Tonto

Been there, done that, many, many times. Skydiving has always won - at least for the last 19 years. I don't date whuffo's. t It's the year of the Pig.

There are no BMI's in South Africa. There are some more experienced wing suit flyers, but many of them hold no instructional ratings at all and don't relate well to students. Jumper 1 is a freeflyer all the way. She's current, cautious but very aware and relaxed in the air and very keen to jump a suit... but 5'4 100 lb suits don't grow on trees in Africa... She normally jumps a Stilleto 97, but has her Safire 135/PD 126R waiting for Birdman. I tried to set up her 1st BM jump with Chuck in Eloy.. but it never happened cos of weather and timing etc. I think she'll do OK. This weekend I'll be going with a 7000 jump guy on his first ever WS dive in a GTI - and I'll be wearing a Classic, following the "Fly the suit you're most comfortable in" logic since it's the ONLY suit I've jumped.. t It's the year of the Pig.

Thanks for the feedback. Defnitly in the long term. I don't care if the 1st 50 are specs on the horizon if relativity is improving. I've only flown with 1 or 2 other wingsuits, all of us on classics, and the procimity (to within 4 or 5 feet) seems quite easy. Of course docking is another thing altogether... I've heard the same about Matter suits.. but I've also heard they break... and living in Africa, with a crappy exchange rate, I'd prefer a suit I didn't have to send away all the time... t It's the year of the Pig.

Yes, I've been there. I did 1000 dives of FS 4 way, and was ready to drop it all. Then I went to the US and picked up an AFF and a Tandem rating. That got me through the year, but I was facing Tandem burnout. I got back to South Africa and continued AFF and Tandem, but was also in the National CF rotation team, which kept things fresh for another 3 years. I realised I was doing CF cos I was good at it, not cos I really enjoyed it, so I stopped. Cut back on the Tandem and did more AFF for a few more years, then started to freefly and do some wing suit jumps, and then dropped Tandem completely. There's a sprinkling of camera and demo jumps in there over the last 19 years too, and of course I swoop when I'm on the gear to make it worthwhile.. If you want to stop, then stop. This is too expensive and too dangerous to do if you don't want to do it.. t It's the year of the Pig.

Yes. F-111 type fabric also has lower snach forces which reduces the likelyhood of line dump. t It's the year of the Pig.

Jumper 1.. 500 jumps, 5'4, 104 lbs, 0 wingsuit dives but planning on getting a GTI as there's not much 2nd hand market for wingsuits that size. Jumper 2.. 4000+ jumps 5'11, 165 lbs... 40 wingsuit dives on borrowed Classic 1's and 2's. What am I (jumper 2) going to need to stay with her? Will a GTI do it, or will I need an S3? t It's the year of the Pig.

I'm from South Africa. I've been to (in order, I think..) Namibia Botswana Greece Israel Poland Austria Germany Switzerland Belgium The Netherlands Luxumborg The UK France Spain Portugal Italy Zimbabwe India Nepal Thailand Japan Nationalist China Hong Kong USA Australia British West Indies Bahama's Mozambique Swaziland Lesoto Kenya Tanzania Where would I avoid in future? France. t It's the year of the Pig.

Congratulations on surviving. Maybe the 57 fractures to your face absorbed the energy, and so your helmet had no work left to do. If they change the law here, and I have to choose between wearing a helmet or not skydiving, I'll wear one. But I don't trust them, and I'd never test them. t It's the year of the Pig.

At 500 yards a 160 grain 7 mil Rem Mag has more than double (1545fp) the muzzle energy of a 240 grain .44 magnum.(740 fp) At 800 yards it's still got more zap than a 240 grain .44 Magnum with the barrel gently touching your chest. If you really beleive that's "marginally effective for anything besides putting holes in paper" then most anti personel sniping aficondo's will disagree with you. I agree that 800 yards is not 2365 yards, and that an 18 inch (3 shot) group from an 800 grain .50 BMG round at that range is a whole new ballgame, but those applications are more anti-materiel than anti personel. (Besides, at those ranges a 20mm would do the trick far better.. like this South African product...) If you're going to do something, you may as well do it properly. t It's the year of the Pig.

Interesting input. It seems you've put more thought into this than I gave you credit for. My apologies! t It's the year of the Pig.

I agree completely. I enjoy my .44 magnum, and my Mod 71 Berreta in .22. Some of my most satisfying "long range" shooting has been with a .22 at 150 yards. It's all fun, just the same way I enjoy FS, CF, freelying, Wingsuits and swooping. Love it all. t It's the year of the Pig.

