SkymonkeyONE

There were actually several points to my post. First, that the Bragg tunnel is much more powerful than is required to let a person fly standing straight up or straight down. Second, that if a person could manage to hold his position in the cone at that airspeed he better well not fuck up and cork. Likewise, it takes a lot attention on the part of the tunnel operator. It would be fantastically stupid to think you could just step off into the cone at HD freefly speed; it needs to be cranked up to it after the person/people are in there and then eased back down less you get spit out and into the windows (as has happened plenty of times). The margin of error is very small and the danger factor increases at high airspeeds. LOTS of people have been injured in the Bragg tunnel over the years, student and instructor alike. Chuck

Unbelievably, I had no idea! Macca is a low-grade celebrity! Brilliant! Chuck

I recommend all the three NC dropzones mentioned. Fast planes and fun people at all three of them.

Amish, you be making some good shit!

Two guys at Raeford have them and they look fairly entertaining. They go slow enough that I can pass them beers from my golf cart as they fly down the beer line. It must be noted that they are only allowed to fly after jumping has ceased for the day. Chuck

Yo. I'm hoping I might be good at some of this shit someday... like when I have 5000 jumps... Just remember to keep pulling your string, monkey!

That is not an accurate statement. The Fort Bragg tunnel actually had to be detuned after it was first opened because it was far too fast and sucked one of the front doors in off the building! You can very, very easilly still turn the tunnel up so fast as to pin a freeflyer to the ceiling. The problem with cranking tunnels up so fast is the danger of corking.

I personally don't see a need for one, so I don't use one. If you are looking for one-hand operation for some reason though, I guess you could mount it just forward of the thumb hole on the inboard side of the glove. Still, I can't imagine why you would want or need to do that. Chuck

I have worked four different contracts that we trained groups to go from zero jumps to B license in ten days. Not a big deal at all if you have the time, money, and the weather cooperates. Chuck

I agree 100 percent with everything Beezy said in his post. It has always fascinated me how nonchalant people are about taking reserve rides caused by shitty, rushed, "professional" packers. One of my best friends, Rob St.John told me he had TWELVE tandem reserve rides one year (at Skydive Las Vegas). I was incredulous. Chuck

You heard what referred to as that? An RDS? And to the original poster: what is a POD? A "deployment system" is your deployment bag, bridle, and pilot chute (plus whichever deployment handle you use; BOC or pud). "Removable Deployment Systems" are any system that gets the deployment system off of your rig after deployment. They may be jumped alone, either as a "throw away" not attached to anything or, normally, attached my some means to the back of the slider. I have seen them attached by heavy dacron line and very-small vectan line. I have seen them attached by one lanyard to the center of the slider and, normally, by two that attach to the backsides of the slider. I have seen them affixed with an RSL shackle and I have seen them attached with a number four Rapide. RDS systems may be used in conjunction with removable sliders for less possibility of RDS lanyard fouling and to further clean-up the aerodynamics. "Removable Sliders" are just that. They can be used alone to give the harness it's best-possible spread under canopy, to give you a better field of view under canopy, and to quicken "stowing". They may also be used in conjunction with RDS systems to help prevent fouling, to speed up the RDS removal/stowage time, and to ultimately clean up your rig for best-possible aerodynamics. I remove my slider on every single jump, but do not hook up my "full" RDS system unless I am jumping in a meet (or practicing for one). My RDS vectran RDS lanyards stay rolled up in the inside mudflap on my container and it only takes me about five minutes to change from one mode to another since I use a Slink to attach my deployment system to my main. Chuck

If the right people are on the skydive then suits are simply not an issue. Loic's small girlfriend Kathy had no problem whatsoever staying in the big flocks in her "little" S-fly, nor did anyone with any skills have any problems staying extremely tight in S3's. It's all a matter of skill. You will not get that skill if you don't fly your suit with others. Personally, I find flying with first flight students MUCH more challenging than simple "blot" flocks. It is very common to have a student have a less than perfect exit that requires you to dive hard down to them, get them un-fucked, and then have to pop hard to stay up with them when they "find their wings". Once again, it all comes with practice and currency. People who fly hard, straight, and solo are not neccessarily safe in mid-speed blots. Chuck

It sounds like you are planning on writing what at least two very-experienced handycam guys have already produced in this forum. Do a simple search in this forum (and the safety and training forum) and you will find some completed products. Chuck Blue D-12501 "a happy handycam user"

I get on the plane with my gear ready to exit. Legstraps tight, chest strap tight, handles touched. I also roll my three rings at least once on the plane and touch my handles at least three or four times prior to exit. I have been doing every bit of that for every one of the 24 years I have been skydiving.

Put that sucker in there so that it will be most-loud. That means the button/guage side facing out, away from your ear. There is no such thing as "too loud" in my opinion.

I totally agree.

You should have put "mark all that apply" as I split time evenly between my Velocity, two different tandem mains, and my Sabre2. It would not be fair for me to put just one.

You said it was made in 2003, therefore it is a 2k3, the latest model. They are fine rigs, have tucktabs, and close like a "normal" rig.

But what about Icarus? What about Hyper? What about Parachute Lab (FireBolt)? No, the little difference is "measured" size does not account for "feel" in my opinion. An "apples vs. apples" comparison, seeing as how you believe actual size to be an issue in my comparison, would be Stilletto 107 versus Spectre 107. Two incredibly different "feeling" canopies. Larger "feeling" canopies inspire confidence in less experienced pilots and their flight characteristics are far more suited for less agressive jumpers. The Hornet is such a canopy, as are the Sabre2, the Pilot, and the Safire/Safire2. Chuck

Tandems will definitely keep you in shape. Particularly if you are a smallish guy who generally gets stuck hauling the fattest passengers.

You should see an AFF level 3 or 4 go bad..... Threes (C1) can be bad, but a nice E can be a real thrill as well. If something can possibly go wrong in the air (AFF or SL), I have seen it and had to deal with it.

The Jimmy is packed and ready to go, but you know what? I am just not interested in driving down eight hours to party in the mud. The intent was to get the three events done by tomorrow so that people could get down to Thomaston for that "surprise", but I can't see that happening now. It's raining cats and dogs here in Fayettenam and weather.com doesn't look any more promising in Cedartown. Unfortunately, I think I am going to blow the trip off completely. Y'all have fun. Chuck

You have been reading the "Soul Rider" series, haven't you? There are two such characters in those sci/fantasy books that get their privates switched by a wizard. Very funny shit. Chuck

I change my vote to those Kris mentioned. Just barely though.

Sunshine. That was easy.