Kinaa

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Posts posted by Kinaa

  3. Mortars are not fun, at all. They were my greatest fear, during the war here, not the land mines, air attack, or thanks, but mortars. Serbs used them a lot, and most our casultys (and most Croatian civil casultys) were also from mortar attacks). During the final operations, that ended war in Croatia, 7 of us was caught by 82mm mortar fire. We were in forest, without any cover, just lying on the ground behind one 40 cm thick tree. They fired 128 (actually 130, but two did not explode) granades, in less than 20 minutes. The most distance granade fell around 50 meters from us, and most of it were exploding around and above us. Branches were falling, trees were cracking, we were under shover of srapnels, literally. The ones that was carried by explosion in the air, was falling with leaves, like some hot, but without force, rain. I really thought that I (we) will die. Really. I remember myself thinking how stupid was I because I thought that school was problem (I was 19 then), and how some things quickly become small and meaningless. But it was our lucky day I guess. We had just one wounded, he was hit by some small (smaller that rise grain) shrapnel in the hand. I believed that I used all my "credit" that I had, that day, and that I will never tempt my luck again..
    Yeah right.;)

    Stay safe,

    I.P.


  6. I have question about mesh on vents. What is your opinion/field experience about durability of mesh on vents? Is that weakest point on valved canopy. By weakest I mean will canopy (material) outlast mesh? And would that mean that after some number of jumps we will have to send canopy to manufacturer for mesh replacement? What is your field experience (my MDV canopy is pretty new, so I can tell) or your opinion about that?

    Yes and one more thing, I swiched to Mozilla and I was stupid enough to delete all my (BASE) bookmarks, and I had them a lot. So can someone send me his own, I will much apreciated.:)You can do that by PM or on lava4(at)post.t-com.hr.

    Mucho hanks!

    Stay safe

    Sorry about bad eng, my spell check seems to dislike mozzila.
    :S


  8. Quote

    The hard velcro pc induced wind theory fits the available facts as a right to left strong wind would blow the pilot chute to the left initially (on a go and throw) which, assymetric to the jumpers center of gravity would result in clockwise motion.



    If that is possible, then you would end having PC in tow on no wind day streightened up (practically in a stand position), if we assume that your upper body is lighter then your legs.


  9. Maybe (we) I was too harsh whit that comment, but if someone with 25 base jumps don't know what is vented PC, he should be VERY scare, and maybe he should consider changing base crew or mentor.


  11. Quote

    Has anybody got any details of this yet ?
    I did not think that there were any BASE jumps made between: (these dates)

    1603 - Faust Vrancic / building jump



    http://public.srce.hr/zuh/do1874/nv17/nv17_1.htm#17

    Rough translation...

    "With a four angled sail cloth tensed with a four same wooden sticks and with 4 ropes tied in angles, man can safely drop from a tower or any else high place. Even so if then wolud not be wind, the force of a droping man would create wind that will hold the cloth so man would not hit the ground hard, but softly touch down. However, humans weight must precise determine sise of the cloth..."

    Sorry about spelling, I dont have time for that now.

    Fun,

    I.P.


    PS:He (Faust Vrancic) was Croatian scientist, inventor, writer, humanist, physicist etc. and he was one of the greatest Croatian minds ever. He among other science project published first ever printed scheme of parachute in his project Homo volans (Flying man) He tested successfully his parachute from some towers in Venice and from some cliffs in Hungary.

    Blue sky
    I.P.

    -Edited to ad "PS"


  14. "...The configuration for bridle attachment on a pilot chute used by ParAAvis allows the jumpers to asymmetrically attach the PC to the bridle..."

    I found this sentence on Paraavis web site, and I don't know what that means. Any one care to explain? I don't know if it is because of my lack of english or their or maybe something else.

    Thanks,

    I.P.


