lethargic8

I was under the impression (from a variety of sources, but none from my own experience) that with a properly manufactured 3 ring set (not mini-rings), and a well maintained and configure d rig, the leverage was 200 to 1 and that this is more then sufficient even in an extremely violent line spinning malfunction. The hard pull on cutaway handle are when there is a problem with the rig no, or am I completely off on this? If this isn't the case wouldn't the 3 ring system be made larger for more leverage?

I just looked into the Patriot Extreme. It has a policy maximum of 50k USD, which is ridiculously low. Hardly enough to be called a useful policy. -derek

I flew into one at Elsinore just over a year ago while on my final approach. It had started over the dirt in the student landing area but by the time I flew into it the dust devil was over the grass main landing area, I had no idea. My canopy collapsed twice and snapped back open at what I believe to be 15-20 feet above the ground. Resulted in a hard landing that I PLF'ed the shit out of, but no injuries. I was the first one down, everyone else on the load saw my canopy doing its wild dance and landed down wind. -derek

I didn't see the video you are referring to but the technology to pickup the electrical impulses from nerves view sensors on the skin has been around for some time. There are a number of advanced technologies that utilize it. I wasn't able to find it but there was an article last week discussing a Japanese developed powered exoskeleton that does exactly that to move with the user without using physical pressure sensors.

I had my first(beer!) cutaway at Elsinore on Sunday and it was a high speed mal; bag lock. After deploying there was only a weak snatch force pulling me up to maybe 30-45 degrees up from belly down. I looked up and saw the bag floating above me. I cutaway and pulled silver. It was a clean cutaway and my reserve opened like a dream. I was fully under the reserve by 2200 ft. When we recovered the main still in the bag it was immediately apparent what had happened. One line still in the stow band had grabbed all the lines in the next stow resulting in a mess that did not come out of the stow (nor did the stow band break for that matter). I know my stows are not always the optimal length, consider that a lesson learned, albeit the hard way. When I had time to slow down and think I realized I had not looked at my handles at all. While I grabbed them accurately I know I could have gotten myself into a shit storm of trouble had a grabbed some harness by accident. There has been extensive practice with my ep's since. Obviously a newbie mistake but maybe some other low jump number individual will read this and think twice before getting sloppy with the line stows.

Anytime I open under canopy I have very strong bordering on severe pressure in my ears. Using the pinching nose and exhaling to equalize trick always works. It's the reason I got a full face helmet with a shield that opens rather then one like the factory diver.

I strongly agree with the original post, I was about to post the same when I saw this. Even more then just paragraphs with indentations, on the web you should used blocks of text with line spaces in between for optimal readability.

Air resistance can't fight gravity? Not exactly accurate. Terminal velocity by definition is the speed at which air resistance on a falling body creates an upward force equal to the downward force of gravity. You are right that gravity is still putting a force on your body but it is being canceled out of the equation by the oppositional force of air resistance. Horizontal movement (or forward throw) will in fact slow down your acceleration towards earth while your body has forward motion (on the hill) as your body acts as an inefficient wing. Granted the guy in this video is wearing a wing suit but it demonstrates the point that the lack of life from forward velocity is why you feel more acceleration from a static platform. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Am-Z-Dyrtkk

A bit late on my response, but the only reason I asked about holding the toggles in one hand while you loosen a chest strap is to allow you to do a full control check before you loosen the chest strap. That way if you were to get a tension not and some spins the handles would be were you expected. Its not something I've been doing, I was just thinking it might be a beneficial compromise over how some people loosen the chest strap and then unstow the toggles.

I did the same thing just this past weekend on my 2 week old mamba. Dove out the door for a speed star and felt a lot of wind on my face. Quickly pulled it down and it was fine the rest of the jump. Inspected it on the ground and there was no damage, other then feeling like a jackass. I only have 20 or so jumps with my mamba but so far it has been great. The closing mechanism is simple to operate and seems secure although I guess I will find out some time down the road if that remains true. It is very comfortable and quiet in free fall. What made my decision was just trying on all the helmets and seeing which fit my head shape the best.

Is there some reason why you can't/shouldn't hold both brakes in one hand and loosen the chest strap with the other?

I get the same thing. Drinking beers helps keep it off but Monday it hits like a ton of bricks. Gives new meaning to "somebody's got a case of the Mondays". I am sure it has to do with your body finally slowing down.

I am a new jumper so I was wondering if anyone could answer this for me. I was under the impression that with an un-landable canopy below 1000ft the eps are different?