andyflylife

I was just after thoughts on a situation I faced recently. Low hop and pop lift all solos getting out, ie lots of canopies landing similar time. I was the first one out and unusually for me the first to land, just. My normal thing when jumping solo is to hang in brakes off the pattern and attempt to land near the back of the load to enable my swoop setup to flow and avoid traffic etc. However on this occasion because of the lack of exit alltitude and getting out first I decided to fly on full drive and get down. I always make my final HP turn from deep brakes so I'd flown my pattern to 600' ish straight down then went onto deep brakes to my 400' turn height then did my thang!! After landing the guy following me in on a higher wing loading commented that I shouldn't hang around on brakes as it holds people up on finals!! Is it just me or is that like following a car too closely and therefore not giving yourself enough room for making adjustments when people do things you are not expecting? I will add that the person in question wasn't a regular to my DZ so probably hadn't seen my setup style before. Any opinions apreciated! Thanks guys and gals. Blues "swooper 24/7, 365!" ME on Myspace My Project playlist

A few of me last month at Skydive London (Swindon) Thanks to the DZ photo guru Howard. "swooper 24/7, 365!" ME on Myspace My Project playlist

Hi y'all, I just thought i'd moan about my minor problem on my PC109 hopefully in order to get feedback or advice. The fault started with the LCD working without the back light and the touch screen buttons only worked part time and didnt operate the said function, but now the screen is totally black with just an interference line on it. Before it failed totally I first took off the battery to try and clear it with no affect, then i pressed the reset. After the reset I just managed to part set the time before the screen failed all together. The main problem now is that the auto focus is on after the reset and I cant change it to manual because it can only be done on the touch screen!! Sony have said £176 to fix it as a starter price Has anyone had similar problems and/or had any joy fixing them other than under warranty (ie DIY) Any thoughts appreciated.... cheers guys and gals Blues "swooper 24/7, 365!" ME on Myspace My Project playlist

Haha!! The crowd still loved it even with the crash. Beer to that Blues. "swooper 24/7, 365!" ME on Myspace My Project playlist

Yeah that looks like the inside of D-FBPS from Langar!! Funny thing is the cloud on that shot looks pretty good with a few breaks visible!! "swooper 24/7, 365!" ME on Myspace My Project playlist

Industrial haze mate Good video James!! Whats the track on it? Sounds like Natasha Bedingfield gone badass!!! Blues "swooper 24/7, 365!" ME on Myspace My Project playlist

On the subject of range finders...Are you able to instanly calculate the top height of any object you point it at? or is it a case of working out a distance away from it when stood at 45 degrees to the top? "swooper 24/7, 365!" ME on Myspace My Project playlist

As I previously said in a recent thread topic.... I've been using my optima for the last 100 or so jumps plus a Suunto Vector for the last 50 ish. I got the Optima as a method of helping me plan and carry out my setup and turn more consistently, as i started to find myself either turning much to high or a little bit too low. Too low was a lack of discipline when i screwed up my setup. At first i thought 'could i be to dependent on instruments?' But using the combination of the Suunto and the Optima has vastly improved my swoop progression. Far from relying on the two i use my eyes for watching traffic, position rough altitude judgment...etc, then the suunto to clarify the alti. The optima is then a time out beep to move to the next phase of setup, and my final set turn height is not the lowest i can possibly turn, it allows me a little flexibility which is where my eye judgment has the final say. Seems to work for me, swooping is so 3 dimensional that you couldn't possibly rely on instruments, but they make it safer IMHO. To add to that, as im jumping an original Sabre with its short recovery arc, to be able to dial in a swoop just with a digital turn height would be almost impossible. I usually find myself finishing the last part of the dive still on double fronts so releasing them is pure judgment. Again the instruments (Optima and Suunto) are just tools which allow me to make more accurate setups and also give me a timeout to stop me going low. Blues "swooper 24/7, 365!" ME on Myspace My Project playlist

