SimonBones

Is there going to be any kind of military discount like up in NH? That may be a silly question given the proximity to all the military bases. 108 way head down world record!!! http://www.simonbones.com Hit me up on Facebook

That's a good call. If I'm ever trying to visit a DZ passing through the area it's always a pain in the ass to get a contact. You can try emailing the DZ from their website if you ever get a response. You can try making a shout out on DZ.com but that doesn't usually work unless it's a bigger DZ. My couch is always open to skydivers and Couchsurfers passing through the South East Va area. --Simon 108 way head down world record!!! http://www.simonbones.com Hit me up on Facebook

Here at Skydive Suffolk, we are a stones throw away form Norfolk and all that mega huge military areas. We have jumpers who are

What? My beer better already be open when the bitch brings it! 108 way head down world record!!! http://www.simonbones.com Hit me up on Facebook

I joined earlier this year and it was pretty awesome. I used it while traveling around Ireland and the UK and it saved me quite a bit of cash. Free place to stay! I've also met some really cool people. I took one guy who was visiting the area up for a tandem. Cool stuff! 108 way head down world record!!! http://www.simonbones.com Hit me up on Facebook

Many skydivers are also travelers. Some travel close, some far. Not all DZs have camping or bunkhouses and some have these only on weekends. Trying to post something on a forum like "Is anyone from (wherever)" rarely turns up results unless it's from a bigger DZ. Websites like Couchsurfing.com really allow people to network couches wherever they're traveling for some free accommodation. I think DZ.com should have a link to this, integrate to it, or even copy what it does. When I travel, I'm usually trying to hit up a local DZ and I'd rather stay with a local skydiver than a local whuffo. -Simon 108 way head down world record!!! http://www.simonbones.com Hit me up on Facebook

I'm actually heading out there in a little bit. I only live 10min up the road! I'll see you there sometime this weekend. It'll probably be pretty good to do a cleaning with someone who has done some before so I don't screw it up. Thanks Miami. --Simon 108 way head down world record!!! http://www.simonbones.com Hit me up on Facebook

Thanks for all the help guys! --Simon 108 way head down world record!!! http://www.simonbones.com Hit me up on Facebook

That looks like a pretty good option. The website though has about 9 different products for sale ranging from the basic kit to the super ultra mega kit. Which is the best kit to buy so I don't pay a whole bunch of money for stuff I don't really need? --Simon 108 way head down world record!!! http://www.simonbones.com Hit me up on Facebook

Are these "supplies" something like an accessory to the camera that can be purchased at B&H for example? 108 way head down world record!!! http://www.simonbones.com Hit me up on Facebook

Through time and changing lenses I suppose there is crap that got in my Canon Rebel XT that keeps screwing up my pictures (see attached photo on the left side of photo). I've tried buying a can of duster and spraying the hell out of the inside but that has been unsuccessful. Does anyone else have any ideas or experiences that can fix this without having to send the camera somewhere and pay over $100 to get it professionally cleaned? Thanks -Simon 108 way head down world record!!! http://www.simonbones.com Hit me up on Facebook

Completely stable and under droguefall. I gave a couple gos at the drogue releases, then cutaway and reserve. On heading no spin or instability. -Simon 108 way head down world record!!! http://www.simonbones.com Hit me up on Facebook

The Sigma system I was jumping was equipped with a skyhook and I do check the collins lanyard and all before my jump. This was my thought process for cutting away on the total: On a jump over the blue skies ranch NY some years ago, my roommate and great friend had this happen right before my eyes under canopy as we had just broken off from a jump. He had a pilot chute in tow (from not cocking... dumbass) and went straight for his reserve. That is when I noticed because his main is not solid blue with a free bag. The main D-bag fell out of the container and voila! The main came out and started inflating behind the reserve causing the reserve canopy to dive forward and slightly to the right. No big deal... he chopped it, problem solved. Personally, on my own sport rig I choose to not cut away if I had a total or a PCIT (and no sport PCIT cutaway arguments need start over this here now, take it elsewhere). However after watching what happened to him I decided I WOULD for a tandem. When I was trying to deploy the main on that tandem jump, I was not sure what the status of the closing system was. I did not know if the safety pin had come out, or if it was stuck, or if the bridle was caught on something on the rig or if the drogue release pin actually did come out. I do not have eyes on the back of the tandem rig. To try and eliminate all possibility of any kind of main/reserve entanglement or reserve fouling of any kind I just cut away. It didn't hurt anything. Also, going through the TI course I was taught once a sequence had been started, follow the entire sequence through in order. That is what I did. What's the worst that could happen? Lose a main still in the Dbag? Or possibly what actually did happen. A drogue/reserve tangle is probably better than a main/reserve tangle anyway. I am however, a relatively inexperienced tandem instructor (and young grasshopper) compared to many of you out there with thousands of tandem jumps. I am completely open and appreciative to any kind of feedback about this and would love to hear about other experiences relating to this and how it turned out. Thanks, Simon Palacio (Bones) 108 way head down world record!!! http://www.simonbones.com Hit me up on Facebook

