Chris-Ottawa

Hey, Well, I think there should be a happy medium. I wore about 15-20 lbs during PFF. Of course then I was on a Manta 288. The jump I posted on another thread that I got videoed, the cameraguy was about 160 and put on a really baggy suit. He said he struggled to stay with me. His Protrack said fallspeed was 97mph. The guy I was going to jump with yesterday is a big RW guy and competes so he said 120 is his number, which is flexible, but only so much. I wear a fairly tight, very slick suit. The suit was made for someone with a bit more of a gut so I'm going to try and get something done to make the belly portion tighter. I can probably work harder on my arch, which is becoming very critical at this point as well. There is another instructor that is about 130-140 lbs, so I'm going to try and work with him. "When once you have tasted flight..."

Hey Yves, Believe me, I've read those articles, but thank you! I've also read Brian's book. I'll let everyone know my progress and again, Thank you all for the advice! Chris "When once you have tasted flight..."

Batwing 134, Falcon 150, Monarch 135, PD 150, Sabre 135, Silhouette 135, Spectre 135, Stiletto 135 These are the canopies RW says fit in, mostly 135's. The PD 150 is F111, im not sure about the Falcon. I am leaning towards no, or it will be damn tight, unless the canopy is pretty well worked. The best way to get a definite answer would be to either try it if you can, or talk to a rigger/packer who has put a 170 in that bag. I have no experience in this so please take what I say lightly. I just know going 1 size up is normally ok, but 2 is pushing it. Even though I've seen people with canopies 2 or 3 sizes larger. http://relativeworkshop.com/saldoc_sizing.html Chris "When once you have tasted flight..."

Hey, I just wanted to post an update as I said I would. I just got back from the DZ and needless to say, that canopy is damn fast. The wind was dead calm. I showed up at the DZ looking to work towards my last 5 jumps for my A finally. I just held out on the RW coach jumps to work on my canopy progression. I was going through the groundwork and my coach was a bigger guy and obviously I'm small, so he asked me to wear weights. It was a perfect oppurtunity to bring up my canopy size and a couple other questions. I told him I only have 2 jumps on it, both on a very windy day. He thought about it for a bit and said 10 lbs should be fine, warning me it was going to come in fast though. As we were discussing this, an instructor came up and said 10 would be fine, 20 is pushing it. This is where I stepped in and told them I was uncomfortable doing this. If I hadn't gotten advice from this thread I probably wouldn't have thought twice at throwing 20 lbs on if my instructors said it was OK. I felt out of my comfort zone. And for that, I'd like to thank everyone who made comments in this thread. So, my instructors were still very confident of me on the 135 so I think I'm going to continue to jump it. I made 2 great landings in zero wind conditions. I didn't end up doing the coach jumps as we got clouded in. This was the first time that I really felt like I wasn't sinking when I flared, I practically swooped half the landing area (like 40-50 feet). I landed right on target both times coming inches from the cone we have set up. VERY COOL! Thanks again everyone! Chris "When once you have tasted flight..."

I'm going to take a step here and call it quits. We can go back and forth for the next few years, on who said what and how it is being interpreted. The last 15 or so posts are of someone making a comment, someone picking through what was said to find dirt on the poster. I am no longer going to put any of my opinions on these forums. I think these forums are great and alot of info can be gained from them. If you guys think I'm doing this to back out, think as you will, it doesn't bother me. Like I said previously, Ill continue by PM if you wish. I use these forums because they give me alot of advice and different opinions that I can use to make myself safer. I just think everyone seems a bit jumpy to pounce on the newbies or anyone really. This thread aside(I expected flak for this one) I have another thread about my canopy choice, Spectre 135. I got alot of good advice from there, but I found that very quickly people pounced on it. In one respect i appreciate that as they are trying to keep me safe, but on the opposite end, some of them were being calm about it and telling me it was unsafe and I should use extreme caution, or consider upsizing. I respect those people who are calm and logical about it. I don't think comments like "no-one under 100 jumps should be jumping a 135" are really fully justified. I'm not saying it's unfair for me, but i'm sure there are some girls that I bet don't weight more than 85-90 lbs. Anyways, I'm just going to shutup before I say too much and someone grabs something from this post to get pissed about. Thanks everyone! "When once you have tasted flight..."

