Ron

Who told you that???? I ahve an Alti on my Rig....The Knights all have Alti's, the current womens 4 way team all has alti's. Nope its not safe. The team from (Italy?) had CYPRES fires due to the audible's being recalibrated at altitude. Ron "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

And if I remember correctly.... I had a shit hot jump on that one...And several less experienced jumpers bought me beer for the night brief. Sometimes I miss Raeford. Not that I can comment on any actions that might, or might not have been taken at said DZ, or at anytime or place. Ron "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

An instructor or coach should NEVER take someones equipment from them..... I would never take an alti from a jumper...It's stupid. If they want to look at it good. Saftey is #1 in this sport...going fast, looking cool or swooping far is a DISTANT 2nd. Ron "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

You know what I am saying. "hey lets get on the last load" My sorry ass says "OK" By the time the A/C takes off its alittle after it should, and by the time the A/C gets to altitude its dark, lights are on downstairs, cars are driving with headlights. AKA an accidental night jump.... Do I still jump? Yep...I have enough night jumps that they don't bother me... But I am trying to show people by this poll, that night training, and night jumps can be good training...when this sort of thing happens.... Damn it, I know there are no fucking Accidental jumps....but there are unplanned dark jumps....Why do you people always need to nit pick the shit out of things???? Ron "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

I ship my rig all the time via FedEx...and I also work for FedEx. I just put the whole rig, put it in a trash bag in a box that it fits in, and send it out. Put your address on the inside of the box on the rig, as well as outside the box. Ron FedEx Service Assurance TPA/RSW "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

And my reply was to your post.... This guy was NOT knocked out. And most Cypres "saves" are people who make a mistake, or just flat screw up. I can see screwing up and giving yourself a hard pull. I have not done it to myself in 2600 jumps, but I have seen it. What I cannot understand is "He could not locate his reserve handle". This person is alive because a bunch of electrons saved his ass....Inspite of this guys best efforts to kill himself. Factors in this "accident" 1. Either this person or his packer packed his pilot chute badly. 2. This person could not locate a handle that he needed to save his life. To fix #1...Pay attention when you pack. To fix #2...Be able to find your handle, or don't jump....did this person make the first main attempt low? Did he spend to much time trying to deloy the main? Why could they not find the reserve handle?....It's been in the pocket all 6 times I have had to use it. My point is an AAD is a back up.....If you can't save your own life you should look into bowling. I am saying you should quit....but you should really think about the fact that you should have died. Again....How many "Saves" have been do to the jumper being knocked out vs the jumper doing something stupid? Not many. Ron "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

I knew about the whole Airspeed 8 thing... I just wondered who was Dragon...and why they didn't keep Zulu as a name???? The GK 8way are Paul Rafferty SFC Team leader and 5 time World Champ. Matt Davidson 2 time World Champ? Brian Krause From GK Black Jason Harris From GK Black Scott Janise Andy Honigbaum (SP?) Aaron Clark Rumor has it that Brooks Weiner from GK BLack is on the team, but at a military school that he needs to get his SFC. Ron "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Ah I'd say Specter.....Its newer, and opens the best I have ever seen.... And do some more homework...I the ZX is a hybrid as far as I remember. Ron "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Don't count official night jumps....Only jumps where you landed in "Dark conditions" This does not have to be 1 hr after dark.... Ron "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

OK....So with the big "Night jump debate" that always goes on here, and everywhere else... Have you ever been on an accidental night jump? That is a jump that took off with daylight, but you ended up landing in darkness? It could have required someone to turn on headlights....Or hanger lights.... For me, Yes several times. About 12 or so accidental night jumps. Ron "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

No you can just never get a "D". But you are not forced to do them. FWIW...I have 45ish night jumps. 30 Military into total darkness 3 or 4 into "Marked" DZ's..and a couple of Demos into lit stadiums.... Do the night jumps. They are not that bad... Should they be needed for a "D"....maybe not, but they are needed now. We have a lot more problems with the way we issue licenses now for me to worry about this smaller issue. Ron "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

The design of an elliptical wing does a few things. The taper of the wing is more than from the front to the back...It also tapers from the top skin to the bottom skin. This reduces drag from the vortex that is created by the wing as it creates lift....you see, some of the high preasure on the bottom of the wing spills around the end cells...The amount of "spill" creates a Vortex....this vortex is almost all added drag. If the top and bottom skin taper to meet, it reduces the amount of the spilling, and reduces the vortex. So, yes with all being equal, the elliptical wing will be faster....The Sabre has a more aggressive trim than a Stiletto, so they can seem faster due to the increase in dive. Short answer...yes. Long answer....Don't know why, call Kallend. Yes only because the aspect ratio of the eliptical canopies are mostly greater than a square, and it will respond quicker to input, so it does not need as much....You CAN have the same range, but at a much faster turn rate. Most ellipticals dive LESS than squares. It (and this is a wild ass quess here) might have to do with the rate of turn being more on a square....Which would mean it spends more time in the turn than an elliptical. I hope this helps.... Ron "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Yes, I have jumped a Navigator....We need to jump them to tell students how to fly them. Maybe I should have said that they never caught on with EXP. jumpers. Students don't buy main's for themselves very often. And this is an example of where people start to correct me. We already had the "your dogs ugly, and your Mom does not love you part"....All we need now is the 100 jump wonder with all the answers. And Dave...you should jump a new Manta...not that bad at all. Ron "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

