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I am a scuba diver, too: The deeper the better. It is very similar but with higher density (fluid mechanics) Gonzalo It cannot be done really means I do not know how to do it ... yet

You might say I am “not qualified”depending on your definition of “qualified. However, I was right when recommended the propack method for the sabre2. This is what the manufacturer recommends. And about the wrist mirror: I just said I prefer tracking, flaring and waving off. I do not like the barrel roll and replaced it for a mirror and it works. You have not used it. No problem. It is OK for me. Quoting your words: some people “have trained pretty hard for a few years so built up a reasonable amount of skill.” And some of them think they cannot be contradicted and cannot be wrong and end up pushing people and themselves to unnecessary risks because of their wrong advice. Hey man: Falling is easy. Skydiving is not. We all should be willing to learn from others’ experiences and points of views no matter how qualified or trained we think we are. If we learn anything from any one we will become better. If we think we have nothing to learn we will always be worse, no matter how good we think we are. I will pay for the bears! Thank you again for your invitation!

Great job! Thank you for sharing it!

Thank you!

Bitiching about them? Gonzalo It cannot be done really means I do not know how to do it ... yet

Neither can I [LOL laugh] Gonzalo It cannot be done really means I do not know how to do it ... yet

~ The new lines are not too expensive. That is up too you, but there are people here using old rented big canopies edited to add: Seriously: I think you are unsafe here. I really do not care how you open your canopy because you do not jump with us (hope so) If you are used to opening that way the jumpers before you would need mirrors to spot you. Otherwise they would end up with torticollis Gonzalo It cannot be done really means I do not know how to do it ... yet

Every thing is possible. I am responding to you! LOL Gonzalo It cannot be done really means I do not know how to do it ... yet

Please see the picture I posted along with the explanation on how to use it. You are not supposed to use the mirror while tracking. You use it right before pulling. Gonzalo It cannot be done really means I do not know how to do it ... yet

Have you ever identified anyone above you when you've used it? From your question it is evident you have not tried it. Imagine a whuffo telling your altimeter is useless because it is impossible you see the numbers when you are falling down at 120 mph. If this is a similar case, I give up ... but I will keep using it

Out of curiosity... Have you tried it when skydiving? Gonzalo It cannot be done really means I do not know how to do it ... yet

sorry... i do not understand your question .... edited to add this: Hey! You are an excellent instructor! You made me think! I could use it when landing in very high winds (obviously: upwind) LOL You are great! Gonzalo It cannot be done really means I do not know how to do it ... yet

Yes! IMHO I prefer tracking without rolling because I see where I am going to. I use my mirror when flaring after tracking and just before pulling. I also use it with my canopy open before turning. Gonzalo It cannot be done really means I do not know how to do it ... yet

Gonzalo It cannot be done really means I do not know how to do it ... yet

It depends on the mirror. I think you should try it on the ground first It depends on you but in my case is about the same time I spend when using my car's rear view mirror (just a fraction: I drive pretty fast mainly when I am going to the airport ) Yes! I think this is a must. The mirror is just a backup device as the AA & AAD I agree. We always must wave off Tell him it was my fault! I have a guilty face Just kidding Gonzalo It cannot be done really means I do not know how to do it ... yet

OK. Now: Your going toward the ground at 120 mph and just have 500-1000 ft to safely brake: If you lose balance you risk your life, if you do not brake (open your canopy with no mals) you might die, if you hit someone below you, you and they might die, if someone over you hits you, you and they might die. alternatives: 1- you keep looking where your going to so that you can see all obstacles below you. 63% now prefer it 2- You roll while tracking to look who is coming over you but stop looking where are you going to. Just 25% now think is a good idea. 63% think is a bad idea 3- same as the first alternative but you use a $6.49 wide angle wrist mirror (it is easy looking in a mirror than tracking and rolling simultaneously) that you can easily purchase over the Internet so that you can easily see simoultaneously obstacles all around you and see where are you going to. Some have not tried and think is a good idea. Some have not tried and think is a bad idea. A few use it and like it (I have seen two more skydivers using it) Why not trying it? I should ask for a comission edit to add the last sentence Gonzalo It cannot be done really means I do not know how to do it ... yet

