I'm angry as hell.

[daveb 1]

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Being able to handle it means you will eventually get hurt if you continually jump it unless your luck holds out long enough for you to become proficient and know how to fly it.

Agreed. We perhaps attach different degrees of competence to 'handle' and 'proficient'. I've met so many self-proclaimed experts (in skydiving, driving, computers, etc) with so obviously little experience (300 jumps, 2 years, 3 years, etc) that I'm loathe to attach higher levels of competence to all but a few, myself included. I'll come back to this in a moment.

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Loading a reserve at 1.68 is positive example? Hehe, well at least it is a PD reserve, that must be the positive example!

The hoped 'positive example' was the lengthy time spent under comparatively larger canopies/wing-loading, with demonstrated landing abilities, and still the idea that there is so much left to learn and more performance left on the table -- pretty much the antithesis of the swooper who got busted up, and the many jumpers I've met in a great hurry to downsize to get better swoops/more performance well in advance of their experience.

In reference to being able to 'handle it', I mean that I believe I can fly it in all anticipated conditions (winds, heat, humidity, constrained altitudes, obstacles, line twists, etc). I would not grant proficiency until I demonstrated ability to fly it in those conditions; competence upon demonstrating the ability to finesse the thing through a course or able to repeatedly land in a controlled manner in pre-determined spot; and expertise only upon repeated, highly trained, near-perfect success in high-performance, all-condition flight. By these (ambiguous) criteria, I'm only competent in my main, and can 'handle' my reserve.

Relevance to the topic? I agree with those that say most jumpers are downsizing far too early relative to their demonstrated abilities. I am likely too far on the conservative side (but I am currently intact). I hope that my related progression and thoughts will at least give pause to those inclined to Go Big that there is plenty of time to practice under more forgiving canopies while still doing Way Cool Things.

Oh, and about my reserve wing-loading: it is a PD reserve! ;-)

[alan 1]

Excellent comments. I'm sure at least one person will read our exchange and understand what has been said. That makes it worthwhile. Happy trails to you.

alan

[usskydiver 0]

A great thread that need to be brought back to life every so often, so I'm doing it.

Tim T.
Team Paraclete

[davelepka 4]

Yeah, good idea.

Anyone out there in cyberland have an update on the guy who inspired this thread? Five months later, whats his life been like since then? Whats his life look like into the future?