lintern

Does it matter if I leave around 24 inches of line between the last stow and the risers ? I know its normally advised to leave between 12 to 18 inches between the last stow and the risers. But if I put the extra stow in then there is not enough spare line, so when I put the bag in it starts to pull the last stow out ! So I either have too much spare line or not enough ! Is there a risk that with too much spare line laying in the bottom of the container that a tangle or knot could occur as the bag is extracted ? It's difficult to s-loop the spare line as it is, because the lines are quite stiff and waxy. I have only come accross this problem of too little or too much spare line since I changed the method of how I put the canopy in the bag (because I really struggled and still struggle getting the dam thing in the bag!)

I have just bought a new Symbiosis jump suit with booties, custom made to fit me. I have never jumped with booties before and some people are now telling me how much difference they make..... so be prepared ! I havent jumped much over winter (what with the crap weather) so Im rusty anyway. Should I not use the booties until I've done a few jumps, just so I 'clean the cobwebs out' ? What should I expect the first time I use my booties ?

Thanks for your replies... I have learnt something new already which suprised me and opens up more questions I have never heard of pulling your reserve handle in an aircraft emergency ? I always though if you were 1000ft or below you stay in the plane, otherwise above 1000ft you get out. But I thought you pulled your main ? Although I am unsure what height you would pull at, which is one of the reasons for my original post. Why do you have to use your reserve and not your main ? Is it because the reserve will open quicker than the main ? And do you always pull your reserve in an aircraft emergency, no matter what the altitude is ? It seems a bit daft pulling your reserve at higher altitudes (say 4000 ft and above) because in effect you are jumping with only one parachute - your reserve ! Should there be any problem with your reserve, you cannot cut away your reserve and use your main ! I am confused about this now

I am considering going to Skydive Deland in Florida around the last 2 weeks in June. I have never been to Florida before but I have always wanted to go. A few people I have spoke to have put me off though because they told me between June and October it is hurricane season. What is the risk of there being a hurricane during the last 2 weeks of June ? A small risk or a large risk ? Are some months more prone to hurricanes than others ? I remember the hurricanes last year were around the middle of September. Also, what is the weather like in June for jumping ? I've heard a few people say that skydiving tends to slow down during the summer because it gets too hot.

A dropzone I used to go to had an aircraft emergency in a Cessna 206. The engine cut out at 7000ft, everyone had to exit and the engine didnt restart until 4000ft. There were 2 tandems on the lift as well... something a bit different for the tandem students ! This got me thinking about the drills of an aircraft emergency.... When exiting we normaly leave a gap of at least 5 seconds between each each person or group and check that the person or group who exited before you is at 45 degrees. However, in an aircraft emergency presumably there is no time for that kind of delay and each person will exit one after another as quickly as possible. So what about the fact that everyone will be very close in the air upon opening ? Do people attempt to track away from each other or have different pull heights ? Or do they just hope that no collisions in freefall or under canopy occur - afterall it's an emergency so is there no option but to take the risk ? It's something I never thought about until I found out about this aircraft emergency where I used to jump.

The one thing I wouldnt be able to do on a DZ is pack ! I cant even pack my own rig ! Well I can, but most the time I can never get it in the bag but even if I do the whole pack job takes me a long time! When I cant get it in the bag I end up loosing my temper, kick it around the floor and get someone else to pack it - normally my girlfriend !

I seriously looked into becoming a pilot but to do it for a living you need to get a commercial pilots licence. And that's a big problem - because it costs about £60,000 for the training. I went to a Pilot Training Show before xmas and came away disheartend. Even sponsorship has become non existent since 9/11. The biggest grant I've found is £50,000 and you have to start paying that back 6 months after completing the training, whether you have a job or not. But the repayments on a grant that size would be huge ! The information I got from the show says a commercial pilot is on around £25k to £35k - the captain earns about £50k - £60k but it takes a long time to reach that status. I see your point of making your passion a full time job - it could loose its fun. Im glad you drew my attention to that. You know, just the other week I thought about a job in canopy design. Although my engineering training would be of no use because it is in electronics i.e. microprocessors, software programming and hardware design. An AAD company might be more interesting ? But there are only a couple ! It's not just the job thats the problem though... I want to emigrate somewhere warm so I can jump and enjoy other outdoor activities. I hate being stuck indoors which is the lifestyle in England !

I would definitely consider this... I would rather be doing the sort of work I do now in a country where the weather is nicer so I can at least enjoy my hobby. I don't even get the oppourtunity to enjoy my hobby in this country because the weather is so lowsy ! The idea that they pay more is sounds good. I would like to be rich, own a nice house and have a nice car and one of those super yachts ! I am fedup of earning the same as someone who stacks shelves in a supermarket for a living. When I left school at 16 I spent 4 years doing a technician apprenticeship in addition to an ONC and HNC. I then spent another 5 years part time doing a BEng (Hons.) Electronic Engineering Degree and got a 2.1. Plus I have 5 years design experience in automotive electronics. But when I look back I regret doing it all. It definietly wasn't worth all the hard work I had to do to get to this stage and it still aint worth all the hard work I do now But then again, I think I might prefer a job I really enjoy even if I earnt less. Afterall, you spend most of your life at work

She is a vetinary nurse.

