skybytch

Noice! I don't feel so bad now. Mom got my name from a character in "As the World Turns" (a daytime TV soap opera).

If you don't plan to freefly with the rig in question you may want to think about not converting it to BOC. If you aren't freeflying there is nothing wrong with/unsafe about the ROL location. Pay attention to detail when packing (ie don't wrap the bridle around the lateral or leg strap) and ROL deployment will work just fine. I know a few people (non-freefliers) who won't jump BOC at all. Their reasoning has to do with horseshoe malfunctions. In a typical horseshoe the main container is open and the bag is deployed. With an ROL it's simple to find and deploy the main p/c, which should clear the horseshoe (leaving you to deal with whatever mess the main is going to be). With a BOC, the p/c is in the pocket on the bottom flap of the main container. No telling exactly where that bottom flap is going to be as you're trying to get that p/c out. If you always use packers or may do some sitflying with the rig I'd suggest doing the mod. If you always pack for yourself and won't be freeflying with the it you can save yourself $50-60 (depending on who's doing the work) by not doing the mod.

I'll be headed to the dz today as soon as it gets closer to the right time to show up. Since I'm learning to be a freeflier the right time to show up at the dz is noon (not 8 frickin' AM like those who do RW seem to think). Besides, it's still cold outside here.

You can find the serial number on the data panel. Where the data panel is located depends on the item. Here are a few that I know off the top of my head... Canopies - generally located on the center cell at the tail. Containers - Javelin - on a flap under the top reserve flap; often tucked into the clear pocket where the packing data card is kept. Infinity - inside the right "mud flap" or "ring cover" Talon - sewn onto one of the reserve risers

Congrats! That's a major achievement, you should be proud.

This article may be helpful.

Might help if you list how much you want in your ads. At least that way you won't be bothered by people offering less than you think your stuff is worth.

This looks like fun. Almost makes me wish I worked in an office again.

And this browser toolbar is fun. It's how I found the particle simulator. Works on Firefox.

This "particle simulator" is neato.

Renew for the insurance if for no other reason. And attend the General Membership meeting next month and voice your concerns.

The material for a basic canopy control course, including a canopy piloting proficiency card, is in the 2006 SIM. The course syllabus appears to me to be much the same as what Scott teaches. Experienced people who can teach, video landings and give a good debrief on the video can teach this course this weekend if they want. It only takes a day of your time. Yeah, I guess that was a challenge. C'mon, those of you who know you can, I dare ya. Teach a canopy control course next month. Teach one every month. Charge for it or don't, your choice. DZO's, chief instructors - make the canopy proficiency card a requirement for getting an A license at your dropzone, and encourage all jumpers regardless of license to complete it. Maybe we'll see a difference in the number of lowtimer injuries next season because of it. It would certainly prove the point if we do, wouldn't it?

They can do it. It's best to mark the suit with where you want it cut back to (use pins or a fabric marking pencil) so it will come back exactly how you want it. Cost will depend on how long it takes, which will depend on how many areas you want trimmed up and if any of the seams in those areas are covered by the applique. I could be wrong but IIRC labor rate is $30 an hour. Call before you ship it so you can get a money and time estimate and so they know it's coming.

I'm far from an experienced (or even competent) freeflyer, but I did spend the past year cutting suits for Flite Suit. One of the projects we worked on last year was a trim suit (like the Matter and Ouragon suits) for the guys on Guano. What they were looking for was suits that are faster than the baggy type suits they'd been flying. Two of the guys have slim builds (ie fall relatively slow) and wanted minimal drag, one is a bit beefier (ie falls relatively faster) and wanted some drag but not as much as his previous suits. The reasoning behind the trimmer cuts was so they' could fly their bodies more than their suits. All three of them specifically wanted the torso, upper leg and upper arm areas to fit snug - more like a snug fitting (ie fast falling) RW suit and less like a pair of pajamas. The reasoning behind the snugger fit is that there is no benefit to having excess fabric in those areas - it doesn't improve your flying, in some cases it can hinder it, and having that excess fabric flapping around can be irritating and even painful. Flapping fabric in the key drag areas is an issue when you've progressed to more precision flying. Having a lot of drag on your control surfaces can make it more difficult to take or present a grip. It also encourages "lazy flying" when you are learning by allowing you to let the suit do the work instead of you doing the work. My personal experience - I had a Firefly suit from the late 90's - baggy arms and baggy legs. Last year I replaced it with a trimmer cut Bomber suit. Most of my jumps last year were spent sitflying. While I still suck at it, I find it much easier to fly and I have a much better body position in the trimmer suit than I did in my old suit - I've even managed to take a couple of arm grips, which would have been impossible in my old suit. Re: double and triple layers. Think about airflow through the material. The heavier the material, or the more layers of lighterweight material, the less air that will pass through the suit. Less airflow = more drag. Again, I'm far from good at freeflying. I'm sure those who are can explain this better and correct me where I'm wrong.

