GravityGirl

All CFIs are cheap. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

I have lost stuff that I shipped to Sweden before. It was stuck in customs. Contact the local customs offices and start raising hell. It takes time. But it is most likely there. Did you ship it Global Priority? Or Global Express? Otherwise it could take up to 4 weeks. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

Been there. Done that. Made the T-shirt. Sold it for a jump ticket! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

I've done that two days in a row + a 6 hour third day. Cali to Quincy. Done that route many, many times.... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

You are reading a lot of warning about downsizing here no doubt. What you are doing at this stage is not "downsizing" per say. You are stepping down from student gear to an appropriate beginner system. My suggestion sight unseen is to put a few jumps on the 230. Make it a priority. Get there first. Just do what it takes to try out the 230. Then step down to the 210. The 210 will most likely be the canopy that you really start to learn and build your piloting skills. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

Here are a couple of mine. I don't have any ground shots ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

Is that a nose cone for a plane or a missle?!? That is sawweeeeet! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

I usually recommend 550 replaced after 300 - 400 jumps and 825 after 500 - 600 jumps. I have had both on my 97 and I actually like 825 better. It might be in my head, but it seems like the openings were on heading more often. I picked 825 for my 89. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

Valentines weekend at Bay Area Skydiving will include a "Couples Competition". The competition will feature Belly Flying, Vertical Flying and Canopy Swoop and Accuracy. So grab your best girl or guy an come on out for some Byron Love Style competition! Anyone think they can beat Bonnie and Mathias, how about Vic and Connie? Mark and Farrah? Evan and Darlene? Who else? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

Is your avitar a fart? That might be why you are lonely. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

Ewww. I'm leaving for Sweden on Monday! Anyone wanna cum? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

What kind of job are you looking for? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

oH MY gAWD! I used to use vi, way back when.... ....when I had a "real" job. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

How far beyond do you want to go Benny? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

I never really though about how much the container can affect opening until I got my new one. Now I have made it a point to evaluate this every chance I get. The stows on the bag are a factor. Even how the reserve tray is sewn to the backpad is a factor. If there is a gap at all, one side can hesitate just a little longer than the other. Also, condition of the pilot chute and risers. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

Not everyone is comfortable with landing rear risers. It is pretty easy to collapse it. And I wouldn't do it with my toggles unstowed. Well, unless I HAD to. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

GroundZero would most definately let you add stops to it. If not I'll sell my Xaos. She means GroundZero Gear Store in Elsinore. And I bet if you asked Kama really nice and had it done by a rigger, she would go for it. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

A Sabre2 150 @ 200lbs is *too* aggressive. There is a lot to learn and experience at this stage of your learning curve. Better to do that under the larger wing. In fact, I probably would of picked a 190 for you. But I would say, stick with the 170 for a couple hundred jumps. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

Because sight unseen, I don't know what the newer jumpers environment is. If he is jumping at a DZ that is unfamiliar with slinks, then it might be better to start off with what the senior jumpers in his area are familiar with. You say the instructions are idiot proof.... well.... guess what? I've seen them hooked up incorrectly. I intercepted. Our DZ is almost completely converted to slinks. But some of the rural DZs are not very familiar with them. I usually have an in depth conversation with potential customers to get a feel for what their specific needs are. If I am not going to be there to hook up his slinks, I want to know that someone who is qualified can guide the jumper through installation and proper maintenance. Like if the tab moves to the side. Shaping/massaging the slink for the first 10 - 15 jumps to prevent this from happening, etc. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

How much do you weigh? 825 Microline. In short: The dacron is pretty bulky for such a small canopy. The 550 is very small and needs to be replaced more often. Slinks or S.S. Links? Personal preference. The slinks will allow you to pull the slider down behind your head. Both need to be maintenanced in their own special way I usually start new jumpers off with hard links. But soft links are becoming so much the "norm" at our drop zone, that everyone is familiar with maintenance and installation. So there is no reason a new jumper here shouldn't choose slinks. You should look around your dz. See what other people are using. Talk to your rigger. Make sure you have someone who can install and show you how to maintain them. PM me if you have any more specific questions about each type of link. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

I think the Diable has snappier turns. So if that's what appeals to you then the Diablo is for you. If longer plain out on landing is more appealing, then go for the Stiletto. I disagree with the Stiletto opening like crap. I have many jumps on Stilettos. I think the openings are soft and on heading. But there are factors. Packing, body position, container. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

What is the DOM? You can factor in +/- 3 months from the DOM. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

Tie dye black on grey.... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

What is a Sky Monkey? Dare I ask??? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

Like an A-Max. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!