rgoper

my observations about the Cobalt are the exact same as Phree's. the thing i hate the most is the end cell closure after the second stage opening sequence. packing is essential in each and every canopy, no matter who the manufacturer is. i've been slammed by just about every canopy i've ever owned, and 90% of the time it was my fault for the packing procedure. i still own my Cobalt, i have a new Pisa Heatwave coming that i can't wait to fly, but i will keep my Cobalt, i'll just send it in and have it checked at Atair when the Heatwave comes. but the hardest i've ever been "slammed" on opening, was on a 190 Triathlon, 7 cell square, i guess i didn't quarter the slider or whatever? it slammed me so hard, it sprained my left ankle, and hurt my kneck, i was done jumping that particular day. a camera jumper at our DZ in houston got slammed a while back, and hurt his back, and kneck pretty good, but he's allright now. i hate a "snively" canopy, but i hate a "slammer" as well, would somebody please design a conopy that deploys comfortably from any position, no matter if trash packed, or meticulously packed...PLEASE! --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

HH: this is a great idea. maybe your site can help recover some of the "missing" gear. too bad we can't assess the punishments ourselves! --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

there's really no way to judge this, you have a "hard deck" i'm sure, thats when it's time. "try once, try twice, cha-chink! last mal i had was line twists/spinner, all the way to the toggles and had my left ring finger trapped as well, i freed my finger, and didn't even bother with looking at my altimeter, because i knew i couldn't fix it, i couldn't land it (safely) and i knew i burned some serious altitude freeing my finger, so there's just one instance where looking at your altimeter can be a waste of time, unless you pulled at altitude that is, i pitched at 2500', under reserve around 1500-1600, so a lot of stuff can happen really quickly. take care, be safe. --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

check out http://www.otomix.com see what you think, request a free catalogue. there's something for everything, and everybody here. --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

visit my website for your answer! --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

things are looking better. my wife (who is a financial genius, or a criminal) got the phone company to reduce the phone bill to $400.00 from $3900.00 or more, i think it was over $4000.00. so now new canopy, maybe bust out my new container, who knows, i should get home the 23rd of december, but i promised the saudis i'd work an extra week if anyone wanted to take christmas off, and you don't break a promise to a saudi, well, and not stay employed, so the jury's still out! we'll see, maybe osama bin ladin will blow up my plane, if he don't do that, i have something else long, and cylindrical he can blow on!

Riverside Tatoos on 6th street, downtown Austin, Texas! --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

Phree: Heatwave 170. see attached. --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

i "was" going this year, until today when my wife brought the mail home at dinner, and my phone bill was $3900.00 from when i was in Saudi Arabia last month at work, and i just ordered a new canopy, man i'm in trouble now, oh well, just have to work over a week and make it up, but for everyone who's going, have fun. --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

Zennie: if ya get "one" you will get another, trust me on this one. they are kewel, but have to be meaningful, as most are, they are also a good "story line" of our lives documented in ink format! by all means dude, get one, you'll love it.

George Carlin? Andrew Dice Clay? J/K too bad they want a live one, i'd do Jim Morrisson. --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

Try This One It is pretty funny. --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

someone sent this to me, see what you think. get ready to laugh. Refer to revised link below...sorry. --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

your work is not yet finished! J/K Dan. Thanks for the offer of help with my canopy problems, i should know something tomorrow if the wx holds. --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

never mind the "status quo" "live to jump, jump to live!" never mind the in between crapola. head high, chin up! --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

Dan: i've experienced the very same characteristics on my Cobalt 170. my links are straight, always have been. the last jump, i had such severe line twists, i had to cut-away and deploy reserve. i've read all of the procedures for deployment. i'd sure hate to see what would happen if you had to dump in an emergency situation, what would we have then. this canopy has slammed me more than once to, worse than a Sabre, i've rolled the nose the whole 9 yards, and i have constant end cell closure, not bad mouthing Cobalt, just looking for answers. i had the Jim Cazar 24" pc installed as per Cobalt specs. i have never owned a canopy so unpredictable on deployment. 475 jumps, 30th jump on my Cobalt and cha-chink. other than that the landing perfromance, turns riser response etc...is great. --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

Hey Carl: how the heck are ya? i'm just in from the middle east. pm me, or e-mail me, let's see if we can't hook up. take care, be safe. --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

i witnessed this very thin on my voyage to the middle east, and back. i was glad they were flexing, and not breaking off! i flew a 747 series 400 aircraft, they flexed quite a bit, but not no six feet, but then again we were cruising at 42K at 565 mph and i didn't have a measuring tape, nor the inclination to get out and measure the span! just like the concord is designed to stretch, and straighten out at full speed, most aircraft are designed to stretch, and flex. --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

to heck with that! MOW THE GRASS! i can buy more beer within minutes, it takes 8-10 hours to mow my lawn! with an 18 hp john deere 48" riding lawn mower, it's ugly! --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

i can relate my personal experiences with you, but i have no speculation. my work takes me all around the globe, as most of you know by now. the longest i've been away from home without seeing my wife, children, house, etc...180 days. i'd say "abscence makes the heart grow fonder" but, again, my work also caused a divorce in 1986, i was, and had been working offshore a very long time, and my ex knew what i did before we married, but after about 5 years...here comes the ultimatum.."quit your job, or i'll leave" i actually thought she was just being hateful, but sure enough, i came home from fourchon city in louisiana one night at 02:30 hours, and the house looked as if it had just been built, because there wasn't anything in it, everything was gone but my clothes, and she threw gasoline on them, but oddly enough didn't ignite them. --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

i forgot to add: two can't get on it...and one can't hurt it!

Clay: why would Dave use the window, he knew i wasn't home! doggone sanchos, drink all the beer, and won't even mow the grass! --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

Dave: this proves my ying/yang theory! when i was in the middle east, and you found my wife for me, you done me a huge favor! (thanks) the good came back!!

AH..........my bad? sorry mate! guess i need to peruse more carefully. --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

i've got two, with super otters real close! 128 km, or 80 miles to SDH (waller) and SDSM. (fentress air park) then we have the "mecca" of all sky diving resorts in the state of texas, where i trained at SDSL in rosharon, texas 180 miles, or 288 km. with 2 super otters, and i believe they just fitted one with O2 for high altitude jumps, although i'm not sure of this. then we have SDAL in bryan/college station which is a kewl little dz as well coming in at 96 km or 60 miles, with a really kewel C-182, nicest one i've ever seen! so i'm surrounded! and i still don't get to jump enough. but SDH is "home" would one of you DZO's PLEASE buy a King Air!!??!!