  15. It is 2:00h. I'm sitting at work, writing this on sweaty paper block. Few hours ago I did a jump, and ended my 10 months of pause. I haven't planed this jump. It just happened. I finally got my rig couple days ago. I gave my skydiving rig (wings, cobalt, quick) with 50 jumps for Pants, 36inch avpc, Vertex /Troll MDV comb. Some of you guys will say that I'm crazy but I'm satisfied, cos I could not sold that rig for a year or more. As I say I did not plan to jump. Actually I planed to go first on less demanding span, cos of my long pause, but that was not what happened. All I had to do was to wait half day for a span jump, but I could not resist.
    Morning was misty, but it was obvious that it will be beautiful day. I woke up whit strong wish for jump. Actually I woke up with erection and intense urge for a toilet but nevermind that. :ph34r:
    Day was perfect for jumping, but I did not plan any of it. We were set to go on a 115m span tomorrow, and that was the plan. Morning ended as usual, and it was time to go on a work. I packed up stuff for work, and took my rig. When my girlfriend asked me why I'm carrying my rig, I told her that I will left it in the car cos I'm going jumping after work, and also that I need to check some things. But I never leave gear in car, and I checked everything a day ago. As I was approaching to work, and I work near 700ft smokestack, I saw that wind direction was perfect, a bit to low, but it was 14:00h and I knew that it will be stronger in the evening. I parked my car, took my gear and started walk towards the gate. It is unusual to carry something like stash bag to work, so I expected inspection, but that was not happened. The guardsman did not even looked at me. Passed the gate, and entered in locker room. No one asked me what I'm carrying. Left the rig in locker, changed my close and went to a working cabin.
    Someone once told that bored mind is devils playground, and as I did not have much work to do I started to think. What should I did if I decide to jump, who work with me, where is boss, how I packed… And I started to act. Vent on landing area, just to check how things are there, (although I'm almost every day there) then in wardrobe to check the rig, and how I will carry it to the site. Smokestack is 250m far from it, first 100m up to my working cabin is glade and that part was where I was exposed to guards, and camera is there that covering space in front wardrobe, and road to kitchen and gate. That part is a bit busy cos kitchen is near, and often is someone passing by. Rest from my cabin to site is easy, trough rafinery installations covered from sights. I've put my rig on, and I tried to put my working shirt over the rig, but hunch was to big. So I decided to just take my stash bag and carry it openly, and if someone ask I will told that I need to do some rigging. And I did that. No one saw me. All I can do now was wait for dark. Went again to wardrobe to put higher working shoes with ankle protection, return back. It was 18:00h, dark was approaching and it was time to find best route to smokestack trough installation. I did not want to any of my working college to see me, so I ought to find way how to avoid another 3 cabins on a way to smokestack. I find out that nearest 2 to smokestak was empty cos that part of installation was not working and guys were in command room playing video games. That was perfect. I easily avoided first cabin, and I was fairly happy with route to smokestack. I re check landing, literally, I walked it alongside, I tried to memorize every rock or muddy pot, any obstacle. I checked my outs again.
    Smokestack is resident on a east end of huge rafinery complex. 700ft high with 13 sections of of ladder.Big incinerator below, and huge pipeline at 150ft. that transfer smoke from big heaters. Below it is big clean grassy area with less then few obstacles that is spreading in 90deg from bottom of it. Rest of space around is not so great, usual rafinery installations, pipes, big columns and stuff. Choose 2 roads between installation as my out on left side, and area in front steam plant on right side of my line of exit. I counted ladder section of smokestack again and decided minimum exit hight, and that was it. I still was not sure if I will jump, cos whole area is filled with thermals so I was not sure how things are on opening exit. Returned to cabin and wait. It was dark enough at 19:30h and it was time to go. Went to control cabin to show myself,and to assure that two guys from last two cabin near smokestack are still there. They were. Went in cabin for a rig. I decided to carry rig in stash bag up to first section of ladder just in case someone see me. It would be easier to explain black bag than parachute on my back. Just as I was putting my bag on, a friend called to talk about that night travel to span, and I told him what I'm doing. He wished me luck, and ask me not do something stupid, which could hold up our journey. Selfish bastard he is.;)
