jbscout2002
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Everything posted by jbscout2002
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Aff Student learning how to deal and overcome
jbscout2002 replied to drainbamaged's topic in Skydivers with Disabilities
Drainbamaged, I'll leave the advice for the more experienced, but I have a very similar background as you, medically retired vet with shrapnel lodged in lower back ver close to the spine, so here are some of my observations. Butt landings may have their uses, however, with new jumpers, a mis timed flare can very quickly result in a broken tailbone or back. Once you dial in the flare for a stand up landing, they can be as soft as stepping out of bed. While packing, I sit down a lot and take breaks often. Sit and set the breaks and uncollapse the slider, then do the lines and flaking, take a break and walk around, sit down and get the d bag ready, cock the PC and bag, do two locking stows and take a break, after the container is closed I stretch a little and then sit down to do the PC. The more you pack, the better you get, which makes it feel easier, and your back builds up to the way you are using it. (Unless it is nerve pain, then you just watch other people's landings, ask questions, and soak it in). -
http://www.irs.gov/Businesses/Small-Businesses-&-Self-Employed/Independent-Contractor-Self-Employed-or-Employee See if there is anything by way of this route to use against him. Fight fire with fire.
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What do you lubricate your yellow cables with?
jbscout2002 replied to lyosha's topic in Gear and Rigging
For the dustier areas, would a dry lubricant, such as graphite powder, be a good idea? -
Personal preference. Tinted lenses wouldn't be too dark, and you won't be doing night jumps anytime soon. I use a full face with sunglasses underneath. When it is time to change the face shield I'll get a tinted one because skydiving is a sunny weather sport.
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https://www.chutingstar.com/skydive/kroops-over-the-eyeglass-goggle
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I bought a Sollo 2 when I was a student and have never taken it out of the package. I'm thinking about trying to trade it for someone's old Altitron or Viso 2.
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Here you go, one of those "unicorn" big boy rigs. http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/classifieds/page.cgi?g=Detailed%2FComplete_Systems%2FComplete_Mirage_Rig_for_Big_Boy_Beginner_179113.html;d=1
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I'm not sure, I'm nowhere close to any of them. I just happened to browse over that ad and then saw your thread and thought I'd share it.
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Get out your seat and jump around.....jump around....jump up and get down......jump......jump....jump.....
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At this point I would probably chalk up the 85-90 percent successful landings to good flying conditions and luck. What if you hit low turbulence, or have to make a low turn to avoid a collision with someone just learning hook turns who zipped up on you by accident? How about land off the DZ, in a tight spot, cross wind or even down wind? Just like with motorcycles, you can do everything right and an outside variable can screw you over.
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Here is some good info you should look at about downsizing. There are numerous articles and videos out there with very experienced skydivers warning against downsizing too fast. Sounds like you have a lot to learn still on a 200, and a Saber 2 is a little more aggressive than a Navigator so you have to account for that in addition to size. http://www.bigairsportz.com/pdf/bas-sizingchart.pdf Here is some info on military discounts. You can just about get all new stuff with Wings and Icarus for the price of a typical used rig. Best advice I've seen so far for first time gear buyers is to start with the reserve. Pick the right one for you weight and skill level and it will affect what your options are for main sizes, which will in turn determine what size container you get. https://www.chutingstar.com/more/skydive/news/208-military-discounts-for-skydiving-gear-from-chutingstar
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At the end of the day, it is your business, your responsibility, your safety record, your equipment.....your call. I'm just playing devils advocate here. I haven't been around long so I don't know much of anything. I'm just eager.
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The alternative would be tandem mode, which for the M2 is 2000 ft at 78 mph, but that can be a double edged sword. The first time he decides he is going to pull at his minimum of 3000 ft and just isn't quite quick enough and has a little too much snivel, he can have a two out develop at low altitude with a general lack of experience. It could lead to a bad day. I guess you could always brief him that his minimum pull altitude is 4000 no matter what the SIM says though.
