beezyshaw

say what?

What he said. Just because you say you can clear your ears doesn't mean you're not going to get on the ground and feel pain like you've never immagined. I've jumped with a head cold (a long time ago...NEVER AGAIN) and had ear pain for days after. And I mean PAIN, not "discomfort".

I get our demo canopies back all the time with mis-routed brake lines. So it is apparant to me that many jumpers don't know how to properly route and set deployment brakes. It's really very simple, but maybe somewhere in learning to pack this step is either not taught, not emphasized, or taught incorrectly. Put very simply, route the "loop" to one side of the toggle and the "line" to the other side of the toggle. By "loop" I mean the section of the control line below the brake setting, and by "line" I mean the section of control line above the brake setting. It amazes me how many people route the "line" under the top of the toggle and on the same side of the toggle that the "loop" is going. I'm attaching a couple of photos. In the photos I haven't stowed the "loop" for clarification; be sure to stow this excess control line according to your own main risers' recommended method.

I think people are not making the proper distinction between "stretch" and "elongation". Stretch is the elasticity of a line, and the line returns to original length after deployment forces are reduced. Elongation is the more permanent lengthening over time from loads being imposed on the line. Big difference here. Dacron has the most stretch during deployment, and Spectra stretches virtually none. Spectra in skydiving applications will shrink due to friction heat, but in other applications (like sailing)Spectra is bad about "creep" or elongation when tightened with a wench.

So, anyone who understands Polish translate the blow-by-blow. http://www.hiperusa.com/Polishguysfight.wmv

I just want to re-emphasize what Ed said about LOOKING at your pilot chute as you let it go. I always look at my pc as it leaves my hand, watch my bag lift off, so that if there is any sort of hesitation I know of the problem immediately. As I've said in these forums before, I assume a malfunction on every jump until it's proven otherwise. That mindset will prevent you from wasting time that can make a big difference in how long you live.

The one thing I can add to this is...when jumping a 400 series Cessna, skydive down! I've known of at least one fatality and several non-fatal tail strikes because of exiting in a conventional "student" poised arch-type exit. If it were me flying that bird, I'd plan on a power-flaps-pitch combination that resulted in a minimum prop blast, nose low attitude; even if it means losing a bit of altitude on jump run. A few hundred feet of altitude loss is a lot less expensive than a stabilizer and/or a human life. So, these planes can and have been jumped successfully, but proper planning to avoid an accident is imperative.

As far as I can "recall" (usual disclaimer here), the Velocity is trimmed a little steeper than the Icarus FX. The Xaos 21 has a trim angle very close to the angle of the Velocity, and the trim angle of the VX (I think) is slightly more shallow than that of the Velocity. As to measuring the "A" lines, don't know which is longer, but remember the angle is based on differential between A,B,C,D not the actual length. The length affects the pendulum factor, openings, etc.

First-year students at Med School were receiving their first anatomy class, with a real dead human body. They all gathered around the surgery table with the body covered with a white sheet. The professor started the class by telling them, "In medicine, it is necessary to have 2 important qualities as a doctor: "The first is that you not be disgusted by anything involving the human body." For an example, the Professor pulled back the sheet, stuck his finger in the butt of the corpse, withdrew it and stuck it in his mouth. "Go ahead and do the same thing," he told his students. The students freaked out, hesitated for several minutes. But eventually took turns sticking a finger in the butt of the dead body and sucking on it. When everyone finished, the Professor looked at them and told them, "The second most important quality is observation.........I stuck in my middle finger in, and sucked on my index finger. Now learn to pay attention" .

That's a valid point. Edit: While the Velocity has a lower aspect ratio than the Katana, it is about the same as a Stiletto.

