flyboy62000

Strong makes the 26' Conical LoPo Reserve. I know Para Gear sells it, but I don't know anybody else that sells them. I'm sure there are a few other rounds on the market as some jumpers still prefer a round reserve. Also rounds are very common in pilot bailout rigs. National Parachute sells pilot emergency rigs equipped with 24, 26, or 28 foot conical reserves. There are quite a few other places to buy round reserve parachutes. They are pretty common in pilot bailout rigs as they will get you down safely and you don't really need to know how to fly a canopy as long as you can PLF. I hope this info helps. Blue Skies, Adam

I started packing just after I started jumping last October. I plan on packing at the DZ this summer as soon as school lets out. There really isn't a time frame to learning how to pack well. It's all up to you. If you learn to pack and can do a good quality pack job quickly then you could make some money doing it. Blue Skies, Adam

Yeah, I never trust the weather people, especially the ones on TV. They just take the forecast from the National Weather Service and put some cool pictures to it anyway. I can predict the weather just as good as they using a surface analysis chart, winds aloft chart, and a little intuition. I think they need to go back to school and learn a little bit about weather. Blue Skies, Adam

That sucks man, I have to go to dinner with my girlfriend's family on sunday which won't be that bad. Except for the fact her mom probably hates me for throwing her daughter out of an airplane. I can't wait until my girlfriend and I show them her video. Can't you get out of work on Saturday to jump, surely it will be worth it. If you do get to come out on Saturday or Sunday I will be there come jump with me. If you skip work on Saturday to jump I'll buy you one. Blue Skies, Adam

Well, I knew that I loved skydiving and had a hell of a lot of fun doing it. I just didn't realize I was totally addicted until I was sitting here posting and everything around me was skydiving related. I can't wait for the next jump. I just ordered a new freefly suit that should be in sometime next week. Blue Skies, Adam

I wonder if the Air Force Academy Parachute Team the Wings of Blue have to sign the high risk activities waiver. Blue Skies, Adam

I don't really need help with anything. I love skydiving and never want to stop jumping ever. The title was supposed to be sarcastic. I know everyone here pretty much spends all of their time thinking about skydiving. I hope everyone has warm, blue skies this weekend and a lot of jumps are made. Blue Skies, Adam

I have come to the realization I am totally and hopelessly addicted to skydiving. I have been sitting around all morning figuring out what kind of freefly suit I want and watching videos of skydiving. I am wearing a skydiving T-Shirt and posting on Dropzone.com. I am trying to figure out what I need to take to the DZ when I move up there to be a packer for the summer after school lets out. Isn't it great to be a skydiver. Woohoooo. Sorry, I just had to share my enthusiasm. Blue Skies, Adam

Hey Guys, Well, I had a great day yesterday. My sweetie and I got up early and drove to the DZ with the temperatures maxing out in the lower 80's and beautiful blue skies. It was pretty windy, but I was confident in my abilities and everyone else was jumping so I got on a load and did some transitions. Then she checked in to do her tandem and signed all the waivers and got ready to go. On the ride up she was really, really scared/nervous. I was sitting in front of her and she was just clutching onto me. I ended up going out on a two-way right before the tandems. I came down and landed, and when she came down she was just kind of hanging in the harness. They landed and she could hardly stand she had so much adrenaline in her. Right after the jump she said it was the scariest thing she had ever done and she needed to lay down. We went and ate some lunch and watched the video. Her video is one of the best tandem videos I have seen. It is really good. After she watched it and had a chance to relax she said it was really cool and exciting. She was so cute. She may jump again, but I don't think it will be for a while. She really enjoyed it and had a great time. I made a couple more jumps and then we went home. What a great day. Blue Skies, Adam

I think all twin otters are PT6 powered, but the Frankenotter has more powerful PT6's, like Mullins' King Air. Blue Skies, Adam

Hey cloud9, I don't do anything special when packing my Triathalon. I did tuck three cells on each side into the center of the pack job and left the nose open. This gave me really soft openings and about 800ft snivels. I just leave the nose open and still get about 600-800ft and soft openings. I would say try a few rolls of the nose, but leave the tail alone. Then if you get too much snivel you could try less rolls of the nose, or none at all. Some canopies just open faster than others too. My triathalon is a 160 that is well broken in, so your openings will probably be a bit quicker. I think you will enjoy your triathalon. I am loading mine about 1.2 and have lots of fun with it. Blue Skies, Adam

I don't know if they will let me go out with a tandem. She is getting video and it would be sweet if they would let me go out with her. I am going to ask and see, but I think they require 200 or so jumps to jump with a tandem. It would be so cool if I could get out with them. Thanks for all the replies. Blue Skies, Adam

She will now be a skydiving girlfriend. Well, for one jump at least. I got her a gift certificate for her birthday and it is supposed to be beautiful here this weekend. 75 degrees and sunny on both saturday and sunday. I am scheduling her jump for sunday as it might thunderstorm on saturday. I think I am more excited about it than her. She is a little nervous about making a jump, but I think she will have a blast. I'm so excited about getting on the airplane with her and riding to altitude. I will get out before her as tandems go last, but it will be tons of fun. Well, sorry for the long post about it, but I had to share my excitement about her jump with someone. Blue Skies, Adam

