crazydiver

Well, there is a strong possibility that I may be in grad school at the University of Vermont in Burlington, VT. I know the winter's there are harsh, but I've heard things about nice summers. What's the jumping like there. I know there is only one or two near that have cessnas. What type of tandem rigs do they use? Do they do AFF? Cheers, Travis

Attached. Cheers, Travis

Check out the attached. Not only do they have unethical business practices and screw customers, but they are a few clowns short of a circus. I underlined in yellow the fun part. Cheers, Travis

You're going to have a mess on your hands should it rain or the lines get wet. Unless you are a manufacturer or experienced rigger, please don't try things that have not been industry practice for years and been tried and tested, not that marking your entire line has ever been industry practice. Cheers, Travis

I always check to make sure the canopy is clear before deploying the reserve. So if the risers were hung up I would catch the issue. Luckily...every sigma rig I jump, the riser covers pop open on the ground...I'd be very surprised and it would be super ironic if they were to NOT release in the air. And yes, I know...magnetic riser covers...new, improved, bla bla bla Cheers, Travis

Back to backs are definetly a good reason to keep the reserve flap stow on there. I didn't do a lot of video last year and then ended up starting to do a lot one weekend and didn't even get a chance in the evening to swap the sliders out so I did about 10 back to backs in a row each day with the removeable slider and I had to remove it and reassemble it each time because I had been using the RDS on fun jumps all summer and never needed the reserve flap stow and had lost it along the way somewhere. Long story short, It was doable, but VERY unsafe and very unpractical on back to backs. It only takes a little time to put on, but if you screw up you have yourself one HARD opening, luckily that never happened. I use the RDS on fun jumps frequently when I have it on, but for the most part, I use a regular slider now, and that is after putting a few hundred jumps in a row on the RDS last season. Cheers, Travis

I do see the problems. And I think, for the most part, that your ideology behind these problems and the causes is pretty much spot on. I was just thinking that the tone of the paper is going to turn off those who need it the most. Another interesting question comes up that's been asked many times...do we really want our sport to get so huge and are these people leaving the sport keeping it a small community in a positive way like many, including myself, enjoy. Cheers, Travis

Interesting point you make about "bitter veterans" and I agree that the original article would be met with good reactions from folks like-minded... since I think Gary's orig was "spot on"... but back to what I first said... interesting point you make about "bitter veterans"... please tell... How do you think we've gotten this way? Do you agree with what Gary says on how we got to this state of being, just don't like it, or how? I 100% believe that the face of skydiving is not even close to what it was 25 years ago or more, and I haven't even lived through that to see the change. I also agree with almost everything he pointed out and can't think of anything off the top of my head that I disagree on. However...what bothered me was the accusatory nature of the article. One could argue that the purpose of his article is to invoke change, and invoke change I believe it will. However, the folks that the article is addressed to specifically, in my opinion, will not meet his demands with the way he went about it. In other words, the folks the article intends to reach will not soak it up due to the tone of his writing and the way it was presented. As it always has been...those who are willing to change will change, and those who aren't willing (those who have most likely contributed to the negative changes in the sport) will keep on their unchangeable paths. Cheers, Travis

While I agree with most, if not all, points made in the paper, I can completely understand why the writing was not published in a major skydiving periodical. As stated earlier, the paper starts out with some good points, but turns in to a bitter and pessimistic account of a so-called "old timer" who, through the writing, appears to embody many of the characteristics of the people who are driving off new jumpers and experienced jumpers alike. The "you" statements in the article turn off the reader almost immediately and make the author appear less than credible. Instead, use "I" statements and really own what you are saying. I am a new jumper. I have been jumping for 6 years...nothing in the grand scheme of things. I'm not applying dropzone knowledge to the article, I'm applying common sense and scholarly suggestions to the article. The article may be met with good reactions from folks who are like-minded with you, but to the majority of the skydiving population and outsiders, the article is nothing but a pessimistic account from a bitter veteran and not a well thought out thesis. Cheers, Travis

