Fast

and hard cuts are nice at some points. (i.e. no transition) ~D Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me. Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

Yep! People need to take responsibility for themselves. The account I was told by a jumper on the plane was that there was an 8 way and 4-6 way group in front of him and another guy who were going to do a 2 way. When the green light came on the 8 way went, and his two way decided to exit solo since they were only at 2k. People need to take responsibility for themselves. 2000 feet isn't my perfered exit altitude, but if we turn jump run and thats all we are getting, I won't be riding the plane down. ~D Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me. Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

If you really thing that second part is true you have things quite mixed up. For the record, I have nothing against base jumping what so ever. I just think its looney to consider it less dangerous than making a fairly routine skydive. ~D Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me. Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

...are you kidding me? The answer to keeping your vigil from misfiring is to not let it sit in the sun on a hot day? That sounds scary to me. ~D Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me. Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

I agree. They look like they had a blast. I am sure the tandem masters had a blast. Everyone can take thier "better than thou" attitude right out the door for all I am concerned. ~D Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me. Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

Try searching some and you will find a bunch of threads on this. Most of which include the statement "People will tell you whatever they jump is the best" So in that sense, I jump a vector 3. The only bad thing anyone has ever said to me about them is they are uncomfortable and they weigh a lot (because there is lots of plastic). I don't think they are, and even if they were I wouldn't care. The list of reasons my rigger likes the canopy and all the quality I see that goes into them makes me trust them more than other rigs on the market. There is a lot of smart shit on a vector thanks to Mr. Booth. Including it currently being the only rig available with a sky hook. (That is subject to change some day though) ~D Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me. Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

Hi Mary, I looked at your profile and am pretty sure you're jumping at my home DZ. Haven't met you yet but will be sure to say hi if I see you. The mantas are pretty big canopies but you should be able flare them. You might just need to work on technique some. The main reason that I am posting though is because I don't think you should go overboard on lifting weights. If you do too much of that you are going to wear your arms out and that will make it harder to flare. I am not saying you shouldn't work on some weight training, its always good,.. just don't go nuts with it and try not to go to overboard on it today if you are jumping tomorrow. Get with one of the instructors and go over exactly how your doing everything in the air and practice it a few times. It might be more of a mental thing than physical. ~D Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me. Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

Amusing ~D Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me. Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

Depends a lot on the place you get the ticket. A friend of minem graduated from Law School a few years ago. He handles all the traffic citations for our group of friends. Where i live, on the freeway, a recent ticket i got for doing 18 over will most likely go from 4 points, $189, and increased insurance cost to "Non Moving", no points, $300, and not on my record (no increased insurance) which is mostly because they are just ticketing to increase revenue. I mean its to try and get people to slow down but it doesn't really work. It is almost always worth having a traffic attorney fix the ticket. I have gotten quite a few speeding tickets but I also have a perfect driving record.... nuts isn't it? The law is set up the way it is, to just roll over and take it up the bum because someone says its the "right" thing to do is stupid. The people who write these laws don't just roll over and take it, why do you think they get written the way they do. ~D Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me. Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

We did 4 proposals this year. In each case the guy had his friends bring out a big tarp with the message painted on it. After the plane took off and cleared the runway a few of us jumpers would lay it out. Normally they can't see it in freefall, but thats ok. A tandem student in freefall wont notice it anyways in most cases. The tandem instructors were obviosuly in on it and would make sure to do an approach to the landing area which made the sign easily readable. ~D Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me. Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

All of the above ~D Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me. Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

Like others have said already in this thread.. What progression? I can't even claim to be half as skilled a skydiver as this guy. I don't even know him. Though it seems from the tone in this thread that anyone willing to take a stand for the students who have no clue is risking going against a bunch of the "big" skydivers. If the progression that you are looking for is a student getting hurt, close calls, and shotty looking video then this is on the right track. For anyone to claim that it makes for better video is nuts. A tandem student, in the long run, doens't care what a TI is capable of. People making thier first jump see it as an accomplishment. The video is to show them what they did. They are the star. I don't care who was telling me that this was the "right" way to do things, I wouldn't be happy taking another persons money to video this kind of jump. It's not at all about the student and any added value people might perceive that this adds goes way beyond the risks involved. I can understand getting bored with tandems. I mean there have been statements that this person has done 7000+ tandem jumps. It must be hard to still have fun. That is what I see this being about. A bored skydiver who thinks its ok to screw around because no one has got hurt yet. Isn't that the way most things in this sport work out though? Once somebody dies from doing this and a dropzone closes because they were sued out of existance then maybe we will have change. ~D Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me. Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

