DaVinciflies

I have the LED. I am happy with it.

In my opinion if your canopy scares you, and you are hurting your ankles repeatedly when you land on the dropzone, you need to upsize your canopy before your next jump. The next jump might be the one where you have to land downwind in a tight off-DZ landing area. If this requires a new container then please get one. Please don't get hurt. [Disclaimer: not seen you fly etc, but your description speaks volumes]

It is not possible to partly prevent a fatality. In this case the AAD was not given the opportunity to prevent the fatality due to mis-rigging. Given that there is no guarantee that an AAD will save a life, the mis-rigging may have contributed to the death. The fact that the life-saving chain of events never should have got that far is key, though. Some of the arguments here (not you 'Twardo) are so crazy, I am surprised nobody has suggested counter-suing the parents because the jumper's death was directly related to their being born - and event over which they had no control. Life is a sexually transmitted disease which is invariably fatal.

I voted yes based on the following - I would rather land with two out than nothing out. Having said that I don't ever intend to be in freefall at 1250 or 750 feet. My personal hard-deck is 2,000 feet. The only time this might apply to me is if I am unconscious and then I want the highest possible chance that an AAD fire will result in a functional reserve.

I like the way you think! IMO too many people are scared to do anything other than what they have always done with their canopies (ie. fly back, spiral, two turns and flare). There is a limit to what you can learn that way.

Just curious - why fly your pattern with rears?

Right - it is an Automatic Activation Device. It Activated. Period.

You are right, of course, that we should learn from the mistakes of others. Sometimes, it can come across as "look how cool I am" rather than "look what a lucky dumbass I was" (not referring to you). The same information presented in 2 different tones can have widely different results. Thanks for posting what you have learned - on behalf of newer jumpers, we appreciated it.

Unfortunately it seems that there is a great deal of double-standards on these boards. I had thought the same thing as you. It is like the older jumpers repeatedly calling for a "culture of safety" and then regaling us with stories of being in the saddle at 600' before AADs or other equally high-risk activities. As has been said a number of times in this thread, IMO the blame lies in two areas: 1. The jumper for not opening the reserve 2. The rigger for mis-rigging an AAD as thereby causing it to be unable to perform its function of cutting the closing loop.

That's a great idea, but it doesn't allow for people not knowing what they don't know. Maybe a combination of Pops list (which seems very comprehensive) and your anonymous "get it off your chest" method would work well.

Thank you! Something totally new to try! I am excited about this. The last totally new canopy control move I did was one front riser and opposite toggle. Had no idea what would happen and still don't really as I had no reference (it was a solo). All I could tell was that I slowed down. At least I know it is controllable! Now I have something else to play with.

Would you mind describing the theory of how to make a canopy side-slide? I have often wondered if it is possible and I'd love to try it. Thanks.

All the best for your L7. Congratulations on your perseverance. You're going to be able to offer some valuable first hand advice to other struggling young jumpers when you are a grizzled old instructor!

I think Inifnities and Javelins are very well designed and sleek looking. I dislike Mirage's and especially Vectors because they can look bulbous, almost pregnant, and I think they are incredibly ugly. Having said that they are probably all well made and functional.

Makes sense. Thanks.

For what reason?

Of course! I hesitated to mention them but they are my frame of reference for defining a soft opening. I apologize if I have just added confusion to this thread.

All my packjobs are the same - no rolling or stuffing involved: Flake neatly, quarter slider, leave nose hanging, fold the tail (ie. not tight rolls). To be clear: I was NOT complaining about the Pulse openings. Just saying that there are softer opening canopies with my standard packjob (XF2 and KA for example).

That is not my experience. I did not get spanked, but very soft would not be my description. "Positive" would be closer to it.

[my bolding] Those conditions would include being installed and operated correctly. That would include having the closing loop routed through the cutter and having the unit turned on.

As a newer jumper, I found that a very interesting post, Kim. Thank you.

This again? Line dump does not cause hard openings. Bag strip can but it's not the same thing.

Cost?

Oh got ya! I thought this was some BS about how strong the uppers were!

I don't believe this causes hard openings. Bag strip will, but line dump?