Does anyone else ever feel like jacking in their job and emigrating to somewhere warm (like Folirda or Australia) to work on a dropzone ? I hate my job in automotive design engineering (working on engine management and gearbox control units) and I am totally demotivated with it and engineering in general. Not only is my job bad, but my workplace is even more dull, boring and depressing. In addition to that I hate living in England. The weather in England means that the majority of time you are stuck indoors because its normally raining, cold and windy. So I don't get to skydive much in this country - even the summers are bad. I much prefer being outdoors in nice, warm, sunny weather. My girlfriend feels exactly the same as me and we have talked about it time and time again. It makes it even more tempting when you see a 5 bedroom, fully furnished house with a swimming pool in Florida for £150,000. You would only get a run down, terrace house in a rough area for that much in England ! I love skydiving and Im also interested in flying, although I can't afford the training costs of flying. Engineering bores me and the pay is crap - especially considering my training and experience and the complicated work I do. I have been feeling like this for a long time and wondered if anyone else ever feels the same or has even done it ? How much can you earn on a dropzone ? I imagine it cant be very much, but then again Im not earning much now working in a job I hate, in a country I hate !

Because I dont know anyone in the USA

I asked the lady at Gatorz if there were any dealers in the UK - she said there arent but she would like to find someone to be a UK dealer.

I live in the UK and I am after some Gatorz Radiator sunglasses for skydiving. I was told that Gatorz are not available in the UK so I rang Gatorz directly in California. The lady I spoke to told me that there is 'free trading' between the UK and the USA so I would not have to pay any import charges. So I went ahead and ordered them, in addition to paying $50 for postage and packing. They arrived at the UPS depot 50 miles from my house who rang me to say they need £31 (about $60) for import tax ! This, on top of the postage and packing almost doubled the price of the glasses ! Not wanting to be ripped off, I refused the package and the lady I spoke to at Gatorz apologised and said my credit card would be refunded. Is there anywhere in the UK where I can get Gatorz from? Or is there some way I can avoid being ripped off with import tax ? I know I could get them if I went over to the USA and I would love to go there on a jumping holiday, but I cannot afford it - expecially with flights being so expensive. The Gatorz I ordered were the Radiator, brushed aluminium frame with grey lenses (I thought coloured lenses when skydiving may not be a good idea). Any suggestions ?

Someone on my load was wearing a pair of Gatorz eyeware and now I want a pair ! But after looking on the Gatorz website I found there are different styles available. I can't remember what style the person was wearing. Which is the best style for skydiving ? Are they any good for skydiving ? They just look like normal sunglasses rather than goggles (which is good) but do they work alright when in freefall ? Dont they let alot of air in ?

Thanks Luis... Did you have the operation because you were having problems with your ears when skydiving ? You say you did your first hop and pop 3 weeks later. Did you do a hop and pop becuase you were unable to go to altitude because of the operation ? If so, how long after the operation was it before you went to altitude ? You say the operation wasnt painful ? I am due to have this operation next week and Im not looking forward to it !

It seems that some people are getting the impression that this surgeon is dodgy ! But from what I've heard he is highly recommened. My mum works for the NHS as a nurse and knows the surgeon and his reputation. So its not the quality of the surgeon I am worried about, even though he can be difficult to understand and difficult to get hold of ! I am just interested if anyone else has had similar problems and had surgey to correct it (such as Luis).

Mailin, When I first had the consultation I went privately (which meant paying). I did not want to pay for the surgery (too expensive) so I decided to see how things went - the problem had only happened once. But since then it has happened several times and I was not aware that I had been put on the NHS waiting list, therefore the operation will cost me nothing. I cannot talk to the surgeon directly (NHS politics or he is too busy?) so I can only talk to his secretary or send a letter. The surgeon is difficult to understand anyway because he is foreign and is vague with his answers! I have been told I will require AT LEAST 3 weeks after the operation before undertaking any skydiving. But that's a bit vague... it could mean 3 weeks or 3 months ! I was told by his secretary that I will be off work for 2 weeks. Has anyone else had problems with their ears and pressure and had surgery to correct it ?

I put a post on dropzone.com last year about 'Ear problems due to altitude and pressure' (see http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=1009685;search_string=lintern;#1009685) Well... after seeing a specialst last year and after a long wait I am finally due to have an operation which I hope will correct the problem - the operation is very soon, on the 16th February ! But I am still in two minds whether to go ahead with the operation and would like the opinion of others. The operation consists of.... 1. a Septoplasty - a surgical procedure in which the nasal septum is straightened. It is normally my left ear that goes bad and apparently my left nasal is smaller than my right nasal. 2. an EUA of the PNS - which I am told is an examination of the back of the nose to see if the Eustachian tubes are functioning and to see if there is any obstruction such as enlarged adenoids blocking the tubes. I am concerned about the following things... - How long will it be after the operation before I can jump again ? - Is the operation likely to solve the problem ? - How long will it take to recover from the operation ? Should I go ahead with this operation or not ? Its driven me mad not being able to jump because its winter time and I am desperate to start jumping again !

