Skyflyer1

I guess we have each had our own experiences. In my RS-1 I have put a Velocity 120, and a Jedei 136 into it. I found it to be equal in size to the NJ I owned. Beyond that if you order a replacement DBag for an RS-1 it states as the size: RS-1/NJ With that being the case I have a hard time believing that they are different sizes. Jonathan

The other option if you are going new, is to get the RSK-1 which gives you the same main container size as an NJ but a smaller reserve size. Just a thought. Jonathan

Skydive St. Mary's to the south.

seconded. Jonathan

Very high performance. Very twichy, dives really well, and can put you in a world of hurt very fast. I have one for in my back up rig and I normally jump a Velocity 90 and 96. I would not recommend it for someone under 400 jumps unless they had a lot of coaching. Its still one of the most High performance 9 cell mains out there, and is leaps and bounds in front of the performance a lotus provides. Your body though Jonathan

Wear gloves? Neumans Tactified should allow you to grab the rears without any injury to your hands (also protects them from pointy things on the outside of aircraft). Also gives you a better grip. Jonathan

For me Skydiving is not a job and it never will be. I've had my aff rating for 2 years now. For me its just something on the side. I am first and formost a 4way Formation Skydiver. I like to be on teams that are commited to doing 200-300 training jumps/ year. Thats ussually 1-2 training camps per month. During the other weekends I might be found doing some AFF if I choose, but I'm not on any rotation at any dropzone. Sometimes a DZ calls and ask if I can come and help out and if I can and am free, I ussually do. However I'm just as likely to say "No, I've got plans this weekend but thanks for the offer". Some weekends i go and do nothing but Hop N Pops. The other advantage I have is my regular job allows me the freedom to not be tied to making income from skydiving. In addition I often bring my own students to the DZ and just work with them during the day (GT Skydiving Club) and donate my pay back to the student to reduce their cost. So I would say AFF is what you make. If you want to be doing it every weekend all weekend long as your JOB then yes its a job. If its just something you enjoy while helping to subsidize no revenue jumps then it will never be a job, because you don't have to do it. Jonathan Bartlett AFFI

With the club rigs we've put F-111 fury 220s into J7s. No problem, everything stayed closed. So I think a ZP 230 into J6 really is a non issue. Might have to shorten the closing loop slightly, but everything should be kosher. Sunpath even says on the website: Can fit up to a zp 260 into a J6, well a 260 MAX means a 230 comfortably and still snug. Might as well give it a try and if it doesnt then find another used container to go with it. Jonathan

Seems to be people going both ways on the forum for this one. I can tell you what my teams do. I have roughly 1350 jumps, about 1000 of those are team training jumps. Last year I told the team that I would be tracking away at 4500, and thats where the dive ends for me. If they want to not track then thats fine. In the end they all tracked at 4.5k with me. This year Im jumping with a group of guys for the meets (pickup), Im the low jump # guy, the next lowest has 2200 going up to 5000+. I asked if they were cool with breaking at 4,500 cause the extra 500 feet of alt was WAY more important than the 3 seconds of freefall time. They all agreed enthusiastically. In competition from 10,500 feet the 35 seconds expires around 6'000 feet. So its really a non issue to break off at 4.5 k feet. But even breaking at 4.5 K then tracking to 3.5 I'm ussually open at 2.3 K Because my velocity snivels for many many hundred feet. (Same reason the rest of the team wanted 4.5) Its just not worth it to take it lower. I've done the whole open lower thing, realized its not worth it, better to be comfortable and have that extra 500 feet to work with under canopy. Be comfortable, be safe, if you feel you are too low right now in the saddle then let the team know you'll be tracking at 4.5k feet, if you all do it the "tutor" cant really do anything, and on video you dont really know the difference. Jonathan GTInviscid 01-02 GTFusion 03 PNF 04 AFFI

BT - Never Gonna Come Back Down (Featuring M. Doughty)

O if you have a really strong OC that can get the legs towards the wing (of an otter) above the tail. Otherwise an H is pretty damn bomb proof (And a good transition to a 6 build if you were having problems launching the 6) . Jonathan

Crank (N) or Catacord (g). With a D, M, O, P, H being the 5 easiest. But thats just my expirence. Jonathan

Launch a Sidebody (P), let go of the leg grips. I think its alittle easier than flying the center piece together in the Stair Step Diamond exit. But then agian I think the P is one of the 2 easiest exits in the dive pool. Jonathan

Lewis Black

Please reference Ian Drennan. Helmet/Ass flyer and by far worst smelling farts so far this year. Like stupid comments that all freeflyers fly smaller canopies and should exit first, this one regarding farting is about as asinine and untrue.

