JohanW

(Playing devil's advocate here, I don't have reversed risers myself) You don't have to poke holes in your risers. Your rings are also somewhat protected, but how being protected by riser webbing is an advantage is beyond me. Johan. I am. I think.

It's a nice canopy, do not, of course, attempt to see how swoopy it is if you'll only be jumping it few times, but it has a somewhat shorter toggle range than otherwise comparable PD chutes. It is *totally* possible to spin it up when pumping the brakes after opening if you pump to hip level (personal experience speaking here). The stall point may well be a little below or even around shoulder height! Johan. I am. I think.

Remember why ADD's were renamed AAD's? Skydiving can be relatively safe, as long as you're aware it's dangerous as hell. You can do everything right and still die. Johan. I am. I think.

A normal parasail canopy wouldn't survive opening shock. Some French company is developing something along the lines you're describing though. They claim to have solved opening a very large aspect ratio canopy in freefall somehow. Johan. I am. I think.

Men don't wear wedding rings? Why isn't this thread in Safety? Johan. I am. I think.

[MUST NOT LECTURE ON DOWNSIZING][MUST NOT LECTURE ON DOWNSIZING][MUST NOT LECTURE ON DOWNSIZING]If you have those lines on those rigs, demo them. I demoed a lot of canopies but never ran across a Sabre1 (have two jumps on a 210), but I liked Merits and Silhouettes a lot better than Spectres, not to mention Triathlons. It's a very personal thing, so demo demo demo.[MUST NOT LECTURE ON DOWNSIZING][MUST NOT LECTURE ON DOWNSIZING][MUST NOT LECTURE ON DOWNSIZING] That said, I am currently planning to continue jumping my 170 until at least 500 jumps OH DARN. (But I'm slightly over 210 lbs out the door.) I have absolutely no instructional ratings whatsoever in skydiving, so do not take my word on downsizing. Johan. I am. I think.

I learned SL, but graduation in this country did not, as of two years ago (I think it does now), require a barrel roll or a frontloop. Were you mad because the other school did not do a decent job at teaching that student? Or do you consider a training that does not include mentioned maneuvers as inadequate regardless? Would you care to elaborate a bit? Thanks, Johan. I am. I think.

PdF harnesses are TSO'd, but you'll have to import them yourself (maybe from Canada?) PdF does not take dealers in the USA because of liability issues. There is a size smaller than the 00 even (the 000), but Saskia isn't quite as small as 5' (152 cm for the imperially challenged). More like 5'8" (170 cm). Sas, how tall are you? Note 00 or 000 is a container size, I don't know what harness sizes PdF has. Johan. I am. I think.

Hey, my first freefall was #20, too. And I'm not anywhere near defensive 'bout that. Taking my time was convenient and comforting, and there is more to parachuting than just skydiving. At the DZ, I'm actually looking forward to the moment we'll be doing S/L jumps for the last load of the day with all the experienced people again. Not to mention the instructors. Johan. I am. I think.

My impression also. However, I would like to state on a public forum on the internet that I don't do any of those things. Anyone want to step and state on the internet that they do? Sure. I smoke, I drink to moderation if I'm not driving or jumping, and do not use anything else. (I won't stop breathing if people around me are smoking anything other than straight tobacco. But I might take a walk.) But I'm not in the USA. Johan. I am. I think.

-10C is not -25F, it's +14F: -25C is not -30F, it's -13F. Thanks Prof. Sorry folks, just read the degrees Celsius. Can I just state 'damn cold' and dress appropriately? Johan. I am. I think.

Adjusted for gamma. It's a clear flap, not one with just a clear window, but the binding is obvious. Johan. I am. I think.

I've jumped in ground temps of maybe -5 or -10°C (say -25°F). At altitude, -25°C (-30°F) I guess. Maybe a little colder. Doesn't really get colder than that 'round here. So far, I have never done a hop 'n pop instead of a full alti jump just because of the temperature. The plane is heated, freefall is too short to get really cold (the adrenaline helps too) (but could those wimps doing hop 'n pops please hurry out of the door so we can close it after them?) Johan. I am. I think.

Not all computers are PC's. Not even all PC's run Windows, let alone all computers. There are machines out there for which no version of Windows is available. And why torture and cripple a perfectly good Unix box, running a perfectly good MPEG video player, by installing Windows on it? 'Have a heart.' Of course, it might still be a Windows box, for which he simply has no administrative privileges. But what's the fun in cracking that? Johan. I am. I think.

Sure, by installing Windows on his Unix box. Have a heart. Aside from 'What do you mean, there is no Windows for this processor architecture?' Johan. I am. I think.

One of the better Teuge, NL cameramen has modified a blue Z1 to hold a camera. Replaced one of the visor screws and has the camera mounted on the side that way. It can be done. But I haven't seen him lately and when I last saw him, he didn't have all that much experience with it yet. Johan. I am. I think.

