MakeItHappen

I think most people were talking about a main canopy only because that is what you said in your first post. If your instructor is about the same size as you it might be a great deal - as far as fit. If your instructor is 6 inches taller than you, then the harness probably will be too large on you. You need to state the rig (aka Harness & Container), the main (#jumps and make/model), the reserve (#jumps, make/model) and AAD (birthdate and maintenance if cypress) in order for anyone to say if it is a good deal or not. I suggest you call retailers and comparison shop. I can personally recommend Square1 and Gravity Gear. Other retailers are just as good, but I don't know the people as well. Also check with Wendy Faulkner. She is tiny like you and has lots of good info on what to look for and what to avoid for the smaller sized jumpers. I strongly suggest that you get a D-ring reserve handle and not a pad handle. You can get the small handles from JumpShack. About a month ago, a friend of mine with thousands of jumps nearly went in on a brand new rig that had a sandwich type pad handle. She couldn't get the handle out without a real struggle. She is small like you and Wendy. BTW, her old rig might be for sale. She's in Thailand right now, so if you can wait 3 weeks her rig might be ok for you. One other thing is that you should be aware that a 150 is considered by the official USPA doctrine as 'advanced equipment' no matter what WL. Please read the SIM sections 6-10 and 6-11. Smaller parachutes have shorter lines. This will get you more responsiveness on the smaller canopy, as compared to your student canopy (probably a 230 or so). That means a much shorter control stroke (toggle or riser) to induce the same amount of turn, comparing the smaller to larger canopy. Pay special attention to the downsizing progression section too. . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

$1200?? I haven't checked canopy prices lately, but that seems high for something used. The obvious Qs are how many jumps and what canopy. Without knowing that info, the price ballpark could be anywhere. I've bought new canopies in that size range and I think the most I paid was ~$800.00-900.00, but that was several years ago. Really my interest is in: Anytime I sell anything, my motivation is to get money for it. I think that's true for anyone else that sells something. If he's not trying to get money, what is he trying to get? Reading your post, I have 'red flags' going off. You need to talk with people that know the prices and used gear market. You need to see if that canopy is ok for your experience level. Reread and answer all the other questions asked so far. . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

It is very easy to make the face shield yourself. Just get: - A thin scrap piece of lexan, not pexiglass. - A pair of tin-snips - Some sticky velcro Use an old shield as a template. I made my last five shields from one scrap that I got for free from some place near SD. I finally gave up on the face shields when one froze solid on a +60way. But it's easy to make. Tin snips were ~$15, I think???? velcro a couple of bucks Definitely cheaper to make your own than buying. But, if you really want someone else to make you one, I'll do it for $30. Oh - I just realized this was Jeff Dement. I'll lend you my tin snips during the weekend of Feb 17-19 at the BOD mtg. Just let me know and I'll bring them with me to PHX. I'm driving, not flying so TSA won't bother me. . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

Thanks everyone, especially Ron. I'll add in something for you to save the data locally, hopefully before the season picks up in the north. . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

Please define proximity in distance? Probably the same definition as in 'Your group opened up too close to our group.' . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

see Optimize Floating Originally published in Sport Parachutist's Safety Journal, V2, #1 Sept./Oct. 1989. Floaters Originally published in Sport Parachutist's Safety Journal V2, #5 Jan./Mar. 1991. ©Copyright 1989, 1991, 1996 by Jan Meyer. Republished with permission. - reprinted in Parachutist 2/96 . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

I advise people to follow the SIM recommendation. That recommendation is only a tiny step away from becoming a BSR. J. Flybys 1. Wing suits should not be flown by or in the proximity of any student jumps. 2. Wing suit jumps should not be made in the proximity of experienced jumpers without prior coordination with those jumpers. Section 1. includes tandems, as well as any other student (AFF, S/L, IAD, hybrid) Section 2. means non-students, you know like the crw stack buzzes etc. Also a tandem passenger/student is NOT an experienced jumper unless they have a skydiver license. "Just because you can does not mean you should." . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

