theplummeter

In the US, the FAA is the group with authority to regulate what you do in the sky (Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 105), and their reach is very limited in terms of the details of actual skydiving. USPA membership and dropzone participation is entirely voluntary, as are the Basic Safety Regulations that the association has agreed upon. In my opinion, dropzones, the USPA, and jumpers coming together to apply common sense and self police the sport without outside government involvement is one of the coolest aspects of this activity.

As long as we are on the subject, any Sacramento area folks want to comment on the March weather there? I'm looking primarily at Davis but could do some traveling in that area if needed.

Too soon...too soon.

Does it make a difference if it's a reserve (manufactured and certified under a TSO) or a main parachute?

I missed that episode, just like almost every other episode of CSI. Please tell me that there was a super slow closeup of David Caruso delivering the worst skydiving catch phrase eighth tier writers could coin.

We have 3 F111 Mantas that are the student canopies at the dropzone. Two of them have around 500 jumps and still flare very well, one has about 900 and needs to be retired, although most of the experienced jumpers or instructors can still stand it up with a full flare. A Pulse might work well for you as well, I had one right before my current canopy. They are fun up high but come to a dead stop - both vertically and horizontally - with the right flare. From the first jump I took on it the Pulse was the easiest flare I have ever experienced, every landing was a slow standup.

Thanks to everyone for the advice. The hammer is cocked (I accepted the position) and falls on Wednesday morning. I may have picked the wrong week to stop sniffing glue.

...just so someone else doesn't take it? Here's my situation. I have been asked by the company I work for to take a local supervisor position overseeing 7 other people and myself. The current guy is retiring, and only three people meet the qualifications to do the job. Two of those people (myself included) have been trying to dodge the position, and the third is Hitler reincarnated whose ego and incompetence are currently racing to previously unheard of heights. As a result, I have been told to either take the job, or prepare to work for him. If I accept the position, which involves mostly paperwork and scheduling, he will make my life hell and spend every second at work second guessing every decision I make and taking it up the chain. If I refuse it, I will get to live under his thumb and deal with doing the work behind the scenes that he is unable or unwilling to do. Taking the job will be a small raise, and might look good on my resume. Any advice?

If you pronounce it "diva", it might just be a bitchy flight attendant.

I recently got quotes for a logo canopy from Icarus, Performance Designs, and Precision Aerodynamics for a logo covering the bottom of a Safire 2, Sabre 2, or Fusion. Precision was the cheapest at about $900, Performance Designs and Icarus were about tied at $1500.

I absolutely agree that it's a tool, and not an excuse to do dumb shit. The Cirrus is an excellent airframe. The CAPS system is a wonderful safety feature. Shitty pilots will purchase this aircraft and fly it beyond it's limits solely based on having the parachute. According to COPA, the fatal accident rate for Cirrus is 1.63 and 1.3 for the (comparable GA) fleet. One could argue that CAPS has convinced so many Cirrus pilots that they don't need to make good decisions or train properly, that it is actually causing more fatalities than those it stops.

Here they are through January of last year. Note the number of perfectly functional aircraft vs. the number of actual power failures or airframe problems: CAPS pull #1, Oct 2002, Lewisville, TX, 1 uninjured; Factors: VFR departure after maintenance, aileron unhinged due maintenance error and airplane became difficult to control, after maneuvering, first parachute deployment by pilot in a certified production airplane; Activation: low altitude, 1,500 feet; Weather: VMC; Landing: bushes near golf course ***CAPS pull #2, April 2004, Lethbridge, AB, Canada, 4 uninjured Factors: VFR night cruise, loss of control, autopilot-induced stall, night VFR over mountains, SR20 performance Activation: high altitude, deployment upon loss of control; Weather: VMC night; Landing: landed in scree in mountaneous terrain, skidded backwards 1/4-mile, helicopter extraction via parachute risers ***CAPS pull #3, April 2004, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 1 uninjured Factors: confusing instrument behavior, low IMC, departure climb, water in static system; Activation: low altitude, 700 feet; Weather: IMC; Landing: trees ***CAPS pull #4, Sept 2004, Peters, CA, 2 uninjured Factors: VFR climb, autopilot-induced stall, rolled inverted, attempted recovery; Activation: high altitude, above 10,000 feet, activated CAPS in VMC before entering IMC; Weather: VMC, then IMC under canopy, then VMC; Landing: walnut grove ***CAPS pull #5, Feb 2005, Norden, CA, 1 fatality Factors: severe icing at 16,000' over Sierra mountains, high speed descent well above Vne of 204 knots; Activation: uncertain if intentional activation or due to airframe stress in high speed descent, parachute separated from airframe, located along track to crash site; Weather: IMC, icing; Landing: high speed impact in mountainous area CAPS pull #6, June 2005, Haverstraw, NY, 1 serious injury (compression fracture of vertabrae) Factors: pilot incapacitated from brain seizure, loss of conciousness, awoke and recovered from Vne dive, determined numbness and loss of function in legs;IFR on approach to KHPN, Activation: low altitude, last radar report at 1,600 feet and 190 knots (well above Vpd of 133 knots); Weather: VMC; Landing: water, bay of Hudson River ***CAPS pull #7, Jan 2006, Childersburg, AL, 3 uninjured Factors: severe icing at 9,000 feet, loss of control; Activation: high altitude; Weather: IMC icing; Landing: trees ***CAPS pull #8, Feb 2006, Wagner, SD, 2 uninjured Factors: pilot disorientation in clouds, shortly after takeoff; Activation: low altitude; Weather: IMC; Landing: flat, frozen field ***CAPS pull #9, Aug 2006, Indianapolis, IN, 1 fatality, 3 serious injuries (spinal surgery) Factors: IMC, loss of control, stall/spin descent; Activation: low altitude, 528 feet in 100 knot descent, first activation of CAPS by non-pilot, parachute observed not fully deployed; Weather: IMC; Landing: water, pond among residential housing ***CAPS pull #10, Sept 2006, Bull Bay, Jamaica, 4 uninjured Factors: loss of control, VFR cruise, passenger activated when fuel streaming from tank filler openings; Activation: low altitude; Weather: VMC; Landing: trees CAPS pull #11, Feb 2007, Sydney, Australia, 2 injuries Factors: VFR cruise, engine problems, rocket took unusual trajectory, parachute not extracted due to anomalous rocket trajectory, successful emergency off-airport landing; Activation: low altitude; Weather: VMC; Landing: trees ***CAPS pull #12, Apr 2007, Luna, NM, 1 injured Factors: IMC cruise, climb to avoid weather, loss of airspeed indication, terrain warning in IMC; Activation: low altitude, inverted; Weather: IMC, icing; Landing: trees, mountainous terrain ***CAPS pull #13, Aug 2007, Nantucket, MA, 2 injured Factors: VFR in IMC during approach, parachute tangled with tower wires, 1 serious injury, 1 minor injury, 1 unborn child saved; Activation: low altitude; Weather: IMC; Landing: tower, flat open terrain ***CAPS pull #14, Oct 2008, Spain, 3 uninjured Factors: IFR in IMC during approach, pilot reported turbulence and loss of control, parachute tangled with power line wires; Activation: low altitude; Weather: IMC; Landing: power line ***CAPS pull #15, Nov 2008, Turriaco, Italy, 1 seriously injured, 3 uninjured Factors: fuel exhaustion and loss of engine power, parachute deployed at low altitude and late in the power-off glide scenario, approximately 400 feet above ground; Activation: low altitude; Weather: VMC; Landing: trees and grass ***CAPS pull #16, Dec 2008, Gouvy, Belgium, 1 minor injured Factors: icing, pilot attempted several outs but was unable to maintain altitude, Activation: low altitude; Weather: IMC, icing; Landing: trees CAPS pull #17, Dec 2008, Patterson, LA, 1 uninjured Factors: pilot reported mechanical difficulties late at night over coastal marshes; Activation: high altitude; Weather: VMC, night; Landing: canal (water) ***CAPS pull #18, Feb 2009, Deltona, FL, 2 fatalities Factors: instructional flight practicing low-speed maneuvers, witnesses report spinning aircraft; CAPS activation about 200 feet above ground, parachute did not fully deploy; Activation: low altitude; Weather: VMC; Landing: trees ***CAPS pull #19, Mar 2009, Gaithersburg, MC, 1 uninjured Factors: door popped open upon takeoff, pilot reported rain in the cockpit and attempted to manage door but became disoriented; Activation: low altitude; Weather: IMC; Landing: residential street CAPS pull #20, Jun 2009, Mount Airy, NC, 1 uninjured Factors: catastrophic engine failure with oil obscuring windscreen, Activation: high altitude, 6,000 feet; Weather: IMC; Landing: level field ***CAPS pull #21, Dec 2009, Hamilton Island, Australia, 1 seriously injured Factors: engine loss of power, misfueled with Jet-A, attempted return to airport; Activation: low altitude, 440 feet above ocean; Weather: VMC; Landing: ocean CAPS pull #22, Feb 2010, Boulder, CO, 2 fatalities Factors: mid-air collision between Cirrus SR20 and tow-plane with glider in tow; Activation: high altitude, 8,000 feet; Weather: VMC; Landing: level field ***CAPS pull #23, May 2010, Sirdal, Norway, 4 uninjured Factors: high-speed descent followed by parachute activation, possibly weather related, Activation: high altitude, 6,000 feet; Weather: VMC; Landing: uneven rocky terrain ***CAPS pull #24, 10 July 2010, Hornton, United Kingdom, 2 uninjured Factors: under investigation, possibly weather related, Activation: altitude not yet reported; Weather: IMC; Landing: field surrounded by trees CAPS pull #25, 16 August 2010, Idabel, OK, 2 uninjured Factors: engine failure, rapid descent, decision to avoid off-airport landing, activated parachute, Activation: low altitude, perhaps 500 feet; Weather: VMC; Landing: grassy field ***CAPS pull #26, 23 August 2010, Porter, TX, 1 seriously injured Factors: go-around after aborted landing, failed to clear tree obstructions, activated parachute after first impact with a tree, Activation: low altitude; Weather: VMC; Landing: trees ***CAPS pull #27, 30 September 2010, Mathias, WV, 2 uninjured Factors: loss of control in turbulence while on approach in stormy weather, Activation: low altitude, perhaps 500 feet; Weather: VMC; Landing: grassy field CAPS pull #28, 15 December 2010, Nacogdoches, TX, 1 uninjured Factors: loss of engine power, decision to avoid off-airport landing, activated parachute, Activation: unknown; Weather: VMC, night; Landing: residential area CAPS pull #29, 27 January 2011, Cross City, FL, 1 uninjured Factors: loss of engine power, decision to avoid off-airport landing, activated parachute, Activation: unknown; Weather: VMC, night; Landing: recently logged forest ***CAPS pull #30, 30 January 2011, Kiowa, CO, 1 uninjured Factors: unknown, activated parachute, Activation: unknown; Weather: VMC, night; Landing: field

