jmfreefly

Well, always nice to see alternatives ways to do things. I think the SRI design of their riser's dive loops solve the 'keep them open' issue, but not the 'need a bigger loop' issue. I would say to keep an eye on wear of the lines that end up touching/rubbing the loop. I guess type 4 is pretty smooth (a la riser, if I am thinking right), but the lines usually don't really contact the riser. I have no idea if the tri-directional loading would prematurely wear the slink either.. I really doubt it, but just a thought. j

Well, someone is going to have to field test new gear, otherwise we would still be jumping rounds, belly rigs, etc. Right?

I have seen video of booties sneaking out on AFF (don't know how they were secured..), and it royally screwed the student up (made them turn). I am pretty sure the student failed because of that, and I asked myself whether that student was owed another jump. The velcro wrap trick (altimeter wrist straps may even work for some folks) has been used at our dz effectively, but I think most of our AFF jumpmasters don't put folks in bootie suits, just to eliminate the risk of them sneaking out. For those off student status, it is generally no worry, as the student should be able to handle correcting a turn, although it can be a bit disconcerting. j

Background: http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=844393#844393 Ok, so last load of the day, on the way up to the plane, a fellow jumper says "Hey, your cypress isn't on". uh.. yeah.. it should be on. I turned it on this morning. Then I remember that my cypress 2 is in the slim group of those under Airtec's advisory (but not a mandatory recall, which I totally disagree with.. see previous post). Dang thing's LCD is blank.. UUUGGHH!! I knew I should have gotten my rigger to pull this and ship it to airtec out of cycle (rigger cost and shipping on my dime, of course.. thanks airtec.. not!) So, I said "It should be on. Cycle it once, and then it should be off.. then cycle it again, and it should be on" He does it.. and nothing. He does 2 cycles again, and nothing. @#$@#!!!! So I take off my freakin rig, and do it myself, waiting between cycles for a little bit (and have the rig in contact with the tarmac.. figured it would help discharge any static).. cycle second time, and it comes up and counts down. AIRTEC, HOW IS THIS NOT A PROBLEM WORTHY OF A RECALL???? Total baloney. I feel like I can't trust this unit anymore until airtec sees it and does its mod.. even then, I will be quite wary. Anyone else's exhibit this defect? j

Ok, yes, tiny containers, big people, things inherently get skewed. I believe SRI does essentially the same thing you describe, basically have a length of 'straight webbng before the legstrap Y. It may be an extension of one of the two legstrap 'ends', but I am not sure.. I would have to look. If so, that is a little less optimal I think in terms of geometry, but fewer pieces have less failure points I guess. The 'ring' at the lateral issue exists whether the legstrap has one attachment point to the 'ring' or two. The point about the ring versus the type that most mfgs use, is that the ring gives a bit wider variety of 'geometry play' than a captive piece of hardware. I think for most people this isn't an issue. As for mirage, I definitely like their Unisyn harness, and I think it is probably the best thought out design out there that I have tried on. I some ways better than wings. But all of this is a bit off topic I guess.

In reality, I think it is liability that adds cost more than manufacturing. Limited applications does reduce competition, and allow for higher prices, as you point out. How to take a .02 piece of hardware and make it cost $5? Put it in on an airplane, life support device, or space vehicle. j

Hmm.. these dive loops were fabricated? I don't understand really why they are up there on the slink. I guess slinks dont have to worry about tri-way loading.. I guess it is x number of fewer needle pricks through the riser.. but it seems that it would sort of 'unset' the slinks (making the tab more prone to coming out). I guess it also allows the dive loop to be maybe 1/2 to 1 inch higher on the riser. Any conflicts with the slider? that just looks a bit wierd to me.. am i missing something? j

Yes, articulated is worth the money on a Wings. articulated, no question. The way the legstrap is all once piece, and the full circular ring makes for truer articulation. If you look at some newer rigs like the G4, they have moved to a 1 piece (i.e. only one attachment point) design. I seem to remember hearing that Wings has to pay a royalty on the ring design, but they do so because it really provides the best articulation. Stainless isn't that interesting to me. Some mfgs stainless also makes the friction adaptors (especially on the legstraps) not work as well, and loosen up. Some mfgs, like Mirage and... ? others.. use different hardware on their stainless rigs to combat this. j

