Samurai136

I'm sure if you called L&B and told them the clip failed and sent them a busted clip, they'd send you a new protrack, tho... Ken "Buttons aren't toys." - Trillian Ken

I think you may be a bit confused. Any time a canopy is flying steeper than its full flight trimmed Angle of Attack it is "Diving". If the canopy is trimmed w/ a negative recovery arc it will continue to "dive" for a period of time after you release the front risers. That period of time is determined to some extent by the force of drag, momentum built, etc, etc. Since drag ultimately reduces speed, eventually the canopy will return to whatever it's full flight AOA is. The Stiletto, Vengeance, Spectre, and Cobalt (as far as I know) are trimmed to fly flatter than say a Samurai, Velocity, FX/VX, or Xaos. Would a canopy stay "diving" for 13,000 ft? Probably not, and why would you want it to? I have seen a Xaos drop 1200ft on a 90degree riser to final and believe it could have continued to dive further. And there was the Velocity--wingsuit in free-fall dock they acheived in Deland earlier this year. So it IS possible to have a canopy diving fast enought for a freefaller to dock.... Ken "Buttons aren't toys." - Trillian Ken

Your 'state of mind' post jump is pretty standard. Close your eyes, relax, and visualize (remember) your landing. Vizualize the landing up to the point where your instructors told you about a piloting error. Then visualize yourself making a correct landing. Landing the canopy is learning to judge altitude(s) during the last 50'. On the ground, practice spotting objects at known fixed distances. If you have a 2 story house w/ a deck; look at objects from that altitude. Ken "Buttons aren't toys." - Trillian Ken

If you're really cool, you can get a snappy Mozilla.org t-shirt. I'm a party member! Ken "Buttons aren't toys." - Trillian Ken

(Slider comes down) 1. Check canopy traffic while collapsing slider and loosen chest strap. 2. Harness turn, spot distance to planned point of swoop. Release brakes. 3. Depending on things either a) turn and burn or b) chase friends around pinning them; CRW stuff c) tweak rear risers for a long spot The only real 'thoughts' I have under canopy, "Who can I play with?" and landing "time to make the riser turn... Now!" Ken "Buttons aren't toys." - Trillian Ken

I haven't been able to get my protrack out of the mounting clip L&B provides for external mounting Ken "Buttons aren't toys." - Trillian Ken

No problems w/ the shield flipping open. When the helmet is new, the shield is TIGHT and takes quite a bit of effort to open and close. Since, you are opening and closing the face shield you'll be aware when it begins to get loose. By 'loose' I mean easy to open. Just snug up the screws on the hinge so it requires about as much effort as new. I don't use a lot of force to snug them. I dunno if the the screw is a standard size to all skysys helmets, but I keep a 5/64ths Hex wrench in my gear bag. the wrench was part of a set I picked up at the hardware store for less than 2$. Also, I don't do a lot of freeflying. I do like the experiencee tho w/ the full face. Fast. Quiet. Smooth air flow. Relaxed. Seeing the horizon 'the other way' Ken "Buttons aren't toys." - Trillian Ken

My freeflyer bud has a Z1 and says air rushes through the seam on top of the face shield. I've got an A3 and the seal around the face plate allows no air in while freeflyin'. The platinum finish is nice too. Ken "Buttons aren't toys." - Trillian Ken

My 2 cats keep each other entertained while I'm gone. They like to watch me pack at home. They only seem interested in the Vectran lines on my canopy. Dunno why that is... Ken "Buttons aren't toys." - Trillian Ken

Took that test years ago. I tested INTJ Although I am more evenly split on the judging/perceiving spectrrum. Ken "Buttons aren't toys." - Trillian Ken

I've jumped my Samurai in winds of 25mph, not gusting. There is significant turbulence at SD Iowa in these wind conditions about 40'agl from a tree line. The airlocks will keep air in the canopy and maintain some form of wing over your head as opposed to total depressurization. At altitude I've pulled rear risers to my shoulders and still had a pressurized canopy over head. The canopy loses forward drive and begins to gently sink. non-airlocked canopies will go back to a snivel. Once I hit a small rotor in the middle of my flare, which dropped me 5' to the ground and put a grass stain on my jump suit. Based on observation of other non airlocked parachutes in these conditions, I believe I'm safer w/ airlocks than w/out. Airlocks do not make it SAFE to jump in windy turbulent conditions. Demo an airlocked canopy and judge for your self. Ken "Buttons aren't toys." - Trillian Ken

