darkwing

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Everything posted by darkwing

  1. darkwing
    I think this is a really, really bad idea. Partial line dump during deployment is not a good thing. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  2. darkwing
    Unfortuantely it is a problem. There are dickheads everywhere. Many of the dickheads in the skydiving world are at least interesting or amusing. Some are not. Please try to not let the rudeness of a very few get in the way of enjoying the many. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  3. darkwing
    Maybe an altimeter difference? -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  4. darkwing
    Nope, still fun (and certainly not OMG, gonna die). Even when I took time off the sport, I still wanted to jump. There were just other priorities. Skydive until you don't want to, then do something else. If you want to come back, then do it. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  5. darkwing
    Yup, seams and tape always add bulk. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  6. darkwing
    I think in the long run NOBODY has regretted putting too much info in their logbooks, and many, many people wish they had put in more. In 30 years you will like to know more details, as your brain is going... -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  7. darkwing
    No you wouldn't. It is common to see different pilot chutes sewn both right and wrong made of a single piece of mesh. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  8. darkwing
    I did one for my 2000th jump and it was quite fun. It was an 8-way. For my teammates 2000th we tried a 16-way at Lake Wales, but somebody closed in the wrong slot, and that REALLY messes things up. People then try to make impossible grips, etc. Photo of mine: http://www.cofc.edu/~wraggj/images/2000th.jpg I recommend them, but start small. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  9. darkwing
    I will add that I wouldn't repack it either. Too many unknowns in the dye process. It may weaken the fabric/webbing/thread or make it more susceptible to UV damage, or other such things. I seriously doubt any manufacturer would go for it. I will be interested in hearing if it is otherwise. Bottom line, just don't do it. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  10. darkwing
    Rules vary by place and time. I was at a DZ a while ago that made people into a big pie, by putting them on a picnic table and spreading the ingredients all over them. Some places use REAL pies (my personal choice). Other places use whipped cream on a paper plate and yet others use shaving cream (my least favorite option). A teammate of mine did his 2000th at Lake Wales a couple of years ago, I got some proper pies from the store, we sat him in a chair, and pied him. A couple of young wuffo kids were there with their families and I let them do it too. I think it was the highlight of their lives. When I started jumping in 1973 pieing was fairly rare, and only used for 1000 jumps. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  11. darkwing
    As long as they aren't damaged it probably won't take more than 10 minutes to straighten them out. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  12. darkwing
    It looks to me like the risers going to the yellow canopy are much wider apart than on the other canopy. Check your chest strap? Also, this may be a perspective issue... -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  13. darkwing
    there are about a half a dozen things it could be. Talk with instructors... -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  14. darkwing
    If the problem is sloshing related, maybe we should baffle big canopies, like they do tanker trucks. I'm not a fan of your "sloshing" theory though. This is a discussion that would be too long for us to have here. I look forward to chatting with you. Anyway, thanks for the lucid explanation on handling turbulence, which I will pass on to newbies. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  15. darkwing
    suweet... I have owned a couple of those. Maybe it is time for some reprints... -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  16. darkwing
    Having been a Pilot 168 owner I agree with the roll tail less and put slider a little more tailward. If all else fails you might consider a smaller slider, but definitely talk with Aerodyne first. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  17. darkwing
    Any DZ I have been a regular at would have dealt with this appropriately. Either the DZO or the Pilot would have heeded my suggestion that the rig presented a hazard... I strongly suspect that the survival instincts of pilots and DZO's everywhere would be the same. Certification of the rig is not the issue, safety is. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  18. darkwing
    I am holding the melon. We were trying to pass it, but it was too fast for us. I am wearing French paraboots, which many of us old guys wish were still available. I am also wearing a piggyback rig. It was my first jump on a Paracommander, but not my first on a piggyback. Pete Hill, still a skydiver of some notoriety in the northwest (and elsewhere) is closest to me. He is wearing a conventional rig, but then he was always slow to catch on to innovation. The photo (and others) are availabile from my ego stroking, self-serving, skydiving history page I put together one day when I decided to look through all of my log books. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  19. darkwing
    Hey, that's me! It was 1973, in Star, Idaho. That watermelon wanted to fall way faster than us. I'd recommend a smaller melon if you try it. We were in a very clear area, so no threat to people/property. Photo by Crazy Ed Pancoast (May he rest in peace). I note that you, 460, are a physicist too, like me. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  20. darkwing
    The answer to the question of lifetime for skydiving stuff almost always begins with "it depends." Others above mentioned things to look for. I will add "risk factors" that are pretty much the same as for canopies: do you jump in the desert, or in green grass? Do you pack indoors, on carpet, or outdoors in the dirt/sand? Has it been wet? Fresh or salt water? The best time to inspect risers fairly thoroughly is once a month when you clean and inspect your 3-ring release/cables. You do that don't you??? Have your rigger walk you through both if you need some guidance. I agree with the generic number of 500 jumps though. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  21. darkwing
    Look at my web page (below) for a graph of my skydiving activity. I had a couple of long layoffs. I generally suggest unloading your gear while it is still worth something. It is fun to buy cool, new stuff when you start up again. Right now I am in China for 6 months. I sold my gear last spring to help pay for the China trip. I will buy cool new stuff when I get back. I do realize that for short layoffs you would be better off keeping your gear, but at some point you should just sell, and use the money in a useful or fun way. Getting back into jumping was low fear, and lots of fun. My first jump after a multi-year layoff in the mid-1990's was going to be a 20-way, but I told them I would rather do a low, solo first. Just remember, your skills have eroded, whether you are aware of it or not. I never had much skill anyway, but I got some back with practice. SKydiving is more fun than ever. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  22. darkwing
    The Kiss Pass was very well entrenched in skydiving when I started in 1973 (in Idaho). The genders of the giver and receiver were unimportant. Sooner, rather than later, a new jump pilot would get one on exit. We always made sure it was from a guy, as we just wanted to shock/disturb/confuse the pilot. Perhaps this is the great down side to the full-face helmet. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  23. darkwing
    yes, click on the "Dropzones" tab at the top of the page in DZ.com. It will let you enter your zipcode or town, and specify a driving distance.... -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  24. darkwing
    I was tracking, and flared out of my track to avoid hitting a Mooney (small aircraft). The two people tracking on either side of me were scared too. Yes, it was really, really close. It is not possible to guarantee you will see an on-coming aircraft, even when you are diligent in trying to look for one. Haze and even scattered clouds can make it possible for a hazardous plane to not be visible. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  25. darkwing
    It doesn't make any difference. Just jump. Really. Stop worrying about it. If you want my vote though, I say do AFF. JUMP!! -- Jeff My Skydiving History