pack40

RITA should be the winner

Is it common the US DZs are on the middle of cities, industrial areas? My DZ is in the middle of nowhere, unfortunatley surrounded by some forests but mainly agricultural lands.

If you live in the US/UK join the Armed Forces be a soldier, marine etc. with your qualification you would be an officer. Really it is not a joke, I know that it will not pay a lot but at least you would have a safe work, I do not think so that is common to kick somebody out of the military unless he made a very very stupid thing. After 20 or so years you would get you pension at the age of 45-50 and that is good. With your degree you would work in an office just in a uniform. OK you won't earn as much as you could in the civivl world. If I would be a US/UK citizen I would do that. Maybe you can even do some interesting job or maybe linked to "military skydiving". When people from the US complain about the jobs I could not understand that they have the Army, Marine, Air Force looking for always looking for people. Unfortunately in Hungary where I live the Army is a real joke 25-30 Talibans could conquer the country in a day.But in the glorious, mighty Hungarian Army for airborne personnel there was/is a very good payment, they have a very low salary -compared to Western standards- like 300 bucks a month but as a "danger compensation" they got paid an ammount of money like 10-15$ after every jump! Do you jave that system? In the military you do not pay for your food, .accomodation. You can save up some money. After some years you might go to a company using your experince.

Yes Sir, THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE LIKE THAT How did someone sad My drinking club has some skydiving problems!

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My skydiving club does not have a beer problem everyone after a certain point -first jump, first freefall jump, 100th jump etc.- brings to the usual Tuesday club meeeting THE BEER. OK girls have to bake pan cakes. Two weeks ago two rookie girls brought at least a hundred pan cakes and a guy a lot of beers it was a good party that is why I am advertising the sport to everyone. Oh we have another system do you have it in US/CDN/UK/World after for example the first jump (than first frefall, 100th, 200th) everyone in the club who has more jumps than you, smack your ass. UNFORTUNATELY ONLY MALES GET BEATEN UP After having 100 jumps anybody more experienced who has more than 100 jumps smacks you. (He can smack you as many times as his jump numer can be divided by 100, anybody having 2000 jumps smacks you 20 times THAT'S HURTS)

Oh another reason for good old round chute. The poor guy would maybe brake his leg during the landing of course not using the superb T-10 which gives an extra mini-freefall while it is opened already.

Scary open a square chute in light spinning or at 600 meters see what happens... Open the round RS 4/4 and compare.

1989 Spekon RS 4/4A main round chute See attached image, I do not know who is on the pic but it is not me. (The image was taken from www.eje.hu site)

As in Monthy Pyton was said somewhere: "The only French word I know is in English..."

How come that I registered to dropzone since a half year or so I can't remember and have only 20-30 posts, although I have questions I try share my ideas etc. AND our friend Clint within a week has 46 posts? There is a problem with me?

e150 OFF-TOPIC If I were a millionaire I would have done an AFF but with four instructors -only blonde females from Sweeden with at least 3000 jumps- so each would hold my hand and my feet as well. Hmmm maybe five of them. ON-TOPIC Well there are some folks like me who really would have done an static-line or an AFF course. But I did a static-line course with a ROUND chute and have not complained about it I was happy and I am happy to jump. But you know lets forget it let all be happy because WE KNOW HOW DOES IT FEEL TO JUMP OUT OF A PERFECTLY GOOD AIRPLANE Maybe I have some problems with my freefal, does not matter nobody is a pro at the first time. Regarding the AFF imagine that you should have learn what you know by someone only talking to you at the dropzone explaining only. Later please remember it exactly during the first of your jumps. Well not easy. You can see videos, pictures but yourself in the air that is a different picture. Forget it I am just jealous.

RemiAndKaren You are right every jumper should be aware of the danger and learn from the tragic accidents of others. Once in Hungary where I live a skydiving homepage used to post the statement of the inspector of the accident. The inspector was from the USPA equivalent organization or the Civil Aviation Authority. The report described the accident, the mistakes it had some general comments/recommendations how to do things to avoid accidents or maybe some rules/decisions that this and that pilot chute can not be used with that gear etc. That was a really usefull thing because it came from such a person who is an expert, who is from an authority and whom I beleive. I do not think so that any reporter even who knows something about a skydiving or he is a jumper could comment an accident fatal or not so other couls learn from it. As far as I know the USPA or anybody has a homepage describing accidents -once I found on the web- but without recommendations for the future.

Punish me I was clintonradloffing a lot.

I feel sad when hearing about skydiving fatalities or accidents. It is very hard to imagine and I really do not want to what the family and friends feel in this time. But in the same time I feel very angry because all the FUCKING newspapers, yes the fucking newspapers put such news on the front -page as Michele says "It's up on the front page......"-. I know people want to hear about accidents thus the media is looking for blood. But, I am NOT interested in the pain of others. The same happening here in Hungary they never mention a competition a boogie or ANYTHING about the sport just when somebody dies. They never mention that in some countries not skydivers but the SKYDIVING itself is going to be dead, because there is no money in the sport nobody is helping/sponsoring anybody. Try to get a sponsor after such an accident. If I mention anybody whuffo skydiving/parachuting the first thing which will come through his mind will be the accidents which he will recall from the news better that anything. And of course the lack of money is never mentoned I know you can't really make a good business out of skydiving and even in the US DZs are happy to break even or happy with a 4-5% profit. They never mention that anybody having a snackbar or any little business would close it down after two month with such small earnings. An investor/bank would laugh for an hour if you would ask for a loan to operate a DZ.

COMFORT I can only say that I feel that packing is not comfortable, yes it is not a good thing to do in the hot summer or in the cold winter but, I never pack my chute -with my mighty 15 jumps- silently without talking to others. If I have any questions or anything to tell it is a good time to share something during packing. The other thing I feel mor safe with the chute I packed of course with the supervision of my instructor -ALWAYS-. Maybe in the future when I will have my own gear and I would have 7-10 jumps a day I would ask somebody to pack my chute but just because of the time issue. Other: In my skydiving club I talked to a ex-military guy who has at around 4000 jumps. When they had some joint exercise with the Soviets in the 70s or 80s, here in Hungary. A Russian officer arrived with 30!!! chutes -for himself- and said shall we pack them in the night and jump them in the next day or two. They packed them and jumped, although they could have asked any private or any low rank poor guy to do it. PACKING AND NEWBIES This guy said also that nowadays he is very dissapointed to see that anybody can do an AFF or static-line course without even knowing what he is wearing, how is it looking or how to pack it. I agree with him because when I had my first jump and course/training I would not jump with a chute that somebody would put on me and say jump with this son. I felt safer when an instructor and me packed my first chute not for jumping but for packing practicing, she was telling me every little step and explaining that while opening this line does this, this goes here, this goes there. Finnaly before my first jump at least I had an idea what a parachute is.

Jumping from 747 as in the "Drop zone" movie can it be reality? I think most of you have seen the Dropzone movie. OK there are some big mistakes in it everybody knows -catching someone during freefall holding him while opening, talking during freefall etc... My questions is what is the highest speed of any aircraft a skydivier can or did jump from? For example when in the military they are making HALO jumps from C-130 Herclues I do not think the speed can be less that 300-400 km/h? Are there any world records? OK in the film it was a joke jumping from a hole, but jumping from a rear/cargo door? I know that 300-400km/h you can jump but from a faster airplane? Anybody *pro* has some ideas? (Or Mr.Dan Cooper from Northwest Airlines' Flight 305 Boeing 727 a RICH skydiver)

indyz I had a similar problem the previous weekend when from the two 3 sec jumps I did stepped towards the 5 sec ones. (Before saying anything it is interesting what my instructor said when beginners jump: 3sec=immediate opening 5sec=3sec 7sec=5sec ... For me it was true the first 5 sec was really 2,5-3 seconds. I jumped out but the problem was I did not arched so my legs started to lift, finnaly when I was in a sitting position I thought it is a great time for opening I pulled the ripcord... I jumped four 5 sec and the problem was the nearly the same during all jumps. Later we figured out that I did not jump strong enough as I jump from an Antonov An-2 I have space so it should not be the problem. I hope next time it will be OK. Interesting that one of the more experienced jumpers said that the chute - RS 4/4A - I jump with he always opens in a sitting position "so it does not brake your back". Fortunately this is a round chute so it can be openned safely -according to instructors- in such positions as for example spinning when a square chute would cause problems and also can be opened safely at 600m ~ 1800ft. "Optimists invent airplanes, pessimists - parachutes."

