pastramionrye7

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Gear

  • Main Canopy Size
    195
  • Reserve Canopy Size
    181
  • AAD
    Cypres

Jump Profile

  • Home DZ
    Speichersdorf
  • License
    C
  • License Number
    36086
  • Licensing Organization
    USPA
  • Number of Jumps
    500
  • Years in Sport
    7
  • First Choice Discipline
    Formation Skydiving
  • First Choice Discipline Jump Total
    400
  • Second Choice Discipline
    Wing Suit Flying
  • Second Choice Discipline Jump Total
    50
  1. I'll add to the discussion on Safire openings since I have a little bit of experience with them. I have about 350 jumps on a Safire 195 (custom size, and don't ask me why the original owner chose this size), about 20 on a Safire 2 169, and a few on Spectres, Sabre 2s, and Navigators of comparable size. I find the Safire opens more briskly than most of the other canopies I've jumped, but I wouldn't lump it into the came category as the Sabre 1, which has a reputation for slamming people. I find the openings on my Safire pretty comfortable, and I appreciate the fact that it doesn't spend much time sniveling. I do a standard pro pack and leave the nose alone. The Safire 2 definitely has soft, snively openings as far as my experience goes. I will definitely consider it when my Safire is too dogged-out to continue jumping.
  2. Your instructors will be the best judge of your own abilities, but--in my opinion--a lightly loaded Safire isn't a bad choice for someone coming off student status who can land a similarly loaded student canopy in a variety of situations without any drama. I got a Safire when I had about 30 jumps and was loading it at about 0.9:1. Four hundred jumps later I still like it. One day I'll downsize...maybe. It's a good canopy. Treat it nicely, and it will do the same for you.
  3. I'd say it's up to you whether or not you want to hire a packer. I like packing my own main and I'm not in a position where I can't spend the time to pack my own main, so I do. I don't think doing my own pack job has ever created an issue, and I like the opportunity to check out my gear after each jump, get to know it, and make sure all the important bits are where they need to be. Incidentally, my current home DZ is a small club that has no paid packers. The students learn to pack when they learn to jump. I kinda like the "you jump it, you pack it" mindset.
  4. And you beat me to it. Thanks. Looks like the price went up a bit since I had the work done.
  5. I was able to get a Skyhook retrofit on my Vector 3, DOM 2001. I had the work done in 2006. At the time I think UPT (then RWS) would perform the retrofit on any Vector 3. Mine did not have any RSL installed prior to the retrofit.
  6. I personally prefer a round handle like a hackey or monkey-fist. I think it's easiest to wrap my hand around a sphere to throw the PC. Most of my jumps are on a UPT pilot chute with a hackey. The hackey is pretty light and it's very firmly attached, so it doesn't flop at all. It hasn't caused me any stress. It's been mentioned before, but I would definitely stopper a PVC handle if I had one to prevent the possibility, however unlikely, of getting my finger stuck. I don't have any experience with the pud-style handle.
  7. I agree with Wendy. Every 100 seems a little excessive, even to a low-timer. I think one every order of magnitude seems more reasonable. For the record, I bought a case for numbers 100, 200, and 300. I let 400 pass quietly, but I'll probably bring a case out soon, anyway, since I like beer. -Dennis
  8. Most of the original posters have probably moved on by now, but I have the same question: anyone jumping in the Grafenwoehr community?
  9. Nice. My old college physics book is sitting on my desk now (I'm a nuke engineering geek). I like your cover photo much better than the one on my book, though. I think there would be a lot more physics majors of they offered an elective in wingsuit flying. Edited because I can't type today.
  10. Yeah, I was a little disappointed with the mounting system, too, but it has worked out well so far. I have about 100 jumps on the back of hand mount with zip ties, and it seems pretty secure. I'm confident it will stay put now.
  11. I'm on a 195 and I weigh less than 180 out the door. I get teased sometimes for my conservative wingload, too. I just shrug it off and tell people it works for me. Interestingly enough, it's usually jumpers who don't know a whole lot about canopy control that tell me I should downsize. I like having a canopy that I know I can land downwind in someone's backyard while making a 45-degree flat turn to avoid the unfriendly dog that thinks I'm a plaything. I'm comfortable under my wing and it gets me down safe. I can't ask for much more than that.
  12. I second all of that. I did my first three flights in an Aerobat at Z-Hills under the guidance of the awesome instructors over there then bought my own. I managed a few two-way docks on a Prodigy the first time I took my Aerobat for a spin. That suit just likes to fly stable. I love it and look forward to doing a ton of flights on it this summer.
  13. No that ad said "at 2000' the last thing you need is pretty gear." I'm sure if i dig around I still have that ad, it was and is one of my favorite ads of all time. in fact I still use that saying today when people trip out on jumping retro rigs like my vintage SST like that used was in the ad. Here's the ad for anyone who's interested. Edited to add attachment. Oops.
  14. Yeah, the Vector is a great rig too - just a pity about those battery cable terminating lugs on the ends of the cutaway housings. t Anyone have a picture of those handy? This is a pretty timely question, actually. Check page 47 of the May issue of Parachutist. The top right picture shows the cast stainless steel part that Mirage cutaway housings have at the end. The other pictures show the electrical connectors that show up on many other rigs. The two pictures in the middle show the electrical connectors pretty well. I also attached pictures. The Mirage picture is from their website. The Vector picture is from the Vector 3 manual. I'm no expert, so don't ask me if one works better than the other. Oh, and to answer the thread: I jump a Vector 3. I love it.