darkwing

Members
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Content

    2,354

  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Feedback

    0%

Everything posted by darkwing

  1. darkwing
    Most posters have a very narrow view of cinema history. I'm surprised nobody mentioned the venerable "Plan 9 from Outer Space" which is often at the top of real "worst all-time film" lists. Mostly this discussion is a validation that we are individuals. I liked "Unbreakable" very much. I also liked "Moulin Rouge," which was very stylized. I hated "Gone with the Wind." -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  2. darkwing
    Yup. Tried them too. No luck. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  3. darkwing
    I tried that, but was told those two are an illusion. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  4. darkwing
    I've done my comparison shopping, and demoed the competition, and settled on the Pilot. I've searched far and wide, but it seems there isn't a single Aerodyne Pilot 168 in stock in the entire USA. Does anyone know otherwise? -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  5. darkwing
    I think the 1968 version required a beacon to fly to. The current ones are gps I bet. No beacon needed. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  6. darkwing
    You are still a youngster. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  7. darkwing
    EVERY dropzone is beautiful from 14,000 feet. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  8. darkwing
    The deal has come together, so I'm in for LP again... Amazon Billvon Girlfalldown Karenmeal (with Jeff in tow) SeaKev Shell666 sunshine TallGuy vdschoor Wingnut BirdWoman (come join the flock!) Michael Bess EricTheRed Billy Jumpervint Darkwing -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  9. darkwing
    My I-45 fits my PD-176R and my Spectre 190 perfectly. I had a Sabre2 170 in it also. The Sabre2 is a bit smaller than the spectre. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  10. darkwing
    My estimate is that I would have been comfortable jumping in a couple of weeks. I wasn't jumping at the time so I can only estimate. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  11. darkwing
    It is possible the lines were messed up by disintegrating rubber bands. Personally I wouldn't worry about it if the manufacturer gave it a clean bill of health. From a purely emotional perspective though, if you strap it on you had better be 100% confident in it, so if you think you will have nagging doubts, don't buy it. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  12. darkwing
    That is a good example of a VERY common landing error. I see it all the time by students and even non-students. I bet if you had been asked, without seeing the video, you wouldn't have been aware of the difference in action of your right and left hands. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  13. darkwing
    I guess the operative phrase here is "as far as I know." Which means you don't really know. Unless I really knew what it was I wouldn't use it. I stick with the manufacturers recommendation, and I don't listen to riggers who have something "better" than the manufacturers recommendation. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  14. darkwing
    Maybe they are in the southern hemisphere, and everything is upside down and backwards there? -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  15. darkwing
    The Sabre and the Sabre 2 are very different canopies, only the names are in common. Another canopy in the same class as the Sabre 2 is the Aerodyne Pilot. I recall that several people who have jumped both a Sabre2 and a Pilot spoke strongly in favor of the Pilot. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  16. darkwing
    Try this thread -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  17. darkwing
    sooner or later you will likely have the opportunity to do something special, say an open field demo, that might require a bigger license. Better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it. Most importantly, your whuffo friends will be impressed with more advanced licences. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  18. darkwing
    Oh god, I'm going to die. I'd guess that half of the mini-risers in use exceed the 200 lb limit, certainly at my DZ. I don't recall hearing this from the manufacturer of my rig (Infinity). I don't argue that mini-risers (type 17) are less strong than traditional (type 8) risers, but I do believe they are strong enough. In this case I'd ask a couple of questions: 1) is there any reason to suspect a manufacturing defect? 2) how old were the risers? 3) Was it a hard opening? This last item is important, since as has been said many times, I WANT my risers to fail somewhat before the opening shock would kill me. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  19. darkwing
    Please correct me if I misremember, but a Volplane was a two surface ram-inflated canopy at the front, and a single surface at the rear. Wasn't there also a valve, rather like a modern air-lock valve, at the rear of the cells? -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  20. darkwing
    sitting in a dark dry box for 18 months is far easier on slinks than being installed and used for 18 months. Look them over, have a rigger look at them, call PD if you get scared by anything. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  21. darkwing
    I was in Bill's presence when he was asked this at Lake Wales a few months ago. My recollection (and I do not speak for Bill), is that among other things it is a TSO issue, and he can't sell reserve mods for other rigs, because the other rigs aren't TSO'd for the skyhook. The short answer is probably "never", unless the other manufacturers incorporate the skyhook into their certifications... That is my take on his response. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  22. darkwing
    The quick and dirty answer is that as density altitude increases, terminal speed increases, and opening shocks get worse (i.e., openings are quicker). Density altitude is a function of temperature, humidity, and alititude. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  23. darkwing
    Note that a vigil and a cypres 2 are both new technology, so a purchaser doesn't have much choice. I'm glad I have a low time cypres 1. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  24. darkwing
    The rigger in me is not at all comfortable using any relatively untried spray-on stuff on my reserve container. I would generally advise others to avoid being the test subects. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  25. darkwing
    I tried to find the etymology of "biff" and didn't find anything useful. Certainly the word has a history going back to the early 1900's, and my father and grandfather used it in the phrase "biff you in the chops" which meant a punch in the mouth. Maybe I'll remember to look it up in the OED (Oxford English Dictionary) and report back. The dictionary.com definition "to strike or punch" is consistent with my father's use, and a very plausible antecedent for the skydiving usage. -- Jeff My Skydiving History