Geoff
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Everything posted by Geoff
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I had the same problem with the main and reserve manuals (word docs). I would guess they were created with some other word processor and then converted to word docs, and a lot of the formatting went AWOL in the process. Geoff
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PD have an FAQ on their web site (new since I last looked) which addresses this question and largely agrees with Rob. Geoff
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For what it's worth, PD seem to believe that full-flight is the best approach to turbulence. They've added an interesting FAQ including this issue to their web site since i last looked. Geoff
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Still no responses to my original question: Has anybody here, or anybody you know, ever lost altitude awareness, then found they were under 1500 feet - thought 'oh shit', and then actually pulled the reserve instead of the main. We all say we will, but can anybody cite a single instance of someone actually doing this? The lack of responses so far (and the fact that we all know cases of low main pull - cypres fire - two out) seems to support the 'muscle memory' theory. Geoff
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Rigs in the UK are often advertised on http://www.dirtdive.co.uk Geoff
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I don't know how common this is, but I've heard of good freeflyers on RW big-ways diving on their backs i.e. nearly head-down, but sliding forewards towards the formation. Apparently it makes it easier to see where you're going. Makes sense to me. It's difficult to see where you're headed in a steep dive. Geoff
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I seem to remember there's Sabre somewhere with over 10,000 jumps on it. Obviously had a few repairs and relines, but still quite impressive.... Geoff
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I'm pretty sure there are only a handful of Cobalts in the UK. (and one of them is mine now. hee hee!) Contact Bryn Chaffe at Peterlee (details here) if you're interested- he's the official dealer and he has some demos, though I don't know what sizes. Cheers Geoff
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I've been through this learning process this year, and this is what worked for me... Pick a point on the Horizon, and keep looking at it during the cartwheel. If it doesn't work (you lose the head-down), decide whether you are tending to fall on your back or your front. Video helps enormously here. If you fall on your back (this is what happened to me), then pick a lower point (on the ground) to fix on. I guess if you're ending up on your front, then pick a point higher up in the sky (a bit of cloud or whatever.) Worked for me, but took 5 or 6 jumps until I could transition consistently. Hope it helps geoff
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definitely a risk. In hot dry weather, I don't bother flipping up my Oxygn visor after opening, but in cold, damp weather, it's essential. Geoff
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This does depend on the canopy. At one extreme, I heard of people who could flare and land a Sabre by releasing the front risers correctly, but using no toggle at all. (Can anyone confirm this?) By contrast, some canopies such as high-performance cross-braces will not plane out just by releasing the front risers. They need some toggle (or rear riser) to pull them out of the dive. Just my 2 pennies. Geoff
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On the subject of the Safire flare - Icarus were planning a revised brake configuration on the Safire to improve the flare. I received an email from them I guess 4 or 5 months ago saying that the mod would only make any difference at wing loadings above 1.4. I've heard no more from them since then, but I guess they've been busy with all the Crossfire hassle. But the implication was that they considered the flare to be OK below 1.4 loading, but it could be improved for loadings above that. Personally, I've done my last 200 jumps on a Safire at 1.6ish loading. The flare seemed totally adequate to me. I have to admit I jumped a Cobalt at the weekend, and the flare was a lot easier and more powerful. Nothing wrong with the Safire, but the Cobalt was definitely easier to land. Geoff
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We've seen a couple of mentions of this recently. Many of us, especially if we have an AAD, plan to go for the reserve handle if we find ourselves below some height (2000 or 1500 ft) with nothing out. But the theory is that we've all had much more practice at pulling the main, so people tend to pull the main even if they planned to pull the reserve. I have a friend who had to exit an aircraft at 800ft in an emergency. She pulled silver, but it's probably easier when you know you're exiting low rather than suddenly discovering you're low. Has ANYBODY accidentally found themselves low (after a normal exit height), and then actually pulled silver? Just interested. Geoff
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Do you really mean that? - I vary fall rate by moving between a sit and a stand, so for a fast fall, I have close to 180 degrees between thighs and back (legs nearly straight down). How do you regulate fall rate otherwise? I'm intrigued. Geoff
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Duh! Guess I misunderstood which mug shots you meant. Geoff
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It seemed quite tricky to keep a steady angle & fall rate. Probably better to start with someone experienced, but Yeah, sure - we can give it a go. Cheers geoff
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Take a look here Worked for me! Geoff
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220 pounds maximum http://www.performancedesigns.com/products/reserve.html so I make that 35 pounds under. Doesn't mean I'd recommend loading a reserve that high of course! geoff
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It's not the same as flocking - to me flocking is head-down, but moving along. Atmonaute (at least I know what it's called now, thanks!) seems to be more like a steep track, and it has quite a slow fall rate - probably only a bit faster than a normal track, certainly not head-down. The person leading is usually on their front, and the others underneath, on their backs. That's how it seemed to me, anyway. Geoff
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The official USPA definitions from the 2001 SIM: Total Malfunction: "A total malfunction includes deployment handle problems (unable to locate or extract the main parachute deployment handle), pack closure, and a pilot chute in tow." Partial Malfunction: "A partial malfunction is characterized by deployment (removal from the container) or partial deployment of the main parachute and includes, horseshoe (container open), bag lock, streamer, lineover, line pressure knots, major (unlandable) canopy damage, and other open-canopy malfunctions." Personally, I was taught that a PC in tow was a partial (makes sense to me - the system has 'partially' deployed), but maybe that's the difference between USPA and BPA definitions. Geoff
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If it's any consolation, I get exactly the same error- I can't edit messages, even immediately after posting. yes I accept cookies, etc Geoff
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Hi I joined some guys at my DZ doing some very steep tracking-type dives at the weekend. They called it 'altimonti' or something similar. Anybody know anything about this technique? It's kinda half way between a head-down and a track, and I'd never heard of it before. Any info appreciated. Geoff
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I was jumping a Cobalt at the weekend, and I couldn't help but notice that some of the lines were not cascaded (I think it was just the centre two A/B lines). Presumably that increases the drag, but it has some other advantage? Just curious, Geoff
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I don't have any stats, but I'm pretty sure the malfunction rate is higher for tandems than normal (one person per parachute) jumps. The gear is a lot more complicated. More to go wrong. Depends what you mean by 'safer' - I'm sure there aren't so many low-turns, low pulls, no pulls, canopy collisions, and general dumb-assed mistakes made with tandems. Geoff
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How about Police Academy 7,8 and 9 (not sure if they got that far, but it seemed like it. Geoff