beezyshaw

I just got this power point thingy in an email that must be circulating, but I thought it was pretty cool. I like the last one, it's kind of sssssspooooooky http://www.hiperusa.com/The_Human_Brain.pps

The "Old West" will never be the same...

That is a very good analogy, Joe. It echoes my sentiments exactly. Often jumpers will ask me "why should I buy a Nitro? Tell me what's good about it?" I will never try to "sell" a canopy. I want to make sure that what we offer is exactly what a customer is looking for, so unless a jumper is totally happy about the performance for their flying style then I would rather them jump a competitor's product. I feel that I have 100% customer satisfaction for that reason. Just as our current magazine ads imply, it really is a shame there are so many lemmings when it comes to choosing equipment.

They're not "exactly" the same thing, but the Nitron is a Precision Aerodynamics copy of the Nitro. There are a few subtle but important differences. But as to your comment, just exactly how many jumps on a Nitro have you made that leads you to comment you're not impressed with it? Is your profile correct? (It says 50 jumps and B license) If not, what is your experience level and I would be very interested in your basis for that remark.

I appreciate that word of caution. I actually have come up with something to mount the remote to that is simple, crude, but seems to work for now. I just clamped the remote to a 6 inch piece of wooden dowel, then the dowel goes in my jumpsuit cuff and the velcro holds it pretty snug. I just hold the dowel in my hand in such a way that my thumb can operate the shutter. I can simply let go to use my hand if I need to, and after opening I just open my cuff and drop the whole thing down inside my sleeve for canopy flight. So far seems to work and I don't see any real issues.

That's certainly true; but I won't try to push poor quality off on someone if this doesn't turn out to be something I feel ok with. If the stills from this camera turn out poorly, I'll pass on the video/stills slots. Then again, if I show the stills to a tandem customer and they can't leave without them, what makes them happy is what makes me happy.

Steve Wood is the owner of Skydance Photography, not that I have anything against the Bachman boys, but Steve is a good friend. http://www.skydanceheadgear.com/accessor.htm

I realize that 640x480 is low res for sure, but when I looked at the stills they were about 400 to 600 k file size jpegs. By comparison, when I used to grab frames from another Sony digital camcorder I had, the jpegs would be like 50 to 60 k files. So using that as a reference, I think it's safe to say they'll be at least way better quality than a video frame would give. I've seen decent 3x5 and4x6 prints from that size file, and on computer they look fine. So poster or 8x10 prints, no, but I wouldn't say (yet anyway) that they absolutely will not be sellable. I guess time will tell. I plan to go make a couple of fun jumps and test the camera this weekend, I'll report back then. Hell, my little trigger gadget might find itself on ebay after trying it out

I used that remote with a Sony still camera for a little while... 1st, I don't think cliping it to your finger is the way to go... try a tube stow or rubber band, the clip will just hurt after a while and likely get in the way... Actually I figured a better way to hold the remote, I have it mounted on a piece of dowell instead of clipping it to my finger. I will be able to let go of it completely to use my left hand, so it's not going to be a problem for jumping. 2nd, the thing is bulky and if you have it in the wrong place you are likely to zoom in while climbing out, or even if freefall... Not concerned about hitting the zoom, but if it happens then I'll re-think things. I also thought about figuring out a way to "fix" the zoom switch to say in W position. I don't really think of it as bulky, it measures 1" x 1.5" 3rd, are you sure it will take pictures while recording? Most cameras I've seen will snap a shot, and then stop recording, although I have not looked at any of the newer cameras, so I'm not sure what they can do now. Yes, the HC42 will take stills on memory stick while recording video on tape without interruption. 4th, what's the point? You can do the same thing on the ground after the fact. Why mess with it in freefall? The reason to use the still shot capability is the quality will be much better than grabbing frames from digital video. The still shots will be 640x480 when taken while shooting video. 5th, if you do decide to use it, I would suggest modifying the cable to allow for a break away... you do not want the cable snagging on something and breaking off the plug in the LANC port. I'm going to jump the camera top-mounted, so I'm really not concerned about the thing being hit like I might be with a side-mounted setup. From the camera the cable is gaffer taped nicely down my helmet then into my jumpsuit; seems pretty tidy to me. Edit: I also think I'll get a camera condom, which should also help keep the LANC cable from getting banged around.

Yes, in the days before ram-airs were the norm. The sleeve or bag was canopy specific instead of made for a specific container. Likewise, in those days the risers were also part of the canopy, as the steering lines and toggles were set up differently for each canopy type, and in many cases the lines were actually sewn to the risers and there weren't even any connector links (or L-bars back then). Funny how times change!

