jheadley

I know a guy who had a rigger remove the tape on his VSE risers and sew on elastic. Now they're the perfect risers. If I had VSE risers I'd get the same thing done. Although I know one rigger who would probably try to argue that in order to do that, you'd need approval from the factory, the FAA, and a master rigger doing the work.

They are tape, which IMO barely works at all to keep the excess line stowed. They're way too loose. Besides that they're great risers. I really like the hard housings.

That's correct, but some people also call a dual-cutaway system an SOS system, but it's not technically correct. I've worked at 2 dz's that used these on student gear. The cutaway handle is normal, and hopefully the RSL would activate the reserve. Then the reserve handle also has a second set of cutaway cables going to the risers. So if they pull their handles out of order, the main will still be cutaway. This does mean that you can't only deploy your reserve. I think it's a good idea and it doesn't bother me because I believe the chance of a student pulling handles out of order is far greater than them actually needing to dump the reserve at 500 feet.

Skydive the Point in Virginia is doing an IAD course Jan 23-27 by Jay Stokes. www.skydivewestpoint.com

Did you have an RSL? What would you say your altitude was when you were under the open reserve?

Just in case, I guess. I don't have much first hand experience with them so I'd rather err on the safe side.

FWIW, with about 2500 or so packjobs, I really don't ever roll the nose on any canopy unless it's the following : EZ-384 Sabre 1 Hornet Monarch Triathlon I maybe leaving out one or two but IMO really any modern canopy should open plenty soft with just correct slider placement. (and deploying at the proper airspeed with proper body position)

I don't have any official details but I did talk to a PD rep about it a little bit. He made it sound like it would be a general purpose all-around canopy, made to fly more like a nine cell. Sort of like a better version of the Spectre.

It's ok, I'll be really careful Five... up (while spotting) When someone asks which way jumprun is (while on jumprun), point to the nose of the plane and say "that way"

After about 50 repacks, I had my first save today. I even got to watch the whole thing from the air. It's about time somebody used my pack job

The nitro is a very popular canopy at my dz. Lots of fun jumpers, instructors, and vidiots use them. I've put about 25 jumps on a Nitro 135 and 5 on a Nitro 120, and they really are very nice, fun canopies. I agree with billvon about it being very very stable with great openings.

12/26-1/1 I'll be doing the big-way camp

I can't stand slow opening canopies. My Sabre 2 opens consistently in 500 feet, and it's plenty soft. I've jumped lots of canopies that take longer to open, and they honestly don't seem to open any softer, they just take longer. So you're just wasting altitude.

Here's another proof : 1/3 = .333.... .333.... *3 = .999... 1/3 * 3 = 1 so 1 = .999...

Does .999... (repeating) equal 1.0?

yep I sent one off a few weeks ago and got it back and they did it to that one.

that was the gayest news story since gay came to gaytown

I'll be there for my 4th year in a row

It's funny, even with me having almost 900 jumps and 2 instructional ratings, my dad still doesn't seem to believe me when I say I can jump out after someone else and catch up to them in freefall.

Exactly why I chose to not purchase either of my rigs from them; if they weren't responding to pre-sales questions, how would they manage customer service? (I'm sure it's fine, yet not willing to take the risk). I hope you get to see the place, if it's anything like the Rigging Innovations or RWS facilities, it's worth the time for sure! I tried to buy a new BOC pouch from Sunpath. They billed my credit card immediately but after 4 months and a follow up email with no response, I still haven't gotten it. I guess my next rig will be a Wings.

You want the 169 because it may be cheaper to pack. At one place I used to pack, canopies 170 sq. ft. and up were 7 dollars. 169 and below were 6. And 200-288 sq. ft. student canopies paid 5.

I was playing with some lines yesterday and here's the short version of what I found. I had a canopy with LST's that were 1.25 inches off ( I found lots of twists in one steering line, only a few in the other, so the twisted line shrank faster I'm guessing). I was able to stretch the shorter line so it was even with the longer one, but it shrank back a little after only a few minutes. I left it overnight and this morning measured it and there is a .5 inch difference between the right and left lines. So it appears that initially it did seem to stretch 1.25 inches, but it shrank back and eventually settled at .75 inches longer than it was originally. Still no idea if it'll stay like this after being jumped though but I'll keep measuring it.

Chuck Norris doesn't endorse Mike Huckabee, he tells America how it's going to be. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDUQW8LUMs8

The thing that makes me and others skeptical about it actually working long term is that it just seems too easy. You don't even have to pull very hard for them to stretch. If they stretch that easily, wouldn't they stretch on every opening?

I was once shown a trick where you take an out of trim canopy with spectra lines and slightly put it back into better trim by anchoring down all the lines and then giving a few quick tugs on the lines you want longer (typically the outside ones). This seems to tighten the weave and increase the length of the line by an inch or two. I've tried it and as far as I can tell it actually does seem to work, at least at first. I don't know if it shrinks back after a few deployments or if there are any negative effects of doing that. Does anyone have any comments about this?