Tonto

Want to give us some details? t It's the year of the Pig.

No. A main reserve entanglement will be scary for a few secs, then it'll be over - one way or another. Your ex-wife will always be lurking somewhere. I'd choose death over my ex-wife anyday, even a slow, painful death. Not her fault, just really, really poor judgement on my part. t It's the year of the Pig.

I've never understood this. I don't pluck mine - and I don't think I've ever dated someone who plucks theirs. I know my SO doesn't. t It's the year of the Pig.

I took off 6 weeks with a femur broken in 9 places. I thought it was stupid then, since I was on crutches for almost a year. Now, some 18 years later, I think that was fucking stupid. I only did something like 30 jumps in that year, and the risk was unacceptably high, although I may just have saved my sanity. (I'm sure others will disagree..) Still cool today to think that 6 weeks is the longest time out in 20 years, although I did skip a month in November 1998 cos I was on an island that had just had it's DZ shut... t It's the year of the Pig.

I only have one jump on a Sugar Glider, and am accustomed to the BASE PC Pouch on my S3, but I had no issues at all with the pull. All I can say is its slow, rock steady and easy to read. t It's the year of the Pig.

Here we go... t It's the year of the Pig.

Going from 1.26 to 1.6 is a huge jump. Listen to what Peej has said, as he already has the titanium, so speaks with some authority on these issues after following a similar path to the one you propose. Since you're also changing your container, consider the wing loading on your reserve of choice too, bearing in mind that non ZP, low aspect ratio 7 cells don't offer the flare power you're accustomed to at similar loadings, and you will be lower than you intended to be when you use your reserve. t It's the year of the Pig.

Hey! Congratulations. Glad you left those BPA problems behind you and learned to fly! Blue Skies, t It's the year of the Pig.

I've been jumping 20 years, as have several other jumpers from my DZ. 10+ years ago, there were a few caravans, no electricity, a couple of students and a club membership of about 30 of which about a third were "Lifetime" or "founder" members and a Cessna. Now we have a 2 hangars, a clubhouse, a classroom, 2 briefing rooms, a video room, bunkhouse, a canteen, a bush pub, electricity, about 200 members and a Pilatus PC-6 which is currently undergoing an upgrade from H2 to H4 airframe and will be getting a Dash 36 engine. We're the busiest club in the country, doing 34% of all jumps done in South Africa, the remaining 66% spread over the other 16 dropzones. Recently, some of my generation of jumpers have begun searching for "the elusive fun factor." They feel that something has gone missing with all this progress having been made. I can't see what they're talking about. We're going 2000ft higher, twice as fast. The club is full of new people, and they're doing well, and having fun. We're dominating at Nationals in multiple disiplines. We offer coaching in everything from FS to Wingsuits. We have bonfires, bands and party till 2am (plus) on a regular basis. Can people really get nostalgic about funneled 4 ways out of a Cessna? If so, when the Porter was out for a weekend getting it's airframe upgrade - where were all these people when the Cessna WAS there? Is it really the skydiving, or is it that their lives are now filled with meetings and deadlines and all the commitments and responsibilities they've picked up over the years, and what they're missing is not the good old days, but who they were in the good old days? I've tried to keep up with this sport. I've jumped rounds with front mount reserves, and 8mm Camera on a motorcycle helmet. Are ZP, carbon fibre, microline, slinks, wingsuits, turbines, riser turns etc really that bad? Are we on the right track, or have we really lost something along the way? Personally, I think that our students are safer, our gear is better, and our DZ is more comfortable, and I think that's a good thing. Am I wrong? t It's the year of the Pig.

Here, you'd need to do just that. With an A licence and a year off, former students of mine need to sit in on the 1st jump course, perform harness training and do an AFF L7 with me. Since we still use ripcord equiped rigs for AFF, I do the L7 with "familiar gear" which is usually BOC/AAD with a moderately loaded canopy. (Not exceeding 1.1 - we're 5000ft AMSL) Nice people (like you) who have nearly 100 dives (like you) and links to the skydiving community (like you) who left in body but never in spirit (like you) should be able to make some deal with someone with a rating for a case of beer and slots or something. I never charge former students of mine to get recurrent. The fewer hurdles there are, the more likely they are to return. t It's the year of the Pig.

