Fast

After some things you posted in the last few days since you registered I find this thread funny. ~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

Nah, my mom still thinks im nuts and throwing my life away. I don't talk about it with her. Every now and then I will show her a cool picture but that's about all she can take w/o getting nauseus. (Yes I am very serious, she gets sick to her stomach when I even talk about it. Not much I can do about that, I just don't bring it up) My dad still thinks its cool cause he was into scuba when he was younger and understands where I'm coming from. I'm 23. ~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

The resident "old timer" at my DZ (Mike 'Ravin' Stark, if anyone has seen him pack) has proven to me a few times over that packing can be much more simple. He doesn't flake his nose or do any other crazy stuff. He has a simple "lines in the right place" lay it down and a few folds and a tuck or two later its in the bag. He packs faster than anyone I know and that probally is because of the 10k+ odd jumps and many more packjobs he has done. Everyone calls it a "trash" pack, but it really isn't. He knows what he is doing. Everything (lines, fabric, slider) is in a specific place. Its just done without all the crazy flaking and counting and whatnot that goes into packing for just about everyone else. I have always been unwilling to learn the way he packs because I know there has to be something in his mind that he knows that I'm not seeing. I stick to a fast pro-pack. "Lines mostly to the center, fabric out, watch the slider, and put it in the bag." I "count" my nose cells but not really. I just pull them out front where they should be, I am sure that i have missed one here and there but it has never made a huge difference. ~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 had one this week with just the guy standing on top. The bottom hanger corked and the guy on top managed to not fall off. Was pretty cool. Hybrids are neat. ~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 know that I posted my own thread somewhat complaining about the openings on saber1s. But, the caveat is that I didn't have any problems or mind the fast openings till I added a digital still to my camera helmet. Even then I jumped it and didn't really mind. I just don't like the faster openings. If you pack well they slow down but I am switching to using packers more this summer and I am just more comfortable with something opening a little slower. Oh I want a faster canopy too? Yeah. My thread was asking about crossfire 2s. Saying that an old saber has high riser preasure is nuts. I could front riser dive way easier on the saber than I can on the crossfire I have been demoing. Also, learning on that canopy was awesome. I had 300+ saber 2 jumps before I switched to it, then put 300+ jumps on it learning to swoop. I can tell you straight up that I learned faster on that canopy than I would have if I switched right into an elliptical when I went to a 150. It might be old, but it is forgiving. That saved my ass once or twice already. It let me learn a few lessons and walk away. I think that the old sabers fly great. I have no complaints about how they fly. My last jump yesterday was a downwind (5-7mph ish at the most) swoop on a course with 10ft gates, I landed around the 280ft mark. Thats not bad for an old saber with "mushy" controls. With no wind or a slight headwind I can do 140ft w/o everything being perfect. I can also carve 30ish degrees with just harness and still land softly on my feet. Don't say that sabers suck if you don't have experience with one to know if they really do or not. I like how my saber flys... I like how the crossfire 2 flies better,.. but that sure as hell doesn't mean I would have rather learned on the crossfire 2. Learning to fly a canopy that has "less responsive" controls is better. I dislike when people compare canopys to cars because its stupid. You SHOULD learn how to fly on a less agressive canopy. Why? It is both more forgiving and it allows you as a canopy pilot to learn faster and in turn be more agrressive yourself as you grow with the canopy. It has been said a 1000 times before and will be said 1000 times again. You need a base skill set before you push the limits and learn more advanced tricks. Bottom line is, if you don't like the openings fine. Figure something out to tame them or don't jump it, but don't complain about how they fly. The canopy flys great. ~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 buy thinkpads for work. They are a bit more expensive but you get what you pay for. My laptop (main comuter) is an offbrand and it sucks. It is already falling apart ( 1.5 years old). The thinkpad I owned before that I bought 1 year used, dragged it to every class for 4.5 years in college and half a year of working after college before I had to replace it. It was slow by that point, but meh, its a laptop. I _still_ have it set up and runing as a portable linux box. The onboard mouse is dead and the screen only lights half brightness but it still works. Think about what you are really going to use it for before wasting money on a faster processor. Speed/performance isn't everything when buying a laptop. How is it going to be used? Plugged in mostly? Carried around a lot? Weight an issue? Size? How does the screen perform in the situation he will be using it? I wouldn't get a super glossy screen. They look nice, but not if there is anything bright behind it. ~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'm sure this is taken care of if not PM me. I have a few fax machines here ;-) ~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 actually shrinks more than anything. Oops, you're right. Thanks for the correction. My point is that a Spectra line set with 1000 jumps will likely be out of trim and this can adversely affect the openings. The anecdotal evidence here supports this conclusion. Sure the lines are fucked. I can live with that. I am sure that is why the openings have gotten worse. I could put new lines on it and it would be back to opening much better. But point in case, its still a saber and like you said they are designed to open fast. I don't want a canopy that opens fast anymore. I want a nice snively one so I don't break my neck shooting video. The fast openings were cool when we were doing a ton of 4-way but I'll be shooting more video this year, in an attempt to jump more than my finances would allow. Don't get me wrong,... I like how the saber (even saber 1 yes) flies. I like how it dives, I think its a good canopy. The openings just kick my ass. oh and... don't think I'm not gratefull for you borrowing me the canopy, cause I am, very much so. ~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

