rmcvey

Booooooooring I fired up the heatgun this afternoon and gave it a go, and quickly realised it wasnt going to work. The carbon fibre starts to "crinkle" and looks nasty. Luckliy I tried it on only a small area. Oh well, nothing ventured....

can you heat the top of a bonehead with a heatgun until it goes soft enough to shape in an effort to create a "flattop" for camera/s???? has anyone tried this? does anyone have any doubts to whether it would/could work?

Does this mean theoretically if i pack without stowing the brakes it should be a softer opening than with brakes set??? I remember someone saying youll get slammed if you dont set your brakes?

"No more holding my daughter or niece in the air over a dirty public toilet." so thats why women always go to the toilet in twos.!

CRack rules... to say otherwise is to be in denile... skydivers thrive on crack.. ..hell look at Airspeed, you think those guys arent on cRack???? you gotta be kidding, no straight thinking human being can pull off that shit without being off their faces! Olav's crew are just the same, they're all crack feinds also, you think he just thought all that shit up? no way!! He was off his face after 9 bowls of crack when he came up with freeflying TM , Just watch chronicle 1 "i like multiwotations... everything gos so fast.. like a split second so much stuff like eleeyeahyedeeleeyiieyehdeeheyyeyeyhhehueueedd!" crack i tell you.

what canopy?

gooder? that is discraceful grammer! you should be ashamed. Vocab Nazi

OK, so i got flamed of some guy the other day who was watching on telemeters because i waved off from a stand, onto belly quick track and dumped without what he considered "slowing down properly" So i explained about the canopy and how the ribs 3 cells from the middle dont have crossports.....blah blah blah tested while headdown etc. and just got a kinda bemused look as he obviously had never heard of atair canopies or two stage openings etc. and then I realised i dont actually have a full understanding behind the physics behind the design and how it can cope with faster speeds. I understand how the cross port design and slider sizing gives (in theory) two stage openings but in what ways does the canopy differ structuraly to other brand canopies? Is there anything other than the 2stage that allows for this faster deployment speed? Or does the two stage openings prevent the forces involved in fast deployments being transmitted to the canopy in the way it would with other types. hhhmm confused myself even more now.

original lizard do some cool stuff and custom as well if you want.

Good thinking dude. If you made this set up your self please explain how (more pics would be great

Hey, i am the uppity freeflyer at my dz! but seriouslly, i fully understand the evils involved in fashions and peers and how both sometimes come before safety when choosing kit. But if this was the case i would already be jumping the canopy. Like i said, ill maybe try the 120 in few months. Now go and get practicing for the next swoop meet Mr."im too modest and humble to care what others think on my 85 surfing the pond infront of hundreds of people" HEHe! Safe ones.

Yes, i will be needing a new container as my current main is a size smaller than the container was built for. After reading the replies from everyone I think i'll keep hold of the 135 for a few months, and then demo the 120. Still not 100% on how ATAIR stand on their sizing guide and where the figures have come from. And still feel comfortable with the idea of the 105 but have begrudgingly taken the advice. But like i originally posted, study the website and do the maths for my weight, and theres no reason the 105 isnt a realistic option.

Thanks for your input. Im familiar with the article and the point you made about two indentically loaded canopies, the smaller size flies faster. Also, if i jumped naked i would be loading a 105 at less than 1.3 lbs/sqft2 Yes I took into consideration the weight of my rig/canopy shoes socks undercrackers, dental fillings etc when i worked it out for the 105. But still, my argument remains what advantage would ATAIR gain by selling tiny canopies to incompetent pilots? I believe the larger sizes retail at a higher price so its not a selling point. From the photos articles and technical info available on the website its a pretty convincing argument and im sure they have no intention of comprimising safety when recommending the wingload of a canopy to customers. any cobalt jumpers want to share your thoughts? dan? pleease? help me out?? anyone~??

>tell you what, YOU asked for advice, i gave it. buy >the "dishrag" and jump it. Your advice is much appreciated and im sorry if i sounded if i was having a dig at you personally in regard to your canopy situation, because i wasnt. But when you say "dishrag"..yes the canopy is physically small but surely the wingloading Vs experience is the factor i need to be looking at? >but don't question me about what, why where and >when, your the one in doubt, not me. i'm only >trying to help you. but by all means sir, do as you >wish, just remember, you will have to fill out a form >and possibly be required to show a logbook to buy >a canopy like the one you suggests, if you buy it >new. please, take your time. I hope they do ask and hope they refuse to sell me one if im not ready. But why? They will sell me a 105 if i say im a beginner?

