NeedToJump

3 miles from low altitude? Where can I get me one of them? Wind Tunnel and Skydiving Coach http://www.ariperelman.com

That is why I wanted to do a poll on average speeds. It's also a lot harder to hold a slow vertical speed than to just briefly get that slow. You would agree that the average speeds the ProTrack records are fairly accurate? Wind Tunnel and Skydiving Coach http://www.ariperelman.com

I agree, I think we are all talking about slightly different things here. The way that I think of full brakes is the point just before the stall point of the canopy. Therefore, by my definition of full brakes, you can't stall/collapse the canopy. Holding the toggles all the way down (on my canopy) will definitely cause it to collapse and would not be a smart thing to do on a fully elliptical canopy. Rear riser stalls since they are much more docile are fine to do. When I used to fly a Sabre (and when I've borrowed other people's canopies) I've played around with stalling them from brakes where the end cells touch before the canopy collapses behind you. It's a lot of fun to do this and then let up abruptly on the toggles which, as SkyMonkeyOne stated, causes the canopy to dive forward. Now that I jump a Stiletto I will NOT try this, but know what it feels like right before this happens so I can fly in deep brakes without my canopy stalling and collapsing. I hope I have cleared up my way of thinking about these terms. Wind Tunnel and Skydiving Coach http://www.ariperelman.com

Holding the brakes past the stall point is not flying in deep/full brakes, that is stalling the canopy. Flying in full brakes is holding your brakes down to just before the stall point - flattening the glide as much as possible without stalling. That is why the canopy gets funky, because it is so close to the stall point. Flying in brakes, flaring and stalling are three different things. I know nothing about BASE jumping so I cannot comment on that, but as far as I know, just by flying the canopy in brakes it will still fly forward it will just have a very flat glide. Once you pull the brakes past the stall point, the canopy will collapse backwards (the end cells will go back and touch each other.) I guess for the second when the end cells go back before the canopy has collapsed you are flying backwards. Hopefully SkyMonkeyOne or one of the other highly experienced canopy fliers will chip in and clarify a few things for all of us. Wind Tunnel and Skydiving Coach http://www.ariperelman.com

I only have a ProTrack without the software, that's why I'm asking about average speeds, not the lowest Oh, and my 84 and 80 were done in a tight RW suit with medium grippers and normal booties. Wind Tunnel and Skydiving Coach http://www.ariperelman.com

If you just put the canopy in deep/full brakes and hold it there you'll feel the speed decrease (like a flare) and then the canopy will just fly like that (decreased forward and vertical speed.) When you release the brakes it will dive forward as it builds up the vertical and horizontal speed again to recover to full flight. The airspeed of the canopy will never (I believe) be negative so relative to the air you will never "backslide." Depending on the head winds thought, you may start flying backwards relative to the ground. By just holding it in brakes - no. If you are in full brakes and then pull them down farther you will stall the canopy. The canopy is also much less stable when it is being flown in deep brakes. Don't rely on information you gather over the internet before trying it yourself. Talk to coaches/experienced pilots at your dropzone to verify any information you get before trying things. These people know how you fly and can see you from the ground to let you know what to do. Wind Tunnel and Skydiving Coach http://www.ariperelman.com

I voted never. On breakoff I can see everyone who will be tracking in my quadrant and can fairly easily keep track of them all by looking left and right and behind me. Usually people don't get lost buring the dive but if they do they tend to be low and they tend to be fairly easy to keep track of as well. Another thing is that on break off I flatten out as I'm turning away so when I start to track I am already slightly above a lot of people and have a much easier time keeping track of everyone. At the end of my track I give a big wave as I look hard to the left and right (which enables me to see above me as well) and pull. Wind Tunnel and Skydiving Coach http://www.ariperelman.com

I think a lot of situations like this could have been avoided in the first place if the jumper who got cut off was looking around more. Just because you are on final doesn't mean that someone else won't cut you off. Be aware of what is going on in front of you, behind you and all around you so you can see if someone looks like they are going to cut you off. It is easier to avoid a bad situation then get out of it. Obviously it does happen that people get cut off for whatever reason and then need to react to it. I completely agree with AggieDave that there are a lot of options of what to do other than just flat turns. Also, just because you go into breaks to do a low flat turn does not mean that you have to let them up to land. Flare from half breaks (or don't flare from full breaks) and PLF, that's why it's taught. My thoughts are if you don't have enough time to recover the canopy, don't try. I'd rather get dirty doing a PLF then have my canopy dive me into the ground. Wind Tunnel and Skydiving Coach http://www.ariperelman.com

I usually wear my alti, sometimes I forget it, but it's no big deal - I can recognize the ground, my audible is usually on, plus I jump with other people. Chances are at least one of us has an alti/audible and when you see someone else track off right when you think it's breakoff time, you leave too. (Not saying that I rely on others for my breakoff, just another "backup".) I've asked some of the really good 4-way folk about why they never wear altimeters. The response I've gotten is doing that sort of thing (world class 4-way) there is no time to look over at your alti. You have to focus 100% on what you and your team is doing, but after you're at that level your internal clock tells you when breakoff is too. But as I said, I usually wear an altimeter and check it. Wind Tunnel and Skydiving Coach http://www.ariperelman.com

I came across a few posts relating to tracking (this, this and this) but I wanted to get an indication of how slow people get their vertical speeds on average without a wingsuit (using a FF suit, RW suit, no suit...) I've seen the minimum speeds as being quite low after coming out of a steep dive, but what do people get as an average tracking speed? I did two solo tracking dives over the weekend to see how slow I could get my vertical and my average speeds were 84 and 80. I have no idea what my minimum speed is because I don't have jumptrack software. My speeds are TAS and I use a ProTrack in my helmet. Wind Tunnel and Skydiving Coach http://www.ariperelman.com

No, I just pull them down whether doing CRW, using them to build up speed for landing or just playing. I agree with Drew, Huh? Wind Tunnel and Skydiving Coach http://www.ariperelman.com

0:20:0 Absolutley BEAUTIFUL weekend up here in NY. We finally had a weekend where we were jumping all day both days! Another weekend like this and I'll hit #400... Wind Tunnel and Skydiving Coach http://www.ariperelman.com

I am at the Ranch (Gardiner, NY) and would love to try out a wingsuit with a BMI, any up in this area or any who plan on coming up here? Chuck, are you going to be up here for Pond Swoop 2003? (Sonic is still saying that it's going to happen...) Wind Tunnel and Skydiving Coach http://www.ariperelman.com

I am 5'9" 150 and I typically wear about 10lbs of lead on average. Sometimes none, sometimes 15, but usually right around 10. My thoughts on weights (and I know people there are people who will disagree) is that you should wear weights/suits to adjust your fall-rate so you don't have to as much. Both Jack Jefferies and the Golden Knights have told me this and their reasoning is when you are doing RW you want to be in as natural of an arch as you can be in so that you have the greatest range of motion. If you are arching as hard as you can to keep up with the group then you have nothing left if suddenly you pop up. Let the weights/suit do the work for you and keep the arch to minor adjustments. You definitely want to learn a good arch and dearch so that you can use them when you have to, not all the time. I know people who are adamant about not wearing weights and that's fine, I like to make life easy for myself, it's hard enough to remember those non-repeaters... Wind Tunnel and Skydiving Coach http://www.ariperelman.com

If I was invisible for a day I'd plant myself under *someone's* desk... Wind Tunnel and Skydiving Coach http://www.ariperelman.com

Wow, that's excellent, now I have even more to do while I'm at work! How'd you come across that? Wind Tunnel and Skydiving Coach http://www.ariperelman.com

What about peanut M&M's??? You have almond and peanut butter... Did I miss it? I checked over the list twice! Wind Tunnel and Skydiving Coach http://www.ariperelman.com

I was driving yesterday and as I was coming up to an intersection a car pulled out maybe 50 feet in front of me. Luckily there were no cars in the other lane so I could swerve out to avoid the car as I slammed my brakes. When I looked at the other car there was a 70ish year old woman driving with her head completely below the steering wheel looking as though nothing had happened - I doubt she even knew I was there even after I swerved and honked at her, doubt she could see anything either. Wind Tunnel and Skydiving Coach http://www.ariperelman.com

360:0 Wind Tunnel and Skydiving Coach http://www.ariperelman.com

I made this same decision last weekend when ordering my second rig. Basically the G4 is cut a little cleaner, has less yoke (so you can lean your head back further) and comes with a few of the G3 options as standard features. You also end up spending $300 more. Basically you're baying $300 for the cleaner cut, it's up to you if you think it's worth it. I ended up order a new G3 - 4 weeks baby! Wind Tunnel and Skydiving Coach http://www.ariperelman.com

Goodluck finding another job that lets you spend your days whoring on here instead of working.. Come on out to the Ranch if you're in the area. Wind Tunnel and Skydiving Coach http://www.ariperelman.com

I jump a Stiletto 135 which I bought used. When I first got it it would generally open off heading (always to the left) and probably 7/10 times would have a gradual spin to the left which I could counter by shifting my weight or unstowing the brakes. The top of the canopy would also noticeably distort a little when hooking it in with the front risers. I sent it in to get relined and when I got it back all of those problems were gone and now it flies great! My guess is that a reline will fix his problems too. Either way it couldn't hurt. Wind Tunnel and Skydiving Coach http://www.ariperelman.com

thanks Wind Tunnel and Skydiving Coach http://www.ariperelman.com

We have Elk at one of the "outs" by the Ranch. It's no longer viewed as an out... I will too, I'll see you there (here) Wind Tunnel and Skydiving Coach http://www.ariperelman.com

Which video? Could you provide a link or at least a description of which video? I'm curious to see/read the entire speech he gave. Wind Tunnel and Skydiving Coach http://www.ariperelman.com