darkwing

Members
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Content

    2,354

  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Feedback

    0%

Everything posted by darkwing

  1. darkwing
    The last lever is a factor of two, so its absence will double the friction. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  2. darkwing
    So, did you give it to your son? I may look him up in a few years and tell him daddy owes him $100. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  3. darkwing
    I am on the faculty of a university, and I hate to see people wasting time and money being in school when they don't want to be. Quit school and do anything else rather that being in school and hating it. Go to school when you want to, not sooner. The large majority of faculty I know feel similarly. I took an 8 year break and ended up being a 26 year old freshman. I still got a PhD though, and I have no regrets about my path. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  4. darkwing
    "Beer"! I note the phrase in the 1935 article about the brothers: "They never dropped the rip-cords of their 'chutes either. Among jumpers it's a custom, if one drops his rip-cord, to TREAT other members of his school or club." So "beer" in skydiving has been around a long time. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  5. darkwing
    Can someone post a URL when the pics are up? Edited to add: I know Jeff Wragg -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  6. darkwing
    it is easier because it is more important to you. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  7. darkwing
    was the bag made of cotton or nylon? -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  8. darkwing
    I think each tunnel section would suffer significant changes in speed due to the actions of the flyers in the other segment. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  9. darkwing
    Don't worry about the holes being a tear line. Go ahead and let if out if you need to. The holes would only represent a weakness if the threads in the fabric around the holes were broken. Proper sewing does not break the threads, it only pushes them aside. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  10. darkwing
    safety, safety, safety.... Everything else is fluff. These are tips especially for relatively inexperienced loads: One thing you can do is stay in the center (assuming no camera) and watch everyone track, because it is likely you will have a couple of poor trackers. Tell them what to do if they go low on the formation. (because someone will) Tell them what to do if the exit funnels. (because it will) practice the line up and count. If you plan more than one point, make sure that they know you may key the transition even if everyone is not in. safety, safety, safety... -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  11. darkwing
    I started on static line many years ago, and there was definitely an anxiety bump when I hit freefall. One big advantage you have compared to a person just making a first jump that is freefall is that you are already comfortable with the canopy part of the jump. The extra anxiety is normal. Approach it like you approached your first jump. Recognize the anxiety, and attack it with the training you have. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  12. darkwing
    clicky -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  13. darkwing
    If I borrow a rig from a friend, I assume the same responsibility as if it were my rig. As mentioned above, If I jump their pack job I assume the risk as if I had packed it myself. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  14. darkwing
    Come on down! I'm organizing small-ways and you can be on them! Unfortunately, it appears you will have to hitch a ride with spence. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  15. darkwing
    Can you go there and make a jump or two on the "new" gear before the canopy course begins? That will familiarize you with the gear and the area. If you can't jump, then at least some time with the rig on... -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  16. darkwing
    Here are the very informative results of a quick search... and yes, the USPA doesn't make the rule, the FAA does. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  17. darkwing
    He was definitely a big gun. Anyone jumping a camera back in the 60's was way cool. I assume that is a 16mm gun camera? Definitely no pilot chute in that reserve. I have jumped them, but never had to use one. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  18. darkwing
    *** ... * No, this is in fact the NEWEST DC~3! It was made about 5 years or so AFTER production stopped. It was commissioned by the Government as a transport for one of the Rockefellers who was Secretary of State (or some such thing) at the time, so he could head south of the Equator on a 'good will' type junkit... He requested NEW a DC~3 because of its reliability, and wanted extra soundproofing...and large 'bay' windows, as well as sleeping & cooking facilities. At least that's what some old guy standing next to her told me... I don't know how Continental came to own it...but it's always down in the 777 hangar at Bush airport. I found a web site that claims it was built in 1940, and delivered to American Airlines... -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  19. darkwing
    I'll get you for this. But you already knew that. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  20. darkwing
    It is still an event/thing to do that is popular among many skydivers, old and young. Here is a page which includes some video. Kallend's 10-way -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  21. darkwing
    I agree with Beezy. That is what I found out when building canopies in the late 1970's, and while modern elipticals, etc., change things a bit, I don't think they change things much. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  22. darkwing
    I seem to recall Bill Booth posting unequivocally that dacron lines make for mellower openings. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  23. darkwing
    The rigger in me says do nothing to the frays. Hot knifing them only further weakens the rib. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  24. darkwing
    I was strongly influenced by altruistic aspects of the sport when I started jumping, and I don't want to further increase the ways we suck money out of novices. I do lots of organizing and casual coaching for novices, and don't want to become part of the formal structure for separating them from their money. I am not saying that I couldn't benefit from some formal training to do what I do anyway, but I don't want to invest my time, money and effort in the process. I just like to jump, and to help out beginners, and non-beginners. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  25. darkwing
    He is coming off a bad break (fell off a ladder), and even a soft landing on uneven ground could be a problem. Best to be extra cautious. He has a Pilot 168 and loads it about 1.2 I think, maybe less. Thanks to all for your excellent suggestions. I have passed them on. There are two or three excellent candidates for his new boots. -- Jeff My Skydiving History