garywainwright

I believe the PD factory team don't use stock velocities (aparently they have an 'e' line and extra thin HMA) Do the icarus and precision teams use stock VXs and Xaos27s? gary http://www.garywainwright.co.uk Instagram gary_wainwright_uk

I was talking to Scott Miller from PD who told me that the only PD canopy that gets back best from a long spot on rear risers is the velocity - on all other PD canopies you are better of on brakes. We had this conversation before the katana was released. http://www.garywainwright.co.uk Instagram gary_wainwright_uk

i did a few jumps on a radical 95. Very nice canopy - katana esque. Not cross braced or air locked - the only unusual thing was that the end cells were slpit into 3 rather than 2 - a bit like the original BTs http://www.garywainwright.co.uk Instagram gary_wainwright_uk

Something like that! The UK sent 5 competitors to Perris in the Pro class and we all qualified. In the UK this year we have only been able to complete 1 meet due to weather! We have quite a simple entry criteria. Swoop succesfully 3 times out of 6 down a 150 ft course with 10ft entry gates and you can compete. We have a red and yellow card system for trying to keep things safe. The meets are very friendly with typically about 5 - 10 people there. Chris Lynch organises the events. We do need BPA approval to go to the world cup and i think we have 7 guys in the Pro class and 2 in advanced. At least 4 of these guys live outside the UK. Progress is a little slow (the BPA woudn't let us have a nationals this year) but we're having fun! If anyone is interesting in competing in the UK next year i'll post the dates as soon as i know them. http://www.garywainwright.co.uk Instagram gary_wainwright_uk

Could you post a pic of his bracket on an optic? http://www.garywainwright.co.uk Instagram gary_wainwright_uk

For a while i had 2 identical Javelins - one with full rings and one without. I always felt that the one without responded best to harness turns. http://www.garywainwright.co.uk Instagram gary_wainwright_uk

I started 'swooping' with 250 jumps. By that i mean i started coming in on double fronts in a straight line on a sabre loaded at 1.3. I did this for a long time before doing any sort of turn. J3zz - i see you jump at Nethers - get some advice off Al Macartney - one of the few PST Pro rated guys in the UK. Also get on one of Chris Lynchs Wing Tips seminar next year (Chris is also PST Pro rated). Both these guys can give you very good advice. Have fun! http://www.garywainwright.co.uk Instagram gary_wainwright_uk

My computer was full of rubbish so i decided to start again! I've done a clean reinstall of my OS (win 2000) but have already hit a problem. All audio and video plays at about double speed - obviously a problem for making my end of year video! I haven't been able to find out anything about this problem from friends or the net. The only thing that works properly is windows CD player. Even the little windows sound effects play back fast (like when you open a document ar recieve new email) Sorry if this shouldn't be posted here but help! http://www.garywainwright.co.uk Instagram gary_wainwright_uk

I started with about 250 jumps on a Sabre 150 loaded at 1.3 At this point i started coming in on both front risers in a straight line and did this for a long time before i started turning. My progression has been very slow by some peoples standards. I started doing 180s at about 1100 jumps and before this i had done about 400 90 degree turns. I'm glad i took so much time on the smaller turns as i believe this is where you 'get your eye in' and this helps when you really blow it later on! Also do lots of jumps on each canopy - i have 3200 jumps and have only owned 4 canopies Don't rush, be safe and have fun! http://www.garywainwright.co.uk Instagram gary_wainwright_uk

You can get the sima 15mm for £297 in the UK from London Camera. I found it on Kelkoo at http://shopping.kelkoo.co.uk/sitesearch/go.jsp?offerId=12545uk165&orw still a bit more £ but less hassle. Hope this helps! I'm jealous have fun! http://www.garywainwright.co.uk Instagram gary_wainwright_uk

Nice set up - does that work OK having the stills landscape with the flash in portrait? http://www.garywainwright.co.uk Instagram gary_wainwright_uk

"Because usually physical damage isn't covered. Plus, who wants the down time?" My warranty covers accidental damage including skydiving and cost £120 - Most people have 2 cameras if they are doing it with any seriousness so downtime isn't an issue http://www.garywainwright.co.uk Instagram gary_wainwright_uk

Its one of the best quality single chip cameras i have ever seen and its bullet proof. Very big and heavy though by todays standards. http://www.garywainwright.co.uk Instagram gary_wainwright_uk

My PC10 (yes they still exist) has over 1200 jumps and i don't have it in any sort of box or cover. Also i jump in England mainly where we get lots of bad weather. Its top mounted though so doesn't get riser strikes. Its shut down about 5 times always after the jump - never missed anything with it. If it does shut down just take the battery off for 10 minutes and the camera seems to forget theres a problem (it also forgets any settings you may have!) Why spend $200 on a protective box thats probably camera specific when you can get a 3 yr warranty for about the same price that covers accidental damage? Have fun! http://www.garywainwright.co.uk Instagram gary_wainwright_uk

It looks to me like the stills camera doesn't stick out anywhere near as much as a side mounted PC camera would - nice set up! http://www.garywainwright.co.uk Instagram gary_wainwright_uk

Both canopies are reviewed in the UK skydiving mag. Go to www.skydivemag.com the pilot is in the April 2004 issue and the safire is in the December 2003 issue. Both are review by alastair macartney who is PST Pro rated and on the UK swoop team. I normally jump a velocity but was interested in buying a more docile canopy for my 2nd rig mainly for camera so i would have the 'best of both worlds'. I've got about 100 jumps on a spectre 135 and really like it but find the openings sometimes snap a little at the end ('ve been told if you reline them with dacron then this doesn't happen) I'd heard good things about the safire 2 and liked it (i jumped a 139) but the openings didn't love up to my expectations. I would sat the safire is slightly more radical (elliptical) than the pilot but for me the pilot wins on the openings. I have now jumped the pilot 132, 124 , 117 and 104 and it is the best opening canopy i have ever jumped. Its also a lot of fun to fly with a nice swoop at the end. For what i want its the best canopy out of these 3 - i will probably get a 132 (that puts me at 1.6 wingloading) The front riser pressure is nice and light and manageable which makes them fun to swoop. These canopies are not as radical as a stiletto but still very quick if you load them (the 104 was a blast) and in terms of high performance they are a long way behing the Crossfire2 and katana. The thing to do is read the reviews, and then test them. Ask yourself what you want from the canopy then make an informed choice. At your experience i would jump the 132 first. Have fun - hope this helps! http://www.garywainwright.co.uk Instagram gary_wainwright_uk

Apparently you may get problems with sigma lenses over 18 months old - but sigma will rechip them free of charge (so i've been told) Canon have released a 10-22 zoom for about £650. Not sure how big it is though. Can't wait to get my 20D! http://www.garywainwright.co.uk Instagram gary_wainwright_uk

I did a bunch of jumps on a safire2 and thought it was a very nice mid range canopy. If thats the sort of thing you are after though don't part with your cash until you have tried a pilot by aerodyne - the best opening canopy i have ever jumped, and a load of fun to fly. Have fun! http://www.garywainwright.co.uk Instagram gary_wainwright_uk

It didn't look like Spectra. It had that yellowish tinge that vectran / HMA has. I think the old Blue tracks split the outer cells into 3. Anyway it was great fun to fly with lovely openings! http://www.garywainwright.co.uk Instagram gary_wainwright_uk

Has anyone else jumped or heard of this? I put about 10 jumps on a 95 a few weeks ago and really liked it - it was very Katana ish. Its not X braced or airlocked - the only different thing to look at is the end cells are split into 3 rather than 2. Also i think it had vectran lines. The guy who lent it me couldn't tell me much about it (he actually thought he had an Onyx!) Its the smallest non X braced i've jumped and was very nice at a 2.35 loading, lovely openings, light fronts with heavy ish rears. I tried contacting Atair but they haven't got back to me. http://www.garywainwright.co.uk Instagram gary_wainwright_uk

I've sometimes found the openings a little bit snappy. It snivels for a while then snaps open. I'm told that the best opening spectres are those lined with dacron - as used by Bruno Brokken, Craig O'Brian and Tony Hathaway to name but a few. The best opening canopy on the market that i have jumped at the moment is the Pilot by Aerodyne, lots of fun to fly too! http://www.garywainwright.co.uk Instagram gary_wainwright_uk

Is anyone actually jumping this yet? I know Ray Dutch was talking about it a while agobut i've heard nothing since. http://www.garywainwright.co.uk Instagram gary_wainwright_uk

I've done NTSC to PAL and again it was fine to view on the camera but the image was just black & white when i tried to watch it on a TV http://www.garywainwright.co.uk Instagram gary_wainwright_uk

I have some experience on an FX109 and Xaos21-108. The Xaos riser pressure was much lighter (apparently one of the advantages of non cascaded lines). The Velocity 111 seems lighter than both of these and the 103 is definately lighter. The only VX i have jumped is a 104 and was very heavy. http://www.garywainwright.co.uk Instagram gary_wainwright_uk

My Velocity is the best landing canopy i have ever jumped on a straigh in approach. Of course this could be because I'm more experienced and have better technique than when i used to jump a 220 Raider! (No i didn't go from a 220 straight to my velocity!) http://www.garywainwright.co.uk Instagram gary_wainwright_uk