Liemberg

Should I want to kill or hurt myself skydiving, I think I'm perfectly capable of achieving that on my own without anybody's help, so anything that would impair my reaction speed or my powers of observation is NOT on the diet when I'm throwing myself at the planet, aiming to miss - or at least land softly. If need be, I'll bring my own lunch therefore. Even birds know instinctively that flying - when intoxicated - is a stupid plan Intoxicating others with recreational drugs without their knowledge, let alone their consent, is a both despicable and criminal. If it happened 'unwillingly' it is at least downright stupid and there is not much place for stupidity either, on your average dropzone... "Whoever in discussion adduces authority uses not intellect but memory." - Leonardo da Vinci A thousand words...

In terms of an enforceable RULE they are, even if they point in the same direction. Then again, pointing in the same direction is what they would do, +99% of the time. The argument of the thing being tied down, or not well maintained or broken is not valid. If a DZ is big enough for traffic problems caused by different landing directions and they have a tetrahedron, they'd better also have a system in place to make sure it isn't tied down and is in working order once jumping starts. Just like your pilot is supposed to kick the tires and walk around the plane- removing those red flags. If you want people to fly predictable patterns those patterns should be completely clear for everyone involved from the very first moment they can see the target area from under canopy. Of course, having a tetrahedron does not exclude severe and gruesome punishment for any 'mad skilz' type that thinks 270s through the pattern are cool, if well executed... Remember that the longest swoops are usually seen on days with little or no wind where there's the biggest chance of first man down to chose other directions than the novices / intermediates that follow him on bigger canopies would expect and may be comfortable with... "Whoever in discussion adduces authority uses not intellect but memory." - Leonardo da Vinci A thousand words...

But it greatly reduces the risks on days with nice weather, little to moderate winds - exactly the circumstances that 'advanterous canopy pilots aspiring to become as good as their mad skilz' might be on the ground first and decide to set a direction (and thereby a pattern) others might not like or have anticipated. I'm pretty sure the tetrahedron at least isn't taking every opportunity to train for the swoop competition.

I'll be on the ground anyway on that occasion. When the winds are gusting in such a way my GOOD tetrahedron swings so dangerously that people risk flying each other out of the sky, the weather is WAY to unstable to safely skydive. I'll sit this one out, if you don't mind.

Because a GOOD tetrahedron (gotta google THAT!) is better. It is cheap and simple to build, it can be automated - hell, if you want you can build in a computer and a weather station making it react to ahead of time set parameters (wind exceeding so many knots for such and such duration) but a piece of board on a discarded wheel + half a rear axis MANDATES a landing direction from opening to landing - so there's at least one factor eliminated like for competition training cameraflyers that want to practice their downwind skillz before anyone else has set the pattern. I - for one - have seen a bunch of skydivers land in the 'wrong' direction, when you think of reducing speed @ touchdown as preliminary goal. Ain't scared, proud or shy but not knowing WHO the first man down will be, how can I trust him to choose the correct direction? Like: beforehand? Automation is the future in decision making.

Handycam is safer - as log as you don't get carried away and forget the primary task at hand (get stable, throw drogue, check handles, pull, check canopy, steer, avoid traffic, land softly) Of course there is a risk of getting into a side spin 'with the wrong side up and the drogue halfway out of the pocket'' but other than that it is a no-brainer / Murphy's second law ('If it can not happen, it will not happen') Contour HD, Gopro and other camera's are as small and light as your altimeter, the SD-cards can hold several hours of footage & fresh batteries can run for several hours so you can turn them on when you hear 'one minute!' Do the math. "Whoever in discussion adduces authority uses not intellect but memory." - Leonardo da Vinci A thousand words...

If I may suggest a cinematographic masterpiece here: http://youtu.be/vKGK2fplV_w "Whoever in discussion adduces authority uses not intellect but memory." - Leonardo da Vinci A thousand words...

Although I am mighty impressed with your 10000 jumps and 99 years in the sport, I respectfully disagree. WHEN this thing moves it only does so when the wind changes significantly. It doesn't react to small changes. As I said, it doesn't fix stupid. But if you find yourself @ 1000ft and see that it is actually turning you have a NEW landing direction. At least you can be pretty certain there is no traffic coming from the sides and the general direction will be the same. Am I able to land downwind? What do you think? Do I prefer to land upwind? What do you think? However, it is not that I'm afraid of crosswind landings that makes me 'want to be elsewhere' if I see something like this change direction +45 degrees or more from under my canopy. I have learned in my limited experience that changes in wind direction (+45 degrees + 5 knots) are indicative for meteorological conditions that were the root of the old saying "It is better to be on the ground, wishing you were up there under a parachute than to be up there under a parachute - wishing you were on the ground..." (i.e you need a lot of turbulence / 'cooking winds' to get the situation where this can lead to the problems you perceive. Sensible people usually are skipping this load already in that situation... In the large majority of the cases it beats what's already in place like 'first person down sets the pattern'. In this case it is 'large yellow arrow sets the pattern'. From experience I can tell you it does a well enough job...) Furthermore, I don't see the problem if my direction during the landing is different from the guy with the pocket-rocket that landed a minute ago. It will be the same for everybody else who hasn't landed yet. And those are the only ones I'm worried about... "Whoever in discussion adduces authority uses not intellect but memory." - Leonardo da Vinci A thousand words...

