skybrat68

So, how long til I'm not a Newbie anymore???

Gravitygirl is right about the expense. Actually, the most I've ever seen was $176. It does depend on the thread count though and if you're wanting something down the side panel of the rig, it could very easily make it's way up to $300. I've had people send me picture and I've scanned them and sent it by attachment on an email to the lady that digitizes our personalized logos. Call Aerodyne. They could certainly tell you what you need to give them that could be used to digitize. I don't know anything about the copyright so...good luck. Paige

I have a friend that's still alive today due to his helmet. He was wearing a full faced helmet with a camera on it that busted into a million pieces and I believe he hit hard enough to crack the exterior of the helmet. If you want the wind in your face feeling, take off the visor on a full faced helmet. The visor's the first thing to go anyway. I bought my full face helmet with no visor and have worn goggles underneath from the time I purchased it second hand. Best of both worlds I tell ya'.

There is no set policy at Sunrise Rigging that states to take into consideration the possibility of downsizing. I was actually referring only to the customers that will most likely step down like customers with < 100 purchasing a new container. I don't want to see customers waste their money either (as brought up in an earlier reply). That doesn't mean that I'm going to place them in a container that is impossible to pack. Nothing makes for a more miserable day in skydiving than fighting to close your container for an hour after every jump. I would never try to predict anyone's canopy progression. I do, however, go by what my customers and I discuss thru phone conversations. A lot of people are spending a lot of money and don't desire to spend that much again any time soon. Some jumpers want a container that will hold a range of about 3 canopy sizes. For example, just today, someone called and wanted a rig that would hold a 190 all the way down to a 150. It could be done but that's tough. When a rig is built for that large a range of canopies, the end result could be an impossibly hard pack job. I suggested that a range of 170-190 would be much easier to build, and PACK. I find that sizing containers is probably the most difficult part of my job. Customers that want a tight pack generally request it. Most customers let us know upon ordering if they're gonna be stepping down soon or ever (the exception to this is a new jumper). If the canopies a customer has listed to be jumping is boarder-line between one container size and another, I'll make contact to them to get direction. I won't say that some Wings containers are not just tight by nature but I try my best to give every customer the best container possible. Sometimes, the problem is the difference between the size of the main and the size of the reserve. Some people jump reserves that are big in number but pack with such a tiny pack volume that there's almost not a main tray available to suit the main this customer is jumping - thus a tight pack. I agree with your in reference to defining "downsizing". I know more than one person that this has happened to. Depending on the canopy, downsizing could definitely be upsizing when taking the container into consideration. Why does Wings chest strap hardware have to be the one that's backwards? I've never owned anything but a Wings so to me, everything else is backwards. It's all relative

Hey guys. It's Paige from Wings. Honestly, when sizing a container, I do take into consideration if a customer may be wanting or needing to step down in the near, or even not so near, future. Some container sizes are easier to put more of a variety of sizes of canopies in them. I do take into consideration the number of jumps a customer may have when sizing containers. I understand that the fewer the jump number the better the chance that the customer will step down, probably even sooner the he/she expects. When I size a container, I try really hard to take many things into consideration. I even consider the humidity level where joe customer may be trying to pack. When I talk to joe customer on the phone, I even find myself asking, "are you a good packer?" before I try to place them in a container that maybe I could pack but a new jumper couldn't. New Zealand, from what I understand from Gareth at Garlyn Skydiving, is very similar in climate to Florida. He is very knowledgeable about our product and will be very helpful with making your decision to purchase a Wings. There's also other contributing factors that I take into consideration when sizing a Wings container. If you're a new jumper, I'm aware that you'll probably be stepping down sooner than you think. If you're a good packer or (as much as I hate to say it) you don't pack for yourself, it's easier to place you in a more tight container than if you were gonna be packing for yourself. If we have a doubt that your canopy will or will not fit in a certain size container, we'll test pack it to see if it will go before we build your custom container. Wings d-bags are designed to fit the container for which they are built. The design of Wings d-bags are different form other manufacturers. I've had two different d-bag designs. My first d-bag was short but wide. It was more difficult to pack, especially when I got my brand new, 0 jump canopy. My second Wings d-bag was more long and narrow. I find it easier to pack. No matter what the design, the d-bag assigned to each container is made to fit in that specific main tray. The choice between BOC cordura or BOC spandex is purely personal preference. If you choose the cordura pouch, be ready to "pull it like you mean it". I was at Nationals and sent out a demo and I said to the guy just that and instead of listening, he chose to give a weak pull as if it were spandex and wasted plenty of altitude trying to get the pilot chute out. At Rantoul, a customer with a new Wings and a cordura pouch had a cut away because of a hard pull on a cordura pouch. True, you don't have to replace the cordura pouch ever but what's and additional $30 during a repack after 4-500 jumps? Obviously, I prefer the spandex pouch but it's probably about a 50/50 choice among customers. In reference to the CRW toggles, if you're not concentrating on CRW and only CRW, it's a pure waste of money. Call me if you have any more questions. Paige