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You've stumped me, Mark. I don't know of any regulatory settings for AADs in regards to students. Just that an AAD is required. My AAD is an M2, and on student mode, it will fire at 1085 ft. if the fall speed is greater than 45 mph, the at 660 ft. if the fall speed is greater than 29 mph. It then deactivates at 145 ft. 160 belly to earth and stable is impressive. Just out of curiosity, what was his exit weight on his first jump?
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http://www.dropzone.com/safety/General_Safety/Advice_For_Your_First_Hop_and_Pop_1144.html USPA calls it. "Clear and pull" . Get stable and deploy within 5 seconds.
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That's excellent advice. I can corner the market on customized big boy rigs, employ some big AFF instructors that have trouble working with the featherweights, and send my business cards out to DZs who can't be bothered with people over 220 pounds. Instead of just shooting them down, they can direct them to me. Everyone is happy.
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Well I understand that the placard is going to list legal limits in accordance with the current TSO. I understand that the TSO limitations are set taking into account things like opening shock in a worse case scenario and forward/decent speeds in case the jumper lands unconscious and performs neither a flare nor PLF. I understand that the tensile strengths of the materials used far exceed those limitations which the equipment is certified to be "safely" used at. The industry standard is to test everything at a minimum of twice the rate speed and weight limitations for which they are applying for under the TSO. We are talking about straps and hardware that are rated at 20-30 kN or better and 1000 Dacron lines. So while I do have a limited understanding, I do know that if the weight falls within the maximums listed on the placard, then everything else IS sturdy enough.
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http://www.dropzone.com/classifieds/Detailed/Employment/Wind-tunnel_instructors_needed_177177.html
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So your argument is that no one wants to put in the research, i.e. read the data placard and determine if the rig is rated high enough for the jumper's exit weight? I may not be fully qualified as I not a rigger, but I'm will to take a stab at it.
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Also check out Icarus's site. Look at the Safire 2 and they have links for a couple manuals. One shows step by step the psycho pack method. It is the same as the pro pack all the way to the point that you put it on the floor. At that point you flip it over so your nose is facing up. You adjust the back shirt a little to tighten up the cocoon, and then you fold it in and roll the whole thing up like a sleeping bag and slide it in the bad nice and neat.
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I agree. It's a simple matter of the availability of gear. He is going to have an exit weight of 320 or so. The harness, main, and reserve all have to be rated for that. Moreover, it has to fit. A tandem rig would work, but there is a difference between a 150 pound TI carrying a 150 passenger vs a 300 pound dude squeezing into that harness. That being said, to simply turn people away for being fat seems kind of ignorant to me. Fall speed and physical ability do matter to an extent, but there is a pretty inspiring section of these forums dedicated to skydivers with disabilities. I read one about an Afghanistan veteran, a triple amputee, who completed AFF and got his A license. But I suppose it would have been easier for everyone involved if that vet would have just went and grew a few more limbs and came back looking more like a cookie cutter skydiving student.
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Just make sure that an altimeter watch is what he wants. There are a lot of mixed opinions about them. The face and numbers are smaller and harder to read in free fall and it may have some lag time during free fall. Most people like them once under canopy for landing accuracy and high performance landings. I don't use mine as a primary altimeter. I actually got it for hiking, but started using it to help with my landing patterns.
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I like the Suunto Vector ($199). I do most of my shopping on Chutingstar.com.
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It is designed to pop open and fly. That's why it is so hard to compress it and put it in the bag...it wants to fly. Watch some "trash pack" videos where they are intentionally trying to induce bad openings and malfunctions and you'll see what you can actually get away with.
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I'm a little skeptical of the claims of poor customer service. My experience was great. I was talking to manufacturers and dealers to build my rig, and in dealing with Sun Path, Chris Talbert was very engaging. We emailed back and forth for two weeks while he answered my questions and gave me advice. He also took the time to contact the distributor I was using to put everything together and make sure everyone was on the same page so I would be getting exactly what I was looking for. Through small talk during the process Chris also found out that I was a medically retired veteran and gave me Sun Path's active duty military discount.