NWFlyer

Plus, I feel like the very act of checking the altimeter sort of forces a mental break from the heavy concentration on the jump mechanics. Just that act of conscious checking also forces you to engage mentally in the world around you. By moving your eyes and/or head towards the alti, you might also notice the visual cues of a planet that's getting bigger. I didn't start using an audible till I had about 200 jumps. Glad I waited because that helped me to develop the internal clock that can also be a powerful reference point. By the time my breakoff alarm goes off I'm usually already thinking "We should be close to breakoff by now." "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

Sure. The one and only time I've ridden a plane back down (without planning to) was when clouds rolled in for about an hour at SDAZ. It's not often, but they do get clouds and (horrors!) rain from time to time. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

...why not buckle them back together? I'm probably missing something simple, but I have been asked to buckle them together when leaving, albeit for other than jump operations. Buckling belts together creates a really nice, really strong loop that becomes a potential snag hazard for hands, feet, gear, etc. Leaving them loose eliminates that risk. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

Seriously impressive that you've carried your "little project" to completion. Congratulations! "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

Oh, I know this too. And from time to time, I give into temptation. Until I feel all dirty again. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

We can certainly pick and choose which threads to click on and which not to. This is true, and I do. As well as what forums to click on and which not to.

That (IMO) says less about anything that may or may not have changed about this forum, but more about the rise of alternative places to b.s. about the day to day minutiae of life and share funny shit. In other words, Facebook. If I look back about the kind of stuff that got threads rolling in Bonfire, it's exactly the kind of stuff that now keeps my Facebook feed rolling. But I can pick and choose whose shit I want to see on Facebook, and I don't have that kind of control here. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?do=search_results&search_forum=all&search_string=chris+kotscha&search_type=AND&search_fields=sbjbdy&search_time=&search_user_username=&sb=score&mh=50 http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?do=search_results&search_forum=all&search_string=freefall+suits&search_type=AND&search_fields=sbjbdy&search_time=&search_user_username=&sb=score&mh=50 "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

When driving alone I like some background noise (music, podcasts, NPR). At home, though, I'm usually happy with just the noise of the world around me, though sometimes I'll put on some mellow music. Totally happy with quiet, too. I've also noticed as I get older I'm increasingly sensitive to too much noise or too many different noises, so I'll do what I can to minimize the cacophony. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

As with any new aircraft, but particularly for a totally new type like a helicopter, be certain to get a thorough briefing on the aircraft, including loading, safety on board, climb out, exit, etc. Talk to the pilot about weight and balance and if he/she would like jumpers to exit in a particular order to assist in maintaining a balanced load. Also ask the pilot to brief you on aircraft emergencies and how procedures may (or may not) be different. Look carefully for snag points on the climbout and the skids - I've heard of folks getting hung up by their chest straps, and I've seen the lovely wraparound scar on the arm of a jumper who slashed herself on a protruding object on a helicopter. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

Just get a brand-new jumper/packer to pack it for you. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

Time your Montana visit for the Lost Prairie Boogie (August 1-9). Build everything else around that. The Northwest weather is usually pretty great in July & August if you want to hit WA & OR before or after LP. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

So true! I judged a local 4-way scrambles recently and we had five video guys rotating through. One who's been the full-time cameraman for a pro team, three with various levels of experience filming for non-pro teams, and one who was relatively new. The new guy got points from me by 1) asking for feedback every time on the judgeability of his video (and making small adjustments so his video got better as the day went on) and 2) taking safety very seriously. It's not just "slap a camera on and chase the team" and I appreciated that he acknowledged that. If you think it's just chasing a team around, best case you get crappy video, worst case, someone gets hurt. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

I tend to regard people who don't log (or track via an electronic device or some other method of measurement) at all but claim to have a really good handle on their jump numbers with some level of skepticism. I find that if I try to guesstimate my own I'm often way off; I feel like if you're not doing some sort of regular tracking, the tendency to inflate is a natural one even if there's no intent to deceive. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

Yep, had it happen before. I've sent two different units back to L&B because of resetting problems. First advice I'd give would be to change the battery. One thing I've observed as a "feature" of the Altitrack is that it will be low on battery but won't register as being low on battery till you shut the unit down, take out the battery, and reinsert the battery. THEN you'll get the warning. (But since yours is brand new, the battery is less likely to be an issue, but it's worth a shot). "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

Date night tonight, basketball watching tomorrow, food trucks Sunday, random life maintenance both days. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

Yes.

Brands are really a matter of preference. There are many good ones and everyone will tell you their favorite is the best. Get booties. If you're going to compete, even just for fun I'd recommend the biggest booties available (often called comp booties or mega booties). Inside and outside leg grippers are also really helpful, and if there is a choice in gripper size, go big. Cordura butt and knees can help with durability. Extra zippers (leg, arm) are imo an unnecessary failure point. A pocket or two can come in handy if it doesn't come standard. Other options are going to depend on your size/fall rate, such as fabric choice, fit, etc. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

Sacramento. That's been in the rumor mill around here for a while. Will be nice to have an alternative to our (now-ancient by tunnel standards) 12-footer. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

For my team last year we had a camera guy who was relatively new to filming 4-way and was willing to take slot + expenses as he learned the craft (this included his pack jobs, travel costs for our out-of-town camps, and competition registration fees). We had a couple of days training at Perris where our regular camera guy couldn't make the trip so we hired a local at slot + $15. I've also hired folks at slot + packjob. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

Because this shit is hard. Because you've only been doing it for 11 jumps. That's roughly 11 minutes (freefall). Were you good at any new sport after 11 minutes? Cut yourself a break, keep at it, keep learning.

A jumper I know went a similar route when he got back into the sport in his 60s after a similarly-long layoff and a desire to protect his bionic knees. I believe he wound up with a Pulse 260. Couple that with an OP 253 and he'll have nice, big lightly loaded canopies with a bit less bulk on your back since both have lower pack volume. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

I tried to hug him Ran smack into the hard shell I have a headache "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

Also ... http://www.wsj.com/articles/highly-unusual-germanwings-crash-blots-period-of-unprecedented-safety-1427225806?mod=e2fb "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke