mattjw916

I don't think that's necessarily the case. Some guys don't want to deal with the explosion of emotion that women often display when you break up with them, i.e. smashing anything you own in sight, setting your clothes on fire or throwing them out the windows, throwing anything made of glass at the walls, and then there's the locking themselves in the bathroom part and sobbing uncontrollably whilst threatening to kill themselves if you leave. Good times. NSCR-2376, SCR-15080

Times change. Our "enemies" that we trained to fight aren't the ones being encountered now. I managed to completely miss every major conflict during my active duty time or be stationed on the other side of the world when anything remotely interesting was happening. /shrug We still managed to lose a bunch of people to training and traffic accidents and suicide on a consistent basis so it wasn't all fun and games versus civilian life. NSCR-2376, SCR-15080

They used to charge extra for that when it first came out, I didn't realize it changed. I'd opt for the changeable mode one then for sure. NSCR-2376, SCR-15080

considering how fast a moderately used Cypres sells online (minutes, if they are a few years old), I don't think the extra money is worth it NSCR-2376, SCR-15080

I've heard that as well (long time ago). Anyway, I also started jumping elliptical canopies at low jump #s... but, I was super-current and started at light loadings, 1.2 or so. Don't remember when exactly but I tried various canopies: Jedei, Stiletto, Nitron, and Nitro. So, yes you can "safely" jump more responsive canopies but you have to accept the risk when you do so. I personally am okay with competent people jumping ellipticals as long as they aren't loading the crap out of them for their experience level. My $0.02 NSCR-2376, SCR-15080

well, you should get out of the house more often then... this is what's known as a straw man argument, you should look up common logical fallacies and try to avoid using them to make your case, kthxbai NSCR-2376, SCR-15080

first, that poll is meaningless from a statistical perspective second, that poll doesn't even ask who jumps what among wingsuiters, just what opens best... NSCR-2376, SCR-15080

more people jump x-brace and ellipticals with wingsuits than you realize NSCR-2376, SCR-15080

I do basically the same thing at every new DZ I visit: Get the briefings on the landing pattern, hazards, outs, etc... Find an LO Introduce myself and give them an idea of my experience level Go jump (something reasonable in size you're comfortable with) Hang in brakes a bit after deployment and then follow the crowd in on the pattern. Repeat After a few jumps it will feel routine to be jumping from Otters and such... just don't panic at the sight of all those canopies in the sky... they are generally much farther away than you think. NSCR-2376, SCR-15080

I would skip the design track unless it's some sort of a job requirement. I always wanted to get my CCDP but there just wasn't any tangible demand for it that I could see. I think with the amount of firewalls and security focus out there it's hard to argue against going for a CCNP-Security. There's always the datacenter track too if you have a lot of Nexus or virtualization (or want to go that way). Voice track also has a lot of demand but I hate phones and call-manager software. PITA. NSCR-2376, SCR-15080

congrats from CCIE 39206 I'm also a CCDA, CCNA, CCNA-S, CCNP, CCNP-S, RHCT, MCSE, MCSA, MCP+I, Sec+, and A+ I have to re-cert my IE routing and switching soon... and they just changed the topics for the test. Hooray for more obscure facts! NSCR-2376, SCR-15080

The more you sit around and "talk" about skydiving, the less likely it becomes you will ever jump again. So the question really is: are you going to piss away another season or are you going to go make some goddamn jumps? Personally, I hope it's the latter because you can never have too many licensed skydivers. Stop sitting around and letting the anxiety build and just jump. The "drop sensation" is all in your head. NSCR-2376, SCR-15080

rofl... so true... alternatively go on a cleanse diet and drop a few pounds just in case NSCR-2376, SCR-15080

I seriously doubt the helmet actually has anything to do with the canopy going into twists. Is the canopy/bag twisting up right off your back as the dbag leaves the pack tray (you can feel this but not see it) or is it spinning up during inflation? My vote would also be to just have someone competent video your deployments a few times (not just once). Sometimes it's just bad luck... one of my Nitrons spun up on me for no reason recently... of course it had happen when I was intentionally humming it down on a bigish-way... it was probably just scared. NSCR-2376, SCR-15080

It would be better to take the money you were going to spend on a gopro and spend it on tunnel instead... I've seen a lot of newbs with cameras do and say stupid things like, "hey, I'll film your opening!"... then almost have a canopy collision... "hey, I'll go out after you and film your dive"... then go low and/or dock hard and take a bunch of people out... saw a guy lose his entire helmet on a formation load because he forgot to buckle it (but at least his gopro was on)... Spend your early days in the sport trying to learn how to not be terrible... then when you aren't anymore... go shoot awesome video that someone other than you and your mom would actually want to watch. NSCR-2376, SCR-15080

9 way tube with "filling" (1 person laying across the middle)... rolled it out of a Skyvan, totally nailed it NSCR-2376, SCR-15080

The PD Pulse opens quickly by modern standards. Not hard though. I put a bunch of jumps on it and it opened very consistently with little/no snivel and always on heading. I prefer snivel-ly canopies with tons of flare so it really wasn't my cup of tea. NSCR-2376, SCR-15080

inside of wrist/forearm so I can easily see it under canopy when my hands are on my risers (which is basically always) I basically never look at an altimeter in freefall... that's what audibles and other skydivers are for NSCR-2376, SCR-15080

What a buncha quitters! They had plenty of altitude left under their reserves to try that dock again! NSCR-2376, SCR-15080

I'd buy you a beer and trade stories NSCR-2376, SCR-15080

well the Mirage ones definitely have something in there that provides rigidity, plastic I'd guess, with a layer of Cordura wrapped around it NSCR-2376, SCR-15080

based on what I read and hear from people the Mamba is significantly more sporty (twitchy) honestly I don't see many of those canopies around so my sample size is small NSCR-2376, SCR-15080

Katana or Samurai up to about 1.9 but anything higher I'd just go cross-braced. If you already have a Mamba and it works for you, just stick with it. NSCR-2376, SCR-15080

I'm curious why you think changing to a completely different canopy (Pilot to Storm) would prepare you for a downsize. That does not compute IMO. If you want to try new things, go for it... but that doesn't seem necessary to me. If anything, go grab a 10lb weight belt and see how your Pilot flies when loaded up a bit more. That would be a little more relevant IMO. Pilot and Sabre2 are in the same ballpark so I wouldn't expect any surprises. Those canopies and stuff like the Fusion and Safire 1 & 2 all fly very similarly. Mushier stuff would be like a Pulse or Silhouette and a notch up would be Stiletto, Nitron, Zulu... full-retard non-cross-braced are loaded up Katanas, Samurai, Crossfires, and the Mamba. BTW, you should talk to your local canopy coach before doing anything crazy and just because someone has a rigger's ticket, doesn't necessarily mean they have a lot of canopy piloting experience. Have fun! NSCR-2376, SCR-15080

Um yeah, it's completely implausible that PD is at all trying to ensure your last chance doesn't turn into confetti when you get dumped out in a 165mph head down... For a moment think about what a rig and the canopies its holding can go through it its lifetime. I've had mine since 2007 or so and in that time it's gone from below freezing in Colorado to the burning deserts of Eloy and Perris, plus dozens of places in between, time after time. It's been thrown in countless car trunks, closets, moving trucks, cargo holds... it's been scanned, swabbed, strung up, poked and prodded by dozens of people... A reserve isn't some craptastic smart phone that the manufacturers are trying to get you to turn over for $600 every 18-24 months so I don't think your "planned obsolescence" argument has much if any merit. If you feel fine jumping something like an "ancient" 5 cell Swift because you don't have to inspect it, then by all means have at it. Personally I take comfort exiting the plane knowing I don't have literally the cheapest shit I could find on my back. (Apologies to anyone that owns a Swift in advance ) NSCR-2376, SCR-15080