Ron

Mine had a left turn in it. I have seen many people land on their asses with them. And lets not forget the "line attachment" issue. I had two rigs..One with a PD 113, and one with a Micro Raven.....My RIGGER asked me to stop jumping the MR. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

OK lets say I let this one go how about the other 5? "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Thats the Airforce Academy's team. And the members on the team come from the students...And they learn there at the academy. The STAFF need ratings...The Members on the team don't..they earn them there. I was one of the comp teams RW coaches last year. Ron "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Lips would have been under the bottom part of the helmet...And Goggles provide just about as much eye protection as the shield...I have hit people hard enough to make them bleed even though they wore a full face helmet...And I have seen it many more times. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Good question...I don't know "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

I didnt't forget the Frogs....But I only know about the Army teams. The Airforce used to have the (I think) Chuting Stars..But I have never met one, or heard anything other than rumors about it. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Not anymore than doing anything is skydiving full time can burn you out. The GK's require 150 jumps (Which can be waived) to attend the tryout program. The program is 3-6 weeks long and you will do almost 200 jumps. I have seen guys with 100 jumps enter and make the program...While I know a guy that had 1500 not make it (me). The tryout program used to be a hazing like pledging a collage...Like 100 fold. It reportedly has been changed more to a performance not "put up with Bull Shit" program. There are only two other Army teams that I know of (Other than THE Army team)..They are the 82nd Demo team, and the 101st. If you are planning to go into the military...I'd say try like hell to jump while you are there. Get stationed at Ft. Bragg if you can, and go to tryouts for the GK's. Don't join just to tryout..Been there, done that, didn't make it. But I HATED the military...and it was clear to everyone that I didn't belong there. And some people knew I didn't want to be there and went out of their way to make my life bad. Glad I did it...even more glad I'm out. You may really like the Army...And that I bet makes a big difference. Your results may vary. Ron "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

You really think that thin piece of plastic on the face shield is gonna help much? "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

I don't know about Tempos, but I had a Raven that had a left turn. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

You have a problem with "Lubing the Cable"? Silicone IS a lube...We use it on package slides to reduce friction. I would not use oil.... "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

FCI suffers from when it was Glide Path. GP made a really great canopy called the NOVA. It was great until it collapsed and killed you. (Think about it...A NOVA is a star that collapses on itself, and in spanish it means "no go"). NOVAS killed a few people, then the company grounded them all and then came back and said they were fine to jump...Then the closed up shop and FCI opened the next day at the same location, and made the same canopies (minus the NOVA). Then FCI said they would give you 50% off an Esprit for your old NOVA. The Esprit...really sucked. If a canopy comes from the factory with a pocket slider....Well think about it. Now FCI makes some good canopies IMO...The Startrac and Sharpchutter are great for Demos. The Prodigy(?) was a great CRW canopy. But they never did seem to get high performance canopies right. Many people will not jump them since the NOVA...Others just don't like the products. The Pro I have never jumped and will not make any comments about them. But with the history, I will not go out of my way to try one either. Ron "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

And to take it just a little further... There is not such thing as just another skydive Every time we jump we risk death. As we add more things to the skydive we increase that risk. If we all just did hop n pops the number of deaths would reduce. As we add more people, more equipment, more tasks the level of risk rises. Someone asked me once what was the #1 cause of fatalities in this sport. I said "low pulls" (Which it was back then). He told me it is jumpers doing new and unfamiliar things. Not just new jumpers, but old guys trying new things. I almost bounced on my first video jump, and I did hook it in when I got my first Stiletto. The incident reports are filled with people doing new things....My point? I was on a Professional Demo team for three years (I know not long) But I did over 100 real Demos into all kinds of landing areas from Airshows to Pro Player Stadium in FL. And to do those 100 Demos I did over 600 training jumps. At least 5 a weekend when I was not on the road, and train ups with as many as 160 jumps in one mth. 600 jumps jumping Smoke, Flags, and banners onto a target where my performance was graded on every jump. I am letting my PRO go...I have not done a demo in two years, and I no longer have the right equipment to do one, or the currency.....And maybe I don't have the skill anymore either. If you think you are able to do a demo just because a few years ago you did 10 landings in a 10 meter circle...Chances are you are wrong. The only way to be safe doing demos is to do them more than once a year. You have to be current. How good would you be if you only did a bigway,a hookturn, a freefly,an AFF or tandem once or twice a year? I personally think that to get signed off you should do a mock Demo with smoke, flags ect...every year. AND land on target. Not just one landing....Ya know how I qualified last year? Under my Velocity 96. What sense does that make? Unless you are current..Don't do a Demo...If you want to do a Demo...GET CURRENT. Ron "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Front risers can be used to dive more.....However it also builds speed which when you want to stop means EXTENDING your glide to bleed it off. It would be best to do small turns or brakes insted of front risers to prevent an over shoot. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

