dbattman

You'll pick up a bit more speed with Vectran as well due to the thinner lines. At least that was my perception- it could also have been from the improved airfoil. Just be careful with the vectran steering line wear. The other alternative is to have the lower steering lines replaced with an alternative non-vectran that will require retrim more often, but swapping out steering lines is cheap.

I found that poor performance in turbulent air was a dead give away. It started with some bucking in strong winds and degraded over the last season. Probably about 350 jumps at the time. I finally grounded it after my first jump at Spences's mountain boogie where I was too scared to give it any input (say about 450-500 jumps). Luckily I had a straight in approach. Look for sloppy, scary openings as well. Line specs are on Atair's website so you might just want to measure it out. Mel's linesets look great- I now have peppermint striped lines to match my canopy.

How do you download the service packs for the Xbox?

Not to go into extensive details, but this was the basic idea. It went through several iterations and revisions but we still had a great time. TN C-47 jump original thread

Email Stan Brock at HQ (the info is on the homepage) and let him know you are interested. The volunteer staff are always busy with tasks and planning but Stan is pretty good about returning emails and I'm sure he'd love to have you come down with us. Sometimes information can be a little slow getting to the downline so I'd be sure to follow up in January.

Once again I am asking for volunteers to join Remote Area Medical on another humanitarian expedition. We are heading to New Orleans to provide medical, dental, vision, and veterinary services on a massive scale. This will be the largest clinic ever held by RAM with a goal of 10,000+ patient encounters during the week. If we meet our goal this will surpass the current #1 event in Wise County, VA where 6000+ people came out over a WEEKEND to receive free services. After Katrina RAM volunteers were some of the first on the scene. The area is still reeling from the Katrina-Rita one-two combo and the need is extensive so they are heading back. We need not only medical skills, but people that are organized, have culinary skills, mechanical/electrical, have good personal skills and can stay cool under fire and think on their feet. You may not think you have anything to offer, but if you're up to the challenge you will find out just what you are capable of at a RAM expedition. Remote Area Medical is a private 501(c) with no paid employees. Everyone volunteers at their own expense and the organization does what they can to secure lodgings and meals but nothing is guaranteed. Volunteers are free to secure their own sponsorship to cover travel and living expenses. Some volunteers do get rooms but others come prepared to pitch tents and bush it at the site. We start before dawn and go until the staff yells 'Stop!'. The reward is well worth the effort. I have had some great times with this group. I spent a month hiking through the jungles of Guyana and working in the local hospitals and clinics. I parachuted out of a C-47 into the mountains of TN for a MASH style weekend complete with Army tents and grass floors. Most recently I provided crowd control for the Cleveland, TN clinic with an estimated value of care at $112K and now I get to go cajun style! If you can spare even a day or two and want to help us out get on the volunteer list and stay tuned for details. Remote Area Medical Homepage

First, take the next 10-20 jumps and figure out what size and type of canopy you will be learning on for the next 50-100 jumps (instructors and safe, experienced jumpers are critical here). Look for a container that's cheap, safe, and fits reasonably well that will handle at least one downsize. You probably won't be trying to fly on your head for the first hundred jumps so that new Vector 3 can wait.. Pick up a used Cypres with a few years left and a sound reserve and you're saddled up for

Yahoo! map to Neighbor's. The Humus rocks.

Ground school will be a full day covering the same things as AFF. Malfunctions, canopy control, landing will all be the same. The big difference is the dive flow. For static line your first jump is more of a relax and stay presented skydive where AFF has many more elements to it. You will get to climb outside the plane and hang off the strut of the 182 suspended about 4500 feet up. You relax, look to your left, get the go signal and you are on your own. All you have to do is get that pelvis out, let go (much harder than you think), check canopy and land. If you look good and stable they give you a practice pilot chute for the next four static lines to practice with. If the next four go well they take the rope away and things start to get interesting. Static line was a blast- you'll enjoy it. Try to do two your first day out- the first one is too much of an overload to appreciate the experience. Pros/Cons versus AFF are debatable and could be found on the site somewhere. (Qualification Disclaimer: S/L grad April 2000. Mid-America Sport Parachute Club Taylorville, IL. FJC Dave Flannell, RIP)

I've got a Bonehead Clamshell on a camera helmet probably two years old. Bonehead still lists the PC5, PC9, PC101 as the fitted models. What else have people been able to fit in their clamshells? There's a few PC9 and PC101s for sale on eBay but they seem to be getting scarce.

I saw a t-shirt for sale with Oriental characters on it. Looked really neet-all the rage with the cool kids. The translation was "I have a small penis".

AARGH! I just can't stop! Run away and save yourselves!

We have ways of making you talk.

