Joellercoaster

Indeed. I think RXS's killer app isn't going to be the streaming/upload part (though that is undoubtedly cool, and is what will excite venture capitalists and other potential backers). As a software guy, I heard about their app that does all the formulaic parts of tandem video production - ie., the money part - during the upload part. I thought, "I should have thought of that." Except I probably would have made it free, and nobody would have used it It's just a really clean, obvious-in-retrospect idea. I hope they succeed. [edit: speling] -- "I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan "You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?

Hey, I know a girl who could probably be talked into skydiving if she new that rig existed -- "I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan "You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?

Oh yeah, pretty! I still haven't got my new main, but it's done apparently. Silver bottom skin, yellow ribs and topskin except for a black cell on the right. Matches rig (also done) and jumpsuit (just back from modification). I don't even have my A and already I'm a gear queer (As my girlfriend likes to point out though, I always have been with everything else I do, it just never had a name before. Thankyou skydiving for naming my condition, I feel better now.) -- "I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan "You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?

XL Pro-tec There was a reason behind it, though... one, I can cram my large-economy-size noggin into it and not suffer. Two, it seems to be the only helmet around that would protect me if I really smashed my head into something. I know in skydiving mostly you want a helmet to protect you from little dings and knocks - whacking it on the door, someone's foot in a funnel - but shit does, as they say, happen. Especially if you're a new jumper, who may potentially stack it on landing. Or anywhere else, for that matter. Like walking to the plane. Touch wood. -- "I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan "You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?

Yeah - every time I quit smoking in the UK, I go to Lillo for a holiday and start again. And the Spanish cigarettes... just that much more evil. Hilarious. -- "I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan "You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?

I dunno... oddness aside it sounds like he had a nice cautious approach to progression. You can see him downsizing by cutting little handkerchief-sized slivers out of his canopy later on, and sewing it back together :) -- "I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan "You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?

I'm not jumping there yet, so I'm not 100% sure, but I'm pretty sure the Australian Civil Aviation Authority requires jump pilots (and everyone else on the plane) to wear a rig. -- "I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan "You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?

I've only got the experience of one, fairly student-heavy, DZ to go by, but the other new first-rig buyers I know seem to be buying pretty much 1. (Aerodyne) Icon 2. (Sunrise) Wings in that order. I think one guy was considering a Mirage, too. This is a European DZ but it seems few people there had Euro-made rigs, which was probably influencing what the kids were buying. One thing I noticed though was that quite a few of the instructors have Javs and Vectors but they were not much in consideration as first rigs - possibly due to price? I asked my instructors about a Vector, but was ushered fairly decisively towards an Icon. -- "I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan "You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?

Are people now using the Neptune Wave to do this, as the audible part? Having two freefall computers, nice though Neptunes are, seems like expensive overkill. Actually this is kind of a more general question - if I'm thinking of buying a Dytter, is the Neptune Wave a decent alternative? It's certainly prettier. -- "I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan "You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?

I saw a fellow AFF-1 student do exactly as described here. To be fair to her instructors, they had spent quite a long time telling us not to panic if we flared too high and to just hang on with the brakes down, then PLF (which we'd also spent about an hour doing nothing but); you Just Can't Stall A Navigator. She just had a moment of madness I guess and let it back to full drive. Fortunately nothing broken, though her back took a beating, and she was sporting enough to buy beer that night for her ambulance ride. Haven't seen her since, but I hope she kept going... -- "I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan "You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?

What about Aerodyne? Those things travel a lot on their way to the jumper... (Asking 'cause I'll need to talk to mine soon. Soon soon soon.) -- "I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan "You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?

Mbex nfvqr, creuncf gur cynar va dhrfgvba vf n oneonevna nneqinnex jvgu n ovt fjbeq? -- "I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan "You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?

Yeah - the datedness of the depicted equipment could also be a plus, in the "wow, he's oldskool!" sense. Like when people sit around talking about shot-and-a-halfs and swapping Scary Stories From The Old Days... actually seeing someone with a blast handle tattooed on their stomach when such things were current would be kind of cool. After reading this thread and thinking I didn't want a skydiving tat, I now think I will - when I celebrate jump #500 -- "I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan "You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?