I think that skydiving under the age of 18 is completely acceptable. I started when I was 16 and wouldn't take it back, just make sure the kids have the emotional maturity to make decisions as to not be cocky when making decisions. Hard to accept, but all youngsters are cocky. I'm only 22 and feel lucky to have made it through jumping in high school and in my teens since even at my age I feel like I constantly have to keep myself in check of what I'm doing. Second...I jumped in Idaho for a bit a couple summers ago...I knew the folks over at Skydown briefly. Nice folks, but I don't necessarily recommend their services. There was a student fatality there a few years ago which has been rumored to have been from foulplay with drug issues. Do a search on dropzone.com for it. If I remember correctly, the DZO got into a scuffle with the victim who miraculously decided to take up skydiving and go in with a no pull. I fully support underage skydiving, but you would be better off having them wait until they are both 18 and jumping with the folks at Skydive Idaho and Skydive Starr. Skydive Idaho is on the same airport as Skydown and run a top notch operation where your nephews will get freefall from a tandem or AFF, rather than static line. Skydive Idaho has some super nice folks too. Cheers, Travis

I also will need to pick your brain on Oregon dropzones. I may be going to grad school out there next year.

You seem to be a bit of a pessimist on Colorado weather. Aside from the terrible hot and dry states in the south, you don't get better clear days than in Colorado. Even in the winter, there are a ton of sunny days just waiting to be jumped. Mile Hi has only been shut down for about two weeks over the course of this winter and they jumped every other week. Chilly, but clear a lot of the time. Cheers, Travis

Hi, My name is Travis Annan. I rig for Mile Hi and I would be happy to help you out. I live in Fort Collins, but I work at the dropzone on most weekends and seven days a week during the summer months. My number is 970-380-5301. Give me a call, I'd love to chat. Peace, Travis Cheers, Travis

Every time you jump you place a big backpack full of flammable fabric on your back...unless the fabric is made from gunpowder, I wouldn't worry about it. Thats not to mention the folks who do wingsuit jumps who wear nylon all over their bodies... Cheers, Travis

That canopy will still spin up. I jumped a jedei 120 and a Samurai 105 for about 500 jumps. They will still stay relatively inflated, but they will spin up like you wouldn't even believe. Cheers, Travis

I agree with you, mostly. Your crossfire would have probably spun up, but due to its being faster and more tapered. To compare the Lotus collapse to something else you would need to compare to something like a Sabre 2 for example. THe sabre two would probably collapse, but not spin up like your crossfire would. the Lotus is a much tamer canopy than your crossfire. We must compare apples to apples Cheers, Travis

An untapered leading edge will reduce the seeking and diving on opening. The tail can be tapered/shaped, but the leading edge is what helps the openings mostly. An example is the original Jedei...completely straight leading edge and very tapered tail...and they could still open crazy...I had a 120, loved it, but it was a wild one Cheers, Travis

Aerodyne uses similar material. Cheers, Travis

High school is no prep for this. I know you were joking, but the course used nothing I learned in High School and even if it did...it was on a totally bigger scale. I like to think I'm getting good at studying and what not being my last year in undergrad and applying to graduate school right now. Total different game in the AFF course. Cheers, Travis

I agree that this could be a potential problem, but not very likely on a wings since the flaps are rounded and would (hopefully) allow the pull out system to rotate and extract the pin. Cheers, Travis

Just be ready. Its easier than it used to be, but its still one of the most difficult and draining things I've participated in. I waited until I had about 1500 jumps before I took the course...and I mean waited. I always had the desire to get my rating, but I wanted to wait until I had a little experience under my belt and was a fully prepared candidate for the course. The ground preps suck ass...much harder than the actual jumps. Cheers, Travis

Just a little info for all you folks out there in Gear & Rigging Land. The company that makes SPACER (Gehring Textiles) is rather adamant that it is not Spacer FOAM. And if you were to see it, you would know that it is very definitely not a foam in any sense of the definition. It is a very unique product. Jerry True. Good point. It almost looks like real thick hook or pile underneath a "jersey-like" fabric with tiny holes in it. Similar to the backpad or underside of shoulder straps on many backpacks. Cheers, Travis

Both of my RSK1s. I love them both, specifically the one with silver and blue...it has the space foam backpad and all the jiggy tricks. And the third one is my thumbs up for Sunpath. Cheers, Travis

There is no wear since i have ordered it in 2004. I was following the instructions in order form by Sun Path. They are recommend the exact places NOT to use Diamondback. For example central section of main closing flap. Its going to fade and turn brown. Seen it a million times. Check out Deland Majik rigs. Same deal. That stuff looks awesome when its new, but deteriorates quick...keep that out of the sun. Cheers, Travis

Dude! That's a sweet container. Never seen those colors put together before. Very nice. Ever seen an airforce rig? Cheers, Travis