SimonBones

I shot some video for a 100th jump a little bit back and finally got around to posting it. Seriously, this is hilarious and I'm in tears every time I watch it. http://www.skydivingmovies.com/ver2/pafiledb.php?action=file&id=7352 Just had to share! -Simon 108 way head down world record!!! http://www.simonbones.com Hit me up on Facebook

Look at this picture and see ours That shit went 200 mph!!! 108 way head down world record!!! http://www.simonbones.com Hit me up on Facebook

4 hours is certainly doable. I drive 4.5 to get to the tunnel in NC and have made the 6 hour drive plenty of times for my Crosskeys visits. 108 way head down world record!!! http://www.simonbones.com Hit me up on Facebook

I will probably visit all of them. I love to travel and visit new dropzones. 108 way head down world record!!! http://www.simonbones.com Hit me up on Facebook

It says Jason Russell is on team Mandrin! http://www.omniskore.com/comp/2008/usnats/vrw/401.asp They're a 5 way + video VRW team now I guess 108 way head down world record!!! http://www.simonbones.com Hit me up on Facebook

I'm sure you'll see me at both! 108 way head down world record!!! http://www.simonbones.com Hit me up on Facebook

I've never seen out PAC take more than 15 minutes to get to altitude even loaded at 15 jumpers. With a fresh top off with gas and 15 I've seen it do 14-15 minutes. But I also understand that there are some differences between PACs out there that cause some to have more performance than others. Here are some picture examples. The first pic "out" shows a PAC with the exhaust facing directly away from the aircraft. The second pic "BentBack" shows our PAC with the exhaust facing the tail of the aircraft. According to our DZO, having an exhaust like this gives the PAC about 5-10% more performance. I don't remember where, either Raeford or somewhere else, there was a PAC that didn't have the exhaust facing the tail and I thought to myself it didn't climb as fast as our PAC. Maybe this could be an explanation for why some people experience different climb rates on different PACs other than just a better pilot 108 way head down world record!!! http://www.simonbones.com Hit me up on Facebook

Now if a DZ had two PACs as opposed to one otter, it would be waaaay more efficient! You could then turn 28 jumpers (as opposed to 23) at an even faster rate than the otter... with the same number of engines... and burn even less fuel per jumper! Jeebus! 108 way head down world record!!! http://www.simonbones.com Hit me up on Facebook

Looks like I'll miss this boogie by just a couple of weeks 108 way head down world record!!! http://www.simonbones.com Hit me up on Facebook

This is actually a really good call. As a freeflyer, how many times a year do I ever do more than a 15 way? Two or three events? Freeflying has become the way of the future, aircraft is now adapting. 108 way head down world record!!! http://www.simonbones.com Hit me up on Facebook

Looks pretty official. I'm going to be moving to the Houston area before the end of next month. Going to need a new home DZ... Look forward to meeting my new family!!!

Sounds like the general consensus is that the PAC is the way of the future... Just like I've been saying! 108 way head down world record!!! http://www.simonbones.com Hit me up on Facebook

I did a couple of jumps on a hurricane 135. I bought and put 500 jumps on a hurricane 120. Did some jumps on a hurrican 105. It's a great great canopy. Flies like a crossfire 2. The nose is open a bit more so it doesn't snivel anywhere near as long as a crossfire and generally has better heading performance. But it gives it a little more drag too. Has a recovery arc that is much steeper than a stilleto and much lower front riser pressure. It is a great canopy for learning to swoop on, much better than a stilleto. So really, it's pretty much comparable to a crossfire 2 with only the differences noted above. Oh, and if you buy one, try and get the water based ZP coating they used to use as opposed to the oil based ZP coating. Makes the canopy much much less slippery to pack when brand new. 108 way head down world record!!! http://www.simonbones.com Hit me up on Facebook

Kind of like this video here of an otter? http://www.skydivingmovies.com/ver2/pafiledb.php?action=file&id=1982 Yes, I have seen the way the door is set up. Same width as an otter, just a little shorter. Have yet to find any "inside parts of the door" that "grab" handles or could be considered a snag point. But when you find one, take a picture and post it. 108 way head down world record!!! http://www.simonbones.com Hit me up on Facebook

