MB38

This makes my neck hurt just thinking about it...

I still can't believe it. Blue skies, Eli. I really don't know what I'm talking about.

Anybody have a decent resolution x-ray image of a rig with a Cypres? I have my Cypres card, but I'd love to laminate one for my bag tag and have a printout I can keep in the bag... I really don't know what I'm talking about.

I dig it, it works well enough. Would I trust it as my only altimeter? Nah, not unless it was a solo where I was staring at the ground the whole time. As it stands, it's my fifth altimeter [wrist, chest, 2x audible], so why not? I really don't know what I'm talking about.

We came this close to shooting the ad practically, too... OB was set to fly camera originally. I really don't know what I'm talking about.

The tunnel is plenty large for learning to freefly in, don't worry. Even though the Perris tunnel is larger, the Hollywood tunnel will be cheaper, more powerful and may be closer to where you live [I know it is for me!]. I've worked on my sit in the Hollywood tunnel and I'm currently learning head-down in there. I wish it was bigger, sure, but it's still big enough to get done what you need to get done. As the windspeeds go up and you learn to grab the air a little better, you'll find that you spend a decent amount of time up in the larger area of the tunnel anyways. Only once while learning head-down did I start myself in the "wrong" position, putting my feet in contact with the wall. I've also found that the tunnel isn't quite large enough for a back carve [at least when you're sloppy like me...]. So go for it! And dream that maybe someday it'll grow up to be a 12-footer... I really don't know what I'm talking about.

It was up there for a while, but the original discussion around the "questionable tandem" eventually led to it being pulled. I had the video online after it vanished from SDM, but I pulled it after the TI and his lawyer contacted me. I really don't know what I'm talking about.

Strike 2! I was not below the formation. Blame the beer. I really don't know what I'm talking about.

Heheh, that was stupid. I'm just not used to seeing shots from so far below a formation [because I'm not used to seeing formations this large!]. I really don't know what I'm talking about.

What was your focal length on that surface-air shot? Was it on a cropped camera or full frame? I have an idea... I really don't know what I'm talking about.

More jumping tomorrow? I really don't know what I'm talking about.

Ah, bummer, i'm working Monday. I really don't know what I'm talking about.

Hey Spot, are the attempts today or tomorrow? I might get out there with a camera and a few long lenses. I really don't know what I'm talking about.

Nah, you don't need a job to get a rig like that! I really don't know what I'm talking about.

There's nothing like seeing a student snap a center-point turn on AFF3... I really don't know what I'm talking about.

That's a good question... I'm sure a tunnel instructor would be more suited to answering this question. I can tell you that I have about 50 minutes of tunnel time and I'm signed off for front flips in a sit. I don't know if that's fast or slow... but that's just where I am in the tunnel at this point. The biggest thing about the tunnel that I've found to be different/difficult is the precision and forethought required. You need to have complete understanding of your body position and the consequences of your movements. Think about making an adjustment in the sky. I can try something, see its consequences and adjust my body position accordingly. There's time and space to deal with that. Lets say I'm transitioning to head-down on a two way. I cartwheel over but maybe over-rotate a bit. I side-slide, catch it and steer myself back in line to whoever I'm jumping with [having maybe orbited a few degrees in the process]. It's the sort of thing that I wouldn't really think about in the sky because I'd have that time and space to catch a misjudgment and reconfigure. In the tunnel, there isn't room for stuff like that. If I try a transition [which I'm not yet, but I'll stick with the same example] and over-rotate a bit... I'm on the glass before I can react. The time available for the "crap, why am I moving in this direction?" thought is much more compressed. As a result, I've found that tunnel flying is really helping me fine-tune things like this. I'm also learning new body positions in the "right" way. My sit is no longer the garbage I taught myself on jump 26. I'm getting better at making 6" corrections instead of 4' corrections... or 1MPH corrections instead of 10MPH. It's nice. And besides... if you fly at the Hollywood tunnel you get a whuffo audience. What could beat that? I really don't know what I'm talking about.

i live 10 minutes from the Hollywood tunnel and about 90 minutes from Perris. As a result, I've been spending a lot more time in the tunnel lately than I have spent in the sky. The hardest part for me in the tunnel was finding lift. I'm a tall/skinny guy and I'm used to jumping with normal freeflyers. As a result, my sitting position is fairly compressed when compared to a proper tunnel sit. Learning to fall slowly in the tunnel was eye opening and an interesting training experience... but it wasn't necessarily a skill that I needed for the sky. After struggling to get off the net in the tunnel, adding 2-3% to the speed made it just "click" for me - it suddenly felt like a skydive. Sure I had to use my back more as a result of not wearing a rig... it's a given... but it was working. I didn't realize that it was actually having an impact on my skills until I returned to jumping after about 3 weeks off. The first jump I did that day was with a few very experienced guys I hadn't jumped with before. I've never received more compliments after a skydive - I was blushing all the way back to the packing area. I think of the tunnel as a driving range for skydiving. Sure I can't practice my exits, tracking or canopy control... but I can focus on one part of my "game" in a very specific and controlled way. With the gas I burn to get to the dropzone coupled with the increasing jump ticket price, I can get 3-4 minutes in the tunnel for the cost of one skydive. Add on the cost of a skydiving coach and it's ridiculous. While freefall coaching will exercise a different skill set in many ways, the tunnel coach has many more tools at his disposal... at least in my experience. You'll suck the first time you get in the tunnel. Stick with it long enough to gain a few tunnel skills that are notably better than when you started. Then try it and the sky and see! I really don't know what I'm talking about.

I was very impressed with mine... but no free baseball cap for me! The only bummer is that there isn't some velcro to hold the zipper closed. I've had it open on me a few times in the tunnel. For the price, the suit is unbelievable. I think I had a 3-week turnaround time from when I placed the order to when I had the suit as well... really top-notch service. I really don't know what I'm talking about.

I'd buy it if you made it white text [red character] on a black shirt. Make it! I really don't know what I'm talking about.

You inspired me, Nick. I went and got 10 minutes there today. Good price too... $150 booked online. Beats a 90 minute drive to Perris. Kicked my ass.

Is there a significant difference between a spring-loaded main pilot chute and a spring-loaded reserve pilot chute? The kinds of hesitation you're describing seem like they'd result in some nasty situations on a reserve. Is it simply that reserves are generally deployed in nonstandard body positions? In other words, would a stable reserve deployment potentially result in the same kinds of hesitations that you're describing on main pilot chutes? I really don't know what I'm talking about.

Ooo, I like those. Much lower profile than some of the slocks I've seen. I really don't know what I'm talking about.

That must be the parking brake... I really don't know what I'm talking about.

Oh man, this is going to be fun. Got a deadline? I gotta get those creative juices flowing... I really don't know what I'm talking about.

Posted another one. I really don't know what I'm talking about.