DaVinciflies

Cypri. I like that a lot. Thanks!

You are probably right, Dave, regarding cost being the primary driver. Cheapest is not always best. Asking local swoopers can lead to some very bad habits.

My own opinion is that if you are truly serious about this, you should not be so adamant about Lodi and go to where the best coaching is available. IMO the very best coaching is going to be one-on-one, and there are several very good coaches available who will do that for you around the US.

Oh well, in the light of such a well-reasoned argument I retract everything I said...

A collapsed slider will offer less parasitic drag than a non-collapsed one - even at the top of the risers. The reason for pulling it down the risers is more to do with allowing the risers to spread apart and let the wing form a more efficient shape, than it is to get the slider out of the airflow - although there might be a small beneficial effect there too. Given what you have said, I would suggest slider bumpers/hats to prevent interference with the brakes and collapsing the slider if you feel comfortable to do so (remember that you will be doing this shortly after opening when you MUST be scanning for traffic too). Edited to add: A non-collapsed slider does not present just the thin edge to the relative wind. They flap and move around a lot. That energy you are hearing as sound of the slider flapping is coming from the forward motion of the canopy and could better be used as airspeed than a noise generator!

And you doubt those readings?

Any coaching process is a two-way street between the coach and the student. Your closed-minded attitude that is evident in this thread is indicative that you are probably not a suitable candidate for coaching in that you won't listen to advice. This is a very dangerous/lethal trait for someone wanting to pursue canopy piloting. In fact, you don't want coaching - don't get coaching, But don't you fucking dare come on here and contaminate the minds of young jumpers looking for advice with your closed-minded bullshit. Most people who receive canopy coaching get a massive amount out of it. That's a fact. If you didn't, the first place to start looking for reasons is yourself.

The slider does no good at all after opening. By that logic everyone would jump a removable slider. Maybe this jumper does not want to have the added housekeeping of pulling the slider down and stowing it. There is no reason why the have to.

To which I would say there is some experimentation involved with getting to know your canopy - toggle stalls, rear riser stalls, flat turns, performance enveloping etc which goes on up high. But I would say that is different from trial-and-error. The thing I heard that sums it up best is: "Learn from the mistakes of others who have gone before, because you won;t have time to make all the mistakes yourself". A canopy course can make that process smoother and safer.

Here's one for the safety side of things: Don't put all your fingers through the dive loops - it means you have nothing left to hold the toggles with and could lead to a dropped toggle as you remove your hand from the dive loop.

Great post. Swooping is not something that should be learned from trial and error. Even with coaching it still carries risk, but knowing the correct techniques and the correct progression will allow a jumper to progress both faster and safer. I have had coaching every year I have jumped from three different coaches and I see a stepwise improvement every time I get professional input. Would you elaborate more on what technique changes your coach introduced? What were you doing before and what are you doing now to get more power? Blues

Skyvan last weekend - surprise free load!

That's right - it would be preposterous to think that you could launch a person into space using a rocket motor. Such a crazy idea.. Dude - that was sarcasm in case you missed it!

There is also a risk involved with things like altimeter readings and AAD settings if there is a significant altitude difference between the two DZs.

You have done a great job of missing my point.

Unfortunately the point is being made...but he's not the one doing it. Exactly - the point is being made elsewhere. I think this thread could be laid to rest. I am getting a "See - I was right again" feeling from it which is in poor taste.

Just another reason to jump a pullout.

Don't you think this keeping score to make your point is getting a little morbid?

Agreed. Shocking. :-(

Best of luck with your opening day and you DZ.

With 70 jumps you could still be on your original rubber bands!!

nope...divorce In my case, divorce caused my skydiving!

Yes. Worlds apart. If you get the Bonehead Revolve you have a full face and an open face in one helmet.

Totally agree, and BTW my personal experience of Skydive San Marcos was hugely positive. They made me very welcome.

Awesome stuff. To collate what we have so far (I put the safety-specific ones at the top, others in no particular order): - Know how to bail - Know why/when to bail - Don't fall into the "have to swoop" trap. - Learn to fly an accurate pattern/set up in any wind speed/direction - Finish the turn strong (hopefully Ian will give us a little more detail on this) - Breathe (and/or singing!) - Slow release of fronts to start recovery (ie. be smooth, or perhaps I mean "mooth").