smears

My experience was pretty awful with EG also. Knowing he specialized in big guy suits, I called in need of a big baggy suit for tandems. Was promised a month, which took about 3 months after multiple calls and emails. Finally got the suit which was a perfect fit as an RW suit minus the grippers. Very form fitting with spandex back and forearms. I called explaining that while it was a great suit, it was the opposite of what I needed. Long story short, 6 months later I finally got the suit I ordered, minus the up charge I paid for zippered booties. Never received a refund nor the zippers. The suit is made great and has withstood a lot, but I wouldn't buy from him unless in person.

Hey, I work at Flying Tigers Sport Parachute Center down in Anderson, SC. It's a pretty straight shot down I-85 from Charlotte. We're a smaller, weekend only dz, but have a good group of fun jumpers. Check us out on Facebook or shoot me a message if you'd like to join us for a weekend. Hope to see you!

We're getting busier than we use to be and need more lift capacity, so it's time for an upgrade. A 206 seems like the best option for us.

Thanks for the help, I'll give those places a call to see if I can figure out how to make this work!

We're hoping to upgrade from a C-182 to a C-206 within a year or so, but there's a couple things we can't decide on, and I was hoping to get some feedback. We do a lot of static line and tandem jump. For static line, we love being able to get the students hanging from the strut for exit. For tandems, we have to do a poised exit on the step, which we're hoping to get away from. To fix this, we were thinking about a C-206 U model because of the door in the back. Then that turns into an issue getting static line students out on the strut unless we use the pilot door on the left. My solution was to have the pilot sit on the right and put sl students out the left, continue climbing and put tandems out the back for an easier exit. Does anyone know if this has ever been done? If it is possible, what are the negatives and positives of this set up?

Has anyone tried the EG Tandem Suit? The description sounds real nice, especially the padded cordura knees (I jump a C-182). Thinking about buying one, but would love some feedback if anyone uses one or knows someone that does.

I agree. I've seen way to many people "teach" packing to students on canopies 135 and smaller. It's really difficult for students to learn how to lay the canopy down, get the fabric under control, and put it in the bag when they're not shown on a canopy close to the size they will be packing.

True, I meant specifically the go-pro.

Is there a way to turn it on and off from inside the plane or do you have to turn it on before take off?

I'm just playing devil's advocate here bc my dz uses static line... If the req for a coach rating is a C license and 200 jumps. What would that do to a static line instructor rating? Should the 200 jump minimum also be raised? If so, what should it be raised to? If not, then there is no difference in requirements for a coach rating or s/l instructor. I'm not sure about the coach rating jump minimum. Some people are ready around 100 jumps, yet some need over 1000. The ones not ready should be weeded out by the I/E's. Yet we all know people who have passed coach's courses who weren't ready. Maybe USPA should check up on some of the I/E's out there. When I went through the class, it took half of Friday, all of Saturday, and half of Sunday. I've heard of some that take half of Friday, finish the class Saturday morning and have time for everyone's eval jumps before sun down. It makes me wonder what was skipped?? I know of a guy that was signed up for a coach's course, yet went to FL for vacation, saw a coach's course $20 cheaper and decided to join. He didn't have his SIM/IRM and had none of the pre-reqs done. Yet he went through the 1 day class, did eval jumps the next day and had a coach rating.

I know I'm probably wasting my time typing this, but I will anyway. I have over 300 jumps, I'm a coach and instructor and JUST downsized to a Sabre 150. And yes, it's at the same wingloading you are. I downsize slow and encourage to my students to do the same. One of the reasons is because my dz has a small landing area. The landing area is a small patch beside the end of the runway. I can put money on the fact that you won't be able to safely land there, yet we have students do it all the time, mainly because they learn how to fly large canopies before downsizing. Yea, maybe you've gotten lucky so far but what's going to happen when someone cuts you off 50 ft above the ground? More than likely you'll break something trying to avoid them. If you jump something larger, let's say a 190 at minimum, you probably won't break yourself. Or lets say you have a shitty spot and can't make it back to the dz and the best place to land is a small backyard. Will you be able to safely land there? Will you be able to safely land crosswind or downwind if need be? Questions like these are what you need to ask yourself. PS. Can I join the bounce bingo game?

