RACEDOG

Just wondering what experience minimums would be good for an experienced skydiver that wants to geek a tandem. I recently had an extremely close call with a geeker while I was filming a tandem. I've never had any hard and fast rules other than checking their number of jumps and briefing them on where I wanted them to be and what I expected of them. This person was a friend of the tandem passenger and had 900+ jumps (uncurrent), a total stranger to me. He wasn't planning to dock, was just going to stay level and keep some distance. I told him to never be above or below us, track away as soon as he saw the tandem deploy. Well as I went belly to earth after videoing the opening, I couldn't believe it! There he was about 100 below and just a little to the side, he was just throwing his pilot chute. I fell no more than 10 feet away from his fully open canopy! I was furious! But managed to keep my cool and not embarrass him in front of everybody. Before showing him the video I had him tell me How his jump went. He said he never saw me freefall past him and that he had tracked away at 6000 feet. I showed him the video. He was very surprised! I'm alive simply because I was lucky! I'm thinking that my geeking rule is going to go like this: Current Jumper, over 500 jumps, 50 jumps last 12 months, or demonstrated skills. Just want to see what other people's opinions are.

I've got a friend that managed to stain the bridle and mesh on his reserve pilot chute. Here is what happenned, he jumped smoke and it left a residue on his jumpsuit, then not thinking about his stained jumpsuit he was putting away his equipment and he apparently put his stained jumpsuit in the same duffle bag as his unpacked reserve. This left a few yellowish colored stains, tried to rinse it off but no luck. I'd like to hear some opinions about this situation, does anyone know what the acid content of this residue might be? My concern is that exposure to this residue (if acidic) would degrade the fabric. I've seen the Golden Knights demo team's equipement a while back and their stuff was just covered with residue, I'd like to know what their rigger would have to say about my situation.

I've got a MICRON that was repacked at the Relativeworkshop by factory riggers and when I opened it for repacking the Cypres loop had been routed as in the second photo...but the knot was as suggested by Cypres manufacturer so routing this way to shorten a little is probably a common thing. Rich

Thanks, to all, for the info. Rich

Just curious, are there still alot of people jumping rigs with soft cutaway housings. I've never owned a rig with soft housings and I'm wondering what the general opinion is on this...just want to be informed about the equipment I'll be repacking reserves in. Thanks

QuoteI've heard the suits are shipping from Croatia this weeks and will be delivered from Deland after then. Hey Phree which source did you hear from?

Just curious...has anyone that ordered their suit while at Rantoul 03 received their suit yet? No delivery for me yet...waiting for a Bird Man suit has to be the worst thing. Thanks...to LouDiamond (ground training)and Skymonkeyone (first flight) i've been in pain for 7weeks...

Thanks for the info everyone i've just ordered mine! The response i've gotten has been mostly positive...bugs are almost completely eliminated with the latest software and can only get better. Alti-2 tells me that Yari is helping develop a wingsuit version. I'll post my opinion ASAP after use. Again thanks for the info. Rich

Yes Kevin, I'd like to know how it works with your Bird-Man. How accurate are your freefall times, does it sometimes record short delays because it thinks you've opened...or even not record a jump at all during a hop and pop...I've seen this happen with protracks. If you can, just elaborate on your overall satisfaction or dissatisfaction with the unit...how does it compare to your protrack? If you could only afford one audible which would you prefer. Thanks, Rich

[url]http://www.alti-2.com/neptune.htm

Has anyone jumped the new audible by Alti-2, [Neptune] with a wingsuit. From what i've read it seams like a nice unit. I want to get one. Any feedback would be appreciated. Rich.

Does anyone know where I can find some news on Michel Fournier's 40,000 M jump? Has he done it yet? How did it go...? Blue skies

Thanks to everyone for taking the time to reply…this will be very helpful in choosing what I need. Deuce, I am looking forward to your reply when you get your new suit. Tony Hathaway, compared to your regular camera suit how does your “C” wing behave when you fly flat. Also, any tips or tricks on how you use and fly your “C” wing would be appreciated. The camera suit I am currently jumping flies really nice when I am on my belly but I have to be almost on my back to get the wings to slow me down enough to stay up with a tandem. Thanks, Rich

I am about to order a "c" wing camerasuit from Tonysuit and would like some opinions about choosing the different options on it... I am not sure if I should get the wing attachment option to hook up directly to a ring sewn onto my leg strap or just get the standard that doesn't require sewing something to my rig.... Any comments or suggestions good or bad about this suit would be appreciated...Thanks, Blue skies