This guy was not unconcious. I bet most "saves" were not people knocked out. It is a pretty lame argument for AAD's. Yes I have one in one of my rigs....yes I prefer to jump it. I have one not incase I am knocked out...I have it incase I do some remakably stupid thing and should have died (which includes putting myself into a situation where I COULD be knocked out)....I have one to give me that extra margin of safety. But this person didn't pack correctly, and could not pull his reserve...I am glad he is alive, but negligance is what caused this. Ron "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Well what have you jumped? What do you want? What is most important to you? Soft openings? Stability? Less chance of Mal's? Zippy in turns? You want to do Demo's? Swoop landings? CRW? These all need answers. But basics: 7 cell's seem more docile. They don't turn as fast,and don't glide as well as a 9 cell. The Specter is one of the best opening canopies I have ever seen. The Triatalon is a good canopy that started the 7 cells being popular again. The Omega is another 7cell. I don't have any info on this one. Very good canopies, and are very good intermediate canopies. The more tapered the wing (Eliptical) it is the faster the canopy will be. It will also turn faster than a true "square" Sabre 1. Typical "Square" canopy...Is slightly faster than the same size Stiletto. Very reliable openings, sometimes on the harder side. Sabre 2. Has a slight taper to it. Opens soft, and turns faster than the Sabre 1. Stiletto, Cobalt, Crossfire...9 cell called (Eliptical). Open softest of them all, turn faster, and have a better glide angle. Some of the "Elipticals" have twitchy openings, and must be flown during the openings (I personally have 4 cutaways from line twists on a Stiletto). Airlocks. 2 companys make Airlocked canopies. Big Air sports, and PD (under license from Big Air). The Airlocks allow the canopy to be loaded a little more heavily. They are also designed to handle turbulance better than "open" designs. Big Air makes several types. One is "Square" the Lotus, and one is "Eliptical" the Samuri (Spelling?). PD makes the Vengence, it is "Eliptical" Cross Braced...this allows you to load the hell out of these canopies...They are for very experiance pilots, and there are several types out there, including some with more cells than others. Material.... Zero P. A very slick and hard to pack material...It does not allow much air to pass through the material. F-111. Easy to pack , but they don't last as long, and don't do so well with high wingloads. Hybrids....there are several canopies that are part Zero P and part F-111. They claim to have the benifits of both....Never really seemed to catch on big. But what you pick depends on what you want....Want soft openings? Get the Tri or the Specter. Want better glide? Get the Sabre 2...Want faster turns? Try a Cobalt or Stiletto? Don't like higher rates of Mals? Want a supper swoop machine, and can handle it? Velocity, or Xaos is what you might want. Even with all this info....you still don't have a total picture, and as general as I tried to be I bet there are going to be people telling me that a Cobalt opens better than a Stiletto...another guy is going to say the Stiletto flies better, and he will say the first guy is a jerk that doesn't have a clue...Then a guy with a Crossfire will say that both Stiletto and Cobalt can't match his canopy..And he is gonna say that the other 2 morons can't swoop. Then there will be a guy that says that if you want to swoop you need a super rocket 45 cross braced airlocked with JATO rockets strapped to your ass. this guy will have 100 jumps and say that he is a "gifted" swooper because he is not like all the other pilots that have killed themselves...HE is smarter than they were, and will never get hurt. The only thing all these guys will agree on is that I don't have a clue to anything, and they will also agree I am ugly, and my dog does not even love me. They will also make comments about my Mom. You would do much better calling PD, Atair, Flight Concepts,Big Air, ect..... and talking to them. But what do you want? Have fun. Ron "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Ok, who was Airspeed Dragon? And who was on the GK 8? Ron "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

And thats all I am saying.... I was begining to think I was stupid, and could not get my point out there. I of course could still BE stupid. Ron "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

When did I ever say not to TALK to other students????? I just said that a lot of people should not be TEACHING other students. Now Canuck is a perfect example of what I am saying....He talked to the guy, but did not try to teach him. And you did a great thing....you helped him, without giving advice. Again you did great, and I hope you helped.... I am not an AFF I....I helped one of the AFF I's at Zhills learn to jump (once her AFF I's LET me). I helped to teach her to pack (by letting her pack for me). I have over 1,000 more jumps than her, and helped her learn...Point is I don't teach her students. If a student walks up and asks me questions....I give them to an AFF rated jumper. I am not qualified to teach AFF. I will not do it. It is not that I don't know how to teach (I tought martial arts for years, and have a S/L I, and Tandem I). But I will not give advice to a student....That is why we have instructors. Ron "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

