DSE

There already is an SOP for this scenario; it's taught in the AFFI course to AFFI instructors. I think Billvon very nicely sums up pilot in charge options above. Instructors have two choices. A-take the student out the door, clear n' pull (main or reserve) B-One instructor remains with student(s). Our DZO jokingly said "We determine which AFFI stays by who is closest to the door. The one furthest from the door stays." Jokingly or not, seems like an appropriate protocol. The pilot shouldn't be responsible to know the students are properly belted in, helmets on, heads down, etc. He's got other things to be dealing with in an emergency no matter how smoothly things may appear.

Re-read my post. Read my other posts on this subject. Did I suggest it couldn't be done in _this_ thread? Or did I rather append the humor of someone else'? Since it appears you're chasing my posts with negativity today, search out other posts of mine on this subject. I happen to think it's doable. I also think the subject with the information we currently have, has been beaten to death. Kick back, go next door and have an Acai ice cream on me. Chill.

doing that is not an option in HI either but good on ya for spreading false info with nothing to back it up. Isn't there another thread somewhere about rigs where you are blasting somebody for posting information with nothing to back it up? hmmmm... Hmmm...didn't know I was speaking to a _specific_ DZ. There are TI's out there making 80K+ but they work like dogs, pack for themselves. If you're insinuating I was speaking specifically for Hawaii; you're right, I'm wrong (I already knew TI's don't pack for themselves at Skydive Hawaii) so I guess it sucks to be me. You win.

Or more, if you play your cards right, pack for yourself, etc. Tips can add up.

Not so. A "lot" of student rigs are set up to be standard skydiving rigs, nothing on reserve side to pull. As far as the device that Tom Buch was referring to, the RDD 1000 (Remote Deployment Device 1000) is one of the most innovative tools yet developed for AFF instructors. But Booth's Law will always apply.

Yes "The Harry Parker." It appears the investigation is flawed. All have been released and this article suggests there is a chance they may not be charged. http://www.marinij.com/marinnews/ci_13249886 Six Petaluma residents arrested in a weekend drug bust were released from Marin County Jail on Tuesday while prosecutors continued to mull whether to file charges...." "We have received some of the reports from the agencies, but we haven't received everything," said Tashawn Sanders, a deputy prosecutor in Santa Rosa. "At this point, we are not in a position to file charges."

I like the idea of a huuuuuuuuuugggggggggggeeeeeeee box of styrofoam peanut pack. Not only would it make the landing more spectacular, but think of the fun digging through it to get out.

Thanks Lurch. I just really wish I'd listened to you earlier about storing an iPod in my pocket....it didn't cause cancer, but it might have had something to do with my stupidity on landing (and no...I wasn't wearing an iPod when I bounced). Love ya, Pigpen. Hope to make it back to Pepp soon.

Congratulations to you and your team!

he, who has least tolerance for bullshit, looses. I love it ! 2shay : VooDoo sucks, Vector3 is the best DSE : No VooDoo does not suck, in fact it's very nice. please repeat while slowly increasing the volume until one of the people quits arguing. You failed to add that I also like the Aerodyne Icon, the Mirage as well. And if Stunts were still available...the Eclipse was the most comfy rig I've ever owned. you missed my continual point. If you're gonna claim a manufacturer uses inferior materials, you'd better have more than an "opinion" to back it up. If you're going to claim that a manufacturer's design has a flaw that is potentially fatal, you'd best be prepared to back it up. It's no different than the ridiculous argument that went on for nearly a year about dynamic corners. Many wingsuiters have em', one person claims they'll kill you. The person claiming they'd kill you had no data to back up his "opinion."

I'm on a slightly different tack than Quade. As a whole voting social group, Christians collectively leave me frightened. Individually there are Christians that are trustworthy, wonderful, honorable people. And there are some that are not.

Stoney also proved that a water landing without a rig is possible. He didn't exit from a moving aircraft, but he did exit from a high speed truck, flew farther than expected, and landed in water. No injuries.

Congrats on no longer being a double-digit-midget! sounds like 09' was a good year for you!

if you'd set your pixel aspect ratio to 1.333, they'd come out without being squished. Some really nice grabs in there.

