dthames

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Everything posted by dthames

  1. dthames
    Looks like some good progress. Congratulations! I said before, it helped me a lot to do some solo practice tracking dives so that I would have plenty of time to relax and feel the air. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”
  2. dthames
    ++
  3. dthames
    I too think these are major considerations. A good example, I have been doing solo wingsuit jumps, just learning the basics. My first two-way recently and I noticed some increased nervousness. I think it would also be interesting to monitor the same person from first jump through 100 or more. Maybe test each tenth jump or so....apples and apples. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”
  4. dthames
    Show off! Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”
  5. dthames
    I had good success learning to track with solo tracking dives, planned specifically to work on tracking skills. The short time at the end of a normal RW jump just didn’t seem to allow enough time to tweak the body position and see the results. If you want to practice landings and plan to get out at 5,000 feet, you can get a 10-15 second track right out the door on those jumps as well. (if you are the last one out on the low pass) Tracking on exit into the relative wind with no vertical speed is interesting. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”
  6. dthames
    I tried several times to actually make mine collapse. I could get it right to the edge but it would not (on the rears) collapse. Well, not with the input I was applying. After about the 4th flight when I tried it, I reached up really high on the risers and really hauled down on it. That worked. Some on the ground gasped as they didn't know I was training. I think I would have been passed with less than a full stall. But I expected what I was learning had some real value. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”
  7. dthames
    I have this showing at the top of my page.
  8. dthames
    It is always over way too soon. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”
  9. dthames
    Have these numbers been set? if so, please share. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”
  10. dthames
    Just curious, did you learn to land in brakes for your B license? Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”
  11. dthames
    Have those numbers been determined yet? If so, please post them. Just curious. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”
  12. dthames
    I am not an advocate of those goggles in any way. But consider the statement in the link, “Even the briefest glance at the information takes over a skier's field of vision and focus, he said.”, So I think, “What happens when we look in the rear view mirror of our car, while driving?” The same thing. Just saying. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”
  13. dthames
    Several months ago on a different thread the question was asked by someone 50+. Many answered that were 50 or older when they started. 54 for me. Mid-30s, you are in the prime of your adult life. Keep your eye open for the first jump students at your DZ. Empty nest adults are not uncommon. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”
  14. dthames
    On a very hot summer day, the thermals can extend the time. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”
  15. dthames
    I have been thinking about this question. It is hard to tell looking at the data what you were doing and when you did it. However, the Flysight is very flexible in how it can be set up. Conditions under canopy vary a lot and I don't think even for a given person and canopy that the answer is always rears or always brakes. The Flysight can be set for Glide Ratio. Set in this mode with a range and tones across 3 octaves are spread across this range. With earphones plugged in you can sort of hear the glide ratio. During a given canopy flight, you could go to brakes, then go to rears, and hear a tone (higher pitched for higher numbers) telling you if your glide was better or not. Even doing this you have wind at different directions and speeds that confuse the issue. But real data driving the tones in real time is something well within the ability of the device. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”
  16. dthames
    If you want to make a fire with gasoline, you're right. If you want to make an explosion with gasoline, you're wrong. But if you want to make explosions with gasoline vapors, your right... Edited to add: All you need is a pressure cooker.... I think the OP's point was that controlling things is not the solution because those bent on doing harm will just go down the thing list to something else. I don’t know if anyone really answered one of the early questions about what a pressure cooker is for. Water boiling under pressure boils at a higher temperature. Food will cook faster if boiled under pressure. This can be very important if you are at higher elevations trying to cook. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”
  17. dthames
    While not an instructor, one thing that I learned as a student was to be proactive and take the initiative, (once on solo status). You might have all week to prepare for your next 2 or 3 jumps, use that time wisely. Read the SIM section that you are working on. Look at your license progression card and see what you need to get signed off on. Set goals for your progression. I always tried to find something that I could practice under canopy and get signed off, in addition to the freefall sign offs. Follow your instructor’s lead. But if your instructor is not actively guiding you to get everything signed off on your progression card, you might want to ask, “Which of these do you think I need to work on now? Or, how can I get these signed off” If you can’t jump because of wind or weather and you are at the DZ, look for help learning the gear, packing, doing SIM section review tests, etc. Be "studious". Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”
  18. dthames
    Properties, Altitude tab, Extend to Ground checkbox. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”
  19. dthames
    A fair portion of my jumps have been tracking jumps. It is an interesting challange to me to be effective at tracking for both distance and speed. Most of the time when I track I use my RW suit. I have borrowed a tracking suit and jumped it a few times. It slows the vertical speed down, increasing your fall time, and increases your distance. To me, it does not add to the joy of the jump as it seems to take away from what I am familar with as far as tracking. Maybe I didn't do enough jumps with it to fall in love with it. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”
  20. dthames
    Are you talking about being 250 yards from the center of the formation? If so, what is the est. of altitude needed to move a group out that far? I would expect greater than 2,500 feet....more, less ? Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”
  21. dthames
    Nice. That reminded me of this little thing I made several years ago. On the front was large soda bottle (bottom cut off) for the line to be coiled up in. It would spool out following the weigh. http://pyrodan.privatedata.com/aircannons/cord_fire.htm Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”
  22. dthames
    I weigh 165. I would have went down to a 190 if it was a good deal and a good fit. I found a good deal and a good fit in a 210. I plan to wear it out. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”
  23. dthames
    Here are 3 landings made on the same day, all starting at 1000 foot altitude. It is an example of how several data sets can be reviewed to reveal a pattern, good or bad. [inline 3-landings.jpg] Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”
  24. dthames
    I have always liked aviation and wanted to fly but never pursued it. The seed of human flight was planted by the 1969 movie The Gypsy Moths that I saw as a young adult in the late 70s. In 1995 I rode the jump plane with the Golden Knights and I knew if given the chance I would jump, but I never pursued it. In 2011 wingsuit proximity videos got me somewhat interested. My mother (not knowing what she was suggesting) told me “If there is anything you want to do in life, be sure to do it before you are too old to be able to it physically”. Right after that I started skydiving at age 54 so that I could fly…namely fly a wingsuit. Why do I continue? I have just started to fly wingsuits and I am not "there" yet. I mean my primary goals have not yet really been reached. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”
  25. dthames
    My 2 cents... I was stiff in my back and slow to learn basic stability. This caused me some frustration in AFF. I decided I would be better off doing S/L where I could learn in smaller steps. Being by myself was not a concern for me and the move to S/L worked well. It seems to vary from person to person what is best for them, AFF or S/L.. I learned a lot on the AFF jumps that I did. I also learned a lot on the S/L jumps. On similar threads some have suggested a mixed AFF and S/L program. You might search for similar threads. There are some out there in the past couple of years. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”