firemedic

I agree with BV and I'd like to add that one specific drawback would be someone who does not want an immediate reserve activation following a cutaway. One such circumstance would be doing CRW and being involved in a canopy entanglement with another jumper.

If you've done your research on the Skyhook or RSL or any of the other MARD systems available you'll find many opinions pro and con. The "human factor" when it comes to the proper rigging of the skyhook system is a valid concern but I don't consider it "fragile." There are some steps in the rigging process that must be done correctly in order to make it function as intended. As with any system, the skyhook must be rigged according to the instructions. Any rigger worth his rating always uses the instructions when packing, especially when working with systems he is not thoroughly familiar with. I suggest you familiarize yourself with the skyhook system and when it's time for a repack, ask your rigger to let you watch and show you how the system is put together and how it functions. A good rigger will be more than happy to do that.

I've been doing a lot of reading on the replacement vs resurfacing procedure. I was approved for the MRI, finally, and I meet with the Dr next week. I'm hoping I can get by with a resurfacing because I'm only 53 and I would really like to wait for as long as possible before I have to consider the total hip replacement. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Every one of those "glitches" gives you experience and helps you relax the next time. Sounds like you're doing just fine. Keep going and keep the cartoons coming. I really enjoy them.

Answers you will get in these forums often goes beyond the point (answer) you are looking for. When those with more experience go beyond that answer, in particular, your canopy choice are not bashing anything. People concerned for your well being are pointing out the fact that you have made an aggressive canopy choice for your experience level and don't want to read about you in the incident forum sometime down the road. Another poster here gave you some great advice. Get a competent canopy coach. You mentioned Brian Germain. If you honestly believe this is a wise choice then give him a call and get his opinion on it. Be safe and have fun. It may not be my wisest choice or it may be, I for sure dont want to read abot me or have someone else read about me on an incident post, It is the canopy I have and wrong or right I will seek all and any advice on how to safely fly it, I fully understand it is aggressive for my experience level, but I dont believe in any way it cant be done and done safely if its done conservatively , I am under a 1:1 ratio I just re weighed myself and since last updated I am at 142 with about 20 in gear puts me at 162-165 .. I doubt I will find many on here to say its a wise choice in canopy, but if the concerns are there go beyond "dont fly that" give advice on how to safely do so .. I take risks everyday, many years in the military, mountain climbing , white water kayaking etc. I do everything with complete knowledge there are risks involved and that shit can go wrong and has in the past. every one on here may be correct about the canopy choice but all I can ask is rather than saying Dont do it.. try if you are going to here is the best approach. like previous posters have said " get a canopy coach" that is more in line with reality than telling any extreme type sports person Not to do it !! I m not saying you are wrong at all and you have way more jumps which probably means you are way more right than me.. so give advice on what I can do to better myself with the choices I have made.. "i rarely take the conservative route and believe that that is why I have succeeded in any sport I have ever put myself into ... " You've pretty much dug in to your position so there really isn't any more to say than this. Skydiving isn't every other sport and by its nature must be approached very conservatively if one wishes to stay healthy and alive. All I can say is good luck with your approach.

Answers you will get in these forums often goes beyond the point (answer) you are looking for. When those with more experience go beyond that answer, in particular, your canopy choice are not bashing anything. People concerned for your well being are pointing out the fact that you have made an aggressive canopy choice for your experience level and don't want to read about you in the incident forum sometime down the road. Another poster here gave you some great advice. Get a competent canopy coach. You mentioned Brian Germain. If you honestly believe this is a wise choice then give him a call and get his opinion on it. Be safe and have fun.

You should have no business with an Alpha/Cobalt with 54 jumps... Wow, I didn't catch that. Good on you. That is way above his experience level. He should be looking for a more appropriate canopy.

Ditto on the H Mod. Had mine done this spring and it improved the openings greatly. I get closed end cells on just about every opening but they are easy to deal with. I highly recommend it.

It is a quandary. This reminds me of the American kid in Singapore who was caned for stealing and for vandalizing cars. Maybe I'm harsh but I felt, hell yea spank his ass. This Arab woman didn't steal or damage any ones property so maybe it is too severe a punishment. On the other hand she did violate their law.

QuoteDetective warned that Laffer was a danger and that his legal guns should be taken from him. This nut sack was one big red flag flapping in the wind. Just an example that not all permit holders are upstanding citizens. He did have a pistol permit allowing him to purchase and own a handgun, Not carry a concealed handgun. Saying "Just an example that not all permit holders are upstanding citizens" is not applicable if you were thinking carry permit holders, and, IMO self serving. If you didn't know then that statement is ill informed.

________________________________________________ When I was younger I had the same opinion. There was another execution last night in GA. Troy Davis was put to death for the killing of Police Officer Mark McPhail in 1989. There is a lot of controversy over this one. Here are a couple links to his case and some others including the innocence project that claims to have freed 17 people on death row who were not guilty. Sorry I don't know how to do the clicky thing. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/218404/20110922/troy-davis-story-controversial-death-row-cases.htm http://www.innocenceproject.org/Content/The_Innocent_and_the_Death_Penalty.php

I think this is a bargain. We'll pay a heck of a lot more when the Bakers Union sues.

If the ends are not smoothed properly they could hang up in the white loop and prevent the canopy from releasing when you need it to. I strongly recommend you take it to your rigger and let him or her cut it to the proper length and smooth out the ends for you.