It's an invaluable tool, but idiots keep deploying them when they don't need to (there's a hilarious write up I have somewhere) or using the parachute to justify a bad decision. I think the Cirrus is largely the aviation equivalent of rapid downsizing, or low time jumpers with a camera setup. They are a wonderful airplane, but I think they successfully market to folks with a whole lot more dollars than sense. Source for said unnecessary deployments and justifications? I'd like to read them. COPA forum. At least two individuals have lost control of the aircraft, regained control, and then deployed the chute fearing breakup of the airframe as they had exceed the aircraft's redline. I'll see if I can dig up the posts.

It's an invaluable tool, but idiots keep deploying them when they don't need to (there's a hilarious write up I have somewhere) or using the parachute to justify a bad decision. I think the Cirrus is largely the aviation equivalent of rapid downsizing, or low time jumpers with a camera setup. They are a wonderful airplane, but I think they successfully market to folks with a whole lot more dollars than sense.

As an air traffic controller I love that. The Cirrus is affordable as planes go. The Piper Malibu is so expensive they call it "The Plastic Surgeon Killer." Regular docs can't afford one. A few winters ago I was doing an air ambulance flight into Rochester, MN. They had a good forecast, but a low temp dewpoint spread led to fog and a fast moving front brought freezing rain into the area. Visibility was less than one quarter mile with an indefinite ceiling, and I was icing up faster than the plane could shed it. While I was in the hold waiting for any improvement and considering diverting to Lacrosse, WI I got asked to climb 1000 feet for a Cirrus. They wanted to try the ILS while we held. We ended up landing at a nearby airport and the patient got moved by ground. After roughly an hour wait, I was talking to the medical team and keeping an eye on the weather. Rochester had just come up to minimums so I deiced and decided to move the airplane to Rochester and meet the medics. When I landed the Cirrus was sitting on the ramp, with better than an inch of ice on every front surface, and climbing into the Cirrus (with no deice equipment and having not deiced) were the demo pilot and a surgeon from the Mayo clinic. I tried to diplomatically suggest delaying or at the very least a glycol bath for the airplane, but the surgeon let me know in his best Larry the Cable Guy voice that they had the parachute, or as he called it a "Git R Done" license. I can't picture a Cirrus without thinking about that scenario now.

Fun fact: The Cirrus was designed and built because the Beechcraft Bonanza wasn't leading enough doctors to make bad decisions.

I think he's repulsive...and I blame genetics ;) Honestly, the packing video and the outtakes one are two of my favorites, and Nick seems like a great guy.

Rubber bands can also be ordered directly from the manufacturer for a fraction of retail: http://www.keenerrubber.com/Parachute.htm

The interference is a possibility, although very remote. Several years ago a group of folks at work and I took turns holding cell phones up to a navigation instrument in an older King Air, and if you held a phone up close enough it would displace a position needle on the primary navigation instrument. Most modern aircraft house anything sensitive in an avionics bay near the front of the aircraft or under the floor, and simply carry the signals to display units in the cockpit. I fly air ambulance, and we are allowed to operate any electronics on board at any time so long as our repair station has completed a Radio Frequency/Electromagnetic Interference test. Cell phones are included in the RFI/EMI testing and we regularly use them at low altitudes when we can get a signal.

Let me start off by saying that I am completely sober. I leave my Australian Shepherd/Black Labrador mix home alone for a few hours each day and come home to find a variety of things "rearranged" around the house. I have a largely unused GoPro laying around, and lately have been thinking about charging the thing, turning it on, and strapping it to the dog so that when I come home I have video of what goes on when she is unattended. I've considered both the snag hazard and her low jump number (zero) ;)

Most slider grommets will slide down over type 17 risers allowing you to stow your slider behind your head and loosen your chest strap. Type 17 risers are smaller and easier to tuck in many containers. Type 8 risers last longer and can house larger toggles.

Couldn't she just wait for her tax return and pay the house off? I'm figuring she probably paid almost no tax this year, so with Earned Income Credit and Child Tax Credits she's due at least six figures.

Optima II does three in freefall and three under canopy also.

Not usually. At higher power settings the difference between the two is almost negligible, but at idle the four blades make a lot more noise and drag. For some aircraft the four bladed props are part of a short field landing kit.

So share. This, done horrible in character: You ever see them Indian dreamcatchers? My underwear does the same thing. I still have a pair with part of a Heidi Klum dream in them. Git R Done.