Aviatrr

Well, since there are no volunteers so far......I'm starting to wonder if I should do the same.... I'm sure as hell not giving up drinking for the weekend! Mike

Under the mudflap? Are they soft cutaway cable housings? I have seen this on the fabric channel in the risers - but never on the cable housings under the mudflap.....then again, all the rigs I've ever owned have had hard housings.. Have you guys had a rigger check it out? Mike

I'll definitely be there.. I'll be up Friday night with the group Andrea listed(or at least part of it), and I'll be out at the dz for some partyin' Friday night.. Ok, who's staying at the hotel that is willing to drive my drunk ass back Fri and Sat night? Mike

Yes, you are getting way too worked up over this.. I have been on the airlines many times since Sept 11, and if I didn't feel it was safe(or as safe as it can be, anyways) - I wouldn't do it.. Do I think there are holes in the security procedures? I sure as hell do.. I find it utterly ridiculous that they single people out for bag searches just prior to boarding based on when they book their flight, and whether it's one way or round trip.. A one way flight, or a flight booked less than 24 hours prior to the flight, will cause the passenger to be flagged in the computer for a pathetic, ridiculous search.. When my company books travel for me on the airlines, it is one way AND always done less than 24 hours before the flight - so guess what happens to me EVERY time.. Pathetic.. Use some of this manpower to, at least, random check the baggage of people NOT flagged by the computer - ESPECIALLY checked baggage.. All in all, I feel safe enough to get on the planes without hesitation - but I no longer travel in anything that identifies me as a pilot(used to travel in Polo shirts with company name on it).. I usually take the CREW tags off my luggage, or at least flip 'em over so people can't see the CREW part.. Have I changed my patterns as a result of the attacks? Yes.. Have I changed my lifestyle? Hell no.. Screw the bastards.. Mike

I think the Sabre2 opens a little slower than a Hornet packed the same way - but that's not always a good thing, IMO.. The openings on the Sabre2 are a bit slow for my tastes, so I normally quarter the slider, pull the nose way out in front, and I get soft, on heading, 600-700ft openings.. The Sabre2 I jump opened too slow when psycho packed.. To answer your question....the Sabre2 will open about the same as the Hornet - at least the ones that I have jumped.. I have been spanked a few times by Hornets at various loadings, but I think it was more because I didn't allow enough time to slow to a decent speed(after freeflying or a long track) for opening.. Cool.. You'll like the Sabre2, and if the Lotus is anything like Brian's Samurai(but lower performance, of course) - you'll love it too.. Unfortunately, I've only got 2 jumps on the Samurai - but I will definitely be doing more in the very near future.. I went over to ZHills to demo one, but after 2 jumps on it noticed that two of the D lines were too worn - so I didn't jump it again.. I've heard great things about the Lotus and Samurai.. Mike

To each his own....but I tried one on, and felt that my vision was much more limited(with the shield up) than with a Z1 or open face helmet.....only tried an Oxygen once, so I can't comment on that one.. Maybe YOU don't flip the visor open, but many people - including myself - do when under canopy.. I see the angle as a snag hazard - but, as you know, I usually jump with a much bigger snag hazard on the side of my head.. I did, and I disagree.. What does it matter to you what I think? We each have our opinions, and they're different - what's new? I don't like the helmet, and I stated the reasons why....doesn't mean that somebody else shouldn't like it for the same, or different reasons.. Mike

If somebody wants to keep a BASE rig in their high rise office or home, they can get skydiving training(and preferably do a few BASE jumps, or at least still air exits, such as a balloon), learn how the gear works, THEN buy BASE gear.. If they don't want to "go through all that work", then too bad.. I think that there would be more killed by an "emergency BASE rig" than saved.. Mike

ALL HAIL THE GRAND POOH-BAH......aka, guy with no life.. Mike

A couple of years ago, I had a 4 way pass within 100ft of my airplane(while we were climbing through 8,000ft, doing 300 knots).. I asked the controller if there was skydiving in the area, and his response was.... "Uh, yea, jumpers in the air at 6o'clock and a mile......oops" Some of you Houstonites may have heard about that one from the jumpers themselves.. Mike

I guess having a b-day on Feb 29th would be a good thing there, then......well, 3 out of 4 years, anyways.. Mike

Especially if they are implants.... Mike

So - what's the word, Chuck? Can they drink - or should I not waste my time visiting 'em next time I'm out in SoCal? Mike

