Miami

Aubrey, You can usually make things a lot more comfortable after you have opened by pushing the leg straps further down on your legs. Do this by picking up one knee at a time at least as high as your hip and scoot the leg strap up your leg, about a quarter of the way up your thigh. This should put you in a bit more of a sitting position and make the canopy ride a lot more comfy. Good luck with the rest of your AFF and tell everyone at gold coast I said hi! Miami

Just curious, but why not? Not saying that I would, as I am a USPA rated AFFI jumping at a USPA group member drop zone, and USPA requires 2 I's for AFF 1. However if I were to move and found myself at a non-USPA dz whos student progression mirrored the typical seven level AFF course but only required one I for the first level, I would not have a problem doing it. Miami

Seems the two most popular are the stroboframe 300qrc and the bogen quick release. I personally like the stroboframe, which can be picked up from b&h photo for $56 + shipping. Do a search in the forums here for stroboframe and bogen and you will get a lot of info about both. Hope this helps, Miami

What w/l were you jumping with the 27? I know what you mean about twitchy...mine are very twitchy w/toggles, but at a lower w/l they are actually quite smooth. Miami

Demo a Xaos 21...sweetest, smoothest, on heading openings I've ever had. Miami

I haven't really kept track of the exact number, but I would guess I have made 20-25 naked jumps. Miami

Maybe the wing distortion is mainly in the center and the crossbracing there gives the greatest increase in rigidity? Dunno, just a guess. Miami

How many jumps did you make with the windmeter? How do you collect the data...holding it in your hand or do you have it mounted somewhere on your rig/risers? Miami

Awesome! One of the biggest reasons I like to do video is to see how great a product I can produce. Good to see you are on your way there. Miami

I jump both currently (personal setup is a narrow, work set up is a pro). There isn't very much difference other than the platform size. The narrow is about a half pound lighter with identical setups. I do like the smaller profile of the narrow (the platform width anyway) because I use my personal setup out of a 206, while the pro I use out of a twotter. As far as flying goes I notice no difference, they both seem to fly the same. Hope this helps! Miami

The History channel sent a copy of the show to us on Friday, they did a really great job of editing it together. It doesn't really go too in depth of the AM490 program (the academy's basic parachuting program), but it is more of an overview of how things work there. They are talking about coming back to do a second show with a more in depth look at the AM490 program. And yes, watching a student make their very first jump out of a plane at 4500ft for a 10 sec delay with no jm in freefall is damn weird! If anyone cares, when the host does the tandem, I'm the first one docked on the tandem's right arm. Miami

Sounds like tony's A wing. Miami

Yup, wings can make you back slide. To get that great shot you need to get sitting up about 45 degrees or so under the tandem. The best way I have found to do that, with a wing suit, is to cup more with the wings, but keep your forearms angled downward to create some forward drive. When it sits you up onto your knees use your lower legs for the rest of the forward drive you need to stay under them. If you are getting too floaty you may need a tighter suit, or maybe even weights. It took me a bit of practice before I was able to get all the way under a tandem with the drogue completely in view behind them. Of course if you can butt fly with the tandem you would be in that sweet spot naturally. I don't have any pics to show for examples, but I bet some will get posted by some other vidiots soon. Hope this helps! Miami

Me too, I like it. Calumet seems to not expect them till 1 Nov, but B&H seems to have them in stock now (at least according to their website) and for a few dollars less. Here's a link to B&H's site: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=52735&is=REG Miami

What kind of flying do you plan on doing with the camera suit? If you are going to butt flying under the tandem I would highly recommend the C-wing. If you plan to belly fly under the tandem I would suggest the A-wing. If the C-wing is attracting you because of the rsl attachment (highly recommended), you can have an rsl attachment put on the A-wing as well. For your size, if you plan on belly flying, an A-wing might be the best idea. It is a nice large wing, but if you get a tight fitting suit you can go from blisteringly fast to superfloaty slow. I have 2 of tony's A-wing camera suits and both have worked great. I am 6'4", 230lbs out the door, and have no problem going 100mph with a tiny tandem with these suits. The C-wing would be great if you are going to butt fly, but I would recommend not getting booties for this application. I have one of tony's C-wing suits and really like it, it is what I jump most often. I'm not familiar with the Airspeed or XL booties, but the difference between the regular and mega booties are: Regular go from the tip of the toe to a couple inches below the knee while mega booties go from the tip of the toe to above the knee, making a more continuous line and making leg inputs slightly more sensitive. Hope this helps! Miami

Rehab is for quitters. Miami

Skydiving, skydiving, and on occasion...skydiving. Miami

You should try Axis&Allies...like a really in depth Risk. Real good for getting people pissed off at each other. Not sure where they sell it anymore, but it's a whole lotta fun! Miami

See what attachment? I use a stroboframe 300-qrc. Have not seen a setup with the bogen, but I heard they work good. I'm happy with the stroboframe. Miami

I have 3 tony camera suits, 2 a-wings (big wings) and a c-wing (mounted on the front of the arm for butt flying). They have all treated me very well (8 jumpsuits from tony over the years, they better treat me well!). I just ordered a new camera suit from Firefly, and I have heard great things about them. I'll try and post pics here when it arrives. Good luck! Miami

d-1, Lew Sanborn. Miami

Ahh, I see... Sparky aka Grant. Miami

No kidding? Airtec doesn't care for that? Where does Sparky put his? Miami

d-17626 and I'm 27, got my d in july of '95 Miami

It's not a question of whether or not you can handle an off dz landing with your reserve, but whether it is the best option. The situation you mentioned about the jumper who chopped and headed home while people on the ground spotted a line as to where the gear went out of view... If the gear landed in heavy woods would you have landed next to the woods then go tromping through them with your reserve in tow? Of course that could happen, but like I said before, I think the best option is to land in the safest area possible. If you are concerned that they will not spot your gear for you what makes you think they will spot you? Thats awesome that you don't feel the need to get some little brick of a rig, I wish new jumpers would follow your example. With the experience like you or I have our actions may be a little different. My work rig has a Raven 218 for the reserve, and my actions would definitely be different on it rather than on my other rigs that both have MicroRaven 120-mz's. And if there is an injury? If you land off so you could spot where you main went down but injury yourself on landing...even though your reserve is bigger it still may be unfamiliar. If everyone else on the load has no idea there was a cutaway would they know there was an injured jumper? There are all sorts of what if's that could be thrown around in a situation like this. Any experienced jumper will make their own decision as to what they are going to do. As the S&TA of my dz here this is the info I pass on to our jumpers, if they want it. I'm not trying to get into a debate or anything like that, its just the feedback I am throwing your way from the scenario you gave. Miami