GentleTiger

Wow, great idea...I'll talk with my JMs about it and ask them to teach me...I figure the more skills I'm armed with, the better. Your name is particularly amusing to me this morning. ________________________________________ Look, up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's a tiger in the sky!! Throw down some steaks and run for the hills!!!

Hey folks, finally out of the bed and back sitting at the ol' puter for a bit...thank god for meds and coffee!!! Ya, I'm hanging up the canopy, but only for the 3 months the doc says to and not one day longer, and I'm intent on learning to do PLF's that will protect all of me. I'm convinced that when there's a will, there's a way. Can't wait to feel that freedom, that wind on my face, that pressure on my shins, that singular smile... They don't call me Tiger for nothin ________________________________________ Look, up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's a tiger in the sky!! Throw down some steaks and run for the hills!!!

Well, I've learned a very painful lesson trying to protect my knee with the missing ACL. Wind changed on final, I was too low to turn, got nervous landing crosswind, flared too high and released a bit. Canopy lunged forward, and slammed me into the ground. To protect my knee, I did my usual butt-slide. Now I have 3 compression fractures in my spine and may have to have surgery. Will be seeing neurosurgeon this week...going to ask him if I can do tandems. asap. Gotta learn PLF bigtime now...I've learned the hard way about butt-slides. Everyone warned me, but I'd chicken out at the last minute and slide on in...I guess I was lucky, but I thought at the time it was a good solution to protect my knee. My instructors at Mile Hi got together and are brainstorming on how to retrain my muscle memory so PLFs will be the natural thing to do. I gotta tell ya...Mile Hi Skydiving in Longmont CO is the best. My JMs have had the patience of saints, and they really know their stuff. And most of all, safety is their first concern. Always getting new equipment, keeping the planes in top condition, JMs with 10000+ jumps, canopy control classes monthly...I love this DZ and will be back as soon as I'm able. Hopefully I can sneak in a tandem...gotta get my freefall fix, otherwise I'm gonna get cranky! So, I guess the lesson here for all you sweet folks doing butt-slides...DON'T. Take the time to master PLFs! Learning the hard way really really sucks. ________________________________________ Look, up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's a tiger in the sky!! Throw down some steaks and run for the hills!!!

Hi DS, Aside from my knee issues, I decided that c/c class is a must, and I'm really glad there's been much more emphasis on it lately nationwide. I plan on going to Deland as soon as I can, and my DZ will be having c/c classes once a month. In the meantime, it's practice practice practice! BBS, Tiger ________________________________________ Look, up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's a tiger in the sky!! Throw down some steaks and run for the hills!!!

Hi DS, No, a therapist didn't give me this, it's my own answer to being intimidated to the ground rolling beneath my feet. If I know that I can handle different speeds on the treadmill, I'll be able to handle the ground. And with the treadmill, I'm going to start very, very slowly, and build up speed as I get the hang of it. Ya, I'm going to live with this as long as I can without surgery. BBS and careful knees ________________________________________ Look, up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's a tiger in the sky!! Throw down some steaks and run for the hills!!!

Hi smiles, great name.

ya, safety is my top priority...I want to be able to do things with the 290s I'm on, then I'll downsize...I read the downsize checklist and plan on following it.

Ya, she's really cool ________________________________________ Look, up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's a tiger in the sky!! Throw down some steaks and run for the hills!!!

Ya, Lisa's a sweetie, and she knows her stuff. Sheesh, I'm terrible with names, I know I'd recognize ya...it's like a word at the tip of my tongue...I'll see ya this weekend...I was going to go for Levels 6 & 7 today, but I got about 10 inches of snow up here in the mountains, so I may be home bound for the day until the plow comes through. It's too bad cuz I really love sliding on in through the snow...Whhhhhhhhhhhhooooooooosh! Good luck at the tourney ________________________________________ Look, up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's a tiger in the sky!! Throw down some steaks and run for the hills!!!

great idea Dave, thanx!

Thanx Lisa, I won't be buying new for a long time. ________________________________________ Look, up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's a tiger in the sky!! Throw down some steaks and run for the hills!!!

I'll look into it Dancing, thanx

Hey Phoenix, First of all, being in my 40s, I won't be downsizing all that much, so I probably won't sell mine for a very long time. Secondly, I'm just trying to narrow down my prospects a little so I can target certain canopies and leave the rest alone. Thirdly, it's a lot less expensive to buy used and pack my own than to rent stuff from the DZ. And lastly, I'm not planning on going out tomorrow to buy one...I can't think of a thing that I haven't thought out, can you? BBS ________________________________________ Look, up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's a tiger in the sky!! Throw down some steaks and run for the hills!!!

Hi Phoenix, Ya, I trust my instinct, but I also know I know little enough about this sport to try to absorb every bit of info I can...in the end, it is up to me, and instinct will play a large part of that. BBS ________________________________________ Look, up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's a tiger in the sky!! Throw down some steaks and run for the hills!!!

hi bill, ya, I'm not thrilled with the long snivels the spectre has either, but I like the idea of a great flare...how is the pilot's flare? ________________________________________ Look, up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's a tiger in the sky!! Throw down some steaks and run for the hills!!!

thanx damion, you said clearly what I've been learning over the last few days. love your quote btw. ________________________________________ Look, up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's a tiger in the sky!! Throw down some steaks and run for the hills!!!

Hi, Thanks for your comments Praetorian, there's a friend of mine who has a Lotus...maybe I'll bug him to let me try it. As far as packing is concerned, it's all still greek to me. ________________________________________ Look, up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's a tiger in the sky!! Throw down some steaks and run for the hills!!!

wow, that's great news Tink! And pretty much what I've been doing.

hi Nightingale, y'know, I never thought to pack one before I considered it...I'm so glad I used this forum! thank you,

hey piis, getting a canopy loaded at .95 shouldn't be any trouble, and it's still within the general loading for a novice, I think. thanx, you're absolutely right!

Hi piis, as of now I'm comparing the spectre vs the triathalon...my wingloading will most likey be in the .75 range, and I figure a heavier w/l on my reserve will still get me down safely, without the bulk of a canopy with a higher w/l...does that make any sense to you? thanx piis, Tiger ________________________________________ Look, up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's a tiger in the sky!! Throw down some steaks and run for the hills!!!

Hi Dave, Ya, my primary JM suggested that I get a used spectre to save a lot of hassle trying to pack...as of now I'm also looking that the triathalon, any thoughts? I hear it's coated to make it much easier to pack, and it's just like a spectre in every other way. You were lucky to get your colors!

Hi Cruz Thanx, and ya, I've finally made at least one decision I'll be going with a 7 cell...interestingly enough, the Triathalon was suggested to me yesterday...she said it was just like the spectre, but it has a coating over the ZP to make it easier to pack...any thoughts on that? The outpouring of advice, support and perspectives has been amazing, I've really learned a lot these last few days, and am trying to keep up with all the responses!

Aaaaah, so you've seen my ballet-like butt slide have you?? Your comments are well said, and once again I find myself back to the Spectre...the Triathalon has been mentioned as well...any thoughts on that? Thank you so much for your input, let's try to hook up over the weekend so I know who I'm talking to!

Hi dub, wow, you had some high wing loadings!! I'm planning on staying at .5 - .75 for a good while, at least until I get a better understanding of the science of flaring. once again I find myself leaning toward the spectre, but will probably check out a few canopies at the C/C camp at Deland. BBS Tiger ________________________________________ Look, up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's a tiger in the sky!! Throw down some steaks and run for the hills!!!