tdog

Damn, who'd be (sp) Kevin Kominski No joke! He must be either: 1. A jumping machine 2. A horrible packer or 3. One unlucky dude I think I counted 15 saves... I think he must be the financial backer of this rigging loft, without him, their revenue would be down at least a few %.

Since it is a recirculating tunnel, I think there is much more in "design changes" than just motor design... From what I have been told, a lot of the engineering is brand-spanking-new (cutting edge) on this beast... Pumping air in circles is gotta be much different than pumping air thru a tube.

He also says: That they are going to have "a drawing at Mile High Sky Diving boogie this week end." While I was too busy to stop and get out of the car - I did drive by on the way to an appointment and SAW WITH MY OWN EYES ground being broken... Pigs are flying and the fat lady is singing - Colorado will have a tunnel!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I agree, I was hoping someone with more jumps than I thinks this guy's story is a little too good to be true... Now, maybe if they used a leash to real him in from backslides... Dude, all I can say is, where is the video (and/or the three other people who jumped in the 4way?)

They spend all that money on the inside - you would at least think they could take it to Macco for the $59 special exterior paint job...

weather, weather, weather... That is the key! You need 25 jumps for an A, right.... At a DZ with a great staff and many planes, you should be able to get 6 jumps in a day (that is what our 4-way team does every training day, and we are stepping it up next week to more)... The first day, I bet 3 jumps (AFF1-3) would be all you want to do... Maybe AFF4-7 the next day... That leaves 3 days * 6 jumps... Ground School... So, the key is to talk to the DZ and get it all scheduled for each day, making sure you have a coach arranged for full days... If they say you can do it, you can. If they say not, then don't ask us... I believe it from my newbie experience that... In the beginning, the number of days hanging around the DZ interacting with different people, talking to packers, talking to TI, talking to experienced jumpers, is just as important as jump numbers, for your education... I.E. when the weather sucks showing up at the DZ is still a good thing... Thus, your "A" training in a week with no down time may be not as good as if you took longer to complete it from a tech/gear/procedure perspective, but I bet you will be a better flyer because the coach will have no "downtime" to reteach... But the simple fix is to hang out as much as you can and keep learning once you are done with "boot camp week"... Anyone else with more jumps than I, perhaps instructors, think he can do it????

You may think so... But around 30 jumps I went to Perris and did 30 minutes of one-on-one coaching with Pat... My first tunnel session... The best investment in my skydiving life to date... Every minute of that tunnel session translated to the sky... Perfect training tool... I only have a handful of hours in the tunnel, but I want more, more, more, to be a better skydiver!!! If I become a better tunnel rat by accident, all the more better.

Oh, come on, they are gorgeous, worth every bite (megabite that is)!!! I remember when I was bandwidth impaired, you gotta do something about that... I think it took 3 minutes to download. It is so nice to see a RW team video that is light hearted and has some fun with the video editing... Of course you can't score a dive off a video like that, but it fun to watch... It is also fun to see a team that is learning...

That was me... If I had only known the door I was opening. As I said in my first post, I love my Vector (and will pay the price increase next time for another.)

The only way to place the blame is the instructors. All of the other things are just extras, the instructors still have to do their job. I place the blame on the students... Those who don't ask questions and seek knowledge, I just don't understand... Instructors at best can get the juices flowing, but the student has to want to drink and be thirsty... That is my two cents, and it sucks when people die because of their lack of thirst...

You have told him the risks... If he asks again, you can tell him more... Now it is his decision.

So does your canopy Good skydiving gear costs money. I'm willing to pay it

And you built me a masterpiece that many other jumpers ask if they can "borrow" just to see what it is like to jump a Vector... Seriously, I love my rig and all the personal attention your staff put into it... When I first got it I started "digging" to find one thing I thought was "sloppy" - and I have yet to find it... Awesome work. This morning after read some of the responses by people about canopy costs, I thought... "Shoot, a canopy is basically some ZP material and a lineset, my rig has hundreds of custom made parts. Why is it that the canopies are so expensive then???" I feel your pain on this one. Travis

PM "Apley". I only jumped on a Saturday and Sunday when I was out there for business.... No problem getting on loads, but busy... But I think we are missing the topic of the thread.... A jet at Perris.

Ya, whenever they try to put swooping on national TV, someone like "Deep Throat" has to come out of the closet and solve a 30 year old secret, perhaps one of the best held secrets of all times, except for of course the fate of D.B. Cooper... Wonder when they will reschedule the swoop story??? Any ideas?

I had an awesome time at San Diego!!! Find "Apley" (on the forums) and ask him to show you around! Perris is fun too, but much bigger... Different, not better.

Ya, I agree

I found on the RWS website an announcement for a price increase June 6th... That is a couple days away... If you are thinking of buying a rig in the near future (I love my Vector3, by the way) - just thought I would save you DZ.commers some $$$...

I log everything in my logbook... First plane ride down, hours in the tunnel, new gear... Does not mean it will count for anything for ratings, but it will come in handy when I need useless trivia... There was a good post by someone who said he also logs how much he paid per item in his logbook, or how much he earned - because for taxes this will pay off... Good idea, because in a few years you might actually get paid to teach and you will have a lot of learning to writeoff for taxes!

Hell no, that is $286 a cell! In the carpet cleaning business - they say companies that call the work they do "textile restoration" can charge more... So, what is a fancy word for "Canopy" that can make it more expensive while we are on the topic of marketing!

I think this will be one of the "best polls" in a while as long as many, many, many people vote... I am very interested to see what comes of this.

I third that motion... Me like my Pilot...

She is right, both because she always will be, and because she is... Most new homes these days seem to NOT have a living room anymore... Too many people figgured it out - what a waste of space... But, call any room what you want - put the TV near the kitchen and BBQ grill, and you are set for any party that will come.

Why don't ya try both and let us know?

My favorite beaches are the ones half way between SF and LA on PCH... Those are the more “suburban” or “hawaii” type beaches – nice and clean and pretty. Venice and Santa Monica are great people watching, surfing watching beaches... There are even body building championships in Venice with a full outdoor members only gym. On the weekends, roller hockey in the parking lots… Weird mix, the only place where I have seen the ultra conservative mothers pushing their baby’s strollers next to and saying “HI” to guys selling drugs and outdoor tattoo places. But the water gets dirty (like city waste dirty) - so I always swam in Malibu (where I lived) or north of Malibu about 10 minutes there is a good beach on PCH… I always rollerbladed/people watched/attempted surfing south (Santa Monica/Venice). So, if you are looking for fun in the sun, try more than one – but if you are staying in Santa Monica, no need to drive 40 minutes north or more because the characteristic L.A. beaches can all be found in Santa Monica and Venice – and you will see the others as you drive south from SF… In Malibu there are a few hotels... My favorite, I forgot the name, is on the land side of PCH, just south of the McDonalds I think. White two story. Cheap (by Malibu standards) and clean. Otherwise you are spending much, much, much more for some of the other hotels. Santa Monica is only 20 minutes south of Malibu on PCH... Six Flags... If you are going there from Malibu, take the Malibu Canyon road 20 minutes inland (nice drive too) and hookup with the 101 - and take it to the 405 - to Six Flags... Then when you are done, be sure to go back the way you came because the drive between Malibu and Santa Monica on PCH is awesome - all along the ocean... You will see plenty of the 10, 405, and 101 when you start going to westwood/planetarium/studios, etc... So go the long way to Santa Monica.