I'm at s/l instructor at my dz and we use Z-po and F-111 canopies. I haven't noticed a difference with either. When I was a student they used direct bag, but for a few years we've been using a static line assist. Not sure if that helps any, but thought I'd type it in case it does

How much of a delay are you looking for? I have video of hop and pops from 3500, but there's not much delay. PM me if that's what you want.

Hey guys, This probably should go to the events forum, but I didn't know if everyone checks it. The Dixie Skydivers from Clemson, SC is having our 50 year reunion July 4th weekend in Clemson. It should be a pretty fun weekend with jumping and a dinner Friday night, a demo jump on the Clemson Campus followed by a banquet Saturday, and lots of jumping Sunday. There's probably some of ya'll that jumped with the Dixie Skydivers at some point, so if you want more info about the reunion let me know. From the sounds of it, there will be plenty of the older plus newer generation. Bill Wood's even coming

I'd be getting the hell out that's what. When the light comes out I get the fuck out of the plane. I know what my altitude is at all times. Are you saying you'll wait for the light to come on if you have to bailout?? Good luck. I'm with grannyinthesky, you need to do more hop n pops. before last weekend's boogie, 16 of my last 17 jumps were hop n pops. Sometimes because I was putting out s/l students, but most of the time bc I like them. My suggestion is do more hop n pops, and not from 5500, try 3500.

How are you going to define what is a 'gang' and what's not? Obviously groups like the Bloods are a gang, but what about the 4-5 friends that calls their group a 'gang' but the worst thing they do is go get drunk on the weekends?

You can try Clemson. It's about 2 hours away and has a skydiving club. Best part is the dz is only 5 min from campus!

We're there every weekend. Plus, I've become the packing b!tch somehow. So try another excuse :) Oh, to the OP, I wasn't around in '98 so idk who the TI was, but PM me and I'll give you the DZO's #

Well that proves that you remember us, but the real question is do you remember the directions to come see us?

Clemson University keeps their two planes (one is a king air, can't remember the other) at the Oconee County airport in SC. The Flying Tigers SPC and Clemson's skydiving club operate out of that airport also. Not sure if that applies, but thought I would throw it out there in case

The DZO is an AFFI and we have 2 other guys we can call if we need them. Most of our students are (poor) college kids. It's easier for them to afford a $200 fjc and $50 for jumps for 2-24, than over $300 for a fjc course and $200 for the next few jumps. Plus, we have a C-182, in the time it would take to get 1 AFF student to 10,500, we can dump out 3 students at 3,500 and have them back on the ground. Not to change the subject to AFF vs. S/L though Thanks for the help everyone, I think we'll try some of these ideas Sunday.

I don't have an exact percentage, but it happened often enough that we decided to look at other options. Sometimes a pc over the nose wouldn't affect the canopy at all. Sometimes it would be over the nose and off to the side causing the canopy to be in a constant slow turn unless the student countered it with a toggle. I personally have dealt with both while some friends and I were doing pre-reqs for the s/l instructor class. Not a big deal for an experienced jumper, but it is for a student. Something might be wrong with the setup, but that's the way they came from the factory.

What makes you think the ripcord is in the wrong place? Our student rigs have a ripcord housing attached to the bottom of the container, then a BOC Pouch on top of that (sounds confusing without a pic, but they were ordered that way.) Yes, we're going to loose all of them, but that is better in my opinion than having a first jump student w/ a spring loaded PC over the nose. The PC over the nose was happening a lot (plus a pain to pack), which was our motivation to switch to throw outs.

Thanks :). I think we'll try that this weekend. We were cutting an empty toilet paper roll in half and putting a few paper towels around it to stuff into the BOC. Seemed like an ok idea on the ground, but as soon as the students sat down in the 182, the tp roll would flatten

I'd answer you're question, but I don't understand what you're asking.