katzas

Anybody know of a cheapish place to stay (one person) at or near Crosskeys, NJ DZ? Will be there for a couple of weeks in July. Thanks.

Anybody know a cheapish place to stay near or at Crosskeys, NJ DZ? Will be there for at least a couple of weeks this summer.

Has anyone used goggles or sunglasses with a cam built into them? The newer ones are 1080P HD and are being offered with 5.8GHz wi-fi capability. I don't know if this allows real time freefall transmission or not. You can put an SD card into the glasses/goggles to record the dive. This would seem to eliminate one problem with externally mounted cameras on helmets. Comments?

I presume these are rhetorical questions--at least if they are aimed at me. If you really want answers to the questions you posed I suggest getting in touch with the author of the letter I received--his name is George Galloway. He's president of the company that makes Ravens and a master rigger with about 30+ years of experience in the sport. I'm sure he would welcome your questions and welcome the opportunity to answer them.

What you are saying points to inference - Unless told specifically, you are assuming that the person meant what they did not say. You may be wrong. Or the person may just not have wanted to give a direct answer. We won't know until they state specifically what their stance on the issue is. And the statements right above is where you loose your credibility... You are rehashing invalid information along with what I think are just urban legends. PD most definitely DOES NOT put a 20 year life on their gear. I have had them re-cert, repair and just plain inspect 20+ year old reserves on multiple occasions. I do not for a second believe that PD would refuse to return a canopy. They simply cannot do so under the US laws. The canopy is the property of the owner, and PD has no rights to it. To not return it is to commit theft. PD can refuse to service and can refuse to certify anything that is sent to their factory, but that's where their rights end. They cannot deface, destroy or steal your property. This is not different than the reason why there still are Ford Pinto's on the road - Ford cannot force the owners to sell them back, or to modify them. They can only suggest to do so. PD kept a canopy that was unsafe and sent their customer a new one--believe it was a Pulse. They would not return the original canopy but made it good with a new one. Call them and ask. Credibility my tukus. I won't either. As that would be illegal from FAA's standpoint. This is the question that can be debated forever. The bottom line is that no one is forced to use old gear. Everyone is welcome to buy and own whatever their heart desires. If YOU have a personal rule of owning things under 18 years of age - then you can always trash things as they become too old for your safety. There are no rules necessary for you to do that. My PERSONAL reasons for using older things is that I have many rigs that seldom get used, but I like to have at my disposal. I could not justify having them be nice and shiny 5K pieces of gear, but can certainly afford for them to sit around when they cost me under $1K Again--I have NEVER said you shouldn't use whatever gear you want. You want to strap on a 20 year old harness with the same vintage canopies inside--absolutely. This conversation started with my suggestions on what to include in a classified ad and to get real about pricing that gear. Somehow it has devolved into a pissing match about how old is too old. Here is what I will do....and have done......I looked at the classified ads on here for well over a year looking for decent gear that I could use for a reasonable price. I struck out. I weigh 220 out the door, stand 6 ft 1 in tall and have used rental gear, borrowed gear, and, in the past, my own new stuff. I looked at the prices that people are asking for ancient gear--for gear with too many jumps, damage, expired AADs, and also for not-so ancient gear that just didn't fit the bill for my size and style. I included a commentary on the pricing in my narrative about writing an effective classified ad. I will not pay $4000.00 (or anything close) for a main with 1500 jumps, a ten year old reserve with 4 rides, an expired Cypress and a ten year old Micron container that the seller admits is dirty. If you or anyone else wants to do that--be my guest. It does seem that many others who are in the market for a rig have come to the same conclusion I did--that the price asked for much of the used gear here is Twilight Zone material when compared to the equivalent new stuff. With regard to your many rigs--well good for you. I will have only one--at least for the foreseeable future. I choose to pay what I can afford for the best stuff I can get. You are completely free to do whatever you wish as well. No argument there. But I'd like to know how you squeezed a T10 into a B4. I didn't. A rigger did. Is your opinion based on facts, or just hearsay and your understanding of the between the lines reading of what one Master Rigger had to say ? My opinion on this was based on the question I asked and the answer I got. I specifically asked about the safety of an old Raven reserve that someone had for sale specifically and only based on it's age. I received the answer in the same context as the question I asked--that being "is it safe to jump?". I may not be the brightest bulb on the string--but when I ask a specific question of the manufacturer of the Raven and the president of that company replies with those words--well--I think that verdict is pretty obvious. There was little if any wiggle room in his reply--and no reading between the lines could possibly change the clear meaning of those words. You can spin it all you want--that doesn't make it any less clear to me. PS since in one of your posts in this thread you claimed $250 for Cypres service, and then pointed out that you are US based - I would like to count that as another strike away from your credibility. The service is $160 + shipping. OK--so sue me for $80.00. It's still nearly $400.00 during the 12 year lifespan not to mention the downtime while it is being checked. I wouldn't have to pay that with a Vigil--which claims a 20 year life. If being wrong about 80 bucks destroys my credibility then fine. Methinks that is reaching just a bit. I have stated my opinions--you have stated yours. Bottom line? Jump whatever gear you want--make whatever choice you wish. So will I (within my abilities and physical realities). OK?

