Milo

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Posts posted by Milo

  4. Quote



    Which brings up another question, if the canopy does spin up, will it spin faster because the brakes are unstowed?



    Beezy Shaw had this to say in 2005 about getting out of linetwists on an unbraked main:

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    I have been asked about this a few times, so I thought I'd post this. Someone commented recently that their drop zone has had several tandem cutaways because of line twists on their Icarus (or Precision) tandems. These canopies do not have deployment brakes. While I can't really give an explanation as to "why" these dz's are having these (I do plenty of tandems and it is very very rare for me) I can offer a simple solution so that it doesn't result in chopping the main when line twists do occur on these canopies.

    Simply reach up and get the steering toggle that will turn the canopy in the direction it needs to turn in order to fly out of the line twist, and slowly pull that toggle to initiate a turn. The canopy will immediately correct itself. Just don't pull the control line down too quickly or pump the toggle, to avoid friction with the other lines.



    http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=1861474;#1861474

  7. Quote

    I work at a small midwest drop zone with two 182s. Beginning last season we initiated an effort to have a videographer with every tandem regardless of their up front purchase.

    We've kept detailed statistics on the turnaround. For the second year we have a 90% turnaround on customers that end up purchasing the video when they stated they wouldn't want one.

    The deal made by the DZO is that if the customer does not purchase in the end the videographer is only out their time for the jump.

    We maintain copies of every video and for those that dont want it, and don't leave with it, even they end up calling a couple weeks later and purchasing their copy.

    For our operation, 90% is WELL worth the risk of giving up a spot on the plane to chance at a little more revenue. Are there any other DZs out there that have tried this? If so, do you see the same turn around? What would you see as the pros or cons of this idea. So far we're lovin it.



    I'm curious. Do the students view the footage before they leave the DZ? Before they purchase? Do You call them later to remind them you have the footage or do they call you because they remembered you shot the video?

  11. Quote

    seen the movie several times, got one ? did the opening make a noise anywhere close to those on movie. never even been anywhere close to a round in actual use so. i know the sound when a modern canopy is opening up, when its not mine of course. do they sound the same or did they actually have a pop to them? i know probably stupid ? but still instrested



    I have the same question after watching the movie. Of course they were opening much lower than any skydive I have been on, so that may also have been a factor in how it sounds on the ground.

  12. Here are a couple of books, The Parachute Manual volumes 1 and 2 will make for some light reading when you get some downtime and seem to be a prerequisite for all the courses.
    http://www.paragear.com/templates/base_template.asp?group=23#B1876

    Here are the courses that I know the web address of.
    http://www.para-concepts.com/RiggingCourse/

    http://www.paraloft.com/Riggers_course.htm

    and

    http://www.usapr.com/

    I'm not a rigger but I think any skydiver can benefit from learning as much as they can about our sport and the history and current science of our gear.

  15. Hello,
    Since Tandem jumps seem to be the way most people become exposed to skydiving, I am interested in how your dropzone views them. Are they a one time point of income, or are you able to capitalize on their exposure? Do you call them after the jump and try to get them to come back?

    Thanks.

    I only had 5 options for my poll. Do you have a better poll question that makes sense at your dropzone?

  18. I'll ask you the same thing I asked Alge: How many times have your L&B items broke? If it fell off in freefall would you really expect anything to not need repair?
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    I agree but I have heard stories of parts breaking on there alti for different reasons aka, hit the door on the way out, and L&B fixed it at no cost. So I mean maybe for once great customer service is real? We can all dream right?



    That is not even a question here! They have great customer service! I think they replace shit that they should not, they go above and beyond what they should for replacing things. I am just wondering why they dont inprove the product so the same shit doesnt break over and over. Like there housing's and battery cover's as an example.

  19. How many times have your L&B items broke? If it fell off in freefall would you really expect anything to not need repair?

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    Excuse my while I play the devil's advocate for a second.

    There's tons of stories of people who break their L&B gear (or just lose it in freefall or whatever) and get a new one shipped to them. Could it possibly be because the materials are prone to break and manufacturing is really cheap?

    If I as a gadget vendor could choose between:
    1) Use well-tested materials and sturdy construction which ensures high quality but gives me a smaller profit margin, and
    2) Use inferior materials/production and mass-produce the gadgets so I have enough to send out to everyone who breaks/loses their product, AND gain a reputation for the best customer service in the industry by doing so
    ..
    then I guess I would pick 2. (:

    (I have nothing agsinst L&B and use several of their products each time I jump.)

  22. Quote

    It's a strategy; Nobody likes doing those boring TPS reports, so if you do them badly, they will give you something else, (more interesting), to do.:ph34r:



    My father once told me: Never be good at a task nobody likes. You will be the only one assigned that task and you will never move on because nobody else wants to do that task.

  25. Quote

    Would you trust a container made almost 20 years ago? It looks good upon an in-person inspection, the rigger I'm buying it from says it's safe. I trust him, but wanted to get some more feedback from people here who either have jumped with the aforementioned container or still own it.

    Thanks! :)



    How much are you paying for it?
    I'd jump a 20 year old container, but I wouldn't pay much for it.