I must have a couple of hundred out landings.. About 750 CRW dives count for a bunch, but in the late 80's we had an annual C-130 boogie in Mmabatho. (Now Mafikeng, again.. Don't you love African name changes? ) The kite used to run in down the main road, and take about 20 miles to empty a C-130 of solos, 2 ways, 3 ways etc. Buses would start from 20 miles out on each side and collect everyone who had the presence of mind to head for the road. Canopies back then were mostly 220 sq ft 7 cells which were very well suited to out landings or impromptu demo's into every part of the town. SOP was head for the road and pack while waiting for the bus. Smart jumpers carried water, and the really smart ones carried their passports, as the border to Botswana was only 12 miles away. t It's the year of the Pig.

It's an off the shelf component. Seems though, that I may have the right part after all. Same part, different part numbers. I'll do a physical comparison this weekend. t It's the year of the Pig.

Gotta come visit us here! Middle of winter, and not a drop of rain for the past few months, and none forcast for the next 2 months either!

Ommmmmmmm.... t It's the year of the Pig.

7 cell canopies generally have lower aspect ratios. (No cross-braced comments please..) Lower aspect ratios generally mean a steeper glide and lower forward speed - and as we all know, speed is lift. Any moderate planform at the wing loading you suggest should give you no problem. As with most things in skydiving, it's the pilot, not the canopy, so I suggest you follow the advice on attending a canopy control course. Good luck. t It's the year of the Pig.

I'm in Africa. It's a long way from the US. I order a component from a manufacturer, they bill my credit card and send the component. It's the wrong size. They apologise and send me the component again. Again, it's the wrong size. How long do you think is too long to solve this problem? Fedex gets here in less than a week. Is over half a year pushing it? t It's the year of the Pig.

This is interesting from an ethics point of view. 1. You were not a square 1 customer. 2. You were late. Having said that 1. You're a skydiver and we're ALWAYS buying stuff. 2. If he'd helped you out, it may have built goodwill. Bottom line is I think you have big balls showing up late and asking a rival dealer to measure you up for gear you're buying from someone else, and then getting mad when they say no. I think so, yes. t It's the year of the Pig.

15 jumps. Saturday, 4 AFF, 1 Birdman Sunday, 9 AFF, 1 Birdman t It's the year of the Pig.

Time. I've been jumping 20 years. My parents were overjoyed when I stopped racing superbikes. They were horrified that I switched to skydiving. After 2 years in the sport, I smashed my femur hooking it. I thought at the time that they were very supportive, but it was recently revealed to me some 18 years later that they were OVERJOYED that I'd smashed myself because they thought I would stop. Over time, things improved. They were dubious when I said I was leaving my job to go to the US to pick up tandem and AFF ratings and to gain some big sequencial experience. My dad said - "They've been to the moon. They don't need an African to tell them how to jump out of aircraft!" I made a bet - that if I lasted a year in the US and got my ratings, that he'd do a tandem with me. Well, I did, and he did his tandem. He never did more, but in the 13 years since then, both of them come out to the DZ whenever they visit and sit back and watch the skies. I don't get the frantic sunday evening calls from my Mom, "You're ALIVE!" anymore, and being 40 something now, I've sat them down and had the chat that even if the worst happens, and I go in - this ride has been the most worthwhile of my life. The places, the times, the dives, but mainly the people. I'm so far ahead of the game that I feel guilt when I see those with less time and fewer jumps maim and kill themselves. Skydiving has been better to me than life itself. I struggle to see the benefit of one without the other. Stopping, or even slowing down is unthinkable. I'm a parent too now, and it's tough to realise the child in tears who just came off her bike will one day be doing things that scare me. She's already done two tandems though - and skydiving is not one of those things. Welcome to the party. Your parents love for you will be stronger than anything you can do. They'll come around eventually, as long as you stay as safe as you can, and be the child they have always loved. t It's the year of the Pig.

Sorry for the tardy reply. No flames from me. I simply asked you 2 questions. t It's the year of the Pig.

"These peole (for the most part) aren't here to aspire to the American way. The won't follow the laws and they don't or can't learn the language. Ultimately the US will start to look more like Mexico, a third world shit hole. Want proof, just look at communities that have high concentrations of Mexicans. They are always the worst looking areas of a city or town." Sounds like xenophobia to me.... In South Africa, we have the strongest ecconomy in Africa, and democracy as well. We're a great target for people who want to improve their position in life, and we have many, many South Africans saying the same thing. We call them "Racists." t It's the year of the Pig.

What's the shape of your face? Everyone has a different face, so some sunglasses work for some but not for others. t It's the year of the Pig.

Ga! He's just 30 years out. let it go already! t It's the year of the Pig.

I thought benny~tow left the game 1st? t It's the year of the Pig.