okalb

Hey, I resemble that remark! Time flies like an arrow....fruit flies like a banana

Putting the other toggle back in the velcro would not make the canopy fly straight unless you managed to properly stow the other other break. That means pulling the cats eye past the ring and resetting the toggle through it then putting it back on the velcro. That is a task that is not as easy as you think. Try it under canopy up high sometime. I had a friend a few years ago who had around 1600 jumps. He had just done over 35 jumps that week, so he was super current. He was jumping a Sabre 135 loaded at around 1.3:1. He had one brake line get stuck and the other unstow. He decided he could land it by flying with the risers and compensating on one side for the stuck brake. He flew it no problem until it came time to land it. He hit the ground so hard he died a few hours later in the hospital. If he would have gone to his reserve, most would agree he would be alive today. Time flies like an arrow....fruit flies like a banana

Next time you are under canopy, unstow one toggle and leave the other stowed. Let me know if your canopy is flying straight. Time flies like an arrow....fruit flies like a banana

Is this the same proven medical system that determined that Vioxx, Celebrex and Bextra were good. I can't believe I am saying this but I agree with Ron and I agree with the ruling. The supreme court did the right thing. The problem is the federal law, not the court's decision. I am interested to see how this plays out when the supreme court hears the state's right to die case next year since the doctors that legally terminate someone's life in certain states use federally regulated drugs to do so. Time flies like an arrow....fruit flies like a banana

A few people have said this already, but I just want to repeat. Landing using rears and landing using rears with one toggle stowed are two very different things. I am not saying you can't do it, but I am saying it isn't as easy as you may think. I had a friend a few years ago that landed using rears with a stuck toggle. I would tell you to ask him about it, but he died in the hospital a few hours later. -OK Time flies like an arrow....fruit flies like a banana

You should get a new spring from your local gear store. They usually have them with the new backs and screws. If the spring is missing and the battery doesn't make a good contact, you will find yourself replacing the battery VERY often. I am speaking from experience on this one. -OK Time flies like an arrow....fruit flies like a banana

If you want a beater that is indestructable, you can't beat the Casio G-Shock. They range from like $60 to $120. Time flies like an arrow....fruit flies like a banana

Well, I was planing on being there, but now I may have to change my plans. Just kidding, I will be there. Looks like I will have part of my supersonic base back. Stacy has quit skydiving so I won't have her, but you and jeanine will have to do -OK Time flies like an arrow....fruit flies like a banana

Thanks. Not a bad turnout 12 teams competing. -OK Time flies like an arrow....fruit flies like a banana

I also have prizes from Wings, PD, Aerodyne I think sunshine factory is throwing something in as well. Should be a great time. See you all there. -OK Time flies like an arrow....fruit flies like a banana

Yeah, what he said! Time flies like an arrow....fruit flies like a banana

Hi Everyone, It is that time again. We will be holding a 4-way scrambles meet at Skydive City on Sunday May 29th. As a lot of you know we have been doing this for the last few years and it has been extremely successful. Last year we ended up with 15 teams competing. For those of you who have not been involved before, this is open to skydivers of all skill levels. All teams are evenly matched and the team you are assigned is yours for the day. In past years it turned out to be a great day for everyone and we hope to make this year even more fun. This event is open to anyone who wants to play, belly fliers, free fliers, birdpeople. Please feel free to forward this email to anyone who you think may be interested. Please arrive by 8:00 AM so that we may get all of the teams organized and get jumping as soon as possible. The meet will consist of 4 jumps at regular ticket prices and a registration fee of $20 to cover the video. TK has also agreed to hold a free BBQ that evening so plan on staying out for dinner and of course the bar will be open. If you have any questions please feel free to email me at okalb@yahoo.com. If you plan to be there, send me an email or a PM so I have an idea of how many people to expect this year. Hope to see you all there -OK Time flies like an arrow....fruit flies like a banana

Here is my baby, she is old but as custom as they get. Time flies like an arrow....fruit flies like a banana

I have had 6 cutaways while jumping Various Wings containers and have never had even the slightest problem pulling the cutaway handle. Keep in mind that just because you never had the problem before and your wife doesn't have it on hers doesn't mean that yours isn't just dirty. You could have been out there on a windy day packing once and dirt ended up in the housings. Just because you always follow the same maintenance schedule doesn't mean something different didn't happen this time. I would try to clean the cables and pull the handle a few more times to make sure everything is OK. If not, contact Wings and I am sure they will work it out with you. Time flies like an arrow....fruit flies like a banana

L&B provides the best customer service I have received from any company in any industry. If removing the batteries for 2 minutes doesn't solve the problem, just get in touch with them and I am sure they will rectify the problem to your satisfaction. You can find all of their contact info here http://www.l-and-b.dk/contact.html -OK Time flies like an arrow....fruit flies like a banana

I wouldn't have believed it if I didn't see the video with my own eyes. I watched it over and over again. Pretty amazing. I wonder how many millions of tries it would take to replicate the same mal. -OK Time flies like an arrow....fruit flies like a banana

Cool, good to know. I just assumed that the belt hanging off of you under canopy would have been less comfortable. Not that I have a clue, I am a big boy, so wearing lead is not really something I have to worry about. Time flies like an arrow....fruit flies like a banana

