camamel

Micro Sigma with Sigma 340 as a main. At my DZ we have 5 370 and 4 340 and everybody is fighting to jump the 340's. Toggle pressure on the 340 is like nothing compare to the 370. This canopy is very solid in turbulence even with a 100 pounds passenger and real fun to land on no wind with a 230 240 pounds passenger. Look like the 340 also have less tendency for tension nuts. Richard When you think you're good...this is when you become dangerous.

Assuming most DZ make there living with tandems I still don't understand why some of them are stretching the envelope of safety to the point of incident, accident and eventually fatality. In each tandem Vector manual there is a recommend replacement times for every components. I can understand that a bran new Sigma is a lot of money. But like some one said,in this thread, you can upgrade your old Vector 2 with the new Sigma technology for only a few hundreds bucks, roughly the same amount of money need to keep an old V2 drogue up to date according to UPT standard!! Of course I was not there, and I don't know either the TM, the DZ or the DZO....exactly like a judge when you have to show up in court. But from what I can read it look like this DZ has no safety rules for the maintenance of their tandems rigs and no controls on their staff either!! This is amasing. They jump crap until it broke down. They don't respect their custommers at all. This is because of attitude like this that in some country goverment want to take control of skydiving operations. Eventually we will all loose our freedom because of non responsible people like that. If you are not intelligent or wise enought to make enough money with your DZ to have descent equipement for your custommer... please quiet the business. Those DZ can hurt all of us very bad. This is what I think. What do you think? Richard When you think you're good...this is when you become dangerous.

Welcome abord my friend...and congradulation. Richard, ourson # 77!! When you think you're good...this is when you become dangerous.

I saw 10 millions world wide a few years ago in skydiving magazine. Richard When you think you're good...this is when you become dangerous.

Routine. Always doing the same thing in the same order. That way what ever happen around you, you will react like you always train yourself to do. Exactly like emergency procedure. Here we are 12 TI and we do all the same briefing, same procedure in the plane, at exit and under canopy. It is not more restrictive for my instructors and it doesn't take them more time to do it. In fact I think it's easyer, quicker and for sure safer. We all have to understand that we don't do that for us but for our custommers and they deserve the best. But on the other side we are all skydivers who whant to have fun in our sport. Having TI following a strict safety routine doesn't mean they can't offer something different or personnal while still having a lot of fun. That's the way I think. Richard When you think you're good...this is when you become dangerous.

Well as a DZO for students we follow the rules set from our association CSPA here in Canada. For every license there is a wind limitation. If it is known that you exceed those limits on purpose then if some one hurt himself you can be in trouble. Steady wind is something but unless you are on a huge airport like Deland or old military airfield you will have to deal with turbulence. This is where somebody have to think and use is head to make a decision. This is also where some people want to push the limnit and where young skydivers hurt themself. When it is a full load of regulars jumpers we advised them but it is up to them unless it is not safe from the pilot point of view. Looking at your video it look like a student canopy (170 or more) with no mistake from the pilot. Even with that size canopy the canopy is going forward so the ground wind is not a problem. It is only a turbulence at the end and maybe a slow or no reaction from the pilot at the end. The jump is not over until you're safely on the ground and your canopy completly deflate on the ground. Don't worry about that landing heat is probably the case. Richard Richard When you think you're good...this is when you become dangerous.

Thanks Tim I will use everything I have here to promote the signature of that letter. Do you think we can ask Yves Pelchat to translate your post it in the French forum? In order to reach as many people as possible I think it's a must. Richard When you think you're good...this is when you become dangerous.

I can't even say that I'm looking for French instructors on the French forum. The only way is to put an add in English witch doesn't work at all. So I really don't understand why DZ.COM let you advertised like that for your own business, because what ever you say this is what you're doing. I have a Freak Brother card and a number that was issue to me back in the mid 70's,should I consider that a rating! If some one is walking on very thin ice ,in your case I think you should start thinking about swimming!!! Nothing new Waste of time When you think you're good...this is when you become dangerous.

Thanks Andrew No extra paper work for the same rating...YES I like that. Richard When you think you're good...this is when you become dangerous.

Hi John What about for Canadians? Do we still renew our ratings with manufacturer? Richard When you think you're good...this is when you become dangerous.

In the briefing we talk about that. And there is also natural pils of ginger that works really well with out side effect. So well in fact that next summer I will have some spare ones in the office. With those you don't fall a sleep so customer can drive back home safely. Different type of harness can also make a huge difference. The old V2 harness was very bad for that. At our DZ it's happening on every 300 jumps or so. Richard When you think you're good...this is when you become dangerous.

I did try it twice. It remember me when I start freefalling in the 70's. When somebody was too stiff they end up flat spinning. Some where spinning fast enough to be desoriented. The way to get out of that was tracking. Pretty much like a side spin recovery for me. Richard When you think you're good...this is when you become dangerous.

I never said that Bill Booth have all the innovations in the tandem market. I was doing tandems back in 1985 and never stop since so I saw all the évolution. If Bill is not responsible for all of them he is for most of them...and the most important one's, the safety one's. A rig is not safer because he has no velcro,look better or is more comfortable. But the Sigma have all of them anyway! All the tandem system in the world have,from what I know, a three ring system to release their drogue. When first Bill introduce the three ring it was for a cut away purpose only. Some tandems pair kill themself after an unstable cut away in the pass now with the skyhook this is history with the Sigma.I did chop a few times in the past and once with the skyhook so I can tell this is a huge safety improvement. Yes I think the Sigma is there to replace the inherent designs flaws of the old Vector 2. But except for the look, comfort and velcros, most of the tandems systems on the planet are quiet like the V2. Richard When you think you're good...this is when you become dangerous.