In truth it is more about what altitude you are at. And what kind of area you are in, and traffic. If you are high enough, I would do S-turns. Lower I would do flat turns. On final, I would use brakes. Be aware that on a lot of new canopies 1/4 brakes can EXTEND the glide (Which is opposite of what you want.) Also put in all controls smooth. And when you first put in the brakes it is common for it to appear that you will overshoot...The canopy pitches up with the flare, and the spot will move towards you....However once the canopy settles it will settle back to a sharper decent than the original. Once again most modern canopies do not like to be landed in brakes...They need forward speed to flare. So about 100 feet or so SLOWLY let the toggles to the keepers. (Unless you are going to hit something then prepare to PLF a hard landing.) Again.....Get with a PRO rated jumper on your DZ to learn the neato tricks. Ron "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

I have one you could borrow.....But no offense to you I am not just gonna hand it to you....You need to tell me what you plan on doing with it, and need to jump it on a regular skydive before you take it "live" A braket can kill you, and worse people on the ground. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Well Skygal told me you two were engaged... She also asked what she should get you for your Bday....But just like you...Im not tellin'. Congrats. Damn you move fast. Honeymoon at the tunnel? "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

As soon as the USPA drops the general membership ins....A large number of DZ's will drop out of the Group member program...I will drop my USPA membership as will MANY others. The only reason I have the USPA membership is so I can jump at all the DZ's. As for the PRO rating.....Well, there does need to be a better control over who can do a demo. I have not done a demo in two years...I still have kept my PRO current. But on the other hand I am not about to do a Demo anytime soon. I would need to train up for it (I have over 100 "live" Demos, and probley 500 "Training" jumps for demos.) So I see the need to be current... Joe Snuffy does not see that. He fiqures he has a PRO, and he should be allowed to do a Demo. So when he gets offerd one he takes it with very little extra training. The Golden Knights have made mistakes on Demos....And its their job, and they are the best in the world at it. What makes Joe Jumper as qualified? Classes like the ones the GK's have given, and the ones offerd in CA. go a long way to making Demos safer.... Until the average jumper stops looking at demos as "just another jump". We will continue to have this problem. I am letting my PRO go for just this reason..I have not done a Demo in 2 years...I don't plan on doing one, and I don't have the correct gear for one...I am not going to keep the rating just to have it. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

I think its about right...How many accidents have we had with PRO rated jumpers since it has been raised? I agree...I don't know how we could do this. I think (I can't remember who said it here) that the PRO test should have one question..."Are you willing to CXL a paid Demo if the conditions are not right?" If the answer is yes, then you get the card. I think that the program in place is pretty good. I would like to see more people go to classes for this, not just be able to land 10 times in a circle...Smoke, and flags are more than just spot landings. I think that this gets missed a lot. This I don't agree with...In fact I am going to let my PRO expire. I have not done a DEMO in two years...Nor do I see one in my future. I can always get it again. But if it were 250.00-500.00, I would have let it go a long time ago. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

3,000 jumps, 6 rides. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

How is it not available for everybody? You were here for the 120 ways...You could have just as easily done a weeks worth of tunnel. You got 600.00 bucks...SkyVenture will gladly take it....And soon SkyVenture Perris will take it as well. There is a tunnel in France. The only tunnel you just can't buy time in is in Ft.Bragg (And IMO it is heads above any other tunnel). Other than that there are tunnels you can get into. It is directly compared to aircraft...You need to jump an otter for training...And you DZ only has Cessnas. You have to go to where the planes are...Its not unfair. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

sinking a canopy in is really just using the brakes to slow your forward speed while maintaining the same angle of decent. If you use more brakes, and have the correct type of wing, you can ride the edge of the stall so you are comming straight down. You can even make a canopy fly backwards. Practice high enough to cutaway...Some canopies react very quickly near the stall. Locate a spot on the ground and add brakes slowly to 1/4 and hold it. Notice if you are going to pass that spot, or land infront of it. Then go to 1/2 brakes and notice what happens. At around 1/2 (depending on your canopy) you will notice that you have shortened you landing point. Got to 3/4 brakes (be very careful about the stall) And you should see that it has moved even closer towards you. Now it is VERY important that you know that it is not safe to land a small canopy like this...The landing can be very hard. Prepare to PLF. For best results talk to a PRO rated jumper on your DZ. Ron "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Or as I like to say "never be the first kid on your block with the new toy" I really use this for canopies, containers and "gadgets" that could kill me... For Altis...not such a big deal. I commend them for not putting out a product that is not perfect. Its what I expect from them. Ron "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Yes, but some places have better Weather, others have better aircraft. The access to the wind tunnel is just one more factor when you decide where to train(Or where to live). Does a tunnel make you better? Yep.. Is it unfair? Nope... "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Good point..I deleted my question "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

What bad habits because it was not elliptical? Are you saying YOU had bad habits or the canopy did? If its you, then they are not bad habits....Looking at your PC while you deploy is not a bad habit UNLESS you are under an elliptical. So for 90% of the jumpers its not a bad idea. If it is the canopy...You need to explain these to me. Ron "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334