Haggis

Sounds like you've got an Icarus Beta which is the Icarus equivalent of a Sabre (9 cell square - can't remember if it's ZP or not). There are a few around in Australia. I've done one jump with a 145 and it flies fine. Give it a jump. As for the fit, you might be best to e-mail the designer and ask him. [email protected] Cheers

This is the url It's up and running - I just checked it http://www.ArrowDynamicsInc.com/ Blue skies

They're actually called grub screws I think (in case you ever need to buy replacements). Remove the wrist mount entirely. You need a tiny allen key to remove the grub screws (can't remember the size - maybe 1.5mm. It's metric anyway being a German product - the one I use is part of a set I bought in a motorcycle shop) Now push the whole alti/face assembly from the front. Try to rotate it exactly 90 degrees because there are 8 little recesses around the edge of the alti and you should try to line these up with the grub screw hole so the grub screw can be screwed back in fully. Don't over tighten the grub screws. They have a little point on the end of them that needs to press into the plastic and stop it rotating but once the wrist mount is back in place the guts of the alti will never be able to come loose anyway. When I was doing mine, I also took the opportunity to remove the glass and write my name on the alti face (in the non critical 9-12000 area) in a fine black permanent marker as a theft deterrent. Blue skies.

I know this camera has been discussed before but I still haven't heard of anyone jumping one. Come on folks... Someone take the plunge and stick one on a helmet so the rest of us can find out what it's like !!! (Bags not go first) Tempt yourselves here... http://www.sony.com.au/product_detail.asp?CCod=18130&CCod2=16667&ProdCod=DCRIP7 There's a good objective review on http://www.dansdata.com/dcrip7.htm

"... and if in freefall someone deploys under you, don't hesitate, dump! " Are you nuts? If you see somebody below you deploying, track. As soon as your release your own pc, you've lost your ability to move any way in the air except straight down. Then all you can do is hope your canopy opens quicker than the lower person. Twice I've had people open below me. First time I saw a pilot chute being released what looked like 1000 ft below me. I had my pilot chute in the air in the blink of an eye but by then the lower canopy was already inflating and slowing. It felt I could have reached out and touched it as I went past trailing a snivelling mess behind me. Second time I was just coming out of a track, saw (the same !!) pc, went back into my track, dipped a shoulder to jink left, no sweat. You don't have to move far to go around someone. If you see someone dump, chances are, it's too late to stop. Take evasive action. That's what I've been taught. That's what I've seen to be true.

"I was wondering exactly what is being done to the canopy to correct the problems. And how do you evaluate that the repaired canopy is OK" I've had mine re-trimmed. The point where the B lines meet the A lines has been moved a couple of inches to flatten out the angle that the nose of the canopy meets the air at. There is a notice fixed to the warning label indicating that it's been modified. In terms of the changes to how it flies, front riser pressure is heavier but it's solid as a rock and it loves to dive when asked. Rear risers are a bit lighter and it doesn't seem to have quite as much bottom end flare as it used to. Overall I prefer the new trim. Haven't had a turbulent day to fly it yet but mine never gave me any grief before the retrim anyway. It did buck around a bit same as my Stiletto used to but because it's a Crossfire, everyone was fixating on it and paying no heed to the fact that the rest of the canopies that were doing the same thing.

Another suggestion for the gear reviews - Cameras are pretty expensive and while Sony seem pretty skydiving friendly and reliable, Panasonic may not be quite so robust and JVC (for instance) require the eyepiece to be extended to record ( I think) which is not ideal. Even within the Sony range I get confused between the models and from a second hand point of view, the information gets pulled from the manufacturers site when they stop selling them Do you think you could find the time to build another category ? Blue skies David

There's been another change to the Crossfire PSB on the Icarus site today. All reference to the line trim change has now been removed. I anxiously await the outcome. Apparently, all will be revealed later today. Product Safety Bulletin A Service bulletin offering a conclusion to the situation will be published on this website Friday 26th October 2001. Thank you for your patience.

I don't think that's very fair. I know Dan is a competitor (he's never tried to hide the fact) and so can't be expected to be completely impartial but by the same token, Icarus have got a vested interest here too. If someone who's gone to the trouble of tunnel testing a Crossfire has something to say about it, I want to hear it. Let's remember that we're are not talking about competing washing machine manufacturers here, we're talking about canopies that can injure and kill people if they are faulty in design and/or manufacture. If un-truths are uttered, let Icarus respond or the libel courts deal with it. I own a Crossfire and it's easily the best canopy I've ever flown (love it love it love it) but I'm still interested in hearing more than one side (Icarus's) of the story. I don't think it makes Dan look bad and if I ever tire of my Crossfire, a Cobalt will be at the top of my list of canopies to demo (as well as a smaller Crossfire)

I had a factory diver with a fixed lens. Having fallen through a cloud one day the lens got covered in a fine mist and obscured my vision. On opening, I had severe line twists and couldn't see which way to kick them out so I kicked a few more in before removing the helmet, sticking it on top of my head and kicking out. I now use it with goggles instead of the visor.

Dan, thank you for investigating the Crossfire problem and (in the absence of any information from Icarus) making your findings known. I have a hundred plus jumps on a Crossfire 110 and I love it. I've had no problems whatsoever (I front riser all the time) but I'm obviously a bit concerned now. Do you have any pictures of the old and new nose design you could post so Crossfire owners can check their canopies ? Blue skies