Aviatrr

I have a Rigging Innovations Talon 2, sized for a 150/143R combo.. I currently have a Hornet 190 in it.. It's a tight fit, but it works fine.. I have put a Hornet 170 in a J2, and it's a good fit.. My Talon will fit up to a Safire 169 - but it's a VERY tight fit.. The 169 packs a little too big for my rig, in my opinion.. A 149 Safire or Crossfire fits great.. Mike

If you are referring to the KL tower in Malaysia, it is legal one day a year....just like the NRGB.. Mike

Training? You wuss.. How hard could it be? Jump, arch, reach, pull, throw, pray for a good opening.. I plan on doing BASE at Bridge day next year, and hopefully make a trip to Malaysia when they allow BASE jumping off the KL Tower.. Mike

So Bobby is gonna try to do the 'fly for a living' thing, eh? Where's he finishing his ratings at - do you know? Mike

Hey Donna.. The Talon 2 comes with velcroless toggles, which are great.. There are directions in the Talon 2 owners manual that details how to set up your rig so that the toggles won't cause a problem.. It involves sewing part of the brake set loop closed(on your main canopy steering lines), to bring the loop down to a certain size.. This is to be done by a rigger, of course.. If this is done, the toggles work great.. If not, you risk a chance of being unable to release one or both brakes.. As far as them coming unstowed, I have not experienced it.. In my opinion, it would be harder for these to come accidently unstowed than typical velcro toggles.. You might also ask Espen and Alan B. about their experiences with Talon's with velcroless toggles - they both jump them also.. The only downside with the velcroless toggles is that you have to modify the canopy lines to accept them.. Not a big deal, really.. If you later sell the canopy separate from the rig, or want to place it in another rig with different toggles, the lower steering lines will probably have to be replaced.. Mike

I have only heard of one case of somebody being killed by trying to land 2 out.. Turned into a downplane around 200ft, and never took any corrective action.. I'll try to find the specifics - I don't recall it all offhand.. Of course, there have been people killed by getting two out, and trying to cutaway the main.. Some have ended up with main/reserve entanglement, and I believe one even had the RSL lines on a dual side RSL rig choke off the deployed (and fully inflated) reserve, then entangle.. Ya know, when I was taught that phrase during my FJC, I thought my JM was just giving me dating advice.. Imagine my suprise when, after quite a few doubtfull dates, somebody told me what it really means.. Mike

Unfortunately, some people don't use the two altimeters that they can never forget to carry - their eyes.. If you ever go very far below your 'normal' opening altitude, and you actually LOOK at the ground, you will likely notice you are low.. The eyes are your primary instruments.. Altimeter is secondary.. Audibles are a distant third.. I had an altimeter fail on a dive not long ago.. I check it around 9k, then again probably 10 seconds later, and I was still at 9k.. I was solo head-down, and continued my dive as if nothing were wrong.. When the ground looked about right, I went belly to earth, slowed down, waved off, and pulled.. Had about a 3 minute canopy ride - which is normal for my pull altitudes and canopy flying.. It's not very hard if you pay attention.. If I ever have a Cypres 'save' because I lost altitude awareness, I will hang up my rig.. I normally jump with a Cypres, but would not hesitate to jump without it if it is out for some reason, or I am jumping somebody else's rig without one.. It CAN happen to anybody - like the 4 way team, at Nationals last year, that all had Cypres fires during a practice round.. None of them pulled anything - they were supposedly still turning points when their Cypres' fired.. Video guy pulled shortly before that, and ended up with 2 out.. 4 saves and one 2 out all at once.. Complacency kills.. Mike

Unfortunately, some people don't use the two altimeters that they can never forget to carry - their eyes.. If you ever go very far below your 'normal' opening altitude, and you actually LOOK at the ground, you will likely notice you are low.. The eyes are your primary instruments.. Altimeter is secondary.. Audibles are a distant third.. I had an altimeter fail on a dive not long ago.. I check it around 9k, then again probably 10 seconds later, and I was still at 9k.. I was solo head-down, and continued my dive as if nothing were wrong.. When the ground looked about right, I went belly to earth, slowed down, waved off, and pulled.. Had about a 3 minute canopy ride - which is normal for my pull altitudes and canopy flying.. It's not very har

