Zoter

they were using it to train an elite squadron of cute 'lil German Shephard pups to skydive over Berlin....get into a 'doggie doughnut' down to 2K and then parachute into Hitlers Garden.... They were then going to take him and his staff out using a variety of paw operated weapons, hidden in their fur Apparantly everything was a go...but they just couldnt get the hang of the freefall....so they got tunnel time. (Edited: - Man Im bored........)

But on the other hand.....we could have two tunnels in the UK before the end of the season !! Talk about all or nothing...!!! Two tunnels both within my striking distance of a midweek afternoon off work ....sorted ! Ahhh nuts these wind tunnels are going play havoc with my canopy control.....I'll be pulling off zillion point dives and landing ...lets see...about a mile away from the DZ.....lol

The Brits' want to have the last word is only matched in its 'enthusiasm' ...by the US's eagerness to respond... What a couple of strange bedfellows we are... Keep it on topic chaps ...its interesting, but lets leave the insults and retorts about the wars out...thats a bit disrespectful to people on both sides of the pond who did what they had to do.

Man....you dunno how similar that looks to my first attempts at sitting ! Im by no way an expert....but I was having exactly the same problem as you (ie lower legs not really at 90deg)... so I'll give you my advice as to what worked for me ...and take the heat from any experienced guys out there with their 'flamethrowers' already warmed up !... When ya legs go under ya like that....fighting it just aint gonna work....I roll up in a ball ,roll onto my back and work from there...arms pushed back...and then push ya legs down....its much less effort than trying to recover from that sit position where your lower legs feel 'pinned' under ya bum ! just make sure you ball up first... If you have not seen my sitfly progression vid on Skydivingmovies.com...it might interest you..as I looked identical to you on that vid ! but like to think i 'Got it' now.

Yeah...I know like 'BEER RULES..!' but I think you DZ owners and experienced jumpers are having a field day here.....beer for this ...beer for that. I have searched teh USPA ,APA and BPA rules and operations manuals......damned if I can see any heading 'Beer Rules' in there So please explain the 'International Beer Rules' and any funny beer rules ya got locally at your DZ !

First FF = Sit fly attempt with an instructor holding onto me until I got stable...or too unstable !! Didint think about too much other than...trying to get my damn legs down and wondering just how hard it was to do this AND getting my arms back too. Even though it was a truly pants jump...i still enjoyed it.......I didnt get that kinda feeling when I messed up on a RW jump. Im still new to all this.....and I love it...I keep promising myself I will go back and 'get better at RW'........sometime.....sometime

No I have not had any tunnel time yet.....but have my first trip hopefully in the next few weeks (Paris) No I dont fly Mantis... I just seem to have difficulty pushing my thighs down to slow down.....I guess your right...early days and all

hmm...have heard that from at least one other person. I'll address that specifically with my local rigger....seeing as Im not due a Reserve packjob for a coupla months Thanks

in reply to a previous post .....is widening the knees a 'good' technique for us big fellas to slow down our fall rate a bit...? or would you recommend something else? And if you are using wide knees to just keep a slow av fall rate ...whats the best thing to do with your arms and torso at the same time?? Thanks

Im jumping a Thomas Sports Teardrop Superfly...its new.I had it custom made for me. I have noticed that although when packing the riser cover (inparticular left one) everything slots into place fine .... but when I get out ( RW or Sitflying) and look over half way through the dive I can see my cover flapping around !!...this happens more often than not. I have spoke to a rigger and there is nothing 'wrong' with the setup and the rig fits me well.... Anybody got any thoughts or experiences like this ?? I do wear my chst strap...reasonably tight....if that makes any difference....but I dont think it does... Im looking to start some HD flying soon....but cant even contemplate that until I can get this problem fixed... Thanx

Jeez how freaky is this sport... All the way through my RW (Belly) Training (WARP) I felt like a bad dog when all my jump partners were strapping on lead left right and centre as I fell like a stone ! Now Im sitting and I fall at 140-145 consitantly in my 'neutral' stable sit( and Ive not really tried to slow fall in a sit) and that goes to about 165 in a stand..... I dont get it !! What do y'all think thats about.....Im 6ft 3 and 205lbs...im figuring its beecause i have a big wingspan....with my arms out to the side...but I dunno

People are not interesting in learning how to freefly in the UK, they are interested in doing it. There is a very serious distinction there. How many zoo chaos dives with no clear objectives have i seen organised in the UK, most of them. Ive not seen once 2 freeflyers doing a drill dive( example..360 dock, cartwheel dock repeat). Its just go out, silly exit, act crazy, pull, gob off. I dont think thats true or particularly fair....alot of people I have seen do this...because they want to...because they are having fun, it does not always mean its because they dont have the skills to do a 'programmed' dive.........and from my viewpoint...there are lots of peeps who want to 'learn' how to freefly because they want to know how to fly their body as opposed to fall in an already dictated fashion.