Anybody buying a 17 year old reserve and depending on it to save their ass is, in my opinion, nuts. Somebody selling that same reserve should be tarred and feathered. I don't care how many riggers sign off on it--the rigger who signs off doesn't have to jump it--I do. I have a lot of respect for most riggers--but they ain't god. The president of the company that makes Icarus canopies was nice enough to send me an email stating that, as a master rigger, designer and builder of parachutes he would never pack a reserve made by his company or anyone else's that was older than 15 to 18 years. That's good enough for me. Can we agree to disagree ? I have two large rigs used for jumping large canopies, round canopies and for flag jumps. Each one houses a 1992 and a 1993 RavenIII reserve. I sure as hell don't for a second think that those reserves are unsafe or for a second hesitate to use them. Furhtermore, I've jumped plenty of 18+ year old gear, again, with no concern due to the age alone. Care to state some FACTS as opposed to opinion ? Some people worry about liability, but I'd love to know of some tests done to prove that gear approaching or passing the age of 20 years is not fit for use. Until that time comes, I will continue to inspect and if deemed safe and airworthy to repack such gear. Sure we can agree to disagree. As to fact vs opinion--well, I did state that it was my opinion. However, we all rely on riggers to tell us what is and what is not safe. A highly respected master rigger, designer and builder of a very popular line of canopies tells me that he wouldn't sign the packing card on any reserve older than 15-18 years----I have absolutely no problem believing him. In my opinion I will not take a canopy to terminal that is pushing 20 years old when I can afford newer gear. I can't think of a single reason why I would. Having said that, I wouldn't mind doing a hop and pop with a Para Commander again (your photo reminded me of that canopy). I'll be at Cross Keys in July--maybe we can continue this over a beer or six. First round on me. I wouldn't ride a unicycle. That doesn't mean that they are dangerous. This highly respected and experienced Master Rigger only stated that he won't pack those parachutes. I don't see any statements saying as to why. Could be liability. Could be some other reason. You going to fly me out to Crosskeys ? COOL ! Liability or other reasons? Well, as to liability--absolutely. Knowingly packing and certifying a reserve that is that old may indeed lead to a liability issue.......for a reason. As to other reasons why he wouldn't pack it--I specifically asked him whether or not a canopy that old was safe to use (as a reserve--in this particular case a Raven). He responded to my question in the context of safety--not about liability. I suppose he could mean that he just doesn't like to pack reserves at all--but I doubt it. A master rigger looks you in the eye and says, "I won't pack this" in response to your question about whether or not it is safe to use. I think most people would conclude he is trying to tell me something and maybe I should listen to him. I wasn't asking him to pack a 20 year old Raven, I was asking him if it was, in his expert opinion, safe to use. I got the message. PD requires inspection at the factory of their reserves periodically--and puts a defacto limit of 20 years on the useful life of a reserve canopy. They have also, in several cases, refused to return a canopy to a skydiver (and offered a discount on a new canopy or a direct replacement for no charge) that they believed was unsafe in some way. Hey, the guys who make these things for a living tell me that the canopy I am using is probably unsafe--do I believe them? Hell yes. Do I read into their motivation that they just want to make my life difficult or make a couple of bucks on a new canopy? Not when I look at what their profit might be on that one deal--nope. Vigil and Cypress both have expiry dates on their AADs. Could you use one past it's expiry date? Maybe. Would you? Also maybe. But I won't. I have yet to see a reason to use really old gear. Can you provide one? My first jump was on a B-4 container with a T-10 in it. Would I use one today? Nope. If you want to--fine. I haven't said anywhere in our conversation that you can't or shouldn't use twenty year old stuff. I HAVE said that, in my opinion--and in the opinion of a guy who has had thirty years experience in design, manufacture and research of parachutes--it isn't safe. That is the choice I make--you can make your own. As to flying you to Cross Keys--well, I don't think I said a thing about that. But my offer of the first round stands if you find yourself there when I'm there.

