bobsoutar

Members
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Content

    289

  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Feedback

    0%

Everything posted by bobsoutar

  1. bobsoutar
    Felt s**t scared until I got comfortable with 10 second delays and much happier on 20 seconds. Messed up my first freefall and finally got off the S/L for good after 14 jumps. Would have progressed faster if I had done a tandem - to experience what everything felt like before going onto freefall progression. Hope your blacking out isn't a medical problem. Might be worth seeing a doctor to make sure! Blooos - Bob.
  2. bobsoutar
    I did read the rest of the thread and was trying to give a simple answer to the guy who asked (ie without all the physics, vacuums, objects dropping off the Leaning Tower of Pisa etc. etc.) For a sub-terminal opening the canopy obviously needs to be deploying and slowing you down before the 12 seconds are up. For an AFF qualifying jump the student is normally briefed to pull at 3-5 seconds (which is obviously sub-terminal but doesn't answer the original question).
  3. bobsoutar
    Empuriabrava expect you to stow your own brake lines when you lay it down for the packers. I know you were on aff but even so if you see they are all twisted up, untwist them - 'cos the packers get paid peanuts there and are under pressure to get a lot done in a short time. And you don't want to be concerned in the plane or during your jump about how your chute is going to open.
  4. bobsoutar
    Just trying to keep it simple for an AFFie! You're right though.
  5. bobsoutar
    I do a fair amount of CRW and if a canopy is going to hit me from any angle I spread arms and legs wide. Microlines are nasty whatever you do. They are likely to be nastier if they are wrapped around you with the weight of another jumper underneath than hitting you in the first place. In a microline wrap situation (assuming sufficient altitude) the person who has wrapped you up should cutaway immediately.
  6. bobsoutar
    You reach terminal velocity (approximately 120 miles per hour if you are flat/belly flying) after 12 seconds in freefall. Anything less than 12 seconds is sub-terminal.
  7. bobsoutar
    Anyone know what openings are like on a Cobalt at sub-terminal (ie a hop and pop). Friend of mine has ordered one (loading at 1.75) and wants to know.
  8. bobsoutar
    Go for the Protrack! You are only going to buy one once and everyone I know is very happy with them. Only complaint that I have with mine is that you have to have 6 seconds in freefall for it to log a jump - so CRW jumps have to be added into it manually when I do them.
  9. bobsoutar
    I jump an Icarus Extreme FX. It is a tri-braced canopy unlike the Ninja which just has a tri-braced nose. A closer alternative to the Ninja would be the Cobalt (by Atair) or the Crossfire (by Icarus).
  10. bobsoutar
    I thread them through with a packing tool.
  11. bobsoutar
    Speed reserves don't seem to be widely used although I haven't heard any adverse comments about them. The French "Techno" and South African "Tempo" both have small pack volumes and are widely used in Europe.
  12. bobsoutar

    Drunk Pumpkin!

    bobsoutar replied to hooked's topic in The Bonfire

    Probably after Phils contribution (best comeback line ever) last week!!! Attached to save you looking it up. BEST COMEBACK LINE EVER.doc
  13. bobsoutar
    Quick tip to add to all the aaaarrrrcccchhhh advice. Practice the drills in full kit while lying face down on the ground (can't de-arch doing that), make sure that the legs and upper body stay in position and that only the hands and arms move. Tell him good luck!
  14. bobsoutar
    In the UK we tend to refer a hop and pop as the same as a clear and pull (ie hop out and pop the chute open). My answer was to a guy who can get between 4,000 and 6,000 easily but often can't get max. The CRW was a suggestion as something else that could be done (and fun) from that altitude range.
  15. bobsoutar
    Electra doesn't normally have a reputation for slamming. If you are jumping camera I would try a slightly larger slider on it.
  16. bobsoutar
    Yes. The main thing that is likely to put you off heading is your weight distribution in the harness though. The other possibility is packing - if you have a partial twist below the slider it is most likely line stows (wrong bungees etc.), above the slider is most likely to be the way the nose is packed. A hop n pop (preferrably video'd from the aircraft) would give you more time to watch the opening sequence if packing is the problem. Still reckon it's body position though!
  17. bobsoutar
    Sounds like body position. Check your leg straps (are they exactly the same length when tightened), fix a heading on the ground during pull and deployment and try to maintain it keeping arms and legs spread wide until it's opened. After a while you will get to notice any difference in pressure on the leg straps and be able to control the openings a bit better with slight weight shifts.
  18. bobsoutar
    If you can afford it, get a kill line straight away for lots of good reasons already mentioned. If you get into the habit of packing a bungee (ie don't need to cock it) you may forget to cock the kill line type when you get one. This happened to one of our jumpers a couple of weeks ago and was fortunately noticed before she boarded the aircraft - she missed the load (and a pilot chute in tow).
  19. bobsoutar
    Your coach should be able to sort that one out for you and help you with your canopy control and landings. Plenty of WARP coaching available at Nethers if you need it.
  20. bobsoutar
    Completely agree if that is your situation. How about trying some CRW - you will get about 4 minutes working time from 6,000?
  21. bobsoutar
    Not much point in doing them for the sake of it. You probably wouldn't get many more in than if you go up to altitude anyway. I did quite a few during 4 years as a static line instructor (as the students like to see you jump as well as them) and now do about 50 a year (mainly CRW jumps). Do a few to gain the confidence of knowing that you can do them when you need to (low cloud base etc.) and get the license when the time comes.
  22. bobsoutar
    Wasn't hacked out, it was hacked off which means "bored and fed up with" here in the UK. Good luck at the weekend - sure you will do brilliantly! Bob.
  23. bobsoutar
    You seem to have had plenty of advice for loops - remember that they are primarily there so that you build confidence in you ability to recover to a stable position, so have fun and arch until you get "blue up & green down" again afterwards. Hop n pops are great. You get lots of well wishers on the way up, a nice soft opening and the sky to yourself for canopy control and landing. Just run through the drills with your instructor and force yourself to do what you are told to do - then buy beer for everyone who will listen to your tales of derring do! Good luck!
  24. bobsoutar
    Especially on a Crossfire, right! So why buy one?
  25. bobsoutar
    No, thats why it's a rule of thumb! Amazed you have such short brake lines though, don't you find it affects your front risering?