kevin922

Very cool, any way we can get access to some hi-res? I'd love to print some of those out and put them on my wall. Also, check out some of the discussions going on at flybirdman.com reguarding design ideas - you and TimBirdy could team up and do some really cool drawings

here A space elevator has passed its first test, a 1000 ft run - looks like it will work already for base jumping, perhaps 14K feet is not far away! A private group has taken one small step toward the prospect of building a futuristic space elevator. LiftPort Group Inc., of Bremerton, Wash., has successfully tested a robot climber — a novel piece of hardware that reeled itself up and down a lengthy ribbon dangling from a high-altitude balloon. The test run, conducted earlier this week, is seen as a precursor experiment intended to flight validate equipment and methods to construct a space elevator. This visionary concept would make use of an ultra-strong carbon nanotube composite ribbon stretching up to 62,000 miles (100,000 kilometers) from Earth into space. Story continues below ↓ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- advertisement -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The space elevator would be anchored to an offshore sea platform near the equator in the Pacific Ocean. At the other end in space, the ribbon would be attached to a small counterweight. Mechanical “lifters” — robotic elevator cars — would move up and down the ribbon, carrying such items as satellites, solar power systems and eventually people into space. LiftPort’s plan is to take the concept from the research laboratory to commercial development. Robot lifter “We were very pleased with the test,” Michael Laine, president of the LiftPort Group, told Space.com. “It worked really well.” The assessment of flight hardware took place Tuesday at an undisclosed location in Eastern Washington. Due to the experimental nature of the equipment, actual whereabouts of the test site can’t be revealed, primarily due to safety reasons, Laine said. LiftPort Group Even with wind moving the balloon, LiftPort's robot climber was able to navigate its way up and down the long ribbon during a tether-climbing test. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “If our 23-pound (10.5-kilogram) robot falls from the ribbon … we don’t want spectators to be in the way as it makes a couple-thousand-dollar crater,” Laine explained. This week’s testing involved a 12-foot (4-meter) diameter balloon. Safety lines held by team members kept the balloon from floating away. The ribbon dangling from the balloon was made of composite fiberglass, with the robot lifter running up and down the tether. “This lifter is much smarter than our previous versions. It’s our 18th version,” he said, with the Mark VII robot named Sword Over Damocles or "Sword" for short. The belt-driven robot is battery-powered, featuring two motors and an expanded cargo area due to increased intelligence built into the device, he said. Goal in sight During the day, the highest altitude reached by the balloon/ribbon/robot combination was 1,000 feet (305 meters). “It gives us complete confidence that the mile goal is well within reach,” Laine said. Laine said that the Federal Aviation Administration has been very supportive and helpful in orchestrating their test flights. “We are cleared up to 1 mile high, off of a tethered helium balloon,” Laine said. “Our series of tests are designed to gain in altitude as we go, as we test our communications, range sensors, global positioning system satellite gear, along with temperature and camera systems.” Miles to go Further experiment dates have not been pinpointed as yet, although the weather in the area will play a key factor. “We have a fairly open window to do more tests,” Laine said. “We’ve probably got another month or so if we’re going to do it here in Washington state.” Other options are being looked at, such as staging LiftPort hardware tests from Denver as well as Northern California, he added. Laine and his space elevator team know that they have miles to go — literally — before a space elevator can be shown to be workable. “But the test was a step in the right direction,” Laine said. “It shows that our hardware design is valid.”

MWahahah!

So Kevin what do you use? and could you post a pic of the bracket --- does the bracket keep the smoke off your suit? Thanks The pics that Lou posted are my foot and my bracket :) (we also made an apperance in his recent book). Anyway, I jump M18s, I think the combination of the bracket as well as my all silver suit keep the smoke off my suit. The silver fabric has some type of coating on it which seems to be stain resistant.. the only stains on the suit are on the fabric where the booties snap. Liberty Parachute Team (one of the members posts here) sells some new smoke which puts out more than an m18.. i haven't jumped it or seen it but he seems to love it.

i read on another forum that the f-18 the seller sold was completely disassembled, ended up being total crap. this one actually says it's flying... hmmm... and it's gotta bid on it... lordie lordie... The f-18 was apart for transport purposes I think they said here there were a few newspaper articles on it, and the G was scratching their heads as to how the private individuals got their hands on the plane to begin with.

