GravityGirl

Jan, Great post. Thank you. And you're right. The 270 was not a good choice in turn for that leg of his pattern. A 90 would have been better. But his pattern up until that turn was correct, and that is what I was trying to convey. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

Bill, What do you think of the layout at Skydive San Diego? When I first got here and didn't know anyone, it was pretty easy to determine that if some flew into the swoop corridor they would perform a hook turn. The degree is predictable by height and direction of flight. I'm only using this LZ as a model because it's been the most predictable layout I've flown in. That is..... until the winds shift from out of the east. I just like that everyone has the same downwind and crosswind. Swoopers bring it further down to the swoop corridor and straight ins stop short of it. This only works because prevailing winds and jump run are quite consistant here. But it's a start. Beacuse I too am sick of having friends die. But it's too easy to just say. They fucked up. Don't fuck up and you won't die. If I'm not part of a solution, then I'm part of the problem. Friends will still die, but I think we all have a responsibility to help the sport grow and change as quickly as technology and pilots are progressing. This is not directed at Bill, but at everyone reading this thread: Instead of "Who's next?" I ask, "What are you going to do?" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

OMG! Where was his wetsuit! Disco Bay is COLD in November. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

The pattern does not dictate that one canopy land at a time. A faster canopy will always overtake a slower one on landing. That is not braking the pattern. They should each secure their own landing strip, but a fast canopy can overtake a slow one without braking the pattern. Unlike airplanes, we don't all land on a single runway one at a time. Unlike airplanes, we don't have the ability to do a go around or increase and decrease speed as readily. Do you really think that you could hold brakes long enough to allow a Manta 288 to land first from a 300 foot final? It's not feasable, nor is it the safest choice for that matter. You would choose a final landing strip that is paralell to his. You would overtake him, and that would be fine. I guess I'm confused as to what you think "The Pattern" is. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

Chris, I'm sorry, but you are out of line. Iwan is one of the ONLY eye witnesses to the entire event. Tom flew a proper pattern. Ilea flew a proper pattern. The mistake was TOM DID NOT SEE ILEA. Well. He saw her when it was too late for him, but he made sure it wasn't too late for her. Don't confuse his mistake with him not flying a proper pattern. Perhaps you feel that Tom should not have done a 270. Respect. Got it. But that does not mean he did not fly a pattern. You dig? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

Sweet! That's an awesome photo. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

>> I would love to hear from anyone who disagrees with me and my above scenario, why the hell do we have landing patterns in the first place if it doesn't matter for swoopers to "go out of place". I'm following the rules being safe...THEY are endangering me, by my choice or not. Gravity Gear!

Hey you guys! "What did one muffin say to the other?" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

At Byron, we have tough love police. Nobody gets away with anything. If you fuck up, no matter what your experience level, you will get a talking to. Do it again, and you risk being grounded. Then if you are really messing it up, you'll be asked not to jump there anymore. Skydive San Diego seems to be the same. The DZM will chew you a new one if you break a rule. I haven't seen him ground anyone yet, but I've only been down here since July. What kind of punishment where you looking for? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

I'm raising a glass to my only neighbor at Byron back in the day. My head is playing back all the memories of booze berries and home brew, of cooking pizza for you in my oven 'cause yours sucked. Of sharing dinner and "deep" conversations about life and death after Jett was asleep. Of making fun of your boobie coozy. Of being mad at your for months for FUCKING pieing me! Of your mumbles and me not understanding what the hell you were trying to say! Of you in your Gravity Gear Hoodie.... on your skateboard... on my skateboard... Of you getting knocked on my skateboard.... Of you swooping the pond.... and on.... and on.... and on.... No Byron Boogie will ever be the same without you... and your fucked up concoctions. Give you Mom a hug up there. Cumy must be happy to see you too! We'll see you when we see you Tommy D. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

All black? That is so retro. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

Square One is a Gear Dealer located at Perris Valley Drop Zone. There is also a Square Two in Eloy and a Square Three in Crosskeys. You can try www.square1.com. They are good at updating their used gear site. Also try www.buildarig.com. Or PM me. I'm a dealer too. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

IMHO, that is an old POS. You are jumping out of an airplane. Hurling your body at the ground at 120+ MPH. Your actions and your gear are the only things that can save your life. Don't second guess yourself. Don't jump gear that you will be second guessing. Besides the safety factor, lets talk economics. If you buy a POS for $900, you will likely be the last guy holding the bag. i.e. you'll have one hell of time selling it. When you upgrade to newer gear, you have lost $900. If you buy more modern sport gear for around $3,000, you can put 100 - 200 jumps on it and sell it for slightly under (if not the same price) as what you spent. Trade straight across or within a couple hundred dollars. Even if you don't have the money now, it makes sense to rent a little longer, save money and buy something that is both safe and a good value for your money. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

Add Skydive San Diego to that list. We are open 7 days a week and have a bunk house, showers, Twin Otter and a Caravan.... ....oh... and a super cool gear store. Just out of curiosity, are the canopies in that conatainer new? The price seems to be below dealer cost. Ask you DZO if you get a new container, will the canopies be as cheap? For that price, you can buy the system he/she is offering, put 100 - 200 jumps on it and sell it for virtually the same as you bought it for. Then your next set of gear can be custom. Just my opinion. Worth what you paid for it. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

Buy her a tandem for Christmas. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

Just got my shipment too! Now for filling orders.... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

That would be with pen and ink. You design it on paper and fax it to them. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

>>What are the chances of having a hard cut-away if you're not loading a high performance fully eliptical canopy?

How's that good? You spend the whole of sunny Saturday packing, then Sunday comes and the weather is horrible Because he is young and doesn't have a job, he can pack all weekend and jump during the week. And the weather here is rarely horrible. Well. Except for yesterday. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

>>then you need to lift your skirt to see if you have the balls to say it or are just a pussyGravity Gear!

LOL! Is that why you asked me if I was hiring today? How about packing. Spring time is just around the corner, and they'll be begging for packers again. Start learning now. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

Mine is an MXS, but here she is. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

>>Not sure what you would do differently to avoid being kicked, that would not take you out of your reserve side position.. That's just a hazard of reserve sideGravity Gear!

We don't get a lot of Christmas Carrolers in Cali.... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

No to what? Are you supposed to tip them or something? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!