RoryJ

I only got to meet you briefly at the last Swoop Nationals, but your energy was infectious, as was your smile. I was looking forward to flying with you one day, but it looks like that will not happen. My thoughts and sympathies to all that got to really know this wonderful lady. BSBD Not again!

We have been getting 800-1000 jumping in SE TX, landing on grassy fields. Not again!

Actually, the whole point of ZPX is that it packs smaller, so the X4 series will take a 170, the ZPX should make a 190 fit in there, but it WILL be snug. So, it should fit, by the claims of Aerodyne. The even easier way to get a good answer: contact Velocity Sports Equipment. They are WONDERFUL with their customer service. Not again!

I have not had to open my 126 yet, as I know how to pack my main well. ;) HOWEVER, the other rigger had demo jumped one and he had also noted the brisk opening on the Icarus one. Not again!

I demo jumped one once and had the other rigger at my DZ jump it, as well. The construction of the reserve seemed just fine. I jumped a 119, as I have PR126s in my rigs. This had me around a 1.5 WL. I liked the overall flight characteristics, great forward speed, nice flare like any Icarus canopy even after my 180* turn for landing. What I REALLY did not like was the opening. I took it on a hop n pop out of the Otter, pitched within 2-3 seconds out of the door and it opened FAST, even coming out of a bag from a regular pro-pack. It also stalled VERY suddenly with none of the shake that you are used to on most canopies. YMMV. Not again!

Just the other day I had someone for a T2 (L & R 360s, delta forward) that "just wanted to go for a ride" and did not want to worry about anything else. I gave him a quick go through of HOW to do it all and when to pull. Sure enough, when we opened the canopy he was hooting and hollering about how much fun it was and he was glad that he DID take the time to learn it. He even said he was considering coming back to learn more (he had previously stated that this was his last jump), so a bit training can go a long way for someone's enjoyment and I am not a sky-prostitute, having folks just use my body for a thrill. Not again!

We often use a list of names with canopy colours if we have more than 2-3 students (sometimes up to about 5 on a load with separate passes; this is AFF, too). I will call a name, get a flare, call the next name, get a flare. Works like a charm. Not again!

I have had the distinct pleasure of working with Dennis for almost the last year and a half at Spaceland up in the loft. I came in a pretty green rigger and he helped me get mildly less green and shared many, many stories (many, many times over) and I just cannot believe that I will not get to hear them again. He never stopped moving and all of his students loved him. I mean, hell, how could you not love a crazy, old man with a twirly moustache and a sock in his Pro-Tec. Words cannot express the loss to his family, the sport and to the jumpers out there that cannot learn so much from him. At least I have my memories from working up in our very well temperature-controlled home seven days a week. BSBD, Dennis. Not again!

Talk to Brian Germaine about this, I am pretty sure that he came close to pulling it off a few years back, too. Not again!

And to be fair: most pilot rigs have been packed... 3, 4 times within the past 20 years? They could stand a few pack jobs and be fine. ;) Not again!

I just jumped a Mamba 104 and was surprised at how long the recovery arc was. My Xfire 119 had me doing a 270 around 520', but I was doing a 90* on the Mamba from about 400' and it had a LONG roll out, much longer than I was expecting. I like my Samurai and how it handles a LOT better overall, but was surprised at how well it does handle. YMMV Not again!

Rigga please! Not again!

I always loved this one. Not again!

I have a bit of a problem with this statement. I went without a helmet for my first 30-50 tandems, just to get the wind in my hair and all. After the second time someone stood up in the doorway of the Otter, cracking my head open and me seeing blood on my hand after checking the top of my head, I wore a helmet every time. An open face helmet is a good idea on any student jump, AFF or tandem. I want that extra little bit of protection that it provides and it works great as a Dytter holder. Not again!

Last I heard was that they were going to order parts months back, but they were 2-3x what they should have been, so they waited for the costs to come down... and then the world's economies collapsed and that put a bit of a hitch in that plan of buying fans et al. Not again!

I did the demo program back in the day and I was very happy with how it worked out for me. It got me to about 100 jumps and I jumped that gear for 100s of jumps, in fact I am still jumping the same container today. They did also have the deal where you could buy a used rig from them if they had something that would work with a surcharge of $400 or so. Tell Pam I said hi. Not again!

New is sort of a misnomer, as Brian has been producing Senseis privately for a few select folks for a bit, he just finally found someone to mass produce it. The only difference is that they are using that fancy new ZP X that Aerodyne is using now. Not again!

Unless someone removed it, that canopy should have a bridle attachment on it. Which would have voided the TSO. How so? Ravens were built so that you buy two, when you wear out your main, you buy a new reserve and move the reserve down a container. It can be a TSO'ed main, from my understanding. Not again!

Hardy har har, Paul. I have been U KYing a lot in the past two days... the beauties of actually getting to work in a loft... Silicone seems like a better option to me, as petroleum products are more likely to be sticky in nature, not something that you want on your cutaway cable, making it dirtier in the end. And yes, some use WD-40 to lube up cutaway cables, to our poster just above. Ask your rigger what they use. And I will try to not use the silicone spray as a salad dressing because it is not food grade. ;) Not again!

I am pro-piercing. I have had many parts of my body pierced throughout the years and still have a few survivors that are retail-friendly left. Just use your imagination.. So, I view piercings with an additive nature. If they impede things, probably not so good. If they enhance, bring it on. You get that upgrade that gives your car more horsepower? That is the kind of piercing I am talking about. And you CAN pierce the clitoris directly, but it has to be a very large, prominent clitoris, the kind that most females do not possess. Not again!

Add another "Happy Birthday" to that list from this guy right here. Not again!

So, at my old DZ the rigger swore by silicone spray, but my new rigging loft (where I am doing a bit of work) uses WD-40 (I believe that is what grade it is...). To all the riggers out there: which do you prefer and why? Not again!

Now that I finally have my camera on my helmet, I really like taking it along for AFF. When you get down, after the debrief, you can show them EXACTLY what their body was doing. When I take the camera along, it is not to capture the skydive like a video. Hell, it is not even hand cam quality. If their legs are askew, I have it in frame and can show them and see if they can get the mind/body correlation going on in order to help them fix problems with body position as fast as possible. I think the power of a video debrief can be greatly supported in the skydiving community. If they want something to show off to friends and family, outside video is the way to go, but I have seen plenty of students get hooked on geeking a camera and not on taking care of business. If you want to geek the camera, do a tandem or get several dozen jumps under your belt. AFF is not the place for that. Learn, so that you can geek the camera EVEN BETTER once you are A-licensed and beyond. Not again!

Yes, they do not exist. Look up at the top of the page where it says "Search." Choose "Forums." For: *enter tunnel that does not and will not exist into box* Hit "Go." There you go. Skyventure sells territorial rights and then people never build the tunnels because they do not have the capital to finance such a project. The fans for the Philly tunnel are currently powering the tunnel in Dubai. Not again!

As my friend put it: "Tandems: 200 lbs of stupid on the front of you, a pilot-chute-in-tow, five handles... what could possibly go wrong?" Not again!