slotperfect

I have mIRC downloaded bu tnot installed. I haven't used it in a LLOOOONNGG time, so I might need a helping hand getting to the right server and channel. Respectfully, SP

Yes, but at home. I use Norton Personal Firewall cause I have a cable modem Respectfully, SP

For some reason the friggin' applet on the Happy Hour chat page won't work for me. No clue as to what it is, and none of my attempts to fix it worked. Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Respectfully, SP

Noticeably faster. I also ancountered the grey home page and language change. Respectfully, SP

Four ways to jump a flag that I know of: 1) The old way of tacking it onto a suspension line, rolling it up, and stowing it in your line stows. I strongly discourage this method, as it is prone to cause malfunctions if not done exactly right. 2) A flag bag and pulley system like the Golden Knight use. It's a bit complicated, and needs to be put on by a Rigger that knows the system. 3) The "link-to-foot" flag. The disadvantage here is that once you snap the flag into the connector link and hook your foot in it, you cannot cut the canopy away on the off chance you would need to. 4) A "drop" flag. A flag bag attached to the waist or leg, with hardware on one end and a shot bag on the other. The disadvantage here is you have an anchor hanging below you, ready to hook on obstacles in your landing area. For simplicity and ease of rigging/flying, I recommend a drop flag. Making the bag and attachment straps is SIMPLE, and it's easy to deploy, and almost impossible to rig upside down (taboo). I use a standard flag (5'x9'), with a small shot bag attached to the bottom grommet with 1/2" tubular nylon webbing. The other end has a quick ejector snap attached with 1/2" tubular as well, although I think a non-locking carabiner would work better. The latter is s-folded in the top of the pouch. When you want to deploy the flag, you simply pull the carabiner out, hook it to a fixed point on your harness (leg strap adapter for example) pull out the flag and the weight, and drop it. There are HUGE drop flags out there which look really nice, but create a TON of drag, so you have to be wary of the approach angle. I jumped one of those on a demo in England once. Thay are also hard to catch completely, keeping the flag off the ground. Respectfully, SP

Lemme know how you like your Sabre2. I have one on the way. Respectfully, SP

It was over 95 degrees today The DZ manager didn't call me to come work (doing tandems and AFF) I am the keeper of four kids (2 of my own, 2 of our bestest friends'). Respectfully, SP

Oh yeah, don't put them in the dryer! Respectfully, SP

I wash my Neumanns (leather palm) in the washer: cold water, gentle cycle, with Woolite. It shortens their life expectancy a bit, but they come fairly clean. Respectfully, SP

AIM: SlotPerfect Respectfully, SP

Bill: I will never say never, as the saying goes, because I know better than that. I see your point, and I appreciate your sharing it here. I do not depend on my AAD. It is just another redundancy that I choose to have at my disposal. I do use other safety devices, specifically an RSL (except jumping my high-profile camera helmet), a hook knife, and an audible altimeter. I don't depend on any of them, nor do they give me a sense of security. They are used as a result of careful and conscious choice, from my own experiences and those of others. I will also skydive with those folks who choose never to jump without an AAD. I respect their choice, just as I respect the choice of those who choose never to jump one. Like, you, I share my thoughts on this issue so that others who are perhaps indecisive, or maybe less informed, can benefit from them. Training for emergencies is a great idea. Those who have done a hop-and-pop from a lower altitude simply for training value on a blue sky day will have less difficulty doing a real bailout. I actually have two of them . . . one solo and one tandem. I was very well prepared - I think about and rehearse what I am going to do in those situations quite often. I also do not normally sleep on the ride to altitude. Training is prevention, and prevention will likely never require use of all of the safety devices I carry. I hope it stays that way. Respectfully, SP

Welp, I still have mine too . . . it was my first malfunction, jump #1886. This link was OVERTIGHT. It was worn out, and the slider had just been replaced (it was a borrowed rig). I packed it, having checked the links for tightness as I always do. They were tight, with no evidence of damage to the link. The guy who packed the reserve landed right next to me. My "dues" came in the form of Crown Royal, which I helped him get rid of. The sequel: my only other malfunction came exactly a hundred jumps later on the same canopy. I blew two nose lines. The canopy was then retired. Shit happens. Respectfully, SP

