nael

I started 4 months ago - I'm 23. I had 2 (and a half!) jobs to pay my way through AFF, but it was so worth it. Now it's finally getting a little cheaper. I'm so glad I started now, and not in 10 or 20 years time. Although I could definately afford it more then, but I guess it just depends how much you want something. You definately have to prioritise! www.TerminalSports.com.auAustralia's largest skydive gear store

No offense intended to anyone who posted, but the majority of the replies have little more experience than I do. I was hoping for some answers from people who specifically knew the flying characteristics of the 2 canopies mentioned. To answer some questions - my instructors are happy for me to downsize (even to the 170) and I am confident in it also. The student canopies are old, and because of my wingloading I have more trouble flaring them, and was told by a few instructors that I might find it easier to flare a smaller canopy - so that's what I've done. Also, I do practice flares on every jump I do, simply because I know my landings are not the best, and I like to feel where the canopy stops before doing it in an actual landing. As for not actually being in full drive when i come in to land, this is a possibility. Unfortunately I have to jump it again to find out for sure though. Is there anyone who can answer my questions who's had personal experience with both canopies? www.TerminalSports.com.auAustralia's largest skydive gear store

I am just off student status, and have begun jumping smaller canopies. Last weekend I did my first 2 jumps on a Safire2 189 (with about 20 jumps on it) which I am hiring from the dz. I downsized from a 240. The main I bought is a PD 170 (with about 10 jumps on it), and although most of my instructors say I'd be ok to jump it, my landings under the 240 were pretty bad (stood up 3 out of 30!) so i decided to jump the 189 for a few jumps before going to my 170 (wingloading 0.7:1). Now, here's my question. My landings were pretty crap (as expected) under the 189. I was planning on jumping it again for the next few weeks to get used to it, but then I realised the 189(ZP) and 170(F111) will fly and land completely differently to each other. Are their flying and flaring/landing characteristics so different that jumping the 189 more would make little difference to how well I land the 170? If the landing/flaring characteristics of the 170 are significantly different to the 189 would I be better off just jumping the 170 now and learning how it flies instead of wasting time on the 189? If I could find a PD 190 to jump I would, because it'd be fairly similar to my 170 (i expect) but it's not an option. These are the 2 canopies I have to choose from. Also, the harness the 189 is in is a little big on me, and I can reach the toggles but it does take (a little more) effort, and I was thinking my bad landings could be enhanced because I am unable to get a full flare out of it? (or am I just making excuses? ) Sorry for such a long post, but I'm trying to answer questions I think people might ask before they ask them! Any opinions would be appreciated - obviously I will be discussing this with my instructors on the weekend aswell. www.TerminalSports.com.auAustralia's largest skydive gear store

Thanks! www.TerminalSports.com.auAustralia's largest skydive gear store

The question still stands.... A part of your A licence application is getting signed off by the CI as being able to pack a main for your own use... oh well. Good luck in your search. I got my A recently and no one ever made me prove I can pack. Luckily, I can pack, but none of the people who did my A test knew that. I had instructors tell me its not really tested before they give you your A, even though the A card has it written on it. This guy learnt at a different dz to me, but I'd say that's the case for him too. www.TerminalSports.com.auAustralia's largest skydive gear store

Firstly, I've only been jumping about 4 months. While I was doing AFF I made sure I didnt even go out the night before jumping. Since then, I've made the decision not to jump after drinking a lot at the dz the night before, but I've also done the opposite. I had my first chop about 2 weeks ago, that was the saturday, I went out saturday night, got sufficiently drunk, had 4 hours sleep, and was back jumping Sunday morning. Pretty stupid thing to do when you look at my experience level, but I wont be doing it again anytime soon, and the jumps I did on the sunday were my best 2 landings yet! It all came down to luck though - it could have got ugly. www.TerminalSports.com.auAustralia's largest skydive gear store

