Watcher

For some, the extra performance is enjoyable. -- Jonathan Bartlett D-24876 AFF-I

Formation Skydinving: 4,000 3,000 2,000 Breakoff, Pull, Shit hit the fan. AFF: 6,000 3500 2000. Lets me know we are at the bottom end, going through harddeck and where I was hoping to pull at (long spots on AFF), and then agian my shit hit the fan, consider emergency procedures. -- Jonathan Bartlett D-24876 AFF-I

It fits in the container. Looks better. We all take our chances and evaluate what an acceptable risk is to them. My 113 is acceptable to me, a 1.6:1 wingloading to other people is not acceptable, but I've flown it 3 times and like the performance and response. Will I be ok if Im unconcious, most likely not, but thats the risk I am willing to take, means I have to be more careful on the loads and jumps I get on. Its just the way it is. -- Jonathan Bartlett D-24876 AFF-I

Well it starts in elementary school when the teachers are more like moms and while they do have teachers certificates (and some have degrees) many that settled on primary education did not recieve a higher level physics class that explained mechanics in great detail. Add to this that many parents answer the same question to kids when the kid ask how they stay on the roller coaster without falling out or how does a swing work. The grew up with "centrifugal" force. I would say its not until recently have schools started pushing a higher level of education. That college is starting to become mandatory for many entry level jobs and advancement requires a degree. So now I think more people are being educated but like you said its hard to break the chain. Many people do not realize they have been misinformed, and hell others just go into denial, your shaking the foundation of something they have believed in since they were 4. Education is the key, which is why whenever I see or hear someone use "centrifugal" I try to explain how its really the concept of Inertia and you are confusing the word centripital which actually has the opposite meaning. Force Diagrams are cool -- Jonathan Bartlett D-24876 AFF-I

Canopy time is really fun why is 4 extra seconds at terminal worth loseing like an extra 15 seconds - 1 min of canopy time. Normal pin out nowadays seems to be at about 3000 ft, some go a bit lower, some pull a bit higher. Ussually I see at about 60 jumps they start taking it lower and lower and lower, hit 100 jumps and the shiny C license that says 2000 is OK and they take it to 2 grand (I was one of those). Then we start to realize how stupid that is, and take it back up to 3,000 where there is plenty of time to deal with emergencies and the long snivel. I will say its freaky to exit first be open at 2700 feet and then look off to me right and see a 70 jump jumper falling past me without even having the PC out yet. Then ending up passing them agian, after they spiraled over the landing area, as I am screaming past them. It always creates a interesting situation and it makes me wonder if these guys are giving us enough seperation or if the people in the plane are rushing them out. -- Jonathan Bartlett D-24876 AFF-I

70 Jumps I jumped a 1.4 loaded Spectre 135, Thats not what I would call elliptical though. 95 jumps on a Nitron 150 1.3 Thats first elliptical jump. at 120 jumps bought a Nitron 120 at 1.6 First owned elliptical. Thats probably what you were looking for. If you can handle openings and the sensitivity of inputs on those canopies I try to advise many to an elliptical canopy because they have better flare, better bottom end, and tend to fly all around better. This is a generalization of course but tends to be fairly accurate. -- Jonathan Bartlett D-24876 AFF-I

I'm a college student with 725 jumps in under 3 years. I owe them money for car insurance and stuff, so of course they want me to pay them back, but right now that would interfere with my jumping so I have to put that on hold. My mother and father both appreciate it, and understand its just what my passion is and what I use to Destress after a week. My dad likes to drink with his buddies, I jump out of air planes. I am an AFF Instructor now so I should be able to start help financing the addiction on non training weekends. That helps, course every time I tell them I jump something just alittle bit smaller I think I nearly give them a heart attack. Normally goes like this," You used to jump a what when you started?" "A 170", and "now your jumping a what?" "A super high performance 103, and a lower performance 92" "Is that safe?" "No its not safe!!, I'm jumping out of airplanes and saving my life with a bundle of lines and nylon, but I try to make it as safe as possible". "Oh, atleast someone else is packing your reserve" "Yeah, I've been meaning to tell you that, I now pack my own reserves too" "Better not tell me anymore" "OK guys, have a good week." Hopefully I can convince them to do an AFF jump, they (and about everyone else)keeps asking when I can strap somebody to me and start jumping, but the idea of hauling cargo, even really attractive cargo just does not seem appealing. But back to the beginning, they seem to support it pretty well, but want me to start paying them back some of the money. -- Jonathan Bartlett D-24876 AFF-I

Given enough time, and good coaching you could obtain a very good skill set that would help you emmensly through AFF. AFF though you still have to be altitude aware (very important) along with canopy flight. While Tunnel is an great tool, its not a substitute. And this comes from someone that is a really fond believer of tunnel especially for FS skills. -- Jonathan Bartlett D-24876 AFF-I

Just so you know there is no such thing as centrifugal force. There is inertia which is commonly thought of as "centrifugal force" and there is centripital force which is center seeking force. What you expirence as "centrifugal" is just interia trying to keep its path and an outside force constantly changing its bath, pushing you away from the center. Just thought you might want to know. -- Jonathan Bartlett D-24876 AFF-I

To each their own, some push the envelope sooner than others, or better way to put it is everyones envelope is different. Some find an innate ability and affinity when it comes to canopies, others do not care for that side of skydiving. I did not feel like I was pushing my skills and ability past the edge, I load a Nitron 120 at about 1.6 at 1.30 jumps. To me it just felt like that was where I was supposed to be. I learned some lesson about judging altitudes on cloudy days (changes depth perception) and when too low is too low. 200 Jumps later I moved to my current canopy a Velocity 103. It is the sweetest canopy I have ever been under and its characteristics for my style is what I was looking for. Is that wingloading acceptable and ok for everyone, far from it. Is it possible to maim and kill, yeah it is, you have to be responsible about your actions. You also have to constantly be making smart descisions from deployment to ground, the few jumps that I expirenced more on auto pilot while not unsafe, could have been better and should have had more focus, but everyone has those jumps, but we try to limit them or eliminate them. Accept the challenges head on, learn all you can, stay smart. Don't let complacency over power you. -- Jonathan Bartlett D-24876 AFF-I

I thought between 7,500 and 9,000 you could exit poised and do a few PRCPs or some abreveated version of the dive but could not be considered sufficent for advancement purposes. Hey Mark, Brian and I finished our AFF, we are now officially AFF Instructors -- Jonathan Bartlett D-24876 AFF-I

Seconded, I own 2 Odysseys and love them both. Nothing campares, and like Yoshi would only consider another rig based on Full sponsorship. -- Jonathan Bartlett D-24876 AFF-I

about 3-5 mph downwind, not significant to give an extra push an extra 80 feet that was the old record. Well the one held by Clint (?), Ian held it at 376 for about 1 min, before shannon blew by him. -- Jonathan Bartlett D-24876 AFF-I

The Hill is basically the transition period of the relative wind from exit to terminal. When you exit the plane the relative wind is coming from nose of the plane towards the tail (thats the direction you are moving). You then accelerate downwards but it does not happen instantly so you start out steep then as you approach terminal you are leveling off. For RW work this is a whole different enviroment (is for Freeflyers too). The airspeed is significantly slower which produces a mushy feeling or slower response. This is most noticable when you are transition to your second or third point while still on the hill, or most noticeable doing Block moves. If you think the Hill is a piece of cake you must be far ahead of the curve (in response to another post) because the Hill is the most crucial time during a skydive, its the period most easy to funnel the exit, and in competition is often where it can be won or lost. Top teams do entire camps just working on the exit and the Hill, and some teams (Norgies) did ~40 exits in one day this year just to try to get better at the Hill. -- Jonathan Bartlett D-24876 AFF-I

The Factory Team Sits around 2.0-2.2 lb/ft2. I would put money that they feel that is the optimal loading for a Velocity. (considering they get to have any size they want that makes sense). -- Jonathan Bartlett D-24876 AFF-I

Its Ugly, and loud in the air (compared to an Oxygn). But its a strong helmet that can take being scraped face down across the pavement and still be ok. To each his own. (Contacts and Oxygn winning combination, no visibility problems, and its quiet) -- Jonathan Bartlett D-24876 AFF-I

First rig at 30 jumps, was using free gear, wanted something that the flaps would stay shut. Mirage M05 USED. Second Rig. 125 Jumps, Javelin NJ, cause I wanted something smaller to go with my Nitron 120. also USED (anyone want too buy it? its a nice C-18) Third Rig 300 Jump Javelin RS Odyssey, also USED off Sunpaths website. Fourth Rig 700 jumps, Javelin RS Odyssey, also USED off sunpaths website. Will be here in less than 2 weeks. Moral of the Story. Buy USED not only do you get it sooner (like 0-2 weeks) its ussually significantly cheaper. Canopies: Fury 200 (club gear) (used) Pro 170 (club gear) to go into Mirage. (used) Nitron 120 to go in the Javelin NJ (this one was new, but it was 50% off) Velocity to go in the Javelin RS (used with 3 jumps) Jedei to go in the backup rig (used 1000 jumps) Moral, Buy Used. Reserves. 1982 GQ securities X210 to go in mirage (came with it) PD 113R in the NJ then the RS, Mini Cricket in the NJ soon to be RS. All Used!!! USED can be very very good. Moral of the Morals: USED USED USED USED = good good good good.

