ramon

This is US dollars in America. Anyone that pays over 4000 for this here is getting ripped. I could get this for 3500. If you are buying this in Isreal...WTF I dunno. Hornet 150 worth $995 brand new Tempo 150 worth $600 Cypres (new) worth $1000 Naro (let's say) $1000 if new I get 3595 (add $200 for some mark ups from higher cost dealers and it is still 3795) ramon

Mabye I was a little vague. Triathlons are a good soft opening canopy albeit they are not surf machines ( I put 175 jumps on one, without a hard opening and I can surf it a little, but not like an eliptical 9 cell). If he is really worried about blowing up a new one, buy a used reliable canopy. ramon

Get super baggy freefly suit with double fabric in arms and legs, and stay around 150...heh heh. Actually I think Cobalts and some Icarus chutes are placarded for Higher deployment speeds. I dump in my Space 150 (1.5..precursor to Cobalt)) in a track all the time and it opens slowly. In anycase they open more gently and probably experience less stress to themselves and the jumper compared to our favorite hard opening chute. I have heard of at least 3 heatwaves by Pisa blowing up, but all of those were loaded about 1.8. A bigger Hornet (190) would probably be fine. If you're really worried about it get a used Triathlon with good lines and a tight rig and get on your belly before you pull. Ramon

Thanks. I love my 150, but I know I will downsize in a little while and...well...I want another one and they are hard to find...ha ha...and 900 vs 1300 for a new Cobalt...hard to pass up.

Hey Felipe, I bought a Space 150 in October and it opens very softly (too softly ha ha). Anyway, I met a gentleman here in Texas with a Space 170 and his opened hard as hell also. One time he passed out from the opening and woke up under canopy. If I buy the Alpha I am taking the line trims and sizes immediately so that I can repair in the future. I'm not sure if Atair (USA) will mess with Alphas/Space, you might give Dan Preston a buzz. I'm sure you read the manual, 1. small rubber bands, no tube stows. 2. 3"-4" line bites. 3. Lo porosity F-111 pilot chute (like it matters as much as size..ha ha) 4. 18" left after last line bite. 5. Roll nose 4 sides into center 6. stuff nose into center. Also...old Sabre trick 7. roll the hell out of the tail. My canopy....I leave the nose wide open... Maybe your rigger can install a pocket on the slider. good luck ramon

Atair Alpha.

Here is the secret. You do just enough RW to be able to turn say 5-7 points on a four way and not go low on a 10 way. It sounds like you might have alreay done that. FF is hard work some people have a hard time getting head down. 1. you have to match fall rates (practice) 2. you have to learn how to transition 3. You have to learn how to move laterally with a partner/s 4. you have to learn how to dock 5. you have to learn how to be safe in freeflying Some people that only freefly cant do any RW (they potato chip and back slide). If you can do already a little RW, freeflying will make you more aware of the air and how your body reacts to it and I think you will be a better RW jumper also. If I do just a little RW (I mean 1 jump a month), I find that my freeflying skills really help and turn me in to an all around skydiver. I mostly freefly, but like you quite a few of my first 100 jumps were RW, but then I started FFlying. Also getting a reputation with the RW people as being able to fly your slot, will keep you getting on dives with them. Getting a FF reputation takes a long time...sheesh 300 jumps later I still am not very good, but I am one of the best at my DZ...and I still get invited on RW jumps. good luck ramon

Wow...responses. Thanx guys. I'm going to look into it once I get my g***amn modem to work. bloo skies ramon

I found an Alpha 129 with 2 jumps on it for $900? Any opinions? Ramon

Anybody ever hear of it? Anyone...anyone Hardware?.... Buhler?....Buhler? ramon

It's a piece of cake. You can hold on to your canopy with one hand while you put it in the bag. C-ya this weekend. R

Anyone know where I can get a used Alpha 120-135 or whatever they were sized at when labeled. thanks ramon

http://www.icaruscanopies.com/canopies/EXTreme_FX/packing.htm I don't know who said it first, but it should not be called "psycho packing". It should be called " soft opening easy packing" ha ha. I think it is probably safe to spycho pack most ZP canopies, but others may want to add comment. I know when I psycho packed my old triathlon (already slow openeing) it took 1200' to open. I try to speed up my Space opneing so I don;t want to psycho pack it. And I think psycho packing a hard openeing sabre is probably a good idea. R

Eric Boyd's front riser loop snapped on him, hooking his Velocity on his second week jumping his brand new Javelin rig. That was last weekend....Go figger. R

Urban skydiving legend has it that PD canopies are sized inflated (i.e. 170 inflated is bigger than 170 measured flat on the ground as they lose "flat" area when inflated). And Icarus canopies are sized on the ground, so a 169 on the ground is smaller than a canopy that was sized inflated. PD 190s pack up smaller than say a Sabre 190 because the low porosity fabric is easier to control and put in the bag. Plus diffeent companies use different thickness fabrics from different manufacturers. Here is a link to PDs document about pack volumes which goes into more detail. http://www.performancedesigns.com/docs/packvol.pdf Personally I think Safire 169 will fit into a D-bag that a PD-190 fits in. but I could be wrong bloo skies ramon

Yeah it is a great gig, but... 1. You have to apply after you've signed your life away to be a wire dragger, shed painter, hole digger, or maybe staff puke. Officers if they are pilots. 2. You have to be a civilian skydiver also (airborne don't count for squat) 3. There has to be an opening. 4. You have to try out...in other words you better be an RW or CREW skygod becuase they want you to do demos (you need a pro rating) or compete against Arizona Airspeed. 5. If you don't know some Colonel or above that will transfer you, your current command has to agree to let you go (which they probably will unless you are critical to your unit, or they don't like you). Good luck ramon

I'm 32 engineer and I resigned (warrant officer) out of that Bizatch with 10 years in service. My records are in every damn federal agency in exisitence but, recruiters will dangle a doughnut in front of a list of names of skydivers to see who bites. The USPA obviously gave them a list of names and addressed, the army Offices that still send me correspondence send it to my house. The Parachutist comes to my work address where I got "the Army of One" letter. yawn ramon

Gotta have the Hooters girls though to keep it ligit. bloo skies ramon

Yeah brakes are different etc. My friend Derek lengthened the brake lines on his custom VX60 6 " past factory (yes he is... extreme as it were) so that during his dives, the drag on his brake lines (at 80 mph) would not distort his airfoil as much and therefore give him a longer faster dive (he wants speed not swoop length). Well that is his theory anyway. I was really enquiring as to any one re-trimming their canopy other than steering lines or what in general is the line trim practice of those extreme canopy pilots that are flying at 2.2 loading and up. bloo skies ramon

Hey, I read your response to the slider/chin question... What sort of line trim mods have people been making? Anything other than lengthening steering lines so that they don't distort airfoil during a dive? Just wondering, thanks. bloo skies ramon

Last two loads of the day, about 6:00 pm and 7:00 pm. Better weather than this past weekend. bloo skies ramon

Yo mama so Fat she is the sunset load. Yo mama so fat NASA couldn't make a chute TSO'd for her ass.

I got two in yesterday. R heh heh

I'll second that. I've got stacks of video of me freeflying with nary a flap open. bloo ones ramon

Ms AirAnn, Yeah you are funny. Levin and I had a funny jump yesterday. Sure is nice sneaking off from work 30 minutes early and having the DZ owner delay the otter 10 minutes so I can get packed. Have a good day,girl ramon