matthewcline

Since the Canopy Control class do you still TRULY believe the canopy did that? Matt An Instructors first concern is student safety. So, start being safe, first!!!

What is with all the math? That is cool Kirk. This looks like the new tunnel home of the Screaming Eagles (if I can convince the boss that is) Matt An Instructors first concern is student safety. So, start being safe, first!!!

I actually have 4 to 5 jumps on each canopy in the list. To the OP: I found them all to be good for new jumpers still gaining knowledge of parachute handling and forgiving when a mistake was made. I think you could do no wrong with the Raider or the Wildfire, it will just depend on your attention to detail when flying your canopy. Matt An Instructors first concern is student safety. So, start being safe, first!!!

I see your point, BUT the rating and the Prof Card are designed to (in theory) hold ones feet to the fire. I know every one I sign and send to the RD I take seriously. I mostly sign for Mil Teams and they have a good rep (the Nod if you will). When I sign for a Person I do not know, I some times piss them off, I actually stand and watch the pre declared landing and won't sign any other block on the card until they show me they have the skill and knowledge. Matt An Instructors first concern is student safety. So, start being safe, first!!!

The theory sounds well and good here on the net, but in practice a Demo is not the place to be putting a fast canopy. Unless THAT is the Demo. A type specific canopy (Star Trak, Sharp Chuter, PD 7 cell Demo, etc.) that is practiced on more than the 10 to get a PRO rating and 5 to stay current (some forget that a lot) will be better than any other theory. Our Team practices in ground winds up to 20mph, but only do DEMO's up to 15mph. We build in a cussion so if the winds change for the worse we are PRACTICED with it. We also place our target next to buildings and trees, on concrete, in a 5m circle and tighten up the landing area to smaller than the minimum so if that happens while under canopy (I was on final when the band director for the Vols decided to take the field once) we can still land safely. But you cant do that with a Zippy parachute, you know, hit the brakes and sink a 98 from 30 feet up and your heading to the ER. IMO the only time a Zippy canopy should be on a Demo is if it is a hi-perf landing Demo. I do see a place for that kind of Demo, but not crowded NASCAR Tracks or Stadiums full of Bands, players and cables/wires. I have even re-qauled on a Cross braced canopy, non-cross braced zippy, a Tandem with and with out a licensed jumper and the Standard Demo canopies. I know I can put my mains there but not all who demos train like the DOD, Mil Teams. I have also called off many a Demo for safety. My question to some of the "young guns" here has been "Why a smaller canopy in 15mph winds (the limit)? The answer showed a bigger problem to me. "So I can get in". They didn't know how to spot and their fix was a canopy less affected by the lacking skill. If a Demonstrator KNOWS how to spot, and does stay in the limits there is no "need" for a zippy canopy, unless again that is the demo. Matt An Instructors first concern is student safety. So, start being safe, first!!!

He got his USPA ratings back, what about his rig ratings? Or is that still a separate issue and unresolved? Matt An Instructors first concern is student safety. So, start being safe, first!!!

What race are we talking about any way? Might shed some light to know the venue. Matt An Instructors first concern is student safety. So, start being safe, first!!!

Why is that the toughest part? I actually know of NO DOD Demo guy or gal (Army at least) who has done a NASCAR Demo, that has less than 500 jumps in the last 8 years. The Knights even told me they went to PRO Ratings a while back to ease the -2/-1 approval process. Matt An Instructors first concern is student safety. So, start being safe, first!!!

I am asking plainly then, Is that what your talking about, the Army Racing Teams? Your original post was a bit vague. And if you don't know the purpose for the military ADVERTISING in the fastest growing sport for the 18 to 25 year old male then your missing the point. I have no problem with the Army using NASCAR for its recruiting efforts. If they fail in the recruiting enough years in a row then the GOV will have two options, one pull out of not just Iraq, but the places the US has been invited into also, or two, to meet all current commitments the Draft. Matt An Instructors first concern is student safety. So, start being safe, first!!!

NASCAR Jumps are not as easy as they used to be. We now have to contend with the cable camera that zips around the front straight away area, the crane cameras, the crew camera and the 6 foot antenna they carry, the portable stage with 1000 + lucky pre-race concert fans, walk ways, canons, color guards, drivers and the 20+ person entourage, etc. But it is all in a days work and still one of the "funner" demo's one can do. Matt An Instructors first concern is student safety. So, start being safe, first!!!