Wow, thank you. I agree that we disagree. And I didn't reply to each of your points because I just don't care that much to put that much effort into it. The reason I keep replying is because someone keeps saying, well "when" can we use packers and "who" can use them. I am talking solely to the people who use nothing BUT packers because they don't want to pack their gear. I was simply talking to those people. And anyone who has ever used a packer is taking that as me saying, you're all lazy, pack your own gear. NO. I'm sure I'll use a packer, when I 'need' to. On an everyday jump at home, I will not use a packer unless I'm completely exhausted and don't want to pack my own gear (on occassion). For example, there is a guy at my DZ who is well ito his 60's. He is rich so he could afford to pay a packer, and it takes him about a hour to pack after each jump, but the fact is, he still packs his own gear. He could easily pay someone to do it, but he doesn't. It doesn't matter if someone packs 90% of your repacks, that's fine, it's your choice. It's the people that get their gear packed 100% of the time. That is all I'm referring to in all of this. It strikes me as if it was an annogant rich person stating, "Ewww, I don't get on my hands and knees to put that in that bag, here's $5 take care of it for me and chop chop!" Again, it all comes down to choice, I just commented how I think that's pretty shocking. Anyways, I'm going jumping, have a great day! "When once you have tasted flight..."

Oh please explain how those sentences contradict! I'm gonna enjoy this one! As far as downtime goes, it depends, It could be an hour between a load, or sometimes the plane is ready as soon as we're geared up to go again, it varies. "When once you have tasted flight..."

Yes, I am the aficionado on packing, any questions, please PM me. I'll have the document written up shortly. I'm going to need a contact in the US to help me present this to the USPA, anyone? You make me laugh! "When once you have tasted flight..."

My opinion is how I think it's sad that someone can participate in a sport and not do the manual labour involved. I didn't say you should or shouldn't use a packer. And if you think my choice to downsize quickly is stupid, I accept that, call me stupid, I don't care. That's your opinion. The day my instructors say I'm stupid for jumping that small canopy, watch how quick I upsize. EDIt: Maybe lazy was a bad choice of words. This does not apply to skydiving alone, that's why I keep bringing up sports analogies. However, I have never said people should or should not use packers, that's their choice. My original opinion was in defense of the packers and how people can blame them for the work they do, as long as it wasn't something obvious or intentional. Packers are NEEDED, for SOME people. Also, maybe my opinion is a bit off because I'm not jumping at a large DZ. I jump at a small DZ, I enjoy the atmosphere in the packing area while I pack. I get to joke around, laugh, ask questions etc.. I'm not all about jump jump jump, I go out to socialize and jump in the process. I'll easily do 4 jumps in a day packing for myself. If I could afford more, I;m sure I could do 6 or 7 for sure while still packig my own rig. I'm not an instructor and I'm not on a team, so I don't "need" a packer and I will continue to pack my own rig until I "need" a packer. "When once you have tasted flight..."

OH MY GOD! You really are not understanding what I'm saying, WOW! Please quote where I said everyone should pack their own gear... Or please quote where I said there shoudn't be packers. PLEASE! "When once you have tasted flight..."

How many times are you guys going to get me to explain this? If you can't understand what I said, don't reply. You all chose to hear "All packers are useless", which is the complete opposite of what I actually said. Edit: And Catfish, your analogy is a bit off, don't you send your canopy to the manufacture to get it cleaned? Last time I threw mine in the washer...well, not so good. "When once you have tasted flight..."

I'm not being the packing sheriff, I'm defending my statements which are being miscostrued by people who aren't reading properly. I never once said that you can't or shouldn't use a packer. I just said it's sad that lazy people don't pack. My opinion may be different than yours and that's fine, I simply expressed mine. "When once you have tasted flight..."

Ok, I'm replying here to clear things up because you guys are being blatantly ignorant to what I clearly said. I'm not referring to people who have good reasons to pack, ie TEAMS, INSTRUCTORS, or if you want to take a break, that is completely cool. I'm talking about the people who do not EVER pack because they don't have to. It's like being a baseball superstar, but paying someone to run the bases. So before you reply, read what I said and all of your replies become useless. Packers exist for good reason. I said what I said because I was defending packers in general because these people who rely on packers because they can are trying to blame them for openings or lost canopies. Hence why I said suck it up, If you're not doing the work, don't bitch when it doesn't work the way you wanted. "When once you have tasted flight..."

Hey Sartre and Freefly: If you had read my previous post, it explained about having reasons to pack, ie instructors, or just to catch a break once in a while etc. I clearly said its ok to do it once in a while to catch a break, I said this in direct context to the people who "DO NOT" pack. So your post was useless, you basically explained the reasons that I agree are acceptable to let someone pack for you. Good job! I just think it's comical. I'm still waiting for a reason...... EDIT: I'm sorry, I kind of hijacked this thread, I'm no longer replying in this thread, I've taken it off topic. If you care to discuss further, please, PM me, or start a new thread, I'll gladly participate. "When once you have tasted flight..."

WAIT A SECOND HERE!!! I'm not sure how North you are Yves, but I'm in Ottawa and the hemispherical magnetism coming off the Canadian Shield causes a wormhole which causes gravity to be reduced in a cylindrical fashion. It occurrs just north of of our DZ when the axis of the earth is at a minimum sectoral distance from the peak of mount everest The difference in the equitorial masses is astonishing. It's actually great for practicing RW, our freefall with minimal gravity is like 40 minutes, we even bring lunch. Hell, we don't even use parachutes up here, I started this whole thread so I could find a canopy so I could "fit in" with the other skydivers who were so unfortunate as not to have access to our wormhole when I go away from the DZ. Sorry, I had to....HAHA "When once you have tasted flight..."

Haha, I just took holidays a week ago and drove 15 hours straight in one direction and back again to go home and visit the parentals. Not fun when the other person doesn't have a license! "When once you have tasted flight..."

My point in all that is that they are doing the gruntwork. You fall, then make turns until you get to the ground. Is there any effort in that? NO! So If I apply your direct theory, Would your wife be ok with you paying her $5 to just "take care of the dishes", then eat again and repeat? That is the EXACT same thing! Sorry to be so direct, but this all comes down to laziness. I see people at the DZ who never pack as well, it all comes down to choice, but it's still laziness. I'm not saying you're a fat lazy slob, I'm just saying you're too damn lazy to clean up your own mess. I just think it's funny that you're even trying to defend yourself when you know I'm 100% correct. If you care to prove me wrong, feel free to reply with a reason why you shouldn't have to pack your own gear without it relating to laziness. What I said above says nothing to people who asually do it because they dont feel like it at a particular moment. I'm referring to the people who DO NOT pack at all. EDIT: I'm sorry to all the masses out there but I couldn't resist this one. I think it's funny you're blaming your laziness on the packers. If the packer packs you an intentional lineover or something, well I think that's wrong, but you also don't have to use a packer. Suck it up! Im getting PM's like crazy about this, it's all comical, haha. "When once you have tasted flight..."

I personally think it's shocking that so many people are willing to pay someone to stuff some nylon into a bag. It's like being a soccer star and paying someone to run around for you, then you take the credit and talk to the cameras. Does no one see a problem with this? I couldn't call myself I skydiver if I didn't pack my parachute. Good job, you can jump from planes, and that's it...COngrats. From another perspective, some instructors have multiple rigs and to save downtime they get someone to pack their rig while they go on the next PFF jump or whatever. That is fine. Basically if you have a reason other than laziness, it's ok. I know I'm going to get flak for saying this but I'll deal with that. maybe I'll go for a nice LONG bikeride tonight, but wait, I think i'll pay someone to steer and pedal for me... Yeah! "When once you have tasted flight..."

Thanks. I was considering that. So possibly after the weekend, if you see a Spectre 135 in the classys, you'll know why. Unless I can trade with someone around the DZ, or I continue to jump this one. Thanks! "When once you have tasted flight..."

Roger That! "When once you have tasted flight..."

Ok, well that makes sense. That answers my question, basically the instructors make the final choice. Maybe I'll just turn it into a coach jump for my B CoP or something. I think it would be a wise thing to do anyways. Thanks "When once you have tasted flight..."

I would review everything anyways! The longest layoff I've had between jumps was just short of 2 weeks, and coming back wasn't the slightest bit unattural. I could see going up in the plane with and instructor, and maybe have him watch you do a 5 sec delay or something, but to have him basically repeat a level of PFF with you seems slightly excesive. Obviously I'll follow the rules, but for example, I go all winter without riding my bike, and when spring comes, I didn't forget. I may have lost some skill, but the brakes, handles and pedals are in the same place. I think I'm just being pissy about all of this. I can probably manage to make a jump every 2 months, or head south for a bit if need be. "When once you have tasted flight..."

I don't think I've said anything that my instructors have been upset about, or at least they haven't told me. I learnt that after reading the thread about all the jokes TI's have for their students and it was commented on it there. However, I have played up on jokes when the instructor looks at me, basically asking for comment. Such as this: *In the plane at 8k: TI: Pretty soon they'll let me go by myself, like him (points at me) Me: Yeah, it was tough getting here, but soon enough Bob Tandem Student: Huge Eyes "When once you have tasted flight..."

If I understand correctly, this is done to prevent them from setting in the position they are always in. If they hang up on cutaway, that would be a bad thing. Basically from what I understand, you just release them, bend them back and forth, basically just to stop the fabric from getting "set" in it's rigged position. Does that makes sense? Best to ask your instructors for help, and a demo! "When once you have tasted flight..."

I know Z-hills is generally close, but it's the flight that kills me. It's like 800 bucks. In response to another comment about being able to travel if you skydive. I would agree with that but my budget constitutes, flying "or" jumping. I couldn't fly and jump, I'd drive myself into horrible debt. "When once you have tasted flight..."