FFlyer

Thanks for the info. I guess most dz's have cliquey groups at first till they see you becoming a regular? Just out of interest, do most people in Sydney have cars or do they use public transport? It sounds like a great dz!

Hey all, Ive been looking into dz's in Aus and it sounds like Picton is probably the biggest and busiest? So ive got a few questions about the place. - Firstly,...what's the freefly scene like there? Is there one? What's the level of freeflying like there? I would guess that being such a big dz, there's bound to be a lot happening in most disciplines? - Being such a big dz, is there more of a commercial feel to it? Or are the people generally quite friendly and willing to jump with new comers? - On the weekends is it a tandem factory or does a lot of fun jumping happen? Is it possible to do around 6 jumps on a saturday or sunday? I think I read on here somewhere it takes about an hour to drive there from Sydney and about 1.5 hours on the train. That sound right? Also,...how much will the train cost to get there an back? Thanks for any info. cheers.

I was working in Tunis a couple months ago and although I wouldn't of had the time to jump,...I really doubt there is a dz there anyway. Didn't strike me as the kind of place that would have one. I saw most of Tunis while I was there so im farely certain there isn't one in Tunis itself,...but maybe further out there is one? I doubt it though.

You're doing alright, a few points I can offer would be: - Pull your chin in and down more, so that when you are head down you are looking out from under your eye brows more (hope that makes sense?) - Move your arms further forward (so they are in front of the line of your body). Try keep your palms facing iether in towards each other or down, so you dont start pushing up on the wind too much with your arms. - Try to move your legs back and forward a bit more when you transition to help find that centre point of falling straight down the tube (think fish tail). It seems as if you are transitioning from headup into a very static body position and then just waiting to all of a sudden be in head down. When you get a bit better, you'll be able to transition and stop in HD straight away on the spot, but when you're just starting your transition is not going to land you perfectly in HD everytime. So try get your torso HD, and fish tail your legs once or twice to find straight down. - Your legs seem good just after the transition, but then they start closing a bit. Keep them wide!! You need to be hanging from your legs, you really want to feel like your're pushing them against the sides of the wall of wind thats around you. - Relax Hope that helps a bit, enjoy!

Id say hand to foot is pretty easy.

I dont trust Neptune speed readings at all. Im happy with the altitude readings as I use it for my setup on landings but I dont even bother with what the speeds are because they always seem off. Maybe it depends a lot on where the neptune is mounted but ive been on freefly jumps where the readings vary between 165mph - 300mph. And thats generally on team jumps where there are 3 of us doing a routine,....I really doubt those speeds are acurate.

There's some great advice thats been given to here. The two main things like others have said are: - How's your headup flying? Can you move forward, backward, up, down, turn, sideslide, take docks etc? If you're doing a jump with others are you able to stay with the base at all times? if not,...then I would hold off on headdown for a while till you've got all of that sorted. Maybe you've got loads of tunnel time, but if not I doubt you've got all that sorted at 100 jumps. - Just because someone is a badass freeflyer who is able to do all the coolest stuff in the air, doesn't mean they're a good coach. This I completely agree with, and speak from personal experience. Good luck, have fun

Hey all, Ive just got a 0.3 diamond wide angle lens. I use to have a 0.45 and always use to set my camera on manual and then go to infinite (mountain showing). With this lens I have to apparently autofocus then set it to manual, but dont go to infinite or it blurs. Thats fine, but then what setting is best regarding which program to use (ie: Auto, Spot light, Portrait, sports, beach&ski, sunset&moon or landscape). Ive been told by most to either use Beach&Ski or Sport. Which do you use and why? Ive got a Sony HC42 btw. Thanks, cheers

Yeah, I got a call from him aswell and my lenses are on the way, tracking number and all. Thanks Max.

I doubt anyone has actually gone there, but I really hope someone does if they live close enough. Im on my way to the police station today to lay a charge of fraud against Max and Royal. Ive contacted him via fax, phone and email to let him know I plan on doing this but have still had no response. Well, before long he will be blacklisted.

There is a thread running on this page asking about freefly suits already: http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=2554953;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;;page=unread#unread Ive ordered a liquid sky suit. Hasn't arrived yet but im sure its going to be awesome!

