AiRpollUtiOn

I read this thread from A to Z, Oh how wonderfull this internet is... "Don't make me come down there" - God. My site:http://www.skystudio.nl/video.html Some of my vids: http://www.youtube.com/user/TomSkyStudio

I started naming my canopies when I bought my first Velocity. As it was going to be a more groundhungry speedy monster than everything I flew before that, I called it "Fluffy", the Idea was that a canopy with such a sweet name wouldn't try to hurt me. Then I bought a Velo 96, a yellow one with one red cell at the end and PERFORMANCE DESIGNS in giant screaming letters on the bottom skin. I called that one "Spam"Then I bought An Icarus FX, by chance it had exactly the same colour scheme as my girlfriends Spectre 150, she calls her canopy "Nacho", so I called mine "Hermanito" (little brother). I recently bought a brand spanking new JFX, colour picked and all that, I also recently became a father, the first day with the new canopy at the dropzone I was talking to someone about the Maxi-Cosi (a brand of baby car seats), when someone else asked: What size is it (referring to my canopy), So my latest canopy is called "Maxy-Cosi 94". Seriously dudes, name your canopies, they'll open way nicer. Telling them sweet things during the opening sequence also helps! (This is a truth people like Flight 1 and Brian Germain are trying to keep from you!) "Don't make me come down there" - God. My site:http://www.skystudio.nl/video.html Some of my vids: http://www.youtube.com/user/TomSkyStudio

Sure looks like it! That was my 96 (had a 103 before that.) the 96 opened better than the 103 (or I was used to it...) Sold it after this jump: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=1526202844990&set=vb.1532225122&type=3&theater "Don't make me come down there" - God. My site:http://www.skystudio.nl/video.html Some of my vids: http://www.youtube.com/user/TomSkyStudio

I test jumped the JFX and loved it immediately, so I bought a JFX 94, loading it around 2.4, I'm in love. The openings are great, soft and usually on heading, when going off heading it's never been a lot and its not snappy. The flight characteristics are great, but as expected you won't swoop as far as the truly purpose-built swooping machines. You can have a lot of fun swooping it though: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=4715122005976&set=vb.1532225122&type=3&theater If I had all the time in the world and could jump more I'd propably buy a Petra or Peregrine to do some serious swooping. As I'm only making about 300 jumps a year now and mostly video jumps the JFX really is the perfect canopy for me! "Don't make me come down there" - God. My site:http://www.skystudio.nl/video.html Some of my vids: http://www.youtube.com/user/TomSkyStudio

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjKSUpard3g "Don't make me come down there" - God. My site:http://www.skystudio.nl/video.html Some of my vids: http://www.youtube.com/user/TomSkyStudio

I guess it depends on which day of the week they sewed your Velo together. 2 Velo's and 750 jumps divided between them have made me think it opens like a dog. People that pay good money in SM-dungeons propably get whipped less hard :) 300 jumps on my FX makes me still love it. That's why I'm asking about Icarus/Daedalus Canopies only, I have jumped the Sabre I and II, put 1200 jumps on Stiletto's, jumped the Satana (pun intended), the storm, the spectre, and after 10 years I've come to realise I'm not a fan of PD canopies. Flying is A-OK, openings tend to suck harder than any industrial vacuüm cleaner. But that's just my experience, I know lots of guys loving their PD canopies... Really anxious to see how the J-canopies perform. If weather improves I'll be jumping the JFX this weekend, can't wait! "Don't make me come down there" - God. My site:http://www.skystudio.nl/video.html Some of my vids: http://www.youtube.com/user/TomSkyStudio

Hi guys, It's time for a new canopy. Flew some Velo's, hated the openings, loved the flight. Flying an old FX now. love the openings, flight is OK once you get to know it. The FX is getting old, so I need a new canopy. After being spanked by Sabres, Sabre II's, Stillettos, Katanas and Velos and having loved the Safire II and FX I'm going to stick withh Icarus / Daedalus. I am willing to give up some flight characteristics if that means consistently better openings. Who has experience with the JFX and the JVX loaded between 2.2 and 2.5 and can tell me about the openings on the 2? A bit less important but nevertheless very interesting: How about flying, dive. swoop? Thanks! Tom "Don't make me come down there" - God. My site:http://www.skystudio.nl/video.html Some of my vids: http://www.youtube.com/user/TomSkyStudio

