GLIDEANGLE

In the March 2008 issue of Parachutist is an interesting photo. The photo is on the lower left side of page 20. It is a photo from the US Collegiate National competition. This photo shows a belly flying RW team in freefall. On one of the rigs in that photo a really long main closing loop and the grommet on the bottom flap of the main container are visible. My first thought was... that the loop was so long that there might not be enough tension to keep the pin secure until deliberate deployment. However, upon closer examination... it looks like the main container is REALLY full. I wonder if the main canopy is too big for the container. In this case, I guess the loop tension might be sufficient. The more I thought about this, the more worried I became. If the bottom flap of the main container is so mis-aligned that the grommet is visible... does that create the risk that a throw-out bridle might become trapped under the corner of the main bottom flap? I am thinking of that portion of the bridle between the PC and the pin. If the bridle got trapped, I imagine that could result in a PC in tow malfunction. Those of you with more knowledge and experience... Is this long closing loop truly a problem? Thanks for your feedback. Blue Skies! The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

I wonder if this new BASE/Skydiving rig with a chest reserve might generate more chest reserve repack business for riggers? http://www.thebaser.com/base_r.php The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

they just have no landing area anymore. NO KIDDING... Scared myself to half death jumping into the tiny primary LZ! No more jumping for me there until they move to Hillsboro. The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

Hoop Dive! The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

Para Flite's Intruder canopy for military operations (High altitude high opening) is advertised with a maximum deployment altitude of 30,000 ft. Their PARIS canopy is advertised with a max depolyment antitude of 25,000 ft. http://paraflite.com/Intruder%20Main%20Canopy.htm http://paraflite.com/PARIS.htm These operations are intended to allow the jumper to exit FAR from the landing point. This allows for a stealthy entry without placing the aircraft near the canopy landing site. From the Para-Flite web site: Given a 25,000 foot exit altitude, an insertion team using the PARIS can travel over 40 kilometers without factoring wind effects. Given favorable wind conditions, the offset can be increased to over 75 kilometers. This increased distance provides additional safety for the aircrew and improved security for the insertion team. I figure the maximum height for canopy flight is pretty high. I also figure that the limiting factors for such flight are NOT the canopy... but keeping a human alive in the cold and low oxygen/pressure environment. The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

Mark Schlatter Skydiving near Dallas, TX, USA http://markschlatterskydiving.com/DemoAcademics.aspx The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

As I understand it, this is likely going to be the new home of the already existing Eagle Flight Skydiving in Granbury, TX. Last I heard, they were looking at moving to a better site near Hillsboro TX. As a result, this may mean that we gain one and we lose one. However, if the new site is better... that would be great! The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

Saturday 02Feb08 was an absolutely terrific day for me at Skydive Dallas! The highlights were: --Great weather... clear skies, gentle winds, and moderate temeratures. (Don't be jealous of us here in Texas.... we will melt in August.) --A 9-way belly multi-point dive with block moves. (Pretty advanced stuff for me!)

Started jumping at age 50. My tandem first jump was a 50th birthday gift to myself. I had wanted to jump since my teens... but life got in the way. My son is off to college so... now I jump. Now age 51. The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

Slow is Smooth, Smooth is Fast. I heard the above in the context of emergency procedures, but I have seen it apply at other times... especially when approaching a formation in freefall. What is the difference between a bad golfer and a bad skydiver? A bad golfer goes "Whack...Damn!" A bad skydiver goes "Damn...Whack!" The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

Skydiving competition rewards specialization in a single discipline (FS, Canopy Piloting, Accuracy, CReW, etc). Is there a multi-specialty competition that rewards the well-rounded skydiver? I am thinking of a competition like the Olympic decathalon, or the rodeo award for high scores in a variety of disciplines, or the triathlon that combines three different endurance envents. Imagine the challenges (both skill and equipment) if there were 4 way team events that combined a brief period of formation skydiving followed by a brief period of CReW, followed by accuracy landings in a single jump. Of course, some will say that I picked the wrong events... that the sequence should be: freeflying formations, followed by CReW, followed by swooping in a single jump. The most comprehensive would probably be a series of jumps half with the first group of skills and the other half with the second group of skills. Yes, it would be expensive to train. I can't even begin to get my head around the gear issues (terminal speed openings for CReW, optimal canopy for CReW & accuracy or CReW & Swooping). The payoff would be building multi-skilled skydivers who can help build bridges between disciplines. Have I lost my mind?

This will give you a very brief intro to psycho packing: http://www.precision.aero/packing/mvc-002v.mpg Note the ROLLING vs folding. Talking to a rigger about psycho packing before using it is prudent. I psycho pack my Spectre and have long soft openings... just fine for this "old man". No, I didn't learn it from the video... I learned it at the elbow of a rigger who watched/coached me on the technique until she was confident that I could do it safely. (Thank you Laura!) The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

I was a dummy. It was my first visit to a new drop zone. I got a briefing from the staff about the landing zone with a review of an aerial photo. The hazards in and near the LZ were pointed out to me on the photo. The LZ could not be seen from the manifest, prep, or loading areas. I FAILED TO WALK OVER AND LOOK AT THE LZ BEFORE BOARDING THE PLANE. Under canopy, I discovered that the LZ was smaller than I expected and the hazards were more challenging than I expected. The subsequent rush of adrenalin through my veins did nothing to help my decision making or fine motor skills. I landed with no harm to any people or equipment.

I was very recently a student. I chose my skydiving school carefully and was quite satisfied. Some people and organizations focus attention on "graduating AFF". Personally, I didn't find AFF hard. I found the tasks between AFF and my license to be much harder. I benefited greatly from having high quality instructors and coaches using a high quality curriculum (SKYDIVE UNIVERSITY @ Skydive Dallas). My coaches got me from AFF to my license. I have decided that the key tasks a student must complete in AFF to be HIGH IMPORTANCE but not terribly complex. I found many of the post-AFF tasks to be more complex and demanding. Because of the high risk if the student fails the AFF tasks, we use highly experienced instructors to teach and supervise them. We typically use less experienced jumpers as coaches. However, the complexity of the instructional task for the post-AFF skills is probably more demanding. Of course, the AFF instructor needs a high level of air skills to keep the AFF student safe, but the coach may need a higher level of TEACHING ability to help the post-AFF student master the more complex tasks. All of my coaches and instructors appeared to work FAR harder and longer on the ground briefing and de-briefing me than they did in the air. I cannot answer your original question, but I know that I got my $ worth from my instructors and coaches. They weren't cheap... but I got what I paid for! Once again (see my previous posts) I want to thank and praise my coaches for putting up with me when I was a slow learner post-AFF. I hope to make you proud this summer with my rookie 4-way RW team ("F squared")! You get all the credit when I do well, I get all the blame when I screw up. Blue Skies. The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

Y'all: Any thoughts on using toggles following a very low reserve opening vs. leaving them stowed and using rears? Would leaving the brakes stowed diminish the need for a precise flare? Would leaving brakes stowed and using rears allow for gaining control of the canopy more quickly? Is this series of questions evidence that I have completely lost my mind? No, I have never landed using rears with brakes stowed. Thanks Blue Skies The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

Lew: I have the photo in front of me right now and I have a question. What is the orange/yellow element extending upward from the right foot of the jumper in the center of the photo (crotch toward camera)? Thanks! Blue Skies The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

Incapacity and loss of altitude awareness are not the only reasons a jumper can find him/herself very happy to have an AAD. I have a friend who had a malfunction on her main (I don't know what type). When she attempted to pull her reserve she had a "hard pull". Even with both hands on the reserve handle, she could not deploy her reserve. Only when the AAD cut the closing loop did her reserve deploy and save her life. In my case it is very simple. I am a married man. My wife is under the notion that using an AAD will keep me from dying while skydiving (an incorrect notion that I have no intention to fix). As long as I use an AAD, she is happy to have me skydive. Getting no grief from my wife is a tremendous payoff for pushing that button four times in the morning.

What on earth was I thinking? As a Texan, I am ashamed that I forgot to list a firearm as an option! Glock -- Tactical Tupperware The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

Under normal circumstances (not night jumps, or other unusual jumps), what to you put in your pockets or on your rig to help you if you land out or are injured (or for other surprises)? Where/how do you carry this stuff? Blue skies. The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

Try this: You: While sleeping have you ever had a pleasant dream of flying? Wuffo: Sure. You: I live that dream. The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

Ladyhawke: As a new guy too, I agree completely with you. A few weeks ago we planned a 4-way RW jump with linked exit. I was seated near the door and far from the organizer. Little did I know that on the plane he added a fifth (a diver). We lost one member on the exit. While awaiting the "lost" jumper in the formation I noted one of my previous coaches (jumper #5) approach and dock on my arm and leg. "No problem" I think to myself. The "lost" jumper comes in, and the move to the next point is keyed. I release my grips.... but the 5th jumper does not. He proceeds to make a block move 360 degree turn with me... SURPRISE!!! All in all, it was OK, but I sure was confused for a moment. I completely agree with your basic premise of not changing the plan. In fact, I have a rule for myself (at least until I get more experience): No changes once I have my rig on. No additions of more jumpers at the door mock-up, no changes of the dive flow, nada. I have found this rule helpful to me. I expect to outgrow this rule someday... but until then I will keep myself out of the jumps that we dirtdive as a 4-way that become an 8-way by the time we board the aircraft. This rule decreases my stress and increases the group's safety! The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

I can readily identify with your situation... I was there just a few months ago. I had a big pile of books and desire to learn as much as I could about skydiving. As noted above, it is possible to get ahead of yourself. Relying on your instructors for your info at the outset will make things much simpler for you. I found the Skydivers Handbook a bit stale in some ways. However.... I will always remember a single image from that book. It is the image on page 120.... makes me real careful about premature deployment! (This is the photo of the small plane with a HUGE hole ripped in the side due to the departure of the jumper THROUGH the side of the fuselage during a premature depolyment.) Be Safe, have fun. Blue Skies The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

Thanks... I will surf those sites. The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

Thanks.... that makes great sense! The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

Thanks for the complete and helpful reply and your encouragement!