SkymonkeyONE

You guys can believe what you want about what is safe and what is not, but arbitrarilly telling someone that certain equipment is "unsafe" and "not freefly friendly" just shows your lack of knowledge. I personally have over 200 jumps on MT1-XX/MC-4 systems and have performed them with an incredible amount of shit strapped to me and the rig. The only thing not "freefly friendly" on one of those systems is the fact that the main ripcord extends out to the side of the rig, up next to your shoulder. Most people using these rigs for sport use have gone ahead and converted them to throw out (normally BOC) and have removed the O2/equipment wing flaps. The belly band is left on because it's a smart thing to have, no matter how "ugly" some people believe them to be. Bottom line here is that it is a very secure rig. In "ripcord/spring-loaded PC mode" the rig is absolutely safe at any attitude/body position. Now it's possible your personal vanity would preclude you from jumping something like that, but for big guys just starting out they are fine, safe, and proven rigs. More than a couple of dropzones use them as "big boy" student and rental rigs. Another thing: there are not a lot of "used" options out there for VERY big guys. Likewise, there are not a lot of very big guys that are interested in doing anything other than flying on their bellies because doing otherwise means that they would be going too fast for anyone to stay up with them. Once again, think what you want, but don't be spouting nonsense in topical forums with under 200 skydives between the two of you. Chuck

No, you are only half right. The anti-spin bag on a new Wings container has center stows AND a triangular flap that is sewn to the bag from side to side and extends up about six or eight inches up the bridle where it is tacked. The combination of this flap/bridle pulling your bag straight out of your container and the center stows keeps the bag from "rocking" back and forth, thus preventing it from spinning around. I have an older bag on one of my rigs and an anti-spin on the other. I keep the anti-spin on my wingsuit rig and it works great. I had it on my swoop rig for a while, but the added material of the flap (and my long bridle) make it more of a pain to roll up and stow neatly in my RDS pocket. Chuck

Have you ever met dave? Dave is fun to steal beer from.

You poor, poor thing.

You are only assuming that just because those people have been a part of previous attempts that they are the only people qualified to perform those functions and that is a mistake. Why exactly do you think a plane captain ought to get a free ride? If the person wants to be a part of a team effort, then let him lead by example and pay up just like everyone else. Likewise, inviting "known" 4-way and 8-way teams for free sets a bad precedence in my opinion as well. Where, exactly, on a 4-way competitor's resume does one find out whether or not they have long-dived do any formation? Bottom line: "record" attempt rosters (both freefly and flat fly) are primarilly filled with "good old boy" hookups and those with enough money to buy their way onboard. FWIW, I love larger skydives, but have never been on anything bigger than a 2-point 60-way. I was invited to Chicago for those 300-way attempts, but balked when I found out how much it was going to cost as a "full price" invitee. When it becomes evident that everyone is making the same sacrifices to participate I (and many, many others likewise qualified) might become more interested in playing. Chuck Blue D-12501

Not true at all, Bill. There are many, many capable primarilly-flat skydivers out there who simply don't want to spend the money going to camps and paying other people for their "OK" to get on those jumps. Likewise, there are plenty of capable big-way jumpers out there who get assed-up that they have to pay full price to get on those records while others get free rides. If the playing field were level for all attendees, then more people would participate. Chuck

Brilliant. I watched the extended "black sky" thing last night and got caught up on all of it. I didn't realize they were doing the second flight today, but I just caught a replay of the landing on CNN.

Head down, shoulders rolled forward, as solid a leading edge as you can make with your forearms/elbows/tris, toes pointed and knees locked out to the sides to really tension the wing. Pro Tracks suck for wingsuit jumps in my opinion I have taken more than one student for a first flight in an S3, but no, it don't think it's an easier suit to fly than a GTi. An S3 will really wear you out if you are out of shape. There is a LOT of wing to reach around at pull time in an S3. I have not heard of anyone going four minutes in a SugarGlider. For that matter, I don't think I have heard of more than three people who have ever even jumped one. To get that from 13.5 this supposed person would have to have been dumping at 100 feet in a BASE rig. I don't buy it.

