian extract: 39. sz. LÉGÜGYI ELÕÍRÁS 3. EJTÕERNYÕS UGRÁS ÉS KÖRÜLMÉNYEI 3.3.6. Biztosítókészülék nélküli ugrást engedélyezhet az üzembentartó szakágvezetõje segédoktató megbízással rendelkezõknek azonnali nyitással, ejtõernyõs oktatónak (beugróknak) 4000 m magasságig, ha nem áll fenn az ejtõernyõ nyitása elõtt az összeütközés lehetõsége az ugrásfeladat alapján. 3.3.7. Biztosítókészülék nélküli ugrás végrehajtásához hozzájárulhat az üzembentartó szakágvezetõje: azon nem polgári személyek ugrásánál, akik erre vonatkozó külön írásbeli engedéllyel rendelkeznek, vagy ilyen engedély meglétérõl írásban nyilatkoznak, azon külföldi állampolgárok ugrásánál, akik erre vonatkozó engedéllyel, jogosítással rendelkeznek, illetve ennek meglétérõl írásban nyilatkoznak. Vhu. 56/A. Biztosítókészülék nélküli ejtõernyõs ugráshoz hozzájárulhat az Üzembentartó szakágvezetõje formaugrásnál (amikor ugrásfeladat alapján fennáll a nyitás elõtti összeütközés veszélye) az ugró írásbeli kérelmére és igazolására, hogy biztosítása kiterjed a magas kockázatú ugrásra is. OVER

Here in Hungary you can not jump with a rig that was involved in an accident/ctastrophe. Even instructors can not jump with it. OVER

In Hungary as far as I know if yoy have a Basic Instructor Licence (you need 100 jumps (incl. minimum 50 ram-air and of course some exams)). You can send a form to the Parachuting Commission of the Hungarian Aeronautical Association (it is like the USPA) and request to jump without an AAD. OVER

Where we jump -my club-. at that 2-3 airport there are usually: PZL-101 Gawron UTVA-66 Let L-410 Anotonv An-2 OVER

I speak Hungarian cos' I am Hungarian English Russian I learned (but do not speak) French Hebrew I have been taught (those cruel schoolyears - but do not speak) German OVER

VIBES OVER

For us it starts 7:30 AM ends at 14:00 PM or later so at least one days of vacation. Overkill, yes the whole idea dates back to those times when skydiving was organized only by a para-military organization back at socialist times (at least than it was FREE). Typical Hungarian attitude times changes, sports changed but some rules and regulations did not. Same as that a skydiving instructor has to jump in 20m x 20m target with a round canopy as a part of the instructors exam. OK that is not that difficult to do, but most clubs do not even use rounds. Although, our club does. OVER

We go through the same process as PPL pilots: urine sample, blood test, blood pressure electrocardiograph, ophthalmological test, otorhinolaryngological test, surgeon, pshycologist, etc. etc. Pretty idiot idea for skydivers. For a pilot I understand can kill many people if he is medically not fit. But, a skydiver, at least can hurt himself? Also it is not free it costs money -nearly 100USD- which compared here to avergae wages is not cheap. But, that is the system. OVER

Send good vibes to me next Thursday (7th of August) I am going to the compulsory aeromedical examination. Luckly skydivers nearly all around the World do not has to have medical papers for jumping. Unfortunately, where I live we have to have. Maybe pilots private and/or commercial can understand what do I feel. So, who can use mind controll, vodoo or anything from blackmail to psychological warfare please help me. Thanks Robert OVER

The question that how somebody is fit mentally and physically for skydiving, and how can an instructor determine that always interested me. I know that like 30-40 years ago a student course in Hungary was 40 hours or more of theoretics plus practice (PLFs, gymnasium, physical education). I know that nowadays you can not do that as now skydiving is also controlled by the laws of the market. I do not say that the prevous military like system -actually it was a para-military organization- was better, but I feel that with much more training such situations could be avoided. Also I got a book a skydivers' manual or training book from 1956. The information it contains could nearly be enough nowadays for a half of a instructor course. OK that too long to learn for a student. But, sometimes I wonder that if I would be an instrucor I would teach much more to students even if they jump only once. I think that if the woman mentioned above would pracitce for days (landing procedures, hanging in a harness imitating turns ETC. ETC.) would have performed better. OVER

This weekend we had a student jumping her first. Course: round static-line Rig: Round main (steerable), Round reserve (steerable), Cypress, RSL Altitude: 1000m Plane: UTVA-66 (Pilot + jumpmaster + 3 jumpers) Spotting was all right jumpers were nicely descending. My instructor was giving talking to them on the radio. While walking towards a first jumper observing his landing, first I saw she is making slight turns. Later I only saw that she is drifting away in the wind. It was a bit strange as she was not the skinniest woman I have ever seen. Than I was worried a bit how will she land in backwind with her weight (I do not have problems with people c/w little overweight). She landed 2 meters away from the fence of the airport, the canopy was outside the lines on the barbed wire, jumper inside. Luckily she was OK, canopy was OK, lines were ~ OK . Later I heard that she did not even touched the toggles! They were in place as velcro kept them there. Not to mention that we still have in Hungary a compulsory aeromedical examination same as for PPL license. And when we argue that why skydivers has to have medical examination they say it is necessary. They f**k with you, they cruel with older jumpers or any jumper with even minor medical problems. Yet they can say OK to such a student (again I personally have no problems with her). After a long introduction what can you do to prevent this happening again? It was really scare to think what would have happened in an emergency situation. OVER

Our club uses Zenit containers/harnesses for the newbies with two handle systems c/w RSL for the first round static-line and frefall jumps. Than Centaurus containers/harnesses for first ram-air jumps also with wo handle systems c/w RSL. OVER

"I'm going back to AFF next week. " Do you live in AFF also? That is the best place, I always wanted to go there. Try some Indian Rain & Storm banishing dances. OVER

Passenger no brain..Pilot has a brain OVER