Deimian

I personally think that releasing brakes after loosening the chest strap is not the best choice. What is the reason? Here: http://www.deepseed.com/d-spot/blog/liam/inside-no-pull-cypres-save-0

I would love to take a look at it. Is it international or US-centric? How many events? Is it big enough to have some statistical significance? If I find something interesting I'll let you know .

I absolutely agree. That is why I was asking if we have some sort of fatalities/incident database, to analyse and correlate all these different variables. But I understand it is close to impossible to gather and correctly classify this data.

I completely agree. Thank you for your wish. Good luck for you too.

Widely accepted does not mean wisely accepted. I think my statement about probabilities still holds true. I agree that large cameras setup can increase significantly the risk of a snag, but do we have data that supports that position? Something like fatalities due to snags on large camera setups vs. fatalities due to low or no reserve deployment after a cutaway (when the skydiver is wearing such large cameras). Honest question here. If there is such data we can all learn. If there is not then all this discussion is based on opinions (which is not necessarily bad). Another question is (and a little bit of just aloud thinking), if we have this data, how detailed it is? For instance it looks to me that a Vapor narrow helmet with a SLR camera fairly close to the surface of the helmet is more snag resistant than the average Go Pro mount. So, theoretically, the statistics might show that it is better to disengage the RSL/MARD when using a GoPro with a normal mount, but not when using a SLR on a Vapor helmet. Meaning that the widely accepted fact that large cameras setups should be used without an RSL/MARD might be wrong (when using a less snag-prone helmet/system), but it might be true for the small cameras setups. If we throw in the mix cutaway systems for helmets then it becomes even more complicated.

From my perspective, I think everything boils down to probabilities. What is more likely to happen? An additional problem because the RSL/MARD released the reserve in a ball of crap, or that somebody (that has disconnected the RSL/MARD due to the first scenario) for whatever reason lost altitude awareness and can't pull the reserve after a cutaway in time to save their ass? I don't have the answer, but I am under the impression that the second scenario is more likely, and therefore it has more importance. I also think that the "won't happen to me because I have lots of experience and I'm above the curve" attitude can eventually bite many people in the ass, as it has happen before many times.

As the poster above me has said, the slider keeps annoying you, as it is still around your head, rather than tied down. I have the "slocks", but I've got a skytie because of that, I couldn't see well when looking backwards.

Because for pulling it down the risers you have to pull it down the toggles, and this is done, much, much easier and faster if the brakes are still stowed. If you first release the brakes, and then pull down the slider, you will: 1) fall faster and go forward faster; 2) spend more time with housekeeping stuff; 3) as a consequence of 1 and 2 you'll end up lower with all that stuff done (but it shouldn't be a concern, if it is you shouldn't be stowing the slider). Before I was collapsing/stowing my slider, loosening my chest strap and lastly release the brakes. After I saw that video last year now I loose my chest strap after my controlability check. Other people might have different opinion/procedure. I have heard them and understand them. But that is mine.

So now you also own me some time. I'll trade it for some of the money stolen more than 40 years ago

I'll trade you your 10 minutes for a jump. Deal? Now you own me a few seconds too

The whole video talks about pilot chute in tow, not bag locks. You owe 10 minutes of my life

BPA rules do not apply everywhere, and I think BPA rules are more conservative than in most places. I don't know the rules in Australia, but I imagine (not sure though) it was on the low-end for a student (but not necessarily out of bounds). Irrelevant. You are moving with a mass of air, if you are going upwind, downwind or crosswind does not matter at all, the behaviour of the canopy is the same. BUT the perception might be different if you are using the ground as a reference. There is a difference. For feeling the flare I think it is better to use other senses, as 2000 or 3000 ft. about the ground is not going to tell you anything about your change in fall rate. Anyway, you are a new jumper (me too, just above 100 jumps). Maybe we should let others give advice that, even if good-intended, can be false, inaccurate or potentially dangerous. To the OP, as others have said, talk to your instructors. My gut feeling tells me that the canopy was ok, but maybe with the slider halfway down or with end-cell closure, and that is why it was not responsive on the first flares. Since you didn't take a look at it, probably we will never know. Maybe a discussion with your instructors, telling them this hypothesis, can help you learn something.

Can you explain? I don't see how it can happen.

I bought a helmet from them (an Icon) at the end of last season. I couldn't jump it yet. The helmet itself is pretty good in my opinion. Very, very similar to Tonfly's helmets, but way cheaper. The construction is nice, the cutaway mechanism is solid, well built and with a handle easy to grab when you need it, and the rubberised finish is nice and looks like it can hold up for a long time. You can make your own design (colouring wise). Stripes, color combinations, and stuff like that. I asked them to don't put any crappy sticker with their logo on the helmet and so they did, which makes it look much nicer I think. It does not come with pockets for audibles. I ordered the audible window, and it works perfectly, but on the other side of the helmet I wanted to put a protrack, and even though there is enough space for it there is no fabric pocket to put it. My mother made one for me (sounds like a little kid, but hey, she has sewing skills and I don't), so no problem there. The chincup is a little bit bulky, but it is not a big deal. It has some kind of "skytie" (a lanyard coming from the back of the helmet, with velcro at the end) for holding the slider once it is collapsed. But I didn't like it, so I removed it. I don't think it would be too useful, as the slider will still be flapping around your helmet. It came with a cheap helmet bag. The liner/padding is crap, just a thin sponge. But Tonfly's liners are not better in any way. I actually tried a Tonfly liner (from a 3X I think) on my helmet, and it fit pretty well, but I see no reason to buy one, as the liner from Tonfly is also crap. The customer service could be better. Their written english is far from excellent (not that mine is great either :-P), but understandable (I think I've talk by email with at least 2 people, one was quite ok, the other one struggled a little bit more with the language). The delivery of the helmet was delayed a few weeks (but announced production time is reasonably fast, so at the end from ordering to delivery it was roughly 8 weeks if I remember correctly, maybe less), and they were not too communicative (maybe because of the language barrier), up to the point that I started to get paranoid. They didn't told me how to pay at the beginning (I ordered directly by email, not using the webshop), they just told me that the order was done, but nothing else, they didn't notify me of any delay, it took them a couple of days to reply to some emails and they told me that they have sent the helmet but they didn't have any tracking number. But finally it arrived. The helmet could be better in some aspects as I said before, but everyone is praising Tonfly helmets, and in my opinion Crener helmets are as good as Tonfly's. At least the Icon. Bottom line: Extremely good quality/price ratio when compared with their competitors, but be patient when ordering and waiting. If you are looking for real protection: Well, no skydiving helmet will offer real protection (but maybe you can find something slightly better that this one, but with different design/features). $260 according to the current change rate. But in their website you can also change the currency (top right). In their website it is $268

That "someone" was actually me :-P. I won't have to scan it again, I still have the scanned version.

The helmet does come with manual, but unfortunately it is not online. I can scan it and send it to whoever is interested.

Thanks Deimian Any recommendations on reincorfements on knees/butt or a high/low collar? I think that depends on your intended use. Given that you are German, I would get high collar. In Spring/Autumn you will appreciated. Another choice is low collar but use polar necks when needed. Up to you. I like my high collar, but I wouldn't choose white as a color again, it gets too dirty. I don't have butt reinforcement, and I don't think I needed, the last time I landed on my butt I had around 30 jumps, and normal wearing do not seems to be a concern for my suit (but it is only 1 year old!). I think the same applies to knee reinforcement, but kneeling on the packing floor can wear your suit faster than on your butt, I guess.

No true. I won't name the VERY well know suit manufacturer, but, when a team got their sponsored suit, their average fell by 4 points at Nationals. That was a pretty good team too. ***b) A top team probably have plenty of sponsorship offers from top manufacturers. No need to use a anything that is not among the best. Or they pick the one with the best deal, as opposed to the best suit. Seriously, I'm not saying Sonic is not a good suit. Just don't read too much into sponsorship. You're only fooling yourself. I think both of us agree, but expressing it on internet can get confusing. I am not saying that the fact that some manufacturer sponsorizes a good team makes it *the best*. I am just saying that a manufacturer that has those resources is reliable enough to be a good choice for a suit for somebody with just a few jumps, and is probably among the best manufacturers you can find (even though a good team can get 4 points less than with suits from a competing suit manufacturer).

Well, they were among the 3 first in all the competitions they have participated in the last years. Most of the time 1st: http://www.skydivehayabusa.com/en/results Of course it is a matter of sponsorship. But: a) A crappy unreliable manufacturer do not have the resources to sponsorize a team, and even less a pretty good team. b) A top team probably have plenty of sponsorship offers from top manufacturers. No need to use a anything that is not among the best. I think that it is more important the fact that being good at something (making RW suits) is not a proof of being good at something else (making FF suits). BTW: Babylon Freefly also uses Sonic suits, and they are pretty good too.

Sonic Flywear is one of the leading manufacturers in Europe. That means two things on my opinion: -Quality is pretty good. -Price is not (but not extremely expensive either, at least compared with other manufacturers). As a reference of quality: Hayabusa (arguably the best team in the 4-way RW world nowadays) use Sonic suits. Anyway, I have an Aerial suit and I am quite happy with it. I know some people with sonic suits and they are happy as well. My personal recommendation: do not get thumb holes. They are not too useful and/or comfortable.

On the western part of Germany (Aachen, Cologne, Bonn...) there are quite a few jumpers that go to Belgium (Spa). The prices are not supercheap though (21 euros for members of the club). I think Zwartzberg is cheaper (17 euros?), but smaller.

I thought it was the serial number and the software version.

Well, I don't see any "rude elbowing" in our caravan. Nobody here moves like a bull, so with a little bit of mutual collaboration it works. Why would you check your handle/s? Repetition and making habits so you never forget. Besides that, even if you can't check your PC, you can check straps, cutaway, reserve and 3 rings. I agree that the movement might negate the previous check on the PC, but not the other checks. I don't think you are "unsafe" (what is the definition of safe and unsafe in skydiving anyway?). I am just saying that: a) repetition is important, and 9000ft is a lot of waste altitude for a couple of checks. b) In a packed caravan there is enough space for doing your checks, being packed does not justify the lack of checks during 9000ft. Moreover: "Doesn't really matter if you disagree" is a pretty arrogant sentence in my opinion. It less polite version is "shut the fuck up, I don't need to hear what you are saying because I know better". And the condescending sentence that follows doesn't help either ("When you're sandwiched in so tight..."). Do you think nobody else here knows what is to be packed so tight?

Isn't this a little bit arrogant? My DZ has also 2 caravans, and sometimes we pack up to 19 people. I've been there, packed tight as hell. I still do my checks, just as everyone else. Nobody complains of "elbowing". Even if they do, I won't sacrifice my checks for not elbowing. So yes, I also disagree.

One thing that should be relatively easy to fix (if you know the data) is the rate of descent on a turn. The descent rate in your simulator seems to be constant, regardless of any turn. Kudos for the work though.