vibeke

When I got big grippers on my suit it made me floaty too. However the grippers are well worth it in my opinion. I also purchased a custommade belt, fits me great and don't bother me at all. I also keep all the weight on the front - its simply a matter of aerodynamics. Also - I found that during the times when I stretch regularly, I need less weight, probably as I arch harder with less effort. _________________________________________________________ Your success and happiness, is in direct proportions to your commitment to excellence, regardless of your chosen field of endeavour.

Once you are off student status and know for certain if this is something you want to persue on a higher level, then I recommend going back to do more time! (But then again, that will be obvious to you once you have been there.) We where 3 who did 12+ hours total over 5 days. We had a lot to learn, so the time was not a bit too much. Don't worry about the time. Just train ahead of the camp. Run, do situps, pushups and back exercises as well as serious stretching. (As you must always before engaging in sports activities) Best thing is to do 30 min sessions, and share with another. That way you you are rested and get maximum value of the tunnel time.

I think it depends on how its done! E.g. what has the team commitment been, what objectives planned. If commitment and objectives on the other team suit the jumper better, and no real big investments has gone into the original team, then I find it naturally. However it should be done offseason! You cant blame a team looking for a member, for being open to good jumpers, just because that jumper is committed. I thinks its between the "poached" (what ever that means) member and his/her original team. Unless its aggressive headhunting - that would seem a bit unfair. _________________________________________________________ Your success and happiness, is in direct proportions to your commitment to excellence, regardless of your chosen field of endeavour.

I got the files! Thank you. I will go look tomorrow, and try to download the rest myself. Its getting late here now. Will let you know via PM if I succeed in downloading them.

Thank you Avion for the links! Rehmwa - I know coaching and video is preferable. However the video from last season is unavailable, I cant afford the Airspeed stuff and our coached camp is still months away! Again thanks for links.

Does anyone have a full set of notes on how to do the block moves? Or know link to place I can find it? I have my own notes for the point, but would like to compare tecniques and have for CI, CO and tail as well. Thx. _________________________________________________________ Your success and happiness, is in direct proportions to your commitment to excellence, regardless of your chosen field of endeavour.

http://www.dropzone.com/safety/articles/FormingaTeam.shtml There is other articles there as well, that might be of great value to you! Good luck!

I would expect them to be inflated more or less constantly? Is there a hesitation in the inflation or is it immediate? I stretch at my legs allmost all the time during 4 way, and often just one at a time. I hope I didnt make a bad chiose on this vented stuff... I have seen Parasports vented botties work pretty well. Im guessing / hoping its the same for Tonys.

Could not wait for further replys. Ordered the Tony with XL mega vented bootie... Im hoping the vented bootie is reliable and not on/off

Normal Mega bootie single seamed or vented?! What bootie option avablable from Tony Suit is more effecient? Thanks.

Yeah, you are right. But I HOPE they do it for the sport!! _________________________________________________________ Your success and happiness, is in direct proportions to your commitment to excellence, regardless of your chosen field of endeavour.

You are right. If they did not get paid, they could not dedicate their life to skydiving and was limited to hoping for good weather on the weekends when the DZ is operating like most of us... I would like to think they do it for the love of skydiving and teaching. I bet its fun to have become so skilled, that new big talents / or just plain dedicated skydivers seek their coaching, - and then to be able to lift theese new talents and the entire sport to a higher level!! That beeing said, I agree they dont belong in the Amature class!! In denmark we only have A and AAA. Once you have participated in the AAA, you cant go back in the A, unless 2/4 of your new team still have not competed in the AAA. And if you win A you need to proceed to AAA.

Maybe the Majik had acomplished their goals. Anyway Im looking forward to seeing the new teams that will be formed.

Key is short sessions! Best thing if you are few people in the tunnel and getting less than 4 min break in the doorway, between your 2 mins in the tunnel, then only book 30 mins sessions! Take an hour off, before you do the next session. Also, as everybody already noted - it a huge advantage to be fit and flexible. Warm up !! and stretch, before and after, and most people will be just fine without painrelief medicine. And an other note. Bring extra weight! More than you usually use for freefall. (bellyflying only) I haven't been there since feb and wont get there next time until april, but the tunnel is still very efficient. You don't need to go there frequently, to benefit.

Im not too sure how your Intermediate are different from the AAA class. In Denmark we had a beginners class with all randoms plus 12 blocks, and 40 seconds working time 5 points. (However our national FS committee class is working to change it, to match your A class, to be able to participate in the ESL.) The Open class is just as your AAA class. I got my license summer 2003. In feb. me and two others had been at a tunnel + trainingcamp with a playercoach and shared 12 hours of basic in the tunnel.

