crazydiver

Could someone explain the canopy choices? It looked as though both were Fox BASE canopies. I assume the guy was wearing a tersh rig for legality, but i'm trying to figure out why/how both canopies deployed were BASE canopies. Cheers, Travis

Present: -Intern for a Certified Financial Planner -Community Development Advisor for Colorado State University -Tandem instructor/videographer -Rigger Past: -Resident assistant in a residence hall at CSU -Lumber yard laborer -Recreation and leisure assistant for an alzheimer's center -Salesperson for a farm and ranch store -Waiter/busboy/cashier/cook for a cafe -Roofing -Lawn care ..and the ever popular lemonade stand if we are going back this far... Cheers, Travis

PM sent Cheers, Travis

Vectran turns grey very quickly, but its not really wear that does it. Frying is one of hte best indicators as to when to replace them and how far the fraying goes inside the line too. Cheers, Travis

Mines got a wooden core. I'm surprised its taking them so long to rectify this problem. Pilot chutes and monkey fists are a dime a dozen to make and sell. Cheers, Travis

This is only true for canopies lined with shrinking or stretching line such as spectra or dacron, respectively. Vectran really doesn't change legnth at all, similar to hma in that respect, and therefore it won't go out of trim. There is nothing that would create an unecesary turn due to line life on vectran. Cheers, Travis

1:8:0 Cheers, Travis

I've got a little over 1300 jumps right now and I just turned 21 this week. Aaaannnndddd....here's how I did it... I started in high school. I worked at least 20 hours per week since I was 16, but had nothing real to spend it on. So, it went into a bank account. I had no bills other than car insurance. I lived at home...no food bills or rent bills. I used that money to pay for my first rig. My first jumps were pretty much all paid for by packing tandems and what not. I feel extremely lucky to have started in high school because now that I'm in college, the only way I can afford to jump is to have them pay me to do tandems and video and some rigging here and there. As long as its something you are determined to do, even a shitty job will fund a skydiving habit. I did get my tandem rating pretty early in my career and I started doing video even before that, but regardless...you always find a way. I just spent my first 15 minutes in the tunnel last night...and thats something new to spend money on. Hell...i'm gonna do hop and pops and tunnel time from here on out...screw going to altitude! Cheers, Travis

I definetly think its worth it. Even when you collapse the slider with the drawstrings, it still can catch air, especially on smaller faster wings. Mine has two drawstrings and it still will act like a sail on a boat if I dont twist it and stow it. Some of the older guys could chime in, but I would guess that originally the slider collapsing was mostly for reducing the noise of the slider bucking, but now its becoming more for drag reducing. Cheers, Travis

I would say much more than minute... even when the slider is collapsed from the drawstrings, it is still inflated like a sail most of the time while flying, especially on faster canopies. When I stow my slider to my rubber band, I dont use the drawstrings and just twist it until it catches no more air. I wouldn't imagine that you would fall out of your rig. THats the reason for keeping the cheststrap at least fastened. If that wasn't the reason, why not just take the cheststrap clean off? Besides...who's fault would it be if someone came tearing down through the top of your canopy at a low altitude and ripping a hole in the top or bottom skin? Not yours...death usually comes from above and behind...even if you're not flying into someone at a low altitude. Cheers, Travis

Actually, the Batwing packs a little smaller than Stiletto, meaning the 116 is going to pack closer to the volume of a St 107. Riggerrob seems to think otherwise. Check his post after mine. Cheers, Travis

You need to steer the opening as well as steer tha canopy with harness inputs while stowing your slider and such. This may be a lack of experience causing you to create a harness turn even after opening. There's always the chance that your lines are out of trim, but thats not very likely to be unfixable with harness input. This is an aggressive canopy choice, but thats not what this thread is about. I was at the same loading as you at about the same number of jumps, but it was a more docile canopy. Be careful and turn high. Just work on steering the opening with harness input rather than risers to keep the canopy from deforming so much as with rears. Steer all the time with harness inputs along with toggles and risers. Be one with the canopy. Steer with it, don't steer IT. Cheers, Travis

Compare it to a stilletto 120. Its gonna be similar. Cheers, Travis

I was never oficially instructed on what to do with the last stabilizer, but i've always found it natural to pull it completely away from all the lines. Cheers, Travis

But the screen name Velo90 doesn't show or flaunt experience? Interesting it doesn't say Spectre 190 or something. I'm not saying that you are wrong for making that your screen name. I think filling out one's profile is sometimes useful info for others. There are people on this site who have 100 jumps and their posts sound very intelligent and well written, but could be complete BS. Profiles help newbs weed out the BS...which definetly needs to be done on this site sometimes. Cheers, Travis

I spose I would probably cock the pilot chute as well as give it a good toss after pulling. I'm giving you shit... Cheers, Travis

I'm not sure how much I'll be able to dedicate myself to it this season, but I definetly want to compete in a few at least to get the experience. I'll be no where close to competetive with the top folks, but it'll be a good experience. I'll be jumpin a 96 velocity most likely. Cheers, Travis

There are quite a few spectre 135s on the classified section of this site. Cheers, Travis

Maybe you outta make sure you use the pull out system properly and not just pull out the pin and hope for the best. User error... Cheers, Travis

This would be ridiculous to produce sport rigs if this was the case. I heard the radio show. What he was saying was that he doesn't make near as much as a canopy manufacturer could because canopies are chonstantly changing and poeple are downsizing and they wear out after a while, where as containers are good for multiple downsize progressiona and outlast the canopies...therefore reducing hte number of replacements that they sell. Cheers, Travis

I used to have an NJ with a pd 126 and a 135 sabre in it. THe reserve was very tight. It will all fit in there, but it will be quite tight. Now...the RS1, theres not way you'll get the pd126 in there and the 135 will be VERY VERY tight. Get a TJN or an NJK and these will fit your needs much better. Cheers, Travis

I really appreciate that response. I'm glad to see that you are recognizing your slight prejudices and are honest about it rather than getting defensive and getting scrappy. You have a good point. We all have prejudices in one way or another and to tell you the truth, i'm not sure what mine are right now, which means I haven't been thinking about it enough. Thanks for being respectful. I'm glad to know that your brother came out and was able to rise up above all the shit he and you have gone through in life with your step-mother. Cheers, Travis

Loonix...I agree with you. I can pretty much look at anything and it doesn't phase me...I slightly gagged when I saw that photo. Theres a link on the snopes page to a maggot photo too that was absolutely repulsive and gave me the same reaction. Horrible... Cheers, Travis

He didn't write it. And they weren't cowboys, they were sheepherders! OK, you've got me there. I'll rephrase that...a song he performs/records. And we'll say sheepherders in stead of cowboys. Cheers, Travis

I think that is really what's going on here. (I used to kind of like his music until I heard this.)....Steve1 Is it the musical aspect of the song that you dont like or the lyrical content/subject matter? If its the latter, it bothers me that you write off Willie as a good artist because of a song he writes. Willie was persecuted for being ahead of his time and progressive in country music back in the day...here it is again. In the case that you just dont like the music in the song, my apologies. But sometimes even jokes contribute to the opression in society today. Cheers, Travis