rendezvous

how do turbulance and front riser landings match up. Is there an increased risk of turbulance causing some part of the canopy to collapse while the front risers are being held down ?

I thought 7 cells also handle turbulance better than 9 cells. Is that true ?

Just out of curiosity, what are you using 90 pounds for. How do you secure the belt to carry that much of weight and not slip off during deployment.

Is anyone using weight belts ment for scuba diving, for skydiving. They seem similar but are much cheaper. Even the weights seem to be cheaper, something like $1.50 a pound. Also if you are using the scuba diving weight belts have you seen the ones in which you thread the belt through a block weight. What are you thoughts on that. Actually what should I be looking for in a weight belt. The ones that I saw had pouches that were about 6" by 5". Are the dimensions something similar to the ones made for skydiving. Thanks.

I would love to see one. Reading about the incidents keeps my mind freshly focused on the safety aspects of the sport. Helps me treat it with more respect. Please to put them up.

I'm trying to compile a list of all possible malfunctions and how do deal with them so that I can periodically go through it. What I would appreciate would be if you can name a few mals or share some information on something that you or some one you know experienced. I know the commong ones are talked about a lot but I would also like to include some not so common situations that jumpers have been in. What I intend to do is to make a card that I can carry in my pocket and look at it ever now and then. thanks.

Yup ! I agree with you on that and besided under the circumstances I realize that there are chances that I might be subject to some profiling. In normal course that wouldn't bother me all that much. Why I asked the question was just in case someone knows of any case where someone from the mentioned origin actually had a problem explaining about the rig. The profiling issues don't bother me, I just don't want to loose my rig and wanted to know if someone with a bit of tan did actually manage to carry it in with no more of a hassel than everyone else is being subjected too.

This is a sort of a weird question but I need to know anyway. I've read a lot about how it's not been a problem for people traveling by air to take their rigs as carry on baggage but I need to know if it's been equally easy for people who are of an Indian or Middle Eastern origin.

What exactly is the trap door effective ?

Well, we all know how we learn the best but thats not always the best way of learning. You can pick up bad habits if you don't learn the right way from someone who's been in it much longer and is trained to impart that knowledge. Woouldn't say that all JM's are good teachers but by enlarge they are so before you start acting on your own advice, I would say listen to the JM and do what he's saying. He may have a reason behind it. Talk to him about. Don't mean to say that you kill your imagination. By all means think of ways but give the benifit of doubt to your JM. Atleast that's how you should start of with.

I'm actually looking into a weight belt and wanted to know what you did the the ankle weights. Do they fit right into your weight belt. Seems to me it's cheaper to buy ankle weight than the price of 8 dollars a pound that I was being quoted for the skydiving weight belt weights.

Some other ones are Skydive Jersey Shore, Sussex, and Sky's the limit. The first two operate Cessna 206 and 182 or 205, while STL has a 21 jumper Caravan, a King Air and a C 182 and is also open through out the winter.

Just curious to know how many of you make sure that everything above you is clear at the end of the track and just before opening. If you do, what methods or procedures do you practice for it.

Go for it. shouldn't be a problem at all. As long as you are physically fit, which you seem to be. Atleast better than me. As for the reflexes, well, if you are indulging in physically challenging activites like Mtn Bilking and Rock Climbing then I think you have whatever you need. Besides, you don't need lightning reflexes for safe skydiving anyway. You need the ability to be able to think, understand and act in a smooth and calm manner. I think you'll make a good skydiver so go ahead.

Does, using a weight belt to correct the fall rate early on when you are still new to the sport affect your ability to develop skills to do so instead.

If you are experiencing turbulance let the canopy fly, full flight. Don't apply any breaks.

Just interested in knowing people's opinion on the bigger slider steve1 mentioned in his post. Could that be an issue. I don't have enough experience to judge here but that sure seems like something that might need a little looking into. From what I understand, if you want a slider to slow down the openings you need to add a pocket to it rather than increasing it's size because the increased size only exposes the nose more to the wind and causes inflation much faster.

between a python at home and BASE jumping, even with my handful of skydives I would most definitley go for the latter.

My question would be that if what you are trying to certify is the construction of the 3 ring release system and the risers, or as a matter of fact any main chute component, why does that have to mean that their assembly also needs to be under the certification. Can't it be determined on a component by component basis what should and shouldn't be included. Personally I feel much more confident if I can handle the components of my parachute myself, not because I don't trust a rigger but because that helps me to understand my gear better, and in turn the sport itself. I wouldn't mind something more comprehensive in the AFF program towards handling the gear and it's components. A junior certification would be a nice idea for the purpose except for the fact that if everyone has to, or would need to take it if they are to be able to do anything to their gear then just make that knowledge base to be a requirement under the AFF course so that every ones gets it.

yup ! have the same issue with mine too. Since I don't really walk around with a rig tightly secured to me unless ofcourse while getting ready to jump I deal with it for the comfort that it offers under the canopy.

Well, Bill, by your sharing a part of your knowledge or atleast enough so that people can skydive safely the benefit of it in my opinion goes to RWS. I'm new to the sport and for a guy like me the finer aspects of engineering from one container to another mean very little unless someone like you with experience and credibility comes and explains them, and that would want to be look at products that you deal with more closely than others. So my point to RWS would be that if I was hear you speak and share your knowledge base, my chances of buying a Vector would be more since I would know the people behind it more, else they are all the same to me. When it comes to buying containers, the advice that most of the instructors give is pretty much that all containers are round about the same, atleast for beginners like me looking for something. Those who do have some personal choices don't have compelling enough reasons to influence my decision. When a person like you comes and talks and shares, thats what gives me the reason for looking at your product over what would otherwise would be a price driven choice. I guess it should be looked at as some healthy advertising for a change.

edd, the looking at the plane advice being given out here is a good one. It helps a lot so do try it out. And don't worry you'll get it. In my case the exit on my first solo was a good stable one because I was so shit scared that I forced myself to do everything in the right sequence. After that I was so happy that on my second jump I practically threw myself about. Got a shock of my life when the spinning and tumbling just went on and on. Then in all that mess I did exactly what everone here is advicing, relaxed, arched and let the wind grab me. Withen a moment I had a stable body position. Basically what happened earlier was that just out of the plane I was trying to force myself to get belly to earth. In the process my body was totally dearched and asymmetrical causing the wind to throw me around. Point is, on exit, look up at the plane, relax your arms, legs and body, throw in a tight arch and then just hold that position and wait.

what do your jump masters suggest ?

For the spectra 850 lines, does the 850 mean that each line in the line set is capable of taking a max load of 850 lbs or that the combined strength of the line set i.e all the lines attached to the left and right risers together are capable of handling a 850 lbs load.

I agree with you, screaming instructors are not a help.They only add to the problem. A good instructor is not suppose to loose his cool no matter what. It's that calm and sturdiness in his personality that the students rely upon and learn to trust. When I was doing my AFF it was my belief in my instructor being able to keep a cool head if all went wrong that gave me the confidence to trust my life with him and step out of a plane. If an instructor cannot generate that kind of a trust is his students, in my opinion he's not qualified no matter how many ratings he may hold. Not every good skydiver can be an instructor but every good instructor has to be a good skydiver.