gemini

If there are no riser, brake line or other line issues it could be the leg straps or body position. Are the leg straps coming loose after deployment? I have a Sabre2 150 (my second) and I am always amazed how fast the lines come out of trim. When mine won't fly straight it is usually the lines or the leg straps. There could be a problem with the harness or container although since you have used it for 2 years, you should have noticed the problem with your old canopy also. Have you had a very hard opening? If yes have the rigger check the container for harness attachment points for damage; Are the hip rings still shaped correctly? Let us know what you find out. Blue skies, Jim

Any idea when the 2007 TSR 150-way will get posted to the new website? It was on the old website. Blue skies, Jim

Abbreviations & Definitions FS-Formation Skydiving (RW) (N-National Record/All Residents) WFS-Women's Formation Skydiving FSWR-Formation Skydiving World Record FS POPS- Parachutists Over Phorty FS SOS- Skydivers Over Sixty FS JOS- Jumpers Over Seventy FS JOE- Jumpers Over Eighty VR-Vertical Formation Record VWR-Vertical Formation World Record WVWR-Women's Vertical World Record VWR-Women's Vertical Record CRW-Canopy Formation Relative Work WCRW-Women's Canopy Formation Relative Work CRW POPS Countries Australia FS-81; WRW-47; CRW-21; VRW-17; WVRW-6 Austria FS-24; WFS-12; CRW-12 Belgium FS-126; WFS-16; CRW-15 Brazil FSN-80 Canada FSN-59; WFS-33; POPS FS-21; CRW-18 Czechoslovakia FS-??? DENMARK FS-55 Finland fs-58; CRW-10 France WFS-100 Germany FSN-156; FS SOS-10; FS JOE-1; CRW-20; WCRW-9; WFS-61 ...Baden-Wurtemburg FS-47 ...BAVARIA FS-50 ...Rheinland Pfalz FS-29 ...Saarland FS-40 Ireland FSN-51; WFSN=13; FS POPS-12L CRW-7 Israel FS-??? Italy VR-16 Mexico FSN-31 Netherlands FS-72; WFS-25; CRW-27; WCRW-4 New Zealand FS-??? Norway FSN-108 Poland FS-45 Puerto Rico (US) FS-??? Peru FSN-26 Russia FS-100 Slovakia FS-215 Spain VR-28; CRW-36 Sweden FSN-107 Switzerland FS-84 Thailand FSWR-400 (2/08/06) United Kingdom FSN-100; WFS-60 United States FS-300; WFS-151; VWR-53; FS POPS-110; FS SOS-33; FS JOS-11 Venuezula FSN-32; FS-80 Thailand Largest Mass Jump-960 (2/11/06) US States Alabama FS-40; CRW-9; FS POPS-20 Alaska FS-25; WFS-17; FS POPS-21 Arizona FS-300; POPS FS-101; CRW-29; FS POPS-100 California FS & WFS-151; FS POPS-125; VWR-53; CRW-46; WFS POPS-23; FS SOS-30; FS JOS-10 Colorado FS POPS-16; CRW POPS-16 Connecticut FS-41; WFS-16 Florida FS-201; POPS FS-72; CRW-70; FS SOS-33; FS JOS-11 Georgia FS-64; POPS FS-12 Hawaii CRW-6; FS POPS-12 Idaho FS-34; FS POPS-22 Iowa FS-60 Illinois WVWR-18; FS-259; CRW-25; FS POPS-81 Indiana FS POPS-23 Kentucky FS POPS-12 Louisiana CRW-17 Maine FS POPS-15 Massachusetts CRW-30; FS POPS-16; FS-81 Michigan CRW-10; FS POPS-22 Minnesota FS POPS-10 Mississippi FS-61; CRW-30 Missouri FS-25; CRW-18; FS POPS-16 Montana FS POPS-22; WFS-33 WFS-20; Nevada FS-38; FS POPS-14 New Jersey FS POPS-16; FS SOS-11 New York CRW-19; FS POPS-30; FS SOS-12 North Carolina CRW-44/49; FS POPS-45; CRW POPS-28; FS SOS-9 North Dakota FS-16 Ohio CRW-24; FS POPS-21; WFS-20 Oklahoma FS POPS-9; FS-100 Oregon CRW-25; FS POPS-22; VR-9; Pennsylvania FS POPS-21 South Carolina FS-200; WFS-19; CRW-30; FS POPS-18 Tennessee FS POPS-13 Texas FS-150 (4/21/07); FS POPS-62; FS SOS=10; CRW-36 (47/58); VR-16; WFS-31 Utah FS POPS-13 Virginia CRW-10 Washington CRW-38 (39/40); FS POPS-23; CRW POPS-9; WFS-25 Wisconsin CRW-13; FS POPS-18 Blue skies, Jim

