Sergey-san

Thanks a lot for your input and pictures, Dave!

I'm planning to start camera-jumps. I want to build my video-platform around Sony HC5 and Bonehead Flat-Top Narrow helmet. I'm looking for advice from people who are jumping similar configurtion on what will be the best way to mount HC5? What models of quick-release mounts are compatibel with Flat-Top Narrow? I'm kind of inclined towards using a box... mostly for camera protection from accidental bumps or from cold, rain in clouds and other elements... I understand drawbacks of using a box as well (less access to video camera for tandem interviews, getting the tape in and out of the camera for debrief or recording, etc). I haven't seen Bonehead boxes, except the photos on their website. Personally like Cookies boxes:) Which ones are more convinient for use? Appreciate input from camera gurus! Sergey.

That sounds like discrimination of sexual minorities, Slaton makes gays wait longer for their canopies:)))))))))))))) might be a huge scandal in press:))))

looks like it's a hybrid too:)))) ZP - topskin and bottom skin made out of... no not sail... good old F111:))))))) That's a swoop beast!!!

It's a very popular canopy on our DZ, we've got 4 or 5 of them in various sizes, I believe one of them is even the original Nitro by HiPer USA... or maybe even that is not original:))) somebody in Europe came up with the disign:)))) but those two horns on the top skin, I don't what they're supposed to stabilize but they look funny:))) I wonder why Precision didn't acquire license to produce Blade, since that looks more of a hight performance canopy????

a little bit off topic: There is one girl at our DZ, who jumps NEOS 89, once her velcro strap with whech she stows her slier to her container's reserve flap didn't work properly, so she had to land with the unstowed slider... it was quite a scene! Very small canopy, tiny girl under it, and a HUGE slider flapping above her head:)))))) She takes her NEOS both to terminals and to hop&pops and, as far as I know, she doesn't have any problems with long openings... Once I tried Cobalt Comp and that thing had a big slider, which was reluctant to come down all the way, what I did to fix the problem was simply to squeeze both rear risers towards the middle after canopy inflated. That usually helps to bring down the slider fast;)

looks like there are two questions in one: how on various DZs deal with high-performance landings on regular loads in all the traffic conditions and how do they feel about 180 turns:) First question on our DZ was answered during our Safety Day in the beginning of the season: everyone who wants to practice high-performance landings with higher than 90 degrees of rotation will have to land on the separate landing area not interfering with the rest of the traffic. Local S&TA and DZO are very commited to enforce this rule. As for 180 truns, I see them being performed mostly by old-school pilots. The majority of swoopers on our DZ prefer either left-hand or right hand approach with the susequent execution of 90/270/450/630 turn.

Sorry, my mistake, I didn't make it clear!!! Of course I didn't mess with the grommets on my slider!!!! I bent Dive Loop segment on the risers. Grommets are still round and factory size and shape:))))

Honestly, I don't know the size of my grommets, but they are pretty narrow in diameter, it's a standard Crossfire-2 slider. At first, when I attached the new risers, grommets seemed kind of hard to go through that portion of the riser where you have the Dive loops. So I slightly bent them along longitudinal axis (lengthwise) with plyers. When I first jump-tested my risers, I had no problems what so ever pulling my slider down and stowing it behind my head. And Easy Dive Loops are very comfortable to hold!!! That might be especially important if you are into that new technique with initiating your turn with double fronts;)

There are standard excess break line keepers on the back of the rear risers, but I don't use them.... I don't stow my excess break lines, just prefer to leave them like that:)

Those are SunPath option Easy Dive Loops, I ordered them as part of the risers through Mike Gruwell and specified that the loops should be red:)

contact Mike Gruwell from Chuting Star: http://www.chutingstar.com/

During this past weekend I tested my new SunPath risers. Standard EasyGrip Toggles have been replaced with extremely narrow pinned toggles. This allows slider to go down easily behind your head without any fear of a breakfire. You can basically move your slider down with one sweeping move. That saves time under ground-hungry canopy and special design of the toggles makes breakfire virtually impossible. Many thanks to Mike Gruwell from ChutingStar rigging for this mode!!! The risers look just like factory modification! And excellent customer service too!!! Also I would like to thank Ian Drennan for recommending Chuting Star for this modification! http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2130/2401731827_df2935228c.jpg?v=0 http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3268/2402551946_8a92ba0799.jpg?v=0 http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2167/2401719223_208a832922.jpg?v=0