I started to learn to swoop my Sabre 150 and now have a Sabre135 and have about 180-200 jumps (all HP landings) on that. I am learning so much even with this older type of canopy and my swoops are getting better and better. I can really keep the thing diving now!!! Recently certain people on my DZ have been commenting on how good im progressing under canopy especially with my jump number and have said i need to downsize 120 or smaller!! But theres something telling me (this forum thread included) that ive got soooooo much more to learn on my trusty Sabre with its short recovery arc and forgiving flight characteristics!! As for the argument on recovery arcs, one of the most experienced jumpers in the UK from our DZ used to jump a Velo 103 and now jumps a Aerodyne Pilot 104 but can still out-swoop alot of people on more HP stuff!! Safe swoops "swooper 24/7, 365!" ME on Myspace My Project playlist

The Chris Lynch courses are great!! Do both the fundamentals one (if you haven't already) and then the swooping one. Like most people will tell you on here, you cant learn things like swooping over the internet, but by all means discuss it, the more knowledge you can obtain the better. Just for reference though i started bringing swoop techniques down to ground level just with STRAIGHT IN (no turn) double fronts, learning to let the canopy recover fully before having to give any input. Whatever anyone may say about starting this way, i found it invaluable to learn about increased speed and keeping the canopy out of the 'Corner'. Oh and stay current!! Play safe "swooper 24/7, 365!" ME on Myspace My Project playlist

I know there will be far better answers from far more experienced canopy pilots to follow this one but here goes... Any input by the pilot to pull the canopy out of the dive to avoid hitting the deck, whether it is steady toggle input or a stab; is 'Digging' The amount of input needed to 'dig' would be relevant to shoe how much too low the turn was or how much too late the pilot stopped giving front riser input. Basically pulling out with toggles means you were in 'The Corner' how ever much that was. I dont know how you would define a perfect swoop? For me on my canopy there's a very fine line between allowing the canopy to plain out on its own at just the right swoop height or a tiny bit high, and allowing the canopy to be just a fraction in 'the corner' which is plained out using rear risers (Technically a dig) which then slingshots me forward for the swoop! Damn now im confused Hope i made sense!! Blue skies. "swooper 24/7, 365!" ME on Myspace My Project playlist

Ive done a couple of launches before on a smaller hill, but thanks for the advice anyway. Ive got a harness/container with no reserve in it, so now im just waiting for my new skydiving canopy so i can use my current Sabre 135 for Groundlaunching. I intend to remove all the deployment stuff before i launch!! Blues "swooper 24/7, 365!" ME on Myspace My Project playlist

I checked some slopes out in the Peak District near Buxton that looked great. Would need some more planning and land checking before i attempted launching though, and there are Paraglider dudes that you would have to check in with so as not to "step on there toes" if you know what i mean? check the picture. Blues "swooper 24/7, 365!" ME on Myspace My Project playlist

Like it! In the UK we've got 'Sports Extra' and other such discount stores that sell heaps of cheap trainers with a selection of skate type ones. Im using Airwalks at the moment! It just occured to me.... swooping/skydiving must be one of the few places where trainers look cool with the laces tied up!! "swooper 24/7, 365!" ME on Myspace My Project playlist

I've been using my optima for the last 100 or so jumps plus a Suunto Vector for the last 50 ish. I got the Optima as a method of helping me plan and carry out my setup and turn more consistently, as i started to find myself either turning much to high or a little bit too low. At first i thought 'could i be to dependent on instruments?' But using the combination of the Suunto and the Optima has vastly improved my swoop progression. Far from relying on the two i use my eyes for watching traffic, position rough altitude judgment...etc, then the suunto to clarify the alti. The optima is then a time out beep to move to the next phase of setup, and my final set turn height is not the lowest i can possibly turn, it allows me a little flexibility which is where my eye judgment has the final say. Seems to work for me, swooping is so 3 dimensional that you couldn't possibly rely on instruments, but they make it safer IMHO. Oh and to keep in line with the thread topic i'm just moving on from 90's to 120's Blues skies, safe swoops "swooper 24/7, 365!" ME on Myspace My Project playlist