Skydivesg

If the main is hooked up backwards the line check will show it instantly. If you lay the rig on the floor with the backpad down and the reserve pin flap facing the ceiling and then do a line check, the nose will face the floor and the steering lines will be on top of the lines. If it's hooked up backwards the nose will face up and the steering lines will be on the bottom. It will be very clear that it's hooked up wrong. Every jumper should be able to hook up their main and do a good line check by the time they get an A license. Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be.

I'm going to take this off track just a bit. Even though we don't have the best restraints in planes, there is something that could be done right now to help. And it would not cost anything but a bit of time. Most planes I've been in (that have you sit on the floor) Cessnas, Otters, Skyvans, Pacs, Caravans etc, have the belts arranged so you reach behind you to get your belt (assuming you face the tail). The distance to the attachement point is usually 12 to 24 inches (behind us). Since most plane crashes cause the load to shift forward (towards the front of the plane), this means that our bodies will travel 2 to 4 feet before the belt acually stops our momentum. This is assuming we actually tighten the belt. Further if we don't. If the belts were relocated aft, so we were already at full extension, the load (us) would have much less shift and a greater chance of survival especially for those who are sitting near the forward bulkhead where the load shift is headed. Simple fix that I've been sharing for years but for some reason it just doesn't happen. Complacency seems to be the nature of skydivers. Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be.

Gus. Do you change your settings when there is a heavy, somewhat dark overcast? Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be.

Try this: Cookie@cookiecomposites.com I'll also forward this directly to him. Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be.

Hi John. I'm glad everythig worked out. I have a couple of questions just out of cuiousity. Does your toggle keeper have the enclosed dome on the top so that when the toggle is stowed you can't see the yellow locking tab. Also how do you stow your excess steering line if at all? I've had two friends cutaway from something very similar in the last few months. I'm trying to find out all the particulars I can, to determine if we can do things better. And did you have a harder than usual opening causing the slider to come down hard? How often does your slider come down past the top hat stops? Sorry for all the ??s but I appreciate the info. Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be.

Z-hills in the eighties. 40 way speed competitions. If you could get everyone out in around 8 seconds you were good. Going late on those................. now that teaches you how to dive to a formation. Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be.

We would sure like to see that review when you get time. Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be.

As I understand it, someone on this site keeps a database of all the fatalities over the years. Any chance that person could search for these incidents and then give us links so we can read the reports? I would like to know what the circumstances were in each of these deaths. Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be.

Kerry, have you jumped it using the manual focus? If so what's been the outcome? What other settings are you using with that? Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be.

It depends on what you mean by low light. If you mean 400 ISO or higher then yes, they are known to get noisy. I don't intend to use it in anything over 200 ISO. And then you always have the exposure compensation if needed. Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be.

I would not recommend changing both size and recovery arc at the same time and neither would any professional canopy coach. Can you survive it????? Probably.... as long as you never make a mistake. Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be.

I really don't think "pilot-one" meant literally that the S&TA would actually try to physically un-hook someone's RSL. I'm sure he was just trying to make a point. Right?? Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be.

I just got the camera yesterday and I don't have any idea what to use, other than what you guys on here have said. I haven't jumped it yet. I'm open for input. Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be.

Whoops, think I may have confused the rigs but you get the gist. Tetra, you really should be more careful about your comments. You often have good sensible advice but when you make a statement about one rig, when you meant another and then reply with 'Whoops.......you get the gist', it really takes away from anything you say in the future. Bad form. Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be.

Do you change anything when there is a heavy overcast? Thanks Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be.

Could you guys tell me what all your settings are for the Canon G10? I've done the searches but not much there. Primarily tandem pictures. Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be.

Please clarify. What is the fastest SD card available and how much difference does that make? Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be.

The Spectra cord is roughly a 1000 lb strength vs approximately 700 lb with ripcord cable. The main thing it does is eliminate the swaging of the pin onto the cable and the swaging of the ball on the end by the ripcord. Both of these components create fail points. I remember someone in the eighties who's swagged ball came off during his pull and was shocked to see his ripcord in his hand with no cable. He finished his pull using just the cable. You can get a standard D-handle or a soft reserve handle (my preference). The Spectra cord is attached to each using a larks head knot. The closing pin is a solid forged pin and the Spectra cord is once again attached using a larks head knot. This allows the Spectra cord to be replaced without replacing the reserve pin or handle. The short bungee is actually placed inside the spectra cord via fingertrapping. And as the above poster pointed out it keeps the handle right near the end of the ripcord housing if it becomes dislodged. When you pull on the handle you elongate the spectra cord and thus the bungee material, making the pull force quite manageable. The sytem is very sensible when you understand everything about it. Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be.

For what it's worth, I'd start by changing the nicknames I give myself. That kind of stuff can come back to haunt you. Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be.

Now that's funny............. good one. Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be.

The bag is as Scott said, two locking stows and then figure 8 on a flap that closes with 4 tuck tabs. The design is similar to the Berger bag. The bag used by UPT is actually designed by Scott Roberts. He has been working on it for a couple of years. My son has been using one for more than a year on either his Velo 96 or Velo 103. I have been using one for about 100 jumps on a Katana 120. 50 of those jumps are shooting tandem video. The openings are incredibely smooth and I have not had an off heading opening like I somtimes do on my other K-120. The canopy has opened on heading 100% of the time. I am in the process of getting a second one. I also use packers who are not extremely experienced (one is only 17 and has one tandem jump and just started packing last summer. I showed her twice watched her once and that was it. I used house packers in Deland while at the Expo. This bag is awesome and gives me the best openings I've had in many years. And as far as I know it comes in most sizes not just the smaller canopies. You can order it as an option on a new vector or buy it seperately. Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be.

I use a suit by Firefly. She has a special sit wing. Very popular. I actually use a wing jacket with my FF pants so I can take the jacket off now and then. Great worksmanship. Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be.

Yes, you should get it. It is the standard on the Vector 3 harness. If you want to have step-in-leg straps then this is the hardware that is recommended with the UPT rig. Once it is adjusted, you can push down (with your thumbs) on the the top side of the hardware to lock it down firmly onto the legstrap. This will prevent slippage of the leg straps in freefall, opening and canopy ride. I do this final adjustment on jump run. You will like the hardware. Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be.

I have always carried my rig on the plane. I just got back from the Skydive Expo in Deland. I carried my rig both ways. I don't put it in a bag. I carry it on my back like a back pack and put it in the grey bin for x-ray. The only thing they have ever done is swab it and that is only about one out of every ten times. I have never had to show my Vigil card or letter from USPA or anything. The TSA personell see rigs all the time. Just don't look like you're trying to hide something and you should have no problems. Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be.

One of the biggest reasons it was so successful is because it was held in a location where there is a heavy concentration of gear manufacturers. Together they were able to pool resources and talent and organize what was truly an amazing event. The Expo included tours of the manufacturers and seminars in places like the UPT loft and others. In my opinion if they tried to move this to different locations it would be a logistical night mare and the event would die. When you add in that it was within a hundred yards of the DZ, it makes this sight the only sensible option. Be the canopy pilot you want that other guy to be.