NWFlyer

Your instructors should go over wing loading as well as how to address line twists in your first jump course. Go to it with an open mind and ask a lot of questions - that will be your best source of information, not videos or the internets. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

My casual observation from watching a whole host of tunnels go up in the years since I've been skydiving (only Orlando & Perris were operating in the U.S. when I started). -There will be lots of rumored locations -Some may even have fancy conceptual drawings and specific development locations -Many (most?) of those won't go anywhere for various reasons (usually involving $$) -Some will actually move beyond the conceptual phase Until a location is actually acquired and ground is broken, don't count on getting a tunnel in your town. But, once ground is broken, expect the following: -Around the time of groundbreaking, a planned opening date will be announced. Ignore this date because it means nothing. -At some point, something tunnelesque will appear on the site. Start paying more attention around this point. -Around this time a revised opening date might be announced. This one may be more realistic, but still assume that it is probably a few months earlier than the date on which anyone from the public can actually fly in the tunnel. -At some point, said tunnel will be fully operational and open to the public. The good news is that throughout all of those delays you've had more time to put away money that you will immediately hand over to the tunnel owners ... that day and for the rest of your life. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

Buy a used container that holds a 190 main and a similarly sized reserve. Buy both of those used if you can. Don't buy for what you think you'll be ready for next year, buy what you're ready for right now. Jump it happily till you're ready to move to a 170 main then downsize. If it fits a 190, it'll likely also hold a 170 just fine (especially if it's a regular Pilot 168, not a ZPX, besides, the regular Pilots should be more available on the used market). Unless you're an outlier in terms of size (extremely tall or short), you should be able to find a used container that fits fine. If you buy anything at all new, buy your AAD new because that can be moved into your next container. Let someone else take the depreciation on new gear. Jump used gear and spend more money on jumps and improving your skills. Learn everything you can about flying your 190; it'll make you a better pilot if/when you do decide to downsize. Buy new gear (if you want) a few years from now when you're at a point where you can see staying on the same equipment for several years. Then you can really wring the value out of new stuff. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=4405732 Boobies, apparently. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

Too bad it's not really free. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

Start to finish. Can't wait! Are we there yet? "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

"So, the donkey stuff wasn't real?" "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

DB Cooper. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

Overtaking on breakoff can happen even if everyone on the jump is (or isn't) wearing booties. That's why the bigger the jump gets, the more important it becomes not for each individual to track as fast and far as they can, but to track the appropriate speed , angle, and distance specified in the breakoff plan (often through use of tracking groups, the mechanics of which the organizer should spend lots of time on). For the group sizes you're talking about, however, there should be adequate space for everyone to track off on separate radials from the center and get adequate separation, so long as breakoff is high enough and everyone stays on their line. Unless people are drifting off their own line, overtaking shouldn't be a concern. If people can't stay on their line long enough to get safe separation, they may not be ready for a jump of that size. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

We saw this one today ... I agree. Fan-freaking-tastic movie. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

So I wasn't planning to make cranberry sauce (especially since I'm not making a turkey) but I got fresh cranberries in my CSA box this week, so I decided to give it a go. In the past when I've made it I've done the usual 2:1 ratio of cranberries to sugar, but since I'm trying to cut out most sugar, I went in a different direction. Mixed cranberries (about a cup and a half, maybe 2 cups) with a can of unsweetened pineapple chunks (and the juice), and a satsuma mandarin (plus some zest from the rind). I added a couple of spoons of coconut palm sugar. It turned out pretty yummy! It's definitely tangy, but the flavor is great. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

Fun video that Juan Mayer posted from the National Skydiving Hall of Fame event (video is tagged public so even those w/o Facebook accounts should be able to view it). https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10152272902655494 "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

Can ya slap an NSFW on that one? "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

Yep, you're probably right on that. Skydive Oregon runs a tight ship, very "by the book." I've been to a lot of DZs, and to SDO multiple times and under its current management it is definitely not what I'd call sketchy at all. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

Just watched "Jiro Dreams of Sushi." Highly recommended, especially if you're a fish fan. It is on Netflix streaming. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

That'll increase the number of page views exponentially, I'm sure. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

You might want to try croquet balls instead. Croquettes will probably fall apart pretty quickly when you hit them with the mallets. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

Going to the movies and doing a relatively low-key dinner at home (probably a roast chicken and some mashed sweet 'taters). "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

The old man's still got it! From Wikipedia... love this part: "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

No, that would be the (.)(.) option, methinks. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

Searching. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

Second this. I've known Scott since we were both baby skydivers (he's since gone pro and has waaaaaayyy more experience than I do now) and he's turned into a really great canopy pilot & coach. He's good people and will give you professional coaching. And he's local, so you'll be able to follow up as needed. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

Don't you lose some of your cool points if you have to stop in the middle of your sick dock to pull the left side of your rig back onto your shoulder? (I actually don't know the answer to this since I've never actually gotten any cool points for my skydives) "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=2227575 That is one of the more dramatic stories I've read on here. At my home DZ, we do get hawks that like to flock with and occasionally attack canopies. There's been some damage to canopy cells but not any so substantial as to cause injury. I've had a hawk following me in on final and apparently playing with my pilot chute and topskin, but fortunately no damage. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

When you say you "eat healthy" what does that mean to you? In other words, what types of foods are you eating? "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke