gunsmokex

Thanks for the great review! Sounds like you might want to shorten your brake lines though? Did you do a toggle stall? If so how long did it take to stall?

Actually I think its a Red Tailed Hawk they are very common the Midwest. Peregrine looks a little different but who knows.

Damn! "Airplanes: 3 Twin Otters (UV-18) and a Sherpa (C-23), all part 91DOD approved carrier"

Here are a couple of ideas for exits. Classic exit our camera guy uses for tandems @ 0:47 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGSahkbKzfU This dive time he dove the door after the 4 way had left out of our 206. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwgR2q8jJgc Once I get back video from our 3 way completion I will try and post it, but our camera flyer hung from the strut. From there I think its mostly just timing. Thing is in our little friendly competition the camera guy actually saved our butts to get us 2nd place and got all of our points on video. The 3rd place team didn't have good video at all and actually had more points but none of their points counted since of course they weren't on video. I'll post it as soon as it arrives in my email.

nicely put Thanks! I entered my 1st 3 way competition last weekend at LSPC. Our team got 2nd out of 3 teams but I did it just for the experience to see what competition was like. But we did launch a phalanx off the step of the 182 and it went great! I was like a 3 way door dive, definitely doing that exit again sometime! But yeah the judges definitely counted that as one of the points. It definitely wasn't pretty though, I had never jumped with these guys before but definitely was a blast. I will try to post video later of our shenanigans :) Anyways it was a ton of fun and my goal is to eventually try some 4way competitions with the Northern Plains Skydiving League. I know I've got a ways to go but with every working jump that I make I gain a lot of knowledge and experience. This week end Redemption Boogie then Lost Prairie! The greatest thing is I will have plenty of beer for both thanks to Sketti and one other that shook my hand on the way to altitude that the "1st point on exit doesn't count" Woot!!

Your friend will be fine with some more jumps, I am confident! Jumpsuits do change a lot, but you hopefully won't go from "so slow it's a problem" to "so fast it's a problem" unless the first suit you buy is really baggy and the second one is made entirely of Spandex. Hang in there, friend of gunsmokex Thanks man he's definitely getting better I just know he gets frustrated when he sinks. Its an amazing feeling when you don't really think anymore about staying on level you just do it and it naturally comes somehow. Its an amazing feeling! I friggin love RW!! Headed off to my 1st 3 way competition today! Really looking forward to the experience and its in kind of a non-competitive contest so there isn't much pressure. Good luck on finding a suit though man but I just wanted to make sure you knew that there are good $75 suits to be had out there. But it'd be a big advantage to hopefully try it on 1st. On another side note, I don't really want to sidetrack your thread or anything but here is a video of my friend Peanut (blue and yellow suit no helmet, he's not the same guy that I was talking about) from Lost Prairie last year. I didn't get to jump much but Peanut is compact and round so he's a pretty good example possibly of your scenario as well. This video frigging rules! Gets my blood pumping every time! I'm so pumped to head back out to Lost Prairie wish all boogies were like LP but then LP wouldn't be as special. Its fun video though and worth the watch :) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VsreXwAemFQ Good luck on the suit man and congrats on the A! You'll only get better from here on out!

Honestly just keep your eyes open for a good used suit, check with other local jumpers or if you go to boogies or other DZ's you will hopefully find a suit. I got lucky and a club member had a Tony Suit that fit me perfectly for $75. Bonus is that it has booties and swoop cords (which if you do buy a suit I'd suggest getting some, basically thumb loops attached to line to tighten material in your arm pits in case you fall low further helping you). I'd look everywhere you can, ask around: friends, club members, boogies other DZ's, but you will want to try it on in person to see how it fits. If all else fails just check FB and the forums but don't overpay for the suit some people seem to want brand new $ for a used suit. Just make sure you buy one with a similar sized and shaped person as you. You will beat up your suit anyways and scuff it up unless $ is no object of course. Truly though in all honestly and take this with a grain of salt as I'm a fairly new jumper you really should find that neutral area in the middle before you consider buying a suit to help you because you fall too fast. Or in other words don't buy the suit to correct your falling fast problem. Fix your problem by learning to fly your body better. There are ways for bigger guys to slow down. Figure out how to fall slower get into a few belly formation jumps and see how you do and then buy the suit trust me you will be a lot happier. I had a friend that bought a brand new suit because he tended to float on jumps so of course he bought a tight fitting suit, well you guessed now he falls below the formation :( I'd be pissed off if I bought a $400 suit and had that happen to me. Don't get too trigger happy, work on your skills keep your eyes open and buy a good used suit.

