yoink

Solution: Send up more Canucks like Chris Hadfield. Yup - his series of answering questions from children was awesome.

You guys are going to kill someone with this advice eventually. I hope you can deal with that when it happens. Nobody is saying skydiving wings can't work. Only that is less safe than using a wing designed for that environment - one that reacts better to turbulence; one that doesn't require a 40 degree slope and a 100% committed launch to get away with.

That happened to me on one of my first jumps. That was the longest canopy ride I ever had. Same here. Happened once - NEVER again. Pain teaches....

I only use it for half a dozen music channels so refuse to pay full price for it. I usually wait until they send me a 6-month for $25 offer and user that. The good news is that by the time I get a new one, the music rotation has changed - it can get a bit repetative otherwise!

I have a 100% success rate at swooping a Sabre too... doesn't mean it's the best or most appropriate tool for the job.

If you're gonna be stupid, you'd better be tough. I suspect someone will bring you a pack of tegaderm if you end up staying in the hospital down the road...

Uggh. I'm assuming you're running a windows based PC for the following. Step 1: Disconnect all networked devices. The only thing you want connected is your PC and your modem / router that lets you get on the internet. Step 2: Are you running any antivirus software? If so, download the latest antivirus definitions for it (click update or something like it) then go to step 4. Step 3: No antivirus? Ok - we need to get you one asap. Decent free options are Microsofts own Security Essentials http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security-essentials-download or Avast! free http://download.cnet.com/Avast-Free-Antivirus/3000-2239_4-10019223.html?part=dl-85737&subj=dl&tag=button If you want a paid version, I like Kaspersky: http://usa.kaspersky.com/products-services/home-computer-security/anti-virus?domain=kaspersky.com whenever you download antivirus software, MAKE SURE you're getting it from the developers site - not a google linked one. Download and install, then let the automatic update run. Step 4) Disconnect from the internet. Step 5) Optional, but a good idea - restart your computer in Safe mode. (Press F8 during the startup sequence and select 'Safe Mode') Step 6) Run a full antivirus scan. If that doesn't catch anything, the good news is you probably don't have a virus, but more likely a piece of malware or simply a hijacked browser. Starting with the AV scan is the best first step though. I'm not too upto date on current decent malware removal tools - perhaps someone else can chime in?

4:1

47,000 - No work done on it yet. I like the reference idea!

Thanks folks! You're all champions! If I don't post again after the weekend you know something's gone horribly wrong!

Got a wedding coming up so am trying to save all the cash possible! I think I have all the tools necessary... socket wrenches, Allen keys, Jack's and suchlike. Got taught Latin in school, but not so much anything practical like this!

OK - I need a little help. The front pads and discs need replacing on my car and I've decided to try and do it at home. I'm reasonably handy with DIY stuff but have never done any car maintenance before. I can change a wheel but that's about it. From what I've read online it sounds simple enough, but any tips or advice from people that have actually done it would be most appreciated! I've no idea if it makes any difference, but it's for an 2009 Audi A4.

Piers Morgan is a cunt. and I'm not that nasty about many people. He was an amoral cunt when he was working for all of the worst 'newspapers' in the UK and when he was finally discredited he moved somewhere that didn't know any better and kept doing the same old shit. Just making up public fervor -and if there was nothing true about it, well so what? With his morals, attitude and personal/ media power he's one of the worst people in the world.

Perris. 1978. Wild, wild stab in the dark.

I've never heard of 'peak oil' - the first sentence seems to suggest that it's the point where oil production starts declining? Is that it?

Point taken but that was actually on one of my AFF jumps with an instructor, not on a consol. So I had done a grand total of 6 jumps and landings before that. Firstly, you're still asking about improving your penetration into wind so the advice is the same - don't jump when you know you'll be going backwards if it's not your thing. Student or D license - that advice still stands. Secondly, you HAVE to be able to feel comfortable saying 'no - I'm not happy with the winds. I'm going to back up in them. Can we go later?' at any point in your skydiving career. You might say it when learning some FS stuff ("Quick! We can make this load!") or later down the road when you're learning to wingsuit, maybe. Never, never get pressured into a jump. - this is a particular problem for girls at the DZ who often get invited onto jumps they may not be ready for by more experienced jumpers. Ask in the womens forum if you don't believe me! If I were you, in your situation I'd put a personal limit on the winds in which I was comfortable to jump and every time the winds were under those limits I'd be working with the CCI to do whatever I needed to to please him. "Hey - I'm getting on the next load. You said you wanted to see my crosswind landings? Can you come and watch and give me feedback?" or "Hey, I'd like to make this a predeclared landing - can someone vouch for me?" I guarantee it won't be long doing that until he's comfortable enough to let you jump something smaller. Work with him until then and stay within your own personal limits - don't try and push them by applying techniques (like the front risers) that aren't really applicable for your situation.

