MB38

If you find a way to do this, you'll already know how to go about things. I really don't know what I'm talking about.

I'm in a similar situation - I have a rig but no Cypres. Personally, I've been limiting myself to H&Ps and solo CRW jumps, taking this as an opportunity to beef up on my knowledge of the new canopy. Nobody's gonna cork and take me out on a CRW jump, but the decision to jump without a CYPRES is a personal one. I'm just waiting for the right AAD at the right price at this point. I really don't know what I'm talking about.

What they're really trying to say is that the Stiletto will be fine. I really don't know what I'm talking about.

FTP = Flat Top Pro That's about what I've been thinking with mine. The PC would be inside of the helmet where it couldn't get out unless the helmet was removed. That said, in a severe entanglement situation, I could see a deployed PC/bridle in the helmet causing big problems. With a bad entanglement, the helmet may not immediately leave the jumper. There are lines and fabric everywhere. Suddenly adding something extra to the mix could make everything worse. Worst case scenario, what if the helmet only came off by a foot or so? It's still right next to the jumper, the bridle slips down around the jumper's neck and... So what I'm trying to put together is something that will more or less "delay" the deployment of the PC once the cutaway handle is pulled. In other words, it stays as a closed system for a few seconds after it's been removed. If the jumper is low enough that the delay is too great... well... they have other [more important] things to worry about. It's not a product, just me messing around. Anyway, I'm sorry for pulling the thread astray. I really don't know what I'm talking about.

Do you think about an old PC ? Bingo... but a premature deployment will still kill you before the PC explodes. If I ever get a functional design put together, I'll post something. I really don't know what I'm talking about.

I've read of camera helmets impacting on top of hangers... and giving everybody the scare of their lives. Skyballs have a lot of mass and not a lot of surface area. They could easily kill somebody if lost in freefall. This is why catching a skyball is so important before deployment. There is at least one skyball on the market that will open up at a certain altitude, spilling its payload [shot or water, I forget] and tumbling to the ground harmlessly. it's obviously just a safety device... not something to be counted on. I could see a camera helmet doing some serious damage to somebody if they were struck in the right [wrong?] way. That said, it's not like somebody could put a little "reserve" round in their helmet in case of a helmet cutaway. Premature deployment = decapitation. Though I'll admit it... I think there's a safe way to put a "reserve" round into a FTP with the right design... I've been toying with it in my spare time. I really don't know what I'm talking about.

I had the same problems back when I was jumping student gear. Every day when I got back from the DZ, I'd have nasty bruises and little cuts [friction burns from the leg straps sliding from wherever they were in freefall to where they live under canopy] on my shoulders and inside my legs. It was awful... That said, the problems mysteriously went away within about 20 jumps. So either I got better at adjusting my rig, got better at packing or started jumping gear that fit me better. I really don't know what I'm talking about.

Thanks for all the replies, everyone. I really don't know what I'm talking about.

I don't fly wingsuits myself, so I don't know... but it seems like it makes more sense to pull higher with a wingsuit. More potential complications... more time to deal with them? Am I off base? I really don't know what I'm talking about.

While this seems like a good idea, I don't have enough experience or knowledge in all relevant disciplines to state it as such. At a first glance... I like it. That said, I'm not going to be landing in the HPL... so... Disclaimer aside, I have one potential concern. Let's say that something like this was implemented and the landing areas were separated. My biggest fear is that those performing nonstandard landing patterns would become so accustomed to only looking for other swoopers that on the one day when some student floats into the wrong landing area... nobody would think to look for them. I'm not saying swoopers are or will be irresponsible and stop looking for those performing SLPs in their area, so don't shoot down the concern for that reason. For example: A jumper is on a light load. He knows that the three others in his 4-way will be swooping, but the others on the load are students or solos. As this jumper is setting up for landing, he looks around and sees the rest of his group setting up for their landings. He assumes he knows where all three additional pilots aiming for the HPL are and initiates his swoop. A few seconds later, he plows into a student who didn't know [how] to land in the SLP area. Obviously with this BSR in place, everybody would still have to be aware of the other pilots planning on landing in the other area... this road goes both ways. While there may be numerically fewer chances of such an impact occurring with this BSR [fewer swoopers + SLP pilots in the same area], I wonder if the percentage chance [greater chance of swooper/SLP impact with a sample size of one] of such an impact occurring would rise when somebody does find themselves in the wrong landing area. I really don't know what I'm talking about.

