pilotdave

Members
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Content

    7,302

  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Feedback

    0%

Everything posted by pilotdave

  1. pilotdave
    Why didn't you just cancel your order a year ago? I agree that you got screwed, but I don't understand why anybody would wait 18 months for a rig. Now you got it and don't want to pay for it? That's cool... return it. Dave
  2. pilotdave
    Some from Friday night. My first attempts at night photography. Lots of guesswork... I'm happy with the results! Dave
  3. pilotdave
    IAI Arava?... guessing in Mexico our south america somewhere? I think I see spanish. Dave
  4. pilotdave
    How many of em got custom embroidery on the reserve handle? That seems to be one of the common reasons for wanting a soft handle. Dave
  5. pilotdave
    Exactly. The Vigil works as designed. That's why I'll stick with a cypres. It works as designed as well, but apparently does some extra data-validity checking to detect faults or seemingly impossible situations. The vigil apparently just detects firing parameters and fires, just like it's designed to do. The cypres also doesn't seem to need to be rebooted at noon.
  6. pilotdave
    I video all my coach jumps. I debrief without video, then show the video and add to the debrief. Students don't believe their legs were on their butt until they see it on video. Seeing is believing. The video doesn't help on its own, but when added to a debrief, I bet the video is more helpful to the student than anything that comes out of the coach's mouth. Dave
  7. pilotdave
    In the motion to dismiss, page 9: Dave
  8. pilotdave
    http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2009/04/30/pn.text.bus.crash.cnn?iref=videosearch Dave
  9. pilotdave
    True, but even at high shutter speeds it's really nice just for aiming the camera and getting good focus. I use it at 1/500th+ all the time for landing pictures, etc. It's really hard to follow the jump plane on jumprun at 300mm without IS (for me). With IS, it's easy... the plane just sort of stops in the viewfinder instead of bouncing all around. Body mounted IS, instead of lens mounted IS, doesn't get to take advantage of this and is only useful for lower shutter speeds. Dave
  10. pilotdave
    IS wouldn't work correctly because it requires some time to stabilize. You need to hold the shutter release half way down for a couple seconds for the IS to work. You can't do that if you're using any of the common tongue/bite/blow switches. If you take a picture too quickly before the IS has time to stabilize, it might actually make the picture more blurry, or at best do nothing. IS is nice on the ground, but i don't think it's necessary at those focal lengths. It really comes in handy at 300mm though! Dave
  11. pilotdave
    You sure? The FF2 has a similar metal spring on the ratchet strap hardware. No snagginess on mine though. Dave
  12. pilotdave
    The plastic zak knives work fine... ...for their intended purpose: "Belly slitting and urchin processing." Dave
  13. pilotdave
    And even when not needed! That's bonus!
  14. pilotdave
    Here's a masterpiece. Ok, maybe not. I guess it's ok though.
  15. pilotdave
    One of the jumpsuit's jobs is to help adjust your fall rate so you fall at the same speed as other jumpers. You'll need to ask your instructors what you need in terms of fit and fabrics to help you out. Generally if you're very small and light, you'll want a tighter, slicker suit. If you're big, you'll want a looser suit and heavier fabrics. Print out a jumpsuit order form and bring it to the DZ so you can go over it with your instructors. Dave
  16. pilotdave
    I'd sell my second rig really cheap. But I don't think you want the 120 main, or the 120 reserve. And it has no cypres. And it's pink. And it's getting a bit tight on me (it must be shrinking). Feel free to try it on this weekend though. Hmmm, if you can even get it on, maybe I'll let you keep it.
  17. pilotdave
    That just made me throw up in my mouth a little. I have 2 rigs, but Nikita is definitely not my type. His beard would be all scratchy and stuff. Gross.
  18. pilotdave
    FYI, your images have the exif data intact. It's easy to check the settings you used. These were Sport mode, 11mm. The camera was doing 1/400-1/640th, f/5, ISO 400. An exif viewer extension for firefox makes it really easy to see a photographer's secrets.
  19. pilotdave
    I have never figured out the fuel burn of a PT6 at idle so I can't do the math for that. But you have to remember that in skydiving, time is money... at least sometimes. They might possibly burn more gas taking off downwind instead of taxiing farther (i doubt it though), but it might mean they fly a couple extra loads by the end of the day. That can make all the difference. Dave
  20. pilotdave
    Nice! That was seriously the funniest thing I've read here in a long time. So true. When the spot correction buttons are close enough for the pilot to reach over and smack the jumper pressing them, you probably don't need the buttons.
  21. pilotdave
    I use gaffers tape (I know, it's evil and will destroy the world, yada yada). But with the 10-22, I really don't need anything. Wind doesn't make it zoom in or out. I have a really old piece of gaffers tape on it that is barely sticky anymore. I like to change my zoom in freefall a lot, and almost always under canopy.
  22. pilotdave
    Yep, bigway organizers are always encouraging jumpers to start zooming around the sky if they go low. Works best when at least a couple people are doing it.
  23. pilotdave
    A few from this past weekend... Dave
  24. pilotdave
    You might want to do a little research before you start ranting. I mean, it was sort of entertaining, but you need to get the details right or you look like an idiot. USPA didn't sue skyride... Skyride sued USPA. Dave
  25. pilotdave
    CPI has a Tri 190 in a rental rig, so trying one will be no problem if it's an appropriate size for you. To me, it sounds a bit small. Take your weight with clothes, add about 30 pounds, and divide that number by 190 to get your wingloading (graphics people use calculators, right? ). If it's over about 1.1, that canopy is probably too small for you. Be SURE to talk to your instructors about each rig you're looking at so you don't get screwed by buying something that won't be good for you. Dave