packerboy

I just got a Neptune in the mail today too! -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

I have a Vector 3 w/ a Sabre 135 and a Raven 150R and I have no problems reaching back opening the reserve flap checking that the loop is far up on the pin and then closing the flap. It didn't come at first try though I had to practice. I could do it with the 150 in there too. Edited to add: Go ahead get kinky with it. -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

Statistics are just that... statistics. You alone are not a large enough group of data to collect accurate statistics that would best describe the probability of an event occuring. I would bet that if you took all reserve deployments to date including test jumps in which the reserve parachute was packed in a proper reserve deployment system, and all reserve rides by all skydivers; that the statistics would show a far lesser malfunction rate than 1:600'ish which is the number put out there by gear manufacturers to accurately describe that statistics gathered about main parachute malfunctions. 1:330'ish for Tandem. I would also bet that if you exited the plane 4691 times and deployed your reserve system 4691 times, provided it was rigged and packed w/ the care involved in a normal reserve system and that the reserve parachute had on average as many jumps on it as a normal reserve that anyone would use, you would not be the owner of 11 malfunctions in your log book. I don't need to tell myself anything soothing or reassuring about the risks of skydiving in order to have the cahonies to get out of the door. I understand the risk that a properly designed, built, rigged, maintained, and packed parachute of any kind can fail. I read the warning labels too... I haven't been around a long time, but I have seen a number of main parachute malfunctions. I even know someone that landed in the trees w/ 3 bad parachutes over his head and lived. But I firmly believe that reserve parachutes are inherently less likely to fail. They are not designed to function the same as a main parachute. Congratulations, you are a statistical anomoly. Add to the fact that you lived through a reserve malfunction even more so. I'm sure there is a quite a few people on that list. How many reserve deployments have their been in the history of skydiving? Also an impressive number I would imagine. -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

Ok heres my story. Don't worry it's a short one. Got off instruction, did a few solos and 2 ways, started freeflying. Did the odd 4 way, even base for an 18 way, but the reality is my RW skills are not incredible. 450 jumps under my belt and I am thinking of getting a Tandem rating in the near future. I know that I can fly on my belly. If their is a formation somewhat nearby I can get to it. I can't turn hot 4 ways because I don't possess the experience to constantly keep correcting my levels, keeping inward pressure on the grips.. not reaching.. blah blah blah... I just haven't done much in that discipline. I can however do Mr. Spocks (on the headup side anyway;), over unders and fly grips in a sit. My question is this... I know you need a coach rating to get a TM rating... what exact bellyflying skills should I work on and worry about mastering before I bother spending the money on attempting to get these ratings so that I don't get disappointed when I have to fly halfway across the continent to be told I don't have the necessary skills? -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

I think what you mean is that it doesn't know that it is your last chance at saving your life. It does know that it is a reserve parachute. It does know that it is an F-111 canopy (most) that is designed, rigged, and packed much neater and carefully than a main. It knows that the design was stress tested to be able to handle a terminal opening with much greater force than a main due to it's needing to be open quickly. It knows that it doesn't have cascaded lines (I think). It knows that the lines are free and not stowed. It knows that it has a springloaded pilot chute with a freebag. And it knows that it was inspected and packed by a qualified rigger on a clean table over a span of an hour or two as opposed to a dirty floor by an inexperienced sweaty packer over a span of 8 minutes in a rush to get the rest of the gear packed before the next load comes down. That is enough for me to believe that the chances of a reserve malfunction are far far less than a main malfunction. But there is still a chance. -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

To coach an amatuer athletics team in Canada, you are for the most part a volunteer. If you are a good enough coach to coach a professional team, then you make money. It should be the same in skydiving, if you just get your coach rating... you volunteer. When you have multiple thousands of jumps in said discipline and are at the top echelon of your given sport and are ready to coach professional competitors, then you start a school and offer the opportunity to learn from the best for a fee. -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

Just out of curiosity, what is the least experienced person who made the attempt (jump numbers). And what kind of experience is average for this jump. What are you attempting? -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

Rig 3 looks like you are trying to be a Golden Knight. Rig #2 is gorgeous, I would like to use that design if you don't mind. Of course I'm not buying a new rig untill end of next summer, and if you don't like me using that design.... well fuckit... I'll use it anyway, it's not like you have a copyright. -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