I did for a while this summer. At first I liked it - compared to my Sabre135 it was fun to fly. I liked the improved speed and surfs during landing. Loaded it 1.4 so I was able to get a nice little swoop out of it, with only little effort. However I mainly did straight approach landings and a few soft carving toggle turns. Kept the frontriser turns up high, where I must say it responded well. At a Brian Germain seminar I saw a lot of video of landings and Brian helped point out two cases where this Safire109 for no good reason dropped my out of my surf - just lost its speed before its time. Another thing - and the main reason I did not keep it, is that its a bit slow / non responding to inputs that are given too quick. Small taps on the toggels seems to go by unnoticed... We could see inputs on video, that did not effect the canopy the way it was supposed to. You had to work it hard and give it time to respond. I dont like this. However, my current Spectre120 is not better in that regard. This time however I have decided that I am going to learn how to fly it! And its getting better too - just need a lot of speed and really aggressive inputs...

Its really close! On foot, from SkyVenture - go to the corner with Wallgreens parking lot, turn left, cross the road. Go straight past the Wet and Wild on your right, and Scull building on your left. Then you end up with a Pancake house on your left. Just past this Pancake House, turn left and you can see Motel 6 at the end of the small road. _________________________________________________________ Your success and happiness, is in direct proportions to your commitment to excellence, regardless of your chosen field of endeavour.

Makes good sense to go with the canopy you usually fly, as your visual orientation becomes reduced in the darkness and you will very much need to go with experience! However if I know of some skilled canopy pilots who choose a bigger squarefeet canopy for nightjumps, than what they usually fly! Many HP eliptical canopys need the speed for the flare. And you can (almost) always land a larger canopy. Slower speeds equals more reaction time A nightjump is not about the landing - its the scenery in free fall and flying the canopy watching the lights.

I need a new RW suit. I have been looking at all the posts on choosing a suit. Before reading those posts I wanted a Parasport Italia or a Tony Suit. However - I have been reading a lot of good reviews of the Bev suits Hod Bod. But I need facts on its efficiency! Now my question is: Is the recommendation based on a great suit - for competitions also, or is is based upon looks only? I would love a close fitting, nice looking suit. Especially since a well fitted suit would improve my fall rate. But I choose function over fashion! Is the Hod Bod recommendable for competition use?! Is the Hod Bod in use, by any serious competitors? Dont tell me how great it looks, I look my best when smiling from having turned a lot of points and my suit is an important tool. If I went for the Hod Bod I would get some options from the "majik competition", like fat cordura grips, cordura reinforced ass and booties + majik booties options, inside legs grips, cool max lining and such. Any thoughts on the Majik options, compared to Tony and Parasport Italias vented booties? I need a really powerfull bootie. The square grips - are they really an advantage?! Does Majik still use them? In advance thank you!

Billvon you write: "...and it behooves us to both listen to them and practice tunnel safety stuff (like standing or backflying) when possible." Last winter me and two of my friends went on our first camp and shared 12 hours. I agree that safety is a considerably concern, due to the forces at play. Most dangers can be minimized by taking simple precautions and having good coaches and efficient tunnel rats in there However, it took 6 days of continuous pleading to be allowed to walk the net! Its not something - in Orlando - they let everybody do. And when we did it, they started with the power really low. We were prohibited from standing upright, walking or flipping over to backfly unless we had a tunnel rat inside with us, ready to catch us. It may be good practice, but its hard to get permission to do so! Why, if its a good thing? _________________________________________________________ Your success and happiness, is in direct proportions to your commitment to excellence, regardless of your chosen field of endeavour.

Yes, I agree. Deside if you are willing to get your suit dirty. If you are jumping a dark suit it will not matter much. And also, it is a huge advantage to do the tunnel in your regular jumpsuit as different jumps suits make you fly slightly different. Jumps suits are supposed to be all smothered in bugs anyway. Its importaint souveniers! Or, at least that was what we told ourselves over and over again. We had Royal Blue and White jumpsuits!! All future jumpssuits I own will be black!

I get the message. Thank you for the advice. And the amusing stories I will try to deal with the stains only. _________________________________________________________ Your success and happiness, is in direct proportions to your commitment to excellence, regardless of your chosen field of endeavour.

Hi, Does any of you have experience with washing your canopy? The fabric on a canopy Im considering buying have a few stains and I believe it can be washed. Am I right? Will it damage the fabric or lines, if I wash it? I want to use a woll and silk soap on the stains only, but rinse the entire fabric through with clean water and dry it again right afterwards in a military drying tower build for the purpose. _________________________________________________________ Your success and happiness, is in direct proportions to your commitment to excellence, regardless of your chosen field of endeavour.

Transferable skills?! Yes, you are right common sense, awareness, reactions and such can be transferred and used in every aspect of ones life.

I hear your arguments. I will read more on the CReW. Im also looking forward to more views of this issue. I must point out to you, that Im not really a "dedicated swooper". My discipline is Formation Skydiving, but I enjoy flying my canopy and get a kick out of doing great landings also. Regardless if my target is the accuracy tuffet or having a really nice fast and long surf. Primarily Im just looking to learn more about flying my canopy. So you have got my attention! And I have seen CReW jumpers perform, but still I don't want to engage in activities that are "just looking for trouble" I like having good health! I will look in to the specifics on CReW fatalities. I had the impression their statistics where bad. I have heard former CReW jumpers say that they quit CReW because they found it to be too dangerous. _________________________________________________________ Your success and happiness, is in direct proportions to your commitment to excellence, regardless of your chosen field of endeavour.