GoHuskers

I wouldn't rule out a safire. They are really sweet canopys and very comparable to the Pilot. Both have sweet openings, I just like the safire better. Close enough that personal preference is probably the real factor. Plus you could get a Safire3 and as you know when you go up a number, its automatically better. Can you imagine how awesome a Pilot7 is!

People who irrationally target LE probably don't objectively look at much of anything. I don't think surviving the attack is really a consideration.

I have yet to meet a skydiver that didn't enjoy talking about skydiving. Ask away.

Yeah it is the perfect first time flyer machine. I went to the tunnel a few months ago and I can't say that I plan on going back. Bummer, its only a few miles from my workplace.

Not a head up video, but fun all the same. Enjoy, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmYypwyWN84&list=PLg9OH3VClnZZDypff8wMZg9okSgNuMmMs&index=1

Yep. Especially when you are learning a new skill like carving or eagles. I don't know how you can add a 3rd person and still work on that skill. The bigger the group gets the higher the skill level for each jumper has to be... if you're trying to accomplish something, which most freeflyers are.

I'm a little surprised the monty python circus isn't a landslide victory in this poll. Anybody who changes their name to boaty mcboatface could likely be elected.

I think its pretty obvious that GWB was not fully truthful about WMD's in Iraq. Much like the promises about Affordable Health Care.

People who don't jump will never understand. Truthfully there isn't that much to understand, its a hobby that is both extremely physically and mentally stimulating, that forms strong bonds with those you jump with as a result of those powerful experiences. Without experiencing that, how could you understand. Its so simple yet so completely foreign to those that don't do it. Doing a tandem doesn't really qualify. Maybe the issue is not actually about risk of death or disability. Maybe the issue is about some of the lame stereotypes that come with being a skydiver: sex,drugs, and rock n roll. Or being away for her on weekends. Or being able to pay off a house over 30 years of jumping. Or its committment to her and a future family and not a bunch of jet fuel and sweat stinking skydivers. The only way to convince your wife of anything is by finding out what the core issues are and by showing her why there not an issue. The core issue is not always the first one to be stated.... just saying.

I'm 5'10" 195 and I have a 619 and a Firefly with a double layer of 2 ply taslan. For the sky I greatly prefer the 619 because it has a good amount of drag and I can fly it with precision. In the tunnel I prefer the Firefly because helps me get lift and the precision of the 619 is harder to control. If you're just starting out the 619 might be too powerful in the legs when learning to keep your feet below you in a sit. A one-piece uniform drag suit is probably the right answer. I asked firefly to make mine with an extra 1/4 inch to every measurement and its enough extra material to create a good amount of drag. Kind of like a medium fit in vertical suits. I have roughly 4 hours of tunnel on my firefly and its holding up like a champ. I don't think you really need tunnel options on a loose fitting suit. Also, I would just get over the notion that you are going to buy 1 suit and never buy a suit again.

Anybody flown in the new IFly 12 foot design yet? They're opening one in San Antonio. The flight chamber is on the ground level, 12 feet at the net, 14 or 15 at the top of the glass. Wondering how it flys?

Every jumper makes a choice to jump every time. I would have no problem deciding not to jump while the door was open. I don't need a reason. Its my choice. I would never hold it against another jumper for riding the plane down, regardless of reason. Go up again if you want, ride it back down if you want. Its your money and your decision.

Wait for the end of the day and case out where the TI's hang out after the beer light comes on. Make a mental note of which TI also did an AFF jump in the morning. Wait until they've cracked a beer open and then hold out your log book out in your non dominant hand. Say their name awkwardly, wait for them to turn and gesture very slightly with your logbook. Be prepared to give chase and tackle!

1. The Devil's Advocate: Unless the manufacturer's don't want fun jumpers to expose them to that liability either. They'll just get the USPA to make another BSR... 2. My apologies.

USPA could do that. But they believe otherwise, so why would they? The answer was to the following question: What do you think would happen if that board meeting ended and the announcement was "USPA will make no restriction on wingsuiters flying in proximity to students or tandems either in freefall or under canopy."?