After 9 beers during a University party started to shoot empty beer glasses -which we "rented" from the bar- with my crossbow -we put the "targets" in front of a little hill, so noone get hurt-. Even with my 4x telescope out of 5-10 shots we always missed the glasses. After the shootings I did a "handbrake turn" (or how do you call it in English) in a nice park area next to the car park. "Optimists invent airplanes, pessimists - parachutes."

Sorry i forgot to tell that if you have many jumps maybe the training for you takes less time maybe just a small introduction and an hour of talking. For beginners it is like 2 hours by 3-4 occasions a written test and at some clubs packing exam (not everywhere) When I did my training I jumped with the chute I packed for the first time but with very strict checkings by a trainer/rigger. To pack a round chute is easy but takes a lot more time than a square chute. PS: Interesting some whuffos ask whether I pack my chute usually the answer is no :-) I PAY for it or the chute AUTOMATICALLY packs itself due to its new technology and usage of smart materials But the best whuffo question is "Do not you faint when you jump out?" And another one as I like advertising the sport my colleague did the training and now has 3 jumps. At the courses there was a guy later he jumped aswell but had some interesting questions as: When can we skysurf? When can we BASE jump? You should have seen the face of the instructor...

So static-line course: Course/Training 30000 HUF that is ~105 USD (including the price of the first jump) Medical examinations 12200 HUF that is ~43 USD Jump prices at around from Antonov An-2 -14 jumpers max.-: 800m 1600 HUF ~5.7 USD 1000m 2000 HUF ~7 USD 1200m 2400 HUF ~8.5 USD 1500m 3000 HUF ~10.6 USD Jumps from Let L-410 -20 jumpers max.- 4000m 4300 HUF ~16 USD -this price I am not sure seems too low a bit- Renting a RS 4/4A round chute for one jump 1000HUF ~3.5 USD Insurance -you have to have at least Hungarian citizens- 1500 HUF ~5.3 USD This insurance is a joke does not pay anything just a small ammount but by law you have to have. Nowadays even the insurance companies won't make such insurances because they as we think it is rather a joke. I attach a picture of somebody jumping a freefall with this chute (Source: www.eje.hu)

SpeedRacer Yes it is rare I think in the next two-three years this system will change. The whole thing is becasue in the socialist system untill 1990 the whole skydiving/parachuting since 1958 was organized in a military like way. There was a major "club" called MHSZ (~Hungarian National Defense Alliance/Association). As far as I know in this "club" you could skydive, shoot, fly, learn to drive etc. somehow practicing for or after the compulsory military service. Later on from the 80s it lost its military "face" and after the end of socialism the whole system collapsed. Although there are some thing that have not changed or changing, like students jumping with round chutes. Or I can mention that here in Hungary we need medical examintaions to jump. Strict done by at a aeromedical center where private on airline pilots do their medical test. We go through the same procedures maybe for us it is a bit easier. With 11 jumps I am not experienced but I would say to jump with a round chutes it its much much more easier than with modern square chutes in the begining during the static line course. Theoreticly I you jump above a huge field or an area where no trees, building etc. are you would not do anything just land. These rounf just although designed for the military have a nice descent rate 4.2 m/sec not as the US T-10(?) so sometime I could stay on my legs - land without falling down or making anything. They are fully steerable, no-problems. OK freefall with the chest reserve and a huge 16kg back chute might be -I do not know- more diffcult.