OK, Wendy, I get it now . . . Note to self: quote the lines you're replying to so as not to piss off anybody. And whoda thunk there's be two monkeys in the same string, one being a REAL Alex? Go figure! Respectfully, SP

OK, OK . . . for clarification, it was a Jeopardy joke (as in Alex Trebec) pointed at SkyMonkeyOne, who I have known for a hundred years. If he was offended, he can thrash me when he sees me this weekend. If the rest of y'all were offended, I humbly bow in apology. Respectfully, SP

Thanks, Cloud9! These are great points. I have replied to many other posts talking about prevention being the best emergency procedure. You are right on the money (excuse the pun) in saying that one-in-a-million is not worth the extra expense for some people. I respect their decision and I will gladly skydive right along side them. For me, having a CYPRES that one time in a million gives me a chance - not having one gives me no chance at all. Jon's wife was pregnant with their first child. She will never know how great a human being her father was. I choose to make every effort to be there to wake my kids up tomorrow. I agree that the risks do not end once the cutter shears the loop . . . buildings, fence posts, etc. are there waiting. And now I am right back to prevention once again: I know what would have prevented Jon from dying, and I have been taking those steps and teaching them to others ever since. Jose's death also resulted in measures that made us all safer skydivers. The other person involved in both collisions survived. The first only banged up, the second disabled for the rest of his life. To my knowledge, both are still skydiving today. Respectfully, SP

I'll take "Knows Way Too Much For His Own Good" for $500, Alex! Respectfully, SP

There's ALWAYS something going on. Southern hospitality is everywhere. Yes, it is thick with military folks, including me. But, most of us are there for the same reason as you are - we love our sport! When will you be there? Let me know and I'll hook up with you and Chuck and make a skydive together! Respectfully, SP

Friends, A picture of five friends gathered around the memorial for our friend Jon, who died as a result of a free fall collision in 1991, sits over the water fountain in my office. I see it every day. I look at it every time I get near it. I think about what Jon meant to me and what he meant to his mates in the picture - it is reflected in their faces. I rest easy now, knowing that we learned a great lesson from his death, and personally implemented measures to keep something so senseless from happening again. The reason I bring Jon's incident up: assuming the collision hadn't killed him already, a properly functioning AAD would likely have brought him safely into a doctor’s care for treatment and a couple of weeks convalescence. He would still be here, putting his daughter on the bus in the morning. Two fatalities in the past month re-opened the feelings I have about jumping AADs. Here are the incidents in brief, so all of us are on the same page: 1) Brad Foster, 4000+ jumps, former Navy SEAL, former DZO @ Skydive Chesapeake, VA -died striking his head on the aircraft after exit -he was not wearing an AAD 2) Name Unknown, 5000+ jumps, 26 years in the sport, very senior @ CPIT -died @ Connecticut Parachutists, Inc (a very old DZ) -AFF Level III, small female student -tumble tumble tumble on exit, eventually recovered -during the pull process, she became unstable again, sucking the two instructors in on top of her -instructor A flushed, the other two continuing to tumble -the video man pulled at 2000 FT -instructor A pulled at 1000 FT -instructor B pulled the student's ripcord as the CYPRES was firing -instructor B rolled over, then impacted the ground -he was not wearing an AAD I choose not to speculate about details, nor do I choose to judge them for their action or inaction. Rather, I choose to pass this on to all of you, with hopes that I may find these words welcome among some of you. I used to be very anti-AAD. Admittedly, that was partly because of the opinionated company I kept. Add to that two personal experiences with a Sentinel firing high. I had also seen a video of a Sentinel firing high, sending the reserve into a deploying main. All of those incidents turned out fine. Neither of my first two rigs had AADs. If I borrowed a rig that had one (an FXC or Sentinel at the time), I turned it off. Then along came the CYPRES. I saw Helmut Cloth's presentation in January 1993 and was impressed with 1) what motivated him to design it, 2) the list of current AAD issues he set out to solve, and 3) the final design. My attitude changed about AADs that day. Then at Yuma Proving Grounds in 1994 I saw Jose Aguillon's CYPRES save him, unconscious, upside-down and spinning like a top. It kept him around long enough to be with us for a few more hours. I was a believer that day. Until this week, I would have had no problem at all jumping a rig without a CYPRES. While I have ordered one for my new rig, I would previously have been completely comfortable jumping a rig without one, or packing a rig for someone after removing the CYPRES for service. I am now re-thinking that. I am no longer sure it is worth the risk . . . if I ever jump a rig without one, I will be sure that I have evaluated the risk, taking into account what is at stake if something goes wrong. I am not paranoid, but seeing these two highly experienced jumpers - especially Brad, who had a reputation for stressing safety - die needlessly this past week, I have a new respect for just how inherently dangerous our sport is. This note will be passed to many people, not just here in this forum. I simply want to create the possibility for everyone to benefit from the wake-up call this has caused in me. I do not intend to get on a soap box, or campaign for mandatory AADs as some countries have. I am not asking you to be just like me. I will continue to jump with others who have no AAD, and yes, I am sure there will be a situation in which I will not be wearing one. My request of you is that you think about what you mean to your family, your friends, and your mates from your history in the unit. All of you mean more to me than you may realize. If you are still jumping, think about what that adding an AAD would do to the odds of your being here for the next holiday weekend. Cliff Schmucker, PIA & SSK President, talks about AADs http://www.pia.com/SSK/cypres/aad01a.htm Respectfully, SP

Here's the schedule for the upcoming showings: http://wings.discovery.com/schedule/series.jsp?series=4427 Respectfully, SP

A REALLY tight closing loop and a curved pin inserted all the way into the closing loop also creates a possibility for a pilot chute in tow. The correct size/material combination of your pilot chute also makes a big difference. See Bill Booth's post: http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forums/showthreaded.pl?Cat=&Board=forumgear&Number=141055&page=&view=&sb=&o=&vc=1#Post141055 Respectfully, SP

A simple idea . . . just ask around the DZ, maybe people from 6 different groups or skydiving disciplines (especially your orimary interest) for references. Asking about their experience with your type of rig (whether he jumps one or not) is a good idea. Choosing a Rigger is quite simply a trust issue. So just get some references, ask a few questions, then give him a shot! Respectfully, SP

Who will be at Skydive Raeford Memorial Day Weekend? I plan to be out there Sunday, taking my sister up on her first tandem jump. Sure would love to meet some of y'all if you're here?!?!??! Respectfully, SP

Great post, Kent. You are the man. I can tell that you are all about fun AND safety. {SP bows deeply} Respectfully, SP

Several things to add or elaborate on here: -Tandem rig manufacturers (the issuing authority for the Tandem Instructor's rating) have minimum requirements for doing RW with a tandem. Yes, even if you don't dock but are in the same airspace you are "relative." This becomes a big deal if an incident occurs - liability issues. -Your daughter's Tandem Instructor has to be comfortable with you being in the air with the tandem. It's not a regular skydive. -Along with the size/weight/mass of the pair, the size of the drogue and the size of the TM's jumpsuit will make a big difference. If the pair is light, the TM is wearing a baggy jumpsuit (a lot of them do), and he has a 60" drogue, you may not be able to recover from the "rear float and leave on set" position. -Above all, the area above the tandem pair, whether the drogue is out or not, is a NO FLY ZONE -Elaborating on the "weird" tandem deployments: on the Vector or Sigma, when the drogue is released, it deflates, causing the "trap door effect" brought up by Sebazz. If you are too close, you can get "sucked in" over the top of the huge tandem canopy as it opens. -This can be done safely, and you can be a safe part of it. The reason I say that is that you stood responsible enough to pop up here and ask us about it. Post the cool pic of you and your daughter after the jump, OK? Respectfully, SP

Psst! You are not JUST a student, my friend. You are a skydiver, regardless of how many jumps you have, or what AFF Level you are repeating because of your asymmetrical arms. So welcome to the fold, and (by the way) I have been at it for 17 years, and have not stopped learning. I sought some coaching from a more experienced Tandem Instructor than I just this afternoon. For me, the continuous learning curve is part of the joy of being in the sport. Come on down to Raeford and I'll take a picture of your symmetrical mug, smiling for the camera! :) Respectfully, SP