SSHusky

... hmm maybe 200-300 jumps on the lines. Certainly not more than 500 jumps and I had hard openings starting at about 30 jumps after new lines. I did like the Pilot and I am strongly leaning towards that. It did have a weird flare, like I couldn't stage it but had to "stab" the flare for a good flare.

I currently jump a Stiletto 120. I have made about 300-400 jumps on this stiletto and jumped a Stiletto 135 before. I’m a small girl and load it maybe 1.2 wearing weights. I love my Stiletto except for the openings. I have had quite a lot of slammers no matter who packs it, and the occasional spinning diving line twist! I love the flying characteristic of the Stiletto. I love getting back to the dz after a long spot and I love the recovery arch of the Stiletto. I don’t want to swoop but I want a zippy canopy like the Stiletto. I am looking for a replacement for my Stiletto. I don’t want to downsize, but I want something similar with better more forgiving openings. I have asked a few people at my dz but want to hear the opinions of dz.comers.

I couldn't figure out if Yes or No was the right answer to this question so I settled for Boobies... because I like them... just ask my wife... .... I know you do... Did you know that boobies sometimes get cancer? Sometimes boobies get so much cancer that the doctors go and cut the boobies and take them away! but but... boobies can't get cancer... I like boobies too much... what do you like about boobies? :)

I couldn't figure out if Yes or No was the right answer to this question so I settled for Boobies... because I like them... just ask my wife... .... I know you do... Did you know that boobies sometimes get cancer? Sometimes boobies get so much cancer that the doctors go and cut the boobies and take them away!

Okay I am totally confused by your post. First of all, did virginia tech compete in intermediate this year? no... I was complaining about another team, not VT, that I felt was not in the right competition class for nationals at 2010. I am not discussing 2009 at all... As far as claiming that you were funded by someone... look at my posts... I never said that nor did I even infer that. I am not sure why you are getting angry at me! My beef is not with you and your team. Also your team is not the only team that has struggled with lack of budget. My school didn't give me a penny either and I worked 3 jobs all throughout the years in college, on top of going to school full time pursuing a difficult degree. One of the jobs I worked at was a fast food place just so that I could eat something for that day. I also purchased everything that I have... ..but that's besides the point... please YOU do the research and look at my posts before POINTING fingers at me! If you reread my posts I am actually patting your team on the back for making the right decision and competing in advanced for 2010.... and as I said... you kicked ass... I hope this clears things up.

I heard that they wanted you, Remi, but they got a bad reference or something so they settled on Thomas or Niklas instead... Sorry for your luck...

to Skydive the Point... I hope... the hubby is sick and he would hate me if I went without him.

Got hung up? Is that when your hand or foot gets caught in the door by one of your teammates?... Hung up makes me picture your wings somehow snagged and your stuck to the plane or simply forgetting to let go of the plane bc you were hung up on a thought... Also how do you fall off early one and a half times? Okay Joe... sorry... ready? 1...2...3... GRRRR!

I wish Scott could do that. He does need to punished on a regular basis!

I don't think that was my exact quote... I was just saying that the common joke at our dz is we are Tenacity by day and Team Nasty by night... but that was just a running joke as most of us are married... Who said that they liked the smell of skunk? If you tell me it was Arianna, I will die laughing. Grrr....

Tenacity, why do you ask?

Don't worry, it happens. Its part of the competition. I don't think I lost the medal for them... I certainly didn't help though... Although I could barely reach the Deland step, I rather that then the high step on the Spaceland. With Deland you were low and back just like most otters. You time your exit based on a normal otter, you are slightly early and you track up hill no catastrophe. With the Spaceland you time your exit like normal its too late and you hit them. I also climb out and test the step before I get on the plane. You should have seen all the 6 foot tall guys laugh at me struggle getting on the Deland, but I did it... Ultimately practicing climb out won't show you how its going to feel one second after exit. With my little experience I wasn't ready for the extra dead air when I exited higher than my team. small steps, even smaller handles, its all part of the game. Everyone experiences it throughout their career and they learn, laugh and move on. ... it was great meeting new camera fliers at nationals. Thanks for the encouragement you and others gave me.

Why thanks Matt First of all I would like to clarify that I am not at all upset at Va Tech for entering in ADVANCED when you scored a 23.0 average in Collegiate's. I think that VT made the right choice to not enter in intermediate but to kick ass in advanced and win gold. I think they did the right thing. The problem I have is with a team that was clearly outclassing everyone in intermediates. Regardless of their jump numbers were "low" they had a lot of tunnel time and funding to support their success. Don't tell me that they "didn't know of their skill level" going into nationals. I don't believe it...

Glad I wasn't the only one...

I know who you are talking about, she is a friend of mine and was devastated and it happened on round one... she never recovered from that. I had the same worries about the Deland otter. I am a short person and had to literally let go of the plane and catch the handle as I went by (if that makes sense). I got that airplane on round one and then never again. I ended up landing on my team in round 4 when I got the spaceland otter which the step was a foot and a half higher than the door. pushed my team out of contention for medals... Shit happens, and you deal.

...and with that 23.0 average did you go on to the intermediate level at nationals just so you could easily get a gold medal with no competition?

All my life, I never thought much about skydiving. One day in the fall I decided I wanted to make a skydive. I was lucky that my university (Ohio State) not only had a club but a skydiving class. I took it the following spring and made a tandem jump. I am not sure why but I came back a few weeks later to make my first AFF jump. We got winded out and the next morning I was on the first load. I flew the plane up and climbed out but once I was there I chickened out. I rode the plane back down. I battled nerves the entire day and about 10 hrs later I tried it again. Almost chickened out again but my instructor urged me to go and I did. After that, it was something I had to prove to myself. I wasn't a skydiver, I was just going to do one more jump to break my fear. I think it was probably 10 jumps later before I actually enjoyed the skydive and then the rest is history. Created friendships and even married a skydiver.

just so you know... that would be Niklas Hemlin... not Nick... I love you Nik!

Adam did a great job. I don't expect anyone could do a stand up landing in a stadium that smelled that vile! Go buckeyes!

I live in military housing. I doubt there is any non patriotic peeps here. Perhaps if I went to your neighborhood...? I am all about doing my patriotic duty, even if that means my husband

Wow! looks like your car broke down at the dropzone. convenient...

a few weeks ago my phone fell out of my pocket while packing something in the trunk of my car. After driving 1.5hrs of my 9.5hr drive that day, I realized that I couldn't find my phone. I ended up driving back and after searching for a while found it crushed on the drive way... I had ran over it... still had the 9.5hr drive and this time I got to hit the DC rush hour traffic...

I dunno, I kinda like that name Caravan Deluxe. Sounds like I should get some bacon and cheese with each jump...

They are a great team and train hard, but they are great people too. They have patience with me as I am learning with them. All the other people at the dz, although I never get to jump with them, are motivation to get there too. Like you girls are there to learn and have fun doing it! That's exactly what Tenacity does too. Just bc you may not get the gold, doesn't make it the best weekends of your life! I don't mind driving that distance not just for Tenacity but for everyone at Start. I love everyone there!

Its at Start Skydiving, Middletown, ohio. It has a huge airport, but on certain sides of the dropzone there are only small outs. Lucky for Kim and Jessie, they weren't dropped over the city.