From an earlier post you say youve just purshased a cobalt @1.5 and you have 350 jumps. Are you telling me you were the "master" of your previous canopy before you went to such an "un-conservative" wing loading?? Can you do 270 front risers layouts and land on a disc the size of a football on every jump in any weather condition???? To me this is being the master of ones canopy. I dont claim to be the master of my canopy and could probably do another 2000 jumps on it and still not have every single element of the canopy under my complete control at any instant. What im getting at in my original post was that the cobalt is unique in the way wing loading effects its flying characteristics when compared to a rival canopy. A Stilletto or Xfire 2 loaded at 1.45 i would not consider at such high loading for my expierience, but after studying the Atair website im led to believe the cobalt can be loaded one size heavier to a similar canopy. Basicly, If what the website leads me to believe is true, it will like me getting a stilletto @ 1.25 DAN!!! get your ass in here.

OK. My cobalt has possesed me. I REALLY luurve this canopy. Im jumping a 135 loaded at 1.1 lbs/sq2 (i weigh 135 lbs butt naked) I have 140 jumps and consider myself "competent" for my expierence level. My last 30 landings: 25ish out of the 30 have been with some form of front riser input ( The others were either too windy for my liking or trafficv wouldnt allow) All stand up landings Ive been experimenting with up to 90degree front riser approaches, not violet snappy riser turns but smooth changes of direction with front risers usually ending back on both for the last second or two. Even at the light wingloading riser pressure is light and in light winds can get a luuurvely surf. MY PROBLEM IS this: Is it too early to go smaller?? I know EVERYONE asks this question but i really am in two minds. The responsible saftey conscious patient skydiver in me says my current canopy is good for a least another 200 jumps before i even THINK about downsizing. but i just feel slightly let down after landings, not at all with the canopy, but the little demon beer drinking chain smoking freeflying teenager rears its ugly head and whispers in a devilish voice inside my head... .. . . .. get the 105,.... get the 105.....you know you want it....... go on.... youll be loading it at 1.45 and the ATAIR manual says 1.2~1.4 for beginners...... And part of my saftey conscious side agrees, but 140 jumps on a 105 @1.45 , it just sounds like an ambulance ride !! AAAAARRRRGGHH!! So is it wise to demo the 120 and then the 105 or am i trying to run before i can walk??? PS before anyone suggests other canopies its going to be a cobalt. I thought about the Xfire2 but two stage openings and the easiest packing canopy ive come across has sold it.

Ok so just out of interest in your opinions what specific part of a poor packing technique can give a lineover. I understand how poor/loose linestows can cause one but what part of the stood up/over the shoulder stage can cause a lineover?

Ok. wendy said the openings changed when she changed sizes, so do you think wing loading has a factor?> Im loading pretty lightly at 1.2

O.K, Ive now put approx 25 jumps on my cobalt 135 and since my first few jumps on it the openings are seemingly getting worse? The first few openings were amazinglly smooth and on heading, with the slider staying in the up position for approx 2 seconds the coming down in one smooth fluid motion. Since them ive had spinning twists, huge end cell closure on both sides, slammers, and a generally unpredictble off heading openings. Ive not changed the way i pack (nose puched halfway to the back, 4-5 rolls in the tail) but when i first got the canopy i was very concious of remaining still and symetrical in the harness, which i believe i still am, but since then am not quite as worried about it. Any thoughts? I throw out, stare at my heading on the horizon with my shoulders level, wait for the "uumpppphhhh" and look up and watch the opening. If it dives one way i try to lean the other way but it still likes to dance around. Any tips on body positions/packing appreciated.

Anyone used/heard of one of these, and also can you buy a bonehead d-box for one?? Any help appreciated.

Q; Whats the difference between oral sex and anal sex? A; A blow job will make your day, but anal sex will make your whole week.

Here is a whuffo, looking to get into skydiving and the response he gets from a respectable and knowledgable person in this sport is just an off handed hurtful remark. Phree, I know where you are coming from, but the issue really is not whether or not it would be expensive or the disciplines he could get into are limited. The question was one of feasibility. I dont think he meant this as a hurtful remark, whether we like it or not there is no use in pussy-footing around with the guy, he needs to know his weight poses a problem when skydiving, and not be fooled into thinking he can buy his tandem rig and become a skydiver, because we didnt want to hurt his feelings. I say this because if you were to do this and spend the money, you would only be able to do solo, (or jump with freeflyers) as finding someone to jump with would be a nightmare. Yes, it is possible in theory to jump when your the weight you are, but if this is what you want to do and take it up, you have to lose weight, whether this is offensive to you or not, its the truth. Good luck, I hope you get there. It will be worth the effort.

If you went out the back of the herc can you fly "up" the airflow (since its a real fast run-in speed) and see the top of the herc? i heard this is true, hope one of you at least tries.

What is the going rate for a tandem pack job in the US.? Ive just been cleared to pack the dz"s tandem equipment and dont want to get ripped off, and dont want to ask for too much. I jump in England so if anyone knows the prices over here, that would be a help too.

Its slowly coming away in small pieces on all the letters on both stabilisers, and if you gently scratch the lettering with a finger nail it will kinda flake away. Just worried it looks older than it actually is, for if and when i get round to trying to sell it in the future.