You might want to invest in an index fund instead. That has slightly more risk, but the return on index funds is much better than money market accounts. Money markets allow you to break even. The interest you earn is about equal to the value loss because of inflation. I'm not a big fan of funds in general, but the index funds are your best bet for someone that wants to tuck money away and not have to pay attention to it very often. Index funds are not managed so their fees are lower than managed funds. Index funds require usually at least a $2k initial investment. There may be some with a $1k buy in. After that you can buy in smaller amounts with no transaction fees if you have the account directly with the fund company. It might be different if you use a brokerage firm. There are some other funds that are tax free or have a max tax rate (~15%) that pay very good dividends, plus have price appreciation. Read Graham, Lynch and all of the Motley Fool books for more info. Stay away from the DOW dogs investment method. That's proven not to work. Your age, things you plan on doing in the future and risk taking level sort of drive your asset allocation percentages. Any easy way to get your feet wet in investing is to start with DRIP accounts. Join NAIC to learn more. They have a great program to get you started. Liquidating these accounts may take up to a month. There are only (modest) fees to set up the account and when you sell. Purchase transactions are free and dividends are automatically reinvested. These programs are great for new investors. You buy one share to start and then contribute $x per month or whatever. It gets you to put say $25 away each month. You pay yourself first and learn how dollar cost averaging lowers the price you pay for stocks. You also learn the discipline of stashing money away. Next thing you know you'll be paying yourself $500 per month. You do have to pay taxes on the dividends. When you sell you pay taxes on the price appreciation. The book keeping side is a bit more complex. . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

The article was called Welcome to Malfunction Junction by Emily Bump Girard and Kevin Gibson. BTW, I had no input to the article, if that is what you were really asking. I think maybe you need to reread. I bolded the part that says the container is closed. As I said in the first post of this discussion: "If you can show me a pull-out system that allows the main pilot chute [cocked or uncocked, tangled or untangled] in the airstream without the main pin clearing the closing loop, I'll be happy to debate a new issue." And along with other illustrious accomplishments, Roger Clark is the official PCIT #1. You'd think Bill Booth would have wanted that number. ;) All three of those r.s posts were written by me over the years. Yes I jump a pull out. One of the reasons I do is because the ambiguous situation cannot happen on a pull out. I cannot (even after 25 years of thinking about it) decide whether it is better to cutaway-pull reserve or pull reserve for a pilot chute in tow or the situation that looks like a pilot chute in tow (container lock). Since I can not decide upon EPs for a throw out, on the ground, I will not jump that deployment system. USPA's recommendation is a recommendation, not a BSR, that you can find in Section 5 of the SIM. Contrary to what you may think, I tell people about the two EP plans that USPA recommends for throw outs. I tell people that I cannot decide which way is better. It is up to each jumper to pick the EP. I do not prefer one over the other. I also tell people that I jump a pullout because I cannot decide which EP is better. I do not have to deal with this ambiguous situation with a pullout. Just one more thought, it may be unsettling for a new jumper to hear that someone with my experience cannot pick an EP for throw-outs. Consider what Mike McGowan did. For years and years and thousands of jumps he had the EP of cutaway-pull reserve for a PCIT. Then one day he had a PCIT and cutaway-pulled reserve. The canopies entangled. If it weren't for trees out at Cross Keys, he'd be dead. Today, his EPs are pull-reserve for a PCIT. If you want, you can call the two situations Scenario A and Scenario B. One has the container closed and one does not. They both look the same in real time. . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

