AllisonH

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Everything posted by AllisonH

  1. AllisonH
    I was also taught the stripping cables with thumb method that Paul mentioned above. (Note: we jump at the same DZ now, but I was taught this elsewhere before I moved there) I think it might go along with the 2 hands on each handle training method. If you're pulling your cutaway with both hands, it doesn't take much/any extra time to start the pull with both hands, then strip the cable with your left hand as you continue pulling to full arm extension with your right. You don't pull the cutaway first and then search for the cables, it's all one motion.
  2. AllisonH
    My cute little non-stick pan, and my ice cream scoop!
  3. AllisonH
    Are they disagreeing about the exact number, or disagreeing about if the current conditions are jumpable or not? I know I could not stand outside and put a number on the winds, but I can stand out there and decide if it's something I feel comfortable jumping in or not. I wouldn't be too concerned with the lack of a wind meter as an experienced jumper. However, if I were jumping with a student I'd either want a wind meter or would be a little extra conservative to make sure I wasn't exceeding student wind limits.
  4. AllisonH
    My rigger had just gotten his ticket when I started using him. He was one of my instructors when I was a student, and when he heard I had gotten new gear the next spring, he mentioned that he had gotten his rigging ticket over the winter and said if I needed someone to assemble my stuff he would be happy to do so. I already knew and trusted him, so I decided to give him a try. Turns out he's pretty good too!
  5. AllisonH
    I've also heard that hornets have a reputation for opening quickly, but I've put a total of ~250 jumps on 2 different ones, and every one of my openings was comfortable, some were even slow. I came up with 2 possible reasons for this - both of the hornets I owned were made during their last year of production and had large sliders, and I was loading them somewhat lightly (a 170 at 0.8:1 and a 150 at 0.9:1). Whatever the cause, they worked very well for me.
  6. AllisonH
    I just got some here: http://www.hitrunscore.com/neumann-football-gloves.html I would guess that most major sporting goods stores would offer a decent selection online as well.
  7. AllisonH
    I think intercollegiate teams are allowed, but I didn't read that anywhere official, just heard it from a friend.
  8. AllisonH
    Don't know if I'll be competing - I don't have a team - but I'm planning on going anyway.
  9. AllisonH
    The course you saw on Skydive Tecumseh's calendar for March 23 was one to certify IAD instructors. They open up for students the first weekend of April, and the first courses of the year for new students are usually taught sometime around the middle of April. Let me know if you'd like any additional information on the courses they offer.
  10. AllisonH
    I'm not going to say if you should jump the 150 now or not, I don't know enough about you to make that call, but honestly I'd be a lot more concerned about the size of the reserve. If you're not sure about the 150, what makes you think the 128 is a good idea? You may never use it, but you may need it on your next jump when you're already in a bad situation trying to land in a tight place.
  11. AllisonH
    If there's no good way to store it, you should get new risers. Or have a velcro tab sewn on to allow you to stow the line. that's what I'll have to do (though the brake fire phase was thankfully short lived), but it's something that should be there in the first place. Not sure why Wings doesn't. My Wings risers came with elastic on the rear side of the riser to slide the excess through. It was really tight and was eating up my brake lines (well, I was destroying them trying to get them through the elastic anyway), so my rigger replaced the elastic with a different type of loop that is much easier to use.
  12. AllisonH
    Jumps 38-~100: Hornet 170 Jumps ~100-250: Hornet 150 Jumps ~250-now: Pilot 132 All in the same Wings with PD160R.
  13. AllisonH
    So you actually freefall with them still there. Is that a good idea? Yes, I wear them for freefall too. My dytter hurts my ear without them, and I can hear it well with them in. I can still hear the plane's noise, people talking in the plane, uncollapsed sliders flapping around, etc. There are times when I choose not to wear them if I think I'll want to be able to hear especially well under canopy, such as for night jumps or jumping into parties at another local airport, or times when I just forget. These jumps remind me of why I prefer to have ear plugs.
  14. AllisonH
    I just use the normal foam ear plugs you can get at any drugstore, hardware store, etc. I've never had any problems with equalizing pressure (except when I had a cold, which I cannot blame on the earplugs). The foam lets air through.
  15. AllisonH
    Haven't tried 6, but we did an 8-way tube like you are describing, with 2 4-way tubes with elbows linked.
  16. AllisonH
    You were really fortunate to get to work with Pete - I did some tunnel time with him earlier this year and he's an awesome coach!
  17. AllisonH
    Thanks! I tried a couple of online versions that wouldn't play after they converted, and one trial version that wouldn't recognize my file.
  18. AllisonH
    I'm trying to convert a .mov file to .wmv - does anyone know of free software that does this? or would someone be willing to convert 1 file for me? I've found tons of programs, but all are $20-30, and I don't want to pay that to convert 1 file that's less than a minute long.
  19. AllisonH
    I like the idea of this - I'm just wondering what you tell the students about handling malfunctions below cutaway altitude? I'm assuming this part of their EP's is retrained when they switch to a regular 2 handle rig? I would like to add that Raeford Parachute Center still has quite a few student Javelins with this "pulling the wrong handle first won't kill you" system. We do not tell the students about the feature though. Chuck
  20. AllisonH
    I would suggest calling Eloy (or whatever DZ you want to finish up at) and see what they will require you to do if you show up without a license. Don't get me wrong, I love Eloy and will be going back next month, but a friend went there without a license last year and ended up having to do a lot more (expensive) coach jumps than she anticipated. She learned a lot and didn't regret going, but wished she'd called ahead to see just how much would be required.
  21. AllisonH
    PD doesn't make a 150 reserve, do they? I thought they just came in 143 and 160.
  22. AllisonH
    37 jumps: first canopies I bought were Hornet 170 loaded at 0.8 and PD 160 reserve at 0.85 Around 100 jumps: Hornet 150, wingload 0.9 Around 250 jumps: Pilot 132, wingloaded somewhere around 1.0-1.05 depending on if I'm wearing lead. Still have the PD 160 reserve.
  23. AllisonH
    Last time I got flowers they were from my parents the day I defended my thesis.
  24. AllisonH
    I've never had to leave mine with my rigger for more than a week (Mon-Fri, so I didn't miss a weekend jumping), but I do give him a heads up when repack time is coming around and drop it off the week before it expires if that fits his schedule better.
  25. AllisonH
    $22 for Caravan jumps from 13500, $19 on Wednesdays. 182 jumps range from $8 for 4500 ft to $16 for 9500.