Ive never met Max but from what Ive heard of him over the years he seems like a genuine guy and there must be a very real reason why he is not responding to anyone. He has apparently stopped all communication with clients and friends since October. I keep on thinking maybe im being selfish in being so upset at him for taking $350 for an order of lenses and not sending them or offering any kind of explanation. But I am certainly not the only one (By my count of people on here and others I know of there has been well over $1000 paid to him). So the answer is no, its not unreasonable for people to be extremely upset with him. Short of being dead or incapacitated there is no excuse for accepting money for products and neither sending them to his paying customers or offering any sort of explanation. I think most of us would be happy with any response from him, even if its 'Hi, going through a rough time, will reimburse you or send the lenses when I can'. But nothing, not even that 1 line response that took all of 5 seconds to type. Sorry for the vent, but as I said I dont think im being unreasonable in my anger towards Max. And no, I am not trying to drag his name through the mud, this is just no way to run a business and is criminal. Im sure people will say that is an exageration but then what else do you call taking payment for a product and then not providing the product and ceasing all communication with the customer.

Id love to be able to do something more about it but being on the other side of the planet (South Africa), doesn't make it easy. My bank already refuses to do anything unless they hear from Royal-lens first. I dont even know where to start if I went to the cops saying I got ripped off on the internet. Im hoping some of the people living in the US will do something further (take it to the police or something).

If Max carries on like this he can become a rich man accepting payments and never actually providing the products. Yes its clear that he is logging on,...at least twice in the last two weeks. I have sent him the link to this thread. There must also be several people who dont read these forums who are also ordering and paying for these lenses. This needs to stop, that site needs to be shut down. Like DSE said, I would be happy with any reply right now,...I dont care what it is, just some communication from Royal.

Bump Just checking if anyone has had any luck iether getting their lenses or getting their money back? My bank wont reverse the charges ($350) unless they get a fax from royal-lens indicating that the lenses have not been sent to me. So in other words there is no way for me to get my money back. Does anyone have any other contact details for royal other than these: [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] 201 538 4652 - phone 201 934 1630 - fax cheers

Thanks Bev

Headdown at 100 jumps? Well good luck with that, im glad I wont be in the sky at the same time as you. Because you will easily cover enough sky to drift into everyone elses airspace on your load. Seriously though, the person giving you advice had 4 times your jumps and you dont think they might have learnt something in that time worthwhile listening to? And in my personal opinion, 100 jumps is far too soon to be trying headdown. I didn't start giving HeadDown a try properly till after 300 jumps.

Got in 12 jumps including my 700th. Mostly freefly with a couple atmonauti jumps thrown in. Last jump on Sunday was my 700th but I had to leave before buying anyone beer cos my house was burgled. Not the best way to end off a great weekend

Have you looked at the Stealth 0.5 from royal lenses? http://www.royal-lens.com/ Very similar to the waycool lenses and low profile. Really good quality optics too. Stay away from Royal-lens!! This thread will explain everything: http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=2608230;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;;page=unread#unread

Yes, exactly,...if he would just respond either on this thread or to some pm's/emails to set things straight everyone would be a lot less aggravated. I will happily wait a while longer for the lens because I know its a good product but at the moment its as if he has dropped off the face of the planet and ive apparently thrown my money along with him. Im having such a hard time with my bank trying to get the charges reversed, it seems like its not going to be possible since im on the other side of the planet from Royal-lens and my bank hasn't had a response from max either. This is rediculous.

Thanks for that info,...im going to contact them today to let them know what is happening, I hope more of you will do the same.

Well as I said, ive been emailing every day and will continue to do so. If it takes an email, phone call and fax every single day, then thats what im going to do to iether get the lenses or get my $350 back. At least its finally friday,...got a whole weekend of jumping ahead to forget about this crap.

I wish I had just gone with Waycool instead. My friend has a waycool lens and it was on his camera 4 days after ordering it (he also lives here in South Africa). My bank said it can take over a month to get the money back, if at all. It has already come off my card so they say getting it back is no easy task. I ordered 2 lenses and cant afford to just forget about that money spent and go buy another lens. All I can hope is that when Max is off medication or whatever is going on with him,...he tends to all these orders that have been made and paid for. Surely he cant be the only person working for Royal, is there no-one else? Other than that I dont know what else to do

Oh goodie, what toys can i get you to bring me back this time? *rubbing hands with glee* Haha, no problem dude. Im sure ill be filling up a shopping cart worth of stuff for people again

All the big dropzones people have mentioned so far are probably a great choice, especially the ones that have tunnels onsite. I went to Eloy for coaching/tunnel time last year and am going again in March. I got coaching from Amy C and Steve Curtis,...who are both amazing freeflyers and coaches. I would recommend them to anyone. cheers.