TEric

Wow! Their FF2 looks very cool, virtually snag free. Is anyone using one of these for tandem vids? Does anyone know of any other company that makes a helmet that has a similar profile?

Wow! Must be nice to live somewhere where it doesn't get cold! I have a very vivid memory of watching the DZO plowing the snow off of our runway in mid Dec last winter. It was about -15c (5f) on the ground - I didn't even want to know what the temperature was at altitude. Swooping fresh powder is great though, all the fun of pond swooping except you don't get wet! The only thing I don't like is having to wear gloves -increases the chance of dropping your hook knife and slowing down emergency procedures.

VERY nice! That music gets me going - I really wish the weather here for the weekend was going to be such crap! BTW - was the last guy trying to do a wingover? It's so quick I couldn't see what caused the splash.

Hi All! Looking at the following ad in the DZ.com classifieds, and wondering if anyone could offer any opinions on the following deal as a first camera setup. I would be looking at doing tandem video as well as wearing it for freefly jumps. Oh, what the heck, I'd probably just wear it all the time - until my neck starts to hurt!! The helmet should fit me well, but the I'd have to sell off the suit - I'm 5'7, 155lbs. thanks! Price: $750 Complete video setup! Sony TRV-9 Camera, wide lens, cam eye, brandnew Hawkeye helmet (medium, black), lazer sight, brandnew Tonysuit video jumpsuit (C wing, for 6'1" 190 lbs navy blue with bubble wings), case and more! Don't miss this one!

A) Unfortunately at my home DZ, all experienced canopy pilots are either instructors or tandem masters. I do get feedback when one of them notices me landing which is great, but getting dedicated coaching is out of the question. B) I would love too, and will keep an eye out for one in the area. C) I'll order a copy now - I've heard good things D) I jump as much as possible - land, pack, manifest all weekend long. Typically I get in between 7-14 per weekend depending on load volume. I've done 175 this season (since may), and probably wouldn't even be on the Stilleto if I wasn't that current. p.s. I'm going to go visit mapquest and see how far crosskeys is from Ottawa. I think it's the closest big DZ, maybe a road trip is in order. (you might even have some canopy coaches there, hmm...) Blues

By this you mean to use less pressure on the front riser, thusly increase the amount of time until landing, correct? Unfortunately this seems to also decrease the rate of the dive as well - I surmise that this could work for a smallaltitude adjustment, but not for a large one. I feel like I'm getting about 85% too high, 5% just right, and 10% too low. Frusterating is right. What is everyones opinion on using a digital alti to help determine initiation altitude? Right now I use only the ground, as I don't really trust my analog alti to that level of precision. Most of the work I do is in Toronto, and yes there have been a few occasions where I have built scaffolds that would be good for what you're thinking... I'll send you a pm if anything comes up. Right now I'm in Ottawa building bleachers for the gray cup, the top of the scaff is only 95' or so.

BZZZZZZZ! Try again. By putting the Velo on that list you just dumped your credibility. Oops -my mistake, I was thinking of the Vengence, not the Velo - my bad!

ManBird, I also just noticed this: I know someone who thought getting a canopy with a longer recovery arc would fix his various turn altitude issues, so he downsized and had a hardass PLF (parachute lands first). This is exactly my issue! Getting my 270 starting altitude just right seems be more like gambling than anything else. A little too high, and I plan out early, a little too low and I let off after less than 270 degress, resulting in crosswind landings. By the way, I jump at a small cessna DZ where landing traffic is easily avoided by getting down early or hanging until last - so please don't assume that I am getting in peoples way. If there is any chance of that I will abort and land with a normal pattern. I understand from these posts that downsizing or changing to a more agressive canopy would be a poor choice at this time, so let's change the thread to "what can I do, once I have initiated my turn, and realize that I am too high or too low?" If I can tell right away that I've initiated too low, I can drop the front riser and switch to a toggle turn, or even a flat turn if the situation warrents. I am unclear as to what I can do if I notice early that I am too high (after initiation) I've tried getting on the other front riser while in the turn, but that seems to actually slow down the rate of descent (dives more in a turn than in double fronts, which does make sense) Any tips are appreciated, and your opinions are welcome.

