skydiverek

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Posts posted by skydiverek

  2. wolfriverjoe

    ***
    Except that is not what the trade-off is. The trade-off is having good glide or good opening reliability. The goal of a reserve should be to get a good parachute over your head no matter what the cost or trade-off is.



    Can you point to any issues with Tandem reserve reliability?

    Can you show any incidents where a tandem reserve didn't open properly (when the TI executed EPs correctly)?

    Here is one:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hg5EoCDwhnk


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  8. pr3d4t0r

    ***Am considering the switch from analog to digital altimeters. Anyone out there using the new LB Ares II? How does it compare to the Viso 2+?



    Hi.

    I upgraded from an Alti-2 Galaxy to an Ares II a few weeks ago, after evaluating both the Ares II and the Viso+. The Ares II has a larger screen and a low profile. The Viso's screen is fine but I felt that the Ares II had overall better construction and it works better for my use case -- I abuse gear and needed something with the flattest possible profile.

    As far as the internals and firmware, both appear to use the Bosch barometric sensor and have similar capabilities.

    Cheers,

    pr3d


    Does Ares II feel "heavy" on your palm (as compared to Viso)?


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  10. IJskonijn

    The moldex plugs give a SNR rating of 33 dB, I have found a pair of corded ones (use them for CRW, where I can pop them out on exit without worrying where they end up) that have a SNR rating of 39 dB.



    I think you are confusing NRR rating with SNR rating. These are different ratings.


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  11. IJskonijn

    ***Use CORDED version of ear plugs. That way, you can pull them out (by pulling on cord) after your canopy opens. That way you can have normal hearing under canopy. Tuck the cord under the helmet liner, so that it is not exposed to wind in freefall (could bother you).



    Tried it, didn't work. With how deep I insert them (foam earplugs, rolled up when inserting), the cord pulls at them from such a weird angle that I just pulled out the cord, with the earplug staying in my ear.

    Plus, I see no reason. I can still hear fine enough under canopy with earplugs in, and prefer to rely on my eyes anyway to prevent a collision.

    Then, you used poorly designed cord attachments, in the ear plugs you bought. Try MOLDEX corderd ear plugs (choose highest NRR33 rating). Almost impossible to detach the cord even on purpose, it is like the cord is "cemented" in the plugs.

    The reason I take them out is not only to hear incoming canopy collision. More importantly, it is to hear the what the other jumper is yelling to me AFTER the collision.


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  14. Wings container again, towing Reserve PC for approx 1000 feet (300 meters)...:

    VIDEO:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyjpgURZVuA

    "The container is a Wings W-30 if I remember correctly. The reserve is a PD-R 253. It is the original reserve that came with the container.

    2nd Chop ( please pardon my 5:00 A.M. ramblings. I've been sitting and thinking and writing this since somewhere around 3:00 A.M. this morning )

    Let me preface this by saying that I'm not interested in pointing fingers in any direction or saying that the decisions I made were the right decisions.
    I am simply sharing an experience for anyone that chooses to read it.

    Had a great day of jumping with friends to be topped off with a sunset load doing a high pull.

    Exited the plane around 14k, stable with about a 3 second delay and opened into a line over with a hard left turn.

    Having recently had a cutaway in which I couldn't find my main and free bag for 3 weeks, I didn't want to chop it too high if I could safely ride it to a lower altitude and minimize the drift of the main and free bag.

    I released the right brake to see if I could counter the left turn. By using right toggle input only, I was able to minimize the left turn and somewhat maintain the position I wanted above the DZ so that when I chopped it, the wind would carry the main and free bag toward the DZ. Too much right toggle and the canopy wanted to stall, so I just kept it in a slow left turn.

    Since I had altitude in which to cutaway from it if it got too much out of control, I decided to ride it down to 2500 and then cut it away.

    As I got to 2500 I looked down and there was another canopy passing below me. I wasn't going to cutaway above someone else, putting them in danger, so I decided to ride it for a few more seconds before chopping it.

    I know it all happened quickly, but it seemed like an eternity passed as I looked at the cutaway and reserve handles in my hands and felt nothing happening.
    I knew the cutaway cable was out because I was falling again, and I could see that the reserve handle was out but I wasn't getting that warm fuzzy feeling of a canopy opening and slowing me down.

    As I looked at both handles a felt nothing good happening, two thoughts passed through my mind in quick succession. One questioning whether the new pillow reserve handle that had just been installed was bad and had broken and the other thought being "well, I'm f#€ked"

    I looked over my left shoulder and could see the reserve pilot chute and that beautiful, wide reserve bridle streaming out about 12-15 feet behind me and thought that it must be hung up on me somewhere, so I changed my body position to try to clear it or get it in better air. As I moved my body and looked back toward the ground, I felt everything start opening.

    My AAD fired, so I don't know if my different body position is what caused the reserve to go ahead and open or if the AAD firing is what ultimately released it.
    By the time I got open and saddled out I would estimate I was around 600 feet.
    I made an uneventful landing and walked with slightly shaky legs to the truck waiting to pick us up.

    20/20 hindsight being a great teacher, I am compelled in my mind to look at what I would do differently in a similar situation.

    I would still decide to ride it to a lower altitude if I felt I could safely do so, but I would cut it away at 3500 feet instead of 2500 feet.

    I might try unstowing the both brakes to let the left side of the canopy try to fly. THAT might have been the better option. I will be discussing this with my S&TA and my instructors to try to be better prepared should I find myself in a similar predicament.
    Regardless of the altitude, I would still delay the cutaway if I could see that I would be putting someone else at risk.

    My free bag and canopy both landed on the DZ and were recovered quickly.
    I made a less than pretty landing, but one I was able to walk away from.
    I got to go home with my wife with nothing more than a good scare and a situation to sit back and spend some valuable time reflecting on.

    When it's all said and done, there is a risk to skydiving. We all signed that waiver acknowledging that we understand that risk and choose to partake in this activity.
    I will continue jumping and enjoying the camaraderie of the wonderful people that I get to hang out with."

  16. Westerly

    When is the new website to come online? I love the knowledge on the site and I appreciate that it's online, but the BB code on this website absurdly outdated.



    And I love the classic look of current Dropzone.com. Could stay like that, for me. I am so used to it.


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  19. shadeland

    ***PD say the Pulse 170 packs about the same size as the Spectre 150 (see http://www.performancedesigns.com/pack-volume-chart/).

    You might also consider a Pilot 168 ZPX.



    I also recommend a Pilot 168 ZPX, however if you demo keep in mind they do fly very differently. A pilot is a lot flatter and the flare is quite different. If a Pilot's brake lines are too long, you'll miss out on a good amount of flare, so you'll want to try some test flares up high and you might have to take a wrap or two.

    Or, just shorten the lowest portion of break lines by 10 cm (4 in).



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  21. df8m1

    So far that is the only video that I was able to get bellow 1MB that showed anything lol..

    What is it that you specifically want to see that this video does not show?



    Please upload a FULL HD video to YouTube, or to some other free video website.


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  25. 20_kN

    ******On a related note, can anyone explain the purpose of the altitude lock? As I understand it, the M2 does not activate until the airplane climbs above 1475 feet



    For many years the Vigil and Vigil 2 did not have this. It was only with the Vigil 2+ (2014) that they introduced the idea.

    Prior to that, any Vigil was 'on' from a couple hundred feet after takeoff, as soon as it realized it was climbing.

    Problem was (one time in 2010 I think) Vigils went off in the plane (a small Cessna) while the door was opened when around normal firing altitude. Vigil could only say they never had it happen before, and then changed the manual to say you shouldn't open the door near firing altitude...

    Cypres did it a different way, by having that 'lock' as you call it. Both companies thought they had a good way to do things, despite down sides to both.

    The consensus now seems to be to avoid having the AAD active until once well past activation altitude, just to make sure that the algorithms aren't somehow fooled. (That being said, Vigils algorithms do seem to be simpler. Hit the right rate of altitude change for 5 eighths of a second, and it pops.)

    So yes you need to be aware that if you are bailing out very low to go to your reserve, that's a bad time to get knocked out or miss your handle.

    Were these door opening incidents in pressurized aircraft? I am curious what effect opening the door has in an unpasteurized aircraft. I always assumed it had no effect at all. I watch my digital altimeter when the door comes open and it does not skip a beat.

    I can see the needle of my analog altimeter 'jump' a bit (and then return) when the skydiver exits, so there is some pressure change for a split second, just when someone jumps out (and blocks the airstream in the door).


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