Geoff

This is a very accurate description of the tricky or different bit about the Safire flare that people talk about. Most other modern canopies you just keep adding a little more toggle as the canopy slows and slows and slows..... until you're slow enough to step onto the ground. Geoff

Yeah, I jumped rounds back in 1987. Some DZs in the UK still use them for first jump students, and you sometimes still see experienced jumpers using them for a novelty jump. But it's getting less and less common now. Geoff

More reviews at: http://www.dropzone.com/gear/Detailed/145.html (got these links to work at last!) yes, it's fairly simple. Like most of these gadgets, it's got loads of clever features, but you don't have to use them if you don't want to. Geoff

Have you looked at http://www.l-and-b.dk/ ? Lots of info there! Basically it stores logged jump info for 200 jumps, detailed speed profiles for 10 jumps. It calibrates itself, but you can also do it manually. No light. Great product IMHO. And great customer service. Geoff

My understanding is that the pilot is ultimately in charge of the aircraft and any jumping from it, whatever the altitude, and whatever the emergency. If he/she wants you to stay in the plane - stay in. If he/she wants you to get out - get out. Depending on the circumstances, just opening the door and getting out could kill everyone - e.g. a tail strike, or unbalancing and stalling the plane. I guess if the pilot's dead or you can't communicate with him/her, then you need to make your own decision. In the UK, every lift has a nominated 'jumpmaster' (different meaning to the US - no instructional qualification implied) who is effectively in charge of the jumpers, and is second in command after the pilot. I don't think there's a similar system in the US. Geoff

Maybe 7 or 8 years ago, before I started jumping, I remember seeing a documentary on TV with a guy who appeared to throw his rig out of the plane, then dive after it, strap it on, and then deploy. As I remember, he did some 'test' jumps wearing an extra rig, but catching and deploying the dropped rig, and then finally he did it for real. I remember thinking at the time that he must be crazy, and that the stunt was stupidly dangerous, but now that I'm a skydiver I appreciate that he must be certifiable and that the stunt was totally, outrageously f*cking dangerous! In fact I find it difficult to believe that it really happened. But - is my memory right? or was there some detail different that makes it less suicidal than it sounds? Or was I taken in by some clever photography and special effects, and it never happened at all? Any old hands remember this or have any idea what I'm talking about?

I've not jumped one, but I hear they're very similar to a stiletto. Geoff

Sabres do bang open on occasions - one damaged my neck and I was wearing a normal helmet! A much cheaper alternative to a Spectre is to get a 'pocket' slider made to slow the opening of the Sabre - or even just a larger slider. Check with your rigger or PD before doing either though. Larger sliders can actually speed up the openings depending on the geometry. You won't see many long-time camera jumpers using Sabres with standard sliders. Geoff

I've got about 100 jumps on my Safire 129 at 1.4 lb/sqft. My previous 350 jumps were mostly Sabres and Spectres. The Safire is definitely a bit more tricky to land, and has a flare unlike most other canopies. No question. But I still think it's great in virtually every other respect - openings, glide, swoopability, etc. Icarus say they're modifying the brake setup to give a more powerful flare, at the expense of slightly higher toggle pressure, and this modification will be available for existing canopies. I'll be trying it as soon as its available (depending on price), so I'll let you know. Geoff

I won't mention the manufacturer (well, maybe if you buy me a beer), but a friend of mine jumped a rental rig where the leg strap webbing had gone shiny with age and wear, and on deployment both straps slipped through to the end stops. He was left hanging with the chest strap under his chin, couldn't reach the brakes, managed to steer with his weight in the harness, and landed very hard with no flare. Fortunately he was OK (big canopy), but scared shitless! To be honest I'm not certain this was a problem with this type of rig having bad webbing or bad friction adapters, or if it could happen on any rig when it's old and worn enough. Geoff

'get something out of the boot' - well, I guess you know mainly by context whether it's the car or the footwear, though you'd be more likely to say 'my boot' if you meant the one on your foot. As for 'fag' - well that' a cigarette, though also can be a derogatory term for a homosexual, or even an unwelcome task.

Peripheral awareness is a great bonus, but if you're giving the skydive your total concentration, it's not always available. OK - I'll stop arguing, though I do enjoy it as you've probably noticed! BTW - How many posts do I need to lose this 'Newbie' tag?

You don't say if you're talking about a brand new rig, but a pre-98 Javelin is much worse than the new ones for the security of its main flap. Really not ideal for freeflying. There's no bridle flap as standard either, but a rigger can easily make one. Also the Mirage G3 is a cute rig, but the early ones have bridle protection flaps which don't go all the way to the back of the container. They're much less secure, though you can get a rigger to sew down the rear edge. Personally, I wouldn't buy any rig with a downwards main flap for freeflying. Just MHO.

