DanG

Make sure you get in the hanging harness before you jump with new gloves, face masks, etc. It's a lot better to find out you have a problem while on the ground then when screaming through your decision altitude. - Dan G

It is definitely impossible to measure yourself. Funny though, Tony himself measured me for my new team suit, and I had to send it back for an adjustment. I measured one of my teammates, and his suit fit perfectly. By the way, my new Tony suit is quite spectacular. It is very well built, and flies like a dream. They are a little more pricey than some alternatives, but this is the second RW Tony suit I've owned, and I honestly think they are the best suits out there. - Dan G

The beer gods will be angry. Beware their wrath. - Dan G

I mounted my c-bracket from Pier Ltd. using nuts and bolts. Just make sure you have bolts of the right length. Too long, and they pose a danger to your head, too short and they wont hold. Once I got everything tightened and in place, I epoxy'ed the nuts to the helmet/washers. You can still get them off ig you need to, but they won't come apart by themselves. I also integrated straps with velco on them to help hold the camera in place (primarily use the tripod mounting screw). The same bolts that hold the c-box in place hold the straps as well. You have to use washers to keep the straps from pulling through the bolt heads. After you are done, gaffers tape up any gaps or snag points. - Dan G

The "shoot you in the face" thing is an inside joke at our DZ. No one is threatening to shoot anyone in the face. Hank, Ostrich, shut up or I will shoot you in the face. - Dan G

You can certainly mount a Pro-Track to the outside of your helmet, but you may lose it to a riser strike. I did, although L&B replaced it free of charge

funks said: What if my buddy did not go looking for me? I may be wrong but I have a very strong feeling no one would have. Dan..question for you...if you would have landed way off do you think a lot of people would have gone out looking for you? I have a feeling the answer would be YES. In my mind that is wrong. Just because that is your home DZ but not mine does that justify that fact...Not to me it doesnt. I never expected the plane to shut down..and you say "everything that happened was essetially my own fault" Sorry dude, but thats a pretty poor attitude...Hey, next time I see someone femur themself I will be sure to take the same attitude.*** Last reply, then I'm done. Dude, someone DID come looking for you. And yes, if when I asked if someone had gone looking for you the reply I got was, "no," then I would have tried to find you. I don't think I need to reply to the part about someone femuring in. It doesn't even make sense. - Dan G

I was there, and I have e-mailed funks (although I was not the person he quoted earlier). I knew he landed off, and of course the instructor knew he landed off. Everyone also knew that someone had gone to get him. I did not know, however, that the person going to get him was on foot. If he truly landed 2.5 miles away, I don't know why this person chose to go on foot, it seems silly to me. There must have been some miscommunication. Usually at our DZ, when someone lands off, manifest or an instructor will find someone to go pick him/her up, and make sure they have a cell phone in case something is wrong. What may have happened, is that funks' buddy announced that he was going to get him, but no one checked to make sure he was in a car, and with a cell phone. I don't know. Either way, concerned people at the DZ knew that he landed off, and that someone was after him. I don't know what else we were expected to do. We certainly weren't going to shut the plane down on a busy day. I'm sorry that funks had a less than optimun experience, but (not trying to be rude) everything that happened was esentially his own fault. - Dan G

Is it possible that these DZ's are using a crosswind or downwind jumprun? That might explain it, too. - Dan G - Dan G

Funks, why don't you tell the whole story? I was there that day, and someone did come to get you, just like you said. Your buddy and your date went to pick you up. How many of us were supposed to come after you? And how about your first attempt at your recurrency jump, when you gave the instructor crap about making you fly on your belly, and then didn't realize you forgot your goggles until the door opened at 13k? And what about your general attitiude toward the whole process of recurrency? The instructor you tried to jump with first tried to get me to do your recurrecy jump with you, but after he described your attitude I said no thanks. You are selectively leaving parts of the story out, and you still don't come off sounding too good. - Dan G

I've landed a PDr-143 at 1.5 twice with no problems, both nice stand-up landings. Flew much better than I expected. It may have helped that my first canopy was a 7-cell F-111, so I knew a little about what to expect. - Dan G

I put about 400 jumps on a Spectre 150 loaded at 1.4:1. I thought it was a great canopy. It's glide angle is steeper than the Stiletto and Sabre1, but it opens well, and is more forgiving of poor body position than the Stiletto. If you are looking for a general purpose canopy which will be fun to fly without some of the baggage that comes with a fully eliptical design, I think the Spectre would be good for you. I would stay away from the Sabre1, not that it is a bad canopy, but the Spectre and Stiletto are both superior designs IMHO, and the resale value of used Sabre1's is very low and dropping. - Dan G

