darkwing

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Everything posted by darkwing

  1. darkwing
    No real help from me, but you do get a comment. I suspect that the fatality statistics will be relatively easy to get. The problem is how do you compare them? By number of participants, by frequency of participation, by jumber of .... For example. Considering bowling fatalities-- do you consider someone with 100 jumps to be an equivalent participant to someone with 100 bowling games, or is it 100 frames, or is it 100 nights of bowling.... I too am interested in the statistics, as I can probably twist them in arguments with people who say I shouldn't skydive. I recall having read many risk comparisons, and they all suffered from comparing apples to oranges. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  2. darkwing
    put glue on the inside of the clear tubing, put in some sand and shake it around. Dump out excess... -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  3. darkwing
    Hasn't Booth's patent expired? Kudo's to him for his generosity with it. I don't see where the Cazer patent number is relevant to kill-line stuff, but I didn't read it thoroughly. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  4. darkwing
    Most suit manufacturers can build a suit for a target speed range. Talk with the mfr. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  5. darkwing
    tygon tubing? Sealed with silicon caulk? See the tubing at Lowe's -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  6. darkwing
    there may be a patent issue that prevents him from marketing them. If Cazer reads this thread your pal may get a letter soon. I'm not sure what the patent details are though. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  7. darkwing
    You've got me really confused here. I was sure the first response was just what you were asking about.... -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  8. darkwing
    I'm definitely in the $2500 camp. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  9. darkwing
    Interesting. Do you think the nut on the link ripped the riser during opening? This might happen if the link was oriented sideways, with the nut inside the riser. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  10. darkwing
    Avoid hard turns, which will speed things up and increase the drag on the PC.... -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  11. darkwing
    It just occurred to me that there is an interesting (to me at least) historical perspective to this discussion. When I started jumping I was required to have 30 jumps before they would let me jump a paracommander, and I think the same before they would let me jump a piggyback rig (that means the main and reserve containers both on your back!). I tend to be in the camp of having a wing-loading BSR, but then I'm a very conservative jumper. (Not in the political sense) -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  12. darkwing
    aha! I remember the spar problem, so that must be the right plane, and I did log it correctly. After all these years I am way better off trusting what I write in the logbook, rather than my memory. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  13. darkwing
    I prefer to use the word "controllable" rather than steerable. I have had several cases of non-perfect canopies, and the first thing you do is evaluate controlability, particularly the flare. There is a term, "deteriorating flight control" which should scare you into the conservative approach, i.e., cut away unless you are 100% certain that you can safely land the canopy. There have been many cases where things got worse as you get lower, rarely will they get better. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  14. darkwing
    Do you have any idea how many skydivers (and others) named Fast Eddie there are? -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  15. darkwing
    Thanks. We all appreciate it. I already knew that tomorrow would be perfect, since we have no airplane until sunday at my DZ. We'll either get winded or rained out on Sunday. -- -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  16. darkwing
    The DH Heron certainly exists, see for example here and here2 But I don't remember it, although it looks to be consistent with my having done 15-ways out of it. Anyone else ever jumped it? -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  17. darkwing
    I've been going through my logbooks (30 years, 2000+ jumps) and tabulating things. It has been very interesting, and made me very glad I logged diligently. Anyway, my logbook says that I jumped a DeHavilland Heron, in Moberly, Missouri, in 1985. I don't remember it, and when I look up that aircraft on the web it doesn't ring a bell either. What I find on the web is a large, 4-engine thingy. Does anyone remember jumping such an airplane? My logbook says I did a couple of 15-ways out of it. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  18. darkwing
    I haven't enclosed it in something else, as it sits upgright in my rigging kit. Maybe I will add some extra protection just in case my kit gets overturned. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  19. darkwing
    I believe you would be better off jumping your regular canopy rather than switching to something you know less well--in the interest of some illusory safety factor. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  20. darkwing
    At a competition I have always made it a practice to forget about a dive that was over and only think about the next dive. I have never been on a team that even briefly discussed a jump afterwards. Discussions and post-dives aplenty in practice though. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  21. darkwing
    actually I miss my b-12 snaps. I could adjust them, tack them in place, and they stayed right where they were best for many jumps. Not like the continued adjustments of modern harnesses. I'm not entirely sure what you are describing, but it sounds like it is just the tacking that is coming loose. Usually the b-12 snap itself had a friction adapter integrated into the snap (hook) part. Have a rigger look at it. If it is just tacked into place, then adjust it for yourself and retack it. The running end of the webbing is most likely folded over a couple of times and sewn down with a heavy duty sewing machine, using heavy thread. If that is what is loose, then you need someone with a harness machine to re-sew it. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  22. darkwing
    Not as bad as they could have made it. Don't get me wrong though. I think they are 90% fascists, and 10% protectors of the public safety. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  23. darkwing
    I wouldn't rush into weights. As mentioned above, go for a very fast suit, and work on technique (i.e., arching) first. If and when you do go for weights I recommend a belt, rather than a vest. I agree with the view that there are actual aerodynamic advantages to a belt. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  24. darkwing
    I did two of them, to help out aspiring pals who were getting tandem rated. The first one was scary as hell, and uncomfortable. The second one was just uncomfortable. I think my tandem career is over. -- Jeff My Skydiving History
  25. darkwing
    supplex is a specially finished nylon. It has a cotton-like feel to it. It is widely used in camping/hiking clothing. -- Jeff My Skydiving History