DanG
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Everything posted by DanG
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USPA has already given up the idea of one shot canopy instruction. The ISP includes canopy training and practice at every level, A through H. It is up to the DZ's and instructors to practice it, which takes time and effort. I hate to be the voice of the ISP, because it is not perfect, but a lot of critisism that I see posted here about USPA and student programs is based on outdated training that many DZ's still use out of convenience, lack of information, or just stubborness. - Dan G
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The cordura BOC is fine as long as there is proper tension in the elastic in the mouth. My girlfriend has a Reflex, and ended up with a premature deployment out of a sit because the elastic was too loose. Like anything else, you need to properly maintain this part of your gear. She had the elastic tightened by her rigger, and packs the pilot chute a little wider. No more problems. - Dan G
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If you go in due to a reserve malfunction, the pilot of the aircraft could be in serious trouble. Something to think about. - Dan G
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Safety Day "discussions" - Decide on the ground!
DanG replied to larry's topic in Safety and Training
I agree that good riser covers are a must, but I'm confused on one point. It seems to me that once you deploy your reserve, the reserve risers are going to force open the riser covers no matter what. This then leaves the main risers flapping around, which is what people seem to be worried about. Personally, if I have a pilot chute in tow, I'm going to go straight for the reserve ripcord. I don't think cutting away first makes sense. If the main bag falls out, I'll cut away then if I can't contain it. - Dan G -
I think I see what you are saying, but it seems that if there is a lot of pressure on the chin cup (like your main has entangled with your camera and is trying to rip your head off) friction is going to keep the bolts in place. In other words, I don't think they would fall out without being pulled. Maybe you could also attach the cutaway handle to the bolts them selves with a longer lanyard so the bolts would be pulled just after the pins? Or maybe that would overengineer it so that it wouldn't work at all. - Dan G
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Like I said, at the risk of getting yelled at. I just think people should be open with their affiliations. Thank you for clarifying your relationship with Atair. Next time I'm in the market for a new canopy, I intend to demo a Cobalt among many other choices. For now, I am very pleased with my Stiletto, and would purchase one again without a second thought. - Dan G
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At the risk of getting yelled at, I think it only fair that you (Chuck) mention that you are employed by Atair, the makers of the Cobalt, as a factory pilot. Some people who read these posts might not know that. - Dan G
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Actually, the improved leg strap tension adjusters, riser inserts, and stainless steel hardware are standard on all Sunpath rigs now. I recently bought a stardard Javelin and was happily suprised to find all of the above at no extra cost. I did, however, have to pay extra to have "Javelin" sewn on the sides, but hey, it looks cool. The only things different on the Oddessy are the laterals and wider leg straps for comfort. - Dan G
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My girlfriend used to do a lot of tye die. If the fabric is not 100% cotton, it will not take the dye as well. You may need to dye it more than once, and it will fade more easily. And don't buy the cheap dye if you don't want it to look crappy. I can't remember what the good stuff is called, but she used to get it off the web. - Dan G
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I'm really not an elitist ass. Really. In fact I'm being quite egalitarian in my opinion that students should receive high quality coaching from qualified individuals. If you want to fun jump with new people for free and give them pointers, please do so. Don't get a coach rating just you you can get paid to do the same thing. Coaching should be taken seriously, and I think one of the reasons it is not is because people assume that the practicing coaches out there are all 125 jump wonders. The coaches I know approach their job in a professional manner and do everything they can to give the student good information and training. Thanks for the flame though. It's a little cold this time of year. I already posted my thoughts on the original topic, but I want to reiterate that in a good RW dive or RW stable position you can see below and behind you. You need to see in that direction because that is where the other swwopers might be coming from. In a stand/sit you can't see that way because your body is in the way. - DanG (aka Elitist Ass)
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I told myself I would drop the coaching discussion, but now I'm upset. Someone who has 125 freefly jumps should not be a USPA RW coach. That much we can all disagree on. What really pisses me off id Clay's attitude that the students are just off AFF and don't know any better. What the hell, they don't know if they are getting good coaching, so fuck 'em. First of all, they do know if they are getting good coaching or not. Just because they are students doesn't make them stupid. Secondly, a coach does a lot more than just sit there and watch the student pull. You have to be rock solid on exit, fall exactly straight down, maintain a constant fallrate (or match theirs depending on the drill) and be watching and mentally recording everything that happens. It is easy to jump with a new person, it is hard to coach them properly. Thirdly, your attiutude sucks. I got flamed hard for suggesting I get paid for coaching work, and you're suggesting you get paid for ripping someone off. Where's the justice? I wish you good luck in your endeavors. If you do get your rating (and it sounds unlikely) you will quickly become the least popular coach on the DZ and students will avoid working with you. Oh, and strapping a camera on your head will make coaching even harder. - Dan G