If you can pick them up cheap the Cobalt's not a bad canopy. I wouldn't pay full price for one, though. I picked up my 150 with about 200-250 jumps for $700. I put about 250 on it and just had it relined ready to pass on to the next new owner. It's not a bad canopy but it's far from perfect and I've been satisfied but not pleased with it. Now, if you're considering a Cobalt a few hundred jumps from now and you can find an Alpha (predecesor to the Cobalt) that's a pretty good canopy. As far as the wingloading comparison I have no idea. I've heard that from more than one manufacturer. "Our canopies fly big so you should get a smaller one" Is it true? I don't know- probably depends on how aggressive you fly. I'm not suggesting at all that you should buy one, just my experience. Personally I don't think you can go wrong with a Pilot. That's a great all around canopy.

So here I am eating 'President's Choice Salsa Grande Restaurant Style' salsa. Ehh, it's alright. It's got some chunks and zing to it but it is far from stellar. Suddenly I'm taken back to Thomaston and that great big bowl of salsa at manifest. Yow- that stuff was great. Fresh made with cilantro and not-to-big chunks of tomato and onion. Now that's some good salsa. Next boogie I go to with Salsajohn I'm taking an empty jar. Yum!

I believe there is a dropzone in Spa near the German border. That's a beautiful country- enjoy the scenery.

I think maybe I was a little hard on him, so apologies if he took it wrong. That wasn't my intent. Be careful up there- pain is a wonderful teacher.

Correct you are Shim. It's not just the elipse, but the combo of elipse and load. Thanks for bringing up the point and I am a bit biased to the conservative side. Just curious, but what loading would you be doing for that situation? I think there's a few other places that use the larger elipticals for students but that's a whole other debate. Taylor- hope we don't come out sounding too hard, but we hate seeing people go too fast and get hurt. Get some good canopy coaching and evaluation before the unexpected happens.

Hey, your seniors all said you are pushing the edge. You had a smart ass comment that they shouldn't pass judgment on you without meeting you and everyone around you thinks you are a great canopy pilot beyond your experience. Maybe you're right- I really, really, hope so. And again, we've heard it all before. If you look at our fatality numbers the danger zone is between 300-800 jumps. After that it drops off until we hit several thousand which would be correct because now we are into the swoopers zone. We lose a huge chunk of our people to landing accidents. You are entering the 'cocky zone' and you will be there for at least the next two years. I know this because I have been there myself. It's not just the size that has us concerned, it's the choice to go full-elliptical. Get a nice semi 150 and learn to fly the piss out of it then think about getting an elliptical. And to address your concern, quality canopy coaching is ALWAYS available at no cost to you. You just need to seek out the really good ones that care and buy them a few beer to talk over. I'm not qualified to do this so I don't- I just recommend people to the ones who are. Go ahead and try to prove eveyone wrong- you won't be the first. In the meantime, get your lines checked out.

Hey Hans- fill up the swimming pool for me I feel like doing the backstroke this time. I'll be sure to hang onto my beer and avoid the culvert. Nothing like a refreshing dip in the wee hours of the morning.

We're in the same situation here in GA. Airport wouldn't renew our lease and gave us 60 days notice. That's their option. We can still use the airport, we just won't have a hangar to operate from so we might be doing the 5 minute shuttle deal for a bit.

Don't eat the broooooooown acid. And it's all her fault for bringing the jello shots. Coolest moment of the night- some guy walked around Don's RoamingDZ Firepit(TM) musst have gottne a little too close. All the fuzz on his sweater flashed off right before our eyes. Several of us jumped up and tried to put him out with our bare hands but is was over in about a second. Now that's a dropzone!

OK- you signed the waiver. You do have health insurance for skydiving, right? It's not the hooking or extremes that are going to do you in. It's the other low timer that cuts you off, the strong gust at 50 feet, the 'oh shit' turn or the foiled crosswind landing that causes you to reach your hand out to brake your fall (holding your toggle and causing you to turn yourself into the ground). We've seen many more come before you that said the same thing. Have fun and try not to hurt yourself, or worse hurt someone else.

Your lines are most likely out of trim. I just had my Cobalt 150 relined at about 500 jumps and it flies like a new canopy. Some of the symptoms to look for include sloppy, scary openings and poor handling of turbulance and strong winds. I also had poor performance on front risers similar to what you describe. I bought a Vectran lineset from Skyworks Parachutes in Buffalo, South Carolina. The lower control lines on this set are not Vectran (which is good). Atair will sell but not install linesets. When you do your lines try to get the steering lines so the stall point is about full extension plus a shoulder roll down. And yes, I agree with the others- you are putting yourself in the red zone. Aerodyne makes a great canopy for your level called the Pilot.

There is room on this planet for all God's creatures...... right between the veggies and the baked potato!