AllisonH

I think the difficulties lie in the size and location of the drop zone. I am at a small midwest Cessna drop zone. I made almost 175 jumps last year. That was A LOT. My guess is that many out there would look at that number and laugh. It also depends in large part on the ability of the jumper to pay for all those jumps. Do we only want to allow people who can afford X number of jumps per year to be instructors? Of course they can offset the price of jumps by packing or working manifest or some other extra job, but all of those would severely limit the number of days left for accumulating all those jumps, making the above poster's point about fitting those jumps in even more valid.

I don't know what it was advertised to get, but the best I've gotten in my 2000 Saturn SL2 is 40 mpg. 35-38 is pretty average on the highway, and with my usual combination of in town and highway driving it gets around 32-35.

The more important measurement is the length of the harness, which is related to your height. If you can find a rig from a jumper about your height, the harness should work for you. You may have to tighten the legstraps more than the last guy, but that's no big deal. In any case, you will need to have the gear inspected by a local rigger before you buy. This will include you trying it on, to see what's what. The rigger can tell you if it needs any alterations or adjustments and what they will cost, and you can factor this into your purchase price. Do a search on DZ.com for how to buy used gear in terms of paying for things, shipping things, having things inspected, returning things, and when the sale is really 'final'. There are ten different ways to handle the situation. In terms of the canopy, call PD and request a demo Sabre2 170. They will ship you one for a very small fee ($30? $35?) and I think you get it for two weekends. Either way, see if the DZ will hook it up to the rental rig that usually holds the 190, and jump it for a day. If you like it, and feel confident, buy the 170. If it's too fast, buy a 190. You'll never know until you try, and from the outside it sounds like a reasonable downsize between your weight, and an endorsement from your instructor. When I demo'd from PD last summer, it was more like $90 something, although I found out later that if I'd had my gear dealer/DZO request the demo instead of requesting it myself, it would have been much cheaper ($50-60? I don't remember exactly). Anyone considering demo'ing from them might have their gear dealer call to see if the prices are still different. That said, knowing that the reserve I bought was the right size and that I was comfortable with it was well worth the ~hundred dollars I spent demo'ing it. And the price does include shipping both directions.

Had a friend do that on the 10 second delay jump of his S/L progression.

Same here. I saw it in IMAX 3D, and I thought it was very well done, but it's really just not my kind of movie. For about the last half hour or so I was wondering when it was going to end. Glad I went, wasn't as bad as I thought it would be (given that I generally hate movies of this genre), but don't have any desire to see it again.

I also have small hands that get cold easily. The Neumanns come in youth sizes. I just bought new gloves this weekend, you might want to look into Look-Ma's as well. (thats what I bought.) I currently wear the Neumanns in youth sizes, but have only found the summer weight ones (which I wear glove liners under in the winter). Do they make the winter weight ones in youth sizes as well? The website I usually order from doesn't carry them.

Is that the cash price or the credit card price? (I'm assuming SDAZ still has different prices for the two?)

Whatever the regular jump ticket price is - I think it was $24 for 13-14K Otter jumps last year.

What kind of PhD program? I don't remember having to write one for mine, but I'll look through my computer and see.

Have a nice drive! I'm flying out to AZ on the 23rd to spend Christmas with my Mom who lives a couple of hours away - will be jumping starting on the 26th.

Just that it can't find a driver. I may try it again tomorrow if I can't get it to work on my other computer. For now I'm going to e-mail someone I think has copies of the files I need and hope that he can find them!

No luck, but thanks for the suggestion. There was 1 disk drive device I didn't uninstall because I had no idea what it was. Did learn some stuff about my computer though. Maybe I'll try it tomorow on my Mac at work.

Just tried to use my external hard drive for the first time since April or May. Not 100% sure if I've hooked it up to this computer before. In any case, I'm getting an error message saying that a driver for it can't be located. I don't remember installing a driver before using it previously, but it's possible that I did. Can't find it though. Does anyone know where I can find one? (Yes, I checked the Simpletech website, although it's possible I just didn't know what I was looking for. Only one I found was for Windows 98. I have Vista.) Or if there's any other way to make the darn thing work?

I've rented in Virginia, North Carolina, Washington, and California and have never been required to have insurance. I've rented in Kansas, Ohio, and Rhode Island and while I've always had insurance and it's been recommended by landlords, it's never been required.

I have one, and it's super tiny!! I have an XS Oxygn that fits pretty well but it makes me look like a bobble head doll, so I tried on a regular XS factory diver and then ordered the "small shell" version of the XS (which is labeled as XXS - apparently they're termed Junior Factory Divers and they do require different replacement lenses that most places don't stock). I pulled out part of the liner, did a little plastic surgery with a utility knife before I stuck it back in, and now it fits great and still looks pretty decent. However, there is absolutely no way I could have worn it straight out of the box!

I have a friend looking (long distance) for a reputable hot air balloon place near Burlington, VT to send her mother for her birthday. Anyone have suggestions?

I'd get it if they were giving it out free at work (like they do the seasonal flu vaccine - which I already got), but not if I had to go hunt it down and pay for it.

Maybe someone should actually say who "CSC" is so they would get deserved recognition for this. Chicagoland Skydiving Center. They'll also give experienced skydivers a free jump if it's the first time you've jumped there. (Buy you have to ask for it - it's advertised on their website but not at the DZ)

I saw the movie first (with my mom who'd read the book and my 13 year old "little sister" who had not). My mom was a bit disappointed because it wasn't nearly as good as the book. Cassie and I both left the movie having enjoyed it and looking forward to reading the book. Now that I've read the book - no, the movie did not compare, but I enjoyed both of them for what they were. Had I read the book first I probably would have been more disappointed.

Make sure to use the one that's provided by the manufacturer you're ordering from. They're not all the same.

I own helmets in size XS and size M that fit well - sizing varies a lot between brands and even between models in the same brand. Especially with a full face, you'll find that different helmets will fit different head shapes better. I would strongly recommend trying one on (by putting on a friend's at the DZ or while visiting a larger DZ or some manufacturers can send demos). If that's not possible, make sure to order something that's a stock color/size so you can return it if it doesn't work.

I'll be there for at least a couple of days.

Ok, I can get with you on the eating will costing more than eating poorly, but how in the world is drinking well expensive?? Try water.

It means that the pouch the pilot chute goes into has a cutaway system on the left side (the side opposite your pilot chute handle) to allow a reserve side AFF instructor to deploy the student's main canopy.