MWGemini

I just purchased my first rig, with a Spectre 170 in it, at 36 jumps. I've had a fair amount of canopy coaching from my instructors, and I've taken a Scott Miller canopy control course. My body weight is 125, and I only load the 170 at .82 and .94 when wearing 15lbs of weight. I'm comfortable under the 170, but was initially skeptical about downsizing from the 190s I had been flying, since I was still flaring a little too high and too fast, causing a high plane out. Even with my relatively low wing loading, the 170 is able to go pretty fast, both in turns, and in straight flight. I would recommend stepping down gradually, getting professional instruction, and making the choice you feel is safest for you in the long term. Especially since you say you will be jumping seasonally, you really don't want to be picking up a highly loaded canopy with low jump numbers when you have not jumped in several months. With a larger canopy, you will able to learn at your own pace, and be safer doing it. Once you have the skill and technique down, you'll be able to induce speed using riser inputs, or by wearing weights to increase your wing loading. Another thing to think of: what is you goal with canopy piloting? Do you want to swoop? Do you want to get perfect accuracy and do demo jumps one day? Do you want to BASE jump? I personally want to go the latter route, getting a PRO rating to do demos, and develop excellent accuracy skills in the event I pick up BASE jumping. Make your decision based on your skill level and the disciplines of flight that you intend to pursue. Above all, be safe. Mike

Ok, here are a few pictures of the rig. I forgot to take a picture of the canopy today, and by the time I realized it (at the end of the day), I didn't feel like unpacking and re-packing it, so that will have to wait for another day, I guess. I like the rig more today than I did yesterday, and that canopy flies and flares great. Eric- How was that pack job, and how did it fly for you? I should be up there all day Thursday, and most if not all of Saturday and Sunday, but I am not yet sure about Friday. I may take that day off from jumping to get things done around the house.

I *DID* alert some of the guys, but I try not to notice things like that anymore. They both had a lot of fun, and may come back again. Thanks for selling me that rig, I'm very happy with it. Also, thanks to both you and John for answering my constant questions about gear over the last several months. I'll take a few pics while I am out there today and post them tonight. I WOULD have slept with it last night, but our bed isn't that large, and while Sarah is pretty accepting of my mistress (skydiving), I'm not so sure she would want to share the bed with her... Just checked the weather and it looks jumpable, so I'll be up there in about an hour. Mike

I will be out there about 9 or so tomorrow, and the two girls from work will be starting their FJC at 10. I told them to bring beer, so for anyone who is planning on staying until the bonfire.... Eric- are you working or jumping tomorrow? I'd like to do another 2 way with you at some point to practice my mantis without having to worry about fall rate. Mike

I'm not even going to touch that one, Mike. Marion- I just like jumping with you because you're fun. You all are. Today at work, I think I figured out why I haven't been arching right, and I'm anxious to try it, combined with my new knowledge of the mantis position. Bad news is that with the exception of the money I've got saved for my rig (which is already dwindling), I'm pretty much broke. I wrote some software for my boss, but he hasn't paid me yet, and is currently out of the country, so I won't be able to collect for a while, and my yearly bonus will be going towards the wedding. I need to win the lottery or something Mike

Oh well, if nothing else, at least I get a good laugh from the videos . I'll definitely be there this weekend, gonna try to hit 40 if the weather lets me, and will probably start jumping the 170. I also want to practice some of the things I learned in the tunnel last weekend. Hey Marion- have you ever thought of making a 4/6/whatever way hybrid team? Mike

Yes, but not MY Sarah. See, I've ben trying to get two of the girls who work with me to jump for a while. One of them met Steve Kemp in a bar a few days ago, and we got to talking about skydiving again, and she said something to the effect of "Ok, if you pay for my jump, I'll do it", and I said I would, but only if she bought the video and gave me a copy. She's been making excuses for months, so I thought I was just calling her bluff, but I think she's going to go through with it. The problem is that these two have been best friends since childhood, and want to go together, but one is broke, and the other just got back from a cruise, so is also broke. I'll hold up my end of the bargain and buy a jump, but not two jumps and two videos..... I think she is still looking for an excuse to back out of it though. Mike

You people who are able to take Fridays off make me sick . Not only can I *NOT* jump with you, but my big mouth has probably just cost me the price of a tandem jump ticket this Saturday (so if any of you happen to have any of those $20 off coupons still laying around and don't need them, let me know), so that means less jumps for me. I think I'll still be able to get my B before the end of the year, though. Hopefully... Mike

I'm glad he got his gear back without too much trouble. I'm thinking I may want to just leave all my climbing gear in the car and start renting it (or it + me) out to all you FFF cutaway happy people. I still gotta buy a rig, you know? Mike

You know, for being as strange as you people are, you're all really cool. For those of you who have not yet been to a wind tunnel, I highly recommend it. I was able to do 20 minutes late Friday evening, and I learned a LOT, though you can't really tell by the way I bounce off the walls . Having the video to show me what I'm doing wrong really helps. I'm trying to learn mantis now, and I think I'm getting better at falling faster, also, so that's good. Maybe soon I can actually keep up with people

Sometimes it's good advice, sometimes not. Like anything else, it must be tempered with one's own judgment. Mike

You mean you haven't finished that haircut YET? Are you SURE you don't want me to bring my clippers? Mike Edit: Oh, and Brian, that extra gripper should only be used for spocks, right Marion?

I'll definitely be having a great time down there, weather permitting. I've even been invited along to teh tunnel, and have secured myself a 20 minute slot, so hopefully by next weekend I can keep up with you non floaty people. Or may learn to sit-fly, since my coach is a freefly instructor with ouragan suits...... Mike

I think Jessica has come closest to what I'm feeling. I *DO* want to be with her, that is for sure, but I guess that I'm still unsure of some other things. Bottom line is that I won't stop being who and what I am, and I don't want to hurt her. She deserves better than that. I think I just had one of my bad days yesterday that spawned this post. I'm somewhat manic-depressive, so that happens sometimes. Thanks to everyone for your advice. Thanks, Mike

I wouldn't quit my job- yet. I'm far too inexperienced to make a living jumping, but maybe one day... To answer other questions- I am 23, we have been engaged and living together for over 2 years, and we've known each other about 3 years. She has no idea I'm considering this right now. I need to figure out what's going on in my head a little more before I start talking to her about it. Thanks, Mike Edit: I met her while I was in the Army, and I think I'm more adapted to the "single lifestyle" where I can do anything I want, when I want to do it, without having to take anyone else into consideration. I truly do love her, but I'm worried that I'll either distance her by pursuing skydiving to the degree I want to pursue it, or lose my freedom to pursue the things I want because of her. This is already starting to happen with very small things, but I'm afraid it's going to escalate over time.

Over the past several months I have fallen more and more in love with skydiving. To the point that I am considering selling all of my crap, buying a trailer, and moving to the DZ. If I were single, this would be a much easier decision that it currently is. The "problem" (which it isn't, really) is that I am engaged to a wonderful woman, whom I love dearly, and to whom I will be getting married (in the skyvan at Delan near year's day). I'm beginning to wonder if that is really what I want to do (settle down and give up a lot of my freedom). On the one hand, I have a very loving fiancee that is very supportive of my hobbies and me, and I am very, VERY lucky to have her. On the other hand, I've changed my life for her already, and I'll have to change further, and sacrifice more of myself, and my freedom, to stay with her. I'm trying to decide what will make me happier in the long run, and I could use some advice from people who've been in the same boat. Thanks, Mike

Thanks, I will PM her. Mike.

I've already sent an e-mail to Justin at Mirage, but I didn't realize the factories would probably be closed on weekends. Oh well, the course is what I'm coming down for, not the tour, although speaking to a Mirage rep and seeing some options in person would be nice. I *MAY* leave after work Thursday and just sleep in my car that night, then jump Friday and Saturday, but I won't know my exact plans until tomorrow. Might even try to check the wind tunnel out while I'm down there, but all that is secondary to the course. If anyone from Mirage is reading this and knows about weekend hours, I'd be happy to hear a definite yes or no, as I have not yet received a reply by email. Thanks, Mike

I've been wanting to put a Dropzone.com sticker on my car for a while, and was going to have one custom made by a local company, but this weekend I sw a small one on another jumper's helmet that was the actual logo. I've looked around on the site and have not seen them for sale. Does anyone know where I can get one? This would be a 6" x 24" or so sticker, for rear bumper. Thanks, Mike

This weekend I am driving down to Deland for my first Scott Miller canopy control course. While I am down there, I'm also hoping to check out the Mirage factory. Is there anything I should know before going, or other places I should go while I am there? I will probably be there from Friday night until Sunday afternoon. Also- I am probably going to camp on/near the DZ, but I have not yet checked if that is allowed. Does anyone who regularly jumps at Deland know about that? Thanks, Mike

Agreed, hopefully it will not come to that. I'm going to try to talk to either the pilots or the owner of my DZ the next time I am out there and find out why they put FF out first as opposed to RW. The owner seems to be a very safety conscious guy and I can't imagine him not having a good reason for it. More likely than not, there are circumstances beyond my knowledge and understanding that are a factor in this decision. Mike

Why the caveat of greater than 150 square foot canopy size? I'm looking at getting a G4 M4 and putting a 170 in it. I've seen numerous G3s and a few G4s with 170s in them and haven't heard a single complaint from any of their owners. Thanks, Mike

I just started jumping a Sabre 190 this past weekend, and was taught by a staff packer (who is very experienced and whom I trust) to roll the 4 end cells and stuff them into the center cell. It is the method he uses on every Sabre, and the method I used the one time I packed it myself this weekend. The openings have never been a problem, but I only have a half dozen or so jumps on Sabres, mostly on 210s, and 2 on the 190. Why is putting the 4 rolled cells into the center a bad thing, and where should they be placed, if not in the center cell? Thanks, Mike

Is that Marion's first avatar? She owes BEER! Oh wait, I guess that means I do too. Nevermind then. Mike

I'm a pretty new jumper, with very few jumps (currently 32), so this observation may be a little off, but my DZ uses the following exit order: Freeflyers (big groups first) Belly Flyers/RW (big groups first) Solos/mid range pulls (i.e.- pulls between 6k and 4k) Tandems Wingsuits/hop & pop from altitude The reason I did not put CRW on there is because I've only seen it done on a few loads, and there are usually two runs, a CRW run, and then a run as described above. Also, the WS/H&P are on the same line because I've heard it done both ways, but the one time I've seen it done, I exited before the WS when I was planning on being last out and doing a H&P. That turned into a 5-10 second delay while I made sure the WS was nowhere near me, but that is another story. Bottom line- my DZ puts FF out first, generally starts the run a little short of the DZ (I'm assuming to allow enough time for the tandems to get back, and they are last out due to higher opening altitudes), and has not had any collisions or close calls that I know of. While I have read Dr. Kallend's report (albeit while much newer to the sport and I did not fully understand it) and have used his freefall software and do understand what he is saying and do agree with him, my (very) limited experience shows that it is not gospel, and things CAN be done another way and still be done safely. Perhaps not as efficiently, or with a smaller margin of error, but that is beyond my experience level to comment on. Mike Edit: I have only jumped a Cessna once, so all these observations were done either in a Twin Otter or a CASA. I jump at Carolina Sky Sports in Louisburg, NC.