Aren't you mostly a CRW pup chickie. Are you using this for RW or CRW. For RW I would say a belt without a doubt. For CRW a vest may be more comfortable. -OK Time flies like an arrow....fruit flies like a banana

I had an opening under my velocity a few years ago that was so hard it busted 3 A lines on one riser. Not only was I seeing stars, but I got pretty dizzy from how fast that thing was spinning me around. The risers ended up wrapping around my neck so when I finally chopped it, I the burns and welts on my neck made me look like I had grown a second head. The velocity is usually an extremely soft opening canopy, but every once in a while, look out. I think any canopy had the potential to bite you every once in a while. -OK Time flies like an arrow....fruit flies like a banana

OK, I sit corrected about the PLF but either way, I am glad she landed downwind instead of trying to turn low. Time flies like an arrow....fruit flies like a banana

The correct answer is PLF! Time flies like an arrow....fruit flies like a banana

Don't get me wrong Bill, I agree that there is a problem. I am just not sure how to fix it. As we all know, it is VERY important that new jumpers understand the risks of low turns. We stress that in the first jump courses as we should. We also try to teach them the difference between a turn that is low and a turn that is too low, but sometimes they don't get that right away. New jumpers are usually more likely to choose not to turn because the are not sure if they are too low or not. I would prefer they do that than turn too low, so it is a very fine line. While I agree that a flat turn could solve the problem, it is not something that you can necessarily teach during the first jump course. There is only so much that someone can hear and comprehend at one time, so you have to spoon feed them stuff little by little. My biggest complaint about the girl last weekend was not that she made the decision to land downwind, but that she didn't PLF. Newer jumpers often get very focused when getting closer to the ground under canopy. On my AFF level 4, I was a few hundred feet off the ground heading downwind towards the road and power lines. Arms straight up in the air I did nothing. I was so focused on not turning low I did absolutely nothing. My instructor was screaming at me on the radio to turn. It wasn't registering in my brain. All of the sudden my instructor's voice registered and I made a hard 180 to the left followed immediately by pulling down the right toggle to flare. It was my first hook turn. I was very lucky. It was also a good thing that I was under a manta 288 at the time. You just never know what is going to go through the mind of a student. Time flies like an arrow....fruit flies like a banana

The downwind you were talking about was an AFF level 1 student. The instructor was on the radio telling the student to turn for quite a while. The student never turned and just kept flying straight downwind. When the instructor approached the student and asked why she didn't turn when instructed the student replied that she thought she was too low to turn and was told not to turn that low. The instructor explained that she would not have been telling her to turn if it were too low for her to turn safely. The student realized that she made a mistake, dusted herself off and went up and did her level 2. I would much rather see the student do what she did than turn too low. In most cases a downwinder just means a mouthful of dirt and a bruised ego. Turning into wind too low can be fatal. -OK Time flies like an arrow....fruit flies like a banana

As Lauras said, I jump a Velocity 120 at 2:1. I went to the Velo from a Samurai 136, not nearly as big of a leap as you may be making. The first thing I noticed when I demo'd it was that it appeared to respond more slowly to input than my Samurai or a Stiletto. I realized quickly that the Velo was actually turning just as fast but it wasn't nearly as twitchy and there was almost no oversteer. Then I discovered that the canopy literally falls out of the sky. I am an RW organizer so I am usually opening around a bunch of other people on level with me. Everything seems normal until you unstow the brakes. All of the sudden, you are so far below the other canopies, it can be almost scary. Be careful, you will almost always be landing with the canopies from the group before you, sometimes even the group before them. You will also notice that the Velocity just wants to dive. I start my hook about double the altitude that I used to under my Sam. The front riser pressure is very heavy and you really have to use your body weight in the harness while swooping in order to ease the riser pressure. This canopy is designed to swoop and pretty much nothing else. If you often get out at the back of the load and need to get a nice flat glide to make it home, this is NOT the parachute for you. You can get a fairly flat glide out of it when you need to, but it requires a whole lot of work and still can't come close to the glide of a Stiletto or Samurai. Now lets talk about the openings (or lack there of). This is the biggest problem I have with this canopy. It requires serious concentration on opening. It will often snivel for so long that it tries to spin up on itself in the process. Every once in a while, it will also decide to remind you who is boss and do the exact opposite and slam the crap out of you. When I say slam the crap out of you, I am not kidding. I had an opening that was so hard it busted 3 A lines about 6 inches up from the slinks, ripped the fingers off my Neumann gloves and left the mother of all welts along the side of my neck. Several others on the DZ have had similar line breaking experiences. That seems to happen when it starts to go out of trim, about every 400 jumps or so. Some people can get 800 to 1000 jumps out of a lineset, and others only 300. YMMV. After hearing the negatives, it may sound strange that I absolutely love my Velocity. It takes a lot of getting used to and considerable effort to learn how to fly well and safely, but once you do you will probably love it too. I have made about 500 jumps on it, so I am by no means an expert and I am just starting to feel like I am getting to know my canopy. I have lots more to learn about it, but it sure is a fun learning experience. Time flies like an arrow....fruit flies like a banana

I know a great jumper who needed SEVERAL attempts to pass level 3....This jumper is now an AFF "I". Actually if you want to get technical, she passed level 3 on the 7th try. Yes she is now an AFF I. Time flies like an arrow....fruit flies like a banana