It is worse than this, there are jumpers who post on here all the time about modifying their emergency procedures and lowering their hard-deck because they have a Skyhook. I think that is awful (and not the Skyhook's fault). When I first started jumping pull altitude was 2600 ft for freefall students and 2200 ft for "experienced". Back then I made it a practice to pull at 2400 ft or higher. My three cutaways were all between 2200 and 1800 ft. The lowest altitude I ever remember being under a fully inflated reserve was 1500 ft. That was a mighty short canopy ride to somebody's back yard just in time to share in the bar-b-cue. Today I respect the higher pull altitude and see no reason whatsoever to push the envelope while struggling with a fubar main--especially one that is spinning you around while the ground gets a lot bigger really really quickly. Skyhook, garden variety rsl....I don't care. I will pull both handles in rapid succession and if the skyhook beats me to it--even better. I spent almost $300.00 extra for a skyhook in my new rig--but I have already forgotten that it is there.

Anybody buying a 17 year old reserve and depending on it to save their ass is, in my opinion, nuts. Somebody selling that same reserve should be tarred and feathered. I don't care how many riggers sign off on it--the rigger who signs off doesn't have to jump it--I do. I have a lot of respect for most riggers--but they ain't god. The president of the company that makes Icarus canopies was nice enough to send me an email stating that, as a master rigger, designer and builder of parachutes he would never pack a reserve made by his company or anyone else's that was older than 15 to 18 years. That's good enough for me. Can we agree to disagree ? I have two large rigs used for jumping large canopies, round canopies and for flag jumps. Each one houses a 1992 and a 1993 RavenIII reserve. I sure as hell don't for a second think that those reserves are unsafe or for a second hesitate to use them. Furhtermore, I've jumped plenty of 18+ year old gear, again, with no concern due to the age alone. Care to state some FACTS as opposed to opinion ? Some people worry about liability, but I'd love to know of some tests done to prove that gear approaching or passing the age of 20 years is not fit for use. Until that time comes, I will continue to inspect and if deemed safe and airworthy to repack such gear. Sure we can agree to disagree. As to fact vs opinion--well, I did state that it was my opinion. However, we all rely on riggers to tell us what is and what is not safe. A highly respected master rigger, designer and builder of a very popular line of canopies tells me that he wouldn't sign the packing card on any reserve older than 15-18 years----I have absolutely no problem believing him. In my opinion I will not take a canopy to terminal that is pushing 20 years old when I can afford newer gear. I can't think of a single reason why I would. Having said that, I wouldn't mind doing a hop and pop with a Para Commander again (your photo reminded me of that canopy). I'll be at Cross Keys in July--maybe we can continue this over a beer or six. First round on me.