From my 'junior freeflying' perspective...Im shocked to read some of the issues here. I am currently working towards my FF1....and I can say hand on heart right from the start alot of time was spent on the mechanics of freeflying, the exit orders and separation ( and the reasons in detail for them), proximity awareness, equipment and other safety issues....and that was right from the start, and alot before I eve stepped out for my 1st coached FF jump. It has fostered a mindset within me that not only helped me understand and get comfortable with what Im doing, but also the importance of not overstepping my abilities ....being mindful of the consequences and what I should do if said situation happens/presents itself What am I getting at ? Well ...as already said....my Coach teaches this mindset to everyone and still follows the the BPA guidelines for FF1.....perhaps other FF coaches should be looking a bit more closely at what else they teach their students other than just the flying mechanics.....if they start this from your first 'intentional ' freeflys.....it instills a mindset in a reasonable person....that negates the need for the nit picking beaurocracy of an expanded FF qualification syllabus. Even when I get my FF1...I have no intention of doing anything other than solo and 2 way Freeflys, until I identify a time where I ( and the other people I jump with) think its time to step out in a group using skills I have been taught and feel confident with........because thats the mindset that has been instilled in me from before my first FF jump.

yeah thats a damn nice paint job.... Just making me cringe a bit to think of the bumps and scrapes that all helmets get on the back of them as a result of shuffling in the door and climbing out....

Care to comment on the type of licence held by the majority of these 11 fatalities...??

Can I just add....as well as Canopy training...hows's about some sort of 'regulation' on wingloadings (tied to number of jumps)... As far as I am aware...the British Parachute Association have a 'working group' addressing the same issues as mentioned here for the USPA. From my perspective...it just seems that everyone wants to 'downsize' rapidly ...off student status....personally...if the USPA and BPA are looking for direction on canopy related incidents...some sort of formal control (rather than just an instructors 'recommendation') on canopy size/wingloading and shape should be introduced....perhaps with the diver having to take a supplementry canopy control course before being allowed to wingload over a certain limit....something like that. Reading the posts on dz.com....its frequent to hear of a low number jumper getting into trouble on a canopy thats 'unsuitable for them'.....everyone experienced preaches....'cut your teeth on something safe..'....fine...then make it a formal requirement...

[url]www.skydivingmovies.com The Cajun Chicken site has some cool fun movies as well....i like their style... www.cajunchickens.com

hmm over under exit...like the sound of that

Its working fine now....

yeah..Sonic DVD is a doddle to get to grips with and even just scratchng the surface...you get great results ...fast...

err...Tandem Masters ...if its an issue...why dont you just carry a hockey cup in ya kitbag and then if its a problem ...you can just slip it on under ya jumpsuit ....problem solved

hmm didnt think about that when I ordered my big reserve.....guess I'll have plenty of time to on the long slow canopy ride down on that bass ass reserve when ( and I think thats the right mentality rather than if...) I have to chop !!

dont forget to check with ya instructor first If you think through the mechanics of my move it means you get into a sit facing 180deg off the heading you were on ya belly...he he no problems just turn around...

We were flying a Porter...frankly...your spoiled..when the door opens its like the whole side of the plane is open....shame not to make use of the space for a clean poised exit Deffo good practice to get into a sit from a belly position....I have practiced its just not on this vid. Cant remember his full name but there is a vid with a dude called 'Tom' who does fantastic transitions to sit from a forward roll....I tried it alot...but it doesnt work for me yet....I personally founs I could get into a sit very quickly from a barrell roll where I throw my arms back as soon as I get on my back....it prob is not as 'clean' but its quick and works for me.... But then again I didnt fall off my sit too much to have practice getting back from my belly ..lol