    I arrived to bottom of smokestack unseen. I made decision to climb to first section over incinerator ladders, but that was not good idea, cos last couple meters of ladders were missing and I could not see that from the ground. So I got down and, and went to main smokestack ladders. First section is open to sight, and I knew from experience that when I will be on top of that section I will be safe, cos people usually don't look up. All that time I was occupied how to climb to first section unseen, so I haven't had time to think. But when I finally got to first section of ladders, I was aware that it will not pass without fear. Smokestack is over 20 years old, and most scary thing to me was bars underfoot on ladder sections. They were side by side, with no intersect bars, thin, 2 inches apart, and they were bending under me. It was dark, and I was not sure how rusty they are. I work there and I know how things fast can get rust, and this was over 20 year old smokestack. I really did not want to be on that intersection anymore. I was afraid. But I went up instead down. I climbed fast. Two section up, then rest with 10 deep inhales more because of fear then fatigue. I risked much because I was on my working place, and loosing job was something I did not want to think of. It would be disaster. I tossed some toilet paper on my opening altitude, things were ok. I did not went to top of smokestack. 500ft was enough. I rested for couple of minutes. Packed stash bag in legstrap pocket, and check the pins, bridle and pc. I put the rig on my back, and I was ready for jump. Hardest part was behind me, and the fact that I had rig on my back was bringing me additional safety. I checked my outs again, landing area, flight path, I weigh out again things against jump, and for. Although I haven't jumped for some time, haven't had gc, I was on my work, and practically no one knew were I was, and what I'm doing, I was sure in myself, and in my actions. I was calm. I remember that my palms was dry and that was odd to me. I tossed some more of toilet paper just for fun, but it got in fairly strong thermal and went up. That concerned me a bit, cos I was not sure if things had change on my opening altitude. Thermal was in burble are of smokestack, directly downwind. So I decided to jump about 40deg right of wind direction, crosswind, knowing that I had less chanse to get caught in thermal, and I got better chance to move of the smokestack. I was aware that thermals are eminent in that kind of facilities, so I was ready for a bumpy flight. Went over the fence, and there I was. I was not part of scary smokestack anymore and I was not afraid. I checked my pc again, and I jumped. Looked at horizon, then on the ground, I looked ladders passing by trough my legs, 2s ff, opening bang, 30deg left ofheading, I was almost downwind because of that. Unblocked my brakes, flying downwind for a couple of seconds, turned canopy in wind, checked my spot, I was little too high, one more turn, and I was set for landing. Landed, make sure that no one saw me, put everything in stash bag, and I returned to my working cabin. Left my gear in locker and went to command room. They did not notice that I was missing for a while, and no one saw me. Wich was great. I nead only to wait my shift to end. And I did not got it, the guy did not come, and I was at work up to morning, so I could not go to a span. But I was not disappointed much.
    Later when I got home, I did inspection of canopy, and I found out that I ripped of ( I don't know how to explain) that little peace of webbing on risers that holds stiff part of toggle. Not the rope thing that goes first trough brake settings loop, not the guiding rings. I don't have camera with me so I can't take a photo. It was not ripped off completely, just one side, and half of other. I'm not sure why that happened, cos practically there is not any force on that, and brakes were set when I was open. Maybe brake line went between riser and stiffed part of toggle during putting packjob in container. There was two of us when we packed and either of us check brake settings. I don't know.


    Have fun, and stay safe.

    I.P.


  17. I did my first stowed jump from 115m span. It was my seventh jump, and my first night jump also. And it was on my first jumping day, to be precise. I felt comfortable, and I knew that it is (was) right decision.

    Stay safe,

    I.P.


  21. Can any of you guys take a guess how high this A is? I got pictures from a wuffo friend who is living near it.
    I believe that Tom B. from ABA jumped it, if I remember correctly.

    Thanks.

    I.P.


  23. Quote

    Why would rungs in a metric country be 12 inches apart? I would think it more likely that they would be spaced by some measurement in centimeters (or fractional meters).


    I work in oil refinery and all technical measurements of pipes or similar stuff are in ". We don't use cms. Probably because it is USA oil rafinery that was bought some time ago.

    About ladder rungs, I climb them pretty often on my work, and last night as I was climbing smokestack I found out that space between rugs was smaller than on ladders that are on my work.

    I.P.


  24. I thought so. But I was not sure was it on purpose.
    Thanks for replay, it is B| to receive one from a movie star.:P;)

    PS: It is great movie, I have it since it was put on internet. About bust, how did you go with that?

    I.P.