frost

That may be the case. But realize this. In the small community of swoopers, there are more well behaved, skilled and educated pilots then in most other disciplines. We train, we advance our skills and knowledge, we try to make it safer for all of us by passing that experience to the rest of the skydiving community. Now, when a Pro swooper, a recognized and sponsored pilot, a canopy coach is trying to pass on some of that knowledge to someone with 100 jumps and the guy just does not want to listen and argues... The only thing i can say is "WTF!?" This guy here - the OP - is just an example, it's clear that his ideas are meaningless, he is clueless and his words are a waste of time and bandwidth. But there are others who behave in similar manner. The 100-500-1000 jump know it all's. These people, like the OP, will grow up to be dangerous skydivers, who wont listen to good advice at 1000 jumps just like they didnt want to listen to it at 50. In fact with more jumps they are even less likely to listen. The attitude is the problem here, not the activity. Which one of the three do you think is easier to accomplish and is more likely to happen on any given DZ? ;) The last two are possible but not very likely to happen. Separate landing areas. A few DZs are lucky to have a separate landing area. Like The Farm where Hans - one of the original swoopers - is the DZO and does everything to accommodate the pilots. But that's not the rule, it's an exception. Separate swoop loads. Having separate loads for swoopers ALL the time at ALL dropzones is just not possible, IMO. For many reasons. One - swoopers want to freefall too. Two - like you said - swoopers are a small community and there are not enough canopy pilots on a given day to fill up the plane JUST for swoop loads. Three - not all DZs allow separate low passes on busy days. I can think of a few more, but these should be enough. That leaves # 1 - Education. Now THIS can be done on EVERY DZ, by EVERYONE reading this forum. Swooper or not. If you see someone fucking up - talk to them. Dont scream, dont get upset (i have been guilty of that once or twice)... Just explain the error and offer a solution. If that doesnt help right away, do it again. It will work, give it a chance. If you can do that, i am sure it will be A LOT more productive in reducing chances of these incidents happening again than arguing pointlessly online and trying to enforce unenforceable rules and restrictions.

Brilliant!

Please, chill. No need for emotional outbursts here. You know anyone who is that perfect under a bigger wing? Everyone makes mistakes, all you can do is try to avoid them by increasing your skill and knowledge. If EVERY "swooper" out there realizes that there are times when you dont swoop and that aborting your turn is OK, then we'll be in a better place, all of us. Harry is saying similar things, he is willing to abort and will do so if needed. But even if EVERY HP pilot out there at least follows the rules and never makes mistakes, there are still other people in the sky that may not do it. Can Harry make a mistake? Yes, he can. We all can. Can you and others with lower experience under bigger wings, making slow approaches make the same mistakes? More then likely. Educate yourself and others on good flying patterns. All this "swoop is bad - lets ban it" bull crap will never happen. I promise you. We need a constructive solution, other then bans, rules and regulations. Read my post in the original "Fatality - Clewiston Fl - 18 July" thread about self discipline and the shared responsibilities.

What an elaborate troll. I cannot believe old timers (some of the more sarcastic and clever ones, too :) have fallen for it and keep feeding it... If this is NOT a troll, then it has got to be the most ridiculous concept i have read here in a while... In any case, guys, may i suggest that you stop wasting your time on this one, elevating your blood pressure and stressing out? Just add yet another one to your collection of online NWA's (Noobs With Attitudes).

It does indeed have improvements! I was just wondering if the OP was making the decision based on those, or on the 12 MP hype :) I saw great improvements over the stock kit lens, which belong in the garbage i now agree with the pros on that. Or on a tandem vidiot's skydiving helmet :) Absolutely. But if it's to be used for tandems then XSi and even XTi are an overkill. An XT is more then enough. I would say a 5 mega pixel camera like a Kodak V570 (or the 7MP V705) AKA "the Laci Cam" would do just fine. If the goal is to make nice quality freefall stills for which the power of XTi/XSi is warranted - then a GOOD lens is in order. This is my opinion as a photo amateur :)

what is your reasoning for considering the XSi? If it's just the 2 more mega pixels, then it's just a hype. You dont need that. You dont even need 10. 8 is more then enough, unless you're planning to create prints larger then 16 x 20" Instead of wasting your cash on a "more mega pixel" camera, invest in a good lens - that will create a HUGE difference. Now, if money is no object ... ;)

Did you discover a knot when you found the canopy? Otherwise, I dont think that conclusion should automatically follow... On old blue VX with blue lines and MEL's RDS - remember that blue vx? :) - I also broke 4 lines, all at same length. No tension knots, i think it was at cascades/finger traps - the heavy wear area, isnt it? I agree that RDS machined slider rings do wear the lines quicker and that the old teflon base slider rings on PC RDS are smoother. Also, I went 400 jumps with blue lines with a stock slider and they were still in great condition. The ones that broke had may be 200-250 on them... with RDS. To OP and everyone else posted here: Some very good points in this thread! Thank you. It was a good reminder, but a bad way to be reminded though... i hope for his quick recovery.

Exactly. Old man, dust off that Velo, buy your plane tickets and come swoop with us Greenshitters - forget politics! I will sign you up for Ian's basic canopy control lessons. May be he will even give you some free tips on high performance landings! Hey, as I told Sonic - i will sponsor a training jump for you*. * some restrictions apply, one jump ticket per swoop dinosaur, see me for details.

what did you say? i dont do facebook.

