Avion

Really my point is, what their saying about qualifications would make alot more sense if I was providing conflicting advise. How much experience does one need to say the airspeed in the tunnel is less than a sitflyer usually falls at in open air and so you have to catch some lift on your back to get off the net? I feel like, their making it out that I am instructing a 20 jump wonder how swoop with a double front riser dive. I said the same thing they did, and they told me I was wrong to do so. I just have trouble with that.

I also would imgine that more drag is the goal with the straight taper.

Most of the differences have to do with the taper from the knee to the toe. One version curves a little in toward the ankle and the other version goes straight from the knee to the toe. Other differences are the type of material that goes under the shoe. One versions is fabric and the other version is leather.

Well, do you all think that Paulipod lacks sufficient experience/qualifications to give advise/information about how to get off the net sitflying in the tunnel? He mentioned that to get off the net he had to use his back. Paige said lean back and added a disclaimer as to her worthiness to give advise. I said lean back and explained why. Then Paige added a disclaimer as to my worthiness to give advise. I find it interesting that you all are knocking me because of my lack of experience rather than disagreeing with the advise or information I offered. Rather than saying my advise or information is wrong, you're saying I'm wrong for offering it. On of the things I have noticed about accepted/certified coaches is that most of them say something different. It gets confusing when one coach tells you your doing something wrong when your doing it the way another coach told you to. It all comes down to information, understanding what is going on, and finding out what works for you. Some of my best tips have come from people, who after watching me work on something, just walk up and say, try this... I gather information from books, coaches, skydivers, tunnelrats, forums, and watching others for hours and hours in order to be educated. Hopefully, so that I can enjoy the activity and prevent you all from reading about something stupid I did. As to my bio, I would enter that I have zero jumps and over an hour and a half in the tunnel belly and back flying, if it let me do so. I suggested an air time profile entry in the in the feedback forum, apparently in vain. In a couple of months I'll add that I have one year in the sport when the time comes. Prehaps you feel more comfortable with me, if I lied and made myself appear more experienced. I have yet to try sitflying, although it is next on my progession, so I have been paying particular attention to its coaching. I have been lurking here for some time, and have participated in a number of discussions earlier this year mostly in the incidents forum as cybervagrant in order to understand what can go wrong. I have since changed my ID because I like this one better. I posted this response in spirit of discussion. I presume, although avoid expecting, that he will take my advise and everybody elses, think about it, and discuss it with his instructor the next time he goes to the tunnel. Ari is one of the most experienced people here. Paige has hours and hours in the tunnel. Paulipod has his own tunnel!!! In summary: The more experienced people said lean back. The less experieced person said lean back and explained why. Then the more experieced people told the less experience person he was wrong. You simple question seems to have brought another issue into view. I have offered my input on his question, I explained what to do and why. I have explained honestly my experience. My final thoughts for you, Maxx, is: There appears to be a prejudice here concerning experience, as exemplified by the people harping about my level of experience rather than the particulars of my response. That implies obedience without question may be expected from those people with more experience. In appropriate situations, like in the air, that obedience should be given, however in a forum of discussion, like this, it can be counter productive. Use some common sense: Avoid ruling out completely someones advise, just because they have less experience they could be right, and avoid taking without question someones advise just because they have more experience, they could be wrong. After all its your life. I hope I have given you some fuel for thought and helped you understand what's going on with sitflying and lift in the tunnel. Blue Skies...

Demo liability? Well maybe that is something I can look into, group insurance for skydivers. I went to insurance school, I just need to take the state test to get my licence. I might try finding a company that write a policy that would only cover personal medical expenses incurred only durning skydiving.

That means I have as much right to offer my response to his question as you do, and I am kinda offended and surprised that you jumped on my case for agreeing with you.

OK Paige, you win. Maxx, for you own safety ignore my advice. Do what Miss "I'm not a coach but I'm not passing on wrong info" says and lean back

I agree with Paige. I've watched a lot of sit flying training in the tunnel. Those people that keep their backs straight up and down usually end up just going boing, boing, boing... I think I've read that sit flyers fall in the 145-165mph range. Here in Orlando, you'll only get about 135mph max in the tunnel, so most people have to catch some lift on their back to get off the net. Arch and lean back into the wind a bit

Dude, the tunnel in Bedford looks awe-some! 16ft

It looks cool

I have to say this, everyone else seems to have forgotten so soon. Several months ago Todd from airspeed was in this exact situation. At 600-800ft he had a canopy collision. The result was a violent spin. He immeadiately pulled silver. The reserve failed to inflate complelely and he hit the ground hard sideways at the same time as the canopy.