I bought a second hand (although nearly new) Wings rig 6 months ago for my first rig. It's a fairly good fit although not perfect, obviously because the rig was not made to fit me. I have noticed that when under canopy my cut away and reserve handles move upwards towards my shoulders rather than remaining by my chest where they should be. Could this be a problem if I ever needed to use them ? Especially if it was a spinning mal ? When asking around for advice, an AFF instructor told me about a rigger they know who can make the harness smaller to fit me and that it's an easy job to do. I am very tempted to get it done but I was wondering whether it's a good idea or not ?

I've stayed in Maurici Apartments a couple of times. They are good and within walking distance from the DZ. Skydivers are 'suppose' to get discount. But its not the cheapest place to stay. I also stayed in a two bedroom appartment last easter that was within a five minute walk of the beach and the town centre. That was reasonably priced, see... http://www.spain-holiday.com/rentals/accommodations/properties/910/Castello+de+Ampurias/60/Girona/7/Catalunya/Castello+de+Ampurias.html

I am going to skydive Lillo for the first time in a few weeks (20th Jan to 25th Jan). Can anyone recommend some cheap but reasonable accomodation ? The Skydive Lillo website gives details of the following accomodation... - Hotel El Convento - Casa Rural Aldonza - Hotel Los Arcos - Hostal La Era - Hotel Quico - Hostal Teresa - Hotel Pricly - Hostal La Guardia Are these all near to the DZ ? I am also looking for some cheap car hire if anyone knows of any ! You can probably tell I am skint !!! This sport costs me too much money !

Freeflysmiley, I presume those cheap flights are not for dates over the xmas period ? All the budget airline flights cost hundreds of pounds over xmas. It sucks

Does anyone know of some heap accomodation in empuria brava ? Is there a hotel called something like "Castella" ? I heard somewhere like that was quite cheap and reasonable. Where I normally stay (Mauirci) is too expensive for the short trip I have planned (17/12/04 to 21/12/04). I would have gone to the empuria boogie but the price of flights is a rip off at that time of year !

I don't roll the nose, I just leave it as it is. The lines of the canopy are stiff and waxy and quite thin. BIGUN described the openings I had quite well when he said... The canopy did seem to open unevenly, the right side inflated faster than the left side. Is this why I dived forward to the right ? Fab, I have been shown the Reverse "S" Fold technique for getting it in the bag and this is the way I do it now, but I still struggle. It looks a mess by the time I've got it in the bag ! - the part of the canopy which is wrapped around the slider end often starts to come apart. - I struggle with the step when s-folding the slider end (see attached pic) so this bit ends up sitting anywhere in the bag. It normally ends up towards the mouthlock, rather than in the center of the bag (in front of the first "S" fold). - I can't seem to get it to go evenly and squarely in the bag - I end up with some canopy material sticking out slightly because the bag is so small and the canopy just wants to explode.

I have a Wings container with an Icarus Safire 2 145 ft. I did a jump on saturday and when the canopy opened it seemed to take a little longer to fullly inflate than usual, but worse than that it chucked me around the sky until it had finally inflated. I went one way, then another, and probably had turned 180 degrees by the time it had fully inflated. Then on sunday the opening was even worse than that ! Again it 'seemed' to take slightly longer than usual to fully inflate, but just when it had almost fully inflated it suddenly dived forward and turned hard to the right. I could see a twist starting to appear in the lines so I kicked hard to try swing myself the same way the canopy was turning, in order to stop the twist. Luckily after the canopy had dived and turned about 180 degrees everything was alright. I had packed the rig for when I jumped on saturday and someone else packed it for when I jumped on sunday. I "HATE" packing I know how to do it (pro pack) but it all goes wrong when its time to get it in the bag. I just can't get it in the bag and then it all just comes apart. Other people who have packed it say it's quite difficult, saying the canopy just explodes and the bag is quite small. The canopy had about 20 jumps on it when I bought it and Ive put about another 40 on it. When I tried to repack it after jumping on saturday I was trying a different technique (with a line set on each shoulder and the slider behind my head). There were also twists I had to get out. It probably sounds like an excuse but because of this I forgot to set the brakes ! I didnt realise until I was placing the risers down the side of the container ! D'oh ! So someone else offered to pack it for me but I am not sure if they set the brakes properly - they asked me where I put the spare line. When I went to pull the brakes off after having that bad opening on sunday, I noticed that one of the brakes wasn't in the riser properly - it was back tp front. Does anyone have any ideas why I may have had such crap openings, and is there anything I can do to ensure better openings. My openings are normally fine and on heading. So what's going wrong all of a sudden ?