You may find this article to be helpful. Don't buy a rig until at least after you've gotten through the student progression and ideally after you've had a chance to jump a few different sport containers and canopies. What one person thinks is the best gear for them may or may not be the best gear for you. The only good way to determine which container and main are the best for you is to jump a variety of them and then decide which you like best.

Funny you brought this up; I've been itchin' to get out on long road trip lately. My longest was either Southern California to the eastern side of Kentucky and back (June '03) or Southern California to Rantoul and back (August '03). When I was in high school a friend and I talked about riding motorcycles around the US after we graduated. Looking back, I wish we had. Now that I have a motorcycle I'm thinking about it again...

Other. I'm currently an unemployed college freshman with no clue what field I will pursue after I graduate.

Fairfield is pretty close to Davis; Lodi and Byron are a bit further but an easy drive. Concord is pretty close to Byron; Davis and Lodi are a bit further but an easy drive. Pick one of those two and jump all three. You won't regret it.

Ouragon makes a nice (but a bit pricey, imho) trim suit.

Linky thing

I cut it myself. Kurupee is the only mfr I know of that has a design program on their website. Flite Suit's website has a "custom cut gallery" that shows kind of what each applique they offer will look on a suit (but you can't play with the colors on it) and their order form has a drawing of a basic suit that you could print out, make a few copies of and color on...

All those jumps without being able to consistently land parachutes loaded at 1.1 or less accurately or even standing up. Note that I didn't say I couldn't land safely; PLF's are a wonderful thing. And all those people who could have worked with me to help me learn how to stand up my landings, fly a pattern and in general be a safer skydiver (i.e. informal coaching) instead preferred to laugh at me, my landings, my dirty gear and my dirty, torn up jumpsuit. Much like you appear to be doing. I'm not alone. Anybody can see jumpers like me on any dropzone. We range from just off student status to thousands of jumps, although most of us get tired of rolling in the dirt and quit jumping long before we reach 500. Many of us are female - perhaps that alone says something since most instructors are male (and/or "got it" right off the bat)? I'm not even going to get into these who never "got it" but were told by those we respected to buy/fly canopies loaded over 1.0. The information that all jumpers should be learning in their student program is either not being taught, not being taught in a way that the student can grasp or it's being forgotten shortly after it's learned because it's not reinforced through repetition post-student status. The concept of informal coaching is not working in the real world. Formal structured coaching does work in the real world. I'm not saying that formal coaching needs to cost money - anybody is free to not charge for their time and effort. I am saying that the coaching needs to be structured for it to have the greatest effect. No, smart learner. I know the value of hearing the same information more than once. And I know the value of having someone who knows something debriefing me when I'm practicing new skills.

Standing in the landing area at a boogie last summer I watched a guy spiral down to about 200 feet over the landing area, aim into the wind (even when the landing pattern had been established as a slight crosswind, thus cutting off numerous others who were following the rules) and land. He did it on every jump he made that day. When I asked someone about him I was told he's one of those who've been doing that for years, he does it every time he comes out to jump (about once a year, give or take) and it wouldn't do any good to say anything to him.

Pop! How've ya been? How's the wife and kids? Did you get that annoying rash taken care of yet?

I just did the same thing via the contact customer service page.