mr2mk1g

hehehe - I'm still sure we're totally saying the same thing just picking at each other's wording. How does "the RSL pulls the pin allowing the spring loaded PC to deploy itself" sound?

A worn and cracked slider bumper was implicated by the BPA board of enquiry in a death in the UK last year. The board's conclusion was that the jumper "could" have been executing a double front riser approach in order to counter a strong head wind. He "could" have done this by holding the riser bumpers. This "could" have suddenly become a violent turn when one nylon bumper came off in the jumpers hand. This happend too low to the ground to effectively counter before impact and the jumper was killed. It seemed a bit of a leap of faith by the board, but that was their conclusion.

I did when it came out. Eric's pointed out my point as it were. As the "skyhook" itself is below the reserve pilot chute if the the reserve pilot chute isn't deployed nothing happens, skyhook or no skyhook as it's stuck below a whapping great spring. Thus the RSL still serves it's orriginal purpose of deploying the reserve pilot chute. Its just that in the case of a skyhook equiped rig it could be argued that this is more to facilitate the proper functioning of the "skyhook" than to create drag with the reserve pilotchute.

Yes, perhaps I should have worded it as "the timing of the reserve deployment" or something... Does the reserve pilot chut not begin deploying at effectivly the same time as you fall away from the main - thus the main simply out-pulls the reserve pilot chute?

The skyhook is effectively an addition to the existing RSL system, not a replacement. It does not change things one iota along the time line from cutaway to the point where the reserve pilot chute is launched. Only after that point do things start to happen differently. The bit the camera flyer cares about is what happens on cutaway and when the reserve pilot chute is deployed. As I said, these events are the same with both systems.

I don't think I'll bother with dying. Seems like an awful lot of effort for not a great deal of reward.

Yeah pretty much. Not to be confused of course with a Turbine Islander which can actually go above 10,000ft, doesn't take half the day to get there and looks exactly the same. The Pac is a big improvement for them.

hehehe - now I see it

Ummm... is that a minge died purple or a really bad mole or something?

Come now, you were specifically asked to Do play nice...

Well, I’m not going to start arguing with your local instructors. A) I’m not an instructor, B) they’ve seen you fly and know you. I do advise caution exceeding the recommended wing loadings though, and worry when instructors give advice contrary to what the manufacturers specifically warn about. They key idea here is that if you’re scared of it, odds are you’re not ready for it. Don’t be too afraid of a Sabre. Not all open hard and it should be possible to tame those that are prone to hard openings either through packing technique or with a minor modification.

Cark had a piston Islander. It used to hire other planes like a Let 410 for busier periods.

Do you have local instructors to talk to? They are going to be the best source of info for you, especially on canopy choice. Look into wing loading for a start - it's not the whole answer, but is an inportant factor (exit weight in lb/square foot). Most people would agree the Sabre2 is a good canopy for you, dependant on size. It's worth remembering that the Safire 1 is actually 7% smaller than it's size would otherwise indicate. The Safire 2 is the size on the lable though (go figure). Personally I wouldn't reccomend a 170 for your first canopy. If you're 190lb then you have an exit weight arround 215lb. That gives a wing loading of 1.26:1 That's a scary wing loading to be on and increases the risks on injuring yourself dramatically. You should reconsider that size. A good rule of thumb to follow is to not exceed a wing loading of 1.1:1 (1.1lb per square foot of canopy). Infinity's are nice. So are many others. You can't really go wrong with anything that's made currently (ie new or only a few years old). If you're looking at older gear there are some containers to avoid or at least to avoid doing certain things in. Again talk to your instructors or local jumpers. Perhaps post here about specific models if you wish. Oh, and welcome to our world.

At least he's got a honney to put his mini i..... [cough] I mean a honney to put in his mini. Is that wifey in the photos?

Not in England it doesn't. Not even close - we do not pick and chose our jurors as seen in that film. It is true that each side can reject up to 3 without giving any reason and sometimes it's necessary but in practice it’s not a particularly common thing to do. Not here at least. I can't speak for the US system.

my bad - presumed you ment the BPA shit we are required to pay for. I too have far more comprehensive personal cover which COSTS LESS!! than the shitty third party only cover the BPA (ok so really its the CAA) makes us buy! [grumble grumble grumble].