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I do both. The majority of the bridle is folded inside the PC, but I leave one fold on the outside. I found that with my new Javelin's bridle cover, I had some hard pulls because the bridle came straight out of the PC and under the cover. If the PC is rolled tight, it sort of traps the PC in the pouch. Leaving one fold (about 10 inches) of bridle on the outside of the PC and well tucked in has solved my problem. - Dan G
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As usual, all good advice. One idea I had to solve your problem immediately is for you to wear either gators (baggy sleeves that go over your jumpsuit) or even a baggy sweatshirt over top of your jumpsuit. Make sure it doesn't interfere with your handles. For the long term, try this: find someone with some experience who has a good fallrate range. Do a three way with the person. They act as the leader in a fallrate game of follow the leader. You exit together and everyone tries to stay on level with the leader. The leader adjusts his or her fallrate up and down, and both you and your wife try to match it. This is a good exercise which will help both of you increase your range. And she is probably going to have to wear a little weight. Sorry. - Dan G
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All of these ideas are good. AndyMan's advice on exits is on the mark, but these are hard things to visualize. Ask someone on a four-way team or other experienced RW'er at your DZ to show you the basic exits they use. I also thing picking a definite spot on the horizon and trying to do controlled turns is a great idea. Finally, since you are in the air by yourself, give some consideration to opening a little higher than usual and working some canopy drills. Get your instructor to make some suggestions. Make sure the other people on the plane and the pilot know you want to pull high. Good luck, it sounds like you are eager to learn, which is the most important trait to have for your own safety and survival (not to mention fun). - Dan G
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Yeah, I'm getting scared. If someone used a stand to get down to a big RW formation at my DZ the talking to would be lengthy. In theory it is great, but you can't see directly under you, and you can't see below and behind you, and those are the danger areas. (Sit position is the worst in this regard, totally blind below and behind) I recommend the RW stable position. Someone else described it: very hard (relaxed muscles) arch, bring your hands in to your chest, and pull your legs up until your toes are still in the wind, but nothing else. You will fall very fast, and still be able to look around comfortably. I use it in hybrids which are falling fast and to keep up with fat tandem masters who hold the drouge. - Dan G
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I don't wear weights myself, but if what you are saying is true I don't think you're going to need even 6-8 pounds. If you really need the weight, try jumping with four pounds and see how that works. It doesn't sound like a lot of weight, but it really will make a big difference. It also won't affect your canopy flight significantly. And keep working on improving your fallrate range. As you progress in the sport falling faster will be easier because you will be more relaxed in the air. Keep working on it, and someday you'll be loaning your old weight vest to the new skinny guy on the DZ. - Dan G
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Not to get into another argument about the ISP, but the canopy control training in the ISP (although rudimentary) includes what they call reverse turns. The student truns a hard 90 and then snaps back a hard 180 in the other direction before they level out. It is designed to show them that violent control inputs can lead to slack lines and line twists. Of course, the student is instructed to do all this above 2500ft. Much better to kick out of line twists at 2 grand than 800 like you. Good job saving yourself. The ISP also makes students do riser turns and flat turns. It is not a comprehensive canopy control course, but hopefully it will give people a base of skills on which to build. - Dan G
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If I remember my basic aerodynamics correctly, an eliptical planform does indeed affect the wingtip vorticies. If you look at a plot of pressure differential (difference between pressure above and pressure below the wing) across the wing, it will actually be an elipse with the largest differential in the center. The smallest pressure differential is at the tips. This pressure differential causes the vortices at the wing tips as the high pressure air underneath sneaks around the outside of the wing to hook up with the low pressure air on top. Wing tip drag is a significant drag contributer, and an eliptical planform reduces this effect. Theoretically the eliptical planform has the highest Oswald efficiency factor (again this is from memory, I'm sure Quade can eloborate) which is an important factor in efficiency. Also, I believe the only airplane to ever sport a truly eliptical wing was the WWII era Spitfire (I think). It, like eliptical canopies, was very efficient and maneuverable. However, the manufacturing costs to make the wing were huge. Straight edge wings are much easier to make. Some airplanes have strainght wings which simulate the eliptical shape. Next time you're at the DZ look at the trailing edge of a C-182. - Dan G