I would also like to know what RSL and container induced problems you have had. I have never heard of an RSL causing a problem that would require a cutaway. What is wrong with the new Reflex containers? I see you live in Akron. Jumping at Aerohio? If so, have you spoken with Tim or Sherry regarding your problems with your rig? I would think that the DZO's - wherever you jump - would be very interested in why you have had to chop 3 times in 125 jumps. Mike

Sorry man, but you're friend must really hate her life if that's how she really feels.. I am damn lucky in the respect that I have a job I love and I make good money doing it.. Plus, I have plenty of time off to skydive.. Of course, not as much time off as I would like, but every other week isn't bad.. If you hate your job, you'll be miserable in every other aspect of your life.. You'll never have as much fun as you could.. Don't waste your life doing something you hate.. Mike

Excellent point.. In my line of work, visible tattoos are highly frowned upon.. Professional pilots are generally pretty conservative when it comes to appearance - the airlines don't want it any other way.. Even if I were in a different line of work, I wouldn't take part in any kind of self-mutilation.. For some, it's cool - not for me.. Hell, some women even look pretty hot with piercings or small tattoos.. I almost got a tattoo a couple years ago, but backed out.. Well, the main reason I backed out is because the tattoo was part of a package deal with an 8 year enlistment in the USMC..

Hmmm.. That's not what I was thinking about.. I was thinking about....uhh, nevermind.. Some young'uns have access to this board..

If there was no JM on board, ask the pilot what he wants you guys to do.. He may want everybody out that has good gear so that there are fewer people in the airplane, or he may want everybody there to kinda build a barrier around the person with a PC out.. I once had a jumper's main PC out, and I just had him remove the RSL, pull the cutaway handle(in case the PC got out somehow), and sit on the PC.. It was a spring loaded PC, so it was not feasible to just re-stow it as it would have been for a throw out.. Just remember - the pilot is the final authority.. If there is a JM on board, they will turn to the pilot for instructions.. If the pilot is not dealing with the situation, you're on your own.. Somebody has to take charge, though.. Just beware of one thing.. If the pilot is wearing a rig, and you tell him that a reserve PC is floating around the airplane, he may not even say goodbye on his way out the door..

How did he ever even get to the airplane with that problem? He obviously doesn't check his own gear before he puts it on.. Complacency kills.. If he is the one that replaced the closing loop in the first place, he needs to be taught a couple things - send him to a rigger for an explanation of closing loops.. Your friend was very lucky that somebody else actually cared enough to do a gear check - because he obviously didn't. Mike

They're, uh...fraternal orders of skydivers.. Yea, that's it.. I don't have an HF or CSA....yet..

Hell, maybe you've never had really good sex, so you just don't know what it's like.. I don't think it's something most people forget.. You must be....err, I mean your boyfriend must be doing something wrong.. Sorry, but skydiving and sex don't compare.. Well, good sex, anyways.. If my girlfriend was a skydiver, I'd try combining the two....but, she's a whuffo to the bone.. I've been thinking of trading her in for a more 'up to date' model....

Something else to consider.. When you are under canopy, the container will ride higher than it does otherwise.. Put the rig on, stand up, and have somebody lift the container from the shoulder straps, or push up on it from the bottom of the container.. Does it restrict your movement too much? If so, contact the manufacturer and let them know it needs to be corrected.. Mike

This is a completely different situation.. On a Tandem, you have somebody that probably has zero knowledge of skydiving.. Of course, the instructor is fairly experienced, but the students receive....what, 15 minutes of training? Any gear training? Sometimes.. The Tandem rig manufacturers made AAD's mandatory to protect the passengers, not the instructors.. I believe that making AAD's mandatory on Tandem rigs and student rigs is a good thing.. Since the passengers on a Tandem often have no skydiving knowledge, how likely are they(even if properly trained on the issue) to pull proper handles if the TM is knocked out on exit or loses altitude awareness? With students.....well, you just never know how they may react.. If a student on an AFF 1 dive somehow gets away from both JM's(unlikely, I admit), and starts to spin bad enough that the JM's can't get back in there, do you think they are going to pull? Hopefully the training kicks in, but you never know how somebody will react in a stressfull situation.. At least with a Cypres, that student will likely survive and decide that skydiving is not for them.. I know there are some that say even students should not depends on an AAD.. Well, I would rather see somebody saved by an AAD and decide not to take up skydiving, than go in because they "shouldn't be device dependent".. Personally, I have a Cypres in my rig.. Will I jump if my Cypres is out for a 4 year? Definitely.. Do I prefer to have one? Yep - otherwise I wouldn't have spent the money on it.. I think about the Cypres every jump.. I can't forget about it like some do.. I think about what I need to do in certain situations - such as an emergency exit at 1500ft - in order to prevent a two-out situation.. Do I rely on it? No way.. But I adjust my emergency procedures accordingly.. Mike

The Frankenotter has -27's on it, which I believe is the same as Mullins' King Air.. Most King Air 90's have -20's, which I believe are rated around 500-550SHP.. The -27's are around 625 I think.. There are a few Twin Otters floating around with -34's, rated around 680-720SHP(depends on when it was made).. My old home DZ(Aerohio) recently bought a Super Otter and it is currently getting -34's installed.. If Frankenotter does 14,000ft in 7 minutes, an Otter with the -34's should do it in 6 or less.. Frankenotter is just a Twin Otter that is made of parts from about 5 other Twin Otters.. It stopped by at Skydive Space Center yesterday, and I saw it for the first time.. They were there to pick up some equipment, and the pilot refused to do a load for us on his way out.. Punk.. He was flying up to NC, so he had to go to at least 10,000-12,000ft anyways.. Mike

At my new home DZ, Skydive Space Center in Titusville, FL, there is a skysurf school.. Recommended minimum experience is 200 jumps, but I have seen guys with as little as 80 jumps skysurfing.. Here it seems to depend on whether or not the instructors know your flying abilities.. If they know your flying, and they are satisfied with it, they don't care how many jumps you have.. They know it's not the best indication of skills.. I plan on trying the skysurf thing eventually, but I'm not in any big hurry.. Mike

And then BASEing off the building?? Mike

I have to say that my favorite is the Skyvan.. Tailgate, enough room to stand up in, and wide enough to launch big ways out of it with no problem.. Hanging exits are also cool.. Ever tried to launch a Magic Carpet out of a King Air or Otter? Kinda tough.. Launching big ways from a King Air is a pain in the ass with that skinny little door.. Hell, give me any airplane and I'll jump out of it.. Mike

Cool.. I'm gonna be out that way in a month or so, visiting the family.. I was planning on meeting some friends at Elsinore, but if Perris has Crossfire demos, they'll be my first stop.. I'll give 'em a call today to find out.. Mike

Do you honestly believe this Mike? An experienced skydiver lands on a runway while an airplane is attempting to takeoff or land, and it's the pilot's fault for a near miss? I don't know about you, but I was taught to AVOID runways under canopy.. Keep in mind that most airports that have skydiving operations on the field are public airports.. The aircraft flying in may not know there are canopies coming down.. Most skydiving ops are at uncontrolled fields.. I fly into uncontrolled fields all the time.. When I am monitoring CTAF, I hear the calls made by traffic in the area, including the 'jumpers away' calls.. What about when I am flying an airplane without an electrical system/radios? Totally legal.. Plain and simple.. DON'T LAND ON THE DAMN RUNWAY! How hard is it? Mike

Rodeo dives kick ass.. I've done a few of 'em.. On one of 'em, I flew base and 3 people jumped on my back.. We started fallin so damn fast the camera flyer couldn't keep up on his head.. Pre-planned breakoff was 5k.. At 5k, I pulled my knees to my chest and threw my arms out to throw 'em all off.. Two went immediately, but I couldn't get rid of one of 'em until 3k.. We tumbled every which way from 5k to 3k.. She had some damn strong legs.. I dated her for a while after that dive..