Kirils

3 years ago, my skydive partner went through her AFF. I bought her a Tony freefly jumpsuit as a "graduation gift". It was a perfect fit at 150#. BUTT (pun here) she gained a lot of weight and size over the 4 month winter layoff. So much she couldn't get into the suit, let alone, zip it up! She was jumping a 170 Heatwave before the winter layoff. In the Spring when we started jumping againI bought here a larger suit. Problem was on her landings...the more weight she gained the faster she came in! By the end of the next season she really had put on weight (210+?) and while the 170 now was too small she refused to go larger saying the canopy was defective and she really didn't weigh any more than she had. The last couple months we jumped she PLF'd all of them. She no longer jumps now because of the larger canopy required (240+#) Ohio has the highest % of bodyfat per capita in the USA and entire world! It's quite an impediment to sports participation, especially skydiving. ( if you're a NFC guy, your out of luck) "Slow down! You are too young to be moving that fast!" Old Man Crawfish

I'm a pilot, getting my ticket in '76. I have hang gliding experience and ultralite experience. I really believe these disiplines have given me an edge in canopy control, as it appears to be your experience also. "Slow down! You are too young to be moving that fast!" Old Man Crawfish

Most excellent!!! Thanks!! "Slow down! You are too young to be moving that fast!" Old Man Crawfish

No, I don't include my round days of 25 years ago. And Precision recommends 500 jumps for a XAOS, which I don't hook. I'm a newbie to HP swoops and proceed with caution. Old bones heal slow.., (grin) "Slow down! You are too young to be moving that fast!" Old Man Crawfish

No beginners should not jump x-braced now, but I don't discount the possibility one day AFF students will jump x-braced. You probably aren't old enough to remember the issue with squares in the early days or the ZP controversy. These were considered "radical" technology and reserved for the highly experienced. Evolution is a painful process that bucks the majority. "Slow down! You are too young to be moving that fast!" Old Man Crawfish

I prefer an Astra over the Cypres. Flying a high performance canopy with a Cypres puts you at risk. With the Astra I can turn the thing off once under canopy. "Slow down! You are too young to be moving that fast!" Old Man Crawfish

I started jumping in 1968 with a modified T-10 and army surplus gear costing a total of $90.00. I moved on to $350.00 23' Russian Para-Commander copy called a Hapakommahep. In 1973 I stopped jumping after getting tired of violent openings and hitting the ground so hard on every jump. The fatality reports at the time showed more deaths occuring with experienced jumpers; not unlike today! After 300 or so jumps I decided the sport was too dangerous. (you don't know what I'm talking about unless you have done a cutaway with 1-1/2 shots and had to throw and shake your reserve to get it to open... (I had 8 mals in 300 jumps) I started back jumping 3 years ago because of the wonderful improvements in equipment! I have friends with 2000+ jumps that have never experienced a mal. Mals happened every 50 jumps in the old days of belly warts and Jerry Bird... it was a thing you just accepted with participation in the sport. So I bought a Heatwave for my first canopy after going through AFF in 1999. (17 jumps) It was a dream! You people don't know how good you have it. Years ago we got killed beacuse of equipment mals. Today people get killed skydiving because they get careless and stupid. It breaks my heart that with all the great gear you have, so many die...there is no excuse. "Slow down! You are too young to be moving that fast!" Old Man Crawfish

Jump #'s don't mean squat. Look at the fatality page in the USPA mag... people with 1000+ jumps pounding themselves to death on low turns! We have the only sport where you tend to get more likely to die with experience. What an endorcement to attract newbies! My first square canopy was an HP elipitical that I took on at just 17 jumps on squares. (I've had 250+ on T-10's) No problems...I've never had a major injury under an eliptical. I'm jumping a 108 Xaos 21 and consider the canopy stable and safe... MUCH safer and less radical than the 120 Diablo I demo'd or the 110 Espirit I used to jump. One DZ won't let me jump the Chaos because I need (according to the DZO) 500 eliptical jumps before I can use of the Chaos at their DZ. Bombing in on an overloaded Espirit 110 was OK though...go figure. OHHHH yes...I forgot, I live in PD country, I shouldn't have any complaints jumping a 76 Velocity... "Slow down! You are too young to be moving that fast!" Old Man Crawfish

