Ron

As Dave said...It is not that your psycho packs are so good...It is that your pro packs are so bad. There is NO difference between a psycho pack and a pro pack till you flip the psycho pack 180 on the ground to roll it up and shove it in the bag. If you disagree, please explain to me how they differ in the actual pack job, not just putting it into the bag. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Pro vs psycho is not going to make the openings slower. Psycho is just really adifferent way to put it in the bag. Go with a pocket or domed slider, or the mod people are talking about "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Agreed. Packing and spotting skills. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Students do not have the body position control of a many time world champion. A Stiletto is not a good student canopy. It is too sensitive, reacts too fast with small inputs and needs a good body position to deploy well. This from an AFFF "I" with over 2,000 jumps on a Stiletto. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Ignore then and fly my body. I try to get them into the correct position so they learn something, but if they refuse I just fly my body and ignore them. Wearing booties helps. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Agreed, but the French are not? I mean the French has the SAME team still a year later. Look I think AS is going to win. But I can see how they could be seen as underdogs. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

http://www.skydivingfatalities.info/ Is a source I use I do a yearly roll up of Us fatalities on here....Search my user name and the word "fatalities". I think I have three years on here....Ok maybe only two. http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=1472310#1472310 http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=869327#869327 "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

I agree that the hadr deck should drive all other choices....100% But I don't agree that 2 grand is automaticly dangerous. SL folks do not seem to be as afraid of low altitudes as AFF folks. You are saying you like 4 grand as a deployment....Well SL folks take a delay from 4 grand. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Because of the definitions of "sniper" fits perfectly. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Still a reason to think they might be. There are also other reasons. 1. The French team has had the same group together since 2004. And they have only been three points behind Airspeed in every world meet they have attended, while Airspeed has replaced people. That could be another reason. 2. The French beat Airspeed in 05 at the Malevsky meet. I never said they were the underdogs...I said I understand how some could think that. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Just like you don't think that a 4,000 break off is safe, does not mean that it is UNSAFE given more information. 2,000 feet is fine as a deployment altitude for me and a bunch of other people. It might not be good for you, thats is your call. But a 4,000 foot break off is yours and MY call as well. 4,000 feet can be a safe break off altitude, or dangerous depending on WHO is in the dive. This right here is an example of the difference between AFF and Static line. AFF grads seem to really hate being low. Years ago when I was at a SL DZ if there were clouds at 2 grand we still jumped. Today of there are clouds at 5 grand the plane sits on the ground. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

If members are not allowed, they should not be a GM DZ. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Not trying to get off track....And I agree that jumpers should ALWAYS stay inside their comfort zone. But it is true that some people will not jump with you if you want to break really high. YOU have the right to say no and jump on another load. Even if its wrong to pressure people....You can not ignore that it does happen. So I am dangerous if I am in the saddle at 2 grand? I disagree. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Bill uses 4k as a BREAK OFF, or deployment? Most organizers use 4k as a break off. That means you have to turn and track, so you deploy around 3k. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Hot as in Eva Longoria? Or as in degrees Centigrade? "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

I meant today with modern gear....Not that crap you used to jump I had a dream of: 1. A tandem to serve 90% of the people who want to jump and pay the bills. This would also be the BEST way to teach canopy flight. 2. 5 SL jumps to teach independance, canopy control, and spotting basics. 3. Two hop n pops to teach independance, more spotting, and basic save your life stuff. 4. Then transition to AFF style single JM jumps. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Let me guess...You are an engineer right? (Looking at profile....BINGO!!!!) IME, engineers want lots of raw data. It makes them feel better. Nothing really wrong with that except that most people can't process all that information. Thats why it is not in the SIM, or the training....Its not really needed. Also notice that we don't talk about fluid dynamics or laminar flow in the FJC. ALL apply to skydiving, but at the student level it is not needed and most don't want it and it would just confuse them from the really important stuff...Like not dying. Since it would not help if I told you not to worry about the small details that your mind screams are important....You could not ignore the thoughts even if you tried, its how your mind is trained/wired.....Lets just say parachutes are magic and call it a day "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

#1 listen to your instructors. Which is 100% correct. Nothing, start flying the canopy. You would be wrong. It is easy. Most of the energy is gone by the time you get to the question of a stuck slider. And there have been canopies that were designed to open in full flight and in more than half brakes. You should relax....Why would your instructors give you bad advice? "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Caravan, then porter. Never jumped a PAC yet though I plan on it at some time. One of the problems with the porter is insurance is really high since it is a tail dragger and the insurance companies want lots of tail time. Also, the caravan wins in the pilot comfort factor. The pilot in the porter sits in a glass bowl that gets very hot. Also the porter has a few "quirks" that the caravan does not seem to have. However the porter seems to cost less to buy. Both can fly with 5 and break even I am told. Caravan can carry 16-18 where the porter with 9 is TIGHT. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

That I don't agree with. The thing maybe you are forgetting is not everyone is you. I know a few folks that are dangerously uncurrent before the USPA's rules say they are. Chances are the guy would have left anyway. He had to make one SL jump, not the whole program again. This sport is more dangerous than people think it is...This is one of the few sports that publishes an annual FATALITY report. Thats YOU, not EVERYONE. The key word there was EXPENSIVE. Like it or not you did undergo recurrency training, "As it was, an instructor took me aside for a quick briefing, a discussion of wind direction and a gear check". The problem is at most of todays DZ's people expect to get paid. When I started people who were uncurrent went through a quick brief and I jumped with them at no cost....Hell, I STILL do that when I can. I dont' think the USPA recurrency regs are that out of line. Do I think EVERYONE has the same needs? Nope, but I do think the majority do and it benefits them. One of the problems in this sport is nobody thinks they are "unsafe". Most people think the rules do not apply to them. Maybe they don't, but they do apply to most people IMO. The biggest reason IMO is cost. People running DZ's as a business (I don't blame them really...I get paid for my job). But the club atmosphere is almost gone. People don't take new jumpers under their wings like they used to. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

He is in ATL. Last I heard he was working on being a Lawyer. I don't have current contact info. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Here is my question....you rigger says its fine. They have actually SEEN it, touched it...ect. How are we to know better? When do I replace mine? When it needs it, or when my rigger tells me to change it. I have a Pilot chutes with over 1,000 jumps on it. It looks fine. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Went SL myself. Hold SL, Tandem, and AFF "I's"...so I know a bit of both even if I only learned SL. I like the SL method. 1. It costs less. 2. People are not afraid of low exits. Take an AFF guy with 20 jumps and a SL guy with 20 jumps and have the plane level off at 2 grand with an engine problem. See which one gets out of the plane faster. 3. You need 9,500 feet for an AFF jump. If the clouds are at 8 grand or less, you can still put the SL program delays out. 4. Due to the extended time under supervision, I think the SL folks have better canopy control. 5. In my experince most SL student learn how to pack. 6. Most SL grads can spot better than AFF grads. Now MOST of this is due to the longer amount of time that SL students are under supervision and the fact that SL is most often done at smaller DZ's where things like spotting and packing are still considered important. The USPA had no need for a "coach" rating when most people did SL....It might be because the SL folks were under supervision longer and learned more. Now AFF folks can do 7 jumps and then they are on their own. The most often bitch about skydiving (Other than cost) seems to be that once people get off student status they are left alone. That was not the way back in the old SL days. There was no need for packing courses, spotting lessons, or basic canopy control coaches since the SL folks got that all in the SL program. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Sorry, I didn't see that question. From skyleague.com: "Mystic Rhythmns scored a solid 9.7 average, which moved the team up to number seven of the NSL Rankings for the AA Class. If not for four infringements and some glitches in round six, a 10-point average was well within their grasp. Vortex struggled with exits and posted a 4.3 average despite an improvement in block work since the previous meet. The team continues to hit the set goals." One is tied for 7th the other is ranked 29th. So for one team it was an important meet. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Well it can be a problem. But most times it is not an issue. In this case the DZ said they would have a certain plane. When a different plane showed up the teams left. I can't blame the teams even if some other people do. I would blame the DZ for saying they would have a Caravan and then not delivering. However, I have been around long enough to know that things happen. So, I don't think ill of the DZ. But I can't blame the teams. Your idea of launching a and then having 5 seconds or so to get ready was tried a few times. To be honest most teams didn't like it. Teams like the exit. This kind of thing works itself out. Years ago Cessnas were the most popular jump planes and they were the planes at all the meets. Now it is Otters, later it might be the PAC, or something that we don't even know of yet. I don't think it is a big issue. My only issue so far has been how people jumped all over the team. My point is that just like the Jet at the convention it was the conventions fault for not having the jet, not the skydivers fault for leaving upset. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334