SkySlut

Worst case (if all else fails) scenario is that you can buy a temporary membership at the DZ...then you will be good to go!!!

well done...why are you kneeling between cars???

Good point, not that we are near water, except for the swooping pond, but I always wear a weight belt...easy on & off...even with a rig on. But definately something to consider. I certainly wouldnt consider wearing a weight vest, for multiple reasons, but one of them being that you have to wear it under your jumpsuit. I keep my weight belt over the jumpsuit.

I love the Benny Hinn (sp) referrence...good rendition of the hair too...good stuff! Sometimes I watch him when I am bored...its good for a laugh, as is your toons!!!

I have seen it quite a bit...happens frequently, but I only really see it for flying the canopy...hop n pops.

Hows about "stain"???

Antonio Fargas rocks!!!

well, I will tell you that with these instances in MA, the law threw the book at them. While I was attending UNH, I saw a fight on the ice during an intramural game and the cops actually walked out on the ice to break it up and bust them. I agree with you though. It is silly.

In Massachusetts, there are similar problems. A few years back a coach killed a Ref on the ice. Last week another coach roughed up a ref and a couple of days ago there was a riot at a high school after a playoff game. One was stabbed in the gut and another was beaten with a baseball bat. "old men with young boys dreams"...its only a sport, gimme a break. relax.

As an FYI...DO NOT put it in a trash bag...I have seen canopies nearly thrown out by someone who doesnt know any better...

Skydive New England will have a CASA on August 20th to the 22nd.

I really hate to comment on someone's piloting skills withouth seeing them. So dont take this as a knock on your skills. You could be right...the DZO doesnt know what he/she is talking about. Or you could be wrong, they have seen "scary" pilots that are now dead. Either way, its something to think about. From what you have said on your posts, my thought is that you most likely are "scary". 1. Lack of proficiency before downsizing And 2. It seems as though you are guessing at the technical aspects of swooping. Your first guess at commiting at a specific altitude was wrong so now you are increasing altitude. That leads me to ask what other aspects of swooping are you guessing at??? There is a logical progression to learn how to swoop. Step by step. Little by little. It seems from your posts that you arent following any sort of method, rather you are just doing a trial and error method of teaching yourself. Trail and error education is definately scary when learning to swoop. That being said, I havent seen you swoop...you could be doing everything right and maybe your communication of what you are doing isnt coming across the internet as well as seeing one of your swoops in person would. Personally, I give advice on the DZ...if someone is doing something "scary" (doesnt have to be swooping)...I will let them know. I dont want to see them get hurt. Its nothing personal against that person...its personal to me because I care about their wellbeing. Also, when I get advice from someone who I respect personally or professionally...I listen. I dont argue, but just listen. If for some reason I dont agree with the information that they are giving me...I check my other resources and rethink my opinion. Usually, after some more experience...I have found out that most of the time they were right, but I just couldnt see it at the time. My suggestion is to ask some more people on the DZ that you respect. If you cant find anyone on the DZ that you respect...go to another DZ and get some advice from a shithot swooper. My advice on your swooping really doesnt and shouldnt mean anything...if you are relying soley on advice from the internet to educate yourself on swooping you should go get your head checked... That being said...Blue Skies, Long Swoops & Soft Landings

Marcelo rocks as well!!!

Coupla things...what type of fastners do you have on your leg straps and are they stainless??? I know with the new fastners that Javelin and I believe that Mirage has out, they can slip if you do not "lock" them into place. Having them stainless also seems to compound the issue. I know people that didnt know that they had to lock these things down and had one legstrap extend fully. They have since sewn a bit on the legstrap to prevent this. Are your legstraps even when you land??? Another thought was that most people have one dominant leg over the other, thus being a bit wider. That could be a possibility...although remote. Anyways, have you been checking your legstraps to make sure that they are even before you jump? I seriously doubt that would cause that much of a turn with a Sabre 2, but you never know. Another thing that could possibly cause a turn to happen is the issue that the Sabre 2 has with endcell closure. Is the canopy fully open or is one side still closed when this thing is diving??? Just a couple thoughts.

quick repost of my original question... Edit to ask Why the wide range of canopies??? You said that you owned them, but I am curious...Did you go straight from a 135 Sabre to an FX88

I can definately respect that!!! Well, I guess that I can definately speak for myself, but I wouldnt mind taking one for a spin around the patch. I am sure that Carp, Dom, Keith and the boys would love to try one of them too.

yep, I had originally tried that too...flailed...damnit.

I cant wait to see what see what you have going on!!! I assume that you are bringing demos??? Sensei, perhaps??? mmmmm.....mmmmmm....mmmmm????

It seems to be flailing to me...It wont let me log in...damnit!!! Invalid something or other when I click on the link for the response.

I agree that it depends on who thinks that it looks scary. For instance, all the hotshots fly xbraced canopies at my DZ...so you get used to seeing hp landings all day long. Then every once in a while one of them will get on a birdman with a TomCat in it...and hook the thing superlow (at least from the xbraced perspective) and it scares the crap out of you...but then you remember..."Hey, its not a Velocity!!!" That is just my first thought. I am not going to give you any other advice because I havent seen you swoop or know you piloting skills. Who is saying that you are scary??? Is it someone that doesnt jump HP canopies and has low jump numbers and doesnt know the difference??? or is it a shithot swooper on the DZ that "should" know better??? There is a fine line between a "hotdog" and a "weiner".

Good point...it seems as though most of the people that are posting on this thread have, for the most part, posted good info or admitted that they didnt know and suggested that they talk to an instructor or other qualified personel. I am very curious to see what some of the posters, that have been ranting and raving on a few other threads recently, who seem to be on the other end of the spectrum (i.e. 100 jump wonders) think of this and what their risk quotient is. I wonder if this article made any points with them. Although, I doubt much would change their opinion...but it would be interesting anyways.

rob, Is that manual in good shape??? I am curious what the cover looks like or if there is anything in there that would be suitable for making a copy and framing (assuming that you wouldnt want to give up the original)? I am thinking that it would be a good conversation piece to have hanging in my home.

I bit of both...

Where is the "change DZs 'cuz they got a pond" option???

exactly...apparently just after Saddam was captured, some political figure...Condolisa Rice? or some other female democratic bigwig has suggested that they had already captured him and that Bush was planning on bringing him out later on towards election time. It was on CNN and all the other news stations...interesting, anyways.