Mozencrath

From personal experience, anytime I use USPS for international, I always have problems whether its with the customs forms or losing a shipment or not providing tracking. Try UPS or FEDEX although they are more expensive, they get the job done. There is a reason why USPS charges $50 to ship a canopy to the UK and UPS/FX charge about $140.

I had a hornet - for about 10 jumps. First 5 were hard. On the sixth one, a buddy used it for a video jump. Needless to say he didn't jump the rest of the weekend. It slammed him soooo hard. The consensus on the Hornets is that you will find half the people say the openings are soft, the other half complain they are hard. This is because PISA actually manufactured two different types of Hornets. The earlier version featured a smaller slider, and those canopies (pre-2001 I believe) are the whackers. The ones made after 2001 had a bigger slider and perhaps some other adjustments. Those hornets opened nicely. Do a dz.com search and you can read more about this. If anything, put a pocket on the slider or a bigger slider all together should solve your problem.

I found I got around a 500-800 ft opening on my Spectre. They were pretty much all on heading and sniveled long enough....If you pack it right, it will open good every time.

From what I've gathered, the following are fact: Storm has more flare power than Spectre, especially towards the botom. Storm has slightly longer recovery arc than spectre. Storm has faster forward speed. I would not be surprised if it had a steeper glide, but do not know this for fact. The PD writeup says "it will feel like you are coming at the ground quicker on landing" which to me says more ground hungry, so yeah you are moving forward faster, but down faster also....Still trying to figure out why they just didn't advertise it as a Spectre on steroids.

Way too many pack volume numbers floating around...Anyone have first hand experience as to how much bigger or smaller they pack up compared to PD? Someone told me that PD uses different attachment point mterial that adds alot of bulk, I wonder if this is true. I have a Smart 120 going into a Javeling NJ (pre-k) with a Vigil...Previously had a PD 126R w/o AAD and it packed up REALLY tight. I could personally never get it in. Thanks in advance!

I bought a Rawa camera helmet from him he's one of the only distributors who stocks them and he has the best prices on these hard to get helmets in the entire country. I wish he advertised it more. Needless to say he shipped it on Saturday and I had it on Monday. Thanks Mike

Three or four people in this thread have said the Safire2 will dive longer/take longer to recover than a XF2. Can a XF1 or 2 flier chime in here?

Anyone I've ever seen get the blue/purple HMA's has not come back for seconds when the next reline is due.

I would like to make a donation in the amount of $500 to help Rich reach his goal. It is a worthy cause, having recently lost a family member from several different types of cancer, leukemia, and anemia.

Hey everyone, I will be packing for Cathy during the boogie...I also play guitar and drums, so if anyone else plays an instrument, maybe we can put on a bit of a show if its ok with Cspence and Cathy? Dunno what they have planned for music. I'm excited I hope everyone else is.

Yes he's on a 135. He is also jumping in Kenya. In other words, he is making light of the whole situation and joking around-not really on a 135 lol Figured I would clear this up before it gets outta control. Cheers marko

Can I post the PM on this thread???? That would be great.

cut off on final TWICE?!?!?! Thats unbelievable. I've never heard of that before...Can you teach me this "slowish-flare-transition-turn-to-partial-flare" that you did at 40ft? Sounds amazing... You say "flame away, I'm used to it". Do you think there is a reason perhaps why you get flamed when you make posts like this? You sound like a 12 year old. I would love to meet this S&TA that RECOMMENDED you load your canopy @ 1.26 JUST off AFF with 28 jumps. You are out of your mind.

Marko it's chops what up? I hope you know you are getting away with murder here! (don't take that the wrong way) ...Keep this in mind: I've been in this sport 6 years longer than you, have more jumps, WORK at the DZ you jump at yet I still did not start flying camera until OVER 200 jumps, and currently have a LOWER wingloading than you...I actually got rid of my Stiletto to fly a Spectre instead... This isn't because I had some old staff member at SDLI in my ear ORDERING me to do those things, it's because I hung around those guys all day long and LISTENED to there suggestions and I took them very seriously. I realized that there is a REASON for all these seemingly conservative guidlines...They know what they are talking about. Believe me, I wanna fly a fast canopy and start super-swooping ASAP too, but there is a right and wrong way to do it is what I think is trying to be conveyed to you in this thread....Ultimately, the choice is yours though...Please don't think I'm coming down on you, just constructive criticism from someone who knows you and your capabilities. We are very lucky to have people like Rich to give us this advice. Many DZ's do not. He, of all people, knows his shit frontwards and backwards and would not steer you wrong. BTW, I also have ALOT of your landings on tape if you want them. Just let me know.

What do they go for nowadays?

I have a canopy made by Glidepath who I guess is now Flight Concepts. It's a Manta....The warning lable is located at the attachment point on the canopy...MFD 1991 but has no size! I am assuming that Glidepath Manta's came in one size? Does anyone have more info about these ancient canopies?

If you are in NYC, you can make it out to Skydive Long Island in an hour...There are tons of funjumpers/staff that carpool from the 5 boroughs to SDLI every weekend.... If you want chill people and 30 loads on turbines every Sat and Sun, come to SDLI. They have a fulltime Grand Caravan, new king air coming, 10,000ft runway, and I think the largest landing area in the country...Can't beat that...Plus the views...On a good day you can see the mountains in Conn/Mass, both forks, and the NYC skyline!!! Anyone know if the Ranch has a landing pattern yet?

Both ways is 5 tickets. One way is 2.5 tickets.

Pretty cool video you can see the reserve PC and bridle go right across his leg, then the lines and freebag somehow don't get wrapped around his leg and whoompf. open canopy. is interesting though how he didn't even bother to look and see if maybe a toggle had just come unstowed.

Bridgeport Ferry -> Port Jeff -> Calverton

Say what? You can topmount just about any camera whereas SIDEMOUNTING will limit your choices to some specific 2nd hand models. There are 3x as many cameras that can be sidemounted in a closed box compared to how many can be topmounted. Cookie for example only makes a mount for the HC3/5/7 You are baiscally eliminating the Sony PC series of cameras by top mounting, leaving you with some new JVC camcorders, HC and TRV series cameras which really don't compare with the PC cameras....Never have I seen a sony PC topmounted, and they make up the majority of 2nd hand cameras. I think only the 107 can be topmounted IIRC.

Sony PC series.... - 1 3 5 7 etc oldest, but does everything, 37mm adapter - 100 101 109 etc newer, 30mm adapter? few more digital features, needs docking station, more expensive - 1000 the ultimate, really expensive, hard to find

Also, as far as the top mounting, you are really limiting yourself to the choice of cameras....Are you planning on putting a closed box up there??? Thats also a limiting factor.... Go open, on a Rawa, side mount, with ANY SONY PC series...I love my PC5, it does everything with no docking station....Fits any 37mm lens

Hope you tried on that helmet before you bought it. The new ones IMO are far worse than the original design...I had both "sizes" and neither fit comfortably....I would seriously reconsider getting a Rawa. They are 10x more comfortable and JUST about the same price in the end...with the Nvertigo you need to buy a chin strap AND bracket...You can get a Rawa w/chin strap already on it....I ended up paying like $15 more to have the better system...I was so incredibly disappointed with the new Nvertigo that I actually was about to trade it to my buddy for the old helmet. Also, why not sidemount???? Way more comfortable, and in the future you can add a still.

There is a rigger in South or Norht Carolina that Aerodyne will point you to who does Hornet relines.