PrairieDoug

I stayed at the HoJo in Blackwood about 2 weeks ago. Not fancy, but covers all the basics very nicely. Has a pool.

Yes, I would say that qualifies as pretty f'ing amazing. Mucho props to the swooper.

If you're talking about a simple limb fracture, that's one of the easiest injuries to come back from. (Of course that doesn't apply to a compound break or fracture of spine, etc.) I'd much prefer a simple break to injuring soft joint tissue (ligaments, cartilage, etc.)

In searching the forums for info. on canopy flight, I found a post which stated that "with the same canopy and jumper, the ratio of freestream flight velocity will be proportional to the square root of the ratio of wing loadings. Compared to a wingloading of 1.0, a canopy loaded at 1.3 will be (1.3/1.0)^0.5 = 1.14 times faster." I have a question and an observation. Question: Is this formula correct? Observation: The impact of WL on flight speed is much less than I would have expected, based on my own (limited) experience. My exit weight is 190, so if I had a flight speed of 30 mph on a Sabre2 190 (WL=1.0), then my flight speed on a Sabre2 150 (WL= 1.26) would be 33.8 mph. I would never consider a 135 at my experience level, but the comparable speed would be only 35.6 mph. Again, that's not as much of an increase as I would have expected. Knowing how much attention is given to downsizing gradually, does this mean that most of the concern about downsizing is due to factors other than the higher flight speed? I know that the smaller canopy will be more responsive apart from the increase in WL. Is that really the concern with downsizing, rather than speed per se?

I've heard it mentioned that PD's method of measuring reserve sizes is different from that of most other canopy mfrs., so that a PD 160R is equivalent to a somewhat larger Tempo, Raven, Smart or whatever. Is the same true for PD main canopies? For example, would a Sabre2 150 be equivalent to a somewhat larger Pilot? How much? Thanks.

If I'm flying my canopy at an angle to the wind in a neutral toggle position (both all the way up), will I maintain that heading or will the wind tend to shift the heading? I've heard that the canopy "doesn't know or care" about wind speed or direction as far as canopy air speed or rate of descent. Does the same apply to heading? I'm pretty sure the wind will affect how I'm flying over the ground ("crabbing"), but will it alter the actual heading? My gut feeling is that the wind will tend to push the heading so I'm flying with the wind if I'm at an angle, but not if I'm headed straight into the wind. I'm asking because I notice on final approach that I often have to make small adjustments to maintain my heading, and I'm wondering if that is caused by being slightly cross-wind. BTW, my canopy is a Sabre2 170 loaded at 1.1 lbs/ft2. Thanks in advance for guidance.

I've also got a BD... they are my favorite reptile. I feed it mostly super worms or mealworms and that avoids the cricket racket.

Just a random guess -- maybe "Sky Scuba Muff Dive" ? [OK, I cheated... actually saw that on a bumper sticker inside a jump plane. ]

I've got SKY GUY on my current Maryland plates. Used to have ALTI2D when I lived in Virginia.

Some guys at my DZ -- both with open-face helmets -- were complaining about the exact same thing over the weekend.

Don't know you, but I'm guessing that it's just 'cause you're clearly a hottie!

Gotta go with Wildblue on this one. It basically seemed like one slow boat chasing another slow boat. If I'm going to watch chase scenes, which aren't really my thing anyway, I want the participants to be hauling ass. But hey -- that's why they have multiplexes, so we don't all have to watch the same thing.

82 miles from Skydive Chambersburg (PA) 105 miles from Skydive Orange (VA) 2,372 miles from Eloy

Michele -- May this be your best year yet, both in the air and on the ground.

Ya know, I actually enjoyed both the skydiving and the drama in GM. It was interesting to see Burt Lancaster and Gene Hackman in their younger days. And Deborah Kerr was pretty sexy in a MILF sort of way. The romantic tension between her attraction to the daring skydiver and her comfortable-but-too-predictable home life was well done, and I think legitimate. I just thought all the hand-wringing about the dreaded "cape stunt" was a little over the top.

Wish I had known about that event -- I'm in the area and definitely would have wanted to check it out. I think the Guinness Book of World Records reports his terminal velocity during the jump at over 600 mph (with a drogue!). That just simply kicks ass. BTW Kevin, I'm going to be looking you up at Orange sometime this summer to check out the Birdman thing. (I'm currently jumping at Chambersburg, PA.)

... everyone knows it's 'cause they go down faster!

Can't think of a better bonding experience. My oldest daughter Sindri did a tandem and #2 daughter Laura completed AFF without any repeats. I enjoy sharing this with them so much that I don't mind the jump $, or even buying Laura a rig if she continues. My friends ask me if I worry about them getting hurt. My response is "no, just worried about them getting hit on by all the freaks, outlaws, and nut cases that hang out at the DZ."

Yes, I had skydiving explicitly included in my life insurance coverage. If I recall the numbers correctly, this change increased the monthly premium by about 50%. When this is accounted for, I think the coverage offered by USPA is competitive in price with other policies.

0:2:0 Would love to see higher numbers in both the 1st and 2nd categories! Got in a couple of 5-way RW jumps at Skydive Chambersburg on Sunday -- great DZ if you're in the south central PA area.

What Ivan said -- STFU and Jump!

Cool! Enjoy it, take good care of her, and be true to yourself.

In various situations -- business, social, personal -- I have found myself thinking "How can this person be so completely deluding themselves?" It makes me wonder -- what am I deluding myself about? Truth is, I'm not really sure I want to know. (Ignorance really is bliss sometimes.)

There are definitely worthwhile bargains out there. I have a complete rig posted in the classifieds that is in EXCELLENT condition and priced under $1,100.

I almost collided with another canopy on final approach by doing an s-turn to bleed off some altitude. Had no idea the guy was there. Now I keep my head on a swivel until I'm on the ground and off the landing area.