rhino

They have been at war 4 times since they got their independance from Britain.. Blue Skies .....

Today it begins.. The fight is on.. Wish Daniel and I luck.. Blue Skies .....

Sang.. Things get heated up enough without that in the forums. In my opinion given the legalities and the feelings that fly in that sort of discussion maybe it should be left alone? Rhino Blue Skies .....

My 200th was an intentional cutaway on Hooks rig.. That was fun as hell!! Rhino Blue Skies .....

Very well spoken Hook.. As usual I agree with you.. Rhino Blue Skies .....

Did he get velcro gloves for xmas??? lol Blue Skies .....

I feel your pain... Blue Skies .....

9:0 "so far":0 At least part of the weekend was good Blue Skies .....

You felt comfortable doing a PLF??? What the hell?? This is not something you should be doing in place of a proper landing.. Not jumping on you but if anyone else in here thinks it's o.k. to keep jumping a canopy because they can plf just fine they need to pick another sport. Rhino Blue Skies .....

Lummy,. You have to understand that my x truly doesn't want me to spend ANY time with my son.. I wish things from her end could be realistic and civil. I have learned what a pathological liar really, truly is at this point. You can't reason with someone that is living in another world, speaking a different language,, I have tried.. Time and time again.. To give you a hint about how much I have put my son first.. When I first got to Michigan almost a year ago I had supervised parenting time for roughly 5 months.. Started out as follows... 1 hour visit, two times a week for 12 weeks in a 10-10 foot room with 1-2 women taking notes on any and everything that happened. Usually over 80 degrees in the room. The room had some toy cars and a sand box in it.. I had to make it fun and enjoyable for him. When he left the room I would cry from embarrassment, frustration and confusion. It sucked.. It was hell.. I got Daddy? Why can't we go outside? Why not Daddy? Then it went to 2 hour visits at a location that had a playground out back. This was for another 8 weeks. So half an hour inside and an hour and some change outside.. 1-2 women taking noted on everything that was said and done. Daddy? When can I stay with you Daddy? Why not Daddy? Then came the parenting coordinator that happened to be a female.. The first question she asked me when I went into her office "this was the mediator" was. Mr. Cowan? Why do you want full custody of your son? Why would you do such a thing? Why isn't weekends good enough? I asked her in return WHY WOULDN'T I TRY TO GET CUSTODY OF MY SON? So she was on the female side naturally.. Unsupervised time started. I got 2 hours unsupervised "at the zoo" one time a week for 4 weeks. Then 4 hours one time a week for 4 weeks.. Then 6 hours one time a week for 4 weeks. Then 8 hours one time a week for 4 weeks.. Then overnight having to have him back early the next day for 8 weeks.. Then into Firday to Sunday evenings.. From that point I have had my son virtually every weekend for 5 months now.. Even on her weekends. And all this time she has established the environment that according to FOC should be on the child stays in because he is use to it. So me.. Falsely accused and trashed dad has spent virtually 2 years trying to show the court who I am is FUCKED just because. She gets free legal help.. I pay 200$ an hour. Plus I assumed all the debt to get her to sign off on the divorce in Tx so I could get to Mi to see my son. Plus I pay child support.. All I want to do is be a dad.. I will not stop EVER. EVERYTHING that I have done has been out of love for my child and what could be called the IMAGE of his mother. When he looks back at 21 years old and sais thanks for handling things so well dad I will know I did it right, Nothing I have done has been done out of anger.. I am not angry. I am simply afraid of not being there for my son.. I wish it was easy, cut and dry. I wish the system worked. But it doesn't. The only way it can be changed is for those of us real fathers that are actually fighting for what is right is to keep plugging. It is hard, it is consuming, expensive.. But the good fathers know the end result is well worth whatever it takes.. My brain hurts... Rhino Blue Skies .....

Responding to many posts on this thread.. Until recently I refused to believe the court is slanted towards women. IT DEFINITELY IS. That fact CANNOT be argued.. As far as having my x in my sons life. I won't ever keep him from her. But what she is doing is out of control and anger. I am not the one of the two of us that is harboring anything. I am looking out for my son. When he was born I promised him as I cut his cord that I would ALLWAYS be there for him no matter what. ALLWAYS.. After attempting this last week to be reasonable and the other side continuing on old, already beaten garbage I have been left NO CHOICE but to goto trial. I gave my attorney the thumbs up. We are going to trial guns a blazin. I may come out worse, I may come out better. Only time will tell.. But when the day comes many years down the road I will have the ability to tell my son I did everything that was possible. I was allways a gentleman and I allways put him first. I could care less about his mom. She doesn't exist as far as I am concerned. I am a loving father and I have a responsibility and a job to do for my son. That is to raise him to be the best person possible. I am afraid that can't be done every other weekend. So the fight is on.. I am calling in the troops, the ducks are aligning and we are preparing for war.. It didn't have to be this way.. She pushed me here by continuing to live in her fictional world. All I want to do is be a father and best friend to my son.. AND I WILL... No matter what the cost.. Thanks again everyone... Wish us luck.. Rhino Blue Skies .....