I bought a HC42 the other day, have yet to jump with it, but I saw an interesting accessory in the store, so I bought it without doing any homework first. It is a wired remote on a 5 ft. cable that plugs into the LANC terminal. It powers the camcorder, zooms, operates the record and also the still photo shutter. It even has lights to let you know you're recording. It has a clamp that I suppose is designed to clip to a tripod arm, but I plan to put it on my finger for jumping. It measures about 1" X 1.5". Does anybody jump with this gadget? Any known issues? Pros, cons, precautions, or any other comments welcome. Also, as the HC42 will shoot (low-res) photos on memory card while recording video to DV tape, I figure "what the hell" and I'll at least click a few stills just for the heck of it. Anybody else have experience doing this? The last helmet-mounted video I shot was with my trusty VX-700 years ago, then I went to hand-cam for several years. The one thing I must say is these things have sure gotten light in the last 10 years! Edit: I also bought the Sony .6 lens; at $35 I couldn't pass it up. I've always used wider lenses (and much more expensive) in the past, but as long as you back away a little bit farther from the subject does this lens work OK? Or is it a piece of crap (which wouldn't surprise me at the price)?

What a question...of course not, it's illegeal and skydivers would never do something like that.

That doesn't always work so well. I have them put their face inside their shirt. Screw their clothes, I tell them they can buy a T shirt at the dz

Can someone translate the French (I think)? http://www.hiperusa.com/striptease.wmv

Betsy, Betsy, Betsy! You don't realize that all creatures great and small deserve their place on our planet? I can't believe you didn't put the little fella in a jar and take him back to the wild to live happily ever after Yeah, right!

Not sure why you've taken offense to my advise to this jumper, George, but my intention was not to say anything different than what you always said in all the years I was with Precision. You always made it clear that Precision's role was that of manufacturer, and that the job of continuance of airworthiness belonged to the riggers in the field. I didn't mean to get your feathers ruffled, I was stating what I've heard you say for twenty years.

There are lofts and master riggers that will be able to give your canopy a better, more valid inspection than Precision. They manufacture new canopies and they are not in as much of a position nor have the personnel with the experience necessary to evaluate older gear.

I made all the test jumps on the Precision TR375 during its development and certification. First, it is not a Raven, it is a nine-cell canopy. The airfoil is actually a scaled-up Falcon, which as you may know is also certified for use as a reserve, one of the very few 9 cell canopies tso'd for reserve use. The TR375 has very good bottom end flair, but of course after any 0-3 cfm canopy gets older the fabric becomes more porous and its performance degrades somewhat. I have also made many jumps on the canopy at tandem terminal at about 475 lbs and it was tolerable, though something you wouldn't want to do for fun on a regular basis. I've made jumps on tandem reserves from other mfrs., and by comparison I prefer the Precision canopy hands-down.

excuuuuuse me. I did search but I didn't see it, so... gone

What d'ya think? Some guys just have style...

Andy, who could blame you for falling for a girl that was adventurous, athletic, fun, open-minded, free spirit, outgoing, passionate, with a contagious smile looking for a soul mate? Here's some more WOMEN'S ENGLISH: If a woman says this=she means this 1. Yes = No 2. No = Yes 3. Maybe = No 4. We need = I want 5. I am sorry = you'll be sorry 6. We need to talk = You're in trouble 7. Sure, go ahead = You better not 8. Do what you want = You will pay for this later 9. I am not upset = Of course I am upset, you moron! 10. You're certainly attentive tonight = Is sex all you ever think about?

If a woman says this................she means this 40-ish...................................49 Adventurous...........................Slept with everyone Athletic...................................No tits Average looking.......................Ugly Beautiful.................................Pathological liar Contagious Smile...............Does a lot of pills Emotionally Secure.............On medication Feminist...........................Fat Free spirit.........................Junkie Friendship first...................Former slut Fun.................................Annoying New-Age..........................Body hair in the wrong places Old-fashioned....................No BJs Open-minded.....................Desperate Outgoing...........................Loud and Embarrassing Passionate........................Sloppy drunk Professional.......................Bitch Voluptuous........................Very Fat Large frame.......................Hugely Fat Wants Soul mate................Stalker

I don't think skinnyshrek was intending to "explain" the problem with the dash-m by using the term "stitching", rather he was using that term as a generalization that for whatever reason that model of reserve canopy has its problems. I think the term was just a simple way to say the canopy wasn't built with the ability to withstand extremely hard openings. As to my post(s), you mentioned that for "the most part" you agree with my statement(s). If you have some point you'd like to discuss or that you don't necessarily agree with, I'd like you to share that with me. Let's do, however, take the discussion back to the thread about the dash-m so these folks can talk about (or just read about) PD's Honduras production.

Quote -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I'm not sure I like the idea of non-cascaded lines. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- That stikes me as odd. Would you mind elaborating? Yes, please elaborate. The continuous lines on our Nitro canopy offer several known advantages compared to cascaded lines. Cascades were only designed to reduce pack volume, not for any aerodynamic reason whatsoever. But of course the advent of small Technora line eliminated the need for the low pack volume of cascaded linesets.

I have moved my reply to Diablopilot from another thread to this thread, to prevent the other thread from too much drift from its original subject: "No, JP, that is NOT the fact. Read this direct quote from Precision's Service Bulletin: [Within the past 30 days, we have witnessed 2 separate occasions wherein the integrity of the line attachment system of 2 different Dash-M canopies has been compromised during normal use by persons who are documented as having been within the Maximum Operating Limitations of Weight and Speed.] Please don't state emotional opinion as fact. As a side note, the lawsuit that resulted in the huge judgement against Precision was on behalf of a jumper who was within the legal limits of weight and speed for his reserve."