No, if I were at the same DZ as you...I would be willing and able to answer any questions you had...ever. And if you were here at Zhills, you would know that I am out here almost every weekend, and if I am asked a question I go out of my way to answer it. a lot of times the answer I give is not the answer you want to hear however. I never said I didn't want to answer his question...I asked him why is he asking here, where most of us could not spot him in a police line up instead of asking the qualified people that know him at his own DZ....Thats the difference I am trying to bring up....There are people out there at EVERY DZ that are willing to share what they have learned. I know it is easy to ask here, and you can do it at 1AM (to be honest, if you call me at 1AM to ask me this kinda question, I am not going to be happy). But there are WAY to many people here that say something, and don't let you know that they really don't have a clue...Because they think they do know what they are doing...Just like I did at 100 jumps. It took me 1,000 more before I realized I didn't know squat. And I still don't know it all. I just had a conversation over Email with Kallend where he schooled me on lift. And as for "correcting" people when they are wrong.... Not my idea of fun. My whole point of this was to let people know that they should ask the people with the knowledge that they know...Before they ask here. And to take everything they read here and run it past people they know. As for me having knowledge....How do you know I have a clue? You don't know me.....I have read things from people that I thought was dead on...To find out later that they had 20 jumps, and could not do what they just told someone else to do....and I have seen guys with AFF tickets that didn't know beans, and should not teach. The whole point of this is to use the people that you know, and build a relationship with those you don't at your own DZ. Oh well, have fun, Ron "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Well if this guy knows more....Then he might be good to talk to about gear. Yes riggers are made different. The one with 10 years will be better thena the guy that just got his ticket.... But the guy with 10 years in the sport is better to listen to about skydiving as well... So again....Why ask people who don't know you, and you don't know and that might not really know what they are talking about advice? Go as close to the source of info as possible. Ron "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Ok have fun then... Its not about a paper ticket that says you can do something...Its about haveing the knowledge to do it. An AFF 7 does not know what an AFF 2 should do. He only knows what he did. But I don't really care who you listen to.... And yes, some people will take what they hear and use it to make a choice...Others will just take what they are told as truth and go with it.....Such as the guy who joking told that guy to get a sub 100 canopy....The guy didn't know he was joking. So like I said have fun. I never said that....What I did say is that a guy with 100 jumps should not be teaching another guy with 50 jumps how to track, or what to jump. Get the best knowlegde you can.....If thats a guy with 100 jumps fine, but if you have an AFF I sitting there talk to him. Then maybe they should find one. So instead of getting a reputable source they should just get any advice???? Like the guy that jokingly told him about the sub 100 canopy? Were there people better qualified to teach him...and you? Why did you not go and seek them out? It is still about that...but you should know what you are saying, before you say it.... And I coach, teach, mentor all the time....I hardly ever charge for it. I am giving back everyday. All I ever said was why ask here when there are people who know you, and you know that you can ask? I would not start trying to teach Flying right now...I have been flying for 6 years, but I don't have the knowledge to teach it....A 100 jump wonder does not know enough to teach skydiving either. Oh well, have fun Ron "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

How about...check your main Pilot Chute? Or locate your reserve handle? Instead of buying a black box that MIGHT save you if you are stupid? "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Bad information in this sport can kill.. If you would rather listen to a guy with a cool screen name that has WAY more posts than jumps, than an instructor or S&TA...Then have fun. A student should not be telling another student how to skydive.....And nobody should be trying to coach/teach over the internet. As for me, if I want gear advice...I ask a rigger. If I want skydiving advice, I ask a coach (Not the USPA coach...more like Solly, Garry, Joey, Doug, John Hoover ect). But if you want to take advice from people who you don't know, and who don't know you....And you have no idea who they are...then have fun. Ron "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

OK not really the story about sex on the DZ, but still good. My buddy Doug Wolf and I are having a friendly argument on the DZ...We get a lot of attention when we do this. We are not mad at each other, but we both have very strong opinions, and when they don't match....Well it gets hot, and sometimes funny as hell. Doug got mad at yelled "Oh yeah!!! I had sex on your canopy!" He sat there looking VERY smug while the whole DZ gasped.... I at the time was seeing one of his ex girlfriends. I yelled back "I had sex on your GIRLFRIEND!!!!!" I won. Ron "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

The problem is a large number of posters here don't have much more experience than the person asking the question. My personal favorite post is * Help, I failed AFF level 4...What should I do?* Then you get a bunch of guys that just passed level 7 trying to teach someone over the internet to pass level 4....Man that kills me...Listen to your instructors! And you can't verify the skill or knowlege of the poster. So you might get advice from a guy with LESS JUMPS THAN YOU. How do you know otherwise? A guy with 100 jumps telling a guy with 30 that he will be ok under a canopy type/size/wingload/color/ect....The 100 jumps wonder only knows what (so far) has worked for him. But the ready may not know that.... I don't know you...or your skill level, or your fittness level...So how can I tell you what you should do? So like I said...Ask your instructors!!!, not the news group, or DZ.com. Ron "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334