I use the Canon 350D, why? Because I bought it 5 years ago and it just won't break down or give me any kind of trouble. Of all the gear I've been using on commercial jumps, the Canon is the most reliable yet. (I think about 1200 jumps and going strong) "Don't make me come down there" - God. My site:http://www.skystudio.nl/video.html Some of my vids: http://www.youtube.com/user/TomSkyStudio

I do it... I keep it for low wind days, it just gives me softer landings, especially with heavy passengers. I don't stab the turn though, I make a turn that's somewhere in between a carve and a stab, this gives me the bail-option. In high winds I just set up just in front of the catchers and let it sink in. Now you can all flame me down, I can take it "Don't make me come down there" - God. My site:http://www.skystudio.nl/video.html Some of my vids: http://www.youtube.com/user/TomSkyStudio

Every once in a while you won't get the response you expected, quick action by stabbing deeper is the only answer, but we all know that this is not so easy with a heavier person because it takes a LOT of power. For this reason I go to the gym 2 times a week in the winter time. In the summer my tandems give me plenty of arm excercise so I only run :) We had some talks about possible spinal injuries at my dropzone. We had none and want to keep it that way. We keep on telling our TI's to get their legs on the ground first, the passengers beehind is lower that the TI's, and consequently will take most of the impact force. The TI's legs touching first will take away a big part of that energy. At the end of last season I had a crash landing, felt like a downdraft, stabbing didn't work. We reviewed the video several times and didn't see me doing anything wrong. Typical case of shit happens. I took a pretty hard impact on my legs (they can take it) and I am shure that that has prevented my passenger from at least breaking his tail-bone... I think I see tht TI at least trying to do just that, but then it's pretty unclear in youtube-quality . Without seeing this landing from a point in time at least 3 seconds earlier I think none of us forum-experts can really point a finger. I did want to post this however to emphasise the necessity to have the TI's feet touching first. It's your job to break your legs if that means your passenger won't break his back. If you're not prepared for that, go be a chess-instructor or sumtin' * editted for an obscene amount of typo's "Don't make me come down there" - God. My site:http://www.skystudio.nl/video.html Some of my vids: http://www.youtube.com/user/TomSkyStudio

N/A

Or...just another Skyhook fuckup. It's hard to believe that tandem main in streamer has less drag than the reserve PC. But that's just my thoughts Those were my initial thoughts as well, but on the other hand, with that speed the thing just working as an RSL is fine with me... AND I felt like the main wasn't really giving me much drag anyway :) "Don't make me come down there" - God. My site:http://www.skystudio.nl/video.html Some of my vids: http://www.youtube.com/user/TomSkyStudio

Good question! The reserve PC must have had more "power" or drag when it initially came out, pulling the hook off the ring. "Don't make me come down there" - God. My site:http://www.skystudio.nl/video.html Some of my vids: http://www.youtube.com/user/TomSkyStudio

None of the above was found on the gear when we retrieved it, and as far as I could tell the lines looked normal above me, so I still have no clue other than every once in a while shit happens... "Don't make me come down there" - God. My site:http://www.skystudio.nl/video.html Some of my vids: http://www.youtube.com/user/TomSkyStudio

Dunno, was busy with that other stuff so I didn't pay attention once I spotted him in a corner of my sight... "Don't make me come down there" - God. My site:http://www.skystudio.nl/video.html Some of my vids: http://www.youtube.com/user/TomSkyStudio

No they weren't. This was a new one for me, shaking the risers didn't work, by the time I gave that up I was getting close to 3000 ft, so I decided not to try and go for the reserve, as you can see on the vid I was only accelerating, so I knew that I was burning altitude fast, I really didn't want to risk a dual square situation... Yanking the risers works on my velo :) Next time this happens on a tandem I'll go for the brakes immediately. "Don't make me come down there" - God. My site:http://www.skystudio.nl/video.html Some of my vids: http://www.youtube.com/user/TomSkyStudio

Just thought I'd share some footage... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzKd8e47icY "Don't make me come down there" - God. My site:http://www.skystudio.nl/video.html Some of my vids: http://www.youtube.com/user/TomSkyStudio

thx. I didn't have anything that big (I do mean in my toolbox) so I used a 12mm drill and widened the hole with a dremel-tool. Worked like a charm! Pix soon... "Don't make me come down there" - God. My site:http://www.skystudio.nl/video.html Some of my vids: http://www.youtube.com/user/TomSkyStudio

I'm tidying up my FTP, First my cameye switch was on the outside with double-sided tape. Now I want the switch to be on the side of the helmet, so i need to drill a hole. Can anyone tell me how big this hole should be? (In millimeters please :) ) "Don't make me come down there" - God. My site:http://www.skystudio.nl/video.html Some of my vids: http://www.youtube.com/user/TomSkyStudio

I was at 740ft in this video. I've gone to 800 now, to force myself to go on double fronts longer and steepen my dive. Now sometimes I'm too high, but that's okay, for now it's about the exersise, in a while I'll propably bring it down a little! I'll be training tomorrow. If I have sufficient video I'll post a link again, I hope you guys see at least some progression :) "Don't make me come down there" - God. My site:http://www.skystudio.nl/video.html Some of my vids: http://www.youtube.com/user/TomSkyStudio

I did get 2 more PM's. One I can paste! Back up your turn away from the gates. It looks like you're holding your dive towards the gates too long and putting yourself in the corner because you're diving at the gates. Try moving your point of maneuver back another 30-50ft and see if you can't bring yourself up and out of the corner a little bit more. That'll speed you up by having a cleaner turn and not killing your speed bringing your canopy around the bottom of the recovery arc. Good luck and have fun! The other one I could paste but it would look like jibberisch to all non dutch speakers. In this message there were 3 tips 1) Stay in the pre dive configuration longer before starting the dive 2) start the turn slow and finish fast (something I know and generally try, but still mess up at times) 3) keep the canopy steadier on plane out and finish (when watching the vid again I did see what you mean) Thanks for the input. Right now I'm working on pretty much all of the above. I'm starting higher (800 ft as from brake release for a 270), try to be in a stabler config before starting, staying in deeper double fronts longer, starting the turn with light riser input and then accelarating the turn on harness input. I am getting some more speed (thus distance and woohoo factor). Starting higher gives me more time to make it more of a process than an action. I notice my harness input is getting more effective which gets my (somewhat chubby) body higher in relation to the canopy in the last part of my turn. Once again thx for your input! (and do keep it coming) If the weather is good I'll be training next week, I'll try to upload video again, and hope you guys see some improvements already (no guarantees though) "Don't make me come down there" - God. My site:http://www.skystudio.nl/video.html Some of my vids: http://www.youtube.com/user/TomSkyStudio

Hi guys, I'm slowly training for swoop competitions in the future. I got a lot of footage and threw it on youtube. If you have the time, please take a look and give me some advice. First jumps are on my old 103, last few on my new Velo 96 @ 2.17. I want to get more consistent on my turns and want to get more speed out of them. Thx for any input! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yp3yth-MAGw "Don't make me come down there" - God. My site:http://www.skystudio.nl/video.html Some of my vids: http://www.youtube.com/user/TomSkyStudio

The guys I coach usually have flare-energy issues on no wind days. As Ian said they finish too late, and with too little energy. Especially on a no wind day you want to get your canopy behind you. This way it wil work as a giant airbrake and kill the most speed. If you have someone video your landings, try to get video from the side, this way you will see how far you get in front of your canopy and get the best info on what you should work on. "Don't make me come down there" - God. My site:http://www.skystudio.nl/video.html Some of my vids: http://www.youtube.com/user/TomSkyStudio

Honestly what is the purpose of a response like this? The topic bores you yet you took the time to read the whole thread and then post a reply? Exactly "Don't make me come down there" - God. My site:http://www.skystudio.nl/video.html Some of my vids: http://www.youtube.com/user/TomSkyStudio

You've been on dropzones longer than today, yes? By now you know that there is a difference between skydivers that "get it" and "uncontrolled projectiles". I love people to take shots of my swoops, so don't get discouraged, but... If you are in the landing area you are an obstacle. Obviously you are aware of this cause you ducked... I think you can easily say something to someone that almost hits you, but you can expect an answer, because you were the object. This discussion might be endless. My advise would be to not make a bigger deal out of it than it is. There was a dangerous situation, but someone took action so nothing happened. Neither of you will say the other one is right, the most you can get is to agree you disagree. Just go back with your camera and make nice shots, and pay extra attention to this guy and other people you don't know very well. It's all supposed to be fun! "Don't make me come down there" - God. My site:http://www.skystudio.nl/video.html Some of my vids: http://www.youtube.com/user/TomSkyStudio