ZigZagMarquis

DANG! ... and I thought I had successfully deflected the theard away from another DZ.com RSL debate / blood bath...

Good! We don't like girls that "fake-it"...

If a skydiver under a lightly... or highly... loaded canopy fraps-in in the woods, does he... or she... still make a sound?

Ralphy-bands? Dem be them black bands that I have on my d-bag (SkyBands)? I guess I'm naughty then, since I have Sabre1 with Ralphy-bands on the d-bag. Hey, just passin' on info... that's what I beleive PD recommended, don't use anything but regular old rubberbands, the small ones, on micor-line... its just a recommendation... kinda like those yellow speedlimit signs on curvy roads... ...

Did I miss something? Aren't there only like 2 or 3 DZs in all of the US where you actually HAVE TO have an AAD to jump there? Now if you want to talk about the general impression amongst skydivers that you should have an AAD... and I'm not saying an AAD is a bad thing, I've got a Cypres in both of my rigs... but as an up jumper, you're still free to choose. As for currency... well, you don't have to be a serious addict that's out at the DZ most every weekend for years on end... like me... ... but I don't think y'all can be a once in awhile "jumper" like a once in awhile "skier" or "snowboarder" e.g. half a dozen times or less a year and be safe to yourself... unless maybe at one point during your jump carrer you racked up hundreds or thousands of jumps and then went into a 30 or 40 jump a year mode.... JMO.

I know some folks that have one... but the last I saw one for sale was at Perris like 10 years ago. Bummer... I kinda miss all the "black deathy" type t-shirts that you used to see.

Hey! Cool!! I learned something new today!!!

Yes yes, you're right, I was just feeling all whitty, didn't mean to be not serious and all... You're correct. Line stows can significantly influence how a canopy opens. I believe PD published something several years ago saying one should only use small rubber bands for micro-line... no tube-stows... no Ralphy-bands... just the regular ol' small rubber bands. I think the article is still out there on PD's web-site somewhere.

I'll opt to land out and into the wind rather then follow someone downwind in 0-5, if its enough to move a flag or wind-sock, its enough to pay attention too and set-up your landing into the wind, and, again, I'll land out so I don't have to listen to the zoomies bitchin' about first person down sets the pattern that just downwinded the whole load no matter how slight the breeze... guess its just too many years of jumpin' at Cal City where you respect and learn to jump in wind or pay lots of medical bills... intentional downwind landings in anything more then that, well, I don't think that very wise and I'll leave it at that... and, sorry, you're right on the "other thread thing"... Awh heck, can't resist... Soooo, up for any "intentional power line landings" there Bill... ???? Anyway.... ---- On Topic ----- AChick, are you going to jump that Monarch or not? If you do, let us hear about your experience!

If you use a packer, best box him or her up and send them with too.

Replacing zippers in jumpsuits SUCKS!!! I always get really really PISSED when I have to do one... even though I'm not the fastest sewer in the world, I usually enjoy doing it... except for ZIPPERS!

Can one of ya'all Perris-ites out there in the verse give me a dump on how they "handicap" things during the Iron Crank to get a level field between more and less experienced teams? I understnad the concept, but don't know exactly how its done... i.e. how is each teams handicap calculated? Yeah, I could call down to Perris, but its 2215L here in SoCal and I doubt anyone will answer the phone at this time...

The 12 Days of Jumping

"Intentional downwind landings... " I've never been a fan of going out and doing that on purpose... just know how to deal with em / they'll come in time. Anyway, I realize you're probably not looking for someone to tell you do this, don't do that, but I have to admit, I'm a bit leary of seeing you jump a Monarch at your experience level... although... given the size Monarch in question / how much you'll load it... I suppose its not a really bad call. You may hate the openings, like a lot have said and best find someone that's packed one a lot and you may find the landings to be fast... err... sorry... there I go... its a guy thing... doh! Anyway, good luck, be careful. Let us know how it goes...

Probably over-kill, but I'd replace the Slinks.

I'm demoing a 190 spectre right now, but I have to return it to PD. So either I jump the 170 spectre I bought or jump the 195 monarch. What would your wing loading be on the Spectre 170? Have you jumped it yet? How have you been doing on the Spectre 190?

Hey, it's not quite a Nova!! Close but not. Micl. I acually know a guy who still jumps a Nova! He took the "Nova" labels off of the end cells to keep from catching shit about it.

ummm... and can I buy some life insurance on you with me as the benifactor... Okay, sorry, that was a bit harsh.

... oh, and avoid turbulance.

Huh, I think the last Swift I packed was one of the old 5-Cells with the fly-away break lines... yeah, those are always fun for conversation the first time a "young rigger" unpacks one of those for I&R in the loft...

Well, my opinion, generally speaking, I discount any visual differences as a strong case for the two not being similar or maybe even the same... kinda like saying a "blue" pair of Denim pants is different from a "black" pair. Anyway, while I'm not qualified to argue the chemistry involved here, both the sources you posested and then ones I did place Kevlar and Technora in the same Aramid family of man-mane fibers. And also, like you say, Kevlar has seen limited use on Reserves... to which I'll add, seems Kevlar has fallen out of favor as a main canopy suspension line material, thus, one wouldn't want to equate the use of HMA (or Technora) as material for main suspension lines when, in lay terms, its pretty much the same stuff... just more fracture / fatigue resistant (i.e. "better suited to repeated flexing"). We digress... but what the heck... another thing I think I've learned about man-made fibres is to not be fooled by differences in Trade Names as they can be different manufacturer to manufacturer. You need to drill back to the generic names which designate the fiber's chemical category to see what / where they really "come from". Example.. Spectra... Polyethylene... not a whole lot different then the milky white plasic milk jug you probably have sitting in your fridge right now... and those suspension lines many of us have on our mains... so... think "GOT MILK" the next time you're going through 2.5K and pitch your pilot chute!

They've actually slightly increased the coating on their Spectra suspension lines!!!!????!!! I wish they'd increas it MORE!!! PD lines almost seem to be "attracted" to the hook side of Velcro!!!... like some irresitable cosmic force yet to be understood by Physics!!! All kidding aside, seriously now, I mean, I think PD Reserves are primo... I've got one... got one ride on it... worked great... bought my rigger a case of his favorite beverage... ...

Because it's not Kevlar. Kevlar is more yellow than HMA, and doesn't handle wear as well. They're closely related, but not the same. And you know this how? Come-on show your work... please.

Yes Yes! Think Stilletto!... more so then Sabre1, IMO. Have fun!!!

Ah... I take it back... I guess HMA is Kevlar! http://www.fibersource.com/f-tutor/q-guide.htm#top ... go down the page a bit and under ARAMID, hit "Trade Names"... ... or hit this... http://www.fibersource.com/f-tutor/q-guide.htm#ARAMID QED Wonder why Precision would call it HMA and not the more commonly used name, Kevlar??? hmmmm...