FYI From an email after having some engine difficulties last weekend from SDA: Upcoming Due to the uncertainty with our aircraft we are postponing the all you can jump weekend. Rest assured, we will have a turbine aircraft here. Looks like it's going to be a Grand Caravan. But we can't afford an all you can jump with someone else's plane. Thanks in advance for your understanding. Jonathan

Since your profile says GA, Mike Gruwell can do it at Chuting Star Rigging, or Danny Page can do it. Let me know if you need contact numbers. Jonathan

Can we get pictures of these too? Either in this thread or another new thread. Thanks, Jonathan

Have you tried calling and talking to them? Ask to speak to JJ or Red. They're much better at phones than email. Phone: (770) 279-7733 OFFICE HOURS Monday - Thursday 8:00am. - 4:00pm Jonathan

From another post: Search string: PEC FT-50 Paraequip Corp. PEC is the North American repair center for the popular FT-50 and FT-40 altimeters. Send damaged or malfunctioning altimeters and a check for $25.00 to: PEC 69 Main Street Vincentown, New Jersey 08088 altimeters will be return repaired prepaid shipping included. The FT-50 is covered by a limited warranty. If your altimeter repair is covered by the warranty your check will be returned with the repaired altimeter shipping prepaid. The manufacturer pays PEC for warranty repairs. Our experience shows that about 1/3 of the repairs we receive are warranty repairs. PEC has been building and repairing altimeters for a variety of manufacturers for many years. http://www.paraequip.com/instruments.htm Blue Skies, Adam

$30 for me. I get to jump my own canopy. I don't have to haul meat and I get to choose the pace at which we meet loads. Good deal for good pay.

I just graduated in December. I did 1250 jumps while in college (4 years). Student loans will go a long with when coupled with a job (or 2). I also got my AFF rating and have done over 100 of those, though most I donated my pay to keep the cost to the student down. Coming out of college: 2 full rigs (odyssey's) 1250 jumps 2 Fullface helmets 4 or 5 jumpsuits. an AFF rating graciously paid for by my college. Fond memories especially at Collegiate Nationals. and $24,000 owed in stafford loans. -Jonathan Alumni of Georgia Tech '04

Was that an Flight Concepts Rage, or that other companies R.A.G.E ? (When I read it i thought it was the latter). Jonathan

Keep in mind she's from Florida. When we visit to train and its a nice 55-65 degrees, everyone down there is wearing heavy ski jackets, huge neck warmers, multiple layers. And then I'm there in my comfortable soccer shorts, and either a tshirt or sans tshirt gettng a tan. (I live in GA) Eloy 2 years ago over christmas/new years I wore a light thermal long sleeve under a Tshirt, and then soccer shorts under my jumpsuit, by 1 pm I had taken the thermal off. Evening was comfortable with a nice lightweight jacket, and a long sleeve shirt. (Still in shorts though). Jonathan

Why I voted no: I've had students go into very radical spins, had they had booties it would have been worse. For that reason my students will not wear booties. Another reason, levels 6 and 7 include back and front flips. I can tell you from experience that flips are hard as hell with booties, so for that reason they should not wear booties during student time. Once I clear them to self jumpmaster I talk to them about mantis and booties and how they can consider working with these two things (different body positions and a more powerful suit) during their solo jumps while working towards completing their A license. Some people talk about flying body and a bunch of other stuff to keep early jumpers from using booties. But I disagree and after a jumper can show me they can control spins and return to their belly quickly reverting back to a stable boxman body position I see no reason to deny them a suit such that they can start learning a more advanced body position. Taught early on, you don't have to un teach them bad habits and body position learned early on from not having booties. I also feel it helps them do group freefall better as they have more control with their legs, and more power to compensate for reaching for grips. Success in group formations keeps them from getting discouraged and going over to freeflying earlier than they should. Formation of small informal teams help that too. Somewhat side tracked but in conclusion: Students (as defined) no booties. Immediately after graduation, YES to booties. Jonathan AFFI