Geez... Now I can't help but ask... but is there video of this particular moment? I really don't know what I'm talking about.

This is a great thread... very informative. Bill, your post in particular was quite something. Reads like another article. I really don't know what I'm talking about.

I think "he" *ahem* said 2 years. They were the worst I'd seen at Perris since I started jumping. You can glance at my numbers to guess how many collective days I've spent there in that time.

Heheh... by 'worst' footage ever, I mean it's the worst from a technical/camera side. Creatively, well... that's another story. I really don't know what I'm talking about.

Off-topic, but what film are you referring to? The closest I could find was this, which is neither WWI nor directed by Peter Jackson (it's WWII produced by PJ). It was a WWI short that he directed specifically for our camera. The film is called "Crossing the Line". It was shot in 2 days using the alpha cameras described above. It is not currently available to download online, though stills are available [url=http://www.red.com/gallery-still.shtml]here[/url]. It's the worst RED footage you'll ever see... and it's awesome. I really don't know what I'm talking about.

We (RED) did have working cameras on display, as well as 4K footage being projected in our theater by a Sony 4K projector. The screen was 16'x9', so each linear inch of screen size was represented by 21.3 pixels. You had to walk up to the screen and hunt for pixels... We're expecting to have ~3,000 cameras shipped by December, with the first cameras shipping in roughly 5-6 weeks time. Things change very rapidly at RED. Specifications are subject to change... count on it. The price is still firm at $17,500 for the body. The footage we showed in the theater was a WWI period film directed by Peter Jackson. The footage was shot using "Boris" and "Natasha," two alpha cameras. They, along with Frankie [the original prototype] were on display at the booth. There were also several working beta cameras on display with functioning LCDs, EVFs, RED DRIVEs, support equipment, etc. Greg Gasson came by the booth on Thursday - he and I had a chance to discuss the viability of the RED ONE as a freefall camera. For those of you that don't know, Greg shot footage with Arri's 235 for NAB. I've heard great things about the footage... The RED ONE body is currently 9lbs in prototype form, though RED is aiming for 8lbs by shipping. A prime or lightweight zoom should clock in from 2-3lbs. The camera requires an external power source, though a small enough battery could be designed and built to fit inside of a FTP. There are several freefall-friendly storage options. One is the RED RAM, an external 64GB flash drive that allows for approximately 30-40 minutes of 4K recording. It's large. You could fit it onto a helmet, but an onboard option would be superior. There are three onboard recording options: CF, EX34 and 1.8" SATA. Whichever media interface you choose, you simply mount it on the camera and insert your media. There is no limitation on the kind of media you choose - RED doesn't lock you into a proprietary format - you just have to get media that's fast enough to support ~28MB/s data rates. Such media is difficult to find these days, but things change rapidly. When the flash industry is ready, the onboard media interfaces will be ready. So the minimal package: ~8lb body, ~2lb lens, ~1lb battery, onboard storage. As far as skydiving is concerned, it's a speciality camera. That said, RED does have a professional pocket camera in development. Professional, not prosumer. No more details at this time, but stay tuned... It was good to meet you at NAB, Spot. Glad you liked the footage...

That's funny, I can hear my voice in there. I have literally the exact same video... but from about 3 paces to the right. I really don't know what I'm talking about.

Somehow a PC gets out at 400 feet... goes out the door... jumper's wearing his seatbelt... At best the jumper gets cut in half and taken out the door. At worst the plane goes down and kills everybody onboard. I'll sit in the heat for 2 minutes. I really don't know what I'm talking about.

Something tells me it'll be a few years before I'm ready to use my pass... but I'm certainly looking forwards to it!

No more irony than when somebody who jumps off of cliffs for fun finally goes in. Different communities, different reasons... still people. I really don't know what I'm talking about.

It appeared that he opened over the AFB museum... which is about 9 miles away from the dropzone. If somebody DVR'd it, try and get a frame grab from when he was trapped on the other side of a fence. I really don't know what I'm talking about.

Yes, but BASE canopies are designed for slider-down or mesh slider openings. A Sabre 2 just isn't. I wonder how a small hole [or a small bit of mesh] in the middle of the sail slider might help. It's a little more subtle at least... Packing techniques seem to make the most sense. I really don't know what I'm talking about.

That's pretty fun... way cooler than I expected when I clicked the link. Keep it up! I really don't know what I'm talking about.

How did you come to your decision to have such a [comparably] small reserve with a big main? I really don't know what I'm talking about.

Very nice, Nick. When are you going to write a book?