When I was in AFF I was also reading _The Skydiver's Handbook_ by Turoff and Poytner (sp?) and applied their technique for accuracy landing. It's pretty much the same as the instructions in the USPA SIM. I've heard Scott Miller's canopy control lecture at Skydive U and he talks about planning your landing pattern. He talks about a holding area, like a box, where you allow your self to play around under canopy. From your holding area you goto a standard landing pattern. Plan your entire landing pattern on the ground. Watch other landings and find out what the winds are doing before you jump. When you're under canopy, fly your plan and be safe. If you end up short of the target, shorten the downwind leg a bit; long of the target, lengthen the downwind leg. Ken, "Buttons aren't toys." - Trillian Ken

BigAirSportz canopies are laser cut. A Big Air dealer told me Brian owns a table he keeps at PD's factory. Demand for the Samurai reached a point last year for Brian to work a deal w/ PD to build the Samurai. Ken "Buttons aren't toys." - Trillian Ken

Motorcycle and auto helmets are cut lower on the back to prevent whiplash. If you try one on, sitting or standing, they restrict your ability to look straight up which is what most skydivers do in RW. As far as buying a new helmet, I recommend buying one that fits your budget. A Protec is just as good as a Skysystems A3 Oxygn Full-face w/ custom finish. Ken "Buttons aren't toys." - Trillian Ken

What are you loading the 150 Sabre at? Any elliptical you buy will turn and dive faster than what you are jumping now. I love my Samurai. If you do a forum search you'll find my thoughts on the Samurai. Or send me a PM. You should demo a canopy before you buy it. Ken "Buttons aren't toys." - Trillian Ken

strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government. Supreme executive power derives frrom a mandate from the masses, not some farcical aquatic ceremony! There are some who would call me..... Tim. Ken "Buttons aren't toys." - Trillian Ken

I'll be 30 in December. But I still get ID'd for beer... Ken "Buttons aren't toys." - Trillian Ken

I reviewed your first post. In addition to the technical questions you have about canopy selection you talk about your mindset. Your conservative pilot's mind says, "I can jump this canopy at least 200 more times before downsizing." The impulsive/ adrenaline seeking pilot's mind says, "Go For It! You can Do It!" Always listen to your conservative judgements. If you move to a smaller canopy to quickly you may find youself in a situation where your conservative judgement says, " This is beginning to look a little too low..." and your impulsive judgement says "Go For It!" Following your impulse at this point could get you killed under any canopy but more likely under a smaller faster canopy. Or worse, an injury that puts you out of the sport for a period of time. Be patient. Ken "Buttons aren't toys." - Trillian Ken

You may meet manufacture's recommendation of 1.2-1.4 for 'beginners' but that does not mean the 105 is 'safe' for you loading it at 1.4. There is a good article on the PD website explaining wingloading, canopy size and experience. Basically what says is that two equally loaded canopies of different sizes the smaller one will be faster. The two canopies are flying in the same air. Using your 'butt naked' weigh to figure wing loading is also an inaccuraccy. Unless you actually jump naked. Use your total exit weight, fully geared up to figure wing loading. You probably load that 135 a bit more than you realize. If you don't feel challenged w/ the wingloading you have try learning more advanced techniques. Work up to doing long 270 degree turns w/ rear riser for the flare on the canopy you have. Ken "Buttons aren't toys." - Trillian Ken

Check out _Man or Astroman?_ They are the closing theme music to SpaceGhost Coast toCoast. Similar to that Torg stuff; except w/ surf electric guitars and 50's sci-fi B-movie samples. Ken "Buttons aren't toys." - Trillian Ken

Outkast - Bombs Over Bagdad on the 'Stankonia' disc It's obnoxious and FAST. Ken "Buttons aren't toys." - Trillian Ken

If you want hip hop/ rap there are a lot of good tracks on Ludacris 'Word Of Mouf'. I usually listen to The Wiseguys and Daft Punk 'Discovery' for good mood music driving to the DZ. Ken "Buttons aren't toys." - Trillian Ken

I dunno. I think the Vengeance is actually opening the way it was designed to... (99% o' the time). Ken "Buttons aren't toys." - Trillian Ken

Perhaps a bit extreme, but WTF. Camera should do 5 tracking dives. Lower jumper, in purple, should do 10 tracking dives. Or whatever it takes to remember/ learn how to track like he's wearing a birdman suit. Ken "Buttons aren't toys." - Trillian Ken

It ain't that weird. My aunt (my age) was cheating on my uncle (he robbed the craddle) and it was 'known' to both of them. One day her sister decides to tell my uncle what's going on, like he doesn't know. "sister" ends up in deeper shit than auntie. And it made my uncle cry; a construction foreman who is more likely to beat your ass than ever cry about anything. Sort of like having a 'friend' think they're 'helping' you by fucking w/ an injury instead of leaving it alone... Ken "Buttons aren't toys." - Trillian Ken