Bill, this just made me think of something else. I've just done my conversions to a TAS, so the proceedure is fairly new to me. If you have a total mal or PC in tow - basically a mal where the risers will remain under the tuck flaps and in place, if you dont cutaway first to release the 3 rings would there be a possibility of the reserve risers being fouled at all by the main risers? I'm guessing the chance of this would be minimal (from what was being said earlier in this thread), if not non-existant, but now I'm thinking about it, so I want to know! Obviously the main risers would still be there, but cuting away would release the 3 rings to allow more 'give' for the reserve risers. Is this the right train of thought or would cutting away/not cutting away make no difference in this case? (I know you wont tell me not to cut away, since you dont want to confuse the emeregency procedures I've learnt, but in theory only - would cutting away make a difference?) www.TerminalSports.com.auAustralia's largest skydive gear store

I'm hopeless at flaring too. Yesterday I had my hardest landing yet (PLR'd and didnt injure myself thankfully!). It's so frustrating, I know the theory behind it, I've had at least a dozen instructors give me tips on how to do it, and also tell me what I'm doing wrong, but I still cant get it right. On my last 2 jumps I actually let 1 toggle up after flaring and turned the canopy about 5' off the ground, causing me to smack in. I'm even more annoyed because I didnt even realise that's what I'd done until I had some instructors tell me. It's sort of comforting to know other newbies have similar problems. I just hope I get it right before I break myself. www.TerminalSports.com.auAustralia's largest skydive gear store

Yeah, we're taught to discard the ripcord, and then go for the cutaway/reserve handle. I did my conversions course yesterday - my first jumps on the TAS will be next weekend. I'm a little nervous, I like having the ripcord where I can see it!! www.TerminalSports.com.auAustralia's largest skydive gear store

haha shut up dave! I'll be thinking of you while I'm jumping this weekend! www.TerminalSports.com.auAustralia's largest skydive gear store

1. I did send an email. 2. I got 2 big emails today that filled my inbox, they're deleted now, so there's room. 3. I've PM'd Dom - didnt realise you guys posted here or I would have just PM'd you and not made this thread. 4. For the future, if a product is out maybe it'd be a good idea to inform the customer to avoid situations like this. If I'd just got an email saying it's gonna take an extra few weeks, even month, whatever, I'd be bummed, but I'd at least know what's going on. 5. Crisis over. Doms on the case now. www.TerminalSports.com.auAustralia's largest skydive gear store

I asked for it to be shipped the quickest way - I cant remember how exactly that was, but there's about 3 different options and I asked for the quickest one. I ordered some dvds and a pro track - nothing they wouldnt have had in stock, and if it was a stock issue I'd expect an email telling me so. I havent checked if my credit card has been charged - I'll check it first thing tomorrow. www.TerminalSports.com.auAustralia's largest skydive gear store

Does anyone know how long shipping usually takes from these guys? I ordered $600 worth of stuff 3 weeks ago and still havent got it. Granted, I'm in Australia, but I've received stuff from America before in a LOT shorter period of time. Yes, I've already emailed them about it, but I want to hear from other people if this is a one off thing, or if they always take this long. I doubt I'll be ordering from them again after this. www.TerminalSports.com.auAustralia's largest skydive gear store

Thats what I thought, but I'm a 29 jump wonder, and I have very very very limited understanding of how a canopy flies, but isnt it obvious that a canopy being flown in half breaks will stay in the air longer than a canopy in full drive?? Seems pretty logical to me, if all other factors are the same for both canopies. www.TerminalSports.com.auAustralia's largest skydive gear store

I worked at the RSPCA (in australia) for 2.5 years. Unfortunately I saw horrific cruelty cases (much much worse then this) all the time. The problem is, when it's taken to court in this country the bastards got very lenient sentences in many cases. That makes it even more frustrating. Hopefully the legal system in the US will work a little better. www.TerminalSports.com.auAustralia's largest skydive gear store

It's actually a Micro Raven 150 - but that wasnt an option in the profiles! Plus, I didnt actually expect anyone to be reading my profile, cause I'm actually still jumping student gear until next weekend. www.TerminalSports.com.auAustralia's largest skydive gear store

Doesnt sound too functional if its logging bogus jumps! www.TerminalSports.com.auAustralia's largest skydive gear store

Firstly, I am a SHE not a HE! Secondly, I agree about it being my butt on the line - thats why I question what everyone tells me, and why I asked about 10 different instructors on the weekend about me on a 140. Still, some of them said I'd be fine on it, some said it might be a bit small - I made the decision in the end based on what happened (and the advice of a few instructors I listen to more than others). The 220 wasnt necessarily a lot faster to me, rather than a lot more responsive. It wasnt really any different on landing. www.TerminalSports.com.auAustralia's largest skydive gear store

I've sorted it out - well, it sorted itself out. I had my first cutaway on saturday. The reserve was a 220, and it felt significantly faster. Everything my instructors said would happen, happened. I landed off, it was an unfamiliar canopy (size), and I didnt like the way it flew, I just wanted to land it! I would definatly not be comfortable jumping with a 140 reserve. I got my money back for the rig with the 140, and bought anther rig I had been looking at. It has a 150 reserve, which definately makes me more comfortable. Thanks for the input, but I guess in the end nature took its course and I made the decision based on that. www.TerminalSports.com.auAustralia's largest skydive gear store

The 150 is a Micro Raven and has 2 jumps, the 140 is an Airforce and has 0. www.TerminalSports.com.auAustralia's largest skydive gear store

Is a 140 that different to a 150? I assumed it was, but you made it sound like it would be much the same. Maybe I am over reacting. www.TerminalSports.com.auAustralia's largest skydive gear store

I bought a rig from a guy at my dz with a 150 reserve in it. There's now a problem with fitting the reserve and the cypres in the container (it didnt have a cypres), and the guy wants to swap my 150 reserve for a 140 to fit it in. I'd have a wingloading of about 1:1 on the 140. He's telling me it's fine, but I'm not happy with having a reserve that small for my first rig, when I'm used to jumping 240's (I'm still on student gear now, but the main I have bought is a 170). I've had a few experienced jumpers telling me I'd be fine under a 140, but the way I see it - it'd be my first reserve ride, chances are I'm going to be shaken up anyway, so I dont need to be flying something smaller than anything I've ever flown before aswell! Am I over reacting? Am I just being paranoid? www.TerminalSports.com.auAustralia's largest skydive gear store

I'm having the same problem with my landings. I have 23 jumps and I only stood up the landing on 1 of them! Every landing I am smacking in. I have had a few experienced jumpers watch me, and apparently I am flaring too high. I have started flaring lower than I was, but it is still way too high because I am still ending the flare way too high. I look ahead of me when I'm landing, but possibly not far enough ahead?? I am jumping the student canopies at the moment, a 240 I have a wingloading of about 0.5 on them, and next week I will start jumping my own 170, and I'll have a wingloading of about 0.7 on it. I'm doing a canopy control course in about 3 weeks, but I'm a little concerned that I shouldnt be jumping a 170 yet because of my previous landings. I will once again ask some instructors at my dz to watch my landings but I really think its a mental thing now for me. I expect to screw up every landing, and thus, I am screwing up every landing. If nothing else, I am providing free entertainment for everyone at the dz. www.TerminalSports.com.auAustralia's largest skydive gear store

I'm not an instructor either, but I'm gonna get in on this anyway. When I was gearing up for about my 10th jump, I walked in to get a jump suit and the DZO was gearing up a guy for his first tandem. I've walked in and must've looked pretty confident in what I was doing, because the DZO turns to the tandem student and says "See, we even let girls jump here!! What's next? They're gonna want to vote or something!!" I started laughing, but the tandem student just stood there staring in disbelief. Made it even funnier for me. On the way to altitude on my first tandem I asked for a money back garuntee if the chute didnt work. My TM and cameraman agreed! www.TerminalSports.com.auAustralia's largest skydive gear store

I planned on jumping today, but my knee is screwed up and I can hardly bend it, so jumping is out. It's raining a little anyway, so I'm not too upset. I'm heading out to the dz anyway because I have a rig that I am thinking of buying and I want some experienced people to check it out. Tonight is alcohol/party night (on $20 cause the rest of my money goes to skydiving), tomorrow I'm sleeping. All in all, kinda sucks, cause I cant jump. :( www.TerminalSports.com.auAustralia's largest skydive gear store