I have been to Raeford. It's a very fun place. In fact I will be there in the area again in two weeks. Great people. You'll have a blast

Since we are in times where fuel prices and efficiency are a big deal, seems like the PAC really is the way of the future. I can only imagine what kind of fuel figures the otter guzzles through. It's slow, fuel inefficient, and keeps jump prices higher. Soon the otter will be just a novelty aircraft which isn't cost efficient to operate regularly like the CASA. Again, the PAC is the way of the future. Change is like a steam roller. Get on board or be flattened in the road behind. 108 way head down world record!!! http://www.simonbones.com Hit me up on Facebook

Hah! I'd like to see you fit 17 in the PAC. When we do 15 it's a nice little squeeze. Yes yes Mike we all know your king air has the biggest penis. Nobody argues that at all. But the nice thing about the PAC is that since it can turn so quickly, why do a full load of 15 ever? It is not uncommon at our DZ to have a full load of 15, then have 5 jumpers get off the load to make a hot load of 5 people and score that 6 minute ride to altitude. A load of 10 will take less then 10 minutes. Those 5 jumpers would much rather wait an extra 10 minutes and get the whole plane to themselves with a super quick ride. It makes more sense to split it up into a really fast light load. Our pilot says he averages about 12 gallons so I says okay

Our DZ uses a PAC. We have the second cheapest jump prices in the entire country as a result (Damn Lodi... how do they do it?). If your DZ uses a PAC and does not have lower jump prices, it is because the DZO is taking a bigger profit on fun jumpers by having the same rates and lower costs. One full altitude ride in a King Air = 38 Gallons One full altitude ride in a PAC = 12 Gallons We can easily start the plane for 7 fun jumpers and turn it hot with 5. That's a 6 minute ride to altitude. Find me an otter you can do that with. Hell, I've yet to ride an otter that can beat our PAC in time to altitude. Now Mike Mullins... he's got us beat. I do tandems out of the PAC and it's never been hard on my knees. How would it be? I sit down on my ass at the edge of the door and hop out. I have jumped quite a variety of planes for launching RW, AFF, wingsuits, freefly, tandems, and piling out dives (like track dives) and have had no problems. I've launched 8 way formations from PACs. The only difference in the door between an otter and a PAC is that the PAC door is not as tall. If you want to launch an 8 way RW, the outside folks can stand up outside like normal, and the inside folks just crouch down a little bit lower. To any skilled skydiver, this should present no problem. I have never hit the tail. I have never come close. On jump run the PAC puts down the flaps and slows down. I have jumped up and tried to touch the wing with my hand and missed. The ONLY problem I've encountered with a PAC is that because it has high lift wings and low drag, it really makes it pretty impssible to do plane chase dives and freefall with it. For that, the Porter is still the best. Come to my DZ and spend one weekend with our PAC. Do 10 jumps in a day with less than a 10 minute ride to altitude each time and pay less then $18 per full altitude jump, THEN come tell me that the otter is a better plane for skydiving. Come out and take that challenge and if you can find another plane that is able to do those figures for skydiving, I'll buy you a jump! 108 way head down world record!!! http://www.simonbones.com Hit me up on Facebook

Cool. There are definitely some Suffolk cats already committed to going. I'll forward on the event details

I'm planning on it! But we'll see where adventure takes me this time 108 way head down world record!!! http://www.simonbones.com Hit me up on Facebook

Yes you can!!! I've seen them myself in freefall over New Years at Z-hills

Maybe if you show up anyway there will be a pick up team that needs someone. Might be worth a shot. 108 way head down world record!!! http://www.simonbones.com Hit me up on Facebook

I will forward this info to the Skydive Suffolk crew and I'm sure you'll have a turnout from us 108 way head down world record!!! http://www.simonbones.com Hit me up on Facebook

I wish we'd tied a streamer to it. It flew very erratically. Maybe next time (if there is one). 108 way head down world record!!! http://www.simonbones.com Hit me up on Facebook

Drive to CPI, jump naked once in two feet of snow (and only once) and forever more it won't be so bad. 108 way head down world record!!! http://www.simonbones.com Hit me up on Facebook