'North Sea' ? Johan. I am. I think.

Define 'good.' What are you looking for in a helmet? Mine holds a Pro-Track, shields my face and head from the winter cold and has a visor so I can't forget my goggles. And it'll probably hold my head together if I smash it up good, but it won't actually protect it like some other helmet might. It's a Z1. If you're serious about protection, get a Protec. But most people aren't really serious about protection - look around you, they're all wearing something that looks cool. As am I. But for everything apart from max protection, my Z1 serves me very well. Some people get claustrophobic in it, and some say it blocks some peripheral vision (most full-faces will do that) so it might not be ideal for freeflying. Fit will affect comfort - try some different models and sizes on before buying. (There is at least one brand that you can do something like cooking with to get it to fit your head optimal, but I can't remember which, or what you exactly have to do (but it had something to do with cooking it), and don't know how well it works and how much of a difference it makes.) Johan. I am. I think.

1) Pull my reserve. Conditioning may take over, I may pull my main instead. 2) Change the pattern as much as practical so as to land into the wind. Depending on altitude, this may vary from landing downwind to landing upwind. 3) Stop working, start pointing (which coincides nicely with an AFF pull signal). 4) Track normally (but hard), deploy low. 500' Should be within margins for an RW jump. 5) Point and shout. Shout loud. A jumper between us, at least, may notice. 6) see (5) 7) Time permitting, restow the other toggle, otherwise just drop it. Time permitting, do a controllability check. Land on rear risers. PLF. 8) If I can get to them in time, stop them from jumping and point it out. Otherwise, point, shout, etc. 9) Door stays closed. Abort. 10) Flat turn to the right. Too high to flare-turn (you are above 30' still!). Johan. I am. I think.

Hmm. Interesting. In the bad sense of the word. www.parachutes-de-france.com states Techno 98 115 128 140 155 190 210 (!!!) Pack vol 220 238 263 302 310 385 470 www.totalcontrol.com.au states Techno 98 115 128 140 155 190 240 Pack vol 270 283 302 321 334 379 469 Susp Wt 66 66 74 90 100 113 130 And the PIA Sizing Chart states Techno 98 115 128 140 155 190 240 Pack vol 259 267 267 314 (all pack vols in cubic inches, all susp wts max in kgs) The Owner's Manual confirms the Ozzie data (and invalidates the PdF website data), apart from not mentioning at all the minimum suspended weight mentioned on the Ozzie website. Take your pick. Johan. I am. I think.

Does it matter? If you're happy with your partner and without skydiving, be happy that way. Less chance of skydiving breaking up another relationship, too. I couldn't imagine not wanting to jump because of being in a relationship (I could quite imagine wanting to skydive with my hypothetical partner), but hey, man may be the measure of all things, I am not the measure of all men. Johan. I am. I think.

http://www.parachutes-de-france.com/us/parachutes/catalogue/canop_secours.htm has, at the bottom of the page, official pack volumes for Technoes. You should be able to fit in a 155 even. Which might not be a bad idea, etc. Johan. I am. I think.

Congratulations! I also have a Silhouette, and I absolutely love it. Which is why I had a look at your profile, and, assuming you updated your jump numbers at the same time you updated your gear, I sincerely hope you are very light. Colour me canopy-nazi, colour me conservative (and then ask my sister-in-law ), I wish you safe jumps. I got it precisely because it dives (relatively) hard. That canopy will dive you into the ground in the blink of an eye if you turn moderately high, let alone low. Practice your flat turns, practice flying through your landings, in the beginning, do not jump in nil wind. It's a handful, really. I load it at 1.2, and mine is bigger. Even if you load it more lightly, yours is still smaller and therefore alone twitchier. I got mine at appr. 150 jumps and plan to continue jumping it to, oh say 500 jumps. But if you can handle it, it's lovely. Be safe, have fun. Johan. I am. I think.

The bag may not lock. And do you have the time to react to what is or is not on your back? When having a high speed mal, these become very serious questions I'd rather ponder on the ground. Johan. I am. I think.

[councilman] You consider a PC in tow a total. I don't. It's a PC in tow, and my main may deploy anytime. Or it may not. [falxori] With a PC in tow, your container is as closed as Schrödinger's cat is alive. On a more or less normal jump, I have from my hard deck down to 1000' to pull two handles. Below 1000', anything over my head is a bonus, and I'd go straight to silver as well. That's what I was taught, and our training is obviously different. [councilman exits at 2000' at a demo] This situation is sufficiently around normal procedures that it would warrant other-than-normal procedures to deal with a mal. There's a reason why demoes are to be performed by highly experienced jumpers. You reacted to your situation adequately, you lived to tell the tale, but I do not consider it a reason to immediately deploy the reserve under other circumstances. The 1000' reserve deck, the 2000' demo exit and the transient freestyler from England all underline the prime importance of altitude awareness. Johan. I am. I think.