Joellercoaster

Yup. I briefly considered getting a yellow cutaway pillow, because I have a few yellow details on the other stuff I'm buying (RW grips, rig trim tape) but nothing sizeable, and it looked cool. Now I think, having only one red thing on my entire set of kit doesn't look terrible, and has precisely zero ambiguity come freakout time. Look for the red thing, any red thing. Tear it off and pull it, then pull the silver thing. [edit: That and it'd be pretty damn embarrassing to die with a torn-off fistful of gripper, fantastically unlikely though that would be ] -- "I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan "You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?

The picture of JaapSuter at exit with the book is comedy gold - he looks like he's just checking to see what he should do next in the manual

Helmet on back-to-front? -- "I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan "You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?

OK, I'm in the UK and I don't particularly want a full-face anyway (not until I have a good reason, apart from the fact that they look way cool). So far, I haven't found a helmet that fits my weird-shaped head (sort of long from front to back, and XL-sized). They sell Headshields in the shop at Lillo where I was last looking and they didn't seem to fit me right. Pro-Tecs have been universally uncomfortable. I want something sturdier than Gath. Space for an audible would be nice. What other options are there for me? Bonehead? Is there somewhere I can try a Guner or a Mindwarp, which people seem to rave about in all sorts of head shapes? -- "I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan "You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?

Once again, I can't get out to a DZ for a while and can't just let the matter rest. I need a jumpsuit pretty soon, as my local DZ really prefers to keep its suits for students - one of whom I will not be for long. I don't want to just grab something cheap or bodge something; I want a suit I'll still be wearing in a couple of years. I see people wearing all kinds of stuff for RW, including Bev and Tony suits - is this an indication that local manufacturers aren't up to scratch for really nice suits? Or is it just people who happened to pick something up while they were in the States? (I will be there in a while, so this is an option but not preferred as it's still a few months.) For the foreseeable future I expect/want to be doing FS. So grippers, booties, etc. My fall-rate is medium now, but I have some range and it's expected to get much better - six foot five (tall), eighty kilos (slim) and very flexible, if this is a consideration in choosing a manufacturer. Obviously I'd prefer local (can probably also do Europe) but if that's not the best thing to do, I'd like to know that too. What are people's experiences? -- "I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan "You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?

Yes. I go to sleep every night on a bed of Nutri-Grain, why do you ask? -- "I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan "You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?

"Hello, fire service? What do you know about Chinese Finger Traps?" -- "I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan "You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?

If only I was going to be flying one from jump #1 (or any time in the next few years) too Still, worth knowing. Like everything I spose. -- "I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan "You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?

Would there be any hints as to which canopy manufacturers use fabric made at said mills? South Africa might faintly imply Aerodyne, but then again it might mean anyone at all. Or nobody -- "I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan "You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?

I trained at FFU, and have nothing but praise for their instructors. The DZ is basic and the town is tiny, but if you just want to learn to skydive, you don't care about that stuff anyway. (It's still possible to have fun in Lillo, BTW). I was there for six days, and we were on a weather hold (winds) for about two hours one day and that was it - the whole rest of the time, it was hot, sunny and jumpable. The locals are very chilled and student-friendly, even people not associated with FFU. The Porter was a bit of a squish after the Caravan, but it gets the job done and it's kind of a social plane Two thumbs up from me. I'm jumping at Netheravon in the meantime, but I'll be back to get some more coaching in a month or two for sure. [edit: speling] -- "I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan "You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?

I second the "more funner" comment. I've almost exactly in the same place as you - I went from a Navigator to a (slightly) smaller Spectre for a few jumps, and to my uneducated eye, it was a lot more fun. (I'm still going to buy a Pilot though ) The angle of descent was noticeably steeper (this is generally a 7-cell characteristic, they tell me) and the flare was a bit more abrupt (again, seven cells) which took a couple of tries to work out how to land gracefully. But flying it was night and day. As sport canopies go the Spectre has a reputation for being pretty gentle, but after the Nav it felt positively zippy. Woohoo! Nice pickup. -- "I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan "You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?

Actually I think your best responses will come from the habitual drug users who follow this forum. The law enforcers are trained, yes, but for many of them it's still book-learnin'. The druggies OTOH are choosing fairly specific "symptoms" from the range available to us. I mean them. -- "I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan "You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?

