Aviatrr

Actually, this was before I started skydiving.. If the same thing happened now, I would take my rig.. "WE'RE TAKING FLAK!@# I'M OUTA HERE!"

Hey, that's ok.. Freeflailers are welcome too.. Mike

There are 3 dz's within about an hour.. Are you a licensed jumper, or want to do a tandem? There is Skydive Space Center, about an hour east.. It has an awesome view.. The DZ is located just a few miles from Kennedy Space Center and the ocean.. My home DZ - what more can I say? Great group of people.. Website is www.skydivespacecenter.com.. There is also Skydive Lake Wales, about 50 minutes south.. I've never jumped there, I can't say what the place is like.. I wouldn't hesitate to send anybody there - I've heard awesome things about it.. Website is www.skydivelakewales.com.. Skydive City/Z-Hills is about an hour southwest.. Awesome place.. Excellent facilities, aircraft, etc.. Website is www.skydivecity.com.. Mike

Isn't it amazing how simple it all seems after you've done it? I've had 2 cutaways so far, and cutaways don't bother me a bit.. There are 2 things that really scare me - 2 out(especially with my main/reserve combo - they won't fly well together) and PC in tow.. I've had PC in tow, but hopefully I never experience the 2 out.. My next rig will have a pull-out deployment system.. Mike

I'm off work that weekend, so I'm definitely there! I'm sure Marc will see this thread soon and tell us if he'll be going, too.. Cyber - I'm sure the 'wind tunnel' is one of those that is portable, sits on the ground, and just has a big ass fan at the bottom.. Not enclosed - but just blows a column of air up and is padded all around.. Kinda interesting trying to stay on the column of air.. If ya fly out of it....WHAM! Hopefully, the weekend after that, I'll be going to the Keys boogie.. I hear that boogie rocks.. Mike

Ahh, that would be Aluminum Overcast.. I've got a couple hours in the nose gunner position on that plane.. I got to ride along(didn't have to pay, either!) from one airshow location to another.. Very cool.. Mike

That should teach that dumbass a lesson.. If he had planned to BASE off the torch, he would have had a BASE rig instead of a bungee cord, and could have just jumped after becoming entangled with the torch.. In this case, BASE jumping could've saved him from getting arrested.. Mike

There are a few Crossfires floating around out there that are overall black with gold ribs.. Hell, I almost bought one.....then I really realized how hideous it looks.. It's a stock color for Icarus - I guess for those wannabe GK's.. Mike

I know of two that happened back in '96.. One was a line over, one was a slider hang up at the canopy(large tension knot in one line group).. The slider hang up was me.. IAD level 3.. The line over was an IAD level 1.. They were about a week apart.. 'Ole Mikey went ballistic after my mal.. "That's the second goddam student cutaway this month!@#".. I bet somebody paid hell..

I didn't see it listed in Parachutist, either.. Is it something that was just recently put together? Mike

I enjoy helping people out.. Actually, I've always loved teaching from the time I started teaching people to fly.. I'll jump with just about anybody, especially if I feel it can help either one of us.. Just don't ask me to help ya with RW.....I need plenty of help there myself..

That makes all the difference in the world.. You had an RSL I'm sure, so your reserve was on its way out before you pulled the reserve handle.. My terminal reserve deployment hurt like hell.....but I was definitely happy to see that thing open fast..

I use my chest strap because of the location of the seatbelts in the aircraft at my home DZ.. They are attached where the floor and wall meet, and not very long.. We loop them through the leg straps - and there's not usually enough to attach my helmet and keep it in a safe enough location for the camera(during normal circumstances).. If there is an open seat belt, that's where my helmet goes.. With it attached to my chest strap, I can get close enough to hear my pro-track at 1k.. I'm glad to hear that most people share the same views on this issue.. It pisses me off to no end to see people with camera helmets sitting in their lap, but not secured to anything.. Hell, any helmet for that matter.. It'll just become a projectile in an accident.. Mike

I still feel that the 500 jump minimum is WAAAY too low for a TM/I.. I definitely agree with the time in sport requirement.. I know one specific jumper who has been jumping for 6 months now, and has almost 400 jumps.. He could be a TM/I in another 2 months or so if it weren't for the time in sport requirement.. How long ago was the 500 jump minimum set? Back when tandem jumping first started? I guess it's kinda like the current license requirements - outdated.. 100 jumps for a C and 200 for a D is way too low, IMO.. I kinda like the way some other countries do it - 500 for C and 1000 for D.. Mike