The point he's delicately trying to make is that it's YOUR decision when to get into and out of the plane. If jumping for students is allowed in winds up to 14mph, but you know you start backing up at 10mph and that's not something you want to deal with, well, stay on the ground... Don't feel that you have to jump just because you can. Personal responsibility is a massive deal in this sport. If you choose to jump in conditions which back you up, don't expect too much sympathy. You'll get a lot more respect from the instructors if you stand yourself down and explain why - you might even get some more help. I used to jump at a big dz in California and every afternoon in summer big dust devils would start up. These can be extremely violent and damn near impossible to see. Jumping didn't stop, and lots of people kept going but I simply didn't manifest for loads when the weather was like that. I could have, but the risk was too great for me. At your wingloading and state of progression, wind limits are just something you have to deal with - there isn't going to be a lot of in-flight stuff that'll help too much. Accept the fact that you'll be sat down a little more than some other students and take the time to learn other stuff - JM1, Packing etc. You are far, far better off just doing what your CCI says you need to do rather than putting energy into something which, in my opinon, won't get you the results you're looking for.

Beacause it can't be turned into an 'us' and 'them' political discussion...

I give up. You fuckers are your own worst enemies. No wonder we lose people when this is the advice we give. Go for it. Fly a wing that isn't designed to deal with turbulence. I'm sure everyone will be fine on a Stilletto. Hell why not a Nova - it's a parachute, so it must be fine! I don't give a shit anymore.

Which party do I "go along with"? I've voted for Rs as much as Ds. But but but... you can't do that! How else will people put you into neat little black and white boxes that they can judge you on?

Yup. I'm furious with the government right now - both sides. Their job is to resolve stuff like this. They knew a deadline was approaching and STILL went on paid vacation and missed their responsibilities In any private industry they'd be reprimanded at the least, or fired at the other end of the spectrum. How do we fire the entire Senate and Congress? The people need to start making examples that the point of politicians is to serve the people, not themselves and if they can't do that then they'll be replaced.

How exactly would that help if the chief instructor wouldn't let her use it?

Accuracy isn't a static plan, you have to adjust depending on what's actually happening in the air and you'll get better at that with practice. Do however make a plan that includes a proper base (crosswind) leg and try to fly that, everytime. Seriously, it's important that you start getting that habit ingrained now - if you're flying in winds that will push you around, expect that and turn onto your base before you get to your landing spot. By varying the amount you are heading into / cross wind on that leg, you'll be doing a skill called 'crabbing' - flying across the windline while remaining relatively static to your landing area. Again - ask one of he old grizzled guys at your DZ to explain it to you. It's a really good skill to have. One of the reasons that it's important to have a proper base leg in your pattern is for predictability. It may not matter too much at the moment when you're floaty and last down, but when you start having people above you, you start to cause ALL sorts of problems by doing more of a 180 approach.

Going backwards isn't so bad, so long as you get out upwind of the dz. In fact, it can be a really useful skill to have. It's unlikely that you'll be able to make much impact on your headway with the front risers at the moment, so when the winds get up, just sit out and enjoy the day - that's part of skydiving. If you think you're ready to downsize, tell your CCI that you want to start working on your CH1 & 2 qualifications. Those include a written exam, extending the range of your canopy with risers, emergency turns and making predeclared accuracy landings (landing consistently within 30m of a target while being observed). Requirements here: http://www.theparachutecentre.com/grading.stm I'm prepared to be that once you've worked through those your CCI will not only let you downsize a little, but you'll have a much better knowledge of canopy flight. It's going to take some work - a number of 'working' jumps and some study. Get to it!

It depends what you mean by 'appropriate'. Is it a redesigned skydiving wing tweaked to perform better in hilly terrain? yes. Would I suggest that's it's safer than a standard parachute? Yes. Is it suitable for all people? No - it's a wing for an advanced and current pilot. Is it suitable for all conditions? No - It's fine until you get into big mountains, then I'd prefer a speedwing for the added resilience to collapses and the much much shorter recovery arcs and greater glide range. and I've flown with guys who were test pilots for it and they say different. I've also flown them both back to back and side by side and to me, they fly differently. Regardless of your distraction of the GLX, the original post was about the suitability of launching a Stilletto - I stand by my original answer: You can, but it's stupid with more modern gear available, particularly for a beginner. No responsible groundlaunching instructor anywhere in the world would say any different.