RichM

Based on the last 3 days processing and assuming no changes in processing power by any team - we will take position 75 in 12 days position 60 in 32 days position 50 in 112 days position 43 in 3 years position 42 in 7.5 years and hold kicking butt Rich M

We're at position 90 already! Do we have any hackers here? Can we start hacking some call centres and installing WAHConsole on thousands of boxes at a time? Muhahahaha Rich M

It would be fine and dandy if the reps were topless hot chicks. Heck, I might even convert! Rich M

I lost my 1.7 Athlon laptop to a hard drive head crash last night. I'll be down on folding for a week or so. Rich M

Immersion physics - imerse me in a Quake world and watch me kick smoe arse :) Rich M

From this side it seems like we now get about 520 new Dropzone.com members per month. This used to be 380-420 for a long time. 5 mil hits a week, 500 new peeps per month... This is a good problem to have! Play away!

Relative Workshops (Bill Booth) have written an article describing an inherent design weakness and testing here. Note they say that since the article was written other reverse riser have been shown to be ok although I'n not sure which ones. Rich M

Thanks for the heads up. I will advise my dz & CCI tomorrow. Rich M

Sweet Rich M

Quote Bill sez: With the canopy you have, can you: -start the flare, drag your toes, then turn 45 degrees in either direction? -turn 90 degrees at 50-100 feet and still land safely? -land with rear risers only? -land consistently on a 10 meter target? -front riser, rear riser and toggle swoop? -land uphill and downhill? Quote Bills stuff is great, but personally I also include landing off the wind line so you know what to expect and can deal with it rather than slap in a low turn to try to make it into wind. Do some at 45 degrees off the wind line until you can land consistenly well with it - make sure everyone else on the laod know what you are doing so they don't follow you. Then do some 90's. Personally I also do 135's and full downwind landings as part of my canopy familiarisation, but then I love to swoop Rich M

100!!!! Cheers (cracks a berr) Rich M

I used hypnosis to get people to buy me beer And I used graviton force to pull the earth toward me at 120mph on several occasions. Rich M

104 now, and we should be in the top 100 by this time tomorrow :) Beers all round Rich M

Hehe, that sounds normal :) Rich M

You did, we didn't get a load up due to weather. What day were you down? I have a feeling I might have been your jumpmaster. Do you have hearing problems after jumping? Rich M

Z, you have a short memory - I jump at Headcorn and I've been there virtually all week. I'll be there this afternoon too (Friday). I'm mostly in the caravan painting it up, ready for beautiful Turbolet 410 that arrives on Wednesday for the summer. Come find me next time your down Rich M

This is a good one. Rich M

Last year, UK 4 way National championships, me bright orange canopy, one of the last lifts - all the hot stuff including the Golden Knights watching. Perfecto swoop, screaming across the landing area, howling with glee, running out of space, over the peas and into a pea field, legs stopped by crops, body still has about 20mph, face eats dirt. I bowed to a round of applause. DOH! Rich M

From the slightly different perspective of age it all looks very similar. As you get older the people you knew die of this or that disease, car/bike accident. You either go early or you get to see others go first. You're circle family and friends gets smaller. But if you're a skydiver your family is large and gets larger as you get older; is friendly and can always be found on the internet or at a dz anytime to talk to, drink with and share. To our family... Rich M

Clicky Rich M

*bump* I missed this 1st time around (I can't keep up with TB ). As the season starts a good time to review it. Solid stuff Bill, thanks. Rich M

I recently had the opportunity to jump a XFire-2 129 loaded at 1.35. I normally jump a XFire-1 119 at 1.47 (I have about 250 jumps on the XF1 119). I found the XF2 to be slightly slower in forward speed, almost certainly due to the increase in size and reduction in loading. I unexpectedly found the XF2 to be sluggish on the front risers - it reacted much slower than my XF1 but I think it loaded up the front risers about the same - albeit with the XF2 having a slower increase in speed I was able to hold a f-riser 360 from full drive whereas on my XF1 I can only hold a f-riser 270. It also didn't react any faster to harness input - i.e. it hardly reacted at all. For landing I tried a gentle 90 starting high, double fronted to bring it down but when I let up the double fronts it immediately came out of the mild dive leaving me 8-10 ft to fly down at normal drive before planing out. It did not climb or surge due to the inital excess speed from the dive. A friend of mine also normally jumping a XF1 119 loaded at 1.73 tried this XF2 129 (at 1.6) and had a similar experience - it was less exciting than either of us expected it to be. We both elected to not jump it again but thanked the lender. The concept that some canopies fly big seems to hold for both of these canopies. I would liken my XF1 119 to a 135, but the XF2 129 felt more like a 170. I have the option of jumping a XF2 119 demo and I hope to take this up soon. The same place also has a XF2 99 which I would load at 1.8. I am now inclined to demo that too - I wasn't before this experience. I would aim to buy a 109 or thereabouts as a next canopy - not that I can afford anything at the moment - and my swooping skills aren't yet ready to be downsized, I know I can wring much more out of my current canopy. But I like demoing different kit for the experience. Does anyone else have any observations on this? Rich M

Watch out Andy - I'm no threat any more, but sfc is rapidly catching me up and is aiming for you I think Rich M

English breakfast, 1 sugar, milk; about 20 times a day please

I am very sad too, but a bit of philosophy before I go to bed... The only thing guaranteed in life... is death. You can live life to the full or you can be a wallflower - we will all die; and of that we should not be afraid. To those brothers and sisters who are no longer with us, I am proud of them that they followed their dreams; and I hold them dear to heart. In the short time they were with us they led rich and full lives, unfettered by societys norms. They burned as bright as the sun and lit up our lives; as we all do to each other. They, and we, value life more than most, and that value is not measured in quality, not length. My sadness at loss of friend is tempered by knowing the sharing that we all have, the drive and passion that courses through us. If life was a tapestry, the tapestry of skydivers would be a short one, but weaved in stunningly rich and vibrant colours. I would always have it this way, life should be lived. They, in their nirvana would not have us change. Carpe diem. Rich M