Jonsmann

The rationale of tracking teams goes like this. When using tracking teams the overall average separation is reduced because a tracking team will move slower than individual trackers. The gain is that everyone in the tracking team will be aware of the others, and very close deployments can thus be avoided. I've been on 100-ways without tracking teams and it can be pretty scary at deployment time because everyone just tracks solo. In tracking teams I've never experienced people being very close on deployment. I like tracking teams when all are diciplined and know how to do it, otherwise I prefer just to go alone.

I've psycho packed many different canopies over the past 12 years. In my experience the bridle extension is not needed, just pull a bit of the top skin fabric out of the roll instead. Canopies seem to come in two types with respect to psycho packing, one that makes line twist and one that doesn't. My Mamba never makes line twist, but Triathlons very often do. For the canopies that often make like twist when psycho packing, I have good results with pulling the center cell down in front of the slider. This is to ensure that the center cell gets air first during deployment. That should fix your problem. About the comments on forgetting to rotate the bag. This is often something people say, but always people who propack! To say that is just as silly as saying "what if you forget to cock your pilotchute?". Well we don't forget because it is something we have to remember! If you cannot remember something that simple, you shouldn't be skydiving! Jacques

I've seen pictures of several Soloy Cessna 206 with an outside floater handle, like the one above the door in the attached pictures. Anyone know the owner of the STC? I've seen pictures of 5 German registred C206 with this modification. My reson for asking is of course that I'm really tired of hanging on by the fingernails!

For those of you doing bigways (100+) what canopy do you use? I specifically don't ask which canopy you think should be used, but which one you DO use? Edited to ask second question; And is that canopy different from the canopy you use on non-bigway jumps? Jacques

I believe there is a natural explanation for the false impression that canopies will turn downwind. I have seens students on many occasion brainlocked or unconscious under canopy. They all hang slightly uneven in the harness and the canopy will thus turn slowly. Observed from the ground: As long as they generally fly upwind it looks as though they are just hanging there. However, when the slow turn brings them downwind the canopy will start to go really fast across the ground. This gives the visual impression from the ground that the canopy magically turned and headed downwind. From the ground we see the change in speed as an event rather than a natural consequence of the slow continous turn. The rate of turn is the same so if you keep looking you will see that the canopy with an unconscious skydiver will continue the slow turn and go upwind again. Impression in the air: The brainlocked student/skydiver will generally "wake up" by going fast downwind, take control of the canopy and conclude that the canopy by itself turned downwind. Jacques

I like that! Point taken! I suppose I was hoping there was someone out there who could provide me a satisfactory answer so I can put my mind to rest.

Just to save the time of all those people who don't seem to actually read what I ask. I do know how to pack, quite well if I may say so. The thing is that I'm an engineer and I just hate when something is done just out of convention rather than because there is a good reason for it. Oh and for those who just think it is a stupid question, please understand that I do know aerodynamics and I still don't see a reason why such vent holes shouldn't be there.

Hi Lee So what happened? Did it fly terrible afterwards? If it did I suppose I got my answer except no explanation. If it did work I don't see any reason to make fun of him. If it didn't make the canopy pack easier and there was no adverse effects, I suppose he didn't make enough holes to find out! Jacques

I jump a Mamba 104 loaded at 1.7 lb/sqft. Super responsive in toggles. The only canopy I know turning faster than the Mamba is the Diablo. The flare is super strong, and landing in any condition is easy. The demo Mamba 117 I tried had the most terrible openings I have have ever experienced! At first it felt like a 50/50 chance of cutting it away every jump! You have to use all the tricks in the book to make it open acceptably. Yet, it flew so great that I bought a Mamba 104. Fortunately, the 104 opens much better than the demo! If you cannot handle the stress of the openings, you don't want this canopy! If you can handle it you are rewarded with the most responsive flying available! The Aerodyne material on the Mamba states that it flies flat, I disagree it is trimmed very steep (I love it!).

Can anyone tell me any significant reason not to have vent holes in a ZP canopy? Like for example 1 sq inch holes at the trailing edge of the 3 center cells? It sure would make packing easier. I see absolutely no reason why such holes shouldn't be there! Inflation pressure is virtually the same as without the holes, and the holes cannot cause flow separation at the top skin as for F111 canopies. Am I missing something? Jacques

It would sure help if the freezone.ru web page had an English section!!! Jacques

I am actually looking for the rules in other countries, that is why I ask! I wouldn't be surprised if the Danish and Norwegian rules are very similar, the weather definitely is! One thing is the rules another is what is actually done! The only problem is that jumping in 100% cloud cover will at some time give you problems with a new S&TA or the authorities. It is not good when the official rules differ too much from what is actually done. I would very much like the Danish rules changed, but it will be so much easier to do that if you can refer to rules in other countries which are less strict. Jacques

The Danish cloud clearance rules (similar to the US rules) are driving me crazy! There are just too few days where it is possible to jump. So I am curious about the specific rules in the countries where the rules are less strict. I have heard about more liberal rules in Australia and Ireland. Can someone summarise these rules and maybe even provide a link to an official site? Thanks Jacques

I don't hear you really disagreeing with me on the technical side, and on the safety issue we are in full agreement. Jacques

It is no law of nature that people need downsize. If you are happy with what you have then why change? Still, there are good reasons to downsize when you can do it safely: 1. A smaller canopy is more stable in turbulent/gusty conditions 2. A smaller canopy gives better wind penetration 3. A smaller canopy is easier to pack 4. A smaller canopy allows a smaller container which makes you more aerodynamic in freefall 5. A smaller canopy gives more speed and thus potentially better landings (at least this is my experience) However, these reasons are only valid if you are able to fly and land the canopy safely. I have on numerous occasions advised people to take it slow because they were pushing it too hard! (as a few of them have learned the hard way!). One expression I don't like is "canopy progression" in relation to downsizing. As though downsizing is equal to progression. Hopefully peoples stills progress as their canopies shrink! Jacques

It looks as though you pulled from a track without breaking first! And what is it with those clouds? Jacques

Probably a bad canopy!

So do I! Jacques

I completely agree with this. There is nothing wrong with GPS spotting. At my DZ I know the pilots pretty well. If pilot X is flying I trust his GPS spot completely (will go out over massive clouds), but if pilot Y is flying I always check the spot. Jacques

Sure, that is neat too! I presume the shuttle photo was planned. The tiger balloon I saw was in the middle of nowhere, and certainly not expected. Jacques

Today I saw a kids helium balloon at 3-4 thousand feet. At a distance it looked like a guy in freefall, but it was yellow and going up! When I got close (100 ft under canopy) it turned out to be a kids balloon shaped like a tiger! Black stripes and a line for holding it etc. I'm sure there must have been some kid crying his eyes out. Jacques

I was in that area recently and didn't know there was a dropzone. I wouldn't expect many skydivers in that area, or am I mistaking? Jacques

That was one of the first things I checked! No twists. Jacques

I just had my reserve repacked and the Cypres will expire before the reserve is due for its next repack. My rigger just wrote on the reserve card that it expires on 31. December 2006. It would otherwise have said 18. February 2007. There is nothing magic about a repack cycle, a rigger can make it shorter if he chooses. Jacques

Lately I have had consistent hard openings on my Diablo 120. It snivels nicely but as the slider move down the lines it seem to get stuck at the cascades for 1-1.5 seconds (video). When the slider move the rest of the way down it is almost instant, and thus giving quite a hard opening. It was relined 25 jumps ago, so the lines are in nice shape. Before the reline is was massively out of trim, so a comparison before and after the reline doesn't make much sense. When I inspect the lines, the knot at the steering line cascades seem a little bigger than normal. Do you think these knots can cause this? Jacques