After trying both, I found the mirror easier to use. Please see the picture. I removed the vendor's info because I do not know if they allow it here. Gonzalo It cannot be done really means I do not know how to do it ... yet

Kevin, you have 3100 jumps I have just 151. I do not feel comfortable doing a barrel roll before opening. A barrel roll could take 200 ft down and if I see any skydiver over me I will need to track fast for at least 3 seconds which means at least other 200 ft down plus another barrel roll to be sure the space above me is now clear. That all means 600 ft down and if I am opening at 3000, for my experience (just 151 jumps) I think it is not safe no matter how comfortable I feel doing it. My mirror just takes less than a second if I am falling stable, which means just 200 ft down. I already posted two links about it. Maybe you want to check them. Gonzalo It cannot be done really means I do not know how to do it ... yet

I have used the mirror and it works great. Please check this links: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sokol_space_suit They call it hand wrist mirror http://www.spankysparts.com/page33.html I have seen other skydivers using it. I really do not understand what the big deal is about it. Hope it helps! Gonzalo It cannot be done really means I do not know how to do it ... yet

I thought he would take it as a compliment. Anyay, in the case he would not, I already excused myself in advance Gonzalo It cannot be done really means I do not know how to do it ... yet

Should you read what the USPA says about exit order and Tandems. Your expertise on not doing things is only overriden by the absolute value of your intelligence Excuse me! I could not help it LOL Gonzalo It cannot be done really means I do not know how to do it ... yet

Thank you! I will try to edit it! Blue Skies! I coud add it! Thank you again. That is really important!

I respect your expertise on not doing things. Gonzalo It cannot be done really means I do not know how to do it ... yet

Nope! They just want you to stop questioning (thinking.) Please think. Please ask questions. Ask 10 different experienced skydivers the same question, "Why should I do X this way and not that way?" Chances are that 9 of 10 will give you a similar answer, and it'll probably involve a pretty solid reason that came out of research and experience. One of 10 might agree with you. You can decide that you and he/she are smarter than everyone else. That's one way of "thinking." Or you can decide that maybe those other 9 have a point. I agree Krisanne! The most you ask (question, think, etc), the most you learn. Fortunately, I have had excellent instructors who have taught me a lot. I ask a lot. But there are others not so fortunate, I have seen skydivers who do not dare to ask or express their ideas because they have had bad experiences when they dared to ask. Others are strict rule-followers who usually freeze when they find something unexpected because they cannot find any rule to follow. That is unsafe. Skydiving also requires mental agility and mental agility comes from using your brain. While most rules are right for a given environment, when the environment changes the rule might not be valid. A high number of jumps does not make you a good skydiver such as a high number of patients does not make you a good doctor. HMO is an example: lots of patients. How do they call HMO? Higher Malpractice Occurrence. Each jump gives us the opportunity to learn but it does not assure we learn. A good skydiver is that who learns from all his/her and others experiences in such a way that s/he can do what s/he wants to do without jeopardizing others. It also requieres the capacity to form an opinion by distinguishing and evaluating: That is judgement. Usually these skydivers can transmit their knowledge in a such way that most people will trust them no matter how stubborn the students are. They have the capacity to be the best Instructors and of course their competence is well ahead from those whose only argument is attacking when “less experienced” skydivers question any thing. That is something DZ owners should keep in mind. One last word in regard to rules: We all have watched the natgeo channel. Do you remember the Seconds from Disaster program? Many of these catastrophes were caused by blindly following the rules. Could you blame them? No. They followed the rules. But how many lives could have been saved if someone had dared to question the rules? I have a feeling you could make an excellent instructor

Nope! They just want you to stop questioning (thinking.) Gonzalo It cannot be done really means I do not know how to do it ... yet