It all looks a little messed up to me... Why comparing Cobalt to Sabre? Cobalt is an elliptical, it's recovery arc will be longer. I've never jumped regular Cobalt, I've tried Cobalt Competition and it's evolution called Radical. Radical 105 had pretty long recovery arc, and if you carve it correctly it falls from the skies very agressively! But that 2-stage oppening thing didn't work out well for me, so I bought myself Crossfire-2. Choosing a canopy is like choosing a car, someone has mentioned this here already... everyone has his own preferences. So you will soon be choosing from Radical/Katana/Crossfire/Mamba... Try Radical if you like your Cobalt so much:) But who am I to give such advices after all... Seek an advice from a well-recognized canopy coach;)

Can you elaborate on this issue, please! I've never heard of such company... Do they have a website? Anyone has more details on this story??????? What's going on????

Super-cool video!!!!!!!!! Besides, guys managed to hit the jackpot with some serious sponsors!!!! It appears to be quite a rare thing to get non-parachute company involved... especially one of major automobile manufacturers. Good job, you guys!!!!!!!!!!!! You rock!

Thanks a lot, Tony! A few guys at Skydive Tecumseh in Michigan, where I jump now, have adapted Infinity risers to their Mirage and other rigs, I'll inspect them more closely this weekend. Thanks again for the pictures! Sergey.

Kostya, what's up!!!!!!!! What's wrong with your profile? you mentioned X-fire 89 there? Isn't it NEOS in reality? Probably you're still missing that orange Crossfire:)))) that's where the mistake comes from;) And a great photo, nobody can deny that!

Or you could buy a set of our risers (shameless plug). Can you please, post a picture of your velocity risers, or whatever you're advertising:) Do they also have pinned toggles? The best toggle design that I've seen so far comes from a French Atom container by Parachute de France, I've made about 70 jumps on them and miss them so much! The only thing that bothered me in that riser design was the inverted three-ring system... But as far as toggles go, they are unsurpassed! They are very narrow, pin is directed upwards, the break line is attached directly to the pin , wile tabs are directed downwards, so its breakfire-proof and slider goes down very easily. You can stow your slider behind your head in fractions of a second with one move of both of you hands. I'm very nervous now with that move on my Javelin risers:( And Vector toggle design, I think, is only a partial improvement. They might be safe against break fires, but they're still wide for a quick, one move slider stow... The only downside to Atom toggles was probably the fact that you had to be more careful while stowing your toggles after landing, or making sure that the packer doesn't mess up.

Maybe Jim should take him on the payroll and make him a part of his new Team Extreme? :))))) When somebody beats PD Factory Team guys in competition, it is definately not something that you see everyday! Great job, Mike!!! And the best of luck in Australian World Cup!

One of Icarus legendary test-pilots killed in the road accident apparantly on his way to his DZ:((( http://www.canopypiloting.com/home.asp?ItemID=636&rcid=82&pcid=81&cid=82 BSBD...

Under what canopies will each of them compete there? I've only seen Micheal Vaughan in Kolomna EST2007 Russia under his JVX 79. What about the rest of the Australian Crew? Sergey.

Great! Look forward to your Review. Another question: Did you order your risers with regular toggles or Trulok Toggles? You know those Velcroless toggles with metal pins. Last 40 jumps I did on such toggles and liked them a lot! I don't think Sun Path has such option, risers which I used came from Atom container by PDF and replaced standard risers in the Jav. I liked them a lot because they're almost immune to break fires and slider goes through them pretty easily. The only thing I don't like in those risers by PDF is that they have inverted three-ring system. So I'm thinking about ordering those new risers with Loui Loops and Trulok Toggles from UPD and replacing standard Jav risers with them...

Don't worry about Michael's financial plight, he's got plenty of dough from Kolomna EST 2007 in Russia a week earlier Congratulations to Micheal!!! And to other competitors!

It looks like it is what they call now easy-dive loops. So, I understand what you're talking about, no need for pics:) This design by UPT is a bit different as you can see. The loop is on top of the riser and goes through the softlink (which is linked to the riser, not to the loop). I have two questions for those who use this design: 1. Does it affect turning technique in any significant way? 2. Is it suitable to use only with removable slider, is it difficult to roll a standard slider and move it down behind your head passing these loops and softlinks together? Sergey.