The last time I thought MTV was cool was well... ? I don't know its been so long I can't remember. I stopped liking it when more than 50% of the music was rap. Its the same shit with local radio. If I hear more than 1 rap song in a row on a station that is supposed to play a "mix" then I don't really want to listen to it. Don't get me wrong, I like some rap/rnb, but really... I mean, it only represents like 10% or less of the spectrum of music available. It is played on MTV and so many other stations way more than it deserves to be. Oh well, thats why I got satelite radio. ~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

Thanks for all the replies and the couple PMs that I have got. I was pretty much thinking that it had to do with technique because there are so many people out there who love to fly them. Getting used to a deployment that takes longer than 300 feet, doesent require a neck brace, and doesn't hurt wont be hard. (Ok its not that bad, but it sure seems like it) I want to start flying with more harness anyways. I have been working on it somewhat with my saber but well, it just doesn't do much when I throw my weight into it. I guess I need to find someone selling a XF2 139 now..... p.s. Marks, you guys coming to wisconsin again this summer? ~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

Yeah, thats the plan. I can keep jumping the saber 150 while I sell the 170 to buy something else. So you are saying that crossfire has a shorter recovery arc than a saber 2? I am kinda set on changing planform to fully eliptical, but maybe not. From what I saw in one jump I agree that the riser pressure was more. Anyone with experience able to compare it to more advanced canopies? Is this just something I am going to have to adjust to as I get better at swooping? Everyone seems to say you should change planform and size at different times. This is probally the best opertunity for me to do that. As for jumping saber 2s. I have a bunch of jumps on the 170. A friend borrowed me the 150 because I wanted something faster and the 170 needed lines. I just never went back to the 170 didn't see a reason to. I was front risering the 170, but I mean, its a 170 so its hard to compare that to anything. Also, I probally have quite a bit more understanding now so. Its hard to compare back to it. ~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

Please enjoy your first jump course and remember that your instructor, in your course, is the person that you should listen to. No matter what you read on the internet, in a book, see on tv, or get as an email or other form of message. You need to either listen to the instructor at the DZ you go to -or- if you think the instructor is nuts, unlikely, you should go find another dropzone, or not skydive at all. This forum is a great place for sharing information and talking about skydiving, but due to differences in student programs and many other factors that would be hard for you to understand right now you are best of listening to the instructors at your local DZ. Sharing experiences is fun. Posting pictures is fun. There is lots of stuff you can do on here that is fun. If you are a skydiving student or even just a skydiver that doesn't have much experience you need to remember to listen and/or talk to your local instructors. They know you best, can see what you do, and can give you a much more detailed and tailored response. That being said, yeah I know someone who is a cypress save and its not cause he got knocked out. It was a student who failed to execute his emergency procedures as tought to him by his instructor. He had a PC in tow. Good thing he had an AAD. I don't think he skydives anymore. ~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

