larsrulz

The chest strap is not a load-bearing strap, so the reduction of overall strength shouldn't be an issue. In my opinion the main differences between the regular and narrow is comfort and useability. The narrow one is a bit more comfortable from the rigs I have tried, but the regular one enables you to use a chest mount altimeter, which as someone who primarily does RW, I got a regular. I got a strong urge to fly, but I got no where to fly to. -PF

Do explain. No, the altimeter won't read 30K', but if you are taking off from JFK and set a bomb to go off when the altimeter reads 4K', which the pressurization will go above that, then the plane will go boom at some point in time during its accent. I got a strong urge to fly, but I got no where to fly to. -PF

I have no experience with the FF2, but considerable experience with composites. Thin laminated composites, especially glass fiber, have very poor impact performance. They are just not made to absorb energy; a hard impact and they will completely delaminate, i.e. become worthless. The carbon fiber variety would be a bit better, but to have any reasonable impact protection, you will need a non-skydiving helmet. Something that is considerably thicker and heavier, or you will need to special order one out of some non-commercial products, such as a G15000/Polyurea composite, which you wouldn't be able to get the G15000 for one helmet for less than probably $2000. The moral of the story is that if you want impact protection, then look elsewhere; such as motorcycle helmets. I got a strong urge to fly, but I got no where to fly to. -PF

QuoteNo such thing as a PD 150R!Quote Good point; as that's the reason I got a smart. I guess it is a 143, but it is still a larger pack volume than my smart 150. I got a strong urge to fly, but I got no where to fly to. -PF

I can't speak for this particular combination, but your best bet is to find out the pack volume that the manufacturer lists for the techno and ask mirage. Personally, I believe that M3s are very tight and if you try to go outside what they are designed for then it will both look and feel bad. I have an G3 M2 with a 150 samurai and a 150 smart (which packs smaller than a PDR 150) and it is definitely at the max limit of comfort. (which both are the max size recommended) Compare the pack volume with a 135 Dash-M (which Mirage lists as snug for the M0). If it is more, then I personally wouldn't jump it, as my rigger has an M2 with a PDR 150 (143 is listed as snug for it), and it is noticeably uncomfortable in my opinion. I got a strong urge to fly, but I got no where to fly to. -PF

Yep, and you will frequently see them used only in special occasions too. I can sitfly/backfly with RW flyers in my freefly suit if I want to. I've never put weights on unless I know I'm going to really really need them for a one off jump. Camera wings are nice since they will give me pop if I need it, but I have used my freefly suit with out issue some. Sit suits are just a waste IMO. I agree on sit suits, the only person I know that uses one is Gary Peek, but with what you just said it sounds as if you use your freefly suit as a crutch. Can you do the same in a pair of jeans and a tee-shirt? If so, why use the suit? So if you weighed 20 lbs. less with the same body type, you're saying you wouldn't use weights for RW? Sometimes crutches are necessary. There is a standard freefall rate that people need to fall. If someone with 83 jumps needs to dearch the whole dive just to barely stay at that speed, then how is it a problem for them to use swoop cords so they can relax a bit and actually learn to fly their body? Eventually they will learn how to fly their body without the need to overly dearch, but that comes with experience. I got a strong urge to fly, but I got no where to fly to. -PF

I was talking to a student; I'm certainly not going to go about providing differing advise than his instructor has. It is obvious the individual was taught one way and the SIM doesn't say "there is one way to react to something and this is the *only* way." His instructors have their reasonings for teaching how they do, it isn't anyones place here on DZ.com to correct them unless they are blatantly wrong, especially in the case of a student jumper. I got a strong urge to fly, but I got no where to fly to. -PF

Wierd...wasn't working earlier, but is now. Might be that I'm on my laptop now. Nice site! I got a strong urge to fly, but I got no where to fly to. -PF

I had also heard that they were up for sale...was worried as I'm in the process of ordering a new mirage. Definitely a nice site! I got a strong urge to fly, but I got no where to fly to. -PF

Without a doubt your best bet is your instructor. He knows your skill level and what type of equipment you need. After you get that, come on over here, and people can provide their recommendations for specifics between container manufacturers, main canopies, etc. I got a strong urge to fly, but I got no where to fly to. -PF

The problem I have is that I was forced into a union for graduate students where I go to school. I gain no benefit from it (my department was one of the highest paid in the school), but I am still *required* to pay the annual dues. How is it even logical to *force* someone to join a union? The biggest problem is the union laws in our country are illogical. I got a strong urge to fly, but I got no where to fly to. -PF

In my case, I route the loop over my thumbs. After opening, I am able to pull my hand back, pull out some extra cord, and then take the cord off my thumb. If this isn't a possiblity, then routing it over the alti strap is probably ideal. I got a strong urge to fly, but I got no where to fly to. -PF

So are weights; what about camera suits; sit suits, etc. Sometimes crutchs are necessary; I certainly hope you don't kick a walker out from under the elderly. When the decision is between using a crutch and being able to jump with others, or not using it and completely hosing a dive for the next 200 jumps, then no one should be faulted (especially at 83 jumps!) for choosing the crutch. There is much learning to be done on how to fly ones body; having swoop cords may not allow you to learn the best possible fall rate control, but it will certainly help with other skills, as being able to jump with other people (not 50' below them or in some cases possibly not even be able to get others to jump with you) is important for that. And with time, one can learn the fall rate along with the other skills and be able to remove the cords. I got a strong urge to fly, but I got no where to fly to. -PF

