d123

If you are very happy with that method I will start doing the same thing. Where do you find a good gypsy? You don't have to tip the gypsy do you? If so how much do you tip? Lock, Dock and Two Smoking Barrelrolls!

Just curios to find out what is your dominate method regarding life planning. Obviously you get multiple choices. And do you plan your dive the same way as you plan your life?

Wow ... I've finally got it And there I was thinking the she was a poor packer without enough money to buy proper cloths. The world we live in ..... Lock, Dock and Two Smoking Barrelrolls!

Is she a full time packer? That could explain the knee bruises. Just for the record I wouldn't jump anything that she packed. She freaks me out and I've seen a lot in my life. Imagine Michael Jackson with a Halloween costume. Lock, Dock and Two Smoking Barrelrolls!

Get well soon Bill because I'm hearing that 2007 it's gone be an amazing year.

I'm lurking! Not that's anything bad about it Lock, Dock and Two Smoking Barrelrolls!

This thread is not sinking. I wonder why? Lock, Dock and Two Smoking Barrelrolls!

Yes the ship is pushed up with a force equal with the G force of the displaced volume of water. You will find this force not only in water but rather in every fluid. Another trick used for ships is to have most of the weight of the ship under the water so that the center of gravity is lower the the center of the force that is pushing up. This create stable equilibrium. Much like a good arch where the center of pressure is higher than the center of gravity so you are stable. I believe that Archimedes was the 1st dude to find that force but I might be wrong. The force itself it is easily explained by the difference of pressure between the top area and bottom area of a solid body that is sink inside a fluid. I remember that I failed physic once because of this subject. Here is a demonstration: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyrPbSPJe_I Can someone make it a clicky? What are you "sinking" about? edit: to add more smiles and a demonstration. Lock, Dock and Two Smoking Barrelrolls!

Nintendo, Joe Satriani, The Who and Elvis. Shocking isn't it? This is just a preliminary report. If you repeat what I've just said I'll denny it. Lock, Dock and Two Smoking Barrelrolls!

Same thing happen to me one week ago. I've downsize from 260 to 200 sq ft. Men, the 200 really felt good in the air. It felt like a real parachute. I've never experience something like that before. I was able to keep the front risers down 6 cm for almost 20 sec and the recovery speed after a 720 rotation was so big. Every time I've finished a 720 spin I could here the slider singing loud and happy. Men, what a feeling. With 4 full spins I've burned almost 1000 ft. It was amazing. Because of the speed I could actually see my heading, there was a small rectangle that remain in the same spot while all the others points were moving towards the edge. It was a blast. I had a good patten. All those 720+ rotations expose to me fast the direction of the wind and I was able to easy setup my patten. As I was in my final upwind leg of the patten around 60 ft the winds changes and they hit me from the left and tilted my canopy to the right a bit. I've made one small and fast toggle adjustment with the left toggle (down 20 cm) let it go back to the neutral position and right away begin to flare as I was at the flaring altitude. Next thing I know, as I flare the canopy makes a left turn, puts my pathetic body at almost 45 degree from where I hit the ground with my left ankle.I PLF (which might not be a good idea). After I finish the roll I check for what the hell happen while smiling. When I look over my left ankle I've lost my smile for a couple of seconds. It was at 90 degree right from the position where it was suppose to be. Wow. I've begin to touch my ankle to see if I still felt something in it. Yes. I've tried to move my toes - yes they move. Got my smile back and grab my ankle to put it back while cursing the shit out of me. No pain but as I was turning the ankle to the original position I felt something that put chicken away from my favourites meals. It felt exactly as twisting a chicken leg feels like. Exactly the same granularity in the resistance. I think that I've actually broke my ankle while PLF-ing to the right because as I begin to PLF I've heard&felt a snap in my left ankle. It was a strange and forced PLF since I had to stick my feet in the ground to build momentum for the rotation to the right, Maybe if I was just sliding in the ground things might have been better. The final result of the downsize: - 2 days in the hospital. - 1 failed attempt to put back the ankle manually (a lot if pain). - 40 min of surgery with local anaesthesia (couldn't feel nothing in the legs). And I have to say that there's no feeling like the feeling that you have when you hear the doctor saying to the other doctor: Cut some more I need more space for the screws and then you hear the noise of your flesh being cut some more. - 2 small metal plates in my left ankle. Looking back I never lost my smile while going through this experience. I've actually cracked some jokes with the doctors while operating. Most of the nurses said that I don't have the usual patient attitude that they see so much. My non-jumping friends are concerned more about that aspect of the accident. They say that me taking things so lightly is not a good sign and that I might be heading for a big one soon. Lock, Dock and Two Smoking Barrelrolls!

