DougH

I was fortunate enough to get some really good advice recently and have been working on swooping from the ground up, starting with 90's all over again. I have had good results with good consistency by doing a nice slow 90. I start in deep brakes, let the canopy loose and let it build up some speed in the surge. Then I bring in double fronts and when the pressure is getting high I introduce some roll angle and slowly carve out the 90. A discussion came up this weekend with another experinced swooper that with 90's more speed is built with a snappy turn. He said the 180's and bigger slower is better, which I agree, but I don't know why 90's would be different. I don't know if this is true, but I also think overall the slow carving turn that I am working on is going to be the foundation for bigger turns later on. Even if I could get better swoops by changing the way I do my 90's I think I am training myself better with the slow turn. Any thoughts? "The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall" =P

Without getting into a discussion of altitude awareness, maybe you should consider a second audible. "The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall" =P

Top notch TK!

Paul, thank you for the email. "The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall" =P

Problems with components are just that, problems with components; this happens at the biggest companies making some of the worlds most mission critical items. Helicopters, jet engines, medical equipment. It doesn't make a device better or worse, and the way they handled this recent recall speaks volumes about the company. I guess I could make an argument that the Vigil is a piece of shit because the company can't seem to source a half decent cutter unit but I won't because it makes as much sense as your argument that the recent Cypres recall sends Vigil to the front of the class. I will make the argument that their response to their own recalls and possible saftey issues has left a lot to be desired. The way they handled a misfire that a close friend experinced also left a lot to be desired, so we got rid of all our vigils. I have 4 Cypres tandem AAD's down because of this latest recall, and guess what I am glad because I know that they are looking out for my safety and the safety of my customers. "The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall" =P

I did this, and I still try to do this at the dz but people look at me like I am crazy. When you get up you call "fives!!!" and then you had five minutes to get back to your seat. "The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall" =P

None here, well at least none that have contacted me yet. "The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall" =P

The only time they have ever swabbed my rig has been coming back from Eloy. Thank goodness one fertilized the landing areas during the holiday boogie. "The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall" =P

Age, or age of credit? Most of the stuff people say or think they know about their Fico score is wrong. New credit may hurt you in the short term because it dilutes the average age of your accounts, but it helps in the long run to have more accounts with low balances. It is all about your utilization percentage. If it is between lowering your interest, or saving your credit score a few points then go with the lower rate, that is more important. Check out www.myfico.com... good free forum that is a great resource. "The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall" =P

Please let me know the next time you are attending, I want to get a picture of you in that bandana for the club house. "The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall" =P

Thank you for the correction Ficus, I think I get the name wrong 9 time out of 10. Mine has been passed around to so many newtimers that it looks like a chew toy! So much for being a signed collectors edition! "The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall" =P

I don't know Howard, but I think I might be ordering a batch of those for CPI. "The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall" =P

mind forwarding it to me too please? doug.hamel(at)gmail.com "The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall" =P

Funny, they are still on the PD distributor list that my dz's gear store received last. "The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall" =P

Don't hold back... it wouldn't be fair to deny all the wisdom you were going to share with us. "The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall" =P

A Canopy and its Pilot, by Brian Germaine is an excellent read. Well worth the purchase price many times over. "The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall" =P

Hey it is an honest question, you wouldn't be the first one. "The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall" =P

So are you a student, or a disgruntled employee. Both are possible from my vantage point. "The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall" =P

That might be holding me back as well... my sleep debt is starting to surpase my credit card debt. Bad juju "The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall" =P

Tempting... I placed second the first time I joined you guys for a game. "The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall" =P

We do not have the luxury of huge landing area. I try to work on swooping on hop and pops, if I am going to swoop on a high altitude jump I will only do so if I can hang in deep brakes and let the other traffic clear, or I will do so on the edge of the landing area so I am away from the other jumpers. "The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall" =P

I think that is a really cool thing to do, but sadly I think all the newbies are going to do what they want, because they are "entitled too"... I was in the box manifesting this weekend when I had a solo jumper, new to the sport, and far from current tell me that he was going to go on a freefly head down jump... at 50 some jumps. After I explained all of the safety reasons why he should consider another jump, tracking down jump run, etc etc I got a great response... "Well so and so already taken me on a few jumps and showed me how to do it". Well shit then bro, don't let me hold you back, let me know when you are ready to start teaching freefly coaching classes. Forget walking before you can crawl, when you can skip right to sprinting. Next time he simply won't tell me what he is going to be doing when he manifests. "The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall" =P

It is fixed now... Thank you for listening to our opinions HH. "The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall" =P

Oh yeah right! I forget about that, my altimeters are either digital, or they go way past 12. "The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall" =P

Why did you feel like a dick for trying to be helpful and pointing out a possible equipment malfunction. It is a good habit to keep an eye on other jumpers and their gear. I am constantly eyeing down every jumpers gear that I have clean view of. I have caught a miss routed chest strap and a rsl clipped into the three rings just by keeping my eyes open. "The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall" =P