mattjw916

I'm trying to figure out what the value of flying on your back vs. flying on level with wings and craning your neck upwards and arching is? Maybe someone can offer their thoughts. It seems to me having the horizon visible and not just a blue sky will give a better sensation of being in the air and make for better video. I don't do tandem video though so that's just my personal opinion. NSCR-2376, SCR-15080

The PC1000 does not have any "floating lens" problems. Once in a while, if I dump in a track or have a firmer opening, the camera will momentarily defocus and then refocus quickly, that's it. The vast majority of the time, no problems. All the freefall and canopy video has been totally sharp from my unit. This is turning into an urban legend IMHO. I can post vids if you don't trust me. I've been jumping mine for a couple months now. edit: grammar NSCR-2376, SCR-15080

Seconded... the video from the PC1000 is noticeably better than any other PC-series camera to-date. NSCR-2376, SCR-15080

No we don't. Quite frankly I don't think we should either. I like the idea of canopy "recommendations" or "suggested loadings" but words like "required" and "mandatory" won't have my support. I am also in favor of a canopy coach rating but not forcing anyone to seek additional costly training. Using a new rating as a way of designating someone as competant to instruct a willing skydiver in the basics+more of canopy flight, beyond that which is currently out there, could possibly be more beneficial than more regualtions, IMHO. You don't have to be a pro-swooper to show someone how to time flares properly, get back from a long spot upwind or downwind of target, or explain why collapsing/pulling down your slider and opening your chest strap will help your canopy fly better etc. I know the SIM and ISP are out there, but I really haven't seen the canopy portion focused on much if at all. My $0.02. NSCR-2376, SCR-15080

Another bump... I am also interested in anyone using a D70s in freefall. I already have a significant investment in Nikon gear so hopping systems to a Canon setup is not really viable for me. I did some searches but am looking for any new info. NSCR-2376, SCR-15080

I'm willing to bet that they will still fix it at little or no cost... L&B has the best customer service on earth. NSCR-2376, SCR-15080

Most of the people I know use the plastic screws to mount the ring site assemblies to the helmet itself. I know the ones I used to mount mine definately will not hold under any load, esp that of a canopy or lines, and are designed to snap off in the event of a snag. I fly a RAWA with a complete Schumacher articulating ring-site setup. No cutaway system currently. I might reevaluate that when I get around to adding a Schumacher top mount quick release. NSCR-2376, SCR-15080

HEY!!! Get back to work!!! There will be no posting until the tunnel is done... NSCR-2376, SCR-15080

All things being equal bigger canopies generally have a shorter and more positive recovery arc than their smaller counterparts. Your loading wasn't the problem though IMO. The problem was making s-turns and not having the experience to fly a proper pattern enabling you to land where you needed to. Whether you realized it or not, you had complete target-fixation on the peas and failed to maintain control of your canopy and return it to level flight prior to touchdown. That was the problem that I see. S-turns should never be taught (and aren't by any decent canopy instructor I know) as a method for landing on target. They are dangerous, as you learned, and are hazardous to someone coming in from behind you on approach. NSCR-2376, SCR-15080

http://www.dropzone.com/safety/Gear_and_Equipment/index.shtml NSCR-2376, SCR-15080

A tracking dive is completely different then a 4 way RW jump and you know it. Don't try to confuse the issue by throwing some out some red herring, it doesn't lend any validity to your argument. Tracking dives break off high because they are multi-dimensional in nature and aren't falling straight down, not because of their fall rate, and has nothing to do with anything here. If I was organizing a 4-way RW jump and one of the people expressed a need to depart at 6k I would question their ability to participate in the skydive safely. It shows a lack of confidence in their own abilities that make them a potential danger to others. Everyone needs to be on the same page during a skydive and asking everyone else to make a concession is not a reasonable expectation. This thread is a classic example of someone fishing for opinions, and when she didn't like what she heard, starting lashing out in all directions. NSCR-2376, SCR-15080

I'm more inclined to believe it's part of their sponsorship deal personally... it's not like they're paying for those canopies or anything. NSCR-2376, SCR-15080

At this point we exit the world of the "SIM" and enter the real world of skydiving: AFF "no more manuevers", "lock-on" and "pull" atitudes vary by dropzone, instructor, level, and based on student's progression/awareness. They are not set in stone so you can't split hairs over something that has no ironclad standard. Yes, it is. Almost every freefly jump I have ever been on breaks off at 5k due to faster fall-rate. Almost every flat jump I have ever been on breaks no higher than 4k unless is is _exceptionally_ large or involved something out of the norm. ~5 second tracks are the pretty much standard. You are splitting hairs again. NSCR-2376, SCR-15080

seconded... NSCR-2376, SCR-15080

Because people on this forum hammer home the fact that big=safe. Generally it is correct, but the law of diminishing returns will kick in after a certain point. Personally I dislike jumping anything loaded under 1:1. I find it is much easier to time my flares properly when I have enough forward speed to plane-out and touch down in separate stages rather than sinking in with an all-or-nothing-slam-on-the-brakes-flare. I've jumped everything loaded from .74:1 to 1.5:1. In fact I hated flying canopies until I tried out a Sabre2 loaded at 1.1:1. Being confident with your canopy is equally important to the loading IMHO but without seeing what you fly, or how you are flying it, no one here can offer any meaningful advice. NSCR-2376, SCR-15080

Yes, locking on to your altimeter is a bad idea as a licensed sport jumper on group dives or otherwise... Your last moments of terminal freefall are better spent in other ways.. how about clearing that airspace around you for instance? Have you ever had someone track in a circle and end up above you? What about below you? What about that last solo on the plane after your group exited that didn't leave enough separation and drifted overhead? These have all happened to me and many many others. Why not check you alti at break off, turn and track for five seconds, look around, wave off (or not) and pitch? Your freefall rate is not going to spontaneously increase to such an extent you need to check agian. If you tracked for five seconds, you just fell less than 1000ft, maybe a bit more or less... altimeters aren't _that_ accurate anyway and can fail any time. I had mine disagree with my dytter by over 1000ft once. Which one was wrong? Who cares... I looked at the ground, saw I wasn't low by any stretch of the imagination and tracked for a couple more seconds. Not panicking, having a plan, and a backup plan keeps us safe. One of the first things my coach after AFF told me was, "Remember all that stuff we just taught you in AFF? Well, forget it... this is how you skydive now!" ...and the real instruction began. Many hundreds of jumps later I can find no fault with his sentiment. NSCR-2376, SCR-15080

Jan's points are valid. Don't get testy because she didn't tell you what you wanted to hear. A 5500-6000ft break off alti _is_ excessive, esp on a flat jump, even at your experience level. That's up there at AFF-student altitude. Take some time to look around at 5500ft. You are still high enough that ground rush is almost imperceptable. I say go do a bunch of hop and pops at 4k and 3k until you aren't scared of that big blue ball called earth underneath you. Alternatively, try a day or two of mellow 4 ways like "build a round" or some "no-contact" stuff and gradually work the break off down to at least 4k. Respecting the ground is great, being virtually paralyzed at the sight of it is not. I'm more curious why your "safety zone" is so high? It seems a lot more like you are trying to lull yourself into a false sense of security by pulling high just like some people do by jumping ridiculously lightly loaded canopies or refusing to jump without every wiz-bang gadget installed on their rig. You will be hamstringing your own progression if every skydive has to be planned around your break-off altitude. Hell, at most of the boogies I've been to the MAX pull altitude was 3.5k. If that was _really_ dangerous why would people like Bryan Burke, who are deeply involved with keeping skydivers safe, mandate it during boogies? A section of one of Brian Germain's books comes to mind... to paraphrase: a mountain climber lost his footing and slipped, now hanging only by a little branch he asked God for help. God spoke to him saying that he will help him if only he lets go of the branch first. The climber then asked, "Is there anyone else out there?" The stick is _your_ self-perception and fear. Unless you let go, you will never get help. Happy jumping! NSCR-2376, SCR-15080

I have "wrap-its" and they have a blue stripe interwoven in the soft-link. I don't think those are Precision's links. NSCR-2376, SCR-15080

negative ghost-rider... We actually did a muti-point hybrid! After Dave broke off he redocked and then I hung from his and Phil's chest-straps conventionally. Technically we did 5 points on that jump. The rest of the footage is in a yet-to-be-released vid. NSCR-2376, SCR-15080

ditto!

Yes, you should take the twists out of your brake lines periodically. I try to do mine at the end of each jumping day or whenver I happen to notice more than a few twists. It only takes a minute to do. NSCR-2376, SCR-15080

Well since you jumped in Eloy, just head right back to where you did your tandem and ask them any quesions you have. Here's the website of the school which has the pricelist, etc: http://www.skydiveaz.com/students.html Eloy has some of the best instructors in the world. It's a great place to learn and Eloy only charges like $20 to 13k once you have your license and gear. NSCR-2376, SCR-15080

As a freeflyer/vidiot I find it is impractical to use a visual altimeter much/ever during freefall. Sure, I wear one but mostly use it under canopy. I have 2 audibles and prefer to use my eyes as my third altimeter. I have found that my brain is very well calibrated as well. I've never gone "low" unless it was intentional and have never lost altitude awareness. I have contemplated adding the visual warning light for the Optima to my helmet setup as an additional precaution though. With the added "swoop beeps" of the Optima I have gone entire skydives without looking at my wrist even once. I'm certainly not recommeding this for anyone new to the sport though. This just works for me. Flamesuit on. NSCR-2376, SCR-15080

http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=2029857;#2029857 There's a shot of dsbbreck hanging from riddler and myself at the end of this vid. Not the best one we've pulled off, but it's the only one I have video of. NSCR-2376, SCR-15080

Funair Video in Eloy has a standard leader that starts out every VHS and DVD tandem video IIRC. It's just a bunch of old freefall scenes that impress whuffos mostly before the ground interview portion of the video starts. NSCR-2376, SCR-15080