altichick

I've just got myself a HC40 and I'm in the process of setting it up and buying the extras I need so I can start jumping with it. Just wondering what lens & step ring you are using and where you got them from? Don't sweat the petty things... and don't pet the sweaty things!

I got some cycling gloves called WindStoppers and they're great

I've been jumping a 135 ZP.EXE (loaded about 1:1) for the past 200 or so jumps and I'm very happy with it. I've jumped in some fairly turbulant winds and not (so far!) had any worries. My only grumble is that it doesn't have great penetration and geting back from longish sopts especially higher winds can be difficult! I've not jumped any other ZP canopy recently so I don't know how it compares to a Sabre. Don't sweat the petty things... and don't pet the sweaty things!

...And get your liver ready for some serious drinking! I met some of those guys in Russia a few months back and they sure can party! Don't sweat the petty things... and don't pet the sweaty things!

Can anyone tell me or direct me to a good website(s) that explain what order the Sony PC camcorder models came out in and roughly when? I'm shopping for a camera and getting very confused as to which are the newer/older models! I'm probably going to buy used, are there any Sony PC models that I can automatically exclude as being less suitable for jumping with? I have just acquired a bonehead helmet with a clam-shell style box that held a PC1 size camera (I think) can anyone tell me what the dimensions of this older style camera are - I don't know if I'll need to get a new box to fit certain PC cameras, that could also influence what camera I buy. Dazed and confused with all these options! PS. Will be a just-for-fun camera set up initially though eventually maybe used for 4-way or tandems. Don't sweat the petty things... and don't pet the sweaty things!

Cool - See you there

You'll love it

Any progress on this? Maybe a similar thing to the classifieds where a color coded "new" logo appears next to recently added events. Just a thought

I liked it, and the biggest pro has to be that it only takes 6 jumpers to start it and 4 to turn it... that and being able to stand on the wing was kind of cool too! And even the ride up to 18k didn't seem to take that long.... or was that just the hypoxia talking?? ................................................ Don't sweat the petty things... and don't pet the sweaty things!

Well, I *was* going to fly to SLC but looks like there may be a car load (or two) coming from Elsinore now! Hoping to leave on Thursday night so should arrive sometime Friday... if all goes to plan!

Hope to make it...

Sounds very tempting

I had a few days to spare in Czech Republic and decided at the last minute to take a bus up to the Pink Skyvan operation in Klatovy. I only stayed one night and as weather was bad the second day I only made a few jumps but I was impressed by both the people and the facilities at this DZ; nice pool, restaurant and bar, bunkhouses, free camping and good bathrooms! The majority of people spoke German as their first language, but even if not everyone understood me they were all very friendly! Within an hour of arriving I was on an organised RW jump. Prague is just a few hours away and this was a nice way to break from sightseeing and jump the Pink skyvan - what a funky plane!

I spent 3 weeks here this summer and on the whole enjoyed it... 300 rubles a jump (about $10) and about a third of those were from an MI8 helicopter which was a nice novelty! They also have 2 AN28's running so there is rarely much of a wait between manifesting and getting in the air. The busiest day saw 60 loads taking off! The landing area is big and there were coaches for both FF and RW available whilst I was there. There are downsides... some of the non-jumping facilities are a bit basic but they are working very hard to improve them. When I left in July the bathrooms were close to being finished - another week and I would have been able to have a hot shower! (I needed one after 3 weeks camping!) There is a bar/ food hall which is great if you want to save your money for jumping - but for 'western' style food or if you you want something a bit more interesting you have to head into the nearby town. Getting to the DZ from Moscow is cheap on the bus but a bit daunting - I was lucky to find a Russian jumper in Moscow who helped me out with finding the right bus. The DZ can arrange collection from Mosocow which if there is several of you is probably worth the extra cash. The weather was mostly good, only one day in 3 weeks where there was no jumping at all and a few other days where wind / clouds were a bit iffy (for me) but jumping was still possible. There are lots of non-russian jumpers there, either for fun jumping or training and the DZ had a pleasant international feel. During the week there were more FF than RW jumpers but at weekends there was excellent RW organising, 20+ ways and even a formation load using an AN28 and the MI8. Several of the manifest staff and fun jumpers speak excellent english and many of the international jumpers also speak english as a second language. I had to rely on various Russian jumpers to explain the debriefs for the RW loads to me but no one seemed to mind helping me. For getting there, getting around town and so on some basic Russian would have been really useful but I managed to get by with a phrase book and lots of pointing! A great DZ for training or just getting lots of jumps in. When jumping's over if you want to party, beer and vodka are cheap and plentiful and skydivers can make a party happen alomst anywhere!