This has been discussed before. There are actually about 5 or 6 different super low profile 0.3 lenses on the market arround the world, all at about the same price. The conclusion drawn was they were actually all exactly the same optics simply re-branded. I should stress that this conclusion was arrived at by simply examining lenses from different manufacturers and not from some kind of insider info.

2k helmets are £90 + vat... Have them add a chincup for £25 and you have the equivalent of the freedom plus. unless VAT went throught the roof that's still a lot less than £170

Now... hmm... probably an SPAS 15. That would show those clay pigeons.... damn wait - I can already own one. Cool - guess I'll start saving.... they're about a grand. Er.... ok, if gun legislation were relaxed or I lived in the US I'd have to go retro. I've always liked WWII weaponry and used to own a deactivated BREN gun. A very beautiful weapon, it would be nice to fire one. I guess it would fire much like my old SMLE No.4 though. Perhaps a Sterling MkIII too - before the post-war refinements, a nice big heavy lump of metal with a side magazine. Or maybe an MP38 or 40, that would be a nice piece of history.

hmmm.... so you're saying a work experience kid at the CIA Googled “Iraq spy WMD terrorist”, got a hit from a 1988 source indicating that SH had WMD, that they could be deployed in 45 minutes. Obviously concerned called his supervisor over and said in his crackly pre-pubescent, breaking voice “er… Mr Johnson, you better come take a look at this”. Within the week the document (now printed out and stamped "CLASSIFIED" was on the president’s desk. After having it explained to him with glove puppets GWB decided to invade. A compelling theory.

No - it means somebody screwed up. Read up on what your BPA insurance covers you against. It specifically excludes the US. If you'd taken out a plane or something your family would have had some serious financial troubles... You will defiantly be required to join the USPA at Perris.

This was my favourite from the 1997 election (UK). Sadly it was banned... http://politics.guardian.co.uk/Politics/gallery/image/0,9353,-10404662583,00.html

kurupee "taslan" does not feel anything like the taslan used by the multitude of other companies I've seen use taslan or suplex. Perhaps I should have said "don't get taslan from kurupee".

Perhaps one the pilot will or has already hit on. I didn't notice the same uphill struggle when I was last out and the tandem master was describing some of the very first jumps out of it. They've only had it a week or two. Maybe I'd suggest it if it were my home DZ but I was just visiting. They put the worlds first static lines out of it the weekend before. The instructors did a load and videoed it for giggles. You can see that the plane has slowed down so much that canopies deploy virtually stright down from the door. They had this tape out the first night we were there as a kind of freak show as no one would believe it would go that slow. Cutting power for exits certainly isn't going to be a problem with this plane.

I'll post some pics later in the week. I was jumping Cark's (North West Parachute Centre) Pac 750 XL this last week. The plane fills a nice niche IMO. It's not a replacement for the likes of Otters where they can be made to be cost effective, but is ideal for smaller operations. A bit cramped inside. Annoying bump over the wings to sit on and the tail is a little close for comfort. Cark has strict rules in place with regards to pin checks and on not jumping up on exit. Camera flyers are advised to slide off - I certainly wouldn't want to go big from deap camera step. The big way attempts didn't happen. The most the pilot was happy with behind the wing is 9. I found myself the 10th man on a 10 way and had to keep fore of the wings until the base exited. As I moved aft, the door was coming up to meet me with the jump of the tail. The pilot didn't want us doing 14 ways, mainly because they've only just got it and he was still relatively new to the plane. He said it flew virtually identically to a Caravan, except he's always fighting to keep it from climbing. Watching the plane land exemplifies this. The pilot has to hold it 30- 40 odd degrees nose down just to get it to decend. Very short, wide wings... Tandem masters were jokingly complaining that they have to climb up hill in order to exit as once all the weight's off the plane just want's to keep on climbing.