So, uh... yeah you guys are pretty good If anyone wants to see good freeflying... watch the video. ~D Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me. Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

I was riding my rears too long and it was costing me some distance. Couple guys pointed it out to me and I transition to toggles a bit sooner now. Everything is a lot smoother and I seem to be going farther. ~D Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me. Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

Your doctor is probably the most conservative person you will ask. If they say its ok and you jump and hurt yourself thier ass and the ass of thier malpractice insurance is on the line. ~D Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me. Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

Watching videos on the internet is fun. But keep it at that. Don't watch the videos to learn at this point, just to get you psyched up and feeling awesome about skydiving. ~D Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me. Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

Packing sucks. I mean, really. I really don't enjoy packing at all. When I am doing video jumps, I don't pack for myself if there is someone who will pack for me. It's more work, when I am already working. Before I started shooting video I packed for myself all the time, I couldn't afford to pay the $5 a jump and I had more time. When you are making 3-4 jumps friday, 10+ each saturday and sunday, and 6 on monday (which I have to pack for myself, which I can do in 7 minutes) it gets tiring to pack for yourself all the time. It's more work than I want to deal with. I have done 10 in a day packing for myself and passed the fuck out at sunset. I like to be able to stay up and hang out with my friends, not fall asleep in a corner cause I am exhausted. As to your earlier comment, if you don't think the jumping part of skydiving is a lot of work you aren't trying hard enough. If I am doing 4 way, tracking dives, some freefly, CRW, or really anything where I am concentrating hard and doing the best I can, its a lot of work. I have deployed after a 4-way and felt as if I was sweating from running a marathon. With the stuff you are doing it might not be that much work, but don't assume that all skydiving is that way. You really couldn't have a clue with as few jumps as you have. ~D Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me. Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

now I know how you feel, just got screwed on a neptune that doesn't work. I hope Alti-2 doesn't charge me a fortune to have it fixed because the guy wont take it back. ~D Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me. Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

Uhh,.... something like that? I hope whoever it is, decided to give you your money back. ~D Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me. Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

It has more to do with seeing this same scenario played out over and over again. It gets really old reading about some "I can handle it" in the incident forum. I don't disagree with you at all. That is the reason people are conservative. I think we are on the same page, but i could be wrong! ~D Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me. Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

Find 3 skydiving friends and take a road trip as far south as you have to to find a DZ that is jumping. Spend the night there make a few jumps each day, drive home. If you can afford to skydive, you can afford to take a road trip south once every month or two. That or just make sure you are at your DZ any day that is jumpable. Lots of work, but, hey... if you want it bad enough. ~D Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me. Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

I am 1400 x 1050 and its too much for me. most people run at 1024x768. Also, yep... need to get rid of the maximize thing. If it was for any more than looking at it to give an opinion i would have never made it past the first page. Did you design this on a widescreen monitor? ~D Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me. Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

That is cool ~D Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me. Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

Everyone on here is really conservative in thier recomendations. That has to do with not knowing who you are and how well you fly and in general just being conservative. The people on here don't even know your instructors. So they have no idea who is recomending what to you. You also don't know any of the people on here. I am not meaning to go against the trend, and I am not about to tell you jumping a 135 is smart. I am just trying to explain why you are having the confusion. It is an aggressive choice, one you will probably survive, but it is more likely that you would survive if you chose the 150. You might even learn faster. Thats how these recomendations come about. ~D Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me. Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

Yet again, asking medical advice on the internet. Speak to your doctor, if he doesn't think you should skydive, then don't. If you want to still do it, let your friends go up and jump, talk to the press, and make the jump another day when your neck is healed up. Then you can get extra coverage in the terms of them saying you finally jumped X months later after healing up. Anyways, talk to a doctor, not a bunch of people on the internet. ~D Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me. Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka