katzurki

Actually, that should be done without any pointing-out. You are supposed to get the rig back, inspect it and say, "Whoa, did you just let it sit in your closet all these months?" At worst, you should look it over, become pale, catch your breath and shout out, "Hey! What've you done to my rig?" To which comes the reply, "I've washed it."

Here's Google cache. Here's original file, appears to be down for now

Racer 2k3, 5 ft if that much. If I am lazy while pitching, leads to PC hesitations, so that the whole opening sequence, from reaching back to the pud, to canopy overhead, can be 1200 ft on a canopy not exactly renowned for its soft, sniveling openings.

Was it something we said? I didn't have much choice in the matter. Mum and dad said "Can we move from here, is that ok?" my response was probably shitting myself, which they probably took as a "yes please" I hope your answering habits haven't stuck since then...

You leave me no choice, sir, but to repudiate your petulant expostulations! Seriously, my post wasn't about anything you have said. Not buying a Firebolt nor packing ZP. It wouldn't even be about Firebolts but for it being the perfect example. And have you just claimed that a $1700 elliptical canopy is going to be worthless in 600 jumps?

Yea... the question is not so much about the Firebolt's performance as it is about the claim that this hybrid thing does not hinder performance. Take two Firebolts, one all ZP, one hybrid, put a thousand jumps on each. Still no difference?

AFAIK, there is only a hybrid version. I'm hoping to try one out in the near future.

Out of pure curiosity, is there anyone who has tried the Firebolt in both their ZP and Hybrid versions, and can comment on performance differences between the two?

Pro-Dytter or Pro-Track? Pro-Track is more expensive than Optima, right. Mads said it will be their only logbook audible for now, and will eventually be replaced by something new. If Pro-Dytter is indeed more expensive than the Optima, then I suggest looking for another dealer. After the price decrease, some dealers apparently thought, "Hey, what the hell. We don't have competition to worry about, so why don't we simply keep the price the way it has always been?" -- that's the case in Russia, anyway. It's a real hoot, seeing Solo for pre-sale at $129, and ProDytter at $160, while to put it in Mads's own words, ProDytter is meant "to remain the cheapest audible on the market" and that the dealers "were supposed to adjust to the new suggested retail prices." As irony has it, it's cheaper for me to buy it from Paragear overseas, shipping included, than from my friendly neighborhood L&B dealer. Not to my knowledge, no. You can get an Altitrack for analog altimeter/logbook and a Solo/Optima for your audible needs. Or look at Neptune/Wave. Heck, your Vigil can display your fallrate and freefall time. The market is versatile, and your choices are many.

http://uk.download.yahoo.com/ne/fu/attachments/buildabetterbush.htm Sorry, gotta run... repost police closing in. I am innocent!

I've got a 2k3 pullout. My only gripe with it is that the square inch piece of velcro they utilize on it is constantly tearing away at the PC's mesh. This doesn't seem to do the PC any harm, but it wore the velcro out in 40 measly jumps. (Basically, I come back from the jump, and both pieces of velcro, male and female, are firmly hooked onto the pilot chute's mesh. Can't see what I am doing wrong.)

Gratz

Er.. in this particular instance, the student in question was doing his AFF 4 or 5. It is generally assumed on our DZ you pay for any gear losses as soon as you graduate AFF. Wish we had Wild Bills like that here. Usually after a cutaway it's a race between DZ'ers and villagers to see who gets the canopy first, and it's not a fact they will turn it in. I've heard a story about a farmer-type guy holding on to the canopy that drifted into his backyard. When confronted and asked why the hell he needed it, he said, "It makes a great warmth-keeper for dem greenhouses."

Wow, a beautifully formulated thought. Thanks everybody for the answers. I'll post here to let you know how it all worked out. Currently we are hoping to find the canopy... although what good would it be after a week out in the elements...

An AFF student cuts away from a legitimate malfunction, the canopy is lost. What's the common course of action in a situation like this? Does the DZ just suck up the loss? Does it have the right to charge the student, fully or partially? What should the student do? This is an actual question, not a what-if.

It's called "grass." It's a special kind of canopy-friendly sand.

What a wealth in pictures. Thanks! While probably a valid safety concern (that hasn't occurred or been mentioned to me), it is small enough to be dismissed... that's sort of like choosing your car color because statistically silvery cars are less involved in accidents. Okay, I will yield to the pressure and get stabilizers in eye-hurting red

No. It's Racer, baby! Plus I don't have the proper kind of silicone, and I am wary to buy any substitute they sell over here.

Unairworthy Sabre 107 http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=1522151 Bingo. Nice pictures. I think I am going white top/bottom and multicolored ribs in between, but.. let's see some more! How is the white holding up for you?

If you got 'em, can you post 'em? Here's one I found. Edit: bonus point to whoever recognizes this particular canopy

The Cheetah, of course. Demands loving care and attention. Loves being stroked. Purrs. The nocturnal thing she is, goes out to hunt at night. I've never seen her eat, but horror stories abound. Now that people are starting to chicken out and don't camp as much anymore, winter will be hard to survive, but we'll manage on unsuspecting riggers, drunk pilots, and an occasional villager from nearby (teach them right for stealing our cutaway canopies, the bastards). . . They said I couldn't get any pussy, guess I proved them! Fur's doing great. A little bit worn in the legstrap area, but otherwise great. Now and then a riser cover will pop open though, she's just too soft and pliable in that area

Naa, I packed that, handed it to the guy and said: Here's your pussy, take it like a man. At least you can check if your canopy is even in the bag. This rig was jumped at least four more times that day.

Yeah. Bad. I'll need to have my landings filmed more often, but it's always so hard to cajole somebody, the damn guys are always jumping

Word from a rigger is that the newest PDs, circa end of 2004 and later, pack smaller than the older PDs because of the change in fabrics (no, not the PIA-announced new fabric). I usually tend to believe the rigger who is generally very knowledgeable, yet it surprises me that there is no such claim on PD website, or anywhere for that matter (you'd think it made a big selling point -- Now Packs 10% Smaller!). What say you?

It does look like a well-travelled.. uh.. d-bag. And I don't mean that it travels a lot