Robberies involving homicide are a miniscule (i.e. extremely rare) fraction of armed robberies. In 2009 the US NCI reports 408,217 robberies vs. 15,241 murders; and I would guess that a majority of the murders were not committed during robberies. In other words, your odds of surviving a robbery are at least 26 to 1. The odds of surviving a gun battle during a robbery have to drop to at best 1:1 (evening up the odds as they say) and far lower if there's more than one armed robber. Trying to be a hero during a robbery is outright stupidity. The incidents of employees being murdered during a robbery is very low, if they are sequestered anywhere in the store it's most likely just to keep them from calling the police. It's much more likely you'll end up locked in a walk-in freezer or storeroom than dead, which is why I said the opposite is BS. And, it's even more likely you'll just be told to lay on the ground and count to one hundred. Another aspect of non-escalation policies is that company policies often warn employees not to call the police or sound any silent alarms while the robbers are still in the building. The last thing you want to do is have a hostage situation if the police show up too soon. The business' primary concern is for the safety of employees and customers, not stopping the robbery or catching the crooks. The business has far more to lose if someone gets hurt that what gets stolen. No doubt the employee here made a rational decision about whether or not to bring a gun to work, what are they going to do, fire me? Well, yes! Statistically I agree with you. Most robberies don't involve gunfire. There have been numerous store and bank robberies in my county over the years and I only recall one convenience store clerk being shot and killed. Several have been assaulted in one way or another. The most violent robberies I've seen in my area have been against a lone person at night in a parking lot or a vacationing couple walking on the beach, most often at night. Still, I wouldn't work in a high risk business unarmed, company policy or not. I can accept being terminated. I cannot accept being told I must be 100% at he mercy of an armed robber. IF something goes wrong, such as a scared employee trying to run away, and it sends a perp over the edge and he starts shooting, I would at least like the chance to save myself. ETA: The employee that tried to run wasn't fired. He escalated. Walgreens is being selective with the enforcement of its policy.

Very Vague about the ingredients. Nothing vague about this one.

Most times where the gunman tries to bring you some place else in the place, like the back of the store, they are going to kill you. Are there empirical studies that have shown that? (I really don't know.) I haven't heard of any study like that. I've heard the police state on several occasions that, statistically, compliance betters your chance of not being hurt. But that doesn't guarantee it. I don't know how to do the clicky thing but here is a link to check out. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wendy%27s_massacre#Robbery_and_killing_of_employees

Most times where the gunman tries to bring you some place else in the place, like the back of the store, they are going to kill you. That is complete BS!! ________________________________________________ Well, I don't think MOST times when they take you someplace else they are going to kill you but that possibility would sure be in the forefront of my mind. I also don't believe it's TOTAL BULLSHIT, because it's has happened. ___________________________________________________ Having been in a couple armed robberies when I worked in a convenience store, I can tell you that all the robber wants is the money. The faster you give it to them the faster they will leave without hurting anyone. Compliance puts the odds in your favor! It's terrible you had to go through that. I am glad you lived through it. I can't agree that all they want is money or drugs or whatever. It's probably all they are going to do.....probably. but there is a great deal of uncertainty in a situation like that. The guy that tried to run away could have been shot in the back just as easily. There is no way to tell for sure. I don't think you can really be so certain compliance will put the odds in your favor. The guy with the gun has all the odds in his hand. __________________________________________________ Every retail company I've ever worked for has always had similar non-escalation policies. Walgreens has every right to terminate this employee for violating company policy and potentially exposing the company to severe civil liability in the millions of dollars. If non escalation is Walgreens policy then the guy who tried to run away escalated the situation by not complying. He should be terminated too.

Check with Butler Parachutes and Strong Enterprises. They both have Aircrew systems compatible with a C9.

Looked a the video several times and I agree with your comments here. Other than the exchange of gunfire the next really scary thing is when one of the perps chases down the employee that was trying to get away and leads him back at gun point. You never know what someone like that may do even when you comply. Walgreens claims Hoven escalated the situation by shooting at the perp who was trying to shoot him. I don't see it that way but that doesn't mean others won't. As I understand the law, pointing a gun at someone is an assault threatening death or grave bodily harm. I can't see shooting to eliminate that threat as an escalation.

What matters is what the container mfr says. They hold the TSO-authorization; everyone else is just a pretender to the throne. ETA: Pretenders? Don't you mean court jesters? JerryBaumchen That is quite true and if any H/C MFGr were to publish instructions to the effect "Do not use Cypres loop on any other brands of AADs in our container", I would comply.

I have no problem using the cypres loop material and washer in conjunction with a vigil. Vigil says it's ok to do so. AADs aren't TSO'd and the only requirement of AC105 is that the AAD not interfere with the normal operation of the reserve. I say, with no harsh intent, it doesn't matter what Airtec says.

Thanks Ian, my manual didn't have the addendum. Just downloaded the one with it.

Ian, thanks for trying to help with this. The Seat Pack I have is the C50-1. It has 2 sub flaps that the C50 doesn't have. I'm guessing this was a design change for the later models.

I have a Para Innovators Wedge Seat C50-1. This is the seat pack with 2 sub flaps. Does anyone have a copy? ETA: Asked Dave DeWolf and MEL with no luck, Checked all the web sites I know of too.

I hope the car you drive is equipped with a digital speedometer.