skydvr18

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Posts posted by skydvr18

  1. For those who have jumped 9-cells but now jump a 7-cell (I have an old Triathlon with 4.0 mod):  how is your flare different?  Personally, I've found it takes a quicker flare to get it to plane out (versus a slow & steady like a 9-cell), I figure because a 7-cell sinks more than it glides.  I've also found I need to flare a tad earlier with my Tri - perhaps because of its faster descent rate.  The rest is the same once I've planed out.

    Judging the right flare altitude & how quickly to flare has been tricky.  I've found myself sliding in at half brakes, or planing out high enough I prepared to PLF.  And I've waited too long, realized it, so did a fast top-to-bottom - still landed on my feet, but I would credit luck more than technique.  The only time I've gotten my Tri to pop back up was the same situation, but was after the 4.0 mod on a windy day when my brake lines were too short - maybe popped back up a foot, then it gently set me down on my feet.  Again, wouldn't do that on purpose.  Anybody else jump a 7-cell that can explain their flare?  Call it what you want, terminology isn't my concern.

  2. Yep - 5 months ago, resumed after 15.5 years out, & life's been grand since.  I started at 16; made 280 jumps from 97 - 03, most in 00-01; C-license (was then D-qualified); & was S/L jumpmaster.  Got sick in 03, told I'd never jump again.  Illness was fixed & I was cleared to jump 2 years ago.  3/17 of this year, I returned & have made 40-ish jumps since.  After talking to DZO, S&TA, & a few Instructors, S&TA decided I just needed to do a recurrency jump - I had already been studying most-recent SIM so knew a lot has changed (ie, exit order, minimum opening altitude).  We talked for a while, then we went to 14k (S&TA also Instructor); I did R360/L360/BL/FL/RBR/LBR series, turned/tracked/pulled on time, landed without radio (on my feet), so he cleared me to do whatever I wanted. 

    I took it upon myself to progress like a student - ie, started by doing solos & pulling high, because I was not (& am not) in a hurry to get back to focusing on turning points on 4-ways or doing big ways - I'm happy to be back in the air, so I'm consciously progressing slowly.

    I would recommend getting somebody to video you (everybody with 200+ jumps has a camera now); most probably will if you pay for their jump & maybe pack job.  Any problems you can't fix on your own, you might get a coach. 

    It also helps just having somebody to do a pin check, find out what the load is doing & thus when to board plane, find out ground speed & thus separation time.  For a while, just thinking about the jump was overwhelming for me - by pulling high, I always found a TI or AFF on the load to tell them I was pulling high & make sure I was supposed to board first (yes - & by letting them know, they'll correct other jumpers that give you shit when you hop on plane first); I would get a pin check from them; even though not relevant because I was pulling high, I would ask how much separation time they wanted (which I was told to let pilot know I was pulling high, then ask for ground speed on jump run, which determines separation time).  Any questions on ride to altitude (ie, what landing pattern is), TI/AFF is right there to answer.  Having a coach used to help me with pre-jump nervousness as a student, but it was expensive;  after return this year, pulling high ensured I had Instructor in front of me I could ask questions & remind me "seatbelts/handles."  It also ensured I had the air to myself.

    Glad you are returning - the air is wonderful up here!

  3. I'm in same situation - last jump in 2003 (after making 280 jumps). I'm 37 & decided 10 days ago to return to sport.  Amazing how things have changed.  "Cypres has a lifespan? Why is every dz around me a Cessna DZ now? No jumpmasters anymore? Wingsuit & camera are standard gear? Tandem only DZs?"  Good luck with your return; hope you'll keep us updated.  Blue ones.

  4. So by getting arrested while trying to jump the ESB...he proved that parachutes could've saved lives on 9/11???? Had he pulled it off, that might've been a different story. But he didn't, so he proved nothing related to saving lives on 9/11.

    There are many laws (reckless endangerment included) that encompass "attempts." Just because he failed doesn't prove him not guilty...it's still a crime that he TRIED.

  5. Nope...I've gotta agree with you, Skin.

    Jeb says, "Yeah, but, you know what, if anything, this shows people that you can survive events like 9/11. I mean, it really does. You can survive, you know." WHAT is he talking about????

    "To me, it's VERY important, that whenever I go into any BASE jump, that I'm not breaking the law." - Jeb

    and

    "Well, actually, technically to this point, I've never broken the law BASE jumping." - Jeb

    Anybody else find those last two statements hard to believe???? Even if he didn't make the ESB jump, his attempt broke several laws.

  10. Ah, I understand. You don't want me to be friends with non-whites, correct? Sorry, ...but I will be friends with whoever I want, no matter what color their skin is.


    edited for personal attack

  11. Josh here...you are the one who in the PMs has such a problem with the n-word, yet my two friends from Kenya counsdier YOU a racist, because they can't be called "my niggas," because they're not African-American..they are Africans, on a student-exchange program.

    WHAT'S YOUR PROBLEM, CAN MY DARK-SKINNED FRIENDS FROM KENYA NOT BE MY NIGGAS, JUST LIKE I'M THEIR BLOND-HAIRED, BLUE-EYED NIGGA?

  16. I've gotta agree with ya!!!!!

    It may not have been "the belt" so much as the way it was presented:


    *stern look* "Go to your room, RIGHT now."

    15 minutes later...

    My mom and/or dad come in.

    Mom/Dad: "Do you know what this is about?"

    Me: "Yes ma'am/sir." (of course I did!!)

    Mom/Dad: *insert several minutes of a lecuture*

    Me: "Yes sir, yes ma'am, I understand."

    Then THE BELT. I knew as soon as I was sitting in my room for several minutes alone. I knew that... "uh-oh, I've messed up, here comes the belt!!" That waiting period and lecture may have been worse than the belt. But that belt still hurt!!:(

  17. Spare the rod and spoil the child...after a terrible whipping, he'll think soap tastes great, but he certainly won't say "insert_word_here" again. Take a belt to him...worked for me (until they stopped using the belt and went to grounding in high school).

  20. LMAO!!!! :D That's an excellent idea...drop a book on her head and ask her, "why did you STAND up? I saw you, you shot straight up into that book!!"

    One of the most common questions I get asked... "who packs your parachute?" "My great-great-grandmother." That usually keeps them busy for a minute or two.

  23. Solution that has never failed me or anybody I've told it to? Hold your breath until you think you are going to die. Then, start downing a tall glass (or several glasses) of water, until you are almost positive you are going to die. No more hiccups.