obi

No, sadly there was a second fatality, I'm not talking about the french jumper. Obi

Just got back from LB, there was a second fatality + a cliffstrike with broken bones this week. Since I only have second hand info on the fatality I won't post the name yet. Anyway, I hate to see this happen, whoever it is. Please brothers and sisters, be careful! Obi

I just recently started to fly a suit, it's a S3 and it's the only suit I've ever jumped. I've got 18 jumps on it now and average 45 mph / 2:30 min. from 4000 m. That is by trying to go as fast forward as possible, not by trying to fall slow, and includes a couple of turns. And it does go forward...

Yes, I like that too. I approach the landing in full glide, then go into brakes to make me swing forward, release the brakes to make the canopy dive and as it starts to dive, I pull a front riser down and shift my weight into the turn. Oh boy does it dive! The speed you build up is just tremendous! I can do a 360 fr and pull the second fr if I'm too high with no problems. If I don't use the brakes prior to risering, the fr pressure is way higher. And: you can also save some altitude if you're setup wasn't right by approaching in deep brakes (then without the body-forward-swing). But I wouldn't do it on windy/gusty days. On those I much prefer maximum pressure on my wing. And make sure you start this maneuver really high as you need to build up the speed before you can stop the dive!!! Obi

I suggest you try what I've been doing for the last couple of years and what I think is by far the best: I use my small and ringfinder for the toggles and my middle and pointfinger for front/rear-risers. It feels a bit strange for the first couple of jumps but you'll get used to it and once you have, you will never want to go back cause it's impoosible to loose a toggle while you play with your risers (and loosing a toggle when you come out of your final 360 will kill you). Just grab the toggles with the 2 fingers and lock the fingers. Then you have the 2 stronger fingers free for risering. Should you have to cut away from your main, toggle and riser release is instantaneous. Also, I think it gives you a better feeling for the toggles than if you put your whole hand through them and steer with your wrist. Obi

I know most of you will find it ridiculously stupid, but I'm considering it: going from a 120 to a a ~ 90 sqft canopy. I have had a Stiletto 120 for 7 years now and I feel it's time for a change. Of course small steps are better, but the problem is I just can't afford to buy new gear every year, that's why I'm thinking about getting something that will keep me interested for a while Yes, I will demo some canopies, but before that I already want to hear some advice from experienced HP-pilots. I usually have an exit weight of 165 to 190 pounds depending on camera, weights etc. That makes for 1.35 to 1.58 on the 120. I once jumped a 97 Stiletto @ 1.7 and did not feel that that was the smallest I would want to jump. So I think a Xfire 89 should probably be fine. But I have never jumped X-braced wings. Do you think that if I consider going from a 120 Stiletto to a 89 Xfire, going to a 90 Velocity would be ok too? Or what that be just an accident waiting to happen? I mean, is the step a lot bigger when I go to the Velocity? I think I have pretty good canopy-control with 2500 skydives, but then again I'm just another guy who has good and bad days and I do a lot of jumps on my tandem and base-canopies, so there's quite a bit of switching sizes. Thx for your input.

A real track will give you a lot more forward speed than a delta, terminal or not. I use the delta to go from exit- to track-position and depending on the jump/exit that can take 0.5-2 secs. And yes, a full-on track is less stable. Obi