From what I've been told the only thing that you get rid of with a big docile canopy is line-twist cut-aways (maybe). On a docile canopy line-twists can be solved and the canopy will fly straight. So if you open high you will be able to solve them for sure. I love to open high and I always tell the others jumpers in the plane that I will open at 5500 or 6000 sometimes so they can make sure to have enough horizontal separation. I've been told that on a small & elliptical, high performance canopy if your shoulders are not perfectly aligned when you open it may induce a harness turn that may create line twists. During those type of line-twists you will be locked by the line-twists with you shoulders not aligned and the canopy will not fly straight, it will spin (losing altitude fast) and you will not able to solve the line twists. I've seen one of my instructors having this problem and he cut away fast. I've also been told that the reserve is usually a docile parachute. I've been told that pressure knots may also cause line twist and spins resulting in a cutaway (more on high performance canopy). Also landing a small canopy it's a lot more dangerous than large ones. If I'll jump with a 135 I will get in troubles for sure. I will never take a small elliptical canopy but then again what do I know ;). Also on the bright side a small canopy with WL > 1.5 will not collapse that easy in turbulence's and my 300 sq ft with a WL of 0.65 it's exposed more to turbulence base collapses. Sometime when flying above the forest around 500 ft I can feel those turbulence's shaking my canopy. A good sidekick in the preparation against malfunctions is the movie Break Away http://www.sunshine-factory.com/cgi-bin/data/db.cgi?db=sf&uid=default&view_records=1&ID=1034 I'm watching this movie almost every month. Take everything I said with a big grain of salt. For god sake I'm just a newbie. I would love to see what other more experienced people have to say about this.

Quite the opposite, I believe. Streamers and Roman Candles were the better known mals on rounds. Roman Candle it's a wrap around? Lock, Dock and Two Smoking Barrelrolls!

Is there a chance, when you have a bag-lock or a streamer, that the drag created will not be enough to detach the raisers from the harness? Assuming that no RSL/SkyHook is present and if the altitude allows, should one check that the raisers are detached before opening the reserve (to reduce the chance of a double)? Lock, Dock and Two Smoking Barrelrolls!

Wow, I just wake up and I got like 20 replies

Actually it does explain it. I think I get what you're saying. The torque created by the streamer drag force is a lot more bigger compared to any torque created by any drag force of jumper body because the stream drag force is located so much far away relative to the center of mass (torque of a force is T = r X F). So what's happening (if I get it right) is that when you are in a not so perfect vertical position in the company of a streamer any body movement that usually would have brought the body back to the box position now will still begin to rotate the body forward the box position but as the body begins to rotate the streamer torque will increase faster and bigger and will kill all the initial torques and bring the body again in the vertical position. It's just like saying that because the center of pressure is so far higher than the center of gravity the vertical position become stable. And can we still say for sure that the average speed in a streamer it's actually bigger than 200 km/h? I guess it depends how big the area of the streamer is. Edit to add: Actually I'm still confused because the drag force of the streamer will create tension in the lines that is applied directly to the raisers so when computing the torque of the streamer drag force we need to use the distance from the center of mass to the raisers and not the distance from center of mass to the streamer. Never mind those details

Hi guys, I hope I'm posting in the right place. It's a combined gear/skydive/mall function question. I've been told that a streamer it's a mall function in which the canopy it's not opening, the slider is not visible and it's a high speed mall function. I've also learnt that the streamer may cause enough drag to position you standing up vertically and that would increase your fall rate even more than the average speed in box position (200 km/h). This mean that you need to fix it even faster than a bag-lock for instance since the fall speed it's faster. I know that at 200 km/h (box position) I can't stay in a vertical position since it's unstable equilibrium and for sure I don't have the skills to do it. If the speed of the streamer is bigger than or around 200 km/h how come you are positioned vertically and stable? I've also seen movies in which skydivers are trying a hybrid 3 way and the skydiver that was suppose to hang down vertically from the other 2 he just can't do it and he always bounce back to box position. How come is that possible for a streamer to keep you standing up at speed bigger than 200 km/h and in the hybrid 3 way example is not? Also I've just finishing watching the movie Fandango from 1985 with an amazing skydiving training&jump scene. In the movie they are jumping round parachutes and when they make practice on ground for mall functions they are talking about the streamer. Isn't it the streamer specific only for ram-air parachutes that have sliders? Lock, Dock and Two Smoking Barrelrolls!

Hi again, I've just arrived from the dropzone and (drum drum drum) It's back. My ARCH is back. I want to than you all for all the good advices and for being there for me in the moment of need. I've did lots and lots of arch practising with stacks of pillows so I could have a position close to the position in the air. I can't tell for sure what I've did to get it back but I've got it and I've got an amazing jump just few hours ago. I've exit like IAD hanging with my right hand and looking at a tandem instructor and student preparing for exit (out of a Cessna 182) I've let got of the wing bar and bring my feet in front of me while holding my knee with my hands (like a sphere position). Did some fast uncontrollable rotations while in that position for like 3-4 sec and then I've begin to arch and went stable like snow flake. I did some pull practice, some 360 rotations (left and right) and I've tried to track from 6000 to 5000 (not sure how good it was that tracking thingy). During my free-fall I did a heel clicky and hold my heels together for 3 sec and I was still stable. I've pulled a bit lower than 5000 maybe 4800 and I've guessed wrong the wind direction, did the inverse U patten, landing with the wind in the back and went straight in to the trees :). Nothing broken not even my pride (because I got my arch back). Boy it's good to be back on the track. I can't wait for my next jump. I really appreciate all the input and help that I got from you guys and believe me when I say for me it was a real pleasure (yes it was - I've got my arch back or I've got my back arched). Sign, A stable jumper. P.S. I hope I'm not gone lose it again:) (the arch that is). Lock, Dock and Two Smoking Barrelrolls!

Yes I'm planning in adding the instructor in the loop off course. It was never my intention to keep them away from the problem. I just wanted to see if anyone out there had a similar problem and if anyone knows a GOOD way (close to real free fall muscle feeling) to practice the arch while being on the ground. I've read some other threads from DZ.com about bad arch's and peoples are suggesting to use a gym ball (the BIG one) and just laying with the back on it or using the water from pool in the same way we use the air while free falling and practice the arch in a water pool. I got this lazy boy that when fully extended if you just rotate yourself with 180 degree and have your legs where your back use to be it feels like a good arch. For the legs is good because the muscles are not used to maintain that position (they are supported by the chair) so they are relaxed but for the hands is not that great since when I'm arching the upper body muscles are contracted and not relaxed. And unfortunately no wind tunnel in here :(. One of the problem is while I'm practicing the arch I don't know if it's really going to help me because it really feels different up there :(. I really hope that after the next jump I'll be able to tell you all that I got it back and I don't know how could I've lost it (duhhh) but for now I'm still in the fog (metaphoric speaking off course) and when you are in fog you see fog and only fog all around you :( Thanks guys for all the answers and advices. They are all appreciated. Lock, Dock and Two Smoking Barrelrolls!

Thanks for the advice and I hope that I'll be able to do it right next time. It's a bit bad because the season is almost over and now is not a good time to lose the mojo :(. Lock, Dock and Two Smoking Barrelrolls!

First I would like to thank you all for all the replies. I was thinking that it might be my legs or my shoulders because it all started after I've looked at the altimeter. What I'm planning to do is just have another solo with my old gear (that heavy 300 sq ft) and my old routine (visualization and not being so confident - that's an easy one now) and if I can't get my arch back I shall go back to level 5. I really feel that I've let my instructors down. I am looking for ways to practice my arch on ground but whenever I'm doing that I notice that all my leg muscles are flexed. Do you guys have other alternate methods for arch practice that are close to the real free fall? My last jump was a big disappointment for me. I've lost something (magic dust maybe) and I can't fly anymore. This really sucks. Again thank you all for all the kind advices. Lock, Dock and Two Smoking Barrelrolls!

Hi, Let me start with a small introduction. I am a humble student who finds himself in a very unpleasant and shameful situation: I've lost my arch. During my last AFF (level 6) I was stable, I was able to do all the rotations required and when for a couple of few sec during my pull practice I've got a small spin and a bumpy ride I've just let go of any air resistance resistance from my side against the air flow and I've relaxed and got stable pretty fast and lost the lazy spin (the Jump Master didn't have to help me in any way). I haven't see any line-twist since my AFF1. After my level 6 I really felt ready for my 1st solo. On my first solo everything got screwed up. I've exit unstable I've begin to arch and got really fast into belly to earth position. We jump from 11.500 feet and I was pretty stable in the 1st 10 sec. I've checked the altitude it was around 10.000 feet and I've noticed that I have a lazy spin to the left. I've started a rotation to right in order to stop the spin but .... instead of balancing the spin and get neutral I've begin to experience a bumpy ride and the left spin got bigger. I've did the exact same thing as on level 6 (from what I've felt) let go of any resistance against the air and try to relax but the spin to the left got bigger and bigger. I said to myself that I have to do something to reset my position and I've did a back flip. It worked like a reset but I still had a small rotation that once again begin to increase in angular speed. I did another back flip and I've ended on my back. This was around 7000 feet. While on the back I wondering if I can reach the handle and I start a pull practice while being on the back. Strange thing I couldn't find the handle (maybe the wind flow move the container a bit upper). I've just get back on the belly check the altitude and open the parachute around 5200 feet (no line twist don't ask me how). All the time I had the bumpy ride feeling and I was not able to do anything to get stable. For me it felt like I was doing the same things: I had the same feeling of my hands and feet when trying to relax as on level 6 but it was not working this time. More info regarding my solo jump: - I had a small back pain when I've practice arching on the ground (but I had it even on level 6). - I've changed the gear from 300 sq ft to 230 sq ft and I felt the container to be so much lighter. - During the ascent I had some problems with blood circulation in my legs. - I've change the jump suit to a solo jump suit that was just right for me (on level 6 I had one a bit bigger one - maybe more drag). - During the ascent of the plane I was confident (never been that before) - maybe a bit cocky (not that much, just yelling and talking with other jumpers like I was not worried about the jump). Also I haven't done any visualization practice during my ascent. I'm waiting for any kind of input (negative or positive) from you guys regarding my lost arch problem. If you feel that you had an experience somehow similar with this I would love to hear your story. I really, really feel bad about this. Should I ask again for 2 jumps with a instructor so I could get some input about what I'm doing wrong? Should I try to practise my arch more on the ground but the thing is when I practise my arch on the ground all my muscles are not relaxed.

You sense the freq of 250 hz because on that freq the amplitude of the combine signals (500hz, 750hz, 1000hz) is maximum (the peak)? How does that work if one of the original signal has a different offset (phase)? Lock, Dock and Two Smoking Barrelrolls!