There's a DZ here in Florida that'll drop you at 18,000ft.

From what I've read, beginners should load their wing at 1.0 or less. Also the smaller the wing the faster it will turn because the control lines are shorter. That means if two different sized canopies are loaded the same, generally the smaller one will turn faster. This should be kept in mind. In my bearly educated opinion, I have read a good amount of PD's and Aerodyne's material on their designs and recommendations, you should probably choose a wing that will load lighter than 1.0lbs/sqft, so that you have a more mild mannered ride. Then, as you ability improves add some weight up to 15-20lbs in small increments, say 5lbs at a time. To get an idea of how a more heavily loaded wing will handle before you downsize. I think, I read some where that Joey Jones jumped each of his canopies 800-1000 times before downsizing. According to him, most everybody downsizes way before they can fly their present canopy to its full potential. I have read enough in the incidents forum, to take Joey's example to heart. Doing the math 46kg =101lbs Plus rig 25lbs =126 exit weight. 126/150 = 0.85 lbs/sqft 126/135 = 0.94 lbs/sqft In view of what I said the 150 loaded at 0.85 might be as responsive as 170 loaded 1.0, and the 135 loaded at 0.94 will most likely be noticably more responsive than a 170 loaded at 1.0. Manufacturers say comparisions like this are diffucult, although in general smaller canopies tend to be more responsive to pilot input than larger ones when loaded at the same ratio. Also keep in mind you can jump rental equipment before you buy your own. Jump a 170 see if it feels different than the 210. If you feel comfortable with the 170, try a 150, then decide. Being conservative, I'd rather err on the safe side. If you can even call that an err

I've got 90 minutes in the tunnel and zero jumps. As confusing as it was learning the basics, I'm glad I did it in the tunnel, you know sensory overload and all. I get back with you about that after I jump I've been asking people if they remember landing their canopy the first time. Everybody I ask seems to remember exiting the plane for the first time, but they all seem to have trouble remembering landing.

From what I know about COBRA 280/month is a good deal. You must have low limits on you coverage to get away with that. From what I heard at insurance school coming off a good employer plan with a family can be 700-800 a month easy.

Just wondering why eveybody avoided suggesting add weight so that he will load the bigger wing more heavily.

That's what I get for believing what people tell me without checking Can I buy 10 minutes when you or Ari come around again. I tired of paying $120 for 8 minutes when I can get 10 for $100 sharing an hour.

I asked one of the managers last night and he said that its usually about 50/50 and varies from time to time.

Skydivers form a group that is insurable as a group. The rule is any group can be insured as long as the reason for the group is other than to just get insurance. There would have to be a skydiver association. I believe the USPA offers group insurance. So, form a group, the larger the better, then ask an insurance broker to find the group some coverage. Probably will be difficult to find any company to write a policy, and if one will it will probably be expensive.

SkymonkeyONE have you ever operated the Orlando tunnel?

When I first started, it seemed the tunnel was very small and I was very big. I could hardly move at all without bumping into the walls. Now I feel smaller and the tunnel seems bigger but it still seems smaller than big

I went tonight. Looks like you were right. At 88% power the air speed is around 130mph give or take a few. At 70% the airspeed is around 100mph.

Awesome animation! I just tried back flying in the tunnel. I was stable( I've watched alot of other people back flying so I knew the stable position) and could go up and down right from the start. I was turning a little and was wondering why and also how to turn and side slide. I figured arm to the side and leg out. I see from the animation its lower the calf and arm to the side. Just what I wanted to know!!! I'm psyched for next time

You can at least see the Ft. Bragg tunnel for a few minutes if you watch "Cutaway"

Let me rephrase that. I mean 1/3 to 1/2 of the tunnel time goes to wuffos. The rest to skydivers and instructor training. There are many more wuffos than skydivers, prehaps 3-4 to one or more, but they usually only fly for 2 minutes at a time 6 to 8 wuffos in one 1/2 hour class. 3 or 4 skydivers will get together and buy an hour or two at a time.