As far as I know the DZ can't supply you with the invitation. Most people used a visa invitation company (I used Intelservice.com there are several companies that you can use Russianvisas.org also offer a similar service). With IntelService you fill in the details online, pay on-line and they email you a pdf copy of the invitation in 24-48 hours. You then need to send that, plus a copy of a form (available http://www.russianvisas.org/forms/form95.pdf) and (in the UK) your passport.... The youth hostel in St Petersburg and some hotels can also issue invitations if you book accomodation with them. Will PM you phone numbers. Have fun! Don't sweat the petty things... and don't pet the sweaty things!

Anyone driving from Prague to the DZ? Got room for one more?

As far as I know if it's not organised by BPA and at a DZ with a qualified balloon pilot it's not allowed (http://www.bpa.org.uk/forms.htm) If you could find a balloon pilot who was willing to break the rules, be aware that they and you wont have any knowledge of the possible landing area(s)and hazards etc and you'll be responsible for getting yourself from where ever you land back to your car etc... Sometims a UK DZ will organise balloons, failing that Slovakia DZ has cheap balloons and also a few other cool things to jump http://www.skydive.sk/engl/fcenyev.html Flights from UK with sky europe are cheap... Or several US DZ have balloons, I know Eloy has ballooons available most days. (PS I haven't jumped there so I don't know what the DZ is like at all, I just was thinking of jumping there due to the cool planes... if you go, I'd love to hear what you think of it!) Be safe! Don't sweat the petty things... and don't pet the sweaty things!

why? i'm still confused by the whole registration issue... not to mention no one told us about it in the russian embessy You must register your visa with in 3 working days of entering Russia, offically you are supposed to do this at each new city you go to but I'm not sure how they enforce that. Registering your visa with a visa agency in Mosocw will cost you 50 USD and may take up to 3 days to process. That's my experience from IntelService anyway. You can also register by staying in a hotel in Mosocw, (Hotel Kolomna near the DZ seem unable to provide this service) Alternative is to pay the fine when you leave Russia which rumour has it is only 1000 rubles (30 USD) Don't sweat the petty things... and don't pet the sweaty things!

Well let me know when you have sorted your plans out... I'd like to try and get some tunnel time whilst I'm in the US (assuming it isn't already booked up because of the nationals?) I'm in the US until Oct 13th so my plans are flexible... on the look out for boogies or training camps in the area. Hope to see you out there. Don't sweat the petty things... and don't pet the sweaty things!

I'm not going to be there until sometime after Monday 30th so looks like we might just miss each other shame would have been good to catch up... Kamloops May meet seems like ages ago... guess time really does fly when you're having fun! Don't sweat the petty things... and don't pet the sweaty things!

I've heard great things about Texel. Don't sweat the petty things... and don't pet the sweaty things!

When you going to be out there Chris? Might see you there, I'm back in the US at the end of August! Don't sweat the petty things... and don't pet the sweaty things!

It's probably easier to get a car to the DZ the bus station in Moscow is pretty confusing and working out which bus to take is a nightmare! Luckily Dan helped me out with that part.

Me (and several others) paid 50 USD to register in Moscow, but with the company we used (Intel Service) we had to wait 3 days to get the stamped visa form back! You can register at (some) hotels in Moscow but again I think it depends what visa company you used. I know several people who didn't register and the maximum *official* fine when you leave for an unregistered visa is 1000 rubles (about 30 USD). But I guess you can't rule out dodgy customs/immigartion staff when you leave trying to ask for more!! Don't sweat the petty things... and don't pet the sweaty things!

I don't *think* Jerry meant you Claus! As for the guys in plasma... you should be flattered that with all those lovely russian girls there they liked you better Don't sweat the petty things... and don't pet the sweaty things!