Di0

Yes, sorry, rear RISERS turn. My bad. And if you are facing a canopy collision, I stand my case, rear risers might be the quickest option, meaning you might not have time to unstow your brakes if it happens right after deployment. If you already unstowed your brakes and you're holding them when it happens, yes, I agree toggles. But my grasp of the question was "what if it happens seconds after deployment", in that case I think the best response is turn right with rear risers, also because probably your hands are already holding on your rear risers, since that is the natural reaction to the "deployment yank". I'm standing on the edge With a vision in my head My body screams release me My dreams they must be fed... You're in flight.

Classic Kalman Filtering predictor/estimator problem. I like it! :) Now, one way to improve the way this works would be to throw an IMU into the mix. Now, that will work. But even by using a sold state mini IMU, is it worth the increase in size, weight, power consumption and cost that the new logger would need? I say hardly. But that would reliably solve the problem once and for all, since the logger would be able to detect at any given time the attitude of the flyer, and that will easily distinguish between wingsuit flying and canopy flying (that 100+ mph horizontal speed will easily do the trick). I can see why a kalman filter that can work only with barometric pressure and differential has a hard time detecting configuration changes between wingsuit flying and canopy flying, those having similar flying characteristics over time, if your only data is vertical pressure variation. That being said, I'm very tempted to build my own logger, at the end of the day, that was my job until a couple of years ago. Applied to UAVs, not, well, people. But same concept. The next logical step, is sticking a Pitot Tube on your helmet. I'm standing on the edge With a vision in my head My body screams release me My dreams they must be fed... You're in flight.

Fresh USPA A-Licensed here. I'm standing on the edge With a vision in my head My body screams release me My dreams they must be fed... You're in flight.

Sick works, dude!!! What I have been thinking about for a few months now, is a diving peregrine falcon. I'm standing on the edge With a vision in my head My body screams release me My dreams they must be fed... You're in flight.

Holy shit, what a story. On a related note to this thread. For a new jumper, let's say ~50-70 jumps, which one is better between Hot Air Balloon and Helicopter jumps? They are both similar, meaning you jump into dead air and both "educational" for the other and BASE (but that should be waaaaay down the road to aforementioned jumper, ideally), but which one would you pick to start from? What considerations do you have? Or maybe the jump number is to low to do either of them? Initially, I though hot air balloons were the safer and easier option and I though about trying them first, but now, after reading this, I'm actually reconsidering if Helos first aren't actually a better idea. Or if it really matters at all which one you do first. Any inputs? I'm standing on the edge With a vision in my head My body screams release me My dreams they must be fed... You're in flight.

You will. :) Your body position is great, rock solid, and your attitude is even better. As for reaching the PC without hesitation, in another 5-10 jumps you'll be doing it without even thinking, just like you tie your shoes in the morning, and you'll even wonder what exactly was so hard about it. Enjoy the learning curve, I personally found it so totally rewarding! I'm standing on the edge With a vision in my head My body screams release me My dreams they must be fed... You're in flight.

LMFAO! And also safer, since you have a "backup"! I'm standing on the edge With a vision in my head My body screams release me My dreams they must be fed... You're in flight.

And only 7-8 times the altitude. Not cost effective. LoL I'm standing on the edge With a vision in my head My body screams release me My dreams they must be fed... You're in flight.

The rig moves on your back quite a lot when your falling, compared to when you're standing and/or sitting. Especially student rigs, that never have a perfect fit. That's why a lot of times you end up touching your leg straps instead of the PC handle: you arch hard, your rig moves up and it is higher than your muscle memory remembers. Nothing really to worry about, you'll figure out. If you have doubts, keep reminding your AFF-I that you're not 100% sure about it and that you still want to do 3 practice touches when leaving the airplane, which you have to do anyway in the first few jumps, but then they become 2, then 1, then 0, if you still can't have a solid good muscle memory to the handle, ask to to them every jump. Don't just do them when your instructor is there, as s/he might think you're about to pull and you will freak him/her out, but as long as you tell them before hand, it's all good. The advice to go from your bum to your handle is good. I personally do the opposite, I go to the extreme corner of the rig, which is easy to find without looking, then move the hand a couple of inches lower, and there it is. It's all muscle memory, so there isn't really a "best" way, whatever works for you. But don't worry too much right now, it will come. Oh, and how rude of me... WELCOME! I'm standing on the edge With a vision in my head My body screams release me My dreams they must be fed... You're in flight.