Are you outside US/Canada ? Yes and will be until the first week in July.

Anybody buying a 17 year old reserve and depending on it to save their ass is, in my opinion, nuts. Somebody selling that same reserve should be tarred and feathered. I don't care how many riggers sign off on it--the rigger who signs off doesn't have to jump it--I do. I have a lot of respect for most riggers--but they ain't god. The president of the company that makes Icarus canopies was nice enough to send me an email stating that, as a master rigger, designer and builder of parachutes he would never pack a reserve made by his company or anyone else's that was older than 15 to 18 years. That's good enough for me.

Awesome post! +1 This is one of the reasons I went all new when I bought my rig. People were asking insane prices for used gear. Oh and trying to get pictures of their gear was like pulling teeth. Yup--I just did the same thing--new everything--except for the main. A used main with 50 jumps and less than a year old (manufacturer inspected and verified) came on the market at $500.00 below dealer discounted cost. It took me ten seconds to decide to buy it. So--my brand new Icon Nexgen with a lot of bells and whistles (skyhook, mag riser covers, freefly handle, etc.), new PD reserve, damn near new main and AAD came in at just over $6K. Compare that to the rig I described. Main has been delivered to dealer--reserve is due on May 27th and Icon due at the end of June. It's gonna be a fun summer since I have two months off starting in early July (overseas now) to jump my brains out. Only problem is the Vigil 2. There' a new model coming out but nobody knows exactly when and the old ones are backordered at dealers. Looking at an M2 if I have to or jump without for a month. Don't want a Cypress because of the 4 year trip back to service center and $250.00 each time--although I think it is a good procuct. Blue skies.

Yup--something is worth what someone is willing to pay for it. Pet rocks were a prime example of people having more money than brains. Four grand for the gear I described is just plain silly as are some of the other prices I have seen on here. I asked a seller about it once--stupid money for his gear--he came back to me with full list prices as a comparison. Okie dokie--nobody I know pays full list.

Good comments and question. Having just ordered a brand new rig with a skyhook I did a lot of research and word of mouth. Here is what I found--and admittedly it is subjective. You're right in your assessment that anything extra has more potential for screwups. Murphy gets another opportunity to show his talents. However, probabilities are valuable tools. I've had three chops in my life. All three were subterminal and well over 2000 ft agl. No rsl or skyhook. Two of those were intentional after a malfunctioning main....but one..was not. After opening the main I felt nothing between my shoulders. My (conical) reserve was on it's way out with no AAD fire and the reserve handle still in the pocket (we never did figure out exactly why it happened). I immediately chopped--but one main riser was reluctant to leave. I cleared it manually and had an otherwise uneventful reserve ride. I was lucky. If I had a skyhook or even a two riser rsl it would not have been an issue--the reluctant riser would have been dragged away immediately. I always watch my rigger when he repacks and inspects my reserve. If something doesn't look right to me I ask. Misrigging happens--but if I am watching it's my fault. As to the psychology. I can't imagine someone delaying the decision to leave a malfunction because they know that their skyhook will get them under a reserve fast. I have seen the vids of skyhook reserve openings--and they are very fast. However, at least in my mind--the sooner I get rid of a canopy that isn't working the better. Riding a mal down to a grand or less is just plain stupid. Bottom line--at least for me--skyhook works and I will have one in my brand new Icon. But I'll still pull two handles as high as I can if it becomes necessary.