I like World Tech and DVKeys, but they might be more than you want. They are both light sensitive so if you're in the dark and your hands aren't over the keys, they're dark. If you're in the light, they don't light up Very useful as someone who is often in the dark editing.

Uh....Please re-read. Synopsis of our posts 2Shay-Voodoos aren't built with the quality of other rigs. me-really? Built with same materials, please support your statement with facts. Overall, I think all rigs are pretty well made. 2Shay- Ummm....well...I know two guys that had premie's during HD. Manufacturer-Did you notify the manufacturer? 2-shay- Uhh....dunno. it was a long time ago. But they really happened. (in the meantime, find out from manufacturer that no HD premies have been reported) Me-again, please demonstrate that inferior materials are used. I've been through their factory, and through the factories of most of the other rig makers (not to mention all the interviews with each of them at PIA), and find they're all about the same. 2shay-hey, I really like Voodoo and recommend them. But you're an a-hole....and, and, and...the head down premies really did happen. If you don't call a statement of "Voodoo isn't built as well as others" with a hint of "Voodoos cause premies during HD" (which can kill, BTW) to be a major flaw in one of the most expensive products on the market, I'm not sure what is. And that's about the gist of it. I'm not promoting the Voodoo, just asking for a strong statement against their quality to be supported with some sort of fact. Truth is, Voodoo have a higher rated TSO than some other rigs. A lot of freefly and speed skydiving pros use them for a reason but it seems better to try to stay neutral, yes?

You said: and I asked you to prove your point. Especially based on the fact that the Voodoo is made with the same materials as other rigs you mentioned." You have a rumor about 2 premie HD deployments that the manufacturer themselves asks you about, and you know nothing more. It's one thing to say "In my opinion Voodoo will cause premie head down deployments because it's built from inferior materials." It's another to post a statement as a fact, and a rumor as a fact. Premies, for instance, can be attributed to a lot of things, most of them packer error. Yet you suggest it's due to the Voodoo itself. Were this so, with the hundreds, maybe thousands of Voodoos out there, don't you think that at least SOMEONE SOMEWHERE would have stepped up with data about Voodoo's causing premies during HD? I mean, c'mon....anyone with common sense knows a premie in HD could easily kill you. People here argue about gloves, but they'd keep this mysterious HD/premie thing a secret? Your opinion is as valid as anyone else. How educated that opinion may be is an entirely different thing. Me...I've jumped em' all, owned a few of them. Currently owning five rigs, three of them are RI rigs, one Mirage, and one Vector. Hate the Mirage, and the Vector is alright. Mostly used for students that need an AAD container for their FFC. I've been in the factories of all the manufacturers, and they just aren't that different. I chose Voodoo/Rigging innovations because I saw the attention to detail they go through, I was impressed with how Sandy was willing to work with specific needs I had, Kit always has nice candies near her desk and Margaret is simply one of the most classy and educated people you'd ever wish to know. Customer service there rocks for me and for those I know who have RI gear. I didn't feel the personal "touch" with any of the other gear manufacturers but do note that their processes in rig manufacturing are pretty similar across the board, as is the quality of raw materials, attention to detail, etc. And that....is how I formed my opinion of RI and why I've purchased two Voodoo and one Talon FX from them. Having spoken with every manufacturer, seen their facilities, and asked questions about my specific needs....I'm fairly educated. FWIW, I'm very impressed with the "new" Aerodyne too. Great people, great products.

The value in those opinions is determined by who propigates them. But opinions still don't make up facts. Example, Brand X uses the EXACT same material to manufacture their rig as Brand Y. You come along and in your opinion, Brand X uses "crap material" to build their rig, and Brand Y is the only one worth owning. What does that say about the credibility of your opinion? It certainly doesn't make your opinion more factual. Bottom line is that Voodoos are well known as being great rigs for freeflying. A lot of well-known freefliers wear Voodoo rigs. People don't toss hard-earned money on the table for a rig that isn't competent, comfortable, and capable. But that's just _my_ opinion. YMMV.

It's a personal choice. As with every safety device, there is a consequence that comes with a benefit. As a person who predominantly flies camera and wingsuit, I don't want to have a main act as a deployment device. I can understand why others might. I've experienced two cutaways and managed them both without the need for a MARD. I can see how some people might want one. Like any other safety device, it carries its own problems, and they happen to be problems I don't want in my world. YMMV

THERE we go.... Opinion presented as fact. On the internet. MUST be true. Case closed.

I know that RI has some sort of MARD in process, whether it's their own or licenced, I dunno. I won't jump with one either way, so it wasn't an issue of concern for me. FWIW, Skyhook isn't the only MARD out there, it just happens to have (by far) the best marketing.

This came in a PM a couple of days ago; I've asked the author if I might post this here. He's a well-known skydiver that doesn't have a lot of wingsuit experience but does own a wingsuit and has a few dozen jumps in a wingsuit. "I'll admit I was 100% against an WingSuit instructor rating but I'm ready to throw my support behind it. I watched a wingsuit instructor offer to teach people to fly a suit but since he doesn't currently have a suit himself, the best he can offer is to ground instruct and then debrief students when they land on the ground. I can't express how wrong I think this type of instruction is. I think that any of the programs should require a note in there that an instructor needs to directly observe the first jump, it also needs to have a note in there that ALL wing suits need the 200 jumps. I think that even an Intro style suit needs 200 jumps and I've heard arrangements in person and at boogies as I'm out traveling that people seem to think it only needed 100. Without formal definitions from the USPA there are a lot of gray areas out there. For the direct observation its going to force instructors to either have a suit and directly train student or no longer offer training. "

For a little more clarification, I personally spoke with the DZO about this engine failure; he confirmed the two AFFI's exited and left the students alone on the aircraft. DZ policy is effectively the same as the majority of the posts here. Either get the students out/clear n' pull or one instructor stays with student(s) on the ride down is DZ policy.

What's in the "cutaway kit"? Spare Freebag, PC just in case mine can't be recovered (I have one that is perfectly visible, just high in a tree at Pepperell). I'm sure they can toss a cutaway cable and reserve handle/cable if you want them. Oh, and I think for a small extra charge of $1.25, they give you a dollar for cab fare and a quarter for a pay phone. I love that when you call to order a bag, PC, or other post-cutaway part, Kit aways asks if you need new handles cuz, well...y'know....some folks just "forget" that they lost em'. Gotta reiterate again...their customer service is just as famous as say.....L&B. Which was one of the major factors in my decision process.

Strange...they use the same spec material (in fact in some cases, same exact material) as other rig manufacturers. As far as "you have friends of friends of friends who say"..... There is a reason that Voodoos are the choice of many pro skydivers. Comfort? That's subjective. I happen to think the Voodoo is the most comfortable rig I've ever worn, and I've jumped almost every rig brand out there except JumpShack's products....Still own a Mirage. It's comfy, but my Voodoo's are more comfy, but "comfy" is an opinion. I don't accept your story of two HD premies. Most of us know what an HD premie can do...and those stories usually don't stay quiet even if they don't end up in the incident forum. Again, cite evidence rather than opinion that Voodoo's are made with lesser quality material, parts, or workmanship (as you claim in your original post). Most rigs out there are very well made, and the price you pay for them reflects the quality of parts, time invested in manufacturing, design, comfort, life-expectancy, and warranty on the product. To the OP, a Voodoo *does* cost a small bit more once you start adding options. So does a Ferrari. As does anything else worth owning long-term. Voodoo's hold their resale value very well too. The only thing I don't care for on most Voodoos is that the VooDoo "eye" can become worn on the edge applique stitching. I avoided this by having my Voodoo eye embroidered vs stitched. Looks brand new after several hundred jumps. Customer service should also figure into your decision process. I had two cutaways within a week; Rigging Innovations had me up in the air the next day. After the second cutaway (both packer induced) RI recommended a "cutway kit" since I travel so much. Kit, Gordon, Brenda, Sandy, Margaret are all awesome people and when you help; they're there. And I feel most of the other rig manufacturers are pretty good too. FWIW, the only negative experience I've had with a gear manufacturer was Sunpath, and they rectified the problem roughly a year later. http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=105116; http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=105115; In this second pic, the main is a SabreII150, so it's a little overstuffed) http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=105113;