After some research and talking with Relative Workshope we think we may have figured out what happend to me. I'm attaching pics of some closing configurations sent by RW. The incorrect way labeled "BadSigma" can cause pull forces of 75 pounds DURING DROUGUEFALL and drouguefall only. After being on the ground (like in my case) there will be no high pull force. Closing this way can pinch the pull line so the force of the drogue during the droguefall gives you a hard pull. Some of you have shared experiances of hard pulls but didn't know why. When doing your gear check look for this. It's very easy to miss and some at our DZ (including some riggers) were unaware of this problem. I hope reading this will save you from a hard pull, reserve ride, or even a double mal. 108 way head down world record!!! http://www.simonbones.com Hit me up on Facebook

While gear checking before the jump, I noted the safety pin to be pulled out about 1/3 of the way. I tried to push it back in but it was in that position from the bridle being tucked up behind the right flap while routing to the pouch. While on the ground afterwords, the safety pin had been pulled out. There was no obvious twisting in the release pin line. That was noted afterwords by a rigger who was on the scene for immediate inspection. As far as pin lengths I'm not sure, my experience with tandem systems is limited. I will have to get one of the more senior instructors to check that out. My best thought is that after routing the bridle to the pouch however it was tucked may have caused a hangup in the safety pin, but again, the safety pin was released on ground inspection. It could have possibly released while struggling with the bridle to clear the entanglement. How possible is it that hard pulls on the pin for these other reasons we've been discussing to clear after the reserve is out. I've seen before in pilot chute in tow situations that not cutting away leads to the main becoming loose and falling out and inflating. Could the tandem reserve opening lead to clearing whatever situation caused the hard pull? 108 way head down world record!!! http://www.simonbones.com Hit me up on Facebook