Hell, it's damn rare to EVER see 100's here in Central Florida.. Actually, in Feb, we've got pretty much perfect jumping weather.. 70-75 degrees on the ground, clear, blue skies all day every day, and at least 2-3 turbine aircraft at each major DZ.. Florida isn't always perfect, in the winter, though.. Sometimes we get those low cloud layers that don't burn off until 9 or 10am.. DAMMIT! That kills up to 2 hours of jumping time for us! Mike

I have flown the 4, 6, 6A, and 8.. The 4 was a very fun airplane.. The one have time in has a 180hp with a constant speed prop.. The airplane handles recreational aerobatics very well, but you have to be careful - the potential is there to overstress this airplane fairly easily.. It is very reponsive to control inputs, and sometimes I get a bit overzealous during aerobatics.. It was kinda strange flying a tandem seat airplane from the front while solo, however.. Baggage space was severely limited.. The 6/6A is a nice airplane, but not quite as sporty as the 4.. Maybe it had something to do with the side-by-side rather than tandem seating configuration.. I didn't care for the side by side in this airplane.. The 6 had a 180hp fixed pitch, and the 6A had a 160hp fixed pitch.. Baggage space was decent for a 2 seater - but the weight limitation is still pretty low.. I did not like the tricycle gear(6A) on an RV - it just didn't seem natural.. Many people that don't fly taildraggers love the 6A, but I, personally, would go with a straight 6.. The 8....well, what can I say, other than I love that airplane.. Back to the good 'ole tandem seating, conventional gear.. The 8 I flew(I did the maiden test flights on that airplane, and the initial 50 hours) has a 200hp constant speed.. Awesome airplane.. It's nice to have two baggage areas(even though the front area is pretty damn small).. Performance is quite impressive on this airplane.. I don't think I would have liked the tricycle gear version(8A) on this airplane.. Visibility in the 8 is great, to say the least.. Overall, I would say I liked the 8 the best.. I feel that it's the best mix of a sport/cross country airplane.. Only having 2 seats is somewhat limiting, but many kitplanes are only 2 seaters.. The 8 is still fairly new, so not a whole lot are flying.. I think somewhere in the vicinity of 150 airplanes.. There are 10+ times that many RV8 kits out there.. Mike

Assuming you meet all the private flight time minimums, you will need AT LEAST 10 hours of dual.. I think 10 hours is the requirement "in preparation for checkride".. It may be a bit more or less - I haven't taught primary in many years, and the requirements have changed since then.. Find some local schools(I think it'll have to be Part 141 to take a GI Bill) and talk to them about Pro Pilot courses.. When it's time for your CFI, I suggest going to ALL ATP's(www.allatps.com) and get your Multi-CFI and CFII with them - I think they charge about $2,000.. You could then get your Single CFI with them, or go elsewhere.. Yea, it's really sad.. That's why I never went to the regionals.. I went the cargo/corporate route.. I'm now a Captain for a fractional ownership, work every other week, fly nice equipment(Hawker 800), and make decent money.. If I had been at the regionals for the past 4 years, I wouldn't make what I do now.. It's not just the beginning salaries that are pathetic there.. The major airlines are where the good money is.. Delta is my airline of choice, but they have stopped hiring for now.. I've got a letter of rec there, so hopefully when they resume interviewing I'll get the call.. As far as I'm concerned, there could be no worse punishment.. I can't stand sitting at a desk.. Kinda funny, I can sit in a cockpit for 5-6 hours no problem, but I can't sit at a desk for more than an hour without going nuts.. Mike

DOH!@# You're right, I kinda left out the important word.. The front riser pressure, IMO, is fairly heavy on the Hornet.. Good catch, Carl.. Mike

I have a Talon 2 that is sized for a 150 main and 143/150 reserve.. There is currently a Tempo 210 in it.. It's a tight fit, but my rigger does not have any problem getting it in.. The PD160 has a pack volume of 364 Cu.In., and the Tempo 210 has a pack volume of 366 Cu.In.. Both of those are PIA pack volumes.. The Tempo 210 won't be a problem in an M4.. I'd say don't even think about the 160.. The 181 would probably not be a good choice, either.. You outweigh me by 30-35lbs out the door, and I'm not comfortable going any smaller than a 160.. I've landed a PD143R at 210 out the door - not fun.. I was damn lucky I had a big landing area.. If I had been low, with a bad spot, and forced to land in a back yard or something, I may not be here today.. If you have questions on PