Jiggs

Thanks skycoog there are a few pearls of wisdom there. I would just like to say that I am in no way a guru, hell I am just a flunky that does it for some laughs and to make sure that some really fun (and occasionaly half-arsed) jumps go ahead. Anyway my own experience has only just started simply out of necessity since no-one else was willing to actually put together some larger loads. (we are not that big) Its just that sometimes it can be very frustrating to wait for an entire dive for one person to dock. Its situations like that, what can you say? I mean I do try to organise stuff for everyone and I am willing to go on any type of jump, but it seems to burn cash without really helping learning. I have gone through the experience of getting shot down by guru's and not getting on loads, it happens to everyone. But I have found that if you keep at it and let people know that you are keen you will start getting on some more interesting loads. "Don't blame malice for what stupidity can explain." "In our sleep, pain that cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart and in our despair, against our will comes wisdom" - Aeschylus

Hey all, just starting to organise some loads and I was wondering if anyone has thought of (or heard) any polite ways of telling people that they can't (or shouldn't) be on a load. Its a real hassle in situations where you have to turn down jumpers that are just not ready or able to do certain things. Any idea's on how to let them down gently? "Don't blame malice for what stupidity can explain." "In our sleep, pain that cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart and in our despair, against our will comes wisdom" - Aeschylus

He meant if it was on the reserve. "Don't blame malice for what stupidity can explain." "In our sleep, pain that cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart and in our despair, against our will comes wisdom" - Aeschylus

There is a difference between being banned (eg don't come back here!) and being grounded for some kind of behaviour. (eg going low, landing in the car park, or any other stupid thing) This can typically be for anything from a day to a month. Beyond that and you are heading towards being banned. Getting grounded is supposed to make you think about what you have done wrong, to give you time to think and assimilate what it is you have done orsupposed to have done "Don't blame malice for what stupidity can explain." "In our sleep, pain that cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart and in our despair, against our will comes wisdom" - Aeschylus

Does anyone know if they work with a Cam Eye 2? I know that they have a LANC port but do they need the LANC adaptor? "Don't blame malice for what stupidity can explain." "In our sleep, pain that cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart and in our despair, against our will comes wisdom" - Aeschylus

The worst that I have seen was watching a reserve flap pop open while I was doing a 3 way wagon wheel with a few friends. Anyway as we were more or less kept winding it up (horizontally by this time). It could have been far worse, if it had popped and opened while were were all vertical I think that there would have been at least some very serious injuries or perhaps even fatalities. Needless to say it was not an experience that I want to see again! "Don't blame malice for what stupidity can explain." "In our sleep, pain that cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart and in our despair, against our will comes wisdom" - Aeschylus

Usually 4000, 3000, 1500. (Breakoff/ stop tracking /whoa thats getting low!) Depends on the jump and the people I am with, occasionly we have breakoff down at 3500 which can make things interesting for an 8way. It is not a nice experience trying to dodge people at 2k, nor is it particularly good hearing your final warning while still deploying your main.

I agree with Billvon, I think everyone should have some experience going out low. Several people I have jumped with have not been (what I would call) 100% comfortable with getting out at 2k. Hell some don't like 4k and they sure as hell don't like rel from this heights! :-) Occasionly I think that its good for everyone to have a low one or two.

I wouldn't bother, I used to roll the nose on my canopies pretty tightly, now however I don't bother at all. It actually opens better I've found (I guess my packing technique has improved somewhat)

It depends on the individual, their ability and their confidence level. If you don't think you can do it or you are unsure you probably can't or will screw it up. That said I would not do it unless I was comfortable with the canopy and the way it was handling. Besides, isn't it a perfectly good excuse for another freefall? :-)

I don't think that such a large stilleto with such a low wingloading would be such a huge problem. Don't get me wrong you can smack in quite badly on ANY canopy, it just that some will take you there that much quicker! Its not like jumping say a 107 where even a fart will take you on a different flight path. Respect any canopy you jump and don't jump anything your not comfortable with. Okay here is a personal example, after doing a bunch of jumps on a Sabre135, I borrowed another set of gear with a 170 in it, it felt like a truck in comparison. Consequently when it didn't handle as quickly as I had expected and resulted in a not so graceful landing! I didn't give it the respect that it deserved and I could have injured myself.

Jim Brierly is 77 and we do 8ways frequently at our DZ, so I don't think that it is all that big a deal. As for doing the training and all of that, if young dolts like me can learn it so can you. The only thing I would recommend is to be conservative since old bones take even longer to heal!

X228 - F111. Think X-300 but smaller, they can be used for CRW. Mic, why don't you ask if you can do some jumps on a different main? There are several Sabre 170's floating around at the DZ, also I know of at least a 190 as well. Why not borrow that and get some experience on a 9cell then transition towards the Stilleto? Either that or swap it for a different main.

I thought the best method was to avoid frapping in! Well at least it beats finding a fence after a 10way.........