Enough with the BASE fatality list. I think USPA could make the following statement. "The USPA has considered Tandem Skydiving with Wingsuit Fly-bys and decided that no action was necessary on its part. The USPA is believes that its network of Dropzones, Safety & Training Advisors, and Tandem Instructors can safely manage these activities."

You very well could be right that they are heading off a slew of future incidents. No one can say with any certainty since there is not a reliable volume of data of fly-by's and incidents to predict from. I don't wingsuit and my DZ's marketing strategy is mostly word of mouth so they don't skimp on gear maintenance and they don't drop in sketchy conditions. The difference between your example and this BSR is that you're example is a new product that a jumper can choose and this BSR is mandatory for all USPA license holders. The Hypothetical Rabbit Hole: An established wingsuiter with 300 plus wingsuit jumps and 600 total jumps is paying for his father/mother's tandem and wants to do a fly-by to make it extra special... DZO, S&TA, TI, and Fun Jumper agree that is a special moment for the loyal patron and his father/mother. Sorry can't do it, its a BSR. If wingsuiting near a tandem presents an unnecessary risk then why allow a D-License holder to skydive with a tandem, its unnecessary, it provides no income to the DZ. If the wingsuiter's can't do it why should D license holders be allowed to do it? The issue I see is that USPA is a self-regulating organization and when I first started lurking this website 5 years ago the general attitude was that the USPA keeps the FAA off our backs through promoting individual responsibility and education instead of regulation. It seems like the current trend is to keep the FAA off our backs by regulating. What makes it worse is that it removes the calculated judgement of the DZ, its instructional staff, and its fun jumpers. It was done, as rumor would have it, with very little input from the fun jumper community. That is a slippery slope.

Yeah I get what you're saying but let's no kid ourselves. The new rule is only preventing a statistically non-significant risk that produces zero income for the DZ. (If you wish to debate that its a significant risk, then please point to a fatality or incident which resulted from a fly-by) There is a significant additional of risk and a financial reward for continuing operations in sub-par conditions or with sub-par equipment and BOD won't touch that because its tied to money. The new BSR is being presented as necessary for the safety of tandem students. You can see the inconsistency in this argument when more tangible risks are present and not acted upon. Protecting the business is fine, there's nothing wrong with that. But the BOD is not elected by businesses its elected by fun jumpers. If the USPA wants to wonder out loud why they have such small voter turn outs, perhaps they should look back at what they are doing for the fun jumpers.

Tandem students face more risk from jumping in sketchy weather conditions and with sketchy equipment in a single season than they do from wingsuit fly-bys since the invention of wingsuits. I would guess that actual injuries or close calls happen significantly more frequently from DZ's choices to squeeze in a sketchy weather load or squeeze another season out of a ragged out main canopy. Why wouldn't USPA focus on a risk, a very tangible risk, to protect its tandem students and create a BSR setting weather limits or gear limits? The examples I gave probably go past "not academically qualified" to judge risk and more towards "are intentionally misled to believe an unsafe condition is perfectly safe." It may not happen at your DZ but you know it happens.

And its a shock that more people don't vote.

Buy a sewing machine. Use the right thread. Skydive and be happy.

They removed the herniated portion of the disk. My verterbrae were not fuzed together.

I would pass on this for several reasons. 1- Its student Gear. Student's don't take care of gear because they don't understand the importance of taking care of gear yet. 2-Adjustable Harness. This is a good feature when different sized people will be using it. You only come in one size, so find a rig with a harness the fits you well that it not adjustable. 3-AFF BOC. That means it has a cutaway style device on the left side of the rig so the reserve side instructor can deploy the student. Great feature for AFF, not something you want in your gear. 4-240 seems too big for you. I would think a 210 would be the absolute biggest main you'd want to start on. Some other people might think that a 240 is the right size canopy for you. I think you would get really, really bored of the main canopy really, really fast. I guess it really depends on what kind of flyer you are. This rig should stay a student rig.

Yes. I think so.

I had a Sabre2 and switched to a semi stowless bag. The canopy came out of the bag on heading and it still made at least a 90 degree turn when it was inflating.