Bandanarama

http://www.skydivingmovies.com/ver2/pafiledb.php not documentaries but one you should know about anyway... sweet stuff there!!!

I think it would depend on the state of the canopy when it was cutaway like how many twists and how much air the canopy was retaining as it headed towards the ground. The more of a mess it was, the faster it would fall. Additionally, the size and shape of the canopy would make a difference as well as the wind conditions. A really small elliptical HP canopy will fall faster than a big docile canopy. Eric ___________________________________________________ One's destination is never a place, but rather a new way of looking at things. ~ Henry Miller

http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=1789829 "In hind sight, I feel I left too short of a distance between my last stow and the risers. I was also distracted by a new load request (conversation) to get on while placing my d-bag in the container. I hastily plopped it in the container and felt like the little but excess lines right past the risers should have been organized better before resting the d-bag on top and closing the container. I believe this caused my d-bag to spin as it went to full line stretch in the opening sequence. " If anyone has a cut-away and needs to go back and search for their canopy, I'd probably recommend getting back up in a plane ASAP and doing a hop n' pop from 5-6k with rental gear. Grab the largest canopy you can get your hands on and float in deep brakes as you search for your main.

Good point! I tipped my rigger well for doing such a fantastic job of not only saving my ass but providing great turnaround time during the peak season. He also helped me untangle the mess when I brought my main canopy in and reconnected it for me. That was in addition to the bottle of Absolut Vodka. It's good to take care of your riggers. Todd Higley is a stud and not only a great rigger but a great instructor too!

I can't recollect what I paid for my A license to be honest with you but I also didn't do the same student progression you are pursuing. You can look up info for the dropzones in Texas at http://www.dropzone.com/dropzone/North_America/United_States/Texas/index.html From there, you will most likely find the URLs or links associated with any DZ that has a web site. You can even read reviews for the various Texas DZs, which may help in your final decision. Then you can browse each one for prices. I can't imagine there being too much of a price discrepancy between the DZs closest to your proximity. Skydive Aggieland appears to have a great reputation even though it is in Aggieland. Personally, I think you might be better off in "Hook em' Horns" country but I'm sure them Aggies will take good care of you. Just remember to say "Farmers Fight" right before you jump from the planes. Eric ___________________________________________________ One's destination is never a place, but rather a new way of looking at things. ~ Henry Miller

Since I purchased my Infinity container brand new, it came with all the gear I referenced with the exception of the main canopy. It was included in the price of the container. I imagine most container purchases come with those goodies even though some slight variations may exist with regards to option selections and prices. Thanks for all the replies everyone. I guess the moral of my story is a familiar one. Don't rush your pack job and let distractions affect your work. I know sometimes no matter how well your rig is packed, you can end up enjoying a reserve ride. However, focus before, during, and after a jump can surely help avoid any unnecessary events. I just hadn't thought of each little component that could get lost and require replacement before. I thought it would be good to detail for those who have yet to enjoy their first reserve ride and haven't thought about all the angles. Of course, such costs are extremely low in comparison to ones safety but something to consider as well.

Since I had my first cutaway at jump #96, I thought it would be nice to list the potential monetary losses associated with such an event due to carelessness. Sometimes people listen to monetary reasoning over obvious reasoning... Of course, it's paramount to consider safety first and foremost but good to know the additional costs as well. As a novice to the sport or a fortunate, seasoned veteran that lacks cut-away experience, I don't think many people fathom just how much money one can lose due to a bad pack job. I chalk my experience up to a bad pack job. Here is a list of common items one can lose during a cutaway: The following source was taken from Velocity Sports Equipment's web site since I have an Infinity Container. http://s90422833.onlinehome.us/parts.htm Cazer Kill-Line ZP pilot chute with hackey handle 95.00 Main risers (w/toggles) 95.00 Main risers with stainless steel hardware (w/toggles) 125.00 Main deployment bag 60.00 Infinity reserve free bag 85.00 Reserve pilot chute 100.00 Reserve ripcord pillow handle 65.00 Cut-away handle 20.00 Reserve ripcord (D-Type) 45.00 Main or reserve toggles 15.00 Prices current as of June 18, 2005 Safire 2 189 Main Canopy $1500.00 Accessories Item Total $500.00 In my case, here is the Grand Total: $2000.00 Since I have a pillow cut-away handle and a D-Type reserve handle, I wasn't sure how to calculate it above. I used $20 for my cut-away handle in the aforementioned accessories item total calculation. However, it probably should have been $65. So, one might possibly have to throw in an additional $45. One could also be very unfortunate and have to deal with medical expenses as well. I'm not going to get into any emotional suffering/losses associated with serious injuries or death but those are definite factors as well. I just thought it would be nice to digest the tangibles. In any event, I was fortunate enough to avoid any injuries and not lose a single item. I actually landed nice and softly at the landing zone as intended. However, I ended up paying retrieval and first time fees. 30 Minute Helicopter Search Ride $150.00 Reward to Farmer Who Returned My Main Canopy $100.00 Case of Beer for 1st Reserve Ride $25.00 Bottle of Booze for Rigger Saving My Bacon $25.00 Reserve Repack $50.00 I wouldn't be doing this post justice without at least mentioning it's not uncommon to spend a lot of time on foot searching in frustrating conditions such as challenging terrain, uncomfortable temperatures, climbing trees, etc. Additionally, no one should wish this upon skydiving buddies who may end up searching with you or on behalf of you. Hell, they may even be searching for you... The bottom line is try to avoid the experience as much as possible. It can be a royal pain in the rear but also very expensive. I'll leave it up to you to pick your motivation. 1.) Think of Safety 2.) Think of your Friends or Family. Don't cause them any unnecessary stress associated with your experience. That includes having to get out there and search. 3.) Think of the $$$. Think of how many jumps you could have enjoyed with the money you spent on the experience. Or, wouldn't it be nice to spend that money on some new skydiving gear instead? I'm sure we can all find a better way to spend that money... The first two motivations are usually stressed the most. You'll find all sorts of tips and threads on them. I haven't seen any recent threads on the last motivation and thus chose to shed some light on it. I know I am much more careful with my pack jobs these days...

