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pd190

What's the largest .........

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I know I have a ton of stuff to learn about rigging for demos. I'm just trying to soak it all in.



Just like most everything else in this sport...
We're ALL learning, all the time!

It pays to play the old " What if..." game when planning for demo jumps.
The most obvious things can get overlooked, and then aren't prepared for.

"If it were easy...they'd all be doin' it!" ;)










~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

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Oh, don't get me wrong, I wasn't saying it was good or bad either way. I just hadn't considered that before and in thinking about it, it made me think of some other similar things.

Now, thinking about it, it sure would suck if a hybrid dive somehow opened up a person's chest strap in freefall! That's all I was thinking.

I know I have a ton of stuff to learn about rigging for demos. I'm just trying to soak it all in.



Would also suck if the person they're hanging from had a premature deployment at 160 mph :o. Or (worse yet) the hanger had a premature deployment. I have a beautiful picture of a 10-way hybrid labor day weekend taken by Eli. Certainly Parachutist cover material but the main flap open on Eric Rodin's container (one of the two hangers) would have prompted a flurry of letters to the editor no doubt :ph34r:

Guess that's a little off topic from the original thread but you know how that goes....

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Bill,
I know the system you are talking about. I jumped about 8 or 9 time, twice into March Air Base on demos. I borowed it for Taz. The flag, the bag, and the shot came in at 105 lbs. I jumped it with a MC-X with a 425 main packed in. The set up was slick and worked well every time.
Sparky
My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

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These are photos of a 50ft X 30ft flag made my Stan Hubbard and Dee Barger that was jumped at a Memorial Day Demo. Its not quite finished yet but they have both spent over 60hrs working on it. The flag weighs around 15lbs and has a 25lb weight on it. There is a 3 ring release set up on it and its cutaway about 15ft above the ground. Stan uses his tandem rig and he exits at 5500ft and takes 6 1/2 minutes till he's on the ground.

Beau

35460_15.jpg

35460_12.jpg

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Speaking of flags . . .

I was just on-line doing a little shopping, looking for a 5x9.5 or thereabouts sized flag and DAMN they're expensive. Like in the $70 to $100 range depending on fabrics and so on.

Is that about right or is there somewhere to buy them a bit less expensively?
quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

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Speaking of flags . . .

I was just on-line doing a little shopping, looking for a 5x9.5 or thereabouts sized flag and DAMN they're expensive. Like in the $70 to $100 range depending on fabrics and so on.

Is that about right or is there somewhere to buy them a bit less expensively?



Sounds about right...
Put out the word in your area that you need a 'used' flag...schools, post offices, police departments...often have one that they don't know how to get rid of. I've come across a few doing this.

call your local parachute manufacturer...the unused strips of red, white and blue are often rolled up and thrown in storage.
Put a few hours in at the Singer, and you have what you need for next to nothing!

Hummmm! B|
Wonder what else I could do with long strips of Z-PO?










~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

Liberty Line Dance Osh.jpg

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Ok, after doing some research I think I found the best deal goin'!

It's possible to purchase flags that have flown over the Capitol building from state Senators. The rest of the good deal on this is that they're -way- less expensive than the ones I found at on-line stores. For example a 5x8 nylon for $26.05. (What's up with the $.05?!?)

Ok, so you probably get put on some wacky-assed political mailing list, but if you vote (and you should) you're probably on it already anyway.

Here's the form from Barbara Boxer (D) CA. I'm almost certain every other Senator can be found with a similar deal.

The irony is that none of the sizes listed are to official U.S. Flag specs.
quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

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Yeah, most people don't know about proper raito.

But...some do!

I've been pull aside on many occasions and been questioned on the origin and authenticity of a flag I'd just jumped.

Made me aware of just how protective some folks are of our nation's standard.

Our 2003 sqft. " Mega-Glory" ( great marketing name huh?)
is actually made to spec. ratio and is a true representation of Old Glory.
But...we have an actual certificate from the American Legion stating that it is
an "approved performance 'banner'"
Can't let an "actual" flag touch the ground ya know...

We always 'try' to catch it, but of course something that big...
and have gotten grief about it.

We got a gig long held by another Pro Demo team after someone complained to the organizing staff about their practice of cutting the flag away and letting it drop prior to landing.

Now from a practical skydiver point of view, that's really the way to do it....
It's safer, and has much less wear on the flag than dragging it along the ground...hoping you don't snag it on something.

But...from a performer's stand point, it makes for a good show to have the local boyscout troop, or such, waiting with outstretched arms to 'catch ' it before it hit the ground.

I even gotten complaints about having a sponsors name on the canopy...we are sure to clear that with the promoter prior to jumping it.
We 'encourage' them to 'allow' it's use, but giving a sponsor's discount to the overall show cost.

Interesting note; Last year we did an airshow in Springfield, Ill.
It was an extremely touchy situation in that, The Canadian Snow Birds Jet Team was the featured act....We of course happen to have a 20X40 Canadian Maple Leaf in inventory.

As a tribute to the Jet Jocks...blah blah blah.

Problem was, Springfield is the home of the two Gulf War pilots involved in the friendly-fire incident resulting in the deaths of several Canadian troops.
At the time of the airshow it had been front page news there for several weeks, the possibility of pending charges ect..

We had several closed door meetings with the promoter / organizer staff as to how the opening flag jump should be carried out as to not offend anyone....

we went so far as laying out and measuring the U.S. and Canadian flags to prove to them that they were EXACTLY the same size.

And went to endless pains to make certain both flags flew the entire program at equal altitude (height) and they both touched down at the same instant....same number of flag catchers for both etc..
.
We had the U.S National Anthem first on day one, and theirs first on day two.
Most of what we did was against protocol...but like it said, it was an exceptional
set of circumstances.

Everything came off great, as planned.

But....
WHAT A PAIN IN THE ASS!










~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

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Anyone know what the biggest St Georges Cross ever flown is? Ive got a whopping 3'x5' one on my wall!!

------------------------------------------------------
"Ive given up on sigs cos I make a mess of them!"
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A general question: is anything other than national flags is flown? What's the range/variety of flags & banners used for shows?
You can't have american flags EVERYWHERE, right?...


We have all the state flags...
MIA-POW...
Harley-Davidson, U.S.Steel, Catapillar..
We offer to build any custom banner (logo) that a customer my want.
www.libertyteam.com










~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

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