darkwing

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Everything posted by darkwing

  1. darkwing
    Hey, I recognize some of those people, but I can't remember the names. What year was that? I think I'm getting old. I was a N. Idaho jumper back then. wragg SCR-3442, NSCR-695, SCS-2112 -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  2. darkwing
    I try to watch a few loads at a new dz, in addition to the briefing. Often there is a disconnect between the briefing and the reality. Briefings tend to be very quick, and don't sink in well. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  3. darkwing

    Pilot canopy

    darkwing replied to btvr's topic in Gear and Rigging

    I demoed a Sabre2, and bought a Pilot. Openings were an issue. No regrets. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  4. darkwing
    Jumps that have freeflyers and belly flyers doing RW together. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  5. darkwing
    You aren't THAT fast. I jump with several guys in your league, and beyond. Sure, you will need a baggy jumpsuit. The details depend on how flexible you are, your arm reach, etc, but you will do fine with a proper suit from any of several manufacturers. Several of us have been very happy with Bev suits, for people of all sizes. Withmore experience you can be in big demand for hybrid jumps too. These days many jumpers end up with mroe than one jumpsuit - fast and slow RW suits, FF suits, etc. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  6. darkwing
    '69 may have been the year, but I was thinking 70. The backloop didn't come until later though I think. I'm in China now, and don't have access to my old parachutists. I think the first RW at Nats was just a series of non-contact formations... -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  7. darkwing
    In the late 1970's I built a couple of canopies without stabilizers. After some jumps (maybe 50) I put stabilizers on. They flew better with stabs. These canopies were rectangular, about 200 sqft. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  8. darkwing
    In about 1979 I built a few canopies using sail material. In the era of F-111 canopies the difference in packing was severe. The fabric was very nice to deal with during construction. The real reason I used it originally was that it was so hard to get fabric in small quantities. The canopies flew nicely. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  9. darkwing
    As I recall from days even older than me, they were effectively banned because they CAUSED some bounces. Among other things, note that these plugs prevent the ripcord from completely clearing the housing, that is, the ripcord is now attached to the rig. Recall the "Law of unintended consequences". Solving one problem can create others. There are, in my mind, better ways, such as checking the ripcord cable for free travel as part of the pre-flight. I do this on my gear. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  10. darkwing
    You have my sympathy. I lost my beloved home DZ at Christmas (Blue Sky Adventures, St. George, SC). It is a tough thing to go through. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  11. darkwing
    The para-plane femur jump was not his last. He made a few when I was around in the mid-70's. I remember having to run out and catch him in a blanket before he hit. Sorry, I wasn't at that boogie. I haven't jumped in Idaho in 10 years. I sure miss it there though. If I win the lottery I'm moving back. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  12. darkwing
    In addition to what has been said by others, a common cause of brake fires is due to rigging error when the brakes were set during packing. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  13. darkwing
    I suspect that MOST jumpers would hardly notice the difference. I'm not saying there wouldn't be a difference, just that most wouldn't notice. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  14. darkwing
    Thanks Danniel, I followed up on your suggestions and found that there appears to be a skydiving operation in Anyang City, Henan Province. Looking at Google Earth it may be the peagravel pit at 36 07 55 N, 114 20 42 E. I emailed the link at the the website but the email bounced due to a full mailbox. There is a phone number that I will try when I am in China. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  15. darkwing
    I guess this means you saw someone do it recently (or else you did it...) -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  16. darkwing
    Somebody posted something about China, and their National team training a few months ago. It seems to have fallen into the abyss of the broken search function though. I even posted something on that thread so I could find it again later, but everything between 14 January and mid-May has evaporated from search results. I leave for 6 months in central China on Monday (3 July) and I am desperate to find the information that was in that thread (which I wasn't able to find even with a page by page search through the forums). A couple of weeks ago I posted asking for help, but got no responses. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  17. darkwing
    Well, did #10 get in? Walt I believe he did--Herbie was reliable as long as he had his morning beer. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  18. darkwing
    There is only one reason to skydive, and that is because it is fun. Do things that you like to do, don't make it an effort. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  19. darkwing
    Held a 9-way to 1800 ft waiting for #10 to get in. I got open about 800 ft as I recall. Long time ago (in a galaxy far, far away). Actually in Idaho, in 1974. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  20. darkwing
    Have a serious talk with the local S&TA in private... -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  21. darkwing
    Not true on the wheelchair. Wally was ambulatory when I first met him in 1973, when I did my first jump at his DZ. He limped a lot, but I never saw him in a wheelchair. He died of "natural causes" (lots of mileage on him) in about 1987 (I'm pretty uncertain about the year). -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  22. darkwing
    My first response is "what the container manufacturer says" but in absence of that number I'd say 2 inches (5 cm). -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  23. darkwing
    It was certainly a standard phrase when I started jumping in 1973. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  24. darkwing
    I can see someone getting hurt here. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  25. darkwing
    I believe you are correct. The Navy conicals I saw had (or were supposed to have) SOLID vent caps. During my master rigger practical I had to replace one that the owner had removed. -- Jeff My Skydiving History