Hey all! I wanted to post and discuss my tandem double malfunction today because 1) I wanted to make others aware of what happened and 2) more importantly I want feedback from Sigma rated tandem instructors, riggers, or packers if anyone has ever heard of this or had any experience with something like this. I wasn't sure if this post should be in instructors, gear/rigging, incidents, or more than one. Moderators feel free to send this wherever is better. First, quickly about me. I am new to tandem instruction. I have somewhere about (haven't counted exactly) 60-70 tandem master jumps almost entirely on Vector Sigma equipment. I'm about 6 ft 1 and 150lbs. My passenger was an older man with about the same frame but shorter. This was his first tandem jump and my first for the day. My most recent tandem was from yesterday and I have been tandem mastering for 5-6 months. Before today I have never had a tandem malfunction. I have had 2 unintentional cutaways and 1 demo cutaway on sport equipment. What happened: There was no video. Normal drogue freefall (as far as I can tell). I pulled my primary release at 5,300ft and had a hard pull. I gave it 3 quick hard yanks total. I have never had any issue with this equipment having anything more than the normal 10lbs pull force. I went to the secondary release and started yanking hard and quickly on that about 3-4 times. I quickly began pulling on both simultaneously as hard as I could for about 3 times. Each time I had pulled, there was some extension of the handle and then a stop. The ball did come away from the housing a few inches. I pulled my cutaway handle and quickly next my reserve. The drogue instantly tangled with the right side of the reserve lines wrapping them. This did not allow the reserve slider to come down any lower than 2/3 to 3/4 of the way up. The drogue was not collapsed, it was still cocked. Without hesitation I went to work trying to untangle the drogue from the lines. At this point I was just above 2000ft. Because of the nature of the entanglement, the descent rate, and the cocked drogue trailing behind putting tension on the bridle, and altitude I stopped trying to clear the entanglement and went to work trying to bring the entanglement lower by pulling down on the bridal areas I could reach and pumping the brakes hoping this would bring the slider down further and lower my descent rate. At about 1200ft I had gotten the entanglement low enough that the slider was about 1/3 of the way up. I was over the trees at the edge of the landing area and stopped fighting the entanglemet in order to stear the parachute to the landing area. A left 90 and a right 90 (into the wind) brought me to 800ft but over the landing area. I flared as hard as I could but still had a rough landing. Both myself and the passenger were not injured and walked away scratch free. The passenger was oblivious to any problems (I kept telling him he did a good job and cheered him on and so on while the battle was going on). After carefully taking of the rig and laying it flap side up. Several of us including 2+ riggers and the DZO began an inspection of the system. The drogue release pin was still in place, canopy still in the container. The safety pin was not in the drogue release pin at this time. The secondary handle was pulled and the pin released with relatively normal force. Confused we kept looking into any causes for this. The top grommet was noted to have an indentation where the safety pin is inserted. This indentaion also existed in the other Sigma rigs but more so in this one. We did not think this is the cause. After quite a bit of discussion the best thing we could speculate was some sort of drogue bridle snag that did not allow the safety pin to be pulled during freefall. I did not notice any snag on myself. The freefall seemed as steady as any other to the best of my recollection. If anyone Sigma rated, rigger, or experienced Sigma packer has any kind of input or experience with any situation like this that could explain something please share. Is there something we are not thinking of? I would be glad to answer any questions to put anymore clarity to this situation. Thanks, --SimonBones 108 way head down world record!!! http://www.simonbones.com Hit me up on Facebook

So I guess I should be investing in new editting software eh? Do either of the programs you guys recommended also do DVD authoring? That would be important for me too as I currently have nothing to do that with. 108 way head down world record!!! http://www.simonbones.com Hit me up on Facebook

I'm trying to edit up a video (I'm stilll new at this) using windows movie maker. My problem: I've got footage mostly NTSC but I firewired some PAL footage in Europe onto my PC1000. When I try and capture it onto the computer it won't work, even if I change the settings to PAL. Is this an issue with windows movie maker? Can you not edit the two formats together? Am I just doing something wrong and being stupid? Please help! --Simon 108 way head down world record!!! http://www.simonbones.com Hit me up on Facebook

Hey all! I just moved down here to Suffolk Virginia and am looking for a BASE mentor. I have already taken a BASE FJC out in Europe and did some jumps. I need to buy some gear. I have money but would like some guidance. There is not a whole lot of BASE experiance at the local DZ just a couple of guys ranging between 5-20 jumps. --Simon 108 way head down world record!!! http://www.simonbones.com Hit me up on Facebook

PJ had a natural ability to make anyone laugh anytime anywhere. We were team mates at this years drunken dodgeball tournament at freezefest. We lost miserably, but our team had the most fun. Quiche eating nancy boy? I laughed so hard at that. PJ where do you come up with this stuff? My condolences to friends and family. 108 way head down world record!!! http://www.simonbones.com Hit me up on Facebook

Hey all, I'm moving to the Suffolk area during the first 2 weeks of November. Just trying to get in touch with anyone out there who is a regular there. 108 way head down world record!!! http://www.simonbones.com Hit me up on Facebook

You'll probably like this one too! This was I think my 40th jump a few years ago. I've got it on video with the tune to Top Gun. Kind of silly I know but they made for great pics. Anyone else out there like a skydiving sailor? 108 way head down world record!!! http://www.simonbones.com Hit me up on Facebook

In freefall, WITH THE HAT! Bliz-aam! 108 way head down world record!!! http://www.simonbones.com Hit me up on Facebook

Here's one about to jump in my navy uniform. I have to do it in seperate posts because of the file size (limit 100kb) 108 way head down world record!!! http://www.simonbones.com Hit me up on Facebook

Alright.... Here is a picture of me at the Duanesburg NY DZ in my crackerjacks about to do a uniformed skydive. 108 way head down world record!!! http://www.simonbones.com Hit me up on Facebook