freakydiver

500:1 - my arm popped out in freefall so it wasn't really equipment related - i.e. I really couldn't have prevented it from happening. Got surgery, it won't happen ever again hopefully... -- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." --

As an aside, evertime I toss my canopy over my shoulder to Pro pack (i.e. everytime I pack), I always lift up the top line set (the front riser set) and make sure its a clean break all the way back to my rig. Takes two seconds and always proves to me that I have no walkthroughs or anything like that... Blue Ones! -- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." --

LMFAO - I just decided that Bill - I let you know how things pan out in 20 years! Blue ones! -- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." --

"And I don't want to be unconscious under canopy and take the chance of being paralyzed." A relatively lightly loaded Ram-Air reserve will not necessarily kick the living shit out of you if you are unconscious and land just to let you know. I've seen it happen twice in ten years and both instances the individual was just fine after waking up minus some scratches and bruises. -- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." --

Credit == Baaaaaaaaaaaaaad! Cash is king!! -- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." --

After walking and ponderin I now get it... Thanks all for the explanations... -- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." --

Gotcha Kallend! Just wanted to make sure that the culprits where notified first and foremost. Time and time again I see and hear people after loads complaining about their seperation but never doing anything about it. -- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." --

Why is that because we are trying to point out reasons that having a Cypress is a good thing to someone? -- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." --

I realize that, but there is less O2 in the atmosphere which is what a Ram-air canopy uses to inflate correct? Again, I am dumb and am just wondering here... -- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." --

"I will never forget to pull..." Just like I thought to myself "My shoulder will never pop out in freefall causing me to need surgery." Never say never, especially in this sport. As forgiving as it may seem, shit can and will go wrong for most of us at least once. IMHO, a Cypress is a great addition to anyones kit, they should just jump like they don't have it though. Also, how can anyone possibly say what the jumper they are in the air with is going to do at any given moment? Granted, most of us know the people we jump with rather well, but you never know when someone is going to cork and slam right into your face knocking you out. -- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." --

Why not tell them as opposed to the discussion forum then? Just curious as to what your goal in telling us that the group you were jumping with couldn't track - although I do agree with you that the quality of tracking seems to be going downhill most places I jump. My only point here is that they should be told to work on their track or perhaps you shouldn't jump with them. -- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." --

Not suggested if you are flying a good old crap sabre! If a canopy opens faster you will definately fell it "deploy harder on the body". You will put undo stress both on your canopy and your body. -- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." --

Parachute opens faster at higher altis?? Isn't their less O2 to fill up the canopy with resulting in slower opening speeds?? Dunno, just askin! -- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." --

I have a pair of loose fitting pants that I use for sit and headdown, granted when I'm in my sit they come up to my knees but as soon as I turn back over, they go back down to my ankles as desired. I use a cheap old long sleeve tshirt as my top and just tuck it into my pants preventing the dreaded where am I I can't see or where are my handles situations... Nice and cheap! -- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." --

Weclome to the "amatuer" swoop category most of us are held inside of . -- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." --

Smooth IS key!! Nice surfs Canuck, I still have yet to hook up with you at Mile Hi though )-: Been campin and hikin my rear end off lately. Anyhow - very nice smooth controls you have there. Keep it up. -- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." --

I've been jumping 1.4 since less than 100 jumps and I'm doing okay... GRANTED, I did receive proficient training and education from a local safe swooper that has never hurt himself. Education education education! -- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." --

Nah! Must be a rage!! -- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." --

IMHO - the more you pay attention to packing, body position on opening, and who you jump with, the more you will increase your odds of saftey. -- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." --

lmfao -- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." --

Good ideas Canuck! If I may add in one comment, two weeks ago I was at Mile Hi. There were NO uppers whatsoever. Time and time again I saw solo headdowners giving 5 seconds. Thats a recipe for disaster. I think alot is to be said for seperation times and people really need to be educated on what sufficient seperation "seconds" are. I'd be willing to bet more often than not, people just plain do not give nearly enough seperation. -- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." --

Hey I got a kitty too lol... -- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." --

Deuce - having saved up some dough to start bolstering my video lens collection I just wanted to say a big thanks for your information - it is a large help! -- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." --

fix what? Just duck it and f it. -- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." --

I keep trying to come up with a good analogy to this whole canopy loading thing because it is perhaps the toughest issue the skydiving community has ever had to deal with IMHO. I was talking with one of my good buddies the night before last about it. He has never jumped. He however races streetbike. It really hit home when he started talking about how there are always riders who are on bikes to big for their britches. There is no regulation amongst bike retailers, nor is there any regulation with regards to insurance companies who insure riders other than the premiums that come from owning a 1300cc race bike. Could it be that simple? I asked him the following question - "So blah, how do people know that they are getting in over their heads?" His answer - threefold - "First, if you walk into a dealer and ask for a 1300, they will ask you your experience time and time again. They want you as a return customer, not as another statistic. Granted, all you have to do is lie to get the bike you want." Secondly, "Some people just plain do not get it nor will they ever get it." Thirdly, "When I'm teaching the basic skills course a great deal of time goes into explaining the different choices there are out there in terms of bikes and engine sizes." A great deal of time goes into teaching new riders about engine sizes and bikes I ask? Yes he answers. Hmm, I think. ALL JUMPERS are REQUIRED to go through some sort of instruction to finally arrive at their first license while ALL MOTORCYCLISTS are not. Hmm, I think again. Why the hell not incorporate some sort of canopy size / shape education into the AFF progression? What would be so damn difficult about teaching students about the desire in the community to downsize and swoop and to show them why downsizing and swooping is really a much bigger beast than it seems. We have the answer already in place and we have yet to utilize the solution. As stated prior - they all have to go through some sort of instruction to receive a license, how hard would it be to talk about canopies for an hour, show some video, show broken legs caused by perfectly good freaking canopies??? "Let Darwin rule" - horseshit, although I understand your sarcasm a lot of people really think this. Although I tend to think that way as well, I do thouroghly (sp, yah right! ) enjoy the presence of most skydivers out there (excpet for a few jackasses here and there). I don't want to see anyone hurt as much as the next person. I paid attention in my instructional phase of skydiving and would've paid attention if they were showing morons hooking it in and hitting the ground the same time their canopies did. -- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." --