icevideot

In my experience, the first hurdle to a proper plf is having your feet too wide. If you start with a stable, shoulder width base you most likely will hit feet, knees, head/face. On every landing your final approach should be done with feet and knees together with knees slightly bent. If everything times out well you can always take a step but if you screwed up you will not likely get them together in time. There is my 2 cents. "... this ain't a Nerf world."

I bet people have been saying that since tribal art came into being. Of course we can't prove it because I think they go back to cave wall art. "... this ain't a Nerf world."

No one has shown me more about not being cool than you Ward. I hope you are doing well Robin "... this ain't a Nerf world."

Just be cautious about anything with a knit or weave across your nose and mouth. If it freezes from your breath you could suffocate and loose consciousness. It would likely need to be well below freezing though. Brrr... In South Carolina it is usually just annoying and uncomfortable when it is cold. "... this ain't a Nerf world."

This can't be over emphasized. Too much good advice can be as troublesome as not enough. As a normal sized instructor I would have included someone like BIGUN in the discussion with you however. I wouldn't want a big guy like you pissed at me. "... this ain't a Nerf world."

The air we fly in behaves like a fluid but we are only deflecting the fluid and not swimming in it. Very little "strength" is needed if you learn to relax and work with the flow. Of course as someone else points out, if you get very tense and try to keep your body extremely rigid you will get exhausted. You will also feel unstable because the relative wind is not smooth. If you relax then your feet and hands will move around slightly in the wind but your body remains stable. If you are rigid this motion translates to your core and you will feel like you are buffeting and are powerless to stop it. This is why so many new jumpers report being more stable after their student jumps are behind them than during AFF. We cannot force the air to do anything but we can direct it. That being said, being active and healthy will make you feel more in control of all aspects of your life. Some of the best flyers I know really enjoy yoga. Anyone who doesn't think yoga is a means to condition the body should try it. "... this ain't a Nerf world."

Just a thought, but have you tried a different VCR, maybe an older one if you have options? "... this ain't a Nerf world."

I just wanted to say Mel has the thin stuff (and I mean that stuff is thin!) and he also has some that is slightly thinner than Spectra but slightly thicker than the PD 500. I believe it is 650. I just got it put on my Stiletto 89 because it was opening too hard for my camera jumps. Now it opens almost like a Crossfire and feels a tiny bit faster. I have on;y put 6 jumps on the new lines so far but I want to encourage anyone with line questions to contact Mel. I had no idea how little I knew about line materials and how fast improvements were being made. Mel only tried to educate me so I could make an informed decision and never tried to steer me on a particular course. He just wants you to be happy with your choice. I know I am. "... this ain't a Nerf world."

I wanted to post an update on this since I finally went and saw Mel at Skyworks. I have made 6 jumps on my Stiletto 89 with new HMA lines and it opens almost as nice as a Crossfire. I opted for the heavy lines (650 I believe) due to the amount of time I stay in the landing area videoing tandem landings. The added UV exposure outweighed the potential gains on my speed/distance. Per Mel's advice I also opted for 1000 lb Vectran lower control lines. These will show wear better and he can replace them in minutes for a very reasonable cost when they start to show wear. The 650 HMA is still slightly smaller than the Spectra it replaced and I think the perceived increase in speed is disproportionate to the size difference. These lines are sweet! I also had the opportunity to visit Mel's loft while he installed them. I am not a rigger but I had no idea just how little I knew about lines. I also didn't realize how much improvement has been made in the use of the new line materials. All Vectran is not the same any more than all Nylon or even cotton is the same. Buy a set of cotton bed sheets and wal mart and compare them to a set at a high end store and you will understand what I mean. 5 or 6 years ago these materials were fairly new to our industry and there were some bumps and breaks in the road to progress. Even PD is using them more and more so they can't be as dangerous as some would lead you to believe. Unfortunately for Stiletto pilots, PD hasn't deemed the Stiletto to be sensitive enough to trim changes to be worthy of HMA. They were very nice and tried to be helpful when I contacted them but Mel is the one who was able to help me. After watching the process of building linesets, I think I will use Mel for all of my future line needs. I recommend that any of you with questions or concerns shoot him a pm or email and he will help you make an informed decision. He never tried to steer me anywhere he only tried to educate. "... this ain't a Nerf world."

That is the point exactly. Technology moves so quickly the camera models, etc we give you now will be outdated by the time you get more experience. If you want to shoot decent video the first thing you need to do is be able to fly tight and smooth. Setting up the equipment is the easy part. Go skydive and learn to fly the best you can. "... this ain't a Nerf world."

I have an Epson Photo 960 that holds 7 cartridges. Send me the link where I can get these $13 cartridges of quality ink. I assume you don't want the picture to fade after a couple of years right. I might change my opinion of you. You go ahead and price the cheapest deals you can find on a helmet, video camera, still camera, bite switch, ring sight, and ring sight mount. Forget the computer and printer, as you said we should only be plugging up a cable anyway right. I can tell you for certain his stated costs for gear are not inflated at all. Of course ignorance is bliss so you go ahead and hang on to your opinions. Quite often in life you really do get what you pay for. "... this ain't a Nerf world."