Shooting at great ranges introduces many variables which can be very difficult and challenging to control. A .50 BMG round could be effective out to 1800 yards, possibly even further depending on the target. Distances like that make a 2 knot crosswind unadjusted for, ANYTHING touching the barrel, a change in surface tempreture like shooting over some dirt, some grass, some water to the target, a change in density altitude, the degree of crimp on the round, the seating of the primer or ANY variable mean that you are GARENTEED to miss. Trimming those factors, predicting weather and wind etc create a blend of art and science which are very satisfying. Hitting a target at that range gives you a really nice feeling of achievement. Few could ever do it, regardless of the tools they were given. Having said that, there's more to the military application of such marksmanship that simple good shooting. Sure, they cut a few corners with lazer range finders etc since they're not on a range, but when you've spent 2 or 3 days getting into a position without swatting a single bug to use those skills, and when you see the shitstorm that arrives when the target goes down, you wouldn't mind that little bit of extra insurance either. When you're a civilian, it's more a Walter Mitty kind of skill, or a means of reliving your past, as that type of marksmanship is never required of hunters or even Olympic competitors. In fact, the purcieved poor stalking skills would probably be ethically frowned apon by most hunters. It still feels really good to reach out and touch a point in time and space at 800+ yards, even using relativly humble calibre weapons (Relative to .50 BMG) like Win 308 or 7 mil Rem Mag. t It's the year of the Pig.

Identical. If you die here, it's probably your own fault.

Interesting choice of words... t It's the year of the Pig.

Well... I think we understand the meaning of balance.

And a dead child in SA as a result of a demo jumper who swooped into the crowd. She was 6. What risk do you think she accepted when she went to her school fundraiser? t It's the year of the Pig.

Yeah. Like Steven, Bongani, Justice and Jabu!

Really? Q. Why do we have a quadroplegic instructor at our DZ? A. Because of a canopy collision. I think that’s important to remember when looking at your analogy. t It's the year of the Pig.

Some ambiguety here. A colapsable pilot chute colapses during deployment, and is "cocked" (or uncollapsed) during the packing process. t It's the year of the Pig.

Is that just after Abigaille discovers she's not his daughter but the child of slaves? t It's the year of the Pig.

Cos these days... I don't think we wait for God to judge others. I think we're getting really good at doing it ourselves... t It's the year of the Pig.

Cool.

Ahh Jeffrey... I can't please you... You ask for a liberal arguement, and I leap at your command. The entire peice was tongue in cheek, and I said I'd like to own one, but still you fight with me... I'm so sad. I think I'm going to cry. I feel so...... misunderstood... Bwhahahahahah t It's the year of the Pig.

Sure. Opera is right after skydiving and guns, and comes just before pussy. As Chuteless confirmed, it's written by Giuseppe Verdi. It's set in Paris and the surrounding area in August 1850 through February 1851 and premiered in Venice in 1853. Its remained quite popular ever since apart from a slow period in the UK during the Victorian era as one of the main charecters is a courtesan. Briefly, the plot is as follows... At a party in Violetta's house, Alfredo is introduced to Violetta whom he has admired from a distance. Together they offer a toast to the revelers. The crowd leaves to dance, but Violetta, who feels faint remains. Alfredo joins her and expresses the deep concern he feels for her. She cuts him off telling him to look for love elsewhere. Alfredo begins to leave when Violetta gives him a flower and tells him to come back when it is wilted - tomorrow. Five months later, Violetta and Alfredo have moved to a country house near Paris. Annina, who has been absent, returns and informs Alfredo that she has been away to make arrangements to sell her mistress' belongings to pay for her new life here with him. Alfredo leaves to secure money so that Violetta does not have to. Violetta arrives and soon after, so does an invitation to a party at Flora's that evening. A visitor arrives who announces himself to be Alfredo's father. He questions her virtues, but at the same time is impressed by her lady-like manners. She shows him the receipts of the sale of her belongings which helps to establish her as a lady of dignity and character instead of a fortune hunter as Giorgio first believed. She tells him that her love for Alfredo has redeemed her, but Germont says she must sacrifice Alfredo. It seems that Alfredo's scandalous affair with her has made his sister's chance for a respectable marriage very slim. Violetta refuses to give Alfredo up, but the elder Germont persists. She finally gives in and after Germont leaves, she writes a note for Alfredo. Suddenly, Alfredo appears and she begs him to love her as she leaves for Paris and Flora's party. Moments later, Alfredo receives the letter from a gardener and realizes that his dream has ended. The elder Germont arrives to comfort Alfredo, but when Alfredo finds the invitation to Flora's party, he rushes off to the party. Full of rage, Alfredo denounces Violetta in front of the guests. Remorseful and shamed, he leaves. A month later, they are re-united after the elder Germont tells Alfredo of his earlier request of Violetta to leave him. The re-union, however, is short-lived as Violetta's succumbs to consumption. In my opinion, the best music is the party scene in Act 2 scene 2. Enjoy. t It's the year of the Pig.