I would say only half the people I know can/do check their own reserve pin on jumprun. It would depend on the jumper as to whether or not a dislodged reserve pin could be caught. I jumped a few different Vectors and a few different Mirages, and I could reach the reserve pin on all of the Vectors, but none of the Mirages. -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

Based on the premise of this thread I would have to lean towards #1. The guy steals. Because of an illness? Seems so based on the information forwarded by his friends. That doesn't change the fact that he rips people off. If I wanted to donate, I would donate.... then buy a cheap computer elsewhere. -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

Did I say worthless? I do think that the emphasis put on the whole thing being a charity makes a difference. The jumpers solicit donations and people donate to the charity. Some may be into it for the jump some may be into it for the charity... others both. But it is well known that the whole deal is for charity. Slightly different than someone who knows jack shit about buying computers paying an extra $500 for computer all the while trhinking "Wow, that's nice.. this guy is going to donate HIS profits to a charity, and I'm getting a good PC for a good price." Ericsonlinestoreforkatrinavictims.com would be more like JFTC. If JTFC marked up their products they sell exponentially and gave a percentage of the profits and kept a bit to line some pockets... well that'd be a different story. As far as I think JTFC is a not for profit thing.. am I wrong? -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

Yeah I did miss that. But charging more and donating the profits is essentialy just donating other peoples money. It's like these stars that auction off their personal belongings and donate the money... they are donating a t-shirt or a guitar, nothing else.. it's the fan who probably doesn't have millions that ends up donating the thousands of dollars.... it's a copout. That being said.. he has the right to charge whatever he wants, it's up to the consumer whether or not to buy. No wrongdoing there. -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

He's trying to rip people off with the prices of electronic equipment on his web site. We'd pay less in Canadian dollars for that stuff.... 6 months ago. -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

You have to pay for all of them, whether it's now or later. -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

Precisely the reason most BASE jumpers don't route their steering lines through the slider. They don't have the option of using a reserve. They do this so that if they have a line over they should be able to release the toggle to clear it. -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

That attornies name is mentioned in the article on the dropzone.com main page, but I'm sure you already knew that. -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

Regardless of which progression you take, you are going to find yourself on a skydive by yourself with little to no experience. Neither is going to teach you any better how to avoid a flat spin untill you get in the air and do a skydive by yourself and figure out what body position you need to adapt to. You have someone strapped to your back making corrections or you have an instructor on each side of you hanging on to you making corrections... what's the difference. -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

Why do you say lots of Mirage pictures? Is there an agreement somewhere to use pictures with Mirage containers. Explain please, people may get the wrong idea or the right idea. -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

Do you think this causes more baglocks than sloppy line stowage? Or is it the combination of both that is dangerous? -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

My cutaway on jump #88 was the first time I had someone else pack for me, not counting my first two tandems. My third and fourth tandem before doing PFF were the first two of my own pack jobs I jumped. Who else has packed their own tandem jumps? Not including instructors or experienced jumpers acting as passengers. -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

I think there were a couple of S's and F's in that video missed by the counter (barely audible). I count the final tally around 12 S's to 9 F's. But I could be wrong. Anytime you have a 12S:9F jump and you walk away from it.... I mean S, that's just some F'ing crazy S. -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

I took the Scott Miller Freedom of Flight canopy course a few weeks ago. One of our instructors was jumping a tiny Velocity loaded about 2:1 or so and when his landings were done as per Scott's instructions he wasn't running at all. Not to mention I see people land crazy swoops all the time and shut it down properly and not have to run. It can be done. -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

A former jumper of ours got together with another guy and hooked up their canopies backwards. Somehow they managed to get into a downplane. While they where in a downplane, they simultaneously chopped and then docked and did a downplane with their reserves breaking off very low. -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

Shoulda landed it... that'd be real cool. Just have Mr. Bill deploy during the swoop to slow you down like a dragster. Or arrester cables... -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

A couple friends of mine tried one on a smaller canopy "by smaller I mean 120'ish" and the passenger didn't hang on and got kicked in the face on his way down with enough force to knock him out, luckily he wasn't knocked out and all ended well. We have an instructor who has been the pilot of about 7-8 Mr. Bills in the last 2 years (it seems to have become the thing to do on your 100th at our DZ) and he uses a Manta and deploys himself. The first attempt was an IAD, but was decided after that it wasn't the best choice. Using a larger canopy would give you a longer time to get situated for a better launch (get yourself standing on the pilots shoulders) and also gives the video guy time to get in place to get a good shot. -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson