dgskydive

Definately go to a bigger canopy! You are pushing the odds. I hope you fly as conservative as you say you do. I did the same thing at you experience and walked away from some of my landings by the grace of God an saw a few friends that didn't. Chewed grass a few times, but did that on my 170 as well as student canopies. That should have been the hint that you are not ready to downsize! I bet it hurt less when you "chewed grass" on a bigger canopy! Never having seen you jump, I would tell you to please don't become a statistic! Use your head as best as possible and don't take anybody else out with ya. Then again that is why they are called accidents. Nobody plans on getting hurt or killing themselves (well 99% don't). Who did you buy the canopy you have from? What questions did they ask you before you bought it? Did they explain to you the extra risk you are putting yourself into? QuoteShould I be more conservative and upsize for a while? IMHO, YESSSSSSSSSSSSS! Dom

Now that you mention it, he does kinda look like he could be Grudens son. I can see him with a raiders jacket on giving the bird to the Bucs!Oh wait that would be the other way around now! Dom

Ok! What a great girl! I promise to keep it wrapped up! Dom

Note to self..... Make a lot of noise when walking up behind Vallerina! Dom

You gotta come to CAli first! I don't do well in long distance relationships. I always get to horny to hold out! Dom

QuoteFlaming out for no real reason. That's another of my pet peeves Be quiet! you don't know nothin!!!!!!! Like that? Dom

Sunny it is better you didn't take the job over here. I would fall in love with ya! You rock! Just the kinda girl to take home to mom! "Hey mom meet Sunny! I found here in the back of the plane passed out with one boot on! Ain't she neat?!?" Dom

Tell him you have a new piercing! I bet that gets his attention! Dom

The look on this kids face is so serious! Cracks me up every morning! Dom

QuoteProbably I'm way out of line here but it just seems funny that with as much emphasis as is placed on freefall backup gadgets, why in Hell does it appear that there is some lack of the same concern for safety margins when it comes to landings? THat is the million dollar question! I think it is the cool factor plane and simple. There is not enough apprectiation for how dangerous this sport is. Sure it is a lot safer then it used to be, but the f---ing ground is just as hard as ever and free fall isn't the only way to hit it! All new jumpers see is the big boys swooping and think they can do it right away. I am just as guilty as any new jumper. When I bought my first canopy in 94, I went straight from a 220 to a 160. I have scar's to show for it and watched friends do the same thing and go to the hospital for it. I was lucky and try to pass the lesson on to every new jumper that I talk to. Why can't it just be cool enough to jump!? Dom

***m afraid im going to end up like the people who live in trailers at the dz. Hey, I resemble that remark! So what if ya end up at the DZ. At least you will be happy then. That is why I did it. I love nothing more then being at the DZ. It's good to wake up to the sound of a Twin Otter taking off, or looking out your window to see the sunset load landing (unless I am on it)!!!!! Dom

My mom took mine and melted it down. Had it made into a charm for a braclet she has. Said it was her way of taking away my pain and know she carries it. My mom is sweet but strange! Dom

It's hard to be accurate with those types of stats. Not everyone sends in an incident report when someone gets hurt. Contact the USPA and they will have soem kind of stats for you. Dom

***Well, I'll have at least a couple hundred jumps by the time I might be ready to change planeforms, maybe even longer Make it longer! Dom

Just about all of my cousins went to OU and my half sister is there now. They have told me plenty of stories of there exploits there. I think it even lead to one of them dropping out! Dom

I hate when that happens! Dom

Can we have some more choices!?!?!? Dom

Quote i guess we'll be the youngest deaf divers in texas. :D (he's 21 and i'm 20) Get done with AFF and get some experience, then you guys can be on the next deaf world record jumps! This months Parachutist has an article you may want to read! It is about the deaf jumpers that came to Perris last month and did the record. It has some names of folks you may wnat to get to know! Dom

If you ever run into Emily Bowles take care of her! She is my half sister. Good kid. Dom

I agree with you. With a hundred jumps you shouldn't really think about an ellpitcal at this point. You are alread jumping a wingloading that must manufactures would consider for experts anyway. If you are still having fun with the canopy you already have then stay on it for a long time. When the day comes that you no longer are able to surprise your self then think about downsizing or getting a more HP canopy. I think yo are thinking right when you want to go to HP but the same size. Just way to early! Go and read pg 9 of this months Parachutist, letter titled "Stupidity and Misery". Don't be that guy! Dom

They are not bad canopies. The problem is you will have a hard time when it come time to resell it. They are not in demand. If you go with the SABRE2, or SPECTRE you will have a better chance of getting a good price when you resell. The Pilot woulsn't be a bad bet either (it is my favorite intermediate canopy). WE have been selling more and more of them lately. So they sould have a decent resale value in a year or so! Dom

*** My first main was larger than what had been recommended to me (I'm at 1:1 instead of about 1.2:1 as recommended) and boy was I ever glad the first time I had to land in heavy traffic and the first time I landed crosswind . I'm still learning a lot about this canopy and am in no hurry to downsize. That should be the approach for every new jumper . GREAT ATTITUDE FOR A NEW JUMPER!!!!!!!!!!! I am sure I will see you in the sport for a long time!!!!! Dom

Good post Lisa! I agree with you. I really think if a new jumper can afford it, go with a new H/C and used canopies. You can go up one and down two sizes with most H/C out there (talking mains). You can grow with the new H/C. Get a reserve the same size or maybe even one bigger then your main. No need for a tiny reserve in the begining! Dom

QuoteIf we had a hypothetical jumper with 25 jumps and weighed 130 to 140 pounds with gear, I certainaly would not recommend he/she to buy a canopy with a wing loading of 1:1. I would suggest something quite a bit below 1:1. One thing to think about with smaller jumpers is there arm strength. I will use the ladies as an example. Just because it happens more often with them then with guys, but it goes for guys as well. When you have that bigger canopy it takes more strength to pull the brakes. This can make you real tired and not leave strength for flairing during landing. Not all, but a lot of ladies and some guys (trying to not get flamed here) aren't very strong in the arms and upper body. So be underloaded can put them in a bad situation. Case in point, a very close female friend of mine had over 300 jumps and couldn't land her canopy standing up consistently. After watching many of her landings we could see that she wasn't able to flair all the way down leaving her at about 3/4 brakes when she hit. She went down one size (135 to 120) and has stood up all her landings but one since then. This is not to say that if you can't land your canopy, go smaller and you will be fine all the time! If you are a bigger person that lacks arm strength then go to the gym and get in shape! Talk to your instructors and responsible jumpers with experience and see if this might help you! The above example is what I am refering to. A jumper 130 to 140 lbs. exit wieght may warrant a smaller canopy. The low wing loading may make there problem worse or start one that didn't exist before. BTW when this jumper downsized she was watched very closely by at least 4 people for a period of about a month with constant threats of taking away her new canopy if she didn't perform well with it! Dom

You still go to OU? Dom