apoil

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Posts posted by apoil

  1. Currently people's signatures can end up right at the very end of their posts.
    Some folks signatures aren't obviously signatures, it just seems like some randomly unrelated statement at first until you see it showing up again and again at the end of peoples posts.

    I'd like to see either a way for us to opt not to see signatures at all just like we can opt not to see people's profile photos.

    Or more simply some easily identifiable tag that identifies the start of the signature.
    On Usenet postings a signature will always start after a "--"

    ie:

    --
    signature goes here


    this would make it pretty easy for me to write my own filter for it.

  2. Quote


    It's very foggy in my mind but i think that the AAD is now considered part of the reserve system (for rigs that have them installed), and you can't repack a rig if the batteries are going to expire within the repack cycle or if the AAD doesn't meet the manufacturer's required maintenance schedule. I vaguely remember a ruling against a rigger that kind of set the precedent for this a while back. If I'm really bored I'll get out the old issues of skydiving and look it up.



    What I've seen riggers do in this situation is back date the reserve pack date such that it will expire when the cypres batteries expire. Essentially forcing a repack at that time. Naturally the rigger gave the option to do that, or change the batteries, or pack without the cypress.

    Additionally, the SAME rigger will often be willing to swap out the old batteries for new at that time and just reclose the container without charging for a full I&R. Presumably he would then date the reserve packjob back to the actual date of the first packjob.

  3. Quote



    One thing to take into account is that, manufacturers use a different method of calculating canopy size. So the size that a manufacturer puts on the label doesnt compare to the actual size.



    Of course it compares.
    It's just not necessarily identical.
    But even if it were, different canopes fly differently.
    a 120 nitron wont be the same as a 120 stiletto even if they are measured to the exact came standard.

    But a 107 of the same line will be faster than a 120. That's where it's meaningful.



    Quote


    There should be an industry standard on this so the consumer isnt mislead be a number instead of actual size



    The problem is with measuring square footage on something that isn't square. You could measure actual area of fabric, but in some shapings that still wont give an accurate picture. Canopy size is a guideline anyway. You aren't going to really feel that much difference between sizes that amount to less than .1 variation in the wing loading.

    Quote


    Picture a jumper with 100 jumps.

    He jumps a 9 cell canopy that is 170 square foot on the label, and is 170 square foot.
    Then he jumps a canopy that is 170 square foot on the label that is 162 square foot.



    That jumper shouldn't be on an elliptical, and it's ellipticals that have the real problems with size measurement.

    There's going to be no discernable difference to THAT jumper that 8 square feet will make. His skills aren't even close to the level where he'd notice.

  • Quote



    And if most flat dives went like most VRW dives....we would call them zoos and vow never to do that again.



    you were doing fine until you said that.
    That's a prejudice a lot of hardcore RW people have about VRW.
    Times are changing. Considering that a VRW dive in terms of difficulty is sort of like an RW dive 3 or 4 times the size, good VRW folks can get 4 or 5 points on a 4 way pretty consistently.

    It also seems to take about 3 times as many jumps vertical to master such basic skills as level control, side slideing flying a slot, and taking grips.

    So anyhow, just as in RW, the experienced guys come down coming pretty close to accomplishing what they dirtdived and the less experienced guys come down going "wow that was fun - we almost had it"

  • Quote

    I'm not as experienced as a lot of the people on this forum, but I'll throw in my 2 cents. I think it's always better to have some quality rw jumps under your belt before you start freeflying. In the flat flying position, you are much more able to practice docking with people and staying relative with them than if you are vertical. Once you have practice with that, then I would suggest starting with a sit, and get that down really well before you move on from that. For example, make sure you can stay stable without corking, know how to have forward and backward movement and be able to stop when you want to stop, and know how to keep on heading. The main thing to remember is think safety.



    My feeling is similar, but more inclusive.
    You should be fairly competent at RW before you start freeflying as a primary discipline.

    I think it is a very good idea to TRY sit flying a few times after you get your A license just to see what it's about.

    To make freeflying essentially forbidden or even discouraged for the first 100 jumps will just make it that much more of a temptation, and in my opinion will only continue to drive the two disciplines apart, rather than bringing them closer together. People will either get into their RW and reject freefly, or they will find freefliers who say "that's bullshit, come freefly with us now" and they will reject RW.

    I believe that the occasional freefly jump will actually help in your early RW progression. You are not as disoriented should an exit funnel, and it helps you to feel free and relaxed in the air, even on your belly.

    I used to do mostly RW but I would often conclude the day with a sit dive at sunset. Or I would work on RW mostly, and every so often do a day of freeflying. In the short term, I didn't aquire mastery of either discipline for a little longer, but in the long run, I am a much better all around flyer.