Evidentally he/she/it sold an F/18 in a previous auction.

Click here! I can't believe this is legal.....

Ready, set, go!

Blair, Jim Wallace Bracket is the one I jump, I think you've seen it. And BTW i've jumped the paragear (crap), it pretty much is useless. I'd be interested in hearing from those who have jumped this marine stuff - and how it looks with the 50/80-90MPH winds hitting it.

Just spoke with Mike, the dropzone only lost 1 piece of tin but otherwise came away unscathed (other hangars at the dz are damanged considerably though). Otter is in ATL getting bigger engines put on, was supposed to have the boogie this weekend for the bigger engines but obviously that won't happen.

I think LouDiamond has one or has jumped one. There are a few other people here that have one as well

Maybe i'm confused, were you jumping a GS1, or how does this relate to the GS1 thread?

What dropzone do you jump @?

One guy on the same load blew his wings off. So it's not just the PC. WS are not buit to fly at 200 Knts. Don't get me wrong I was a dumb ass for just thinking about doing it especially with 8 other WS pilots. The camera was a Canon Optura...going foe a low end Sony next. I've seen it done successfully numerous times, so I think this may be more of an issue of determining the correct way of presenting and pulling it off (and definining "high speed" 200 KTS may be a bit excessive, I'm not sure how fast the ones i've seen were going). I think there are a number of factors, but one thing to note from this is definately don't go out with a base PC pouch on this type of jump.

Uh, no - don't use the Base PC pouch and make sure your shit is stowed good when doing a high speed pass with a ws Glad you're paralized, 600 bucks? What camera were you using?

Thats interesting, what type of smoke is that - do you know?

http://www.keepfalling.cz/RS/image/200505021433_009.jpg Link isn't working for me, what is it some crazy guy wearing smoke on his hands??

We normally wear smoke on our feet, wearing them on your hands will be a totally different show I believe :)

You're leaving out a lot of choices, some very exciting.. check out the GS1! Kevin

I'm planing on being there for one day, gotta get my heli/wingsuit/smoke fix in. Addie, we gonna go do some wingsuit stuff? Weege when you going to go through the course?

Voodew, where you getting the info about having a demo there? It will have to be a GS1, sugargliders were never production (and won't be) and only 12 were made. I believe they were "research" for the GS1. Kevin

Just wanted to bring everyone's attention to this URL which has more detailed info about the GS1. I had a discussion over a year ago with someone about the ability to "zip out" wings and basically have one suit you can put different wings on, i'm glad to see this idea has come to production! Can't wait to try this suit out. I hear a promotional price of 8000 zar (1,237.86) for the 1st 100 suits sold is going to be offered, no word on the price after those 100. Kevin

Part of it also has to do with the base PC pouch. does the firebird have a base PC pouch? The s3 (my s3) has it on the left b/c of my PC pouch on the right.. my GTI has it on the right b/c there is no base PC pouch. but others are right, you can specify what side you want it on (Unless you have a base PC pouch)

Keep in mind every suit flys differently, and putting only 1 or 2 jumps on a suit really isn't enough to do a good "comparison" of two suits. I've done it myself with the MTR2, only being able to jump it a few times and giving readers my view of the major differences - but some of the points i made in my MTR2 review have been debated by saying i hadn't put enough jumps on the MTR2 to know how to fly it as well as i could (which is true).

*sigh* I just found out about this. Damn that sucks, I've spoken with Egon on many occasions and hung out with him a few times. *sigh* It really is true that if you stay in this sport long enough you'll loose friends, I'm up to 3 now and I'm at a loss for words. Blue Skies all, condolences.