Mine too, after one featured so prominently in a Tintin comic when I was a little kid... was it Red Sea Sharks? Would climb over my own grandmother to jump out of one, if they weren't made of unobtainium now. -- "I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan "You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?

And lovely it is. Do you reckon he could be talked into doing one for relworkers though? (DISCLAIMER: Not necessarily looking for a skydiving tat myself. Just thought an 8-way star would look pretty in that style...) Oh, also: a certain instructor I met has (I think) "Team AFF" on one of his arms... that's dedication to your job. -- "I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan "You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?

Yeah, that. Ian, I'm in the same boat as you (now waiting for a first rig to ship*, ordered it with hackey). I jumped rigs with both types of handle pretty evenly through AFF and consols, and never felt entirely comfortable with the plastic tube handle (had a hard pull with one on AFF 2 or 3, probably not the handle's fault but I felt like I couldn't get a proper grip on it and the feeling stuck with me). The hackey just seems to fall more quickly into the security of my palm, rather than needing to be gripped with my fingers. I imagine those little practice golf-ball things would do the same thing. But then, I know people who prefer the exact opposite (they want to feel what they're doing with their fingertips). Isn't choice lovely? (*It's built! It's built! That means someone, somewhere has already seen it. It's REAL! Mwahahahahahaaaaa!) -- "I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan "You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?

Hmm, somebody better tell Aerodyne! -- "I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan "You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?

Yah. I first did AFF on such a rig (they're still used for students in Australia, or were), and those EPs have been very thoroughly drilled out of me by instructors since then. Because one was two-handed (both on SOS handle) and the other is one-hand-on-each, the very first movement serves to set my mind into the new pattern. But even if by some utterly horrible mischance I did revert, or combine the two sets of EPs, the end result would always be my having at least my reserve out. Worst case, my main too, but the reserve would definitely be out. -- "I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan "You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?

I've been staying out of this thread because I'm still technically a student and want to give myself the best opportunity to come up with a stupidity story, but I don't think I'm going to be able to top the time I opened the door of the Porter on the two-minute warning Fortunately an entire plane full of people simultaneously turning and yelling at me got the message across pretty quick and I closed it again. -- "I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan "You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?

Aha. Now it becomes clear... my reserve, by definition, isn't custom. So 50% of the custom bits works out. -- "I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan "You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?

My custom all-Aerodyne rig was a downpayment of something over a third and less than half to kick it off, with the rest due on shipping. I suspect that was something my dealer sorted out... possibly I paid half of dealer price up front? That makes me think that my dealer isn't making that much on my rig, and that sort of fits from dealer comments on this forum. Wafer-thin margins, and all. Which reminds me - hopefully four weeks or less to go. Oh please, oh please... -- "I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan "You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?

I just listened to this episode for the second time this morning on the way to work, and that's a first for SR. All the other guests have been variously entertaining, interesting and informative. But Brian Germain was an informational goldmine, especially when he was talking about turning and flaring - things you'd think are pretty simple, and well-understood, but are almost never well-explained. It's not just what he says, it's how he says it too. Definitely someone I would like to meet, and more importantly get taught by (I will be in the States again one day hopefully). I seriously recommend any new jumper, even whose who don't dig Skydive Radio, download this episode, listen to it, and think about it. Dave and Stump, get him back on for the rest of your talk ASAP. Way cool. -- "I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan "You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?

And speaking of grossing out (though this is just yourself, rather than your planemates): I've jumped with a stuffed nose once, and opening shock left me a bit bewildered - my goggles were covered, and I do mean covered, in snot. Lovely. -- "I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan "You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?

You'll be able to ignore your visa situation and just enter on a visa waiver instead (green form) if you're a British subject. You pick one up on the way in, or the airline give you one. I think you can stay for 90 days on it if you're there as a tourist (or skydiving student ... -- "I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan "You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?

Oh excellent; I've been looking for those too. Apparently the Headcorn gear shop sell them, but they're not online and I've never been to Headcorn. Should do that once I finally get my gear anyway! -- "I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan "You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?