Exactly. I would revise the window check to be when you are packing, and putting your pin in! (Or just before you don your rig if a packer packed it). Something like checking the window is something the jumper should do every time. There really isn't any way that a PC can be cocked at closing time, but become uncocked in the plane. Checking the pin, on the other hand, is quite different, and can be dislodged from packtime to exit time. Check the pin when you don your gear, and check it close to exit time. Don't be afraid to ask for a pin check, and don't be afraid to offer a pin check. One warning about windows though, the markings can bleed somewhat, so the 'marked area' becomes larger. This just means that the PC may looked '100% cocked' when it is really '95% cocked'. Hopefully you don't have that small a PC and that tight a container that the 5% would make a difference, but why take the chance -- get familiar with where the markings are. Another note -- keep an eye on the condition of the kill line. Depending on the material, it can shrink (from heat), or stretch somewhat. Shrinking means that your PC may not cock 100%. Stretching means that your PC will probably not fully collapse (and most likely spin up and be a royal pain to untangle the next pack job). j

What printer are you using Deuce?

Yeah she does. Except when taken out 'cross-town traffic'. I'll have to pull a still from that jump. Hilarious and sketchy at the same time.

Like I said, 'arguable' I don't necessarily think it is an urban myth. If anything, it is marketing hype of competetive 'CD Pens' that are 'specifically made for CDs'. Here is a link to my post earlier, talking about CDs that became unreadable, as the organic layer broke down.. http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=894382;search_string=DVD;#894382

ABSOLUTE safest is nothing at all. Sharpies have been argued that they break down the medium over time. (I put up a link to degrading media a while ago). I have no conclusive evidence of it, and I have to think that it is such a small difference in lifespan. Best solution is printable media and a DVD/CD printer. For me, I just put labels on them.

Every NLE I have used has this ability in the timeline.. My guess is that yours does also. For more complex stuff I use SoundForge (like stretching audio or similar effects). j

Just a word of warning, there were glitches in using Boris RED in AVX 1.5 mode in Xpress PRO. Not sure if they (Boris/Avid) have fixed this yet. I have Pro sitting in a drawer for this specific reason, as I didn't want to battle that before I had to produce our year-end video. Boris can be very powerful, but it has a tough learning curve (to me). Although nothing beats it for titling effects that I have found. Extruded shapes, extruded text.. j

I think the Cameye Sport was made for that application. Never used one, so can't verify.

Yes, I stow my line that way. I find it easier (with tight elastic) that I 'follow' my toggle tab, and then put the tab and line excess in the keeper together (does that make sense?)

It was entertaining.. Dave was in 'Good Stuff' at Baffin, right?? The 'main' character of the show (can't remember his name) was thouroughly annoying though. If he said 'dailed in' one more time, I was going to put a brick through my TV. j

They are not 'waterproof'. They are essentially as 'water resistant' as cypress-2 by all the info I have. Here is the thread I posted a while ago of the vigil I got. Haven't swapped it in my rig yet, so I can't give any more feedback: http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=799699;search_string=vigil;#799699 Was it in skydiving that I saw a Vigil fired on the ground while the reserve was being re-packed? (PC hit the rigger in the face?) j

word of warning, I have had MACK try to charge me for doors that I removed (to put a replacement back on) when they were fixing my camera. Sony always put new doors on there also (annoying), but didnt charge me extra for it.. MACK stinks, btw. Trying to charge me $250 to put the doors back on.. idiots. j

Hey, Chuck, can you identify the 2nd guy from the right?

I am there, with a gaggle of non-wingsuited Skydive Virginias. Wont be getting there until mid week though. I still haven't gotten a chance to jump my new s3.. weather has been crap in VA. I'll be bringing both s3 and gti. j

We used a child's bike rim, with flexible water hose tucked in the channel. There weren't any sharp edges, so I don't know what you are referring to. We also covered the rim with neoprene pipe wrap (self-stick stuff from home depot), JIC. We also didn't use zp, we used flag-weight solarmax.

What lens and how far away are these shots? Thanks j

Well, the Mfg are the best folks to contact. Or talk again to the rigger who gave you the advice in the first place. My rigger has done this on someone's older mirage, and it was obvious that a bartack was needed to prevent undue stress on the flap to backpad stitches when packed. Other rigs may not require the same, but my guess is that they do. j