I've always heard that if you take it down before New Year's Day, it's bad luck, so mine will come down this coming Saturday. (I also have to eat blackeyed peas on New Year's Day for good luck)

This was a slow year. The weather sucked for the most part. It rained all summer and there's been so many fronts moving thru followed by the high winds since our winter season has started that it's been impossible. I'll probably have around 120 or so when it's all said and done.

I hate to throw a wrench in this discussion but - tax time is my favorite time of the year. I file mine the second I have my W2. It's a HUGE pay day for me. It's better than Christmas. It's the only time that I get paid for being a good mommy

Rubberneckers, you know, the ones that hold up traffic for 5 miles and it's nothing more than someone stopped on the side of the road changing a flat tire. Someone sitting outside your door in their car, blowing their horn instead of getting out of the car and coming to the door. People chewing with their mouths open for everyone to see and hear. Making mouth noises or incessantly tapping on something. Being behind someone that is going just under the speed limit (that I can't get around) or being behind that jack ass that passes someone in the passing lane only to drive the same speed limit that the car he thinks he's passing is going (leaving me boxed in of course). Just to name a few

Skydive City in Zephyrhills, FL has had a few swoop courses lately. Sometimes, the guys from Deland come over and they just make a weekend of it. I think they even did a swoop course for beginners recently. Give them a call. I'm sure they'll have the information you're looking for.

How about Hogan? I had a Daushound mix once that got hit by a car when he was still a tiny puppy that was named Hogan and he didn't quite get to live up to his name.

Thanks Lisa

You forgot to tell every that I ask you first and you didn't know what it meant either and you're a Pooh-Bah. Doesn't that mean you're suppose to know everything????

You're an ASS Kelly Keeney

Does that movie "House of 1000 Horrors" directed by Rob Zombie count as a B-movie? If so, that one ROCKS!! That movie is a trip from start to finish. Two thumbs up - An absolute MUST SEE!

That's just crazy ChasingBlueSky! Shorts in 49 Degree weather. You're lucky to still be alive. Signed, FL Girl

Maybe I haven't read enough but I Don't Get It!!

Didn't we just talk about this cold crap the other day Kramer? The high was around 60 or something and we both agreed that was too cold to jump. But, the reason we don't jump in weather that cold is because we don't have to jump in weather that cold, which is proven by the forecast you've posted. If you don't like the weather in Florida, just wait around a minute.

Who knows? I think so. I don't think he's been back out since. What made matter worse, this occurred at ZHills. It's a shame we don't have a larger landing area to make it easier to avoid obstacles like that.

We once saw a student land in a tree. I believe he was on radio. The instructor was telling him over and over to turn and he just kept heading for the trees until he eventually landed in one of them. The poor guy told some people that he was trying to turn but it just wasn't working (not exact words, I'm sure). One guy heard him say this and referred to him as the "Mr. Burns" of skydiving. Just picturing this guy trying turn and it not working and thinking about this "Mr. Burns" comparison still makes me laugh.

$10? You're damn skippy that's not top shelf. You'd be lucky to get bottom of the barrel for that small an amount of $$. Now is that the way to treat your fellow skydivers?

We just purchased 1 year passes to MOSI a couple of weeks ago. The first thing we asked was when is Adrenaline Rush showing. It starts in April '04 in Tampa. We're looking forward to it for sure!

That's Great! Boy does that bring back memories of my own high school days . I think it's hilarious. Every time I drive past something like that I laugh. My SO, on the other hand, always agrees with the two that said they'd be pissed but that's really not what it's all about. It's only about having fun.

DRINK!!!! I'm from Florida and I don't jump in the cold. I'm so cold natured that there's two levels of cold - MY cold and Everyone else's cold. My cold starts between 65 and 70 degrees. Anything below that - NO WAY.

A Cessna? I jumped from one of those, once. I too am one of those spoiled turbine brats. I jumped from a Cessna when I had just under 100 jumps just to say I'd done it. I think I'll stick with my Otter.