luisvar

Thanks everyone. The feedback received has been very useful Luis

I am in the market for a new container, after I had the great idea of freeflying on a Dolphin! , and got a premature opening on a standing.. (thank God for my new Cobalt!!), so I need some help. I have heard that most of the new rigs are good for freefly, but there seems to be more leaning towards the mirage and the vector III. However, I am intrigued by the Voodoo, like the way it looks, and the fact that very few people own them (could it be like the Cobalt? a very precious, but not yet fully discovered Gem). Can anyone give me some insight on the Voodoo and reasons to go for it vs. the other two? (price is a concern for me if the container doesn't really add extra value vs. the other containers, so the Mirage is probably out of the question. unless someone proves to me that there is some value there that the others don't have and that justify the extra $$$) Cielos Azules!! Luis

For those who want to try freefling on a Dolphin, BE CAREFUL!!, and have a rigger customize it and make sure it is safe to freefly. It is a nice "first time" RW rig, but certainly not made for freefly. I just had a premature opening on a standfly..thank God I had a Cobalt!. Luis C31955

Totally agree with you bill von, only if had to do it again (hope not!). The conditions of the moment (inexperience, failure to realize that those were steel sticks but until I was at less than 100 feet high, high winds, unfamiliar canopy), put me on a crossed path to the road, and I was too low for a radical turn, so I had no option (I actually landed it on a kind of a half brake turn, with toggels down, hard landing, but being able to tell about it!!). Everything that could go wrong, went wrong, so when all the bad things that can happen get together at the same time, is when even the most experienced skydiver will probably be grateful to have practised things like sinking-in a ZP. Cielos Azules!!

Great! thank guys (&girls?). Why do I want to know how to sink a cobalt in? In december I had a close call with the cobalt 150 I was demoing at Skydive Miami. Because of inexperience, and being unfamiliar with the DZ, I miscalculated the distance I had to get to the DZ, at the altitude I was playing. So I ended up landing in a Tomato field, far away from the DZ. For those who don't know what a tomato field looks like: straight lines of small tomato plants that are kept straight up by using a STEEL stick, about Three Feet!! high, separated 2 feet one from the other. Landing there is basically landing on a bed of arrows pointing at you... The only space to land safely is a dirt road, 20 feet wide that goes through the center of the field. I was lucky enough that day to be able to land, in a nasty crosswind, on that little piece of space. So, after that scary experience, I thought it would be useful to learn how to sink in my canopy, in case the skill is needed again Cielos Azules!

so, net net, going back to my initial question, What do I need to do to be able to sink in the cobalt, at 1.38 loading? I guess I still don't have it clear Cielos Azules!

Yes, Sinking the canopy in (I guess when I translated from spanish it didn't translate literally :-) )

I assume that practise and experience will do it, however any tips will help. With regards to whether I am ready rhino, I flew many other canopies (stilleto, batwing, hornet, silouthe, sabre,triathlon), and the one a felt more in control and comfortable with was the Cobalt. However, I have not forgotten that despite I am very current, I am still a begginner, so I intend to jump it very conservatly until I gain the necessary experience to enjoy the full potential of the canopy Cielos Azules!

In all the jumps with the demos (170 and 150) I glided the landing, couldn't land it straight in

I have been reading that the Cobalt has the highest glide ratio of any canopy, but that also it can be landed straight in. That sounds a bit contradictory to me, however I want to learn how to do it if it is real fact. I just ordered a new Cobalt so I will need to develop the skill. My Canopy will be a 150, my exit weight is 207, have a total of 205 jumps in the last 9 months (7 jumps in a Cobalt 170, and 17 in a 150, and most of the rest in a booooriiiing PD190), Anyone? Cielos Azules!!

Just got my A license at Skydiverick's, Yeahaaa!!! and had an incredible experience through my static line course. Kay and Rick (owners) personally supervise the instruction and make sure that we (students) go to the air with the right tools and knowledge to make the process a safe and enjoyable one. During the two months and 42 jumps it took me to fill the requirements, I was given continuous advice and support from fellow experienced skydivers Small dropzone with very friendly and relaxed environment, with people only looking to have fun together. The facilities are excellent, with three well maintained aircraft, affordable rates, and a beautiful countryside scene. A definite 10 for Ricks!

guys, I am new in the sport and am clueless about "Quincy" . What the hell is that? and what happened with it, or at it? Luigi

Six weeks ago I was ready to sign up for a AFF program, when a co-worker (with 500+ jumps), suggested that I use S/L as a method of learning instead. Now after 18 jumps I can say it probably was the best decision. The rationale for the decision?? Simple: SAFETY!!. As I have been reading lately on mishaps and injuries, most of them appear to be related in one way or the other, with canopy control and landings. The S/L progression allows you during the first 5 to 7 jumps to focus solely on overcoming fear, learning to arch,arch,arch,arch!!!...and to "read" your canopy and flight, so you can then begin progressively the learning on the free fall. After 18 jumps, I can say that now I feel pretty comfortable in the plane, getting out, arching, and pulling the ripcord, so I can begin focusing a bit more on spotting, and free fall. Of course, I am still learning to get the feel of the canopy and flight, however, as I have been learning one thing at a time, it is easy now to focus on one thing at a time during the whole duration of my jump, from when I put my gear on and do the safety checks, to the time I land. And of course since the levels of anxiety has dramatically come down, so have gone up the levels of enjoyment. AFF is usually advertised as a fast method to get you in the air FAST!. Well, skydiving is not soccer or baseball, and being able to jump solo fast is not as important as being able to jump solo well and safe (I have to add that I have been incredibly lucky in finding a dropzone and jumpmasters that go to the smallest detail in providing me with the best feedback for my proper, and safe learning of the sport). Thats my $.02 LUIS