chuckakers

To refresh your memory.... H. Minimum opening altitudes Minimum container opening altitudes above the ground for skydivers are: 1. Tandem jumps–4,500 feet AGL [E] 2. All students and A-license holders–3,000 feet AGL [E] 3. B-license holders–2,500 feet AGL [E] 4. C- and D-license holders–2,500 feet AGL (S) (waiverable to no lower than 2,000 feet AGL) BTW, my answer to the poll is "BSR's". Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

I never jump without one. I have one on my rig, but my "go to" is a Jack-the-Ripper in a pocket on my jumpsuit thigh for easy, fast access. I also recommend them to every jumper I work with. If you don't have a hook knife when you need one, you will likely never need one again. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

I'm enjoying the snarky replies (that's the best thing about dz.com), but aside from the yuks... No, not all DZ's are filled with experiences like yours. I am an LO at Spaceland Houston and we are very inclusive. There are plenty of other DZ's that are as well, so I suggest you shop around. One thing you might consider is looking inward. There are sometimes jumpers that are shunned for a variety of reasons - the two biggest ones being safety concerns and asshole concerns. I'm not saying that you fit into either category but you might find someone you can confide in and ask what others at the DZ think of you. Sometimes a small attitude adjustment goes a long way in this sport. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

What? No more SFR? Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Yep, you don't have to turn it on, but if you do, you are breaking the rules. Nope. You are breaking the rules by having it "installed" whether it's turned on or not. Read the regulation. Not all DZs (or countries) mandate AADs, so if you are at a DZ that does not mandate AADs you don't need to have one. Having one that is turned off, effectively is the same as not having one at all. Is it not? And there is no "rule" that says an AAD must be fitted to a reserve. AADs fitted to main parachutes instead of reserves is not unknown.(But that is a separate issue) And AAD requirements are not always hard "rules", mostly they are recommendations. I was referring only to the US regulation. Whether a DZ requires AAD's has no bearing on the requirement to follow FAR's. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

To be accurate, there's no guarantee that ANY AAD will fire at the right altitude or speed, expired or not. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Yep, you don't have to turn it on, but if you do, you are breaking the rules. Nope. You are breaking the rules by having it "installed" whether it's turned on or not. Read the regulation. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Think less, fly more. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Why here? 'Cuz Billy said so, that's why. Shut up and get in the van. Never get in the van until you see the candy. That's what mama always said. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

That's some funny shit, right there. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Don't worry about booties. You will get used to them quickly and landing with them is not an issue. As for swoop cords, they do offer some help slowing down, but can also create issues when turning points because they activate when you reach and that can be a problem during sequential work. I don't know if Bev offers it, but Tonysuits has an option for arms and legs that are lined with a heavy fabric that causes them to "puff up" rather than flap freely in the wind. This creates artificial surface area and does a great job of slowing fall rate. Other things I suggest to create a neutrally slower fall rate are extra large (competition) grippers, back of arm grippers, inner thigh grippers, and large booties made from cordura or even better ballistic nylon (not the Airspeed "mega-bootie" as they are hard to fly for young jumpers). You can also get vented booties but some people have control problems with them. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

There is very little difference in flaring technique between F-111 and ZP canopies at similar, moderate wing loadings and shouldn't take anyone with special training to teach the minor differences. Often ZP canopies require a slower, longer flare to keep them from "popping up" but beyond that flaring any canopy properly is fundamentally the same. The flare begins at an altitude that will take best advantage of the reaction altitude and lift generation capabilities of the canopy and ends when the canopy has slowed to the point where it stops producing enough lift to support the pilot's weight (or when the forward speed is zero in the case of flying in windy conditions). In between those two points the pilot simply adjusts the speed of the flare to allow the feet to come close to the ground without touching, and then "milks" the flare to stay in the air while the canopy bleeds off the remaining airspeed. It really is that simple. ZP canopies do not "land best" using a 2-stage flare. 2-stage flaring is a technique taught to assist jumpers in flaring higher performance wings, but does not result in the canopy performing any better. Rather than flaring partially and stopping, a jumper can just as easily start the flare a little higher and flare a little slower in one smooth motion, again adjusting the speed of the flare so as not to run into the ground (too slow) and not gain altitude (too fast). Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

