GravityGirl

You should call PD about the chart. In fact. I am going to tomorrow. It comes as a shock to me. And just out of curiosity, what qualifications does a rigger have that you feel makes them the best choice to ask about choosing a main canopy? Not to say they are not a good resource. Because they are. But an instructor, S&TA or someone in the Gear Industry seems a logical choice as well. Instructors spend a lot of time watching landings and canopy control, evaluating young jumpers performance. Riggers don't necessarily perform that function at a drop zone. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

Shannon can make just about anything rise with her hands. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

Is this fair game? www.GravityGear.com But if he is going to Florida, he may as well go shopping in person with SkyBytch. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

Take advantage of this time to learn to pack. Observe and evaluate wind conditions and it's effects. Get some of the experienced jumpers to share some stories. It's these days that you can learn the most. Oh. And of course these are good days for coloring/designing your dream gear too! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

No. It's not. In my opinion, it's not a good rig for anyone. Do you have training to land a round reserve? Do you want to jump in winds over 10mph? Do you want hard openings with little flare? Do you want an outdated container? Not to sound like a gear snob, because I'm not. I have been able to accomodate jumpers with any budget. But I can't stand folks unloading their old stuff and labeling it "Great Beginner Rig!" But just to be fair: What are the DOMs and how many jumps are on each component? Is it free? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

PLFs. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

Where is that thread? I want to check it out! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

To add to this just a bit. Everey single time you put your rig on, you should touch your handles at least three times. Once when you gear up. Once before you board the plane, and once before you exit. All three handles. In the order you would most likely use them. And yes, the soft reserve handle on my rig pokes me in the ribs if it tucks under. It's a nice PHAT handle. So definately ask the question before you buy. Thanks for dropping in here Bill. I'll be inspecting on of your new rigs in a couple of weeks. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

That's like buying a Mercedes and not getting the leather seats because you want to save a buck. Why get the Mercedes in the first place? Because it's under the hood that counts! The car still drives as fast and runs as smooth with cloth seats. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

If all you want is the color tool, then go to Square1.com. They have an interactive color page. Then call up JP aka DiabloPilot and he'll hook you up. Of course, if he tries to sell you an ugly rig, call me and I'll hook you up! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

I'm kinda scared to post on this thread. It's like walking into a room and everyone is talking about you. At least I can read what EVERYONE is saying. But JP.... .....how could I resist? Dude! Your rig WAS ugly. And you desirved the beating for wearing it. And that's just how my face looks normally! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

Oh please don't let that happen to me.... Oh please don't let that happen to me.... Oh please don't let that happen to me.... Oh please don't let that happen to me.... Oh please don't let that happen to me.... Oh please don't let that happen to me.... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

These pictures were taken at Bay Area Skydiving in Byron California by Evan Mortimore. I'm sure he wouldn't mind sharin' them with you. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

Is your cutaway handle hard to grab? Do you think you could grab it if you need to cut away? If you can grab and pull your cutaway handle does it stand to reason that you could pull the same type of handle on the other side? You don't get to choose your malfunction and sometimes incidents. The best you can do is to weigh the pros and cons of each system and realistically evaluate your personal flying environment. Then decide what is best for you. I choose to fly with a soft reserve handle. I freefly a lot. Sometimes with newer jumpers. I also do AFF. There are situations that I get into that involve full body contact. Having that D-Ring is a great big hazard. Mirage makes a nice PHAT handle. The new Icons have a VERY easy handle to grab. I have never had a hard time grabbing it. (8 reserve rides. 6 d-ring, 2 soft. Never noticed the difference. I do recommend that you don't get the same color as your cutaway handle. In fact I usually recommend red cutaway, silver color soft reserve handle. If you do not think you will find yourself in any of these hazardous situations where the D-Ring is vulnerable, then you may personally choose a D-Ring as being better for you. Each skydiver has unique variables. That's why it's so cool to have choices. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

I wonder what that SOUNDED like? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