BE-8 Reserve Origin: East-Germany Area of the Canopy -is it area in English-: 41,5 sq. m. Material of the canopy. PAS -Poli-Amid-Silk- Descent rate (100kg): 5-7 m/sec Horizontal speed: 1-2 m/sec Time of 360 degree turn: 12 sec Number of the strings or lines -4# again my Para-English- 24 Length of the strings or lines -5# again my Para-English- 4,75 meters Material of the strings or lines -6# again my Para-English- PAS Weight: 5,5 kg Types of usage: Freefall Packing time: 90 days Max. number of jumps: 10 Time of usage: 10 years Max weight to jump: 130 kg Also for frefall and stabilized jump you have to use an AAD. We use a Russian one called PPK-U -standing for "Parasutnij poluavtomat kombinirovannij i unifitzirovannij" ~ "Half-automated unified and combinated" system-. This is a simple mecahnism there is a clock in it and an aneroid. You have to vind up -7# again my Para-English- set the opening altitude and put a little rod/phorne/thorn so it would not be activated. When you pull it out the clocks starts and goes 3,8 second but it stops until the aneroid decreases -because of the increasing air-pressure during the freefall- when it does then the clock goes 1,2 seconds and after it is elapsed it opens the canopy. You can set the opening altitude from 300m to 8000m. During the first frefall jumps which i jumped. It was set to 2000m but as I jumped from 1000m the PPK-U would open after 5 second anyway. This the so-called "secured" jumps, it has a bit of risk because the rod/phorne/thorn is pulled out by either the jumpmaster or a cable/string in the airplane so if somebodys rod/phorne/thorn is pulled out at a secured jump and he is standing in the door for more than 5 second the chue opens. But, I jumped out. Although these are old systems designed for military purposes I think I am lucky to jump with these. As I mentioned from January these old system will no longer be used. After I might jump with modern stuff -more money and training- or jump 20-25 freffall jumps with modern round chute in modern container and then switch to modern equipment -less cost-. PS: Hell, I have been learning English for 10 years finished an English-language University working at a Canadian firm with Canadian bosses but never had such language/translation problems, sorry for the misuse or inadequate words. Hope you'll understand.

Here in Hungary you can choose from three trainings: 1.) AFF course 2.) Static-line course 3.) Round chute static-line course The first two options are the "modern ones" you can choose them but they are a bit more expensive. The round chute course came from the ex-military, ex-socialist era. However I think it is more interesting to start jumping with ex-military chutes than with modern ones. Unfortunately from January these RS 4/4A East-German made parachutes will no longer be jumped -they are 11-12 years old-. Only the miltary purchased some of these parachutes a German company Spekon Gmbh. is still making them but for military use -www.spekon.de-. So the course is: Five static-line jumps One "exam" static-line jump Two immidiate opening freefall jump Then 3, 5, 7, 10, 12, 15... second freefall jumps After a 25-35 jumps you can start to jump after a training with modern parachutes. So if I started to write about the chute I'll include some data: RS 4/4 Origin: East-Germany Area of the Canopy -is it area in English-: 73,4 sq. m. Material of the canopy. PAS -Poli-Amid-Silk- Descent rate (100kg): 4.2 m/sec Time of 360 degree turn: 8 sec Horizontal speed: 3 m/sec Number of the strings or lines -again my Para-English- 30+2 Length of the strings or lines -2# again my Para-English- 7 meters Material of the strings or lines -3# again my Para-English- PAS Weight of the parachute: 16 kg Types of usage: Static-line, Freefal, Stabilized jump* Packing time: 90 days Max. number of jumps: 250 Time of usage: 8 years (sometimes extended) Max weight to jump: 130 kg *The stablized jumps are or have been used mainly in the military you jump out a static-line opens a pilot chute, but the opening process stops later on by pullling the ripcord the opening continues. This is designed for paratroops jumping with lots of things (Sub-machine guns, Radios etc.) with big weights. With this system you have the main canopy on your back and the reserve canopy on your chest. The reserve canopy is also an East-German one BE-8 (cont.)