I have two, and I'm not really sure where either of them are. Packed somewhere when I started travelling, I guess. I still think I got ripped off though with only two; I've been through 3 FJCs Oh. Maybe four. -- "I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan "You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?

That you're a teenage nerd (or were), and she was female? And you weren't old enough to know the difference between interesting and Interesting? (Some of us take longer than others to work that one out ) Live and learn... -- "I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan "You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?

And when the board upgraded to a bleeding-edge gigabyte drive array... unthinkable amounts of information at your fingertips! (And whoever mentioned the psycho chick at the BBQ... word. There Is Always One.) -- "I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan "You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?

I love the way someone asks a specific question about certain aspects of Dropzone 'A', and gets fifty responses all saying, "go to Dropzone B several hundred miles away! It has Thing X! But not as good as DZ C another hundred miles away, and is like Y!" The guy wasn't asking about which dropzone to go to in Spain, he was asking about car rental and accommodation. In Lillo. [edit: Claiming the bunkhouse at Empuriabrava is "cheap" at 12 euros is pretty funny in a thread about SD Lillo, where last I looked it was half that. *shrug*] Back on-topic... oh wait, he's already got the information he wanted. Ching! Maybe we can all find something else to discuss... like name-checking all the rad places we've been in some other thread! Dropzone.com... bless. -- "I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan "You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?

At least you can get calls through. I walk to work so everybody knows I'm fine, but I can't get in touch with my GF. She only works on the edge of Z1 and should have been at work by the time of the bombings anyway, but I'd still be a lot happier if our phone network wasn't screwed. -- "I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan "You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?

Haven't totally decided yet. My exit weight is a bit under 200, so either a 210 or 190 nine-cell main (have tried a Spectre and liked the opening and handling but the landings, not so much), and the biggest reserve I can comfortably fit in whatever container size I end up with. (Hmm, looking at the I6, which fits both my main choices, that's only a 190 ) I'll test jump a Pilot 210 as soon as possible and see how that goes. Budget probably won't stretch to a Sabre2. From the comments here and those of people I spoke with at the DZ I'm leaning towards the Icon, though I'm very tall so the option of the Wings EXT is still keeping it in the hunt. -- "I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan "You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?

Good ones = ones who commit Ones who are commited = good ones, by definition. Self-fulfilling prophecy, I'm afraid. (So, you need to find one who's not so good and CHANGE HIM!) -- "I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan "You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?

Likewise. I cunningly forgot that my travel insurance (work benefit) specifically didn't cover skydiving until it was almost too late, but got online to Endsleigh and it was sorted in under five minutes. And you can use the email confirmation as a record of insurance. -- "I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan "You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?

That's a tricky one, though. Uncurrent jumpers, by definition, don't jump very much. That leaves them turning up less frequently in incident reports, though an individual uncurrent jumper may be more likely to have an accident. -- "I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan "You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?

I'm shopping for a container, and I think I've narrowed it down to Wings or Icon. I haven't jumped the latter, but I did wander around the hangar in someone else's and liked the way it felt. My question is about the Icon, though. I can't find any mention of hard riser inserts, either in the (long) list of standard gear or as an option. Sunrise offer them free on the Wings, and I'm wondering: does the Icon offer some other feature that makes inserts unnecessary/bad, are they so standard they don't even get a mention, or would I have to get them added as an after-market feature by a rigger? I ask here because the only rigger I know is very far away, I may not be at a DZ for a while, and idle curiosity is a terrible thing. -- "I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan "You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?

I did AFF twice The first time was on SOS, and we were indeed taught to get both hands on the handle, pull with the right and clear with the left hand. I guess there's no reason not to, when you don't need another hand to deploy your reserve. When I was taught again, on "normal" gear, it was each-hand-on-a-handle, peel-punch-pull, and it was explained for the reason you gave earlier - don't want to be looking for that reserve handle once you've already cut away. -- "I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan "You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?

You know pBASEtobe, then? -- "I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan "You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?

I can't remember if it was ground launched or not, but there's a little bit on one of the Soul Flyers DVDs (I think it was them) with a guy on skis and someone under canopy racing each other down some sand dunes. The guy under canopy is trailing his toes in the sand GL style... very very pretty. -- "I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan "You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?