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I, unlike you, don't see the point of flaming others on this forum. As for your 'real rating' comment: I am just a poor student, so I can't get all the ratings at once. Last summer I got my Skydive U Basic Body Flight Coach rating (a very real rating), and this summer I am going to try for AFF-I. This thread is going nowhere, so I am finished. Flame me all you want. - Dan G
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Actually, the asshole comment was not aimed at you at all. I completely respect your position, and I'm sure your skills (as is your knowledge) is exceptional. Before USPA came out with the ISP, many people were of the opinion that the AFF/SL progression was not turning out students with the necessary skills to survive in our sport.Canopy instruction was especially lacking, and there was also the opinion that some basic safety skills like swooping and docking, and fall rate control were not up to par (my dropzone was one of the original test dropzones for the ISP, and we saw every incarnation as it was developed). Unpaid and informal coaching (like most people here seem to like) was not doing the job. So now we have the ISP and coaches. Coaches exist (in my opinion) because the majority of AFF-I's (unlike those at your DZ) expect to get paid handsomly for their time. Students simply can't afford to pay an AFF-I or AFF-JM to jump with them all the time. They can, however, receive quality instruction from coaches for much less money. I do believe that the bar is too low right now for coaches (which seems to be another complaint, that any 100 jump wonder can get a coach rating), I think potential coaches should have to show more than the very basic skills they show now, but that really is another discussion. Chuck, if you would like to discuss this further offline, I'd be more than happy too. Clearly I have been beaten down by everyone on this forum for my views. I still believe that both paid coaching and unpaid coaching have valuable places in skydiving. I'm sorry to have upset so many people with my comments, re-reading them I really did come off much harsher than I intended. - Dan G
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I hasten to add that all of the coaches at my DZ (including myself) spend much more time jumping for free with new people than just about everyone else. We all love to teach new people how to skydive, and no one is getting rich off of coaching fees. However, if I am going to spend a hour on the ground with someone going through isometric and kinesthetic drills, jump with them, then spend another half hour debriefing and preparing for the next dive, I expect to get paid. If you have the time and expertice to do that for free, please go for it. - Dan G
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I knew I would get slammed for my post as soon as I sent it, but you guys are so full of shit your eyes are brown. Yes, I agree that in a perfect world the people who have spent the time and money to get various ratings and improve their skills would gladly donate all of their remaining time and money to teach new people how to skydive. Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way. Usually, people get cleared off AFF and then spend the next 100 jumps flailing around the sky, jumping with their buddy who also has just graduated. They spend, say, $1800 learning the very basic skills that they could have learned from a qualified coach for much less. Every now and then, some asshole like the ones slamming me decides to spend 20 minutes with a newbie and maybe even jump with them. The more experienced guy feels like he is 'giving back to the sport' and the new kid thinks he learned something. If you don't like having paid coaches in the world, then don't use them. If people really spent all their time teaching new kids how to jump, then the free market would prevent coaches from existing. If you want to learn how to fly your body, then you can do it two ways: you can make a bunch of jumps with people who have limited teaching experience and limited understanding of the mechanics of skydiving, or you can make a few jumps with someone who has experience with both. Your choice. By the way, my comment "can you tell I'm a coach" was not meant to say that I think I am better than anyone else. It was meant to convey that not everyone agrees with Bill Novak, and there are differing perspectives on this issue. - Dan G
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Hey, if you don't want to pay for coach jumps, you can always go jump at some slack-ass DZ that doesn't support the ISP and will give you your A license with (as Bill says) the bare minumum skills to survive. Can you tell I'm a coach? - Dan G
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I just boaght an extremely similar canopy. Stilleto w/1000 jumps, about 100 on the line set. I paid $500 for it, and thought is was a fine price. Not really cheap, but not unreasonable. Of course, I also know the canopy and its history. I know it was packed indoors and well maintained, etc. - Dan G
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Actually, neither an audible altimeter nor a visual altimeter is a replacement for visually checking your altitude by looking at the ground. Both audibles and visual altimeters have and will malfunction. Develop your visual altitude sense. It may save your life. - Dan G