Skydivesg

I've been asked by a few people to put up this link. It's a fun video I did during the 4 way competition at the 2011 Nationals. My team, Slice of Life, was tied with Monkey Business going into the 10th round. Our videographer had the misfortune of getting sucked in on one our early points and the rest is history. If you're a Dexter fan, you'll likely enjoy this. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BmKtl_b28M Thanks to Trunk from GetHypoxic.com for all the hardware and editing help. Mods: I wasn't sure where to put this, so here it is. Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be.

Good on you. Those guys owe you, big time. I'd give you $100 if you caught me being that stupid. Thanks. I would enjoy working with you.

I agree with the routine and the checklist that is vocally given to the passenger. While I'm not a TI, I film a lot of tandems each year. The one thing the passenger is concerned about more than any other (besides their goggles) is whether or not they are hooked up. When asked by the passenger this question, I've seen some TIs respond "don't worry about it, I'll take care of it". Holy crap guys, this is the one biggest concern of the passenger who has no idea who you are, (and you're asking them to trust their life with you). It's not that tough to verbally re-assure them of the process, which if done each and every time will also suffice as your checklist to be certain you never leave the plane without hooking up a passenger. Over the years I've pointed out (more than once) that a passenger did not have one or both of the tops hooked up before I opened the door (without letting on to the passenger). When I'm filming I give the tandem pair a visual gear inspection. Most TIs don't know I'm doing it. I know the videographer who filmed a TI leaving a Cessna while the TI did not have a clue that the tops were not hooked up. The pictures are awesome and scary. Do your verbal checklist and share it with the passenger. Just like pilots who use GUMPST before every takeoff and landing. Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be.

Is it safe to assume that was not Rusty Vest? Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be.

Don't get Precision confused with Performance Designs. Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be.

A pretty simple fix. If your AAD is already on when you look at it before your first jump of the day, simply turn it off and restart it. It takes about 30 seconds for the entire process. Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be.

You can buy a DVD called Packing Made Simple from the web site www.packing-made-simple.com Combine that with the PD on line packing tutorials and you will have all the packing class you need in your own home and rewind any section as often as needed. It's always nice to have one on one instruction but these combined will suffice in the absence of a packing class. Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be.

Yeah I doubt it was my son. I'm sure he's been there when he was the tour rep for PD and if someone had showed me that small picture and told me it was him I would believe it. And the leaping high 5 is it's exactly the kind of stuff he does. But then he most assuredly would have been wearing a PD Tour shirt. Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be.

I typically fly about 4 feet from the tandem and the Century works great. It's not very expensive so as it's been said I don't bother with a protective filter. I just take very good care not to ding it up. It also comes with a metal screw on cover which I put on if I leave it sitting for any length of time. It's a very nice lens but don't downgrade it with a cheap filter. Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be.

I was just looking at your pictures in your profile and saw the one of your kid swooping for a high five. The kid that's high fiving him looks exactly like my kid. Who is it? Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be.

How about this. I've filmed a couple of TIs who, after getting the drouge out, spend the entire time doing googy stuff such as: Folding his arms and laying his head on the top of the student's head as if he fell asleep and then suddenly waking up and trying to look surprised. He also keeps covering his own eyes with his hands and then suddenly takes them away and again looks surprised. (just like peek-a-boo) He sometimes does this to the tandem student. There is one TI who does this on every jump and he does it nonstop. When you do tandems from 8,000 feet it's a real challenge to get a handful of pictures that look normal enough that the student would want to frame one. We often let the student, family and friends watch the video after it's been edited. When they ask "What's that guy doing?" I just respond "He thinks the video is about him." Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be.

I/we use vegas but we don't use the FX levels you're talking about. I don't know why you would use that for tandem videos which is the only thing we edit (no fun jump videos). Are you editing tandems or fun videos? Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be.

Wow you have to keep pretty loose laterals to do those things. Not good. Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be.

I'll be there. Look me up. I'll be the old guy hangin with all the "cool kids". Sandy Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be.

Hey Spot, even though he may not be able to jump (if he's not licensed) I'm not sure doing a tandem would be much fun for him. Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be.

If you go, look me up and we can drink a beer together. I'll be doing 4 & 8 way formation skydiving. Also did you go to the Endless Summer Boogie last weekend? My son was there as a load organizer. Sandy Grillet Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be.

Absolutely. For you it's only a five hour drive. Going and watching all the various disciplines will help you get a feel for what goes on at competitions. Take a friend, spend some time at the Bent Prop Cafe and drink a few beers with our nation's best skydivers. What's not to like? Maybe someday you'll be one of them. Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be.

If you are correct about him having only a hundred jumps on the Katana then I don't think he would be ready to make a change already. I did not see that information in the OP. You obviously must have some more info than I. I made several hundred jumps on the KA 120 before I felt I was ringing it out. I like the idea of getting some one-on-one help from a coach as suggested by d100965. Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be.

I've been jumping Katana 120s for more than a thousand jumps as well. Almost exactly the same W/L. I've also made about 150 jumps on a Velocity 103 (none on the 120 or 111). If I were going to go to a Velocity, it would be the 103. Start slow but if you're really ringing out your Katana, you'll have no problem with the VE 103 Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be.

I know of several people who would likely be alive had they had some sort of RSL when dealing with their final malfunction. I actually had the RSL/Skyhook debate with one of them 10 days before he cutaway and then did not pull his reserve high enough to save his life. I believe in RSLs and I believe in the Skyhook. I also personally believe that the Skyhook (or other MARD if available) will improve the resale value of a rig in the future. In and of itself, not a reason to buy one. As the older non-believers age out of the sport more and more people will want a MARD /Skyhook just as there are more and more people who won't jump without an AAD. Just my humble opinion. Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be.

I sense that you're not happy with Vigil and feel that they should have contacted everyone about this. Maybe I misread your post. I am a Vigil dealer in the US. One of my customers bought a new unit and upon having it installed in his rig found it to be locked in the "Hello" mode. I contacted the company and explained that the customer was leaving for a jump vacation in less than four days. They immediately over-nighted a new unit and offered to pay for any additional rigging fees. He was more than pleased. They explained that they just started encountering this problem and advised me to contact my customers, which I did. Most dealers stock many units and sell to many customers. Once the company advises the dealer, it is the dealer's responsibility to contact the customers. Vigil does not sell direct to the customers only to dealers. It's impossible for them to know who has purchased the product. And contrary to the belief of many of the DZ.comers the majority of skydivers I've encountered do not frequent this site. I am very pleased with how Vigil has been handling this. Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be.

Better yet. Imagine you're naked and the longer you free fall the better the likelyhood that everyone will see your "winkie". Unless of course you're into that kind of stuff, and that's a whole nother issue. Seriously. Keep your eyes glued to the airplane flying away - reach and pull. Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be.

I know of a club who says they will never have anything other than a P-Ponk engine in their planes. Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be.

I'm inclined to agree with the idea that S/L provides more time in toggle and therefore has the possibility of growing better canopy pilots. It also seems that it's easier to give the student more canopy coaching and drills to work on before each jump. This is because many AFF instructors don't want to add to the already heavy work load that the student is tasked with before and during each AFF jump. On a personal note, one year our DZ trained a combined S/L and AFF course (splitting the students off for the jump specific training). We had low clouds for more than 2 weeks (3 weekends). Some of the S/L students had nearly 20 jumps before the AFF students got in the air. At least one of the AFF students never made a jump. It gives a whole new perspective to retention. Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be.

I vote for the "Blast Handle". But that's just me. Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be.