Antidote

I've read some of her posts, but was unaware of her passing away. A sad thing :(. Was it a skydiving accident?

Heh yeah, I saw JC taking up a Sabre 1 190 and outswooping some local Skygods in Russia . I kinda went 'alllllrighty...when i can do *that*, I'm ready for an elliptica'l . Was pretty impressive.

Use mine just after deployment. Then if I have to cross the runway at my DZ, I use it to see i've above 500m. Other than that, I eyeball it.

Yeah, there's always DZ politics. I thought I'd never get involved in it, but if you're a regular, it's pretty hard to avoid alltogether. Ain't that bad at my home DZ though. We're pretty friendly :)

I'm sharing this so others can learn from my stupidity. Scenario is: me under my old canopy (a Safire-149 @ 1.15), jump #430, sunset load, a simple 90 degree hookturn. Somehow I've turned the windsocket around (maybe I was used to the big red arrow they used in Russia?) and make a downwind landing in about 3-4m/s winds. I only realize this in the last few seconds; yet my judgement is that the speed will bleed off before I reach any obstacles, so I do not flare turn. Not that I had much energy left to do so. Up to that point, the swoop had been most enjoyable after all. If we hadn't built that swoop pond, the earth wall wouldn't have been there, and I'd cruise right in between the trees! Never mind them snagging my canopy. That's my excuse, anyway Result was one broken rib and two that had been pushed in a bit. I've had lots of discussions about this incident with more experienced people and have identified the cascade of events that led up to it, but perhaps there is more to be learned. Earned me a nickname, too. Not a very flattering one, I'm afraid . Right click, save as to download. Edited fer speelink.

Perhaps you're right, but don't underestimate the paranoia of the NK leadership. They might very well want it as a 'deterrent'. In the past, they've shown that they see the population as little more than slaves.

Heh, just reread the entire thread. I made the assumption we were talking something stilleto-VX-Katana like. That should teach me to read posts more carefully

Whoa, sounds pretty radical to me. Here, we got wingload restrictions for anyone with less than 200 jumps. You may not jump an elliptical canopy (regardless of wingload) until you have 400 jumps. Those are the rules, and they've been written in blood. Even at less than 1:1, the canopy is still elliptical. I think your friend is needlessly greatly increasing her risk of serious injury or death.

$5 for 3300 feet at our DZ in Aars, DK.

Yah; just a matter of a difference in methods, if there is a difference at all. Perhaps a greater directness; girls are way too intelligent to get into an obvious "my dick is bigger than yours" argument, preferring to camouflage it a bit, whereas men (me included) are stupid enough to go directly to the source. In males, I've found that it's just a matter of setting the hierarchial structure; establishing who's the top dog and who's subordinate/equal to who. It's sorta accepted that it's the way we are (perhaps on an unconscious level), so there's little more to it. Men tend to be crude, women subtle. Perhaps the impression that women are 'catty' towards each other and men supposedly aren't stems from this. Same thing in the end, I gather.

It's really a do or don't situation. Excuses such as "no time" or "no money" are rather invalid to me. Time isn't something you have - it's something you take. Money is somewhat more difficult, but by saving a bit here, not eating that pizza or what have you, one can usually find enough money for a couple of jumps, even if one is a student. If one has a job, "not having money" is a true excuse - it's then a matter of priority, unless one is overburdened with loans. I jump as much as I can, given the weather in this country and I go abroad in the summer. It means I haven't got money or time for much else (don't even own a car, or have a driver's license for that matter), but I'm happy with that. Do or don't is the best way I think.

Nah, it's a really good helmet. Lightweight, cheap, can be customized. Great fit. It has some drawbacks, like the top mount isn't perfect, but other than that it's a very good helmet. I prefer it to Bonehead, especially since I do mostly FF filming with a sidemount. But that's my personal opinion.

I'm with Tonto on that one. Being a weekend jumper and going at around 400 jumps a year in a country with bad weather means there isn't really time to spare. Work all week, jump all weekend. It's really simple. Decide what you want. Do it. Accept the consequences. If you can't do the latter, don't do the former .