haha.. It cracked me up the first time I saw it... oh and Monique is a hottie :P ~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, long story short... I have been jumping a borrowed saber 1 150 for the last year. I am starting to shoot camera and am NOT happy with the openings on saber 1s. Basically it seems like they suck even when I pack and in starting to shoot video I am gonna have other people packing for me more. I don't have a ton of money, but I do have a saber 2 170 sitting in the closet. I have no desire to upsize, and buying a saber 2 150 just seems like a waste. I can swoop the saber 150 decent already. I am working on riser transitions from front to rears at this point. As well as overall consistancy. I do NOT have the money to buy a new container / reserve, probally even if I sold the ones I have. So I need to stay pretty close in pack volume. That means staying the same size or near to it. To me it seemed like a good time to change planform and thats where the crossfire 2 comes in. It seems like a good option. Probally in the 139 size which I belive will pack into my vector. I had the opertunity to jump one, but only once, this last weekend. I know once isn't enough, however, the opening it gave me was consistant with everything I have read about the canopy. I weigh in around 185 lbs. So I was loading the canopy 1.47-1.52ish depending on exact rig and my weight at the time. The thing I didn't like was the riser pressure. I couldn't get the thing to 270. I could get to about 230ish and then it would be just too much to hold the dive. Is this characteristic of the crossfire 2? How does it compare to the Crossfire 1 at the same size? Now, I only got one jump and a few chances to do turns on it. So it could be very well that my technique is just way off for this type of canopy. In general though I liked flying it, other than the what seemed to be out of hand riser pressure. My standard initiation for dives is half breaks to full flight to double fronts to letting up slightly on one side and pulling down slightly on the other, and then from there adjusting as the sight picture changes. I am trying to find a used CF2 139 because I think its what I want, but I don't want to rush into it if I am going to be unhappy with the way it dives. Anyone have thoughts for me? Is it just technique? Also, I should note. I can't afford a new canopy. I have to find a used one. I can't change containers, I can't afford it. I also can't keep jumping this saber 150, my neck will kick my ass. I am sure someone is going to say "just buy a saber 2 150" but really,.. I want to progress some towards a more agressive canopy. Changing planform now, when I can't downsize much at all, if any, is probally my best bet. I also won't consider a stilletto because I don't belive that its flight chracteristics will lead to what I want to fly down the road. After this step that I am talking about right now, my next change will probally be to a Katana 120 or a smaller Crossfire. That is quite a bit down the road though. I just want people to know that my end goal is to be on a crossbraced canopy once I have the skills for it. Which I don't at the point in time. Thats why I don't like the stilletto. Yes I know a ton of people have used them to progress, I just think there are better options. ~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 still learning a ton but the suggestion of leaving headdown is one of the things the two guys who are mentoring me brought up. I like it and I am able to stay with the tandem a lot easier if they don't throw the drogue right away. It is funny cause every video I shoot I get frustrated because I keep comparing myself to the best 2 guys on my DZ. I just can't be that good yet. The whole thing is awesome though. I don't have wings on in this picture set but the exit is the same with or w/o them. I make little mistakes here and there that screw my video up now and then. The big thing im trying to do right now is keep the subject in frame on drogue throw. I just need to react faster / anticipate more and I will get it. Anyways, I like this exit style. It works great for my DZ because in a couple weeks we will have our lettering for this year that has our DZ website on the bottom of the plane. Flying video is so cool for me because I am a photographer at heart. Edit: Just in looking at that picture more (headdown.jpg). Considering that the relative wind is coming from the right hand side. The tandem pair is fairly "headdown" when exiting. I mean, its just hard for them to present that well to the wind. The thinking I have for why this works ok for video people is that, as a pair, the tandem presents the same surface area per person in a head down orientation as a single flyer. Now I am probally thinking too much into this but that just seems like it might be part of why it works so well, at least for how the TMs I jump with fly. All my video this far has been out of pocket as practice, you might not think it would be as rewarding as busting a hot 4-way or FF jump, but it sure is! It's also cool when you get to see yourself from the next camera guy, sure helps in the learning process. ~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 like these quite a bit. Night photography is a LOT of fun. 12_18_004 is probally the coolest of the pictures from an artistic standpoint, but I think they are all well done. ~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