The value of an old but lightly used canopy can be debated, but your comment about the OP getting hurt has no merit, regardless of his skill level. When I started jumping in the mid-1980's we didn't have Zero-P fabric and 99% of canopies were 7-cell pigs, yet there were no more injuries per capita on those than there are now on canopies with modern designs. There may have even been fewer given how many people get hurt these days because of mishandling canopies with strong performance characteristics. The Falcon is a perfectly viable option for jumpers who are willing to accept less performance than the zippy ZP's of today. In fact, Falcons are used by some schools as student canopies (I had them in all my student rigs when I ran a DZ), and let's remember that some people actually prefer lower performance canopies. They also cost less, pack easier, and have a smaller pack volume for a given size than ZP. The only thing I would warn the OP about is not to overload a Falcon. Wing loadings higher than about 1:1 cause a noticeable drop off in landing performance in F-111 canopies. BTW, people still buy them brand new. http://www.paragear.com/skydiving/10000220/C88/PRECISION-AERODYNAMICS-FALCON-MAIN-PARACHUTE[url] Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

If people don't expect a 180, it's an unpredictable turn. Also, it puts you facing directly into your biggest blind spot (behind you), and it might put you facing directly at the guy lower and behind you, that you didn't see and that isn't expecting you to pull a 180 into the pattern. The 'base' leg is very useful in making sure that my final is clear before I turn into it, since it's much easier to look left/right than it is to look behind. It can be done safely? Yes. But we've all seen the consequences of people doing 180s in tight busy corners (see Eloy's streak of canopy collisions and near miss in the past couple of years), so I don't think it's generally the advice I'd personally give to people if they have problems fixing their square pattern. "Eh. Just do a 180 when you're aligned with you target and fuck it, really". I know that's not what you said and that's even farther from what you meant, but it can be read that way and people have done that in the past. All good points. I should have included a couple statements - when I say a 180 I don't mean a quick switchback or toggle hook type turn. I mean a a smooth, easy turn that allows time to see the blind spot you referred to. As for predictability, I agree on that point as well. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

...generally speaking, I would strongly advise against this. Why is that? Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Years ago a DZ trained a couple paraplegic guys and had them make water landings for "safety". They had a lot of safety folks in multiple boats and the jumpers were equipped with beefy flotation gear. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

This is where my mind went as well. There is nothing to keep you from flying a tighter, lower pattern. Just be sure to make your turn to final with enough altitude to recover from any increase in descent rate from the turn. Also, your pattern doesn't have to be "square". When the need dictates you can use a short base leg and if your DZ doesn't have a restriction in degrees of turn you can skip the base leg all together and just make a 180 from downwind to final. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Sounds like a typical GOVT. response. Maybe, but true. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

USPA is going through a transition period to a new database. Any problems should be fixed soon. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Maybe, but this... http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/highest-fall-survived-without-parachute/ Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

You should be nervous. Like us, you have chosen to play a deadly game. However there are many deadly games out there and no one gets out alive. My advice to new jumpers is simple. Learn how to stay safe and your odds are greatly improved. In no particular order: 1. Make good decisions and know when to stand down. 2. Get proper training for whatever you choose to do. 3. Get top notch gear, maintain it properly, and equip yourself with the best technology. 4. Understand the difference between knowledge, skill, and judgment and learn to recognize them - and the lack of them - in others (see number 1). 5. Leave your ego at home. It is the single most dangerous thing in skydiving. 6. Never stop learning how to be better and safer. 7. Don't be part of the problem. If you believe something is dangerous, speak out. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Sorry for the slight highjack but...absolutely do track up jump run if that is the direction you need to track to get away from your 16 way. No more and no less than is necessary to gain adequate opening separation from your group. Then fly your canopy off the line of flight until you see the next group open. There is no such thing as tracking "no more" than is necessary to gain adequate separation unless the breakoff is abnormally high. A typical group has 1,500 to 2,000 feet of altitude available to gain horizontal separation. Every inch of it should be used to track as hard and as far as possible. Additionally, a group should never exit so close that the group before has to restrict tracking distance to avoid interaction with them. If adequate separation is given between groups it is perfectly safe to track up the jump run (and down the jump run for the following group). Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

People are idiots. Decaf, bro. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

If you want to reduce line twists get a stowless bag. I made the switch about a year ago and like everyone I know that uses them, I won't go back. Line twists and off-heading openings are pretty much instinct now. The openings are also smoother and more consistent. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

I think the main reason it (almost) died is because it is pretty much a solo discipline. Most skydivers prefer group skydiving activities. Also skysurfing is clunky. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX