Jimbo

Stop in at any gear store and look at the warning label that comes on a skydiving helmet. It basically says "This helmet is not rated to protect your noggin from anything, not falling down, not walking into a tree, not bumping your head on the plane, not raindrops." On top of all this, they're amazingly expensive! The local motorcycle shop will have a variety of helmets, that while expensive, will actually protect your brain. These helmets also come in a variety of sizes which will allow you a better fit, and therefore better protection. - Jim - Jim

Canopy skills can be an observation sport.

You should share.

First Date - Texas Style.

Heh. Picture a skydive gone wrong. Total malfunction, student can't find the reserve. Fat guy in a toga looking to the sky holding a beer seems to be honoring his friends almost certain death. Ahh hell - words just can't do it justice. It has to be seen.

Hmm. I was thinking about the coming in under canopy problem. Maybe one could get around this with a a B.A.S.E. rig and low low low opening. Hmm...

Armor Piercing Bullets.

He'd make it to the ground, I doubt he would make it to the ground alive, or without a few extra ounces of lead, but he would certainly make it to the ground.

And anyone who hasn't seen Fandango should go out and rent it tonight! If nothing else, the skydiving scene is priceless.

Funny how things chage given new information: I'm now seriously considering replacing my Raven II with a PD reserve. See the thread in Gear and Rigging started by Mike Farmer for more info.

I too read the FAQ at Precision and I'm not exactly thrilled about what I see. Let's start with this: I understand they're doing this to minimize costs while attempting to maximize public image. The reality is that probably fewer than 1% will ever redeem these $100.00 coupons, but it looks like they're doing the world a big service by offering them. If they're really concerned about their ability to 'retain my confidence' (read: retain my business) then they can just pay for the damn thing themselves. But... I'm thinking that if they pay for the 'mandatory upgrade' themselves that they'll probably open themselves up to many lawsuits, correct? Isn't paying for it like admitting that it is truely a defect? It would be appreciated if one of the lawyerly types could provide some insight here. That's not good. While it's unlikely to happen due mostly I suspect to cost issues, it would be nice to have an independent lab periodically test reserves from all manufacturers under several common deployment conditions. Does the reserve operate properly during symmetrical deployment, how about fast or unstable openings? Purely scientific data could then be published and the buying public could make determinations from the published data. This might also force manufacturers to design a better reserve, we would certainly all benefit from this. I've got a Raven II in my rig and after this and the Crossfire problems (Precision, as one of the manufacturers, has to accept SOME responsibility for quality control) I'm seriously considering replacing that Raven with a PD. Oh well, my $0.02. - Jim

For those of us who haven't seen a Skydiving Mag in a while can you summarize the ariticle here? Thanks - Jim

Maybe, maybe not. I think it depends on the person, their skill level, and most importantly the training they've had. Discuss it with your instructors and mentors. Why not, before you buy, spend the next 30 or 40 jumps working your way down to the 190. You'll know then if you're able to handle it, so will your instructors and mentors. It's really important to have jumped gear before you buy, those who don't usually regret it. It may upset a canopy nazi, but ultimately you're the one who has to live with the decision. Icarus has, in my opinion, published fairly reasonable descriptions of wing loading vs. performance. Here's the complete description. You decide, you're the only one who can make this decision. Remember, any canopy is dangerous in the hands of someone who has not been properly trained in it's operation. While it's true that a Stilletto or Crossfire are less forgiving of mistakes, a lightly loaded Sabre or even a generic PD can and will kill you given the right circumstances. As you increase wingloading your margin for error decreases, but I don't think that a wingloading of 1.23 in the hands of someone with around 50 or 60 jumps and proper training is unreasonable.

Huh. That was, uh, it wasn't exactly cool. On the plus side, it did occupy some of my time while waiting for my date to get here. Oh well.

Again, on the Yugo vs. Volvo thread, or maybe Tempo vs. Other reserves - there are a few 'bad' things written about the Tempo on this site. Two reviews mentioning a 'built in turn', I realize it's not 100 reviews, but it's enough to make me wonder. I'll stick with my Raven thanks. - Jim

Talking to Kruse and Heath is certainly a viable option, but it amazes me that a DZ as large as CK doesn't have any sort of formal canopy training. Considering the wealth of talent, Kruse, Heath, Spotty, Doug, etc...I'm just surprised that a formalized program doesn't exist yet.

You'd like to think that they would, but as of last year there was no such program. Maybe it went as far as "there's the pattern, fly it. there's the ground, flare." - I know because I asked. It's too bad really, I'd love to get some formal canopy instruction but don't currently have the budget to support a trip out of state, maybe if enough people ask for it this year something can happen. - Jim

That's a pretty sweet idea too. Could be in the future that dz.com is your one-stop-shop for most anything skydiving related. I think the trick is getting the various manufacturers to work with dz.com on building and maintaining such a database. It would be cool though. Very cool.

You don't run the risk of spreading the info 'thin' if you can devise a way to keep all copies current. A thought would be to have DZ.com mirror the lists already maintained by the USPA, CSPA, WhateverPA... With modern technology this would actually be fairly simple.

What are you talking about? The common test today seems to be straight leading edge or no straight leading edge. The Safire, Sabre 2, Spectre, and even the PD Navigator all have a straight leading edge and a tapered tail (just like the Diablo), are they also FULLY ellipitical? Certainly we'll agree that the Stiletto, Cobalt, Vengeance, and Crossfire are all fully elliptical canopies, and each of these has a tapered leading edge as well as a tapered tail. What's the test for 'ellipitical' vs. 'semi-ellipitical'? It seems that some people are suggesting it's nothing more than marketing speak. (The manufacturer says it's ellipitical, so damnit it's ellipitical)

Did you look at the diagram on the Diablo web page? The clearly show a straight leading edge - despite how they market this canopy it is what people these days often refer to as 'semi-eliptical'. Here's a review, from dz.com, by Wendy Faulkner, she also describes a straight leading edge. - Jim

Actually, it's not. From the Diablo home page If you'll visit the page you'll also see several diagrams of the Diablo, the leading edge is clearly straight. The Diablo is what most people refer to as a 'semi-eliptical' canopy these days. - Jim

Is this true? Then is it fair to say that students are OK under a Diablo, but most likely in danger under a similarly loaded Cobalt? Being 'semi-eliptical' isn't an automatic brand of safety just like being 'eliptical' isn't an automatic brand that a canopy is dangerous and can only be subdued by the most skilled pilot. - Jim

Maybe the student is jumping a canopy suited to his experience and skill level, he's not jumping an VX loaded at 2.4:1. People are quick to condemn a DZ for putting a student under a lightly loaded eliptical canopy, but remember not too long ago people screamed when students jumped ZP, before that it was students jumping squares. Hmmm.... - Jim

Interesting. Is there a BSR or other rule that says students can't jump eliptical canopies? I really wonder if you have any recourse here. - Jim