Gary73

Well put! And yeah, stick with a 170 or so for another couple hundred jumps. Only folks who are operating at a national-competition level of performance need things like tiny canopies, removable deployment systems, or even mini-risers, for that matter. "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." - Carl Sagan

+1 "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." - Carl Sagan

Here's another one, courtesy of Will Rogers: "If you have stomach pain, it's most likely a gunshot wound." "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." - Carl Sagan

Fixed it for you! Seriously, that'll depend on DZ policy; probably a refresher course. That could take one to three hours, depending on how much you remember. Then a jump or two with an Instructor or Coach, again depending on how well you do. You can help things along by reviewing procedures and getting your membership up to date. A USPA GM dropzone will be able to verify membership and license online, which will make them more likely to believe you regarding your experience level. Good luck and welcome back! "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." - Carl Sagan

I've been told that on average, women have better peripheral vision than men, but worse depth perception. I noticed years ago that on average, women have more trouble with landings, so I solicited some advice from experienced women skydivers on what to teach women who have this problem. Here's what I got; maybe it'll help: I suck at all that 6-8feet visualization, especially after a good freefall. I flare mostly by "instinct". However, what really helped me was doing 3-4 hop-n-pops (3500'). That way all I focused on was my canopy control, setting up and feeling the flare. Helped immensly. Sometimes I was just so worn out from freefall, I didn't have much left to devote to the other fun part of skydiving - landing my canopy. I always had trouble telling when to flare. I was always flaring WAY too high. Some people told me when i thought i should flare, to wait 3 seconds then flare. That kinda worked, but what I found to be more helpful for me, was looking for something that was about 10 feet high, then i would kinda know when i should start flaring. I still use that method sometimes (my landing have just started to improve). I found it to really help a lot. bubbles So the biggest key was relax, just say it out loud and keep looking in front of me and not down!! As you know, it is way common for students to fixate on the ground, get serious groundrush, then flare too high. When I was teaching the first jump course, I would tell my students to look off at the horizon when on final (avoids the whole groundrush problem). Our DZ was surrounded by trees to the South, East and West and had a line of hangers to the North. On their first couple of landings while on radio, I had them concentrate on where they were relationship wise with those stationary objects as they began their flare. One of the questions I would ask the students during debrief was "When you began your flare, were the trees/hanger above, even with, or below your feet." (I let them know to be watching for this when they were in class) This gives them a perspective they can directly relate to. As a result, we had very few students flare too high, even after they came off radio. Fixating on the ground can also lead to the no flare problem. Yes I know, people go to other DZs and won't have the same points of reference. But the idea is to get them really looking out instead of down. Another way of looking at it (courtesy of Scott Miller, and not recommended if you're taking a canopy class with a hangover ): Stand up and look at the ground right in front of your feet. Bend your knees fast and see how the ground looks like it's just getting bigger. Try it a couple times; you'll see what I mean. Now look out six feet in front of you, and bend your knees the same way. When you're looking out ahead of your feet, it looks different--you've got some depth perception. Well, Shelly at Perris had me go stand on an 8 foot wall and spend some time up there to memorize what 8 feet looked like. John advised me to wait to flare until it looks like I could kick someone in the head. Both help. Maybe it would help to stress the idea of looking out at a 45-degree angle (or at the horizon) to aid in depth perception, or telling them to wait a second after they want to start flaring if they're flaring too early (until they are flaring at the right altitude), or, if you really feel like a radio is a good idea, to have the instructor only give corrections when absolutely necessary. Also, have them do practice flares up high with their eyes closed. (clear air space 1st) That will help them get the muscle memory for where the canopy planes out at. Which will help teach them to trust that the canopy will plane out when they are close to the ground. It helped me when someone pointed to a reference point, like a tree or a roof, and told me not to flare any higher than that. It also helped when someone told me to use my peripheral vision instead of just looking ahead. I also had problems landing on my feet until the 2 stage flare and pendulum effect were explained to me. "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." - Carl Sagan