Well, not exactly how--but more like what it should contain. Let's say you're selling your complete rig. Now, some of these things may be obvious to you--but you'd be surprised at how many ads I have seen in the classified section that don't have the basics. Ok--now to the ad. Create an attention getting headline--not "rig for sale". In the ad itself you should have the following even if you put some of this info in the headline for the ad; Harness and container manufacturer, number of jumps, date of manufacture, factory designation of size and compatibility, any options, condition (is it a rat or is it pristeen?) size of human being it will fit, size of main and reserve it will take and the colors--did it ever go for a swim in the swoop pond. Main canopy type, manufacturer, date of manufacture, any and all damage and repairs, age of lineset and type of lines, number of jumps, colors, serial number, ever in the water Reserve canopy, number of rides and same as main with date of last repack. AAD Manurfacturer, one pin or two, expert, speed, student, date of manufacture, any activations, date of last manufacturer recalibration if required, ever in the water. Photos--for god's sake don't use your cell phone camera. Take a shitload of pics and then choose the best one or more. State whether or not you will accept a rigger/escrow payment arrangement with who is responsible for what costs (shipping to and from, inspection costs, etc.) If you have a preferred rigger/loft say so. OK--you've written your ad. Now--what's it worth? A rig is kinda like a sailboat. There are definite emotions involved in buying and selling. Leave them at the door. Do this--get the dealer prices for all your stuff brand new. Then, figure that you will lose some from that number. Don't be greedy. I recently saw an ad for a rig with an expired AAD, a main with 1500 jumps, 10 year old reserve with 4 rides and a ten year old harness and container that needed a bath. Care to guess what the asking price was? FOUR GRAND. What's it REALLY worth? The main, at least to me, is trash--with 1500 jumps on it I would probably make a tent out of it. The Cypress AAD is trash as well--ain't worth a damned thing after the magic date. So--what do we really have here? An used harness and container with a lot of jumps on it and a ten year old four ride reserve. New--they would cost about $3500.00 depending on which you buy bearing in mind that the harness will be custom fit for you. So--the asking price of this rig was $4000.00--five hundred MORE than the equivalent new. Even if you got the seller to knock five hundred off--it's still a break even with new. If I was going to buy that used rig I would expect to pay about $1500. Why? You need a new or used main to replace the tent--and (probably) a new AAD. Total price for both if new canopy and AAD--$3200.00. Add that to the $1500.00 I would pay and you get just under $5000.00 by the time you get a rigger inspection of the used rig, a repack, shipping--all that. Now, there are lots of variables that effect price--like what is it worth to you to have a rig in a week.....are you willing to open a main with 1500 jumps on it head down at terminal plus.....do you care that the reserve has about 5 years left before you better think about a new one----all that and probably more. As a seller, try to place a realistic price on your gear. Do you want to sell it or do you just want to amuse the reader of your ad? Describe it well--make it easier for your customers to know what they need to know. BE HONEST!! Maybe mention why you are selling it--downsizing, taking up billiards, whatever. Respectfully, anything else is a waste of time.

Roughly translated......too stupid to know how stupid you are. Also a classic symptom of narcissistic sociopathy. Also roughly translated as .......everyone else is fucked up but me. With skydiving, scuba diving or just about any other so-called "extreme" sport these two condtions tend to prove Darwin to be right.

If this isn't a joke it outta be. Tell ya what--next time you're in the sack doing the horizontal mambo make a call and see what happens. Honest to god--are you for real? Do you take your life and the lives of others in the sky around you so for granted? If you were jumping at my DZ I'd ground you permanently. Blue tooth schmoo tooth--you're under that canopy and you are supposed to be paying 110% attention to it--to others in the sky and where you're going--not to mention where you're going to land and when. If you're texting, yakking or taking a stupid selfie you're not paying enough attention and you're a goddam hazard. Just when I think I can't be surprised at anything any more some numbnuts comes along and does it. There is an ancient Polish proverb--it translates poorly but----"One fool can keep a thousand wise men very busy." Go bowling or play tennis, golf, camping, water polo--anything else. I don't want you in the same sky with me.