I saw there was a video called 'How to firm your fanny' in the US and I was ROTF, LOL, PMP, etc. 'Fanny' means butt in the US, but in the UK it means a woman's genitalia. A 'fanny pack' also sounds extremely rude to us brits! Also, at Eloy I heard on the tannoy 'Tandem shaggers to the landing area please'. Again, I was ROTFLOLPMP. Shag means 'have sex with' over here, but I guess that's better know stateside since Austin powers. Britain and the USA -two nations divided by a commmon language. Geoff

I think nowadays, skydiving is relatively safe, so there are lots of people getting complacent with safety, and most of them survive, which is good for them, but bad because it encourages others to be complacent too. I remember getting to 5000ft on one lift, before I glanced over my own gear and found my chest strap was undone. Just that shook me up.

I do see what you're getting at, but I don't agree, and I've never jumped at a DZ that does what you're suggesting. I'd be real nervous being told to close the gaps between me and a 2 way group, but not to worry because they'll be tracking across line of flight. It's very easy to get disoriented, especially if you go through a patch of cloud. - I know we shouldn't cloudbust, but sometimes it just happens accidentally. IMHO exit separation should assume that 2 ways will track the 'wrong way', and that anybody could deploy prematurely or go low. If 2 ways do manage to track cross-ways, then great - that's even safer. Being aware of other groups in freefall is a great idea, and can help compensate for other things going wrong, but if your plans depend on it, then sooner or later, someone's gonna get hurt or die. Geoff

you'll also find the 'sweet spot' in the flare is slightly shorter - i.e. the bit where you have minimum speed and you want to put your feet down. You should be able to get the landings just as soft, though. Geoff

That's a pretty succinct answer - it'll be faster -but only slightly. Nothing to worry about, but it's worth being a bit more careful on your first few jumps. After 10 jumps or so, it'll feel just like the 190. Have fun!

Maybe I wasn't clear - My point was that if you're feet-low, then the reserve PC will launch backwards towards the PC in tow, but if you're head low, then it will launch forwards, away from the main PC and bridle. So there should be less chance of them tangling. Anyway, it was just a thought. It's never happened to me, and if it did, I'd probably just pull the handles and not think about anything else. Geoff

I guess that's OK for a 2 way - but what if it's a 4 way or an 8 way? then you can't rely on people tracking perpendicular to the line of flight - you need adequate separation between groups, to include the fact that some people will be tracking along the line of flight. Surely? Geoff

Why should freeflyers exit last? There are some simulations and descriptions of this in the links above, but for a short explanation, here goes. The plane usually runs in into the wind, so jumpers are pushed backwards by the wind after exit. Belly flyers are in freefall longer, so they get pushed further. So if they exit last, they can get pushed back over the top of freeflyers. If the freeflyers exit last, then the freefall drift just increases the separation. Hope that makes sense. As for perpendicular tracking -well IMHO that's good for tracking dives when you cover a lot of ground. But I'd be interested to hear of any DZs who teach perpendicular tracking at breakoff for RW groups - it's a new one on me, and doesn't sound very practical. That would mean people tracking in the same direction for anything bigger than a 2 way. Geoff

I think the Mirage system is a pud-type handle but attached to the apex of the PC in a normal BOC throw-out type arrangement. AFAIK, mirage don't make pin-pull rigs. On the posters original question - I would stick with a hacky until the new system has been round a bit longer, and any teething problems solved. Geoff

Don't know much about BASE, but you'd get a wet PC and freebag, and risk losing them! Geoff

Here's a thought - A PC hesitation is indistinguishable from PC in tow at the time it happens to you, and a PC in tow is one of the nastiest malfunctions because you can't chop it and so have the risk of the 2 PCs tangling together. I've heard of people 'sitting up' in attempt to clear a hesitation. It seems to me this increases the chance of the PCs tangling, by bring the 2 PCs closer together. Wouldn't a better idea be to dive forwards, head-low? You'd acheive the same in terms of increasing the airspeed around the main PC, but also if you pull your reserve in this position, you should have less chance of the 2 PCs tangling. Even better than being flat. No? One disadvantage will be that if the hesitation clears, you'll probably get a harder main opening, but you might be grateful for that in the high-speed mal situation. Of course none of this should affect your decision to go for your reserve drill when you reach your hard-deck. Has this been considered before? Does anyone think this makes any sense? Or does anybody think it's stupidly dangerous? Thanks for any feedback, Geoff

metal inserts? A frap hat is a soft leather hat with padded 'ribs' on top. It provides ample protection against butterfly strikes but not much else. Geoff