1256:2 - Dan G

I think you should do a bunch of test jumps on the rig without the Cypres. But you should do solos, wear a helmet, and open high. Why? Because you have relatively low experience, and are jumping unfamiliar gear with, presumably, an unfamiliar canopy. I wouldn't worry about the knocked out scenario as much as the crash landing scenario. No one with any sense demo's gear by doing a 20-way headdown with no helmet and dumping at 2 grand. Take some jumps to get used to the gear in a safe manner, but don't worry about the lack of Cypres. - Dan G - Dan G

Jumping into a university stadium will require a PRO rating. No if, ands, or buts. Sorry. - Dan G

I have used a football chin cup on a Protek for over 300 camera jumps. Another tandem videographer at my DZ has used one for about 1500 camera jumps. They work fine. The only downside is the lack of a 'quick release'. You need to practice ditching the helmet on the ground a bunch. Really this just means pulling two straps instead of one, but you can also get fancy and have a rigger (or yourself) sew the two strap ends together (or withg a piece of webbing) and viola, a quick release. Most people who preach quick release will also insist that you cut off the regular chip strap on the Protek. I still have mine on, maybe not the best idea, but I have managed to knock the chin cup off before, and I really don't want to lose my cameras. Flame away. - Dan G

When I film RW, as soon as one person leaves, I dump immediately. When he was new, our team cameraman used to wait a couple of seconds. If the camera guy pulls at the same time as everyone else, your horizontal separation to the next closest canopy is greatly reduced. I talked to our cameraman, and now it is not a problem. Having a 180 off heading opening and flying right at the camera guy is scary. - Dan G

I used to use an APS version of the camera in question. The main problem with it, in my opinion, is that it is an instamatic. Your can't adjust the f-stop, exposure, or focus. It is truly point and shoot. This is great for fun photos to show your friends, but the pictures are not professional quality. The camera's light meter is cheap, and pictures tend to be blurry from too long exposure. If you intend to get paid for your work, then you are a professional, so this is not the camera for you. If money is a problem, you can get a brand new Canon EOS Rebel X body with 35-80mm lens at Walmart for $200. You can also get a Canon 22-55mm lens (much better for tandem/AFF) for only $110 at bhphoto.com. A bite switch is $50 or so, and you can get creative at Home Depo for mounting hardware. Whole set up less than $400. Yes this is alot more than $150 for the instamatic, but you'll be able to use the Canon for years to come. Also, you can get new lenses for it as you go along. - Dan G

Nice website. Very professional looking. While we're at it, check out our team, Event Horizon, site: http://www.eventhorizon4way.org - Dan G

P.S. And after you get your booty equiped suit, get someone to teach you how to use them properly. If you are only doing arm turns, then booties won't help you. Learn to do coordinated turns, and you will be able to turn faster, and stop quicker with booties. It's not hard, but it takes a little practice. - Dan G

I don't believe you have to be more careful in the way you start your track. Booty or no booty, you begin with a de-arch, then extend your legs. Arms come last. With booties, however, you will be able to track farther and faster. As with any track, your knees must be locked out to get the best effect. In short, if you want to do RW, get the booties. - Dan G

(Also posted in RW forum) Skydive Orange, Virginia is hosting an RW Skills Camp August 1-3 (next Thursday through Saturday). The camp is being run by Stephan Lipp of Arizona Vengeance, former head of the Skydive U program at Eloy. We are going to focus mostly on 4-way skills. All experience levels are welcome. Registration is $40 for all three days, or $15 per day. Jumps are at cost (for instance if you have a three way and jump with Stephan as a fourth, the three of you split his jump and pack job). Dirt diving, debriefing, seminars, video review, etc. are without charge. Hope to see some people there. You can contact me at [email protected] with any specific questions. - Dan G - Dan G

Skydive Orange, Virginia is hosting an RW Skills Camp August 1-3 (next Thursday through Saturday). The camp is being run by Stephan Lipp of Arizona Vengeance, former head of the Skydive U program at Eloy. We are going to focus mostly on 4-way skills. All experience levels are welcome. Registration is $40 for all three days, or $15 per day. Jumps are at cost (for instance if you have a three way and jump with Stephan as a fourth, the three of you split his jump and pack job). Dirt diving, debriefing, seminars, video review, etc. are without charge. Hope to see some people there. You can contact me at [email protected] with any specific questions. - Dan G

Another note: if you don't pull the slider down the risers to a position behind your head (which many people are not comfortable with) loosening the chest strap will not have any effect on how your parachute flies. The lines will still be constricted by the slider. This is not a bad thing, and your parachute was designed to fly like this, but if loosening the chest strap bothers you, don't do it just cause other people are doing it. Do it only because you want the (slightly) increased performance it can provide if coupled with proper slider stowage. - Dan G

If economy is important, try Windline in Z-Hills. I have two suits by them (RW and camera) and have been very pleased. I also found them to be about $50 less than Tonysuits. Their number is (863) 679-9009. - Dan G