kjarv

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Posts posted by kjarv

  2. Quote

    Guys i just took delivery of my FF2 this week and man, it's a wonderful piece of kit.
    ---- Yeah, I LOVE mine!

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    1 - Do you guys keep the strap on the camera, and if so, is it ideally placed in the hole through the liner? (see "under liner" pic)
    ---- I kept my strap, routed it through the hole, took off the 'velcro pad thingy'. (too poor to buy ANOTHER video camera for other video worthy stuff, although video of peoples looks while wearing a camera through St. Peter's would be priceless)

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    2 - How close is the opening hole to the side of your camera lens?
    ---- I've got a .5 royal lens, it's actually inside (flush mounting made the aimpoint too high). It works great slightly inside, helmet does not get in the way of video.


    3 - Even with the screw on the attachment plate tightened to the camera,
    ---- Mine has a different type of screw, no problems...but I can't tell you what type--- mine looks like a giant 'normal' flathead screw, I can't hand-tighten/loosen mine.

  3. Have you ever seen the Chilean AF Halcones' show?

    Imagine group of Patty Wagstaff's doing the same aerobatics in formation! I think their show is more energetic and visually stunning than any of the 'big military fast jet' shows. You just can't toss an F-16 around like you can an Extra 300 :)
    Plus, their announcer is great... I love it when he announces with his full on spanish accent "they will now be performing a verrrry rrrisky maneuverrr"!

    I can't find video of their performance :( but here's a link to their website

    http://www.fach.cl/galeria/halcones.htm

  4. Skydive Tortuga, in Italy, goes to 15,000 ft AGL EVERY LOAD! I love going to that DZ! They are running a Pilatus Porter and a Cessna Caravan...I hope this catches on in the US when I return!

  5. GREAT!
    Glad you had a good time and my advice worked out! I was in the Tuscan region from 29 May - 04 Jun, and was at skydive Arezzo when they set the italian freefly record...it was great!

    I didn't know there was a DZ near Pisa---i'll have to look for it!

    If you make it back, give a shout and I'll meetcha in Arezzo for a jump!

  6. Quote

    Quote

    Italian coast is disappointing-- beaches are crowded and they CHARGE>:(
    ***
    Interesting, I've heard that from a few others? So you'd say spend more time visiting smaller towns in tuscany vs. going to the coast?

    Thanks everyone for your input this has all very super helpful!!!! :)



    Tuscany countryside is spectacular---easily blows away any beach experience you could muster here. If you get to Arezzo, go to Cortona (near Arezzo, 20 min drive south), beautiful medeival town on top of a mountain--spectacular.

  7. Hi there,
    I've been livin' in Naples for the past couple years. Make time for Arezzo (Skydive Tortuga) if you can. If you're staying in Florence, Arezzo is a short and inexpensive train ride away.
    The DZ is relaxed, and the view at 15,000ft is spectacular, and definately not your 'everyday' tourist experience :)
    If you don't have a hotel yet, get setup to stay in Hotel Laggiato Dei Serviti--- it's a really old converted Monestary, stone floors, awesome place--doesn't look like a hotel, and it's only a block away from 'David' and a short walk to the main Piazza.

    Italian coast is disappointing-- beaches are crowded and they CHARGE>:(

    Be sure to try Mozzarela di Bufala! Enjoy the Chianti from Tuscany as well.

    enjoy your trip.

  10. In Italy, you must track your rig in the same way an aircraft gets tracked--- it has it's own log book, and the registration costs 150 euro>:(

    As far as I can tell, this is only a scam to take money from skydivers and give it to the italian government.

    BUT, luckily, if you are a foreigner it italy, you can use your countries rules as long as your reserve is repacked at least once every two years in your country of origin :)
    It's a stupid rule.

  12. Skydiving in the middle east oughta be interesting. I was arrested in Saudi Arabia for flying a kite, so I imagine Saudi is right out.

    Turns out that any activity that is not directly related to the glorification of Allah and is solely for pleasure is pretty much verboten in countries that adhere strictly to islamic law (their explanation to me)---Kite flying was in the list--- I imagine skydiving is probably in that list too:(

    If it is legal in whichever islamic country you try to jump in, don't land off---who knows what kind of adventure that might lead to ;) The DZ brief there could be interesting "Hazard landing area - Islamic Fundamentalists" :)
    Save up all your tax free dollars, and all the leave you earn and take a full on skydiving vacation to one of the giant DZ's when you get back

    stay safe out there.
    -kjarv

  13. Hey Boom,
    It's gotta be super rough for ya lookin out that big ol window and givin' gas---I'll bet you're just itchin' to jump outta that thing!