If you haven't seen this yet you really have to. Brought tears to my eyes. http://video.foxnews.com/v/3585222809001/skydiving-liberates-wounded-warriors-from-their-wounds/?intcmp=obinsite#sp=show-clips

Seems to me that the Vigil folks need a lesson in marketing. At the very least they should publish a list of the changes, upgrades or "fixes" that make the Vigil 2+ different (presumably better) than the plain ol' Vigil 2 rather than just changing the manual and making us hunt for them. For example--Aerodyne went to great lengths to document and portray the changes to their Icon Pro (now the Icon Nexgen). Did that cost Aerodyne something? Yes it did. But--when a manufacturer of anything makes it better it's a "hook" to hang their corporate hat on--i.e. "we're listening to our customers and constantly working to improve our widget". C'mon Vigil--tell us all about it.

To answer your question about picking out which students should not jump--yes--and it was a freaky thing. I used to jump at CPI and Gananoque (Ontario) years ago. I sat in on first jump courses with the idea of maybe being an instructor one day. In those days training was via static line. At CPI there was a girl from NYC (a princess) who absolutely refused to shout out the count on the ground--and presumably wouldn't do it in the air (something about screaming like an ape that offended her sensibilities). Her attitude and body language told me that she was an accident just waiting to happen. I was reluctant to mention it to the instructors--but I did. They refunded her money and sent her home trailing a line of obscenities at everyone who would listen. We found out much later that she did jump at another DZ--and--yup--she had a malfunction--did not deploy her reserve and got broken a lot. Second time was in Gan. Another girl--university student. For some reason I got the vibe that she should not be doing this. She didn't take it seriously enough--IMO. I said so. But--she was progressing well and continued until she got off the static line. On her 30th or so--no pull on either main or reserve. AAD's at that time were considered chicken shit. She died. Spooky, huh? So--sometimes you gotta go with your gut and just say no.

You have identified at least two issues that were discussed in a "Buy vs Rent" thread here. First issue--cost of rental vs cost of buy. Second issue--cost of used vs cost of new. Most DZs rent gear for about $25 a jump. If you use that number it would take a looooong time to to justify buying a new rig at about $6500.00. BUT--that is not the real deal. While it is true that you are likely to put a few hundred jumps on a rig before you start to look at downsizing--it's what that rig actually costs you for that period of time and what you are likely to get for it when you sell it. Used prices in the classified section here are, IMO, nuts. Saw a seven year old Sabre 2 with numerous patches, holes, steering lines needing replacing and 500 jumps with an asking price of about $1500. Huh? That being said, it's a big advantage to someone who buys new today and sells in two years. I will estimate that if you pay $6500 for a new rig today you can probably get $5500 for it in two years providing you don't destroy it. So--you lose a thousand bucks--BUT--at $25.00 a jump for rentals--that's 40 jumps on heavily used, one size fits none gear that might or might not be available when you want it. Now---as to used vs new. I too have looked high and low for the four components that make up a rig. H+C, main, reserve and AAD. I really don't give a rat's ass about the frills (pinstripes, etc,) --but I sure do care about the fit of the harness--and, of course, the main and reserve tray sizes for the size canopies I need. After waiting nearly a year and trying to find the ideal used rig (or even something close to it) I gave up. I ordered a new H+C and reserve but held back on ordering a new main preferring to demo a few different canopies first. As luck would have it, an almost new canopy (50 jumps and inspected by the manufacturer) in the type and size I wanted came on the market at a good price (about $400 off the new dealer price) so I bought it. Sooo...........harness and container price came in at about $2200, reserve at just about $1000.00 and main at about $1700. Total so far--just under $5K. It looks like I will buy a new AAD (probably a Vigil) and I found a dealer who sells it for $1000.00. So--$6K for all intents and purposes, brand new stuff made to fit me. I anticipate making at least 100 jumps from July to September this year alone and at least the same number come January to March next year. I don't anticipate selling the gear for at least two or three years. If I lose $1K or so on the resale I am still waaay ahead of it. I looked into the 40% off deal with Wings stuff. I think Wings gear is as good as any out there although they are generally known as a "B list" manufacturer. However, think of it the same way as buying a new car--the base price is attractive--but--add in the goodies like stainless, cut in lats, collapsible pc, RSL, spacer foam, hackey handle, hook knife, hip rings, etc. (all of which are not part of the 40% discount off the retail MSRP) and you end up with a rig costing almost the same (or more) as some other manufacturers "A list" rigs (with a higher re-sale value) with most or all of the goodies already there. The only real advantage that I can see is that you can have the rig in a week or three vs 6 to 12 weeks for a custom rig. To those who scoff at buying new--well--if y'all found really good, safe used gear that fits at a really good price--great. Unfortunately, not all of us are able to do that.