Just replying to move this up in the line - I'd like to know about this as well

I've been jumping a Stiletto at 1.35 for a number of jumps now, and love to fly it, except for a) the openings and b) the 'positive' recovery arc. I would like to try something that dives for a little longer, without getting into a crossbraced canopy as of yet. The canopies that I can think of that fall into this catagory are the Crossfire 2, Samurai, Velocity. Are there others? thanks

Thanks for all the info everyone! I think I'll get new gear just to be safe. Not because of the riser covers, but shortly I'll want to put a 120 in my gear, and then I'm afraid it will be too loose to be safe (I think it was made for a 150, and I've crammed a 170 in it before) If I decide to keep it as a second rig I'll have a look at that tuck tab mod. My rigger did a bridle protection mod for me already, and nothing else seems to be a problem.

I'm in Ottawa now - we're adding 25000 seats to the landsdown stadium, it's going to take us a while!

I'd love to see a video like this! Learning from the mistakes of others is invaluable to us, especially in a sport where your first mistake can also be your last!

Hi all! I've got an older Javelin ('91) that has a bit of a problem with the riser covers coming open. The good thing is that they only seem to open if I do cartwheels from sit - everything else seems OK. As annoying as it is getting slapped in the neck in freefall, I haven't heard of any incidents/injuries that have occured due to riser covers flipping open. Anyone have any stories to tell? BTW - I would just stay away from cartwheels - but the CSPA 'C' CoP requires RT, LT, FL, BL, RCW, LCW from sit in

I'll be spending the next 2 months in Ottawa, working on the temp seating for the 2004 Grey Cup, and want to avoid travelling back and forth to Toronto every weekend. Are there any DZ's close to the nations' capital. I am considering Gananoque, about an hour west, is there anything closer? Thanks

I jump at a cessna dropzone that is very much student oriented. There are many times when I am the only person on the DZ who is not either a student, instructor, tandem master/istress, or vidiot. If I waited around to find a jump partner, there are times were I would get 1 or 2 jumps a day. I get on every load that I can, and if there is someone else on it, all the better. I'll even follow tandems out (with their knowledge and permission)if they don't have video, and fly the video slot for fun. If I end up going alone, there is always something to perfect (right now -sit manouver series in 16s for my 'C' cop) Then of course trying to dial in that swoop!! If you're bored, you're just not challenging yourself - set goals and get up there!

Also jump # 16!! A lineover on my self-supervision checkout jump. When I looked up and saw it, I actually thought 'Those scumbags! I can't believe that THIS is part of the test!' After a moment of cursing my instructors, I remembered my emergency procedures and chopped away. Stuffed the handle down my jumpsuit and landed in the peas (for the 1st time). Once I got down, I headed off to find the gear, but got stopped by some friends who insisted that they would go find it so that I could get on sunset load to do my celebration jump!

I've got a Sabre 150, +/- 100 jumps on it, and it hasn't hurt me yet, knock wood. It does have a slider pocket on it though that probably helps.

Hi - I started jumping at STI in Toronto, now I'm in Australia for a year, just did my first jump in Aus at Sydney Skydivers in Picton, near Sydney

Is there any way I can re-dye the stripes on the main/reserve flaps on a javelin? They have faded from purple,

Hi all Sorry about the subject line - I just couldn't bring myself to start another post entitled "1st Rig", or "Downsizing?" It's finally time for me to stop lurking around as a guest and show myself. I've been jumping since July 27th, and have 38 jumps now. (30 on beat up student gear 260-290 sqft f-111's, 3 on a newish pd 230, 5 on a Sabre 210) Have stood up all except for jumps # 3 & 4 (as radio instructor called flare, downdraft = PLF). Now it's time for me to buy my own gear. I have read countless posts and have come to the following conclusion. I should be looking for a Sabre, Sabre2, Omni, Hornet, Saffire, Saffire2, Spectra, Triathalon, Diablo or Omega at around 170 sqft. Canopies to avoid include Stilleto, Xaos, Vengance, etc.. I am 5'7", 160lbs, DZ elevation +- 750 ft so with gear I should be loading 170 at slightly less that 1.1:1 I realize that the best advise will come from my instructors / coaches, but all input is appreciated. I am strongly considering looking for a rig with a zp 150 main that is roomy enough to allow me to use a 170 for the next 20-30 jumps. Opinions? Also - the market seems a little starved here in southern Ontario - so if you know of anyone in the area who is perhaps selling a suitable rig (safe for freefly/headdown) please let me know. I would like to jump it before I buy, and don't mind travelling (N.F. to Montreal) Thanks, sorry to start another thread on a tired topic, just looking for personallized info. TEric