My first jump was a tandem at Skydive USA (thanks Chuck!). I never considered it a carnival ride, just something that Trent wanted me to do. My TM was Ron Walker, a former Golden Knight and a really good guy. Since I had also been in the Army, Ron and I talked a lot after the beer light came on after my second tandem. I could relate to his stories and I like to think he could relate to mine. Ron sold me on the student program. It was not a high pressure sell by Ron either, just something I wanted to do after talking to him about a lot of other stuff. I liked him and the dz and wanted to hang out there. Last weekend one of the TM's at Spaceland was telling me that although he likes the 100+ tandem Saturdays they are having because of the money, he is so busy that he doesn't have enough time to talk to the student about the ISP student program in any detail. This is unfortunate since the TM is usually the first contact the tandem has with the sport and the only person on the DZ that spends anytime with the tandem. I think this is where a lot of DZs fail. Once the TMs think of it as just a job, a carnival ride, a production line, or or too busy the they may stop selling the fun of skydiving. Of course it is not only the TM's job to sell the sport. It is up to all of us from the DZO to the newest jumper to greet the tandem's, be friendly, answer their questions, laugh at their videos. And sometimes it is the simplest thing...like offering the tandems to stay for a beer, a party or dinner at the DZ since they have been there all day and it is now approaching 6 or 7 PM. Why should we help the DZO earn more money? The tandems give the DZ a quick cash inflow. Sure they may only do one jump, but it is equal to 10 fun jumps and only takes one load. This helps offset the DZ overhead and reduces the amount each of us would pay for a fun jump. Fun jumps cover the direct jump costs (fuel, aircraft slot, pilot), but don't actually contribute much to the other operating expenses of the dz. Blue skies, Jim

Cody: Yep there were three of them, two city and one dps. Wish we had some way to let everyone behind us from the dz know. 288 has so many these days, I just set my cruise at 65 and let everyone else blow by me. Hope you can take drivers ed to keep it off you record. Blues, Jim

http://www.irishskydivers.com Blue skies, Jim

I am updating the list for the http://www.bigways.com website. Other than the new Irish National Record, does anyone else have any changes? Blue skies, Jim

It has been years since Trent introduced me to Maggot at the Ranch. I will always remember his smile and attitude. Fly high Jerry. Blue skies, Jim

Congratulations Gordon! Heard the women got a 10-way too and were trying for a 15-way. Blue skies, Jim

I agree with Aggie Dave and Wendy! At 80 jumps I really sucked. I had the opposite problem since I was older, I couldn't arch as much so fell slower. I could not get down to a formation until almost break-off. I rarely got invited to jump with the better skydivers until I had over 300 jumps. The key for me was when my friends and I started trying to fly together instead of jumping out and hoping for the best. They got looser suits and I put on weights. Look at the jumpsuits your friends are wearing. Are your friends your size, larger, smaller. If they are smaller and in cotton or loose suits, you will fall faster than them. See if your rigger can out swoop cords in your current suit first and get to a wind tunnel as soon as you can. Don't give up! Blue skies, Jim

Hard to believe it has been another year! You're not forgotten old friend. Sometimes at the dz when I'm in my jumpsuit and just standing around, I could swear that I still feel your tug on my right leg gripper. Never could get my slot right! Blues, Jim

Twardo told me a story two weeks ago about how they used to rest a beer on their belly mounted reserve. Said it worked great! Blue skies, Jim

And Remi wins the grand prize! Blue skies, Jim

I have a new page on http://www.bigways.com for all the camera flyers who take big way stills and movies. If your event is posted on the website, I would like to have you listed with a link to your photos and your email. Email me at [email protected] if you want to be included or have any questions. Blue skies, Jim

If you want operating costs it would be fuel, pilot plus: 10 years ago we accrued $75 per flight hour to cover maintenance and insurance for the Otter while my brother-in-law was accruing $400 per flight hour for a Long Ranger helicopter. Someone told me recently that they accrue $300 per flight hour for the Skyvan. Blue skies, Jim

Thanks Rob. I added it to my file of big way docs. Blue skies, Jim

Ok guys here is the first pictures of Spaceland's newest birds prior to flying in from Africa. Anybody need any leather Otter seats? Hope that new prop gets installed before Rabbitt gets there. Blue skies, Jim

Scott: I saw your post and wanted to say that (1) the pilot had no incidents prior to the one in question, (2) I was very angry when I saw the post from someone at the dz who implied that everything was over and it was all hugs and kisses between the owner's, dz, mechanics and pilot. I know better than to post while angry, but the $$ losses and knowledge that we could have lost 3 of our friends made me a little to quick to respond. I do mean it when I said that I thought the pilot had learned his lesson and will not repeat this or similar mistakes in the future. He is a natural pilot, is likable, and really wants to have a flying career. My comment was to reassure the local jumpers who were concerned after my first post that the plane was again airworthy and the pilot was competent to continue. Hope this helps. PM me if you would like. blues, jim

The list of upcoming big way events has been updated on http://www.bigways.com to include pending 2009 big ways at Zhills, Spaceland and Perris Valley. Let me know if any of you know of other big way events. Blue skies, Jim

That's funny Billy. I missed7 and when I looked at the answers,5 of them were marked wrong, but were correct! Who prepared this damn thing??? Blue skies, Jim

Try http://www.bigways.com. Events are posted frequently and site allows on-line registration and some event payments.

Note: Invitations will start being issued October 2008 to the TSR. On-site bunkhouse and private homes/trailers on or near the dz have limited beds. RV hook-ups and camping also available. Call US 281-369-3337 to inquire about staying on-site. On-site cafe has re-opened for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Blue skies, Jim

My Stuff displays code insted of menu text. Blue skies, Jim

Damn, I got to SOS before Scotty! Now I'm really feeling old. Get on-board SOS you kid! Blue skies, Jim

What a great event. Kudos to John, TJ, Max & Eric for the jump management, and to Skydive Chicago and Chicagoland for hosting such a great, fun event. Rook always puts on the best UFO/fireworks display and the food is fantastic. This is really the premier regional POPS event each year. Blue skies, Jim