Not being able to speak for PD, of course, but having been involved in the development of both the Icarus EXTreme and Precision Xaos canopies, I can probably give you an accurate answer. One reason is that the 27-chamber (9 cell) cross braced canopies "generally" are not the best opening wings; they can tend to have a mind of their own. So for openings, PD probably wasn't satisfied with any 9 cell prototypes they may have tested, if they even tried them before releasing the Velocity. Another reason is that canopy pilots today prefer a longer, steep dive than canopies like say the Stiletto have. The 7 cell cross braced canopy dives much steeper than the 9 cell version; this applies to all 7 vs. 9 cells, not just cross braced canopies. So anyone who is getting long recovery arcs with their VX or Xaos 27 is loading quite heavily, and PD was I'm sure trying to accomplish the long dive without forcing jumpers into ballistic wing loadings. A third reason the Velocity is a 7 cell probably has to do with cost. The velocity is already expensive enough; the addition of another 2 or 3 hundred dollars to the pricetag would have probably been prohibitive for many jumpers. Remember too that Icarus didn't release the VX until several years after the 7 cell EXTreme was in existence.

I was thinking probably they were from AL but transplants to NC or something more along those lines.

I'm not sure whether I'm a lefty or not, because I... play golf, bat, play guitar, eat right-handed; write, throw a ball, and kick a ball left-handed (kick left-HANDED?); and I do many things, like fly a frisbee, equally well with either hand. Certainly the most annoying thing about being left-handed is the smudges on your hand from writing.

check this out... www.hiperusa.com/patchesthehorse.wmv

Hey, don't get ice cream and cake all over that new jumpsuit! Edit: What was I thinking? I know Chris can get it to his mouth NO PROBLEM!

Honey, would you PLEASE get off the computer and be an ANGEL and go get some milk? PRETTY PLEASE, with sugar on top? If you will, I'll love you forever and be your best friend and all that stuff...

uh, well, um, see post to Chuck for a clue

Got a JOB? You mean like a time-clock-punching, 9 to 5, kiss'n some boss-man's ass, slave labor, JOB? I can just see it now, around the Blue household, the conversation went something like... Capt. Blue: "Look, you good-for-nuttin', lazy ass professional skydiver party animal low down turd, I have to get up at 5am every friggin day while you lay in the damn bed till noon. Get out and beat the streets and find some gainful employment or I'm gonna kick the ever-livin' dog shit outa your no-good ass!" Chuck: "Yes, dear." Edit: Like I've got room to talk; my wife's at work and I'm sittin' around drinking coffee and playing on the 'pooter!

Usually comes out to about $0.25 per hour

Yes, glad Dave said this. When you learn to use the horizon line as a visual reference it is much easier and more reliable than objects on the ground. For one thing, the horizon is there to use without having to look at and analyze any particular thing on the ground. Also, visibility will trick you. A clear day will make you feel lower than a hazier day will. The horizon as your reference is the hot tip.

You watch who you be callin' dumb, sonny boy! You OBVIOUSLY were either too busy sleepin' in or already drankin' cuz I didn't see you at the psycho pack tandem seminar. I'll race your ass packing a tandem any day, Charles.

I also placed a couple of calls before I got a response from Altitude Concepts about my Digitude. I broke my battery cover and needed a replacement. I found out that Mike has been out of the country. Altitude Concepts is a small company and I don't have any problem with them taking some time off. I too run a small business in this industry; it's a lot of long hours and hard work trying to make a living in this sport. I'm sure now that he's back you'll get prompt and good service. I hate to see a good guy get who makes a damn good product get lambasted so harshly.

Well, I'm not sure that I completely understand your question, but I'll try to put into different words the point I was making. To me the orientation or arrangement of the packed canopy (pro packed) lends itself to lineovers. Now, poor control of the lines in relation to the leading edge of the canopy "invites" the occurance of the malfunction. Good clean pro packing technique greatly reduces the chance of a lineover. The 30% number was just something I threw out there, not with any data to back up the percentage, just gut feeling. And again, the arrangement of the flat packed canopy keeps the lines totally away from the leading edge and virtually eliminates the chance of the malfunction. I think we're on the same page here, does what I'm saying make sense?

I'll be taking the prize money home 'cause I'll be flyin' THIS wing...

Yep, what Chuck said. I am often asked to answer questions like "Why is THIS canopy better than THAT canopy?" My answer is always something to the effect of..."THIS canopy is only better than THAT canopy if YOU like it better for YOUR flying style and what you're looking for in openings, flying, approach and landings." And to the original poster...a certain canopy doing well at competitions is only doing well because of the pilots that are flying them. Those same guys could probably swoop the crap out of a Stratostar if that's what they were jumping.