Another "real" answer here because, as Dave said, sometime you just might find yourself in a situation that you either did not or could not have predicted. In that instance, which I have been caught in more than a few times in the past 23 years of skydiving, I am going to do a number of things. First of all, I am not going to concern myself that it's bumpy under canopy. There is nothing you can do about it except fly through it and hope you pass out of it before landing. Next, I am going to scan the ground under me and look for potential downwind outs. Next, I am going to start crabbing my ass back to the DZ. While doing so, I am going to repeatedly perform "the accuracy trick" to judge my progress. If you don't know what that is, do a search on this site. If my "accuracy trick" results indicate that I have got it made, then I am going to go for it. If the trick indicates that there is no way I am going to make it to a safe landing on the DZ, then I am going to immediately change course and aim for one of the downwind outs that I chose earlier in the canopy flight. If you knew ahead of time that conditions were sketchy, then it's your bad that you got on the airplane. If you did it anyway and didn't choose a correct spot based on known conditions, then that's also your bad. Still, there will be times when you think you have done everything perfectly where you find yourself "out." Everyone, and I mean everyone, is going to eventually land off the airport. When it happens, you better do what you need to do to get to the ground safely. Getting fixated on the DZ when you know good and well you simply can't make it is not going to help you. Chuck

If you have those toggles set where you like, fingertrapping them (as opposed to simply knotting them off) will prevent that from ever happenning again. Those of you reading this post will notice that he landed safely on rears. Practicing this skill at altitude has been a part of the A-license progression for quite some time, but I wonder how many of you have actually practiced it or have landed your larger, non-swooping canopies on rears? Just for reference, I can truthfully say that I have landed every single canopy I have ever owned on rears at least once. Having a toggle come off in your hand at 300 feet on final ought not be the first time you grab your rears. edit: That's a lie. I never landed my 65 on rears and I never landed my VX-74 on rears, though I did play with them up high.

If I remember correctly, I had around 240 jumps. I had hooked up a main wrong and it was in a not-controllable turn. Round reserve (K-22) into the biggest briar patch in Hoke County, NC.

Any student that has been cleared for self supervision (at the end of cat E) can do the rest of his/her A-license progression tasks with a USPA coach.

HALO MT1-XX and MC-4 harnesses dangerous for sport jumping? Not in my opinion. You are not about to slide out of one of those harnesses. Also, worrying about quick ejector snaps coming undone is being very paranoid, too. I have never, ever heard of quick ejector hardware "coming undone" on a freefall jump of any type.

Very stylie!

Likewise, I would hate to tell you then number of people on those attempts I know personally who don't bother to go to bed at all. The fact that they are there for record attempts (or Nationals, or the world meet) in no way, shape, or form stops people from partying like rock stars and howling at the moon. Discipline, in those cases, simply means that you can still make manifest and fly your slot.

How long has it been since your last jump?

There's another level than this!?? Holy Crikey!!! Oh, yeah...there's multiple levels of irritation before you get to pissed and then furious. Relevance to the topic of this thread? You two use PM's please if you want to continue to bicker, even if in jest. Chuck

More than two of those (or Go Fast) and I just get antsy. They sort of sit in my stomach like a bomb too.

Yep, I like the striped canopy as well.

I have been jumping a long time and have never heard of the kneeling, sitting, standing thing. It must certainly be a DZ specific thing or maybe a thing that came to be popular in your area. I compare that to the way that SCR ceremonies have evolved at certain Texas dropzones.

I fill out and have signed every rating I currently hold and mark through all the other blocks with big X's.

Yep, the "bunkhouse" at Deland is a small, portable metal structure that you would park a lawnmower in. I thought it had to be a joke. Good thing I have so many friends in town....Anyway, Rob Herrick has two houses less than a mile from the DZ. One is converted into a super "team house" thing that sleeps like 16 people. It's awesome. I have his number, so PM me if that sounds interesting; it's a cool place.

They spelled it "Parris" as well.

Wrong forum really (shoulda posted in "photography"), but are you talking about the screw that goes into the bottom of your camera? Any photo shop will have that.

You sound like Kevin and Steve used to.....seriously. The tandem analogy was perfect. If you wanted a tandem rating, you had to pay the manufacturer. Want another tandem rating even though you have 500 tandems already? Guess what, you are gonna pay for that rating too. It's all about liability and making sure that people get the best training they can. $300 is a drop in the bucket. The money you pay on the course can be immediately recouped on the savings you get on new suits. It's also really great to be able to get suits anytime you want from BM for your events. You want to be a renegade? Just make goddamn sure you don't attempt to train anyone with less than 500 jumps (as they don't neccessarily require a BMI anyway). You should really talk to Kevin and Steve. Your anti-establishment posture on this doesn't really compute. Chuck