skydude2000

Check the gear reviews forum link at the top of this thread. Great info on all altimeters from way more experienced jumpers than me

My instinct would be to recommend an analog, although I'm sure I might get flamed for that. I had a Galaxy, or a Galaxy II that was pretty friggin' durable, and always worked great.

But I've recently upgraded to an L & B Altitrack. They're a pretty penny, but you get the best of both worlds. Analog for (for me) easy readability, and all the data logging and accuracy of a digital.

But as always, check with your instructors before buying ANYTHING, or listening to goofballs like me from the interweb

Best of luck!!

I dunno if I agree with that. Line twists can be a big deal, depending on the situation/canopy. If the twists are high enough to distort the canopy, it can cause serious problems.

I've had line twists on an Avatar-210 and a Sabre 190 where I was spinning so fast, I was seriously considering a cutaway.

You're right though, on most student canopies, they're just a pain in the ass.

Maybe some ant-acids or something an hour or two before, just to calm the stomach?? I dunno, worth a shot, I'd think.

Where are all the women who volunteered for THAT study???

I've had #4 happen to me once. I was practicing style for my 'A' license, and my hand brushed the BOC in a back loop. Poof!!! Open canopy at 8,000'. I was damn lucky I didn't get in anyone's way.

It depends on how hungry I am in the morning

Nope. The question is as old as dirt, and I don't think it has an answer. It's like asking the square root of a million. No one knows

I think working at a swim-up bar might get pretty gross after a while. All those drunk guys sitting on a stool all day drinking free booze; just pay attention to how many times you see them get up to go to the bathroom. EEEWWWWW.

Depends on how the bar is set up though, I guess. If the pool is separate and you're someplace dry, it would be ok.

That video scared the bejesus outta me. Did the guy go out & buy a lotto ticket after?

Question though, would he not have been able to turn and track away? Or would there not have been sufficient time for that?

Scary scary Sh*t.

Hey Ralph,

Keep at it!! The thrill alone should be worth it. I've been swimming like a madman for the last 3 years, and I think it's only helped my endurance and flexibility. Not to mention, it's easy on the joints. Stretching first thing in the morning really helps. Keep working at it, man. Fight the good fight!!

Ok, I had pretty much the exact mal you're talking about, I think around 40 jumps ago. The left loop slipped through the cable (my bad) and the left riser released. It was actually pretty slow, and I was reasonably calm. I knew I couldn't land it, and I knew it would get messy and turn into a streamer if I didn't do something soon, so I chopped it.

At the time I wasn't really paying attention to whether or what the RSL was doing, because I was too busy executing my EP's. I don't remember off the top of my head which side the RSL was on, but it didn't give me any trouble at all.

Lesson learned. Check your F*in' gear, and if you don't know, ASK!

I've never really thought about this scenario before, but when you teach the LOOK, for the cutaway, do they get taught to watch that the cables have cleared? I just wonder how likely it would be for them to look, peel, pull, look, pull. Without both cables having been pulled through the housing.

When I had my mal, I could see the cables hanging out everywhere, before I went for silver.

Or is this scenario not very likely?

I think generally speaking, if you have to ask, then the answer is no.

Fly safe :)

Is this a bad idea mainly for video? And is the 200 jump rule intended for video as well? I ask because I think around 100 or so jumps, I went up with just a disposable still camera. I had it secured in a zipper pocket. I pulled high as the last one out, and just flew around taking some aerial shots of the DZ, the scenery, and myself under canopy.

I asked my DZO about it, he asked me what I was planning to, and then just said 'Yeah, but don't fuck up.

Maybe that was crazy.

Ha ha 'You might feel a little pressure'

'Yeah, on the roof of my MOUTH!! GET IT OUT!!!'


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_N0w2rORwSc

Maybe it's different in the States, but I did my entire progression through S/L. If he's switching to AFF they would only count for jump #'s I think, and the task requirements for canopy work as well as accuracy, as long as he had them signed off and can prove he has done them.

I just don't think it's fair to say that S/L jumps shouldn't count towards the 'A' license, no matter what program you're doing now.

Ok, I just have a hypothetical theory for this situation, would doing some sashay turns, to burn altitude, and still stay in the pattern, be a viable option here? Not anything too erratic, just enough to get where you want to be for your final approach? That way at least you're not confusing anyone with spirals, you're still flying reasonably predictably, and you're not breaking the pattern? You could also make any minor heading adjustments to allow for any change in wind direction.

Good to know I saw the same thing you did :) Being a newbie and knowing any better, I'd replace them anyway I think.

I'm just wondering, but would that be a concern at all with an emergency exit though?

Obviously pulling, and getting out as quickly as possible is the #1 priority, but would exiting the aircraft in a stable pull position be important in that situation?

I am SOOOOOOOO hung over.

I think it depends on the situation. Hitting with the intent to do serious harm, no way. But play hitting is a bit different.

I used to take a martial arts class where we were expected to spar with women frequently. That was uncomfortable at first, but when they start trying to knock your lights out, and then whine about contact when you give them a good shot back to let them know they don't get away with that shit, it seemed to get a lot easier. But outside of that environment, I've been taught it's not acceptable.

Don't some canopies have colored lines because of a special coating on them to prevent UV damage? I know one of the up jumpers at my DZ has them, I think they're green, or blue. And don't CRW canopies have colored lines? or at least certain lines, like 'A' lines or steering lines or something?

I thought this was going to be a Bush 'shoe throwing' thread, lol. I guess if they considered your shoes to be a dangerous weapon, that could be why. These days, they can turn anything into a weapon, ie. shoe bomb etc. That's the only other reason I can think of.

I remember one of the first two ways I did for my 'A', I'd been struggling a lot with currency and having a lot of other issues with packing & stuff. We did a linked exit, sort of, but my coach slipped on the climb-out. The rest of the dive went ok at best. But I remember when we landed, he told me how impressed and encouraged he was that I managed to salvage the exit. That was HUGE for me.

It had been mediocre dive after mediocre dive, I had to consider whether I wanted to continue. That single comment absolutely sealed it. I knew I could really kick ass if I tried. After that, I really knew it was just as much about how you say it, as what you're saying.

Just an opinion from a student's perspective

Haha. I thought I'd be a lot geekier than 5. whatever percent, lol. I know if I counted the decimals after the result, I'd be even MORE of a geek.