I'll give this a shot. By "at opening" I assume you mean when you are firmly in the saddle?

Hmm was it the same exit when you did it last year? Wait until you have to hang off of a door on a plane like this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYk9ymMCYtc

Hmm I think someone owes me beer and his name is Sketti!!

I would definitely call in advance if I were you. A friend of mine went out there and didn't get to jump at all during his trip. I don't think he planned out the best though but still I'd call plenty ahead of time.

I think I have mine figured out now had twists pretty consistent for a while, not one or two of them but several. One to the point where I found my cutaway handle checked altimeter and still had plenty of altitude to fix it. I was tucking my risers down too far and they were catching on my reserve tray, now I lightly tuck them down and make sure they are tight when I close my R and L flaps. Almost had a few toggle fires for this reason as well. I think it was accentuated because my canopy (Hornet) always seems to 'search' for a heading as well and I used to fight it, now I stay relaxed making a point to not look up. Once I feel the 'snatch' on my body I cross my feet so I put even pressure on my leg straps to not induce a leg turn. Occasionally though my Hornet will still dart L or R right as the slider touches down no idea why it does it, I just try not to fight it and go with the flow and its sorts itself out quickly. Funny story about this though I was visiting a DZ and told one of their instructors about my line twist problems he gave me some pointers, well guess what his jump was ......a reserve ride because of line twists!!

Well you could do as all of these people say OR be a real man or woman and just jump naked Joking aside if you've ever been snowmobiling and know what 90+mph windchill feels like its not much different you only spend 45 secs or so at terminal which you hardly notice the windchill in freefall as long as you have all of your exposed skin covered. The worst part is under canopy but with some snow on the ground its a tremendous view!! Just layer up with underarmor, thermal underwear, long johns, sweat shirt, windproof light jacket and then put you jumpsuit over the top and you'll be fine. Couple of do nots: DO NOT layer so heavily and tightly that you limit your range of movement for pulling and for your emergency procedures. If you are not going to wear a jump suit over everything MAKE SURE that you have access to you emergency handles. Imagine a high speed malfunction and your reserve handle has sucked up into a loose fitting polar fleece. Truly better off just wearing a jump suit. If you are planning on jumping this winter buy your winter gloves now and make a few jumps with them this fall so you get the feel for them. It'll feel better when you hands have less feeling from the cold and from the gloves as well. This is especially true if you have to hang off the wing of a C-182 or a C-206 that strut can get liquid nitrogen cold as fuck!! Or you could just go to Eloy, Florida or SoCal! Bonus if you can get into a canopy course and knock out your canopy requirements for your B-license and get in some good canopy coaching too. I live in the upper Midwest and we have jumped all months of the year up here, if its above 25^F and the winds are nice we try to get jumps in its a great time. Have fun and congrats on your upcoming A-license.

Yep Lost Prairie is having an angle flying camp Aug 13th-Aug 14th, its also quite a legendary boogie!! Lots of fun in the mountains of beautiful Montana. They have a head down camp and vertical camp as well....among other things

Hmm no your slider should not regularly get hung up. I jump a Hornet as well loaded at about 1:1 or so although I just had a new line set installed and the rigger replaced my slider grommets as well. I'd start there. Mine is the 2001 version and has the big slider as well. I'm glad you like your Hornet though the more I jump mine the more I learn about it. I had some line twist problems with mine but I think it was my packing skills, either way I got it figured out whatever it was but I don't think it was the canopies fault though. Its great for long spots though if you get on the rear risers. However someone mentioned above it does have kind of a flat trajectory, it takes a little bit of getting used to but its all that I know besides the student canopies that I used. I like it though, mines named "Skunk".