With stock grants, the value is generally determined at the time the company goes publc; the opening price on the first day of trading. You have three basic options: 1. If the stock is going to go up, accept the entire grant, then later sell enough of the stock to pay the taxes. Then sell the rest before it goes down. 2. If the stock is going to go down, have the employer automatically sell enough of your shares to pay your withholding tax, then sell the rest as soon as you get them. 3. What? You don't know whether the stock will go up or down? In that case, choose the safe path: option two above, but only sell half the shares. A friend of mine tried option 1, the stock went down, and he had to take out a second mortgage to pay the taxes. I basically did option three and even though the stock went up then way down, I came out well ahead. Hope this helps. "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." - Carl Sagan

In order to be light enough to be practical, a skydiving helmet can't be as sturdy as a modern motorcycle helmet. Even so, there's no doubt at all in my mind that you're better off with one than without. Even if the helmet is destroyed in a hard hit, the energy that it absorbs in the process of being destroyed is energy that won't go toward smashing your skull. As for canopy size, yeah, definitely keep your wing loading below 1.0 PSF until you have a C license, especially if you're going to jump a slightly elliptical canopy like a Sabre2. As for which model is best, that's mostly a matter of opinion, and there are really too many factors to go into here. Talk with your Instructors and get a feel for what will be best for you. "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." - Carl Sagan

The important thing isn't some specific length, it's how tightly the loop holds the pin when the container is fully closed. It should be hard to push the pin out with one finger. If it's any looser than that, you're inviting a premature deployment. It's just about impossible to make the loop so tight that a pilot chute can't pull it out, assuming that the pin and top grommet are in decent shape. "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." - Carl Sagan

Play it straight and pay the import tax. Regardless of how you feel about the tax, it simply isn't worth the potential hassle. And remember, it's not just you who's involved - having the seller falsify customs documents could get him in a lot more trouble than you. I've sold a number of things outside the U.S., and there's no way I'm risking all that grief just to save the buyer 5%. "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." - Carl Sagan

If you're definitely going to make another Tandem, then definitely take Krissane's advice. On the other hand, there's no real need to do another Tandem. In fact, I really haven't noticed any difference in performance between students who did Tandems before doing AFF and those who went right into it. To address your two main concerns: You won't really be going solo. You'll have two Instructors hanging on to you from before you exit the plane until after your parachute starts to open. You can make the whole experience a lot more fun for all three of you if you remember to arch, relax, and pull, but if necessary, the Instructors can handle things if you don't. Steering the parachute is fun and easy. Your Ground Instructor will spend a fair amount of time going over canopy control; feel free to ask questions until you're comfortable with the subject. Also, as a backup and to help fine-tune your landing pattern, there will be an Instructor on the ground to help guide you in by radio. Have fun! "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." - Carl Sagan

12 pack jobs isn't a large enough number to be statistically significant of course, but still, jeeze. Sounds like another market that's crying out for packing lessons. "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." - Carl Sagan

Damn! One save for every 13 reserve pack jobs? Sounds like more folks over there should be coming to you for packing lessons! Meanwhile, I know it's a slight violation of an ancient and honorable tradition, but what's wrong with asking for non-alcoholic beverages? It's been working pretty well for me.

Good job Gary. Did they give you a few cases of Diet Coke? Actually, all I ask for is a fridge pack, but Jeff gave me two.

Heresy! Heresy! Where are the moderators with their post-deleting powers when you really need them? "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." - Carl Sagan

Nope, all the main pack jobs were done by paid packers. Or even more important, since you know they're going to be used. Yeah - one of the reasons I'm not all that interested in CReW. But were all those reserves packed by the same rigger? As above. Yeah, really! Better to have someone else's seal on the rig when fate catches up with him! "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." - Carl Sagan

After going months without a single one of my reserve pack jobs being deployed, I had three saves on Saturday. Got me wondering what the record is. Anybody have any idea? "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." - Carl Sagan

"Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." - Carl Sagan

I'm constantly amazed and saddened by the lack of objectivity demonstrated by members of our species. If you had to watch helplessly as a loved one was being waterboarded, there would be no doubt in your mind that it's torture. And if it's torture when done to a loved one, then it's torture when done to a stranger, or even an enemy. As for the allegation that opposing torture is unpatriotic and disrespectful to those who have died supporting and defending the Constitution of the United States, that Constitution clearly prohibits torture, even for convicted criminals (Eighth Amendment). And that brings up another point that's often overlooked in these discussions: interrogation subjects are almost always suspects - not convicted criminals. The authorities don't know for sure what, if any, information they have. But one thing is for sure: if they weren't enemies of the United States before they were tortured, they most certainly will be afterward. And so will all of their loved ones. So no matter how you look at it, morally, legally, or practically, torture is wrong. "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." - Carl Sagan

I'd go with smaller canopy (but no smaller than 170) without lead. Lead introduces several problems, including the near certainty of drowning if there's a water landing. A dropzone should have a decent range of student canopies so as to allow every student to have a safe wing loading. Doing that will also provide rental gear for every need, if not every desire. Not that long ago, many DZs had nothing but F-111 Manta 288s for students. Hopefully we've all joined the 21st century by now. If a DZO isn't willing to provide good student equipment, he shouldn't be in the student business at all. "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." - Carl Sagan

This manufacturer is aware of this problem. Not surprisingly, it's known as "the Hello problem". One of my rigging customers had it and AAD replaced the unit with a new one for just the cost of shipping the bad unit back to their center in Florida. Talk to your rigger about getting the same deal. "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." - Carl Sagan

This is what George sent me a in 2006: Base A A to B A to C A to D A to T BL to Tog 135.5 2.4 9.6 19.2 8.9 20.7 "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." - Carl Sagan

Ryan, You don't mention your wing loading. Everyone knows how important that is on a main, but I see case after case where people ignore their reserve wing loading and even the manufacturer's maximum recommended exit weight. Whatever you choose, please keep those factors in mind. I've ridden a variety of reserves, from a 24-foot unmodified round to a PD 360 (Tendem), and my personal preference is the Aerodyne Smart, but the PD Optimum and Paratec Speed sound interesting. I'd want to demo those before making a decision. "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." - Carl Sagan

PD recommends a max exit eight of 200 lbs. for the 143 reserve, even for "experts". Regardless of your experience level, keep in mind that there may be things going on on a reserve ride that make for a less-than-ideal landing situation. Be conservative. If you go with a Mirage or Wings, whatever reserve you decide on, tell them you're getting the next bigger size. Your rigger will thank you for it. Definitely demo a Pulse. "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." - Carl Sagan

I'm a big believer in letting people make their own decisions, but to make good decisions you need good information. BTW, speaking of information, would you care to publicly identify yourself? "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." - Carl Sagan

I considered the hatchet buried until the aircraft logbook incident last Fall. You know what happened - would you forgive and forget if he had done that to you? Didn't know that I was authorized to bless things, but let me put it this way: I would boycott any business owner who did to you (or any of my other friends) what your hero did to me. Y'all can use that information any way you see fit. Was just out there today. Don't know where you've been getting your information , but the south end is the same as it was in '97 and the north end is the same as when the dropzone closed in '06. Didn't see any changes there, either. Your post said that the landing area is bigger than before. Big difference between is and may eventually be. Also, a 6,000 sqft. hangar still isn't four times bigger than a 3,600 sqft. one. No, but when you open a new business with a name that's so similar to an existing one, you're asking for trouble. And violating Georgia law. Trey asked him to use a different name, but Bill said that there weren't any other URLs available. ( OMG! The Internet is full!) Tell him I'll trade him skydivemonroe.com for 2319G's Airworthiness Certificate, which also "disappeared" somehow. How's that for burying the hatchet? This also hasn't happened yet, but I hope you're right. I've seen people hit fences before: not pretty! I am happy. Usually at Skydive Atlanta, sometimes at The Farm, and almost always in freefall. Ever see The Great Waldo Pepper? Up there, everything's clear. It's the stuff that happens on the ground that's messy. "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." - Carl Sagan