mgaillar

Wow! I am impressed with the both of your "ballpark" figures! The gear in question has an asking price of $2500...I am hoping to shave off a couple hundred. Cypress had it's 8-yr check and batteries replaced a couple of months ago. I think the main actually has less than 200J's. The container/harness is in excellent shape with the exception of the toggle stow pockets (?) on the harness (torn). I'll be sure to get my rigger to give it a once over. Thanks again to all of you, particularly Phree and Lisa! As a relatively new skydiver (and an anal consumer) it is nice to get your insight. It gives me a comfortable feeling knowing that the asking price is in the ballpark. Blue skies! Matt http://www.skydiveorange.com

Thanks to you all. I understand there are many variables to consider. Your feedback is greatly appreciated!! Lisa...care to take a stab at what an average cost for a Javelin J5 with a Sabre 210 main, PD 218R and Cypress should fetch? All equipment is DOM 94 and lets assume approx. 400 jumps on container/Main, Zero jumps on reserve, no Cypress fires, and total condition is good. ;) Again, thanks for feedback! Heading to the Search in February and trying to get all my ducks in a row. Matt http://www.skydiveorange.com

As a skydiver in the market for a used rig, how does one go about pricing used gear? I have seen Cypress Calculators that will value the unit based on it's DOM. Is there any similar tools, tables, or resources to be had that will give me a clue as to what I should be paying for a particular piece of gear, e.g., container, reserve, main, etc? Obviously, condition of the gear is critical, but if a rig is in relatively good shape, how does value break down on the gear. Manufacturer, DOM, number of jumps...I know the info, just not how to apply a value. Any insight would be greatly appreciated! Matt http://www.skydiveorange.com

Thanks! My bad for not dumpin' in the link! http://www.skydiveorange.com

http://www.cnn.com/2002/US/01/17/dead.man.lizards.ap/index.html http://www.skydiveorange.com

Skydive ORANGE! This place has it all for a small- to medium-sized DZ. Twin Otter and Cessna. Otter loads are usually split down the middle with free-fliers and R-dubs. Great instructors for the newbies. Rock solid videographers. Nudies. Beer. Bonfire. A bunch of kool kats. Come one, come all....feel the Orange Vibe! And when it's warm, there is nothing more liberating after the sunset load than walking the runway nude, beers in hand, and lining the compass headings with the bodies of twenty of your buds (great boobie shots too)!! Matt "A truly wise man never plays leap frog with a unicorn." http://www.skydiveorange.com

Bernoulli's Principle: Daniel Bernoulli, an eighteenth-century Swiss scientist, discovered that as the velocity of a fluid increases, its pressure decreases. How and why does this work, and what does it have to do with aircraft in flight? Bernoulli's principle applies to any fluid, and since air is a fluid, it applies to air. The camber of an airfoil causes an increase in the velocity of the air passing over the airfoil. This results in a decrease in the pressure in the stream of air moving over the airfoil. This decrease in pressure on the top of the airfoil causes lift. Hmmmm. http://www.skydiveorange.com

I'm no flight instructor or aeronautical engineer...in fact, I don't know squat about aerodynamics of a wing and I am only now learning the aerodynamics of a canopy. However, the numerous resources I have read and/or listened to, all claim the same.....forward speed converts to lift, particularly when flaring. Therefore I assume more speed equals more lift. I also read about basic aerodynamics from The Book of Canopy Control by Bryan Burke (http://www.skydiveaz.com/resources/book_canopy.htm). Chapter one, third paragraph........ "A canopy produces lift in two ways. The form of the wing itself produces some lift. Wings are shaped so that air must flow faster over the top of the wing than the bottom. When the velocity of air increases, its pressure decreases. This creates a low pressure area on the top of the wing, and a corresponding higher pressure below. Thus the wing is "lifted" towards the low pressure area." Makes sense to me that the more airspeed the less pressure on the top of the wing and more pressure on the bottom, which in-turn creates lift. Like I said....just info I have read/heard about. Incidently, Burke's "book" has some cool info in it. Blues to you all. Peace! Matt http://www.skydiveorange.com

I'd aim for the peas! http://www.skydiveorange.com

Thanks for the insight, PhreeZone. You made some interesting points! There is no doubt that this is a topic of debate that could go on and on. I will talk with my DZ JM's, particularly the S&TA, to determine why they chose the option they did. Maybe for students they figured it was the best option. I'm curious now. Matt http://www.skydiveorange.com

Here is another question that might appear stupid (but didn't someone say there are no stupid questions?)...anyway, I too am new to the sport. If you have a pilot chute in tow, then the main pin has not been extracted, right? Why? Because of a tight closing loop? Or maybe a bridal snag? So, the container flaps are not open...if you cutaway, this releases the three-ring configuration. What is going to rip the risers, pilot chute, and D-bag (still locked in the container) off of your body?? The cutaway handle initiates the three-ring release, but I don't understand what is going to allow the container flaps to open and release the main D-bag. Therefore, why cutaway? If you go to the reserve, is this going to provide enough container deformation to release a main pin if the cause of the PC is a tight loop? Is it going to unsnag the bridal (depends on where it is snagged, I suppose). My DZ policy is to teach students to go to the reserve and try to contain the PC. But I think they chose that just to teach consistency from one JM to another. I am not so sure it was because they all agreed that it was the best thing to do. Any clarification on the cutaway procedure would be greatly appreciated! Peace! Matt http://www.skydiveorange.com

This is so goddamn funny...you guys crack me up! I am anxious to see who is banging on the cans...'spose he was in STOMP? http://www.skydiveorange.com

Ohhh, no doubt...REAL! How's about a hint?? There is over 4k dz.com registered users. Lets see.......east coast or west? canopy colors? license designation? his name? ;) Ah well....the first pic forces us to use our left brains! Matt http://www.skydiveorange.com

Just a quick observation for those that are regulars and may know who the lucky guy is.....apparently Biguns is from Dallas TX....provided the profile is correct AND she is dating a guy from the same area, we can narrow it down a bit............ Cool girlfriend this dude has! LOL

Just thought I would add my two cents here........I am nobody to take advice from since I am as green as they come (working on AFF Cat. C jump), however, just this last weekend I was doing my oral exam with one of my JM's and she asked me what a horseshoe mal was and what I would do about. My AFF Cat. A training taught me to cut-away. not much else was said. So my answer to her was just that...."cut-away and pull the reserve". But she then proceded to tell me why and what else should be done. As was mentioned earlier, hooked at one point is better than hooked at two points, and then she said once the reserve is deployed to try and "rope" in the main as much as possible because it will want to take out the reserve, e.g., wrap it around your legs...stuff under your arms....whatever works to get it out of the way. Naturally this depends on altitude and controllablility of the reserve, I suspect. You also have to attempt to gather the mess and still control your canopy, at least effectively enough to land someplace open and PLF. Again....just a conversation I had with my JM. I agree that this MAL seems to be one of the more dangerous MAL's I have been trained on, and with the least amount of attention. Matt

As mentioned in an earlier post, I start my AFF progression tomorrow morning. This morning I read your post. This evening, I am reading the ISP section of the SIM. Category A: First Jump Course Outline Section A.3 - The alti indicates altitude in thousands of feet from the ground. Section A.3.c - sometimes fails. I immediately thought of your post. From your post and others responding, I like to think I have better understanding of what I will need to learn (and do) should I experience a failed alti. Thanks for sharing your experiences! I'm off to dream about FLYING! Matt

"....then half your paycheck for the rest of your life. " Hmmm....half my paycheck, whuffo buds, and beer or half my paycheck, skydiving (and new-found friends), and beer....................I can't fully say, but I am sure it will be clear after this weekend! Weather looks to be shaping up nicely over my DZ. Hope the SkyGod is kind to us rookies. Blue skies to the rest of you junkies too! Matt

Well...there ya go....my green-ness exposed! But certainly for the best! Here I am hoping for no wind and I want just the opposite! And damn if it doesn't make sense...landing INTO the wind = slow, soft landings? That's my take, anyway. Man...lots to learn! Thanks for the in-sight. Michelle, like everyone else, I have enjoyed (and learned from) your spectacular writing ability documenting your AFF experiences. I anticipate posting several questions/concerns as I progress through my own AFF program,knowing with confidence, that I will get good feedback. Palmetto T...I read a thread not too long ago about a student well into his AFF progression and had not been taught how to PLF yet. I quickly learned from responses the importance of PLFing. Needless to say, when scheduling my AFF Level 1, one of my first questions was "When do I get taught how to PLF?" Wind or no wind, I will be sure have learned how to PLF. Skydive Orange here I come! Matt

I start my AFF progression this weekend (Saturday). Tandemed two months ago and could not escape the freefall claws. And the damn thing would not let me go! Now I am forced to jump with my own canopy. Great forum you all have here. According to most of you (and your posts), I already owe beer! Wishing for blue skies and winds < 14mph (preferably little to no wind for my first jump). Mg

First time poster and thought this cool thread of introductions was the appropriate time to jump in. My name is Matt and reside in Northern Virginia. I am a network admin/help desk support technician at a gov't research facility. I am pretty much a first time skydiver too....one tandem jump at Skydive Orange. I am starting my AFF progression next month (hopefully the first weekend of Aug.). I am so STOKED! Been reading the forum threads for about two months and you all make it a place I look forward to visiting on a daily basis! Thank you! Between DZ.com and Poynter's book, I am soaking up as much info as possible. Looking forward to engaging in future threads. Matt