Cajones

I shoot at 1600x1200. This' high enough to make a pretty good 8x10. I don't have any full resolution pics online, but I can assure you they are quite nice. The laws of physics are strictly enforced.

I concur. I don't mind strong and steady. Gusty sucks (or blows). "It is better to be on the ground wishing you were in the air, than in the air, wishing you were on the ground. The laws of physics are strictly enforced.

:: Pat on the back from Brother Cajones :: Work with it, Brother... You won't be broken forever. The laws of physics are strictly enforced.

Yes, copious amounts of alcohol, taken internally. Because that's where germs can hurt you - inside. The laws of physics are strictly enforced.

I don't think there is a cut and dried answer to that. Factors would seem to include the actual design of the canopy (elliptical, lineset loading, length of stering line stoes), and even the rig and jumper configuration. A higher loading on a larger canopy, where the risers are further apart, and the jumper has longer risers, even slinks vs. hard links might be a factor. I'd prefer to say not just wing loading, but more importantly, the extent of asymmetry on canopy extraction is the largest single factor. The laws of physics are strictly enforced.

It's so nice to see everyone pitching in to help out with their otherwise unused processor cycles... The laws of physics are strictly enforced.

It's good that you're here, Arano... The laws of physics are strictly enforced.

I find choking the life out of someone who desperately deserves it an excellent stress relief. Plowing a clenched fist deep into someones flesh, or executing a beautiful standing armbar and throwing them down sharply on their head and neck carries its own sort of graceful beauty, too... Or I just look forward to my next Airgasm. P.S. The touch of a beautiful woman helps, tew... The laws of physics are strictly enforced.

Does it count as multiple partners if she's got multiple personalities? I dated a girl like that, once... Just a question. I know I don't qualify, but I do enjoy being the devils advocate... The laws of physics are strictly enforced.

Does it depend on wether you're flying head-up or head-down??? The laws of physics are strictly enforced.

I once gave up skydiving for about 3 years. Gave it up because of a woman! It sucked, but I don't regret it. It was the right thing to do at the time. She's no longer an "issue" with my skydiving. Be careful who you fall in love with. Good reason not to spend too much time around wuffos... The laws of physics are strictly enforced.

2:30 in which time zone?!?!? The laws of physics are strictly enforced.

Very nice! The laws of physics are strictly enforced.

These people should be hunted down and strangled with a telephone cord. One of those "curly" types... The laws of physics are strictly enforced.