Sinkster, Sounds like you might be a bit over your head. Spend allot of time up high flaring.. And I mean slow, staged flares.. From now on think of your flare in stages.. 1- you are coming in on final at about 10 feet or so, GO 1/4 breaks. Just touch them to get around THE CORNER so to speak. NOW YOU ARE IN LEVEL FLIGHT 2- As you begin to sink in start applying more breaks SMOOTHLY until you have lost all your airspeed and finished the flair. You should be able to stop that canopy completely with no problems. Play up high and get comfortable with the timing. Get comfortable with the speed. Find the rock point of the canopy and STUDY the low speed flight characteristics big time.. That way you know when you are in your flare that your canopy has more bottom end left.. You can get it.. Just be carefull and plan.. Rhino Blue Skies .....

Skymama, Why don't you explain that string up the backside a little more?

Why a Cobalt over a Crossfire? How would you describe the flight characteristics being different? What about the crossfire2? Rhino Blue Skies .....

A Poem Author Unknown I knelt to pray but not for long, I had too much to do. I had to hurry and get to work For bills would soon be due. So I knelt and said a hurried prayer, And jumped up off my knees. My Christian duty was now done My soul could rest at ease. All day long I had no time To spread a word of cheer. No time to speak of Christ to friends, They'd laugh at me I'd fear. No time, no time, too much to do, That was my constant cry, No time to give to souls in need But at last the time, the time to die. I went before the Lord, I came, I stood with downcast eyes. For in his hands God held a book; It was the book of life. God looked into his book and said "Your name I cannot find. I once was going to write it down... But never found the time" Blue Skies .....

Me 2.. Blue Skies .....

Oops.. 60 jumps.. A Stiletto?? Better get life insurance... STICK WITH A TRIATHLON... Blue Skies .....

What is your experience level.. Stick with a Triathlon for a while.. Learn to fly before you learn to race.. Blue Skies .....

vlad, Diablo only turns a bit faster.. It Stops much quicker than the Crossfire does hence less surf. The bottom end tends to be REALLY thin if you don't have extra energy. The crossfire has TONS of bottom end. Recovery arc on the crossfire is close to the Diablo. The one I jump is on the mod list so I can't dive it as much as my Diablo110 but I am sure I will be able to dive the new one. The speed and energy the crossfire builds up is quiet a bit greater than the Diablo. Crossfire has the best glide of any canopy I have ever seen. I feel the Diablo is the best at 1.4-1.5 ish. I was at 1.7. And more than 1.5 and you have to work too much. Crossfire and Diablo both have excellent low speed flight. Diablo would slow down a bit more and the glide angle was steeper than the crossfire. Diablo was a bit more solid in choppy air. Both did straight in landings with no problems. Crossfire had 30%+ more bottom end straight in. Crossfire is deeper in the breaks to get the response I was use to. Flair is really deep. The Diablo was fun.. I jumped quiet a few canopies including the Xaos looking for a comparison. The crossfire is the best for what I was looking for. I have a crossfire2 on the way.. Excellent canopy. I won't be switching for a LONG LONG time. Rhino Blue Skies .....

I have to chime in here... When I put my knees in the dirt under my Triathlon150 loaded at 1.2 I took a step back.. Hook among others CHEWED my ass about hooking a canopy that wasn't made for hooking. They beat into me what a longer recover arc would do for you and how hooking a canopy like that is suicide. At first I fought it out of embarrassment. I took a step back and realized that what they were saying was in fact true. WHAT I HAVE FOUND is that the response from a high performance canopy like a crossfire109 is ten times quicker than a Triathlon150 loaded at 1.2. It only took a few jumps to get use to the speed and really learn to take advantage of it. More speed.. quicker response from the canopy.. You can control EVERYTHING that canopy does when loading a hp canopy. IT is SO MUCH easier and I feel SO MUCH safer loading a Crossfire109 than jumping the Triathlon150 learning hook turns. Hook couldn't be more correct in what he is saying. I took his advise. It only made sense considering I've never seen anyone hook a canopy like he does. I figured why argue with someone that perfectly hooks a vx60 from 1000 feet and has a perfect safety record. As far as currency and small canopies are concerned. Hook is right. If you aren't comfortable don't get a small canopy. I didn't jump for 6 months and I was perfectly comfortable and capable when I got back in the saddle for the 1st time this season. The precision that the crossfire allows me to fly is much SAFER than the sluggish I HOPE THE CANOPY will respond on a timely fashion that not loading a canopy will give you. I am yet a swoop embryo.. I know shit.. But I know what I feel under canopy. And I know Hook is right on.. When in doubt.. Don't hook..

Blue Skies and condolences to his family.. Blue Skies .....

While making love to my wife of 80 years together

I'm chilled... Gotta re-group and think things out... I'm going to look at the case history for that judge tomorrow.. That will give me a better idea of how realistic going against FOC rec is? Of course reality is what you make it? Rhino Blue Skies .....

Gotta love the full faced helmet!!

After jumping the Xaos, THEN the crossfire.. I have a new crossfire coming.. I love the canopy.. I actually don't see myself changing canopies for a long time.. It took me a while to find a nine cell that could beat the Diablo.. The crossfire did exactly that.. Very impressive actually. Blue Skies .....