Solvents used in permenent markers are not harmful to canopy fabric. "Slow down! You are too young to be moving that fast!" Old Man Crawfish

That's a tough one.... Reserve rides are fairly infrequent and not too many of us take time to evaluate one as a main. I had 4 rides on a Raven and thought it was a good flying canopy. I still perfer a Tempo just because of the great praise my rigger has has for it. (He has had over 30 chops and I trust the voice of experience) "Slow down! You are too young to be moving that fast!" Old Man Crawfish

I psycho pack mine and have great openings! "Slow down! You are too young to be moving that fast!" Old Man Crawfish

"it is much more stable of a air foil" Interesting, but I'm sure I have read there is no imperical data to support this. On what do you base your claim? "Slow down! You are too young to be moving that fast!" Old Man Crawfish

Sounds like you got a copy-cat chute from China (grin) Hey by the way, do the Chinese make parachutes?? They make everything else... "Slow down! You are too young to be moving that fast!" Old Man Crawfish

Oh, if modern jumpers could only experience the old reefing systems, packing methods and complex cutaway / reserve systems of the 60's & 70's... They would understand how far the industry has advanced. "Slow down! You are too young to be moving that fast!" Old Man Crawfish

I had velcroless toggles and let the excess brake line hang loose. On opening the excess looped around the riser and knoted itself. I now stow them with a rubber band. "Slow down! You are too young to be moving that fast!" Old Man Crawfish

Thanks... "Slow down! You are too young to be moving that fast!" Old Man Crawfish

A year ago I bought a new 200 Interceptor CREW canopy. The buds who were interested in doing CREW gave up on the idea and I was stuck with the canopy. I tried to sell it and I was told "it's pretty big for CREW, most people are using smaller chutes now". Is this true? "Slow down! You are too young to be moving that fast!" Old Man Crawfish

"As of now I do not think I am ready to bite into a x-braced" I'm curious about your reasoning... Thanks! "Slow down! You are too young to be moving that fast!" Old Man Crawfish

Question...were you using an RSL?? "Slow down! You are too young to be moving that fast!" Old Man Crawfish

Blasphemy!! Repent or thou shalt feel the wrath of the canopy God, DAN. (grin) Bummer, guy. I'd be in interested in hearing the feedback from the company. Do you get a guarantee on it? It's funny how we evaluate canopies as individuals. One persons junk is anothers treasure. Good luck!! "Slow down! You are too young to be moving that fast!" Old Man Crawfish

Last year I contacted the manufacturer of both the Cypres and Astra reguarding the incidence of misfire. Records are kept on reported problems, but they do not make the data public. SSK was not at all willing to discuss the frequency of misfires. I became concerned about misfire under canopy (jumping an ultra high performance canopy) and changed the Cypres out for an Astra, where I can turn the thing off under canopy. "Slow down! You are too young to be moving that fast!" Old Man Crawfish

75% of the military in Africa are HIV positive. Civilian infected infected men rape children with the belief it will "cleanse" them of the disease. With a reprobate culture like that, I'm all for educating any one that might be at risk. Now what does this have to do with skydiving "Slow down! You are too young to be moving that fast!" Old Man Crawfish

I've had the exact same problem in one shoulder and arm. I was diagnosed as having a rotator cuff tear. I'm scheduled for an MRI this coming week. The freefly suit I wear has large sit wings, I love it because it really gives me a fantastic speed range, but it takes a lot of strength to fly really slow. My doc thought the high pressure and unusual arm position in a sit may have caused the damage. I think I'm going to cut off the wings. Anyway, best of luck on the surgury and I wish you a quick recovery! "Slow down! You are too young to be moving that fast!" Old Man Crawfish

I have a Dolphin, and have demo'd a Mirage Unisys. My Mirage G-3 has far more harness input on turns than the other two rigs. Variations in the sizing of the harness and the design will have an affect on the amount control you have with your legs. I think most experienced swoopers would agree. "Slow down! You are too young to be moving that fast!" Old Man Crawfish

Check out the canopy care info here: [url]http://www.skydivepa.com/canopycare.htm "Slow down! You are too young to be moving that fast!" Old Man Crawfish