Knowing that this is the last year of PST/CPC, with all the chuckles and jokes, it was a bit sad to read this today... http://www.canopypiloting.com/home.asp?ItemID=715&rcid=82&pcid=81&cid=82 It's an great read for everyone, especially those who are just getting into swooping. I used to look up to the people mentioned in that article and still do. It was interesting to read about the early days of soul swooping that evolved into what we now know as Canopy Piloting. It is an end of an era, but definitely NOT an end of competitive swooping. I'd like to thank Jim for everything he has done for our sport. He is one of many people that have inspired (and continue to inspire) me to get better at flying my canopy. Good luck in whatever you chose to do after this, man. As you said, the sport will continue after you and i hope you get to see that dream become a reality. I think that would be the biggest reward for all your efforts in organizing and putting up with all of this crap

Hmm, free time on our hands on Thursday? I can imagine my conversation at the Avis counter: - Wait, so you're telling me that for 10 dollars per day i can wreck this car and have to pay NOTHING for it? - Yes, sir. - I will get that insurance, please. Uncle Pete, Uncle Chris and Uncle Mike are gonna go crazy up in that piece! Stu, I heard GW kinda digs it too. The good thing for all is that this time around the cavity searches are FREE!* * for a limited time only, some restriction apply, first 50 customers, see event organizer for details.

You know what, now that you mentioned it.... he DOES look like Obama. On the bright side, the good news from USPA.org:

Some more swoopage from the Ranch, pictures by Vadim: http://maxf.net/~vadim/albums/june21-2008/08_G.sized.jpg http://maxf.net/~vadim/albums/june21-2008/10_G.sized.jpg http://maxf.net/~vadim/albums/june21-2008/02_G.sized.jpg http://maxf.net/~vadim/albums/june21-2008/03_G.sized.jpg http://maxf.net/~vadim/albums/june21-2008/04_G.sized.jpg http://maxf.net/~vadim/albums/june21-2008/05_G.sized.jpg http://maxf.net/~vadim/albums/june21-2008/07_G.sized.jpg http://maxf.net/~vadim/albums/june21-2008/12_G.sized.jpg

yeah, i also disagree with that. Infinite dive? i doubt it. Any canopy will recover on its own to its own "normal" flight. Level flight? Not for long. You can only achieve level flight for a short period of time with a skydiving canopy, by default.

Come on, post some pics of this beast. No need for detailed photos giving away all the secrets, just a basic shot of canopy in the air.

If the OP's goal to fly mostly feet down - then HC5 is definitely the way to go for HD video. If he is not planning to do much FD flying, then CX7 is a great camera to consider! Little things you can enjoy with it (like editing the video right on the camera, pulling the files from the flash card directly to the computer, recording SD in MPEG format for no further encoding, etc) make your video shooting experience a lot more easier and enjoyable. I love the CX7 so much that i bought another after losing one on a flight, even with all the shaking issues. I also own an HC5

Dont limit yourself to an FTN. Get the Pro. I was faced with the same dilemma, I wanted to be able to have the option to jump virtually any video+stills set up i wanted. After looking at both FTP and FTN and having some good advice from fellow video guys, i realized that FTN wont allow you to jump a hard core configuration like "video + good stills + good flash" without at least some modifications. FTP is the way to go. As far as QR, look at the Cookie Flatlock. Excellent QR, thin and light. I own three of them mounted on various helmets.

Not true, the guys training for national and world comps in the tunnels are far from morons Not $13... but still less then most dz's in the world - The Ranch has it at $23 per jump But thats offtopic to bring it back to the topic, here's a pic of Adam T. doing a wingover

in Lodi? as a swooper? I doubt it

Have you EVER heard of any newer jumper that stayed with the same rig for more then a couple of years? you're not gonna look very cool when you beef it in on one of your canopies loaded WAY beyond your experience level. 185 jumps, main loaded at ~1.6, reserve loaded @ over 1.7... sounds like a pretty bad way to go about ensuring your longevity in this sport. I think you have gotten more then enough good sound advice from some very experienced people here. Take it if you want, listen to it or dont - that's your choice. I dont think there is anything more to add here. P.S. This kind conversation seems to repeat itself every other month on these forums. Good luck to you.

If you read it as a suggestion to downsize, you have serious comprehension issues. That may be dangerous - next thing you know you might think that we are all suggesting that you go through with your choice. Is that REALLY such a bad idea? I have to agree with that statement, you most certainly are.

A few of my friends use Premier and love it. I dont like it - too complicated and too demanding on system resources. I personally use Ulead and love it - has almost ALL of the same functions as Adobe, and a lot simpler/easier on the PC. The good thing is - you can download a trial version of most programs to test them out. SoFPiDaRF - School of Fast Progress in Downsizing and Radical Flying. Because nobody knows your skills better than you.

So do you want best or do you want what most people use? ;) In either case, google this: "JFGI" SoFPiDaRF - School of Fast Progress in Downsizing and Radical Flying. Because nobody knows your skills better than you.

When you were making that choice, did you think about how you would handle an unknown canopy, SMALLER then your main, that you've NEVER jumped before and loaded @ 1.8 with less then 200 jumps total in a very stressful situation, which your first cutaway will most definitely be? Add to that possible off DZ landing? I am not sure what you were thinking, but I have always been curious what motivates newer jumpers to buy a system with a considerably smaller reserve than their main. Can you help me out?

Who knows dude. Most of us on the East Coast already purchased our tickets... If an alternate site is announced, I am pretty sure these dedicated pilots would still go. I know i will. In fact, i would rather go to FL, than to CO Lake Wales has a huge pond, i think it's up to par. In any case, USPA is saying they are optimistic. Lets keep an eye on this situation and see what the government says about it this week...