My favorite has to be the CASA 212. Tailgate fun is awesome. I can't wait until ours comes back in a few weeks. I can't wait to do some boat dives this summer. Blue Skies, Adam

Skymama, I don't know what your fall rate is like, but I would consider getting spandex in the back and on the forearms of your suit. I am 5'10 and 165lbs and I have spandex on the back and in the forearms on my suit and I can fall as slow as women and as fast as the big guys. Jump with some big and small, heavy and light people to get an idea of what your normal fall rate is and get a suit that will put you in the middle. Just my two cents. I got my suit from Bev Suits in pennsylvania and am very happy with it. I have heard good things about Tony Suits and Michigan Suits as well. There are many others out there that make great suits that are worth looking at. I hope you find what you are looking for and have fun with it. Blue Skies, Adam

Hey Alex, It depends where near Cincy you live, which is closer. I live on the east side in Batavia, and Greene County is way closer. It is about an hour and forty five minutes to two hours to Greensburg and only about an hour up 71 to Greene County for me. I plan on getting out to Greensburg sometime this spring, but flying instead of driving. I also want to check out Richmond. I flew in there today on a flight for school and see that the otter is there. To Jimbo, if you will be in the Cincinnati/Columbus/Dayton area I jump at Greene Co. and love it there. I haven't been to Greensburg, but Alex likes it so I'll have to check it out. Aerohio is great if you live in the northern part of the state (Canton, Akron) area. Blue Skies, Adam

Sis, There is good money in the major airlines, large freight haulers (UPS, FedEx, Airborne, etc.) and in Corporate aviation. It will cost about $4000 for a private pilot's license which allows you to fly VFR with passengers, but not for compensation. The Instrument rating allows you to fly into and through clouds which greatly increases the flying you can do. The commercial pilot's license requires at least 250 hours under FAR Part 61 reqirements and allows you to fly passengers and cargo for hire. You definately want to get an instrument rating if you are planning on getting a commercial pilot's license or you can't fly passengers outside of 50 miles. All told a Commercial license with Instrument and Multi-Engine ratings will cost about $20,000 - $25,000 it is expensive, but if flying is what you want to do I would say go for it. I am currently working on my instrument rating on the way to a commercial license with multi-engine and CFII ratings. It is costing me an arm and a leg and I will be in debt for a while, but there is nothing in the world I would rather do than fly. I hope the info helps you. You can't make any money as a private pilot, but you can have lots of fun traveling to places and flying friends around (carrying friends help make flying cheaper because if you bring 3 friends along you can all split the cost of the airplane 4 ways). If flying is what you would like to do, go for it. The money is in the places mentioned above, but to get there you will need to get the ratings and build time at jobs that don't pay a whole lot. In the big jobs you can make $40,000 as a first year First Officer and up to $200,000 as a senior captain for some airlines. To get hired as a first officer you don't need to be an ATP, just a commercial pilot. To be a captain you will need an ATP. Corporate pilots need a commercial pilot's license with appropriate ratings for the type of airplane you will be flying. I hope the info helps you. Blue Skies, Adam

I don't have much experience with the Hornet, but I hear it is a good main. It will be a little tight putting a 170 in a J-2 but it is doable. I know a few people that have 170 Sabres in J-2s and one that has a 170 Spectre. I have a Triathalon 160 in my J-2 and have no problem at all getting it in the bag. I have packed a few Sabre 170s in Javelin J-2s and while it takes a little work to get it in the bag it fits okay. I hope the info helps. Blue Skies, Adam

I was planning on going to Quincy this year, but have some major "relative work" to do that week. I will be at the Richmond Boogie for sure, and may try to make it to Lost Prairie if I can afford the airfare. I will definately try to make it to Quincy next year. Blue Skies, Adam

Arizona Skydiving Coolidge is the best DZ I have been to. Skydive Arizona is really cool and has lots of stuff (Restaurant, Gear Store, multiple airplanes), but I still love Coolidge. The King Air is great and has a great pilot. The people are very friendly, and the food at the backyard snack bar is great. Coolidge is definately my favorite DZ so far. Blue Skies, Adam

I've jumped Greene County's rental gear. It's not that bad, but I jumped the nicer rigs. I won't jump with an FXC now, but as a student with higher opening altitudes I would. Blue Skies, Adam

Pilot bailout rigs must be packed within 120 days of use, just like a reserve. Blue Skies, Adam

Right on Pam. I'm not suicidal and if jumping from an airplane was like committing suicide I probably wouldn't be jumping. I have faith in my training and equipment. Blue Skies, Adam

I agree, that moment when you leave the door is the best. I used to have some door fear, but not now. I know how much fun it will be and exit is probably one of my favorite parts of a skydive. Blue Skies, Adam

That was pretty cool. Greg Gasson did the jump and Joe Jennings did the video. He jumped out of a Cessna and flew down to an ultralight in freefall and climbed in. That guy does some pretty cool, crazy stuff. Blue Skies, Adam