That's the whole point. The procedures may not be the same. Whether the pin has cleared the closing loop is an important factor in determining EPs - at least for people that use a 'pull reserve' EP for totals. This discussion is meaningless for people that use 'cutaway-pull reserve' EP for all malfunctions. Originally, the USPA recommended procedure for a pilot chute in tow was to pull reserve. The pilot chute in tow was considered a total malfunction. This recommendation was given with the understanding that the container was closed, ie the pin had not cleared the closing loop. Most people will cutaway-pull reserve when they know that their container is open and the main is not opening. People with a 'pull reserve' EP for totals will pull reserve when they know the container is closed. If you cannot tell the difference between two mals that look the same and have different EPs then you have an ambiguous situation. That is precisely what happens when you compare a pilot chute in tow to a container lock on a throw out rig. This ambiguous situation would not happen with a ripcord or pullout system because you know whether or not the pin has cleared the loop. Therefore, you know which EP to use. The current USPA recommendations give you a choice between pull reserve or cutaway-pull reserve. This is because over the years people have done it both ways and lived. People have done it both ways and died. It's split about 50-50. Poll jumpers that have had a pilot chute in tow and you'll see there is no predominant method. Part of the split comes from the ambiguous situation mentioned. We don't know how many of those pilot chute in tows where really pack closures. So we really don't know which EP works the best for a pilot chute in tow (one where the pin has not cleared the loop). Some of those reported pilot chute in tows could have been pack closures. . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

Too funny ;) I am going to be lazy. post 1 post 2 post 3 . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

Says who? From Parachutist June 1997 page 41: "A pilot chute in tow occurs when you've thrown your pilot chute, but it doesn't pull your pin, and the container remains locked." . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

WRONG! Why Are you wrong? a. The pull-out handle can and has entangled with the PC resulting in PC in tow. b. Not cocking the PC whether Pull-out or Throw-out can andhas resulted in a PC in tow. take care, space Hey Space, This discussion about pilot chute in tow has been done ad-nauseum. We don't need another debate. The one point I would like to make is to clarify what a 'pilot chute in tow' malfunction is. You see when this definition is not mutually agreed upon, debates extend into other malfunctions. A pilot chute in tow malfunction is one where the main pilot chute is in the airstream and the main pin HAS NOT CLEARED the main closing loop. If you can show me a pull-out system that allows the main pilot chute [cocked or uncocked, tangled or untangled] in the airstream without the main pin clearing the closing loop, I'll be happy to debate a new issue. I miss all the good stuff. . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

uh-huh!?! Well, I think you assume all nerds are male. That would be a bad assumption in this case. ICBS…. I would be more likely to say 'All that work for nothing.' when they showed x=0. I am sorry you had a bad education, but not everyone experiences the world the way you did. . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

From this statement I get the impression that you don't approve with my approach to this situation. I do not follow this logic at all. . I do, but I'm not going to explain it because I'm sure it would be the kind of explanation that would turn people off to explanations. On second thought, what you propose is the equivalent of describing the action of walking to someone, then expecting them to walk across a busy street unassisted. Icon134 is a bit more humane in his approach. He recognizes that what is needed is a bit of "physical therapy/rehab" for someone who is re-learning how to walk, and is guidng them each step of the way. What he is suggesting is that in person, he might pick up on cues that indicate that not as much help is needed. I hope this explanation doesn't scar you for life and turn you off to all future explanations. Walt I thought I would never say this, but I miss the debates with CRWMike and Mr MOM. They at least were logical, albeit not always civil. WTF cares about the civility anyway? . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

Every time a professor said 'it can be shown' I wrote down ICBS in my notes. Strange thing is that, those exercises did show the reader what was involved and reinforced the assumptions that went into the calculation. I'll admit, I was one of those that wrote out the equations to show that it can be shown. So I'm a nerd? . . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

From this statement I get the impression that you don't approve with my approach to this situation. I do not follow this logic at all. . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

Of course not. It was a generalized statement. Why are you so defensive? Just out of curiosity, why do you think that your post 'bothered' me? I gave my 2 cent refresher course, not the fish, but the fishing technique. Operator rules, operator precedence and one. That's it for 90% of algebra. I teach. I do not give out fish. I am sure that if I had verbally tutored you (lead you along the path my first post said) that you would have figured out the solution and remembered it better. I'm still not going to do your homework. . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