Are you talking about the Army Racing Team costs? That comes from Recruiting funds, not operational funds. Sure some more can be re-appropriated (we have moved a lot of non-operational funds to operational accounts already) but it is set aside and is not for operations. Matt An Instructors first concern is student safety. So, start being safe, first!!!

I voted occasional bad spot. I try to always have a winds aloft forecast sent to my office or I will call the WX breif # and get the winds aloft and plot out a HARP (High Altitude Release Point) for ALL jumps I do. I have a laminated photo of my "usual" DZ's and the compass markings and 1K grid marks so I can plot the RP. From there I adjust as the day goes along or the Wind Drift Indicators visual return when used on load 1. I also teach students from Tandem or Static Line jump # 1 how to read the water surface, smoke from fires, steam pipes at the river, flags on high points and any other reference I can point out. All this too comes from Military Demo Team work and growing up skydiving under some pretty good MFF/MFF-JM trained mentors (although I am not a MFF dude, but have jumped the gear a few times). In my "Mon to Fri" job I ask my Pathfinder Students, "What are you going to do when the batteries die in you Garmin?" They always answer "Do it like you old school dudes did it". (OK not ALL of them say that but a PFC said it and it is the best quote ever from a Pathfinder Student) Matt Shit! That punk called me OLD! An Instructors first concern is student safety. So, start being safe, first!!!

The L-1 is the one from Alpha. It is very similar in design to Ft. Bragg and every bit as powerful and smooth. Plus I think you can deal right to Alpha and maybe that will reduce a few dollars of the cost. No middle man, find instructional staff for the staff out of the UK and all. Matt An Instructors first concern is student safety. So, start being safe, first!!!

or alpha mechanical engineering. Those are the only 2 still building (in the US at least) as far as I know. Matt An Instructors first concern is student safety. So, start being safe, first!!!

Read what ya wrote bud. Memberships can be renewed of course but since a third party is needed for ratings, I can see needing the form signed. I signed 4 today and they got FAXED in and are already being processed. They have GREAT customer service in all my dealings, but it has only been 11+ years with USPA for me. Matt An Instructors first concern is student safety. So, start being safe, first!!!

Yeah true, but busting open a case of 12 oz frosted cans would probably screw the case up. Matt An Instructors first concern is student safety. So, start being safe, first!!!

I choose my spot before boarding every time. If the pattern is so full I need to abandon my selected area I will adjust as needed and follow the crowd below me. Matt An Instructors first concern is student safety. So, start being safe, first!!!

I'll take your word on it as an expert as your using the system. So if I am wrong I stand corrected. Now hurry up and fly to work already! (after your din din on Friday of course) You have a Demo for NASCAR on the 7th of April! Matt An Instructors first concern is student safety. So, start being safe, first!!!

I have had to ride back down once out of one thousand. I have had now civilian students "freak out" on me. I have had a military student resist me so much I had to really work on HIS AFP level 1. Matt An Instructors first concern is student safety. So, start being safe, first!!!

Sadly some of the major cuts during the Clinton years came from the Military Medical System. But the quote from Kallend is Ironic as it seams to be better a system, but not by much and obviously some of the funds went into the "dog and pony show" and not the care of the soldiers. Matt An Instructors first concern is student safety. So, start being safe, first!!!

It doesn't restrict learning once you have moved through the basics. Start rig free and develop good free fall skills first then move to using the rig. Use of the rig really only benefits those using the tunnel as a tool to train to be a better skydiver (aside from the novelty option of course). The military use the tunnel as a tool and incorporate the rigs AFTER the tunnel has been used to aide the student in being a decent free faller first. Matt An Instructors first concern is student safety. So, start being safe, first!!!

Not exactly the answer to your question. I recently upsized for a training camp to get better at my technique with out the risk of the CB breaking me. But it did lead me to believe that I could be happy upsizing to an all around canopy. The pilot can always make a moderate canopy aggressive if wanted. Matt An Instructors first concern is student safety. So, start being safe, first!!!

Use #9 with the ribs the same color as the cells and put the Eagle, Globe and Anchor on the bottom skin with USMC on the end cells. That would be perfect. Matt An Instructors first concern is student safety. So, start being safe, first!!!

Seriously, have fun this weekend, when you take your business trip be safe. I used to have the same bullet proof attitude, but now have a few scars to prove I'm bullet, mine, and Artillery resistant, but not proof. Matt An Instructors first concern is student safety. So, start being safe, first!!!

It's Cool! Matt An Instructors first concern is student safety. So, start being safe, first!!!