I would say this is why the classroom portion will be extremely valuable. A first jump course covers the basics of water landings, but what about when you are going to land in a river? (When you are qualified for your B license) You have enough jumps that maybe you want to completely undo your chest strap and loosen your legstraps once in the water (not before) and just swim out, if you do this you should kick off your shoes, but why? No particular method is the "correct" one, but all of them can add to your toolbox, so you can pull out whatever needed when the time arises. The fact that you have prior water training means that whatever option you choose, you'll probably do it very well, but the most important part of the training is learning what option to choose. I got a strong urge to fly, but I got no where to fly to. -PF

- Get my SLI - Make a minimum of 100 instructor jumps - Break 500 jumps - Attend a Brian Germain Seminar - Take a FFC - Buy a birdman - Fiend the birdman until I can buy a V2 - Hit up bridge day - Unlikely, but I would love to get my commercial ticket and start flying some at the local 182 DZ - Oh, and get 10 reserves signed off for my rigger's ticket The first and fourth are what I mostly care about, but *hopefully* I can get the FFC when I'm up at SDC in April for BG's seminar. Th rest are just bonus! I got a strong urge to fly, but I got no where to fly to. -PF

You mean the page that doesn't load...that I have. I got a strong urge to fly, but I got no where to fly to. -PF

That's certainly surprising. Do the notes say how they came upon this? Because I know the drag on a flapping sail, for example, isn't too terribly high, and I would certainly imagine that the jumper would produce much more form drag than a slider. Do they cover collapsible PCs vs. not, cause I'm curious as to the percentage there. I got a strong urge to fly, but I got no where to fly to. -PF

When I go the other way around, i.e. from the US to Europe, I always get the best rates using credit cards and ATMs. Unless she wants to walk into the U.S. with a considerable amount of cash, then I would recommend this. I got a strong urge to fly, but I got no where to fly to. -PF

In response to both you and Murps, the original poster has 83 jumps and is under a spectre 210, so much of your reasoning isn't valid here. He is having problems with collasping his slider, so I can't imagine that canopy twitchiness is the top of his priorities. I got a strong urge to fly, but I got no where to fly to. -PF

It's just that. The longest riser which you can still reach the slider on. Some people like being able to take a nice grasp of their rapid links when doing riser manuevers, so they may need an inch shorter. But I was merely saying that you want the maximum length riser while still being able to do whatever you feel you need to do. Longer is better. I got a strong urge to fly, but I got no where to fly to. -PF

"...Friendly, Good, Good" I got a strong urge to fly, but I got no where to fly to. -PF

Be sure to pick up your rig with both shoulder straps for one thing. I'm no rigger, but from the rigging help I have done, it is sometimes difficult to get the reserve risers to stay tight so the slack is allowed to work its way out of the container, although my rigger taught me a nice little trick once I get my ticket! Unless it is coming out far enough to easily get snagged, it isn't something that requires a repack. Be sure to mention it to your rigger during your next repack, and if your rigger is extra nice, he might pop it open and tighten up the risers for you before hand, but don't expect that. I got a strong urge to fly, but I got no where to fly to. -PF

Careful there....I was keeping my bonehead boomerang loose and I lost it transitioning from a sit to a back track this past weekend. Fortunately it is composite, so it fell at about 15 mph tops, so the only damage was it had a nice clump of mud on it. The oxygn comes down further on the back of the head, so it is less likely to catch wind, but still something to be cautious with. I got a strong urge to fly, but I got no where to fly to. -PF

There is minimal aerodynamic effect of leaving a slider unstowed on that size of canopy. The biggest difference between stowed and unstowed is the level of annoyance, i.e. the flapping. I got a strong urge to fly, but I got no where to fly to. -PF

Direct from AOPA: CHICAGO USED AIRPORT MONEY TO DESTROY MEIGS The City of Chicago is telling the FAA that Meigs Field was an "abandoned" airport that had to be cleaned up. That assertion comes in response to an FAA probe into whether the city illegally used federal funds. AOPA President Phil Boyer described the city's stance as "another insult." Acting on a complaint filed by AOPA in February, the FAA has proposed fining Chicago $33,100, the maximum allowed, for not providing a required 30-day notice before closing Meigs Field. The FAA is also investigating whether the city illegally diverted $1.5 million in federal funds intended for O'Hare Airport improvements to rip up Meigs' runway and tear down the control tower. In a 40-page legal brief responding to the FAA's notice of investigation, Chicago admitted that it actually spent $2.8 million of O'Hare and Midway airport developmen t funds to destroy Meigs and remove any evidence that it was once an airport. "Meigs Field was willfully destroyed by elected officials using public monies that were intended for airport construction, not destruction," Boyer said. "We're analyzing the city's brief to determine if there is an appropriate legal response from AOPA. But it's clear that the city is—once again—engaging in revisionist history and justification." If the FAA determines Chicago used airport funds improperly, it could fine the city three times the amount of diverted funds. That could make the fine as much as $8.4 million. I got a strong urge to fly, but I got no where to fly to. -PF