Well, you need better teachers because all of those subjects can be taught in a manner to turn on the most disinterested student. I've had some REALLY disinterested students too. I've had horrible teachers and excellent teachers. You know, art history does not really transcend disciplines as basic algebra does. Even art history depends on algebra. You want to buy this $23,000 piece for 15% off of the price, what would you have to pay? . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

Explanations like that explain why people get turned off by algebra. There are much simpler concepts behind algebra. Operators can be associative, commutative or distributive. Operators have orders of precedence. The number one can be expressed in a number of ways. BTW, Icon's quadratic formula is incorrect. (((((((Just matching parens would show that.)))) The last math class I had was circa 1978. Education is a funny thing. You pay a lot of money and hope you 'get cheated' either by cancelled classes or not having to learn something. Anyway, anyone entering Grad school ought to know basic algebra, no matter what field they are going into. . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

This is basic algebra. I'm not going to do your homework, but here are some hints. sqrt(ab) = sqrt(a) * sqrt(b) 27 = 3*9 300 = 3*100 12 = 3*4 The quadratic formula would come in handy. That's a well know formula. Solve for one variable and substitute in the other equation. For the verbal part try this. . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

People used to say the same thing about 100-ways from 15k. We've been able to do 40 second hundred ways since at least 1996. THe 96-way base of the 300-way was built in 43 seconds at the AZ Challenge. On the 300-way dives it took 50+ seconds on every dive. Personally, I think the 'difficulty' in making these big-ways is getting the 'best' talent. If you could get the top 400 jumpers on a load, you may be able to build a 400 way from 15k today. The thing is that not all the best jumpers are on the load. Instead you have to use the people that have the money, time and political connections, and maybe not quite as much skill (yet still adequate skill level), to do the job. That is still an accomplishment, but still short of getting all the best jumpers on the load to do the biggest load from the lowest altitude. If there was a way to fully sponsor these jumps, you'd have a 400-way from 15k. . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

There used to be a short-lived 60 second rule. That is the formation had to be built within 60 seconds of the first person exiting. The 1981 64-way at Perris was not FAI recognized because it took 63 seconds to build. The rule was dropped by 1983 because it was impossible to see exits from all planes simultaneously. FMI see World Record History As the formation size increases the exit altitude has to get higher in order to ensure safe break-offs at the bottom end. One thing about the break-offs is that they will probably change to have several outside or middle wave people pull in place at the same time the 'standard' center person pulls. This probably won't happen this time around, but it will eventually happen. The formations are huge with enough separation between the center person and say the people in the first row of wackers (on a WT or 300-way type formation). If these people used rounds or low WLs then you could get even more people to pull in place and still have adequate separation. You could even use this on the second wave. Of course it works best for a complete or nearly complete formation. Funnels or out of place people would make the BO revert to the standard track at such-n-such altitude. The 144-way diamond did have two outside corner people pulling at break-off. . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

Insurance - tangent Many years ago I read in some classic novel (like the ones you had to read in HS) that insurance was 'a perverse form of gambling'. This meant that you place your bet each month and hope it never pays off. (aka Pay insurance premiums each month and hope you never need it.) Strangely enough, Ned Flanders on the Simpson's said this in an episode many years ago. This is this quote: Maude Flanders: "Ned doesn't believe in insurance. He thinks it's a form of gambling." I know this is from some novel somewhere, only I cannot remember where it is. I thought it was Babbit or The Jungle, but I searched those texts on Gutenberg.org and did not find it. Anyone know where it is from? In reality, buying insurance and gambling are behaviors that people do when faced with uncertainty. Buying insurance reduces risk, whereas gambling increases risk. See also Hey, I've Got Insurance… or Do I? . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

http://www.breastcancer.org/research_smoking.html http://www.ash.org.uk/html/factsheets/html/fact04.html http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2005-03-08-smoking-breastcancer_x.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2004/01/040107074305.htm http://www.womensenews.org/article.cfm/dyn/aid/1146/context/cover/ google breast cancer smoking FMI . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker