Albatross

gman, Don't ever doubt the decision that you made. Maybe I would have handled it differently but you were not comfortable with the way that the canopy was flying and were not sure why. You made a decision and landed safely. You made the right decision. Everyone has at least one story about a cutaway that wasn't abosolutely necessary. I know of a student who cutaway becasue the slider seemed too close. Never doubt the decision that you made the other day. You made the right one for you at this time. Maybe in 25 jumps you won't but right then you made the right choice. Flare Damn it!!!!! Albatross

Many DZ are sponsored by manufactures and at bigger DZs the local teams are also sponsored. That means that most of the JMs jump one rig and most of the coaches jump that rig and most of the great teams jump that rig, Most of the packers are comfortable with that rig, most of the riggers like to repack that rig. This means that the suggestions that you get, the images that you see and the thigns that you are comfortable with all tend towards one type of rig. At Perris the DZ is a Javelin DZ so guess what I own. Flare Damn it!!!!! Albatross

Sorry to pile on but the # 1 rule in skydiving is pull at altitude. Right now the most important thing is to pull high enough so that you have time to make a decision and identify a problem. Soon you will be jumping with other people and maybe camera people. That means that everyone is going to do things base on when you said you would pull. If you pull high you could be in someone's air if you pull low well you could be hoping that the reserve gets out before you hit and that would suck. PULL! Flare Damn it!!!!! Albatross

Having been an EMT in SouthCentral Los Angeles and now helping at the DZ I defitely have to say that a dark sense of humor is just a way to keep from taking my life to seriously and focusing on all the shit that could happen. Like Skymedic said from my experiences I would easily convince the average person to stay inside their house for the reat of their lives. And now from working in a medical lab I could get them to give up eating and drinking. SO we joke so that we don't think too much about the shit we see. I think that it helps us deal with the dangers and death that we see a little at a time. Flare Damn it!!!!! Albatross

Totally jelous running the best site on the net and kayaking in Alaska. God I want to be you. Flare Damn it!!!!! Albatross

The question of size of the canopy and how well it preforms is not an absolute one. How fast a conopy flys and how "sporty" it is is the combination of design and wing load. Some canopies are true squares and are stable but not too quick. Others are tapered or even eliptical and that makes then more agressive in their turns. It is kind of like having a sports car verse a sedan. They may be the same size and even hve the same horse power but they behave diferently decause of the way that they are set up. Wing load is the weight per sq foot you are hanging from the canopy. This is a really critical factor and has a huge effect on how the canopy flys. Most geginers load a canopy at like 0.5 lbs/sq ft. On the other hand some extream canopy fliers load at 3.0 or greater. The load is one of the key factors in how fast the canopy flys and thus how fast it turns. Flare Damn it!!!!! Albatross

Glad to hear that the almost mals weren't. I don't think that you could pry that hacky out of my hand with a damn crow bar but nice save. Flare Damn it!!!!! Albatross

Welcome home, these beer on the table and we're all glad you came back. Remember the 3 Ps PULL, PULL AT ALTITUDE, PULL STABLE. Flare Damn it!!!!! Albatross

O.K. here we go I am definitely with Sis on this one #1 thing is ask your instructors. They are here to make sure that you are safe and that you learn. Ask them everything that you wonder about even if it seems stupid because in this sport panning and thinking of everything before hand is what will make you an old skydiver. The numbers are likely the way that the DZ keeps track of the rigs and they will probably get larger with the main size. Right now you want to be jumping a very large rig 280 sq ft + for the first few at least. As for hurting yourself under canopy, YES YOU CAN. It is possible to give yourself line twist by making hard reversing turns (going hard right then hard left) but is hard under the docile canopies that you are flying. So most likely anything that you want to try try high say 2500+ that way you have an out. The only thing that you don't want ot do is get radical below 500' until you have a good feel for the canopy. As for the comment about being in front of the canopy that is bacause you are suspended and the canopy doesn't always move at the same speed as you do. IF you are diving and then flare you keep going fast and the canopy slows and sometimes you swing past it. Remember that there is never a dumb question except for the one that you didin't ask and you need the answer to in the air. Keep posting the questions. Flare Damn it!!!!! Albatross

I was my understanding that the FXC had this type of problem. I was told during my AFF that they were not as reliable as the cypress. I am still interested in what Airtec has to say about the cypress misfire. Flare Damn it!!!!! Albatross

I'll show you mine if you show me yours SIS. I have heard that mine is fun to play with. Flare Damn it!!!!! Albatross

Totally jelous about the trip sounds like as great one. Can't wait to see the pics. Have fun, play hard and have the time of your life. Flare Damn it!!!!! Albatross

O.K. this is going to be a partial story since I only remember the first 15 min and the next day. I was at college for the orientation week and took "as much Absolute as I could before coming up for air" about 700ml or so. I remeber getting dressed and wasking across the quad on my hands. ThenI remeber refing a volley abll game of bikini clad women and then waking up butt naked in my bed with my head in the CLEAN trash can next to my bed. I have been told of the things that I did that night and met several "women" that I flirted with. But the worst was hearing that I was found singing on the landing of my dorm puking down onto the first floor. I guess that I was smart enough to not lie in my own puke. But I was apparently yelling, singing and laughing 'I've fallen and I can't get up". At that point I was told that I couldn't even stand on my own. Ah to be young and stupid. Flare Damn it!!!!! Albatross

Are we going manistream? Am I going to have to start base jumping to keep from seeming trendy. Flare Damn it!!!!! Albatross

You the Man!!!! The site is faster and better than ever. You Rock. Flare Damn it!!!!! Albatross

Don't sweat it if they are really friends they won't be wuffos long and if they are really wuffos then they aren't real friends because a true friend would understand. Flare Damn it!!!!! Albatross

Ladies we need some help here. A skydiving virgin is out of place. I bet he has trouble getting his hips down. Flare Damn it!!!!! Albatross

I remember when I was doing my "novice" jumps with Skydiver U and still having the problem of stability on exit. It took some time and focusing on presenting properly and then arching like a son of a B. Then I started doing a lot of 4+ ways and suddenly the problem was gone. I guess that you need to develop a feel like most things in skydiving. Hell if Luigi can hang off the step for like 15 sec then drop off in a perfect sit I think that we can learn to get out stable in the first 100'. Love Ya babe. Flare Damn it!!!!! Albatross

I am sorry about the loss of job. I am starting to cherrish mine like it is an endangered species. SHit I might even not mind going to work instead of the DZ soon...NAah Flare Damn it!!!!! Albatross

SOunds like a best seller to me!!! Flare Damn it!!!!! Albatross

Sweety, FIrst of all remember to ZERO the altimeter at the ground and then check at pull altitude on the ride up. It seems that some altimeters have little gliches and read high or low a few hundred feet, if it is more than that take it back. As for the fear that is an individual thing. I don't think that I had fear durning my solos but almost freaked the first time that I did RW with a group of 10. You can relax and that will come as you get comfortable. The best advice is make multiple jumps in the same day. The first is always the most anxious. If it doesn't go away after a few more solos jump with Skydiver U and then you will have friend. Get that A and I will be happy to jump with you. See you soon. Flare Damn it!!!!! Albatross

Well where the hell are they!!!! Flare Damn it!!!!! Albatross

O.K. Nelson you know that I am a true Perris guy but I think that the best of the possibilities is to try for the Chick boggie at Elsinor not only will we all come but you will have a much better time siting under the trees and accepting all the sympathy from the women when they hear about the injury you got after the 100 way that you were jumping (I won't tell). What ever the plan I will always be there to pary with my friends. Flare Damn it!!!!! Albatross

O.K. what I ment was that half of the loop was attached to the bottom and the other half was still around the pin. Yes we had it confirmed by a rigger and the unit was sent to Airtec. Ready, Set, GOOOOOOO Albatross

O.K. Here it goes. I think that even after 100+ jumps I want to venture in the direction of becoming an instructor. I think that I would like to eventually become an AFF JM but I think that a coach would be the best place to start. What should I do to gain the best experience before I get to 500. Thanks Ready, Set, GOOOOOOO Albatross