To me, it's more a "I want to get it out of my system" sort of thing, rather than something "I am looking forward to". I'm standing on the edge With a vision in my head My body screams release me My dreams they must be fed... You're in flight.

This! And a big red cross with the words "You are here" somewhere on the ceiling. LOL I'm standing on the edge With a vision in my head My body screams release me My dreams they must be fed... You're in flight.

Well, still high emotional attachment and valuable as "memorabilia", being a "proof" of your first jump ever. I wish I had a little something to show for my 1st Tandem now. And I also agree that I don't see how a chest-mounted camera on a tandem student can pose any significant risk, when the TI is still in charge of everything. Maybe if it was hand-mounted on the student, then yes, since having a student that waves around his camera trying to get the shot, could very well affect the flight. But chest mounted? Nah. I'm standing on the edge With a vision in my head My body screams release me My dreams they must be fed... You're in flight.

Exact same thing my AFFIs told me, when I asked them when is the right time to start using audibles. Answer, especially if you start jumping with other people, as soon as possible. I'm standing on the edge With a vision in my head My body screams release me My dreams they must be fed... You're in flight.

This was my order/rationale: 1) at about 6-7 jumps, clear goggles and logbook, I bought those cheap but kinda nice that are semi-rigid. $20+$10, I though, heck for 30 dollars I buy my first real pieces of skydiving equipment, go for it! These 2 are a nobrainer even if you should get out of the sport soon, no commitment, big deal, that's what I thought back then. 2)a galaxy altimeter, $160, my first "important" part of equipment. I bought this probably around 10-12 jumps, I think I had it for my last AFF jump, mainly to not always fight for student altis, but inside because I think it's cool to wear your own alti! As I was getting to like the sport, I was getting ready to spend more and commit more. 3) When I was about 2 or 3 jumps away from my A, I bought a used full face and a used audible, so I could get to know them and "play" with them on the ground for a few days, before wearing them on the actual jump. I also like the open face feeling, but I got more and more fascinated with RW, and I'd like to be part of a RW 4-way team as soon as my skills allow me to, so my instructor head this and told me to not waste time on an open face, use the school ones until I got my A, and upgrade to a full-face right away. I'll still buy an open face at some point, to get the nice breeze in the face feeling on my solo jumps, but it can wait now. I think I spent around $250 for the closed face and the audible. I like both of them, although I haven't got to use the audible, yet, I think I'll mount it for this weekend of jumping, if I get to do any RW. 4) A Digital Alti-2, N-3, $300. This was kinda of an impulsive buy, absolutely not necessary. But hey, I worked with data loggers on planes for my past job and I had to feed the geek beast that wanted to mount a data logger on myself! I loved the idea of having something that logs my jumps, I'm an engineer and was fascinated by this piece of equipment and the possibility of playing with plots and so on. I should have restrained myself but it's done now and I love my N-3. Also, it's very very much more useful and helpful under canopy compared to the analog, so at least I justify it that way. :D 5) jumpsuit. A good RW jumpsuit. I ordered it a week ago. Unfortunately, every other suit I wear is "baggy" on me and, especially in the tunnel, I have to wear ridiculously short suit so they are not baggy around me, with my instructors we decided to order a "faster" suit so that I can fall comfortably with other people (I tend to fall slower, unless I arch super hard). 6) rig: patiently looking for used rigs as we speak, no rush, the rig is the very last thing you should buy, once you know you'll be doing that for a long time. This is my business plan and so far, it served me well. :D I'm standing on the edge With a vision in my head My body screams release me My dreams they must be fed... You're in flight.

No, but the 2-3 weeks span does. I'm standing on the edge With a vision in my head My body screams release me My dreams they must be fed... You're in flight.

Priceless! :D I'm standing on the edge With a vision in my head My body screams release me My dreams they must be fed... You're in flight.