NO...from what I no. When you think you're good...this is when you become dangerous.

At my place we jump only 5 months a year,3 of them full time. If you have enough volume for 6 tandems rigs(thats a lot) you should be able to renew yours rigs one at the time. I think it is important to follow the market. A few years ago it was still possible to have some good money for a used V2. Then you can use that money to buy a new Sigma who was only a few buck more then a new V2. Your rigs won't last for ever. If you maintain those well then eventually,on the long run, it will cost you more to keep it then to buy new ones. If you don't maintain them you'll run into trouble for sure and end up with something that has no value. I think there is still a market for used V2 in south America. Last October I sold 4 complete Sigma rigs for an average of $7000 each. With those huge DZ around we should see more and more used Sigmas on the market soon. Richard When you think you're good...this is when you become dangerous.

From what I herd the answer is no. I have a complete Vector 2 (with out canopys) in my wardrobe for at least 4 years now! Look like there is a market for vector 2 in Mexico. But if you have only a passenger harness I don't think there is any market for that. Richard When you think you're good...this is when you become dangerous.

Why anybody could want a tandem copy when you can buy the best and safest rig out there with the latest technology...the Sigma. I am buying some of those each winter since couples years and I always have them delivered on schedule. Why chosing something else? I am in the tandem business since the beginning in 1985 and I still don't understand why people,probably to save a few bucks I can't see anything else , are willing to go back with an old technology that have been improve since. In my early years back in 75, some of our friends died because rigs,mains,reserves,opening and cut away systems were something new and no factory team back then. So why going backward now when we finally have something like the Sigma? Richard When you think you're good...this is when you become dangerous.

Households income is very different from an individual income. There is some + and - for every job out there. All in all it might not be the most lucrative job but it is far from being the worst. Richard When you think you're good...this is when you become dangerous.

Well, welcome in our small but wonderful world. From now on you will most likely land in front of somebody. At the beginning the reason why experienced skydivewrs and instructors go outside to see your landing,and always give advise,is because we know how bad you can hurt yourself. It is like a baby learning to walk except you're learning to fly and if you fall you can hurt more than only your ego! Take your time,have fun and stay safe. Skydiving is like skiing except in our case there is only one slope what ever you have one or 10K jumps and at the end there is a wall!! Richard When you think you're good...this is when you become dangerous.

Hi Pearl This is the first time that i have a look at this forum and I have to admit that you are so popular that I didn't read your post 100%. It remember me my first jumps...33years ago. One thing I learn in thoses years is some times THE NATURALS(people that always do everything perfect the first time) don't stay in the sport very long they eventually try something else. On the other side the people who take more time to learn end up being more perfectionnist. Of course this is only my opinion and it doesn't apply to everybody. Also you probably already realise the magic of our cummunity. -You can be anywhere in the world...if you are in deep trouble go to a DZ somebody will help you. -You can be 80 years old or 16, with 1 or 20000 jumps and everybody on most DZ, not all sorry about that,will talk to you as a full time member. Evolving in a world with youngsters learning,discovering and having fun keep me young. Even after 33 years I still have so many things to try in this sport that you won't beleive it. One last thing: Young skydivers have a lot more respect in our community (in a party or around a fire for example) for age and experience than I can see otherwise. I am pretty sure they do the same back home or at the office. Looking at your post it look like you are way better than I was when I started. Try to have a friend skydivers going with you on your next couples jumps, that way you can motive each other, that's important at the beginning. French is my first language so I hope you can read my english. So Pearl have fun and stay safe. If you need any info please feel free to send me an e-mail. I will be more than happy to help you. Richard When you think you're good...this is when you become dangerous.

I don't trust most of my jumpers enough to not punch a hole in my canopy if they jump on the second pas. That cannot happen when they all have left the plane before it is my turn... *** I rather have no chance than even a thiny one. I agree with you on that. Richard When you think you're good...this is when you become dangerous.

Like you said in the pass....BINGO. Richard PS New jumpers are so use to jump at 13 +, when we ask them to practice an emergency exit at 5 it is like going on a jump off at the world meet! This is with every body else relaxing in the plane, witch won't be the case in a real emergency!! When you think you're good...this is when you become dangerous.

It is up to the skydiver to take care of his health insurance and retirement. There is a lot of worker out there, in States for example, that doesn't earn $30000/year. Most of them don't have any health or retirement plan with their job either. Yes there is maybe 10 DZ or so in US with multiple turbines where the owner make a very good living out of it. But there is also a lot of DZ out there where the instructors make more than the DZO with out all the problems relate to the business. All in all it is always the instructor choice. What is the % of Americans that earn more than $30 to $35 K/year? When you think you're good...this is when you become dangerous.

After reading all your post here my only answer is : I don't think you have enough understanding or judgment to be an instructor. Even in front of your computer you can't decide what is good from what is wrong even after we explain it to you more then a few times! On big airline companys, there is a crash on maybe less than 1 million take off and landing, but on each and every flight the crew show all the passengers the emergency exit and procedures....ALL THE TIME. If you don't understand thoses thinks, and it is obvious you don't, please don't try to take care of somebody else in our sport. When I took my Tandem Master Examiner,back in 1991 at Relative WorkShop in Florida, T.K.Donle told me while giving me my new rating: Richard ...please don't make any KILLERS. As an instructor we are responsible for our student,or passenger, from take off to landing what ever can happen. Emergency are rare...but real.We and our customers should be prepare for it. Where did you took your instructor rating? From who? Richard When you think you're good...this is when you become dangerous.

Yes some skydivers shound't be TI,TIE or DZO. Some skydivers should stay away from instructor rating. I agree with you my friend. Richard When you think you're good...this is when you become dangerous.