It's common to see people not listen to radio talk downs due to being unable to hear the radio or just being overwhelmed/distracted by the excitement of their first few skydives. Radio talk downs take place as soon as you deploy your main chute by pulling your rip cord. Usually you will hear an instructor come online to tell you to flare or practice a canopy controllability check. Then they will have you perform turns to get to the landing zone and conclude by instructing you to flare or put on the brakes right before landing. Here are my suggestions: 1.) Make sure your radio is on and the volume is turned up all the way. Perform some radio checks with your instructor when you first put on your gear and right before boarding the plane. 2.) When you end up under canopy, place your ear closer to the radio just to make sure you can hear ok. Confirm you can hear ok by performing the instructed commands. 3.) In the event the communication link fails (radio battery dies, etc.), look down to the landing zone as the instructor should have some flags to guide you visually. Have your instructor review the flag signals during your ground training especially for your flare or braking procedure as you come into land. I was able to successfully land without any problems during my talk down jumps. However, I do recollect having difficulty hearing the radio and having to place my ear closer to it. With all the wind noise up there, it can be challenging. Keeping such tips in mind, your jump should proceed smoothly and you will have the time of your life. Relax and have fun! Blue Skies!!!

Somebody's trying to earn some skydiving karma points. That should get you out of a nice mal some day. Eric ___________________________________________________ One's destination is never a place, but rather a new way of looking at things. ~ Henry Miller

Thanks for sharing. Did Kenny Shroyer do anymore jumps after that miraculous event? These types of stories are amazing and hard to believe but they do happen.

You can pull some nice Gs if you are really aggressive with your turns. If your harness shifts on your shoulder it can cause rasberries or bruising on the upper arms. I have always liked to really push my turns not only in one direction but in the transitions too. You can easily end up above your canopy with this type of "play". Am I the only one that has experienced rasberries or bruises from aggressive turns? This has happened to me on student gear as well as occasionally on my own gear. Eric ___________________________________________________ One's destination is never a place, but rather a new way of looking at things. ~ Henry Miller

It might not be from the openings. It could be from aggressive turns while under canopy. Of those two possibilities, one you can control in the immediate future. The next time you're at the DZ, take it easy under canopy and see if you have bruises. Think of it as just enjoying the canopy ride and sites longer... Of course, a better fitting rig will always help and you can always toss on some extra layers for padding in the upcoming months as the temperature gets cooler. In the meantime, you may want to try on different size student rigs for optimal fitting.

Try registering with the site and that should allow you access to the photo. If you still have problems let me know. Eric ___________________________________________________ One's destination is never a place, but rather a new way of looking at things. ~ Henry Miller

Your 2nd image is almost identical to what one of our camera guys wears at our DZ. I thought you might like to visualize it. Just substitute white for lime green. http://www.snapfish.com/slideshow/AlbumID=27718651/PictureID=774535020/t_=31430940

I haven't flown a stiletto but the safire 2 is closest in flight characteristics to a sabre 2. Just look at http://www.performancedesigns.com/docs/stiletto.pdf for a comparison of the stiletto vs. the sabre 2 and you can get a good idea of the differences. I'm definitely far from being a seasoned veteran but I love my Safire 2 and I have yet to see or hear anyone else make any negative comments about their Safire 2 either. BTW, you might want to post your jump numbers so those people with stiletto experience will feel more comfortable recommending anything. Good luck with your canopy selection! Eric ___________________________________________________ One's destination is never a place, but rather a new way of looking at things. ~ Henry Miller