  • Quote

    No it's not Stuart even though he has helped out from time to time. Jonathon King is the guy I was trying to think of earlier



    Jon's a kiwi!

    An awesome flyer, but not the best coach either.

  • Quote

    Advantage is that if you are HD the image is already flipped, and on the new sony IP series camera the record button it on the right side so that puts it where you can reach it better.



    If you were mounting an IP, I would think you'd put it on the side that makes the button reachable regardless of which way you were mounting it. Claiming this as an advantage to the IP is truly reaching. Fact is, it's a disadvantage to the IP that you DONT have the option to flip the camera without either making the button more unreachable or having mounts on both sides of the camera.


    if you are doing all of your filming from a head down position, then you might consider flipping the camera, especially if you were filming tandems from your back where an inverted image would be entirely unacceptable for delivery to the customer.

    For some (like judges of freefly competitions) having the ground always be below, and the sky always above can help them to orient whats going on. But once you are doing a mix of head down and head up flying while filming, there's no real advantage to having an inverted camera.

  • Quote

    yeah, from what I have heard...I think that they are designed to be used with a specific size canopy...I am not sure if they are testing a downsized canopy for the bag...we will just have to wait and see. I am really interested to see what happens in the long term...how well are these tuck tabs going to stand up to 100s if not 1000s of jumps.



    Well this is part of why sunpath is still TESTING.

    However, why should a well made tuck tab wear out so soon?
    They already have them on the main pin protection flap, and the riser covers and they stand up to 1000s of jumps.

    Sure they might wear out. Then you replace them.

    From what I saw, the "locking stows" are replaced by a long tab that more resembles the top of a toggle. It goes into a long elastic stow and the lines make a sort of figure 8 around them.

    The rest of the lines are freestowed in a pocked that has a big wide tuck tab to keep it closed. This is why there wont likely be any line dump.

  • Quote

    Little quicker to pack??? It takes stowing the lines a total of about 30 seconds from the first "stow" till they put it in the container. I would say much quicker!!!



    Not to mention the time it takes to replace broken stow bands every few jumps. (Which includes the time to run around searching for one since you used your last one on the previous jump :)

  • Quote


    Switching it to 'Economy' mode might help, depending on whether you jump every day or just weekends. If you jump just weekends, set it to 'Economy'.



    But if switched to Economy it MUST be turned on before you start jumping.
    I once went to look at mine in the plane and realized it hadn't been turned on.
    Then it of course turned itself on and zeroed itself about 1500 feet below the drop altitude.

    So I basically heard the third alarm - the siren, for my entire skydive.
    Not fun.

  • Quote



    >if you only ever do it one way, you are wrong.

    I think that's a dumb thing to say. Thankfully it's not true for riggers, AFF-I's, competitors, record attempts etc. Occasionally, there is actually a right way to do something, and doing it that way all the time does not make it wrong.



    This is getting way off topic now.

    Maybe what I said came across a little wrong.
    But your counterargument is even worse.
    So as a rigger I should pack a Javelin the same way as a Racer the same was as a vector?

    AFF-I's? Flexibility is KEY to being a good AFF instructor. Everything is up to reinterpretation including the diveflow for different students in different situations.

    competitors? If they come up with a new way to engineer a difficult skydive that comes from thinking outside the box, do you think they wont jump on it?

    You may be right that there's only one right way to do certain things, but I'm instatntly suspicious any time I hear ANYONE say "this is the only right way to do this". That's narrow minded thinking and I'm surprised to hear you of all people say it.
    What you probably mean is "all we know so far indicates that this is the best of other possible ways".

    Note: I'm not talking about exit order anymore.
    As far as that's concerned, it seems like at zhills we make it work and those who are in charge have a good deal of experience and have found empirically (rather than theoretically) that this is the best way to do it. But it's not just one way - freefliers don't always get out first.

  • Quote

    Quote

    Does anyone know WHY it's not recomended to use ZP on Javelins PCs



    ya, i guess i did get a little off topic, sorry:$

    this has been discused before, and i think the conclusion was that they just want 1 type, so you don't have messed up orders, such as wrong size, wrong color, wrong type of fabric or what ever. so it's kinda like a one size fits all thing.

    later


    That doesn't answer why they don't recommend it. It's the answer to why they only make one.

    ZP in a spandex pouch is more likely to slip out.

    What's the point of ZP fabric on a pilot chute? It's just an air anchor, you don't need the aerodynamic properties of ZP for a pilot chute.
    I'm not sure, but I'm guessing ZP is a more expensive fabric as well.
    Absolutely pointless for a PC.

  • Quote

    Hi Iezyka,
    I just returned from a freefly tunnel camp in Orlando, Florida. While you'll have to wear a baggier suit than in the sky, the tunnel is a great tool to learn to freefly. You can do everything in the tunnel that you can do while going down the tube in freefall.



    I'm going to have to go ahead and disagree with you here.

    Seems to me, the only people saying that the tunnel is a good tool for learning freefly are people trying to sell you coaching time in the tunnel and people who have just paid a lot of money for coaching time in the tunnel.

    Learning in the tunnel is not impossible, it's just likely to require the same amount of time and money, without being able to work on your canopy skills at the same time.

  • Quote


    RSL's and Cypres are not related to each other and one has nothing to do with the other.



    Let's be fair. They are related.
    They are not the same and one is not a substitute for the other.

    There are some situations where either would save you.
    A cutaway high enough where you'd reach terminal velocity.

    The situation where the RSL will save you and the CYPRES wont is when you cutaway far too low for a CYPRES fire to occur.

    There are many many incident reports detailing this precise problem. Where in "dealing with the problem" the decedent lost altitude awareness and cutaway too low. Hopefully by pulling a little higher and responding to a problem sooner you will never find yourself in this situation. Also, now that high performance canopies have been around for a while, people now know that spinning malfunctions like line twists need to be dealt with rather quickly. The number of these low cutaways are hopefully going down.

    I don't jump an RSL because I am concerned by the other situations where it may CAUSE a problem. Also because in normal situations, I want to be the one who pulls the reserve.

  • Quote


    I am a huge Diamond lens fan, but it's difficult to use them on the Sports shutter setting, which is really good for tandem video.



    I've been using it on the sports setting.
    What problems have you been experiencing that I should be aware of?

  • Quote

    unless you also buy a cabel so you can activate it from another place.



    IP5 isn't compatible with the cam-Eye's for remote activation.

    Also the record button is right next to the zoom button so if your finger slips you could blow your whole shot.

    And the mode switch on the back of the camera is now "soft"
    you press it the same way to cycle through the modes, rather than the old system where UP is camera into a locked position and DOWN is VCR.

    This is highly non ergonomic for skydiving operations where you have to throw the switch blind.

    The position of the record button also eliminates the option of any type of Box Mount or integral helmet. Only L brackets.

    New Technology should increase our options, not limit them.

    Every time Sony comes out with something new they try to phase out the old. Like the way the batteries are incompatible between older PC models and newer ones.

  • Quote



    Now, why would you want to hide that one?



    um.. personal choice?
    the thing we are all so protective of.
    (I know you were just being funny)

    I too think individual forum hiding would be useful.
    The "subscription" option looks like it does that.
    If you subscribe to a forum you'll see it, unsubscribe you don't.
    But the subscription only applies to getting email notifications.
    I don't like confusing forums with email. Two different things.

  • Quote


    This only is a safety concern if you have pilots not able to fully control their canopies or those that have the mindset that they have to hook. Lower/slower canopy has the right of way, and you should'nt force some one to get out last just since they are not willing to fly a pocket rocket.



    why not? We "force" them to get out last when they are on a student canopy?
    Not to mention that's a twisted way of putting it.

    The performance canopies are going to get down and get out of the pattern. That's a good thing. We're not talking about the "have to hook" mentality, but be realistic, if you are flying a fast canopy you are going to land it fast, and quite possibly crosswind. It's out of a concern for everyone's safety not to disrupt the slower pattern with this behavior.

    And let's not even get into discussions of folks on their 170's spiraling down in the pattern and then stopping.

    ***

    hmm.. That sounds like a training issue at your dz.
    Guess we need yet another BSR.

  • Quote


    So what that does is make me almost always take a go around.....I don't mind, but it is bad to have to have 2 passes when it would not be needed if they just got the fuck out the door.



    Ahh the lack of any objectivity reveals itself.

    I've been exiting after many an RW group that took it's sweet time getting the fuck out the door. It has nothing to do with exit order. Proper separation can be ensured if everyone cooperates.

    Quote


    Plus the spot gets screwed when you have a lot of small headdown groups eat up a lot of the jumprun, then a large RW group starts to climb out, and the climb out time is in the middle of the exit window....the climb out, and the count is unusable exit time that is wasted....



    What about all the flat solos, just off student status that are now supposed to exit before the freefliers.
    Same problem. Sometimes the other people in the plane doesn't suck.
    Doesn't mean one exit order is automatically "good" when another is automatically "bad"

    Freefall drift is an issue, but isn't the only one.

    Quote


    As an organizer, if I know my climb out is going to take along time, I start the climb out sooner, so we leave at the begining of the exit, not start at the window....this help eliminate extra passes....

    But a Zhills, we climb out when we can, and if it looks like we will not have a good spot, I go around....wasted loads and fuel.



    Not all organizers are as considerate as you.
    Anyone is in the same situation when they are at the back of the exit order. You look out, and if the spots no good you take a go around. Big Deal.


    Quote


    Oh well, maybe USPA should put an exit order BSR....hell it is there job to do things like this.



    just what we need. More regulations.
    BSRs are waiverable. Who'd be the first one to wave that at Zhills? The S&TA.

    Ron

  • Quote

    I have no idea why, but Headdown goes first at Zhills.



    Since you live there you might have asked someone.

    Furthermore you have posted an inaccurate statement.
    It would be far more accurate to say "headdown USUALLY goes first at zhills"
    Because it doesn't always.

    The exceptions are when the winds are over 30 knots at altitude, which is when drift is a more significant component compared to other factors.

    Zhills also has the occasional cross wind jump run at which time drift is completely irrelevant to exit order.

    Quote


    I think it should be flat groups largest to smallest.

    Then headdown/sitfly groups largest to smallest.

    Students and high pullers out last.

    I think this way due to freefall drift issues.



    Our S&TA says something pretty wise even if it's confrontational - if you only ever do it one way, you are wrong. Lot's of people have been indoctrinated into this drift theory as if it is the only consideration, and anything else is wrong.
    That disturbs me. I was taught by highly experienced people that you can make ANY exit order work provided there is sufficient communication.

    Quote


    Flat groups drift more than headdown groups, this has the potential to cause a flat group to drift over a Headdown group.



    Anything can be made to work with enough communication.
    If you only do it one way, you are wrong.

    yes, this is a factor that should be taken into consideration. Other considerations are the size and experience level of the various groups and their canopy sizes.
    Larger flat groups, and competition flat groups tend to take a longer time to set up in the door, odds are that the exit-exit timing in this case is sufficient to ensure separation even with drift taken into account.

    Quote


    Also most headdown groups break off higher, and pull higher than most flat groups.



    Anything can be made to work with enough communication.
    If you only do it one way, you are wrong.

    There are only small differences in pull height, but the head down group gets there faster and has already descended a bit before said flat groups are even opening. I know. I've opened and waited to watch the following group open.
    They are usually not opening at an altitude below me.

    Generally (although certainly not exclusively) Head down fliers fly faster canopies and have more experience in the sport. Enough to be aware of jump run and where they should be flying their canopies to reduce the likelihood of a collision from the group that followed them.


    Quote


    Thoughts?
    Ron



    Anything can be made to work with enough communication.
    If you only do it one way, you are wrong


    Avoiding the stackup of high performance canopies following low performance canopies to the landing area is also a safety issue.

    Anything can be made to work with enough communication.
    If you only do it one way, you are wrong

  • Quote

    i contacted the whole board of directors, as well as hearing "hey, if i were in your guy's shoes, i'd do the same thing" from one regional director, which i think it wise not to mention [his/her] name;)



    It's irresponsible not to mention the name.
    This is an election year, and the directors are public figures. As such they lose the right to anonymity.

  • ok, here's an interesting topic.

    I was told once "If you hook, eventually you will bounce"
    It wasn't an admonition like "you will one day die doing this", but he was basically saying that by pushing the performance envelope, you run the very real possibility of screwing up and getting badly hurt. The guy who said it was recovering from a broken pelvis at the time.

    Also, is seems many a great canopy pilot has spent some time lining the pockets of orthopedic surgeons.

    So the question is, how many high performance canopy pilots out there have NOT suffered any injuries?

    Clearly understanding and education have permeated such that the dreaded "hook turn" of 5 years ago is slightly passe. People now understand much more about how to do performance landings in a much more safe and controlled way, but there are still risks.

    Sometimes I wonder if I am playing russian roullette every time I land so I'm looking for examples from canopy pilots who have managed to avoid injury over thousands of jumps.

  • Quote

    I think the people that say that are the ones who never made an effort at belly flying once they got off student status. And these same people probably would not perform well if they started belly flying now.
    Both disciplines have value, and both require you to hone certain skills.



    I say that, but it not as an absolute truth, and not as a substitute for learning
    proper RW. But I also say that doing RW will improve your freefly skills.

    I did RW and Freefly coming off student status. When my RW was good enough by my own reckoning (I could get into a slot on a 20+ way, and I could turn a block or two on a 4-8 way), I decided to work on freefly exclusively.
    I spent two years making nothing but freefly jumps and the next time I did an 8way RW, I was right there in the slot, better than I had been before.

    But when it comes down to refining a discipline, any discipline, there's no substitute for lots of practice and currency. But any skydiving discipline has some cross training value for the others.