Here are some of the things we cover in our "Flying the Reserve" seminar: (Disclaimer. Each participant is a USPA licensed skydiver. If someone on student status wishes to participate, some of the drills are modified to allow more altitude. Also note: We are using Performance Design Reserve Demos set up on main risers. Hooked up as mains on each jumpers individual gear. #1 - Glide. Find the "sweet spot" and just observe how much/little glide the reserve has compared to your main. #2 - Familiarity. We are blessed with an huge landable area in Byron. Pick a spot that you don't land in every time. Now the landmarks you usually use to set up have changed. We are doing this in a controlled environment, so we know that the chosen area is free from hazards. #3 - Decision Time. Do these drills as a hop-n-pop. Work on a couple of other drills first. Don't start setting up your landing pattern until below 1000 feet. #4 - Techniques. Try a "sink" approach. Upon opening find out how much brake input is necessary to sink your canopy with stalling it. Then try sinking it into your "imagined" tight landing area. While you are up high. Imagine you are flying right at a fence. Hit the brakes (about shoulder or chest level... this drill will help you figure out where.) then slowly let up on one side to veere away from your imaginary fence. As you veere away, pull the raise hand back down and continue to flare. Imagining that this is where you meet the ground. Up high play with rear and front risers and observe the glide ration. #5 - Special circumstances. If you break an arm or hand in freefall, or dislocate a shoulder. It is recommended that you go straight for your reserve. Do you unstow your brakes or not? Do you unstow one and not the other? Do you unstow both, put both toggles in one hand, steer and flare with one hand? They are all valid options, but which one is right for you? Performing this drill in a controlled environment will give you a game plan that you are sure you will be able to perform. Try steering the reserve without unstowing any brakes. For the drill you would unstow your brakes by 2500 feet and fly in normally. In the "real deal" you would steer to an open area and perform your best PLF, turning your hips slightly to the side on approach, feet an knees clamped tightly together. Then try unstowing just one brake. This would be a very dangerous choice. You would not be able to flare, but with that toggle in your hand it would be tempting. I wouldn't recommend this as a conscious choice. But if your arm was dislocated and you instinctively reached up to grab your toggles and only one arm went up.... well you might find yourself in this position. So. Have a plan. Practice it up high. For the drill unstow the other brake and do a normal approach. For the "real deal" prepare to PLF, holding the unstowed toggle down to keep the canopy flying straight, perform your best PLF and remember YOU CAN'T FLARE WITH ONE TOGGLE! Hold her steady. This drill is the most important. If you decide to unstow both brakes with one hand, put both toggles in one hand in the center of your body. Pull to the left to go right. Pull to the right to go left. Practice this! Now the real test. Do you have the strength to flare with one hand? Try it. Can you flare smoothly and evenly? Practice it. If you cannot do it now. Consider making your game plan leaving the brakes stowed. Anyways. Those are some of the drills we do. We also sit around and talk a bunch of "no shit" stories. Everyone takes turns recounting their real life cutaways and reserve rides. We talk about the sensations as well as the technical aspects. Most people come away from the event feeling much more confident. Also secure in knowing they have a good game plan for unlikely, but possible senarios. Please feel free to PM me if you have ANY questions or if I didn't make something clear. Seek the advise and help of a professional at your home drop zone before performing these drills, so you know for sure your interpretation is correct and you are doing them in a safe and controlled environment. Over. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

BumFart-Extreme magazine would have to obtain a release from you before they publish your picture in any magazine ad. Same with video ads. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

SO THAT'S WHY YOU DON'T SHOP LOCAL!!!!!!!!!! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

Providing your exit weight isn't over 220, I'ld go with mini-risers, mini-rings. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

...and don't have cascades. So you can slide down them real easy ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

I have a kite board. Wanna borrow it? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

Oh my gawd! You DID NOT name your kid EFS?!?! That is too funny! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

yeah, but were any of the skydivers honestly homosexual?! ......... I haven't heard anyone say homosexual in a long time.... ....and I'm from San Francisco! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

Ewwww. And you admit that in a public forum! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

But JP, I've sold 17 times more Performance Designs parachutes than Aerodyne. Of course, I sould be on Aerodynes web site too. Maybe they can find a better picture too! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!