Since it only moves when there's a significant change, that doesn't happen. There MAY be a significant change in wind DIRECTION but it is (almost) never strong enough to really change the direction the arrow is pointing given the weather circumstances on 99% of the jumps. It is not uncommon however to see the arrow pointing in one direction and the small windsocket right next to it in a different direction. Arrow = landing (direction / pattern) Windsocket = actual wind As I said in the other post If you see this thing move significantly (+45 degrees) while under canopy, you really really really want to be somewhere else... Other than that, if that does happen it is there for all to see (new pattern) IMO this is 'skydiver proof' - simple, easy to interpret, low maintenance etcetera... My guess is however that since it doesn't need a computer or an Android app... O well.... "Whoever in discussion adduces authority uses not intellect but memory." - Leonardo da Vinci A thousand words...

It only moves when the change is significant, the large majority of the fluctuations (i.e. that would move a windsock) will NOT move this thing. For instance, if yesterday the winds were a steady18-20 knots from a certain direction but today there is variable wind / less than 5 knots / 180 degree variation you would not need 'in airplane communication' or 'first person down sets a pattern-that-scares-YOU'. The thing is, it should be built so that it only moves when there is enough wind and remain stationary when there is too little wind to move it (as described). This way everybody can keep the pattern established 'the last time there was wind' and the pattern only changes when the wind is really picking up. Since it moves automatically, there is no need for human interaction (i.e. no person from the staff has to go up there to change it) Direction of yellow arrow is ALWAYS direction of landing / pattern. AND if you see that thing move more than 90 degrees while you are together with a whole load under canopies you guys may be in the wrong place anyway...

Frankly, I don't get it either. By its nature, wind is an unpredictable factor in many places. What you would want is to have 'the actual patern' decided by a clear sign visible for all to see from 2000ft which reacts directly on significant changes in the wind and does nothing when the changes are insignificant, so that it starts to move @ 5 knots or more but doesn't move when the changing wind force remains below 5 knots. You can use a discarded wheel + half axis as base / pivot point. One day of DIY and less than $100 in material will solve the landing direction problem once and for al in real time... Though it doesn't fix stupid, at least it will be impartial. Furthermore, it is fully automated - which really is much better than any system that depends on someone 'in a position of authority' actually walk up to the thing 'when he feels that the wind has changed'. (Hey, we're skydivers...) "Whoever in discussion adduces authority uses not intellect but memory." - Leonardo da Vinci A thousand words...

Still wondering if Virgil remembered to turn on his Cyprus... In Holland students EP's are reviewed on a regular basis, using a suspended harness. However, they call that test - to be signed of in the student's logbook - a 'Harnastest'. 'Harnas' translated back to English means (mediaeval) body armour... "Once you know how to land a parachute, you probably can do it without the complete body armour - much better for your wingload also..."

Prior to the discovery of Australia, all swans were white - everyone knew... (As a matter of fact-that-I-learned-recently: a biologist told me that Black Swans in the Northern Hemisphere have a hard time propagating since their biological clock makes them lay eggs in November...) edited to say that other than that I have no problem with the jumpdude17 spicing up the discussion per se - Djeezz folks, this is the internet, some anonymous joker calling me a dick and an asshole just sort of comes with the territory... "Whoever in discussion adduces authority uses not intellect but memory." - Leonardo da Vinci A thousand words...

Well, there you have it! No true justice for you on these forums whatsoever! And all because your father - mr. Meoff - had the poor taste to name you Jack! http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080218120306AAMECwE "Whoever in discussion adduces authority uses not intellect but memory." - Leonardo da Vinci A thousand words...

Yes! But then again, that is also a personal attack... And if it is not, you haven't been around here long enough and haven't given enough detail about your amiable personality when filling in your profile (on feb 17, right when you asked your first question) to be allowed to call ME that. Now RUN - there's a greenie right behind you!

Glad that you mentioned that - I could have sworn that you made a fresh new account and were trolling the feeders, laughing your ass of and secretly making fun on everybody that couldn't help himself and just had to feed the trolls...

It could be a problem if you were not aware that it could be a problem. Obviously you are, so there is no problem. Just use the trusted 'Echternach procession' approach - review your EP's before your jump weekends, take a step back from where you were 60 days ago and you'll be fine... "Whoever in discussion adduces authority uses not intellect but memory." - Leonardo da Vinci A thousand words...