Looks farther out towards the horizon atleast 60 degrees from from the perpendicular of the ground (ie 30 degrees below looking straight out). Have you had your eyes checked recently? Maybe your eye sight has gotten worse... just a thought, it happened to me at one point. -- Jonathan Bartlett D-24876 AFF-I

Data? nothing recorded or based on physics theory, 700 jumps on numerous canopies does give some empirical results. I have tried all the canopies below both with and without rolling and found all of them to open smoother with rolling the nose in the method described below. The only thing I dont bother with now is the Jedei cause its openings while more brisk by not rolling are still on heading so I shorten the pack job significantly. I have also seen the results when I have packed for other people then asked what they had in terms of openings. Nitron, Safire, Stiletto, Jedei, Sabre, FX, Rage, and most importantly my Velocity (slows it down, removes much of the seek back and forth as its inflating) Taking the entire nose and rolling it to the left or right will indeed lead to possible off heading openings. But a symetrical roll (assume 9 cell right now) take the first 4 cells roll them towards the center such that the roll is sitting next to the center cell (Not IN the center cell). Skip the center cell, take the final 4 cells roll it towards the center (we are talking like 2 180 rolls here) place it next to the center cell. Quarter the slider and pull the tail around. Jonathan Bartlett D-24876 AFF-I

Are end cell closure really that big of a deal? I don't even see it as a problem myself, and it ussually meant my opening was fairly soft (not always though as I found on an out of trim Stiletto 97) Just a couple bumps on the rear risers and they are gone... In reality the 2 methods of packing only get the parachute into the bag and how its going to unfold, once it hit the airstream stuff goes everywhere. The only difference I really see is the roll/not roll of the nose. Rolling (assuming symetric 4 and 4 or 3 and 3) just kinda gives the center cell that little extra jump on the rest of the canopy to open before the rest of the canopy, and ussually produces more on heading openings and a bit slow. my $.25 (inflation what a bitch, to think it used to be a penny for your thoughts) -- Jonathan Bartlett D-24876 AFF-I

run? probably not. The DOM is probably 1995. The "upgrade" she mentioned was the 4 year service check which is standard. Of course this also means that 2003 is another mandatory service check, so whatever price she is quoting remember that you will have to pay another $220 to get the units 8 year check. It just sounds like she is more into jumping less into knowing her gear, and lets her rigger handle all her gear stuff. Just remember with the 8 year check and a 1995 DOM its only good for another 4 years, I would not pay more than $200-250 for that component. PS: I used the she pronoun because I assumed Jamie is a she, even though I know some Jaime's that are male, I tend to think of it as a female name so I used the she pronoun -- Jonathan Bartlett D-24876 AFF-I

I wear contacts. I jump a Skysystems Oxygn. I have never ever had a single problem with the helmet in relation to contacts (or anything else for that matter). The helmet creates a nice calm enviroment for your head. I personally wear it on all jumps right now, I also own a Nvertigo X that I have not put a single jump on yet (owned it since January, brand new). I will probably only consider using it for camera unless I can talk Skysystems into making me a Sidewinder. Go with full face, although I don't know if they will let you wear it for AFF, I would let you wear it cause once you get used to it you can really see the expressions on the face, and itrs easier to concentrate on the dive. Best of luck on the rest of your progression. -- Jonathan Bartlett D-24876 AFF-I

Funny how that works. What Icarus does not tell you was how PA put out all the money for promotion of the line, filled orders for Icarus which the customer paid Icarus directly for, and oops forgot to pay Precision for their canopies. Enter the Ground Zero line, a far superior line of canopies, and they don't have to deal with Icarus. Of course Icarus had to create a whole new line (safire2, Omni) so they could sell in the US because PA owned the license. There's always more to the story. make sure you get both sides of the story. -- Jonathan Bartlett D-24876 AFF-I

Yeah but how does waiting 5 additional seconds to take care of everything make that much of a difference, I guess if you pull at 2 a lot, but I know most people deploy around 2.5-3(me). 60ft less and you are in control the entire time ( you can still turn it you need to and under canopy I can see all my lines to make sure they are ok or not). You can still cutaway if you had too but atleast this way you are not dangerously trying to hold 2 toggles in one hand to do stuff. And I shoo goo my booties too, but I sure as hell don't want to try running in them. I keep my booties very tight, and if I tried to run in them I would probably fall on my face. On a side note, What is a Big 5? Sport Authority has shoe goo. -- Jonathan Bartlett D-24876 AFF-I

Mine opens briskly but perfectly on heading, I think after learning the sensitivity of a Velocity, jumping a Jedei the openings are really easy. Mines loaded at 1.8:1 -- Jonathan Bartlett D-24876 AFF-I