ernokaikkonen

Here's a chart that compares the pull forces of different 3-rings at various loadings, compiled from data at http://www.aerodyne-int.com/article/miniforce.asp and http://relativeworkshop.com/support/tech_pullforce.html I wonder why Aerodyne got much higher forces on the mini-ring system?

The US skydiving scene is pretty cool(or so I've read). I just wish that it would be somewhere else than the US.

The original/standard-size/large rings are even more efficient than the Miniforce ones.

Or it may be due to dehydration. I know I sometimes forget to drink enough during a busy day at the DZ, and that definitely results in a headache.

I see it the exact opposite way; Suspension lines tend to break during opening. No biggie, use the reserve. On the other hand, it's easy to snap a worn steering line when you're trying to level out after your hook turn... it has killed people before. A lot of people jumping canopies with Vectran lines have their steering lines replaced with Dacron. Do you think the bulk of Dacron is too much to deal with or is there some other reason you don't use it?

>I've double stowed through locking stows for 13 years with nary a problem. Your mileage may vary... I doubled up one locking stow on my ~400th jump. The rubberband was too loose and I was too lazy to change it. Result: A brief bag lock that quickly turned into a spinning malfunction --> cutaway. Of course the actual problem may have been asymmetrical tightness of the locking stows, but who knows. I use TubeStoes now.

I'm holding my thumbs up...

Death of 3 Irishmen Two Irishmen walk into a pet shop. Right away they go over to the bird section. Gerry says to Paddy, "Dat's dem". The clerk comes over and asks if he can help them. "Yeah, we'll take four of dem dere birds in dat cage op dere," says Gerry, "Put dem in a peeper bag." The clerk does and the two guys pay for the birds and leave the shop. They get into Gerry's van and drive until they are high up in the hills and stop at the top of a cliff with a 500-foot drop. "Dis looks loike a grand place, eh?" says Gerry. "Oh, yeh, dis looks good," replies Paddy. They flip a coin and Gerry wins the toss. "I guess I git to go first, eh Paddy?" says Gerry. He then takes two birds out of the bag, places them on his shoulders and jumps off the cliff. Paddy watches as his mate drops off the edge and goes straight down for a few seconds followed by a 'SPLAT'. As Paddy looks over theedge of the cliff he shakes his head and says, "Fock dat, dis budgie jumpin' is too fockin' dangerous for me" A minute later, Seamus arrives. He too has been to the pet shop and he walks up carrying the familiar 'peeper bag'. He pulls a parrot out of the bag, and then Paddy notices that, in his other hand, Seamus is carrying a gun. Hi, Paddy. Watch this," Seamus says and launches himself over the edge of the cliff. Paddy watches as half way down, Seamus takes the gun and blows the parrot's head off. Seamus continues to plummet until there is a SPLAT!, as he joins Gerry's remains at the bottom. Paddy shakes his head and says, "An' oim never troyin' dat parrotshooting nider" A few minutes after Seamus splats himself Sean strolls up. He too has been to the pet shop and he walks up carrying the familiar 'peeper bag'. Instead of a parrot he pulls a chicken out of the bag, and launches himself of the cliff with the usual result. Once more Paddy shakes his head - "Fock me Sean, first der was Gerry wit his budgie jumping, den Seamus parrot shooting and now you blimmin' hen gliding"

The Sabre2 is a completely re-designed canopy that has very little in common with the Sabre except the name. The original Sabre was introduced in early 90's, the Sabre2 is a much newer design.

i don't know about the latest models, but the earlier ones had some features that made them VERY unsuitable for skydiving; here's my old post about that: http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=320305;search_string=suunto;#320305

Yeah. I actually thought about that. What's going to happen to the fiber optic when the risers separate from the rig? Far better to have a radio-link between the rig and the risers. It would be good for the riggers too; every time somebody cuts away, there will be a dozen rigs to re-pack when one rig tells all the risers to cutaway... At least if we let the certain company from Redmond design the OS for our rigs.

Disregarding everyone's valid points about gear maintenance and large 3-rings... So, maybe not an fallrate/altitude sensitive AAD actually? Something that activates the cutters when the cutaway pad is pulled? No shit, there I was, spinning so hard I couldn't even budge the cutaway pad one inch. A lot of good them loopcutters did me. Oh, ok. So what about something that activates the cutters when the cutaway pad is peeled? yeah, we were trying to launch a 6-way snowflake out of the 206. The exit funneled, and I heard this loud bang when someone hit me. Couldn't figure out what it was until I tried to deploy my main... Ah. Right. Well, what about a separate button or something? Mmmmh... Maybe not. Just thinking aloud.

Another piece of news: Croc hunter escapes charges edit to add: Yeah, right....

I thought they were almost extinct?

Personality? Bah! Humbug.

>Seeing the crocs on tv really doesnt do them justice as they are just so >incredibly large and powerful in person. I visited a croc-farm in South Africa. Lazy buggers. I wasn't very impressed. Of course we weren't there during the feeding time.

>Brave man correcting my spelling. Yeah, like your going to get here and kick my ass any time soon...[:D] >I've quit for 2-3 mounths a couple of years ago. So you know you can do it. It wont be a problem! >Also, with prices for cigarettes here in Norway at about $10 for a pack of 20, $US? I know everything was bloody expensive there when I was there in 2000. Good thing we brought pretty much everything with us... >Pretty lonely at Blether right now... Everybody still on holidays I guess. Plus it seems that a lot of people seem to quit their desk-jobs after a certain amount of blethering...

"Cigarette" is spelled with a C. I quit six months ago(once again). I think this time it might be for good. Hang in there, man... I have no advice to give to you, no tricks to help with the cravings. Just... um.. don't light up? Quitting has always been easy for me, it's the not starting again that's been difficult to me.

Dead horse, can of worms....Mmmm, tasty! http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=118233;#118233 The thread isn't locked(why am I surprised?), and the answer to the question seems quite clear to me. It's pretty much the same situation concercing "downwind stalls": no-one with any actual theoretical knowledge of aerodynamics seems to support the theories(at least not with anything else than anecdotal evidence).

I'd add to number 2: 2. brakes set & slider uncollapsed & PC cocked I do all three at the same time before starting the actual packjob. Missing any one has the potential of ruining your day.

Well, the joint-European built mothership is working fine. It's the british-built Beagle2 lander that's not responding...

I was thinking the same thing? Well, we're talking about the European Space Agency here... I don't see why they'd go mucking about with the imperial system. Unless they had some "help" from the yanks.

http://www.esa.int/export/esaCP/SEMRT9374OD_index_0.html When are the astronomers going to learn that the little green men will mercilessly hunt down and destroy any spacecraft that lands on Mars?

Ever heard of a Mr. Bill jump? Now holding on at terminal, that's another matter....

http://dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=392896;search_string=cutaway;#392896