I think WyoNewb nailed it there. In the spring I had an AFF student who had jumpers in his family. He had read everything he could find and was impressive with his knowledge. He had also spent several minutes in the tunnel and was competent with his stability. I tried to mention ahead of time that the experience is a bit different without the walls, 2 miles up and someone has thrown a planet at you. He laughed. It actually emphasized the sensory overload and it was quite a while before he came back to finish AFF and become a fine example of a new skydiver. Having done a tandem, you will be better equipped than he was but I also think it will do you more good after level 2 (or Cat B) and before level 3 (or Cat C). Of course, as long as mention to the person running the tunnel you are preparing for AFF, it will help at any time. After all, 4 minutes is like 4 skydives with fewer distractions. Enjoy the tunnel and your AFF. "... this ain't a Nerf world."

I hope no one really believes you can't possibly ignore (meaning not even remember it going off) these alarms. Mine happened videoing a hoola hoop dive just after sunset. Slow dive, very challenging lighting etc. I only heard the 3rd (dirt alert) alarm as I was rolling on my back to video a deployment. I can't honestly say I believe the first two didn't beep and I definitely didn't make a conscious choice to ignore them. Attached is an image of my pro track and the date is correct the jump number is way off. I get lazy about programming them sometimes. Anyone who thinks this could never happen to you, well I was just like you. Be safe and always be responsible for your own safety instead of assuming someone else is paying attention. "... this ain't a Nerf world."

I don't know what I would do about a main but I would consider retiring a Triathlon because it is a Triathlon I bought a new container once from a guy with a couple of cats. Apparently my cat didn't approve so he "covered" their scent. It was horrible. I gently washed it in the bathtub with multiple soaking rinses....every second day for two weeks. I even resorted to one of those products to remove cat urine and made sure I washed it with normal detergent the last time. The cat would invariably poke his head in the bathroom to see what I was up to. I would chase him around the house like a hound from hell with a fly swatter for a minimum of 15 minutes and rarely more than 30 minutes. Pretty much until he was exhausted and I felt a little better. The rig smells great and as soon as I enter the room with skydiving gear, the cat vanishes. I still give him the warning stare though. Good luck "... this ain't a Nerf world."

Yeah, I never even see their addresses so there is no way I would have that. My hat is off to you but I have to agree with the post that said one year is reasonable and I also encourage them to go home and make copies of both the DVD and the CD of their stills. The handful of times I have been asked I was able to find the jumps though. "... this ain't a Nerf world."

How close was their memory as to when the jump was? FYI I am firmly in the "If they are lucky" category. I haven't had one yet I couldn't find but my stacks of tapes are not even close to being organized. I keep saying I will fix that but, yeah right. "... this ain't a Nerf world."

I used to hear the question "Which is better, skydiving or sex?". For me it has always been a question of which I have had the most of recently.

Skydiving has moved beyond the days of modifying surplus military gear for better performance. The Spectre is an outstanding wing as it was designed so what you need to do now is learn to fly it. It is easy to exceed your experience level after a few or even a few hundred successful landings. As soon as you think you know it all your guard slips and things get really dangerous. Good luck, be safe and have fun. Oh, and be selective where you get advice from. Stick to people you know and trust. Some really well intentioned people can put you in mortal danger in this sport. "... this ain't a Nerf world."

In all fairness there are also non-uspa DZs out there that are perfectly safe. The DZO may choose not to be a group member for other reasons than they can't comply. I would like to point out something that I believe has been overlooked. I occasionally run across skydivers who either weren't trained properly or didn't retain the info, which is just as bad. They are both equally dangerous to themselves as well as us. It is also in our best interest to try to minimize the danger to our friends and ourselves by trying to educate the dangerous people. It doesn't usually work if you take the moral high ground and start yelling at them but that doesn't mean we can just bitch among ourselves either. You never know when the sneaky bastards might end up on a plane with you or someone you care about. "... this ain't a Nerf world."

I am just curious why you assume he didn't get his motorcycle license? I could teach someone to ride a sport bike through the cones and earn a license. Still doesn't prepare them for what the bike is capable of. "... this ain't a Nerf world."

I saw the video of the guy at the convention wrapped around the tail of the otter. I would try to reach a pretty quick plan of action myself. I don't want to have to study my risers to figure out which canopy deployed prematurely and is above my head. Just my thoughts. "... this ain't a Nerf world."

In a lawsuit type scenario, do you think the USPA or skydivers as a collective would be treated the same as the Air Force? In the Marine Corps, the one unforgivable sin was hesitation so we learned not to. That is a different mindset than I usually see in my skydiving students. Training methods have to be adapted accordingly. I know the Air Force is a lot more laid back but it still isn't viewed as an unnecessary leisure activity the way skydiving should be. I believe that as bogged down as the bureaucracy is, they would likely form a committee to see how many people are effected by their rulings and then treat them accordingly. We are a small group and our sport could easily be legislated out of existence. Increased insurance requirements alone could do it. Exactly why do you suppose many life insurance policies now cover suicide (as long as you are vested) but still won't pay in the event of skydiving or rock climbing or a few other activities? "... this ain't a Nerf world."

Sounds a lot like what the park service did with BASE jumping. I agree with you completely that as long as we can be self governed by USPA it is in our best interest to try and comply. "... this ain't a Nerf world."

I think we should avoid black for pilot chutes. If you are in the woods or even tall grass looking for a cutaway baglock it won't matter that the canopy is bright yellow. You will be looking for a d-bag (usually black or dark blue) and some lines and your pilot chute. Electric blue or neon pink are a lot easier to find than black or grey. Just something else to think about. Oh, and remember that it only shows after deployment. You can color the handle any way you like to match the rig. "... this ain't a Nerf world."

Good thing they are selling cool jumpsuits instead of web designs. I think they should get someone to fix the site also but the suits still rock. I am sure one of their friends in the rodriguez brothers would hook them up. "... this ain't a Nerf world."