peckerhead

I will go out on a limb here but I would guess from your statements you don't really understand flat packing. If a table is available I would rather flat pack than get down on my knees any freaking day! Unfortunately tables take up a lot of space and very few drop zones have them anymore. I can flat pack on the carpet (or grass) faster than I can propack. It might be slower for you because you don't know how to do it and you don't have the experience. Both methods have advantages and both have drawbacks. Line overs were unheard of before pro packing, flat packing takes up more space, etc. Don't knock something just because you don't understand it.

Its been awhile, so I'd have to go look it up to be sure, but the last time I packed a Strong Tandem Reserve the instructions called for a side (or stack pack... not quite a roll pack) and NOT to Pro-Pack it, as I recall. Strong, Para-flite and Pisa manuals say to flat pack. Some manufacturers recommend pro, some flat, and some say you can do it either way. I honestly believe how you fold it and place it into the bag is up to the discretion of the rigger. The technique used (or method) is not significant. Once it comes out of the bag the opening should be the same.

Amen to that! I posted a few months ago that I was fed up with boogies and big drop zones. I used to go to Eloy at least once or twice a year and jump for a week or two. I quit going there about 6-7 years ago because of the chaos under canopy. If they adopt and Enforce this new policy maybe I would start jumping there again. There are a lot of jumpers like me out there who would return in droves. Don't like it? Go jump somewhere else or better yet start your own DZ. Skydiving is supposed to be fun. The parachute ride should be the safe part. Who the fuck needs the anxiety and the controversy?

Are you serious? What if you exit at 3.0? 3.5 is not low.

From the airtech website: "To date, as production of CYPRES 1 comes to an end, CYPRES units have saved the lives of more than 1000 skydivers, without a single unit ever refusing to activate when the conditions were met."

Tupperware

So when it goes in for the service they don't look at the data and say "hey" this thing has fired 4 times! Lets add 4 saves to our website! Think about it though. In the 80's how many people do you remember dieing under an open and properly functioning canopy? Break things under a stato star maybe. *** I have two cutaways on strato stars. most fatalities were jumpers riding in malfunctions on mains or reserves. They were fighting death. The no pulls were rare and I don't think the cypres would have changed that.

They reported that the buckle was unreachable due to the position of the jumper's body. Understood. It sounds like the proper action was taken under the circumstances.

But most cypres saves are NOT reported. We have NO idea how many experienced jumpers would have burned in without a cypres. I know of at least 5, and I don't get around much. Two of these WERE unconscious from a freefall collision. One died of his injuries from the collision, but he had a chance to live by the cypres opening the reserve. NONE of these saves were reported to Airtec. IMHO the decline in skydivers burning in IS mainly attributable to the wide spread use of AAD's. Unfortunately this coincided with the development of high performance canopies and high performance canopy flying styles. So the airtech data means nothing because all other "saves" go unreported? Just replace the cutter and keep it hush-hush? I guess I was under the mistaken impression that all cypres fires were investigated and the data anylized to determine if it operated under the correct parameters. Stupid me.... Thanks for bringing this to my attention. PS the decline in skydivers burning in seems to be a bit exagerated. I have only been jumping 26 years but this has always been a rare yet tragic occurance.

There were students and tandems on most loads I was on. They use GPS spotting and I am sure certain precautions are made. Maybe the Aussies could chime in on this one? I don't have a clue what the laws are there. I was just a tourist.

Yeah, two years ago I was at the DZ in Sydney (Picton) and I showed up at the DZ around noon. It was a Saturday and we had jumped the day before. I took my time getting out to the DZ because there was a solid cloud layer that morning.... Anyway, right after I got there I was standing near the landing area talking to this "bloke" I just met and I told him I was bummed out because I wanted to jump. He asked me why I could'nt jump? I said well look at the weather, can't jump in these clouds.... He just laughed and said "what are you talking about mate? There is a load up right now!" Right about then a skyvan load punched through the solid overcast at about 5000 feet. Well, I sure did feel like a dumb American right then. I suddenly realized there is no FAA in Australia. So I got on the next load and we jumped through the clouds most of the day but it did clear up later. One of the most memorable days jumping I have ever had.

We had the same thing happen out of a 182 awhile back, as luck would have it there was a cameraman in the door who was able to video the whole thing. The camerman simply reached down and opened the buckle on the seat belt and the jumper fell away clean. Apparently the whole thing was quite comical (I still have not seen the video) Instead of whipping out knives and slashing seat belts wouldn't it make more sense to try and open the buckle first? The seat belts we use in jump planes are quite easy to unfasten and with tension they open very quickly. I think the knife should be the second option if for some reason you can't release the seat belt in the conventional manner.

I plug the camera into a tv monitor so I can see the shots better and delete the junk from the flash card. Then I burn a CD from the card that they can take with them. I try to involve the student in this when possible, what I think might be junk they might want. If they are in a hurry to leave and I don't have time I will mail it but prefer not to. I don't need any loose ends after the jump day is over. I have only had to do that a few times. Usually they leave with the edited video on DVD and a CD with around 30-35 digital shots.

I think camera flyers keep wishing for one camera that does both jobs of video and stills at the same time. It would sure make it much more comfortable to jump with just one camera. Instead of trying to shoot video and stills through the same lens wouldn't it make more sense to make a camera that has two lenses? One for video and one for stills, basically two cameras built into one unit. Something kinda like the attached photo? This is the Samsung SCD6040 Mini DV Camcorder. I think Panasonic makes a similar model. Obviously some improvements would need to be made. I envision a SLR type still camera that can accept different lenses combined with a hd/sd mini DV video. Seperate inputs for each. Could this be the future?

I shoot 50 or more, delete the junk and usually end up with about 35 shots on average. Sometimes a few more sometimes a few less. Training, gear up, take off, exit, freefall, canopy/landing, hugs and kisses. The usual.

Casa boogie, West Point.

I either pshyco pack or flat pack mains depending on their size. If it is bigger than a 150 I will flat pack it. On a large student canopy like a manta it is just easier to flat pack it and I can do it faster and make it look better. Reserves I usually pro-pack depending on the rig.

Right on wildfan! I have not had a cutaway in over 15 years. WTF?

It happened just the other day.

You're my new hero when i meet can i have your autograph Sure, if you jump with me I will sign your logbook.

N/A

Does she give good head? If so lie to her and tell her you are playing golf. If not find another girl.

It is a 1 and you should not soak it in water.

Can I still get a T shirt even if I don't attend?

Oh, the stories I could tell..... Shake it off, and go on.