Hmm these could be interesting lol! https://darkfingloves.com/darkfin-power-gloves/

I'd like to add a 6th must do 6- cock your pilot chute Not sure if you've seen this but Gary Peek made a video of "outrageous" pack jobs looks like he packed a few slammers in there but here it is :) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i16HryVyRaI

I've been trying to shorten and refine my pack jobs and came across this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bVyAfDEAeU At 1:45 she wraps the tail around the brake lines and what looks like almost even around the D lines. What exactly does this help? Or what problems can it cause? Does anyone do this? This video has a lot of different things going on in it than I'm used to but I guess its all the same principle I like her bagging technique and there are some very helpful tips in the video. Recently I've been having line twist problems or at the minimum a 90^ or 180^ turn and just at the slider gets to the bottom or slaps down. I can correct it quick with rear risers but I still do not like it, did have one major line twist to the point where I touched my cutaway handle as I looked at my alti and then calmed down knowing at had another 1000' to go. Anyways I'm trying to find a compromise between a nice soft opening but yet not inducing a twist so I've really been working on packing different ways to see what my canopy likes. My canopy is a PISA Hornet 170 loaded 1:1. Thought it might be me doing leg turns on full stretch so I crossed my feet and that didn't seem to make a difference. I just had my canopy relined as well. I had another person pack it over the weekend and it opened great and on headed but it was a little bit more firm than I like my bones are getting old and I really do not want to go through another hard opening like I have in the past. I've had others watch my deployment as well so it hasn't been a body position problem I always make sure to get big and actually slow down on deployment and I'm not one to pull in a track like some people I know. Basically I've narrowed it down to my pack job. I might try hiding the front stabilizers under the slider as she does as well and see what that does. Maybe a demo on a Saphire 3 is in my future, we'll see. I'll keep at it and will talk to my rigger as well. Any tips you guys might have I'm all ears too.

Just throwing this out there although it won't help for knees much a stiffer shoe that resists torsion is better for feet. I had been thinking the opposite until I reinjured my old ankle injury last year and told the doc about my situation in skydiving. Just go to any medical equipment facility hospitals usually have them you don't necessarily need a prescription to get medical braces and explain your situation to them. Of course though take a canopy course, even if you have already might as well do another one and practice PLFing, PLF in the bar, PLF walking down the street just PLF all the damn time but well make sure there is grass or if there is concrete wear a helmet...full face...and we want video of this..............good luck!!!

Do all of these things and you will have plenty of $$ for skydiving.

*crickets* I'm curious what the reviews are out there on the Safire 3. Or has no one really been able to get their hands on one?

Can't help you on the cabin, sounds like a great rate though. But I will definitely see you out there! Totally up to you if you want a cabin but I have to warn you that you will be missing the late night shenaningans :) I am counting the sleeps down till Lost Prairie. Epic boogie stay as long as you can!

This is what I did. I always had one leg off. Did the couch thing everyday for a week and the problem was pretty much solved on my next jump. For kicking your legs this might work. You need to relax and not fight the wind. I know a skydiver that once they get into freefall that literally tell themselves to stop and breathe and this person has 100's of jumps. It works for them you will find what works for you. Just don't get too discouraged and keep coming back! It will all be worth it :)

I'll take a closer look at mine when I get home, but yeah with the blade sticking outside it wouldn't work. Most of the them I think have a cover for it but I will just order a couple of hook knives. Such a simple thing to have when nothing else will work and you are left there wishing that you had one.

Have a knife similar to this laying around that I never used for zipping the belly on a deer, I just use my Buck Knife, but I'm thinking this might work. Mine is more like the 2nd image. http://www.northamericanwhitetail.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/6/files/the-perfect-deer-hunting-knife/06_wyoming.jpg http://www.antiquesnavigator.com/ebay/images/2010/230552965101.jpg Seen these before too http://www.markjuneslures.com/assets/images/winklers-tail-zipper.jpg