This is not a review of the rig--that will come later. I have seen disparaging remarks about customer service from H and C makers on here. I put a lot of stock in word of mouth. Soooo... when it came time to order a brand new rig I studied the specs, studied the reviews (and there are none on the Icon Pro/Nexgen). I took the plunge a couple of months ago and ordered through a dealer--just before Aerodyne increased their price substantially. Good luck not good planning. I ordered an I-6. Took all the measurements, looked up the canopy compatibilities and decided that I would be getting a Pilot 210 ZPX, also brand new. Well here's where Murphy comes in. I looked high and low for a rig on the used market that would both fit me and fit the size canopies I wanted. Rotsa ruck. I bit the bullet and went new--decided on the Icon and a PD reserve. Held back on ordering the Pilot--again good luck not planning. As it turns out an almost new (50ish jumps) Pilot 230 came on the market at a good price. So I bought it. Problem is......an I-6 is a verrrry tight fit for that canopy. So- I called. Was at first (by my dealer) assured that the I-6 would be compatible, but I also called Aerodyne. Nope, I needed an I-7. All this took place about a month to six weeks into the order. Crap. However, Aerodyne to the rescue. No problem and no charge to switch to an I-7. So--now I have an I-7 in production scheduled for delivery in June, 2014. I can't jump it until July (on overseas gig). My next installment in this review will be when it's delivered to my dealer. The guys at Aerodyne could not have been more helpful and responsive. I'm looking forward to the next milestone. Stay tuned. UPDATE Picked up the Icon NeXgen at the appointed date and time. Everything as it should be. It fits well, had the reserve packed and the rig inspected and assembled by a rigger. Absolutely no issues. Main canopy (Pilot) in pristeen condition. Rig is stiff (kinda like a new pair of shoes) and needs a few jumps to get it softened up and broken in. As of this review I have't jumped it yet--but when I do I will expand my impressions. So far--absolutely no complaints. UPDATE TWO Jumped the new rig. Everything fit, everything worked, it was comfortable on the ground, in the plane and under canopy. Nothing shifted around in freefall. As to quality of build--rigger reports it to be first class with no defects or problems. We'll see how it holds up but so far--Aerodyne makes a great rig.

In the USA such contracts have been deemed invalid IF it says that you can never work for another one again--or even if it states that you can't work for another one for a period of time after you stop working for that DZ. Courts have deemed these contracts as restricting a man or woman from making a living.

I just did the same thing. I live and work in a country where skydiving just isn't a sport--yet. Fortunately I have a very generous vacation schedule so I decided to go back to the USA during my two months off, take an abbreviated FF course and jumped with two instructors--then one--then none. I got hooked again and ordered all new gear which I will pick up when I return again to the US in July. At that time I will have to re-current my license and I would do that even if it wasn't mandatory. Then--after that--I intend to jump my brains out for most of the summer with my new gear. Is the country you are going to a country where skydiving is a sport? If so, you could take your gear and jump there.

Best damned article I have read yet on the subject.

Such a helpful comment from a D license holder. Got any more pearls of wisdom?