If this is true, I'd travel with my rig when the reserve repack is almost due and try to look as suspicious as possible. I'm standing on the edge With a vision in my head My body screams release me My dreams they must be fed... You're in flight.

Very interesting documents by uspa on the subject: http://www.uspa.org/USPAMembers/Membership/Travel/WithintheUS/tabid/311/Default.aspx http://www.uspa.org/Portals/0/Downloads/Newsletters/Traveling%20with%20Your%20Rig%20Dec%2009.pdf http://www.uspa.org/Portals/0/Downloads/Other_TSAletter.pdf I'm standing on the edge With a vision in my head My body screams release me My dreams they must be fed... You're in flight.

Dudette :) Your tunnel flying is beautiful, you'll feel so so so much better now doing your freefall. Go get 'em, Tiger! :) (P.S. It's incredible how every maneuvre looks harder when another guy is flying next to you in that small space, uh? But at least the sky doesn't have walls so it's one less thing to worry about). I'm standing on the edge With a vision in my head My body screams release me My dreams they must be fed... You're in flight.

you're doing it wrong Aching would help. Extending your legs a bit would help...your feet were almost to your ass. Well, at least hindsight is 20/20 here. I'm standing on the edge With a vision in my head My body screams release me My dreams they must be fed... You're in flight.

I am the same weight of your GF (well, 5 lbs more, really, but whatever). I am also 4 or 5 jumps away from my license. I have done a canopy class, I have had stand up landings for quite a few jumps now (but really, pretty much since the beginning) and both my instructor and the instructor of the canopy class said they would have no problem at all seeing me on a 170, if I respect the canopy. A 150 seems on the smaller side to me, from my little to none experience. Reading around, I thought I could buy this: http://www.performancedesigns.com/pulse.asp which is supposed to pack a 170 in a 150 bag, so that way I could potentially buy a container that fits 135 and 150, jump a 170 for a couple hundreds jumps, get the 150 and eventually even go to a 135, which means I'll have a container that will last me for, literally, thousands of jumps. But I really haven't given it much more thought that that, I don't even know if the Pulse, size aside, is a good beginner canopy from the point of view of its flight characteristics. That is something I promised to myself to investigate over the winter break. but just my 2c. I'm standing on the edge With a vision in my head My body screams release me My dreams they must be fed... You're in flight.

BEAUTIFUL! I like it!!! I'm standing on the edge With a vision in my head My body screams release me My dreams they must be fed... You're in flight.

Congrats! BEER! I'm with you on that, a part of me wants this 1st cutaway to happen to get it done with, but a part of me still dreads it. When it happens, I hope my 1st one is going to be a clear cutaway with no possibility whatsoever of working it out, so that I won't even think about fighting it and fucking around because I'm too worried to chop. I'm standing on the edge With a vision in my head My body screams release me My dreams they must be fed... You're in flight.

Well, for what is worth, yesterday I did misroute my chestwrap (jumping without having slept in 36 hours and having had anything to eat in 24 is probably not a good idea, the things peer pressure does to you when you show up at the DZ lol), by passing it on top of the clasp instead than inside. Making that mistake is easier than I honestly thought. But as upset at me as I was, since I totally don't recall "doing" the mistake and it stayed that way for some time as I was walking around, I'm at least proud to say that I caught that myself because, after reading this topic, I now check the harness wraps much more carefully and many times. I'm still on student-status, so my coach would have noticed that with a 99.9% chance, but again: glad it wasn't necessary to get to that point. I started doing this "escape from harness test" as soon as I put it on and close my wraps, since I use student rental gear that can be set to a wrong size, I try to sneak my shoulders out of the harness, if I can with some effort, I ask a coach or instructor to tight up my rig, I don't care if they say it's tight enough. If there is no way for me to push my shoulders out of it, I'm happy and I move on with my regular gear check. Yesterday, I noticed something "weird" as I was able to do so, and by looking around the harness, I noticed the problem. I'm standing on the edge With a vision in my head My body screams release me My dreams they must be fed... You're in flight.

The tunnel was probably the most effective tool that helped me get over the "jump anxiety". :) I'm standing on the edge With a vision in my head My body screams release me My dreams they must be fed... You're in flight.