Decision altitude is just that - the time when you decide "Is this thing going to land me safely?" Altitude awareness doesn't end when you deploy. Line twists are, as a student, portrayed as a simple nuisance. As wing loading and planform become more aggressive, they can become much more. Throw in an extra factor, like a tube or hoop, and you can very quickly have your hands full. Elliptical planforms are capable of very high turnrates. This' part of why we use them for parachutes. Just shifting the weight of the pilot in the harness can be used to initiate or enhance turns. Weight shifting is a technique we use for high performance landings, steering the canopy through its opening, and I even use it after opening to turn back to the DZ while I stow my slider. Line twists in these planforms (really any planform for that matter) can also create turns. Sometimes very aggressive turns. An unintentional or uncontrolled spiral results. As a student we are taught to simply "kick out" line twists. In an aggressive spiral, the forces created by the turn can oppose the direction of the twist. This additional resistance can make it very difficult or impossible to simply "kick out" the twists. It has even been known to create more twists, compunding the malfunction. With all of this being said - and I'm sure this is little more than a rehash of "everybody knows that" to most of us - let's break some new ground. There is a Stiletto with 7 jumps on it in the swamps near my home DZ. I chopped it after filming a tandem and having a spinning malfunction on a long spot. The long spot created a higher decision altitude. When I reached my decision altitude (which didn't take long in the spiral - on my back), and realized I was actually getting more line twists in this rather violent spin, I initiated my emergency procedures. Just like I teach my students in first jump course. Never found the canopy. Hurt right where my wallet meets my account at the DZ. The reason behind the "don't touch your toggles until you get the line twists out" for students is sound. Student canopies are large, lightly loaded, non-aggressive planforms. By unstowing the brakes and releasing the toggles to spread the risers (to get out of the line twists) it is possible that one toggle may return to the keeper ring, and, due to the friction created by the twists, the other may not. With one toggle up, and the other, effectively, pulled down - a turn is created. If this turn is in the same direction as the twists, you have a situation much like the spinning malfunction of the smaller, elliptical canopy. Now, let's progress past the "student training" - and I stress this is not for students. This is additional thoughts for skydivers with the presence of mind during a malfunction, and foresight to rehearse such scenarios. I purchased a used Stiletto, and ordered a new Vengeance after I lost that "almost new" Stiletto in the swamp. I thought very hard about my "Spinletto" as I renamed the Stiletto, and it's tendency to "spin-up" on opening. I was shooting a lot of tandem videos and didn't always have the luxury of perfect body position on opening. The used Stiletto I was jumping was out of trim a bit, so was even more sensitive during deployment. A few weeks later, I had a perfect opportunity to test a new theory... As I lay, spinning back to earth, checking my altitude, prying on my risers and kicking like a mule, I reached up and grabbed the toggle on the same side as my spin (I was on my back, so I knew this toggle went to the opposite side of my canopy). I unstowed it, and put a bit of pressure on it. It actually took more pressure than I would have anticipated, but I did stop the turn, and it actually began turning slowly the opposite direction. The canopy gave some strange bucks and almost seemed to generate lift from the extra speed. I'm still not certain (due to the disorientation of the spiral/body position) what the canopy did, exactly. I was, then, able to kick out the line twists, and keep from chopping my canopy. My reasoning was this: If I'm already in a situation where I am certain I cannot fix this malfunction by "conventional" means - read: kicking out as we teach students. If I have the altitude to attempt an "unconventional" means - read: using my toggle to counter the turn. Why not? If I grab the wrong toggle, I could increase the turn rate, and I still end up cutting away - nothing gained, nothing more lost than before I grabbed it. This scenario is now part of my safety day training for experienced jumpers. It is, again, NOT for students. This is something that should be rehearsed by anyone considering using it, so you don't have to "ad-lib" if it does happen to you. NEVER sacrifice safety to save looking for/buying a new canopy. Altitude can be consumed very quickly in a spinning malfunction. No matter how many jumps you have, no matter how much you practice, no matter how "aware" you are during a skydive - the ground and gravity can work together to create great pain. The laws of physics are strictly enforced.

They don't have time to read. They are busy cooking, cleaning, going to work, taking care of the young'uns, feeding the livestock, etc... Don't you just love that southern hospitality? The laws of physics are strictly enforced.

Sounds like bullshit to me... The laws of physics are strictly enforced.

I hope you were using a mirror to see the needle all the way through... The laws of physics are strictly enforced.

Every skydiver loves Jimmy Buffet - How about "Why don't we get drunk?" The laws of physics are strictly enforced.

I use the Videonics TM, with the MX Pro. Works just dandy. The laws of physics are strictly enforced.

Too funny! The laws of physics are strictly enforced.

This' going to be hard to believe, but we had Mexican, tonight. Chicken Quesadillas, cheese dip, and a top notch strawberry margarita... Yummy. The laws of physics are strictly enforced.

I use the CoolPix 5000. I use a Harbortronics remote release. Works great, but I'm ready for the D60. Just waiting for this new 11MP to come out, so the prices will drop... The laws of physics are strictly enforced.

Thanks, I always enjoy a laugh... The laws of physics are strictly enforced.

I have a stun gun - it's used as the igniter on the DZ spud gun. It's also a lot of fun to shock yourself/others with. It gets pretty addicitive. I brought it out at the Harvest Moon Boogie last year. My stomach hurt from laughing so hard. Estilo and Surfia are the biggest "bug zapper" addicts. Estilo even zapped our DZO. The rest of the night he was like a nervous sheep. Every time someone walked up behind him, he'd cover his ass and run around the hangar. I haven't tried it on my balls, yet... The laws of physics are strictly enforced.