Damn, that'd be a hell of a way for USPA to make more money.. "To get your B license, you have to take the BIC - which will, next year, be a part of the Coach course.." Hmm...get a Coach rating before a B license......cool! Mike

[shaking head] Geez.....you've led such a sheltered life, haven't you? Mike

Uhhhh...there must be something wrong with the site that gave you those directions....it doesn't include the best state....Florida, of course! Find a better website.. Mike

Let me just say this.....if I'm around, you're jumping naked.....like it or not! How close are you to 100 now? Ya know, you could always make it interesting and do a naked reverse rodeo.. Mike

For a little bit of basic freefly info, check out the following website.. http://www.public.iastate.edu/~zeppelin/ Mike

I recently got the chance to check out a Havok, and I'm not really impressed.....especially for the price.. I think it's a pretty funny looking helmet(funky shape and that flimsy ratcheting thing up top), and when you flip the visor up(such as under canopy) your field of vision(at least up) goes to shit.. There is also a point on each side that presents a snag hazard(with the visor flipped open) because of the 90 degree or so angle created between the fixed portion of the helmet and the part that flips up.. Granted, chances of anything snagging that are pretty slim - but if you turn your head just right, or end up in a canopy collision, it could be a problem.. It seems to me like an open face helmet that they put a visor on just to call it a full face - even though it wouldn't really sustain much of a blow(the main reason I, personally, would want a full face) without that ratchet thing giving.. Mike

I can't say what it's like loaded at 2:1 or above, but I have jumped one loaded at about 1.6, and regularly jump one at about 1.5.. The Sabre2 is not as responsive as the Stiletto at the same loading(not as twitchy, either), and the dive after a front riser maneuver is longer(I like that part).. Openings are not snaky like a Stiletto.. If you really want to know how they fly at loadings like that, call Skydive Deland and ask for Scott Miller.. He is a test jumper for PD, and has flown the Sabre2 at loadings over 2:1 - up as high as 2.4 or 2.5 I think.. Mike

I have no idea if they do now or not - but they just recently started using the PdF stainless leg hardware - and it's standard with Stainless.. SunPath hasn't been putting it on standard Jav's for very long, either.. Mike

Well, if you want to find out for yourself, you can jump my Hornet 190 at Atlanta Freeflight.. I'm trying to sell it, so I'm gonna bring it up there on risers and everything(large 3 rings on those risers) - and you're more than welcome to jump it a few times......as long as it doesn't interfere with somebody that may actually want to buy it.. Mike

DOH! No comment.. Mike

Good call.. I hope none of the skygods tried to give you any shit about it......I doubt they did, though.. Andrea, gusts to 25 is a safety issue for ALL jumpers - not just low timers.....unfortunately, too many people feel that "it can't happen to me".. Yes, I am one of them at times - as is almost every experienced jumper, and many low timers as well.. I'm glad Deland decided not to charge you guys for the ride - I hope Bob was the one that decided that.. I've seen Bob make some pretty impressive decisions(related to safety, regardless of implications to his DZ).. He's a damn good DZO.. Mike

First of all, the ONLY windows that open in any airliner are in the cockpit - and yes, there are protections to keep them from being opened while the cabin is pressurized.. Where does this myth come from? The cabin is NOT pressurized prior to takeoff - much less before pushback or taxi.. The majority of pressurized airplanes(this includes GA and corporate airplanes) are not able to pressurize prior to being airborne - but many airliners begin to pressurize DURING the takeoff so that there is no cabin 'bump' at liftoff.. Doors on pressurized airplanes normally have a seal that fills with air as the cabin is pressurized(which makes it much harder to open the door), and also have a pressure switch that will not allow the door to be opened while the cabin is pressurized.. Emergency exits are designed so that they must be opened to the inside of the airplane rather than the outside.. There is a lip around the door, on the outside, that does not allow it to go out - but ONLY in....which is pretty damn hard to do when the cabin is pressurized.. The force required can easily be upwards of several hundred pounds while the cabin is only pressurized a slight amount.. Mike

Troll? Who knows....all I have to say is that I am happy with the service I have received from Mirage.. When I ordered my rig, I was told 5 weeks.. After 3 weeks and a day or two, my rig was delivered.. There were two minor issues with it, that were both corrected immediately - and one of them was a very unusual request.. I even asked(AFTER my rig was delivered, and had been jumped many times) about a longer main bridle - and Bill Hallet told me to let 'em know what I want, and they would make it for me.. Plus the fact that I got the PdF style stainless leg strap hardware at no extra cost.. If that's horrible service, I REALLY want to see great service.. Mike