If he doesn't have popular support he WILL fall.. So, who's next? (After Khadaffi - or whatever is the correct way to spell his name....) The German language expresses it best - he's no longer 'Salonfähig' and in the long run that is what you have to be in order to run a country in this day and age... "Whoever in discussion adduces authority uses not intellect but memory." - Leonardo da Vinci A thousand words...

And ad a sign that says: "If you don't step on our parachutes, we will not step on your car and even better, if your kid does not trample on our parachutes..." If you find that to unfriendly the sign could say: 'Stay well clear of the parachutes - automatic openers contain explosives!" "Whoever in discussion adduces authority uses not intellect but memory." - Leonardo da Vinci A thousand words...

My son, who started 'in front of me' at the age of eight and made his fist solo SL jump at his sixteenth birthday probably disagrees with that statement. Furthermore, everybody we strap in front of us is somebodies son, daughter, wife, husband, parent - it comes with the territory. MY legal system (the Netherlands) acknowledges from the age of twelve on that they are independent legal beings - to be heard by the judges in case of medical treatments for cancer or where they want to live in case of a divorce. Wether the whole world falls under US jurisdiction remains to be seen. Other than that "When in Rome..."

They will be more stable this way - though it's not that much of a difference for whatever they do with their arms, doing something wrong with their legs will always have more effect since the legs are much larger. However, the lower / closer to the body the arms are at the opening, the less risk there is for them interfering with the static line. (If I was sure that all of them just came for a couple of static line jumps, I would rather have them go out the door military style with their back towards the relative wind, 'sitting with their hands in their lap'...) I'm not suggesting you should retrain those that already made one ore more jumps - that is an unnecessary complication. But for new students it is what you tell them it is, so starting with a Delta rather than a 'big X' is not a problem. As to moving on into freefall, there the problem of 'lights on but nobody home' is already greatly reduced at that stage and since they are continuing it will be just a minor change compared to all the other stuff they will have to learn further down the road. These static line jumps are all about 'I just started to open parachute number one, now I have to count while waiting for the shock, check if it's good enough to keep, solve minor problems and land it'. All one can learn about freefall there will be focused on the moment of the opening, the rest is 'learning to swim by submerging yourself in the water for 3 seconds'... Just think of eating an elephant - one shouldn't eat more than a mouthful at the time... "Whoever in discussion adduces authority uses not intellect but memory." - Leonardo da Vinci A thousand words...

The student that goes 'head low' usually bends at the hips / remains bended at the hips. The advantage of a good Delta is that you are strongly reducing one axis of all the different ones your student can start to tumble on for theoretically a Delta will give some forward movement on the relative wind - all other things being equal. Even more important (from my experience) is to have them turn in the right direction ("eyes on the prop") as much as possible when they are still in the door 'balancing on their left bum'. Now that can be quite a hassle when you drop the first of five big blokes so sometimes they leave with a 90 degree angle on the relative wind but that is not so good. However, invariably they will leave with some momentum and have to turn towards the relative wind; the less they have to turn (since they are already turned almost completely) the better the results will be... Most important IMO is that you are not really teaching freefall skills here, this is strictly 'survival mode' - they are opening a parachute and have only one extra. From their own experience they didn't built the confidence that parachutes work most of the time so they tend to be rather preoccupied with mortality questions. Their limbic brain throws a dice which decides if they are going to fight, fly or freeze. When the outcome is that they freeze you want them to at least freeze in a stable body position... Did I or someone else already mention that you guys should get rid of the pilotchute -assist and switch to direct bag? You will still be seeing crazy stuff but the large majority will end up frantically kicking their legs under open student parachutes with a couple of twists. That is a much better outcome than every now and then one with a bridle in the armpit and main suspension lines around the reserve container... Of course, My $0,02 and YMMV... "Whoever in discussion adduces authority uses not intellect but memory." - Leonardo da Vinci A thousand words...

1. Get direct bag deployment systems. Though watching a student under a slow turning canopy with one foot behind a riser can be scary, watching a student with a death grip on his pilot chute is worse... 2. Teach a 'Delta position' rather than a 'Big X' for the exit. (angle of the arms on the torso should be 45 degrees in stead of 90 or more degrees.) But whatever you do and teach - 'brains will melt in the door' every now and then.... "Whoever in discussion adduces authority uses not intellect but memory." - Leonardo da Vinci A thousand words...

They are not bitching over the free hot meal, but over the fact that it ruins their free T-shirt. (one per 750 seems about right, IMO...) "Whoever in discussion adduces authority uses not intellect but memory." - Leonardo da Vinci A thousand words...

I knew if I kept at it long enough, sooner or later I would qualify for something