rickfri59

While doing my living room winter packing practice I slid my hand into the first cell and discovered a large hole in the wall between cells. After recovering from a going into a panic fit I inspected the remaining cells and found the same (hole between cells). There is no stiching or other reinforcement around the perimeter. Is this normal, or would it be a modification by a previous owner? I looked at the owners manual and found nothing. I sent an e-mail to PD but can't wait for a response.

I initially ordered a Dolphin, because of the base price. As someone has already pointed out, when you start adding options, the price goes up quick. For example: After adding the following options to the Dolphin:two colored panels, dive lops on the main risers, and upgraded riser covers, I was beyond the price of a Wings. The Wings has everything I waanted included in the base price, plus I got to color the hell out of it. Wings website has a neat feature that enables you to see what the rig looks like after selecting the color combinations you pick. The time from order to getting the rig is eight weeks. I should have it by the end of February. But for me that wasn't a big deal because we're buried in snow probably 'till mid-March. I believe I'm getting a better container, the colors are custom, and for $20 less than teh D I had originally ordered.

Yup, NH/ME sucks in the winter too (for jumping). My last jump was in early November. I find reliefin videos and by practicing packing.

I got a lot from Fly Like A Pro, especially the concepts of flying in brakes, deep brakes, doing braked (flat) turns, and using what I think they refer to as the "accuracy trick" for determining your landing spot. My last 4 jumps of the season (Early November) I experimented with some of the concepts presented in the video and found them to be very effective. I also watch Break Away (over and over), which I find quite fascinating. Hopefully I'll never have to....... I've also got Free Fall which is o.k. if you want to see some history of the sport. I also have a DVD from some outfit called Cowboy Video Productions. It's a bunch of Freefly video of pretty much the same 5 or 6 guys that was taken at the WFF get together in Rantoul (sp) IL during the summer of 2002. This isn't too bad. It gets a bit repitious, but none the less it's something to watch during the winter here in NH. I've seen posts from others who say Reaper Cam isn't worth anything. I'd like to see Good Stuff, but I'm putting $ 20 bills away for the upcoming season.

***My first jump she bought for my birthday so she sorta put the crack pipe to my lips. Married 21 years. Kinda' same with me. I got a Tandem jump for a Fathers Day gift. She supports it because jumping blows ALL of my job stress away.

Are you saying that you pretty much fold the canopy in half (back over itself), put it in the bag, then stuff the top into the front of the bag, then stuff the bottom into the clevage (hold back on the wise remarks) created by the first two steps?

The responses to this post are a rip. Does anyone know if there is a "list" of misconceptions posted anywhere?

I've been using the "get half of in the bag first method" and I always have issues with the loose fabric at the top of the cocoon screwing things up. When I saw your post I tried a couple of times to create the envelpoes in which to stuff the billowing extra fabric. I can't figure how to pull out the envelopes (what do you pull to create the envelopes)you make reference to. Can you be more explicit, or post additional pics??

Can’t stanz it no more!! Weather in Maine and Massachusetts has been so horrible since mid-November that I haven’t jumped for 11 weeks. Only thing keepin’ me going is the USPA calendar on my office (counting days ‘till spring

My last jump in early November (in Maine) the temp. at exit, 13,500, was -27F. Had my hands balled up into fists the whole way. My helmet visor began frosting over and by pull time was completly frosted. Won't try this again..........

How much is too much? The owners manual doesn't specify.

I've only been packing my rig for my last 10 jumps. Like most other nubies it's a scream getting the nylon into the D-bag. I've picked up one tip that saves me time (s folding the top half of the canopy and putting it in the bag first). But I was wondering how much the tail can be rolled. Seems as though the tighter (more rolls) the tail, the better the cocoon would stay together while s-folding and stuffing in the bag. What do the vereran packers or riggers have to say?

I've bought a bunch of stuff from Roy and found the prices and delivery time to be excellent. I recently ordered a new container, changed my mind a few times and he was cool about it. He also had the best price for the rig, and all the other stuff. I buy from his monthly special section.

In case anyone else has a Vector II and was interested in this subject, I checked with Realtive Workshop regarding modifiction of the Vector II riser covers. Here's the response from Louie @ RW: The riser cover tuck tabs conversion is a common question, and the answer is NO! at least not by The Relative Workshop. I have seen some Vector IIs with this mod. that someone has done. This mod has never been tested by Relative Workshop, therefore it is not approved, and any Vector IIs with this mod. are void of their TSO.

I'm a nubie to the sport (26 jumps) and have only packed my last 10 jumps. Like most other nubies I was taking 45 min to 1 hour to pack before a packer showed me this method. I've packed the last 3 this way. Takes a lot of the frustration out of a tight pack job. Openings have been good and I can get packed in about 30 mins.

I was real close to getting a new Dolphin because I got good feedback from the Dropzone.commers that jump the Dolphin 2000 with the tuck tab riser covers. And the price was what I could afford. After I got a quote from a dealer for the tuck tab riser covers, riser dive loops, velcro free toggles, kill line PC w/hackey and two colors, I happened to see a Wings special from the same dealer. The Wings ended up a littlemore than $ 20 cheaper than the Dolphin. I got to customize the colors on most of the container for zero additional $$, and the tuck tab riser covers, dive loops, and velcro free toggles were included in the standard rig price. Check outthis months special @ Rigs & Things. My new Wings is on order.

I can remember my first (and only, so far) tree landing incident as though it was yesterday. Taught me a damn hard lesson that I have taken with me on on every single dive since. In retrospect it's one of those daaaaah things that is second nature to a lot of us now. I was doing AFF #2. Good fall, good pull (no twists or riser slaps), good opening, now it's time to release the brakes, flare, practice turns, etc., we all know the AFf drills. Well there I was basking in the glory of a beautiful day and I was was floating by myself thousands of feet in the air, and I was a Skydiver. It doesn't get much better than this! A few more lazy turns, flares, yada, yada. Was I paying any attention to heading you ask?? Noooo.. When I finally occured to me to head towards the DZ I looked below me, to the left, the right, and over my shoulder. Guess what I saw way over my shoulder?? DZ. A quick turn (into the wind), not a flat turn because I hadn't learned flat turns conserve precious altitude, and I'm on my way back. However, the DZ is coming up on the horizon, and I knew what that meant. OOPS! Well, time to do what I was taught... turn straight into the wind, pick out the biggest tree, slow way down, feet out in front, cover up face and chest, at contact grab something!! I never got to grab the tree trunk, the branches were dense and i didn't have the penetration. The canopy got hung up and for a few seconds I "hung around", glad to be alive and unharmed. Well, branches started snapping and I descended faster & faster. The branches stopped snapping (I was out of branches) and I dropped like a rock, landing flat on mt back with a good head smack. After thinking I was dead because I couldn't move (had the wind knocked out uf me), and also thinking I had bitten my tounge off, someone from the DZ stooped over me and said "breath". I walked back to the DZ. Thankfully the reserve cushioned teh fall, and the ugly ProTec helmet saved my brains. Lesson learned... Pick out the DZ in free fall, as soon as canopy is open head for the DZ then play, wear a helmet (I will never jump don't have to convince me), learn from the experienced jumpers and instructors how to conserve altitude and extend glide before you get in the air. Yup, hind sight is always 20/20. Hopefully someone really new will see this and learn something.

What's the best way to dry out a canopy that has gotten wet? As soon as there is a reasonably warm winter weekend I want to get back in the air. There will mostly likely be snow on the ground, so getting the canopy wet will be inevitable. I'm concerned with uneven shrinking of the lines or the seam stiching. Am I worrying over nothing?

***Remember, they are not staffed to handle regular retail sales, so by keeping the price point at the sticker price, it kind of drives people to the dealers (who can offer a discount if so inclined) Which of the major equipment dealers is best to work with. I'd be interested in the good & bad experiences.

I'm also considering an Infinity. I've done lots of online research (price/Features) and think it's a good value. Question for the gang... better to order through an equipment supplier (Square1, etc) of go to the factory? Most equipment suppliers offer a "discount", but you got to know they're still making a few $$ off each rig. Does the factory offer the discounted prices, or even bigger discounts? I'd like to order soon so I can receive it and get it rigged for spring.

OK, so thats easy, come to Florida. (70F & sunny today) 15 DZ's and a wind tunnel. *** On the outside chance I can "check up" on my in-laws, whare's a decent DZ near Naples?

On my first jump it amazed me that there is no feeling of falling (i.e like a coaster). I figured it was because the plane was already traveling at 100+mph and the horizontal speed gradually transitioned to vertical speed, therefore no falling sensation. Am I full oF SH**, or is this the reason for no falling sensation. To the real question, Is jumping from a balloon or chopper more of a thrill, and do you experience the falling sensation?

But, I've already got the "I cutaway for skydiving" t-shirt. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Where can I get that shirt??

Ah, remember the part about the wife & kids......

Spendin' a day a week at the DZ is my dream come true. I'm 43, have 3 kids in college, another 4 years away, and a wife that totally supports the second childhood I'm hooked on (most friends say it's my version of a mid-life crisis). I think my wife is happy I'm jumpin' through my crisis rather than chasing babes or buying an expensive red sports car (Jumpin' cant be too much cheaper than Vette payments. Right??) If I could go back to ninteen, knowing what I know now, I wouldn't do it different. Makes me really appreciate that one day a week thats mine. That's my temporary cutaway. Only problem now, is that weekends have sucked since early November and we're under a foot of snow now. What will I do to fulfill my urges 'till spring????