However much you hate the professor's method of teaching, its not worth it to not put in the hard work to prove him wrong. So he is a crappy professor right? What does that mean if you get an awesome grade in the class? It means that you didn't need him and you learned the matieral on your own. Thats cool. Thats the way to be. I think that when a professor or any "teacher" is bad you need to put in extra effort to make a point to yourself and them. Back in high school one of teachers that I favored most was fired for being a hippy and smoking pot. He was a brialliant computer teacher. The young, just out of college, chick that they replaced him with, who had no respect from any of the students tried to change everything about a group of 15 of us who had already been learning from this guy for 2 years. She wasn't getting through to us cause we just wanted our other teacher back. We didn't like how she taught and she wasn't even as smart as our brightest student. (We had some pure code monkey geniuses in the class) We mostly ignored her in class every day and taught ourselfs AP computer science. I think 6 of the 15 got 5s on the exam and everyone else was passing(3) or above. What it tought me was that when faced with a bad situation don't make it worse and not care. Bust your ass on your own and prove that the professor/teacher really doesn't know what they are doing. I know what its like though, I got to retake an ethics course in college because I refused to agree with the extremely religious views of the professor. He failed me cause he didn't like my standpoint and it pissed me off a lot. ~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 wish this was me, but its not. I took this picture of a jumper from my dz. I don't think I have posted this one before. He was literally coming straight at me. I put myself there to get pictures and it worked ok. I snapped this picture just before he flew over the top of 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

Shooting in RAW is by far the best way to go if you want good looking pictures and you have lots of time. RAW provides more color depth and more data for post processing. What it lacks is an easy way to hand a customer a CD full of pictures. It is also slower because the files are bigger which sucks for freefall. Oh well. ~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

Heh, this is what i was trying to get at. He did say he was using a CF card though. Anyways, yeah microdrives do not work for skydiving at all. Great for on the ground, crappy off the ground. At any altitude. ~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

This is going to do two things though. The larger aperture will decrease the depth of field. If he is still using auto focus that wont make as big of difference but it could add more blur. I have the XT with the stock lens only and have a taped down manual focus at about 5-7 feet. I run my camera on P mode. I normally get pretty decent pictures. There are times I might be able to do better with auto focus but I will take a little bit of blur over missing a picture because the AF is freaking out. ~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

Its a cool plane but anything bigger than 8 way sucks for exits. I have been bashed into the floor a few times as a late diver on a 14+video way. Its hard to run anything out of the plane and really easy to hit the door on the way out. Much much better than a king air but its no otter. My team last year did a whole bunch of 4-way practice out of a PAC and launched pretty much every point. When we got in an otter for the meets it felt like we had miles and miles of room in the door. The camera step also is small but it works. I have shot tandem and 4-12 way video off it w/o a problem. I wouldn't call it comfortable cause I prefer to sit on the floor and prefer the extra space inside afforded by no benches. Its fast though and overall I like the plane. ~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

What memory card are you using? I know you said you have tried other ones... But are they different types or same brand / type / size? ~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

Ok, you go first since you'de be getting out in front of a six bladed prop. There are a few options on the plane for exit aft of the props. I think it would be a neat "special" jump thing at like a rantoul. Just cause its different. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Far easier to borrow a Dornier 228, because it is a 22-seat trurboprop designed to compete directly with Twin Otters on feeder routes. Dornier even designed an in-flight door that slips into the original - aft - cargo door. We used to jump Dornier 228s at monthly boogies in Leutkirch, West Germany, back during the mid-1980s. Probally true. Though its not as big and the tail on the 328 is less of an issue (Though, I doubt its a large concern on the 228 either) Bigger is more "cool" or something like that. ~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

Agreed. I will also add to that comment that I think wearing a handcam is much more distracting and has many different risks than wearing a camera on your head. I don't think that I would want to do it on any sort of regular basis. I like having my hands relativly free to do other things. ~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