bianuan

So can the RSL part be used without the skyhook hooked up, as well being on the other side to a normal RSL? (Apologies for my non technical speak I am not a rigger) I have seen all the discussions on various threads about this, whilst my reserve was being packed I felt the force needed to pull the reserve out with the skyhook connected, in a non terminal pull it may imply that it may take a bit more to get the reserve out. (say a low exit in an aeroplane emergency - although i note the comments indicating that it should do the opposite) Another point may be that there is a lot more stuff in the reserve container - closing with the pilot chute etc, it did seem that there were more bits in there, which may equal more to go wrong. I am returning to the sport after a year and a half off, and am currently updating my kit. These are my viewpoints based on the little information I currently understand, skyhooks do not seem to be widely used in the UK. I'm not aware of any incidents here with jumpers of my level, in that a skyhook would have been useful. Thank you all for all the comments and viewpoints, i have taken note. Ann

Thanks Ann

yes well, my rigger doesnt seem to like them at all, I love my rigger I really do, and I really respect his opinion, but I would like some more info before going ahead with his recommendations on this one if you know. Ann

Does anyone know if jumping a rig installed with a skyhook, but with it not connected it is a bad idea? (Javelin, pd 143) Thanks! (Ive done a search and not yet found a post within the big discussions relating to this - sorry if this is a repost/silly question) Ann

Not all cultures view suicide in the Christian influenced culture way - where it is generally considered a waste of life/selfish/result of depressive illness. For some cultures to take your own life in certain circumstances is considered a matter of honour and therefore from a rational decision to be honourable. Like all things depends on the point of view you are looking from. Ann

The midwinter festivities also known as Christmas 'are' Pagan/Heathen in origin. Now this celebration has evolved further to be what it is and whatever you want to make of it regardless of faith or creed. I get mildly annoyed by people who claim their faith owns all celebrations at this time of year and try to dictate how all people should and should not behave for it. Believe what you will, Christmas is not a christian only holiday, we'll celebrate however we choose

Im originally from Ireland, though living in the UK where attitudes are a little more allowing, this may be different to North America interpretations. In Ireland the church's attitude towards suicide affects even how the inquests into these deaths are carried out. It has only been recently made not illegal to try to kill yourself in the UK. To get an open verdict from the inquest instead of suicide is considered good news for the family, suicide isnt spoken of generally, it is a skeleton in the cupboard for the family and suicide victims are thought to have been selfish - not my thoughts in any way shape or form. On a human level i know that the priests etc agree with the illness causing it, but if i were to follow the religeous philosophy to the letter then there is no way round it, taking God given life is a mortal sin regardless of cause. This is why I am unable to continue being a Catholic or even a Christian any more. But thats just me and my reaction to it and the people who believed it and informed me of this at the time. I have no intention of causing offense to anyone, i just thought my experiences with regard to this were worth contributing to this thread. They may well not be the right ones for everyone. ( Please ignore if you disagree

I left the catholic church and sought out a new spiritual philosophy over the official answer to this question which is : no they dont, to take a life even your own is considered a mortal sin. I couldnt accept that someone who suffered from the pain of depression, like my father, for so many years could possibly be held accountable for it killing them through suicide, drink or however it manifested itself. Narrow minded mainstream explanations of Christian philosophy regarding suicide are not correct in my opinion. Ann

I overheard one of the tandem instructors at a DZ i jump at, wind up his male passenger by going to talk to the passengers nervous looking girlfriend - out of earshot. On returning to the pen he told the passenger that that lady over there had just offered him £5k to drop him! but he refused do it on the basis that he was a professional! Ann

I think the midwinter celebrations existed in most european cultures before the christians hijacked it for Christs birthday Hence why everyone is happy to celebrate Christmas whether they're christian or not. Ann

People with depression do all sorts of things, suicide, eating themselves to death, drinking themselves to death etc They all deserve treatment, even the famous ones. RIP Georgie Best Ann

I think it was something to do with them being allowed by their religeous philosophy to charge/pay interest for lending/borrowing money etc. Whereas the christians weren't supposedto do this and the muslims are still not permitted to do this. This always led to the jews being the rich people in charge -or the perception of them was such. Ann

When i first started i knew damn well that this sport could kill me, 100 jumps later and that isnt so apparent in the forefront of my mind when i jump. I dont believe it is the students who need the reality check, but jumpers like myself who havent seen anything nasty - thank god for that but it has given me the chance and time to get complacement about these things as it never seems to happen. Saying that I find DZ.com is very good at keeping my awareness up and increasing my knowledge. Especially in regards to what terrible things can and do happen in this sport. Ann

Ive had two very slow and soft openings on my sabre1 over about 50 jumps on it, not sure how i packed it differently for them but found it alittle worrying at the time. I too prefer the faster (as long as it doesnt hurt) openings as thats what i expect, if its not open in about 3 seconds i can assume something is wrong. Ann

I asnwered 'I do, kinda sorta, when stuff is going wrong in life,' but by that i mean thats when i notice what i call karma and its effects. What goes around comes around for sure. Someones single good action can implement both good and bad things - maybe deserved karma or not, but being 'bad' may be part of someones comeupance Ann

I started AFF when i was 27. Wish i had started sooner but know there was no way i could have ever afforded to take up this sport any earlier. Ann

I think for people that have had somethng really terrible happen to them or their friends/family (car crash etc) the only way to be at peace with loosing loved ones is to believe something like 'it was their time to go', that was their fate. Living with the thought that you lost someone for no good reason is too hard. You need an explanation that cant be questioned, i dont think that would make someone narrow minded though. I seem to recall seeing a telly programme on this sort of thing, one of the theories they covered was that every possible outcome actually happens, but we choose the one that exists for our reality - i think it was String Theory or something like that. Ann

They probably need to keep that extra weight so they can match the fall rates of all those 'larger' guys at the DZ. Well theres plenty of them where i jump. Doughnuts aint fattening, they're improving my fall rate! thats my excuse and I'm sticking to it

Im so sorry that this has happened to you, my father was also killed by depression a few years back. This disease kills so many people, i dont know if the effects can be understood unless you suffer from it. Feeling down or a mild dose of depression is nothing compared to the pain that the people who end up having to take their own lives to get away from it, go through. The illness caused this not your son. xx Ann