    Try to catch a hop to Hawaii and go jump! Keep an eye out for the Thailand boogie, You're close enough that a flight for you should be cheap.

  14. Name him schroedinger, then when people come over tell them they can't observe your cat---he's neither dead or alive
    http://www.phobe.com/s_cat/s_cat.html

    -kjarv
    "Try to avoid thinking of things on a molecular level - it's better to not know that when you smell a fart, the molecules now in your nose were very recently in somebody's anus"

  15. Come to Naples, Italy---
    The coffee here is spectacular---When you get better, Come to Italy and have a great coffee

    If you can't be bothered to travel all the way to italy for a coffee, try to get a hold of "Illy" italian Coffee, and a teeny 'percolator' coffee maker http://italian.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http://www.ineedcoffee.com/03/mokaexpress/ after a bit of practice, you'll be makin' great coffe (there's sortof an art to figuring out how much coffee you need to stuff in that device, and it's kinda fun)

    If, however, you're deeply committed to American Coffee, Get Whole Bean Hawaiin Kona Coffee...fresh ground coffee tastes way better, and the Hawaiin stuff is awesome. Stay away from the flavored coffees, the coffee makers use the lowest quality beans for flavored coffees. (yeah, I couldn't resist going to a coffee plantation while I was in Hawaii and they had loads of great info). So, when you're better, go to Hawaii, tour their plant and load up on Kona Coffee (they also make chocolate covered coffee beans!)

    I'm off for my morning italian Cappucino...

    Get better.

  16. I had one back in '03 I think, it made it through 3 jumps then started beeping at 3 am, causing a terrible nightmare, replaced the batteries, worked once, then started beeping randomly. Returned it, got a new one (quick turnaround from unfeathered, great service), but THAT one failed after about a month too. Sent it back, got my money back and got a Pro-Dytter.
    I suspected the high humidity/salinity of Hawaii air killed the Skytronic FX, but the pro-dytter has worked like a champ since.

  18. Has anyone done training/coach jumps at Skydive Tortuga (1st School of Modern Skydiving) [Arezzo, Italy]

    I'm planning on taking a week off in April to be-bop over there and hoping to get some significant work done on my -umm- less than stellar freefly skills.

    Any tips/suggestions/expectations/stuff I should know before I head up there?

    This will be my first (yeah, I know) significant 'paid' coaching effort so I'm not sure what to expect...

    Thanks!

    -kjarv

  19. Seems to me the only problem with being a Christian Skydiver is it reduces the odds of getting in the air.

    Most of us only get 2/7 of the week off (Sat/Sun). God wants Sunday all to himself, so a 'good christian' only has a 1 in 7 chance of rolling a good day on Sat :)
    Or worse, if God is punishin' one of them guys for skivin' off on Sunday, He may WX out the whole DZ :(

    But heck, I'm just glad to find anyone to jump with, they're welcome to have and seek out others of their own belief system as long as they don't interfere with the feeding of Pudge.

    "Pudge controls the weather" - Lilo

  20. fat grippers are easier to grip. Easy to grip = more points. More points = more prizes. More prizes = more chicks. So if you want to get laid you better get fat grips.
    Quote



    So what you're saying is 'chicks dig fat grips' :)

  21. Congratulations!
    I did my AFF with simon-- great guy, really professional and great attitude.
    I once called the DZ to ask simon if the weather was good enough to jump and he said "If you stay at home, you KNOW you won't jump"
    So I got in the car, wx cleared up and I was in the air!

  25. I hate to go against the grain here, but who determined the canopies' airworthiness?

    I respect your opinion's on the canopy and based on that I'd never jump it, bit it's your opinion--- the guy selling the canopy may have deemed it 'airwothy'

    It is sad that he misrepresented the canopy though, and didn't express that in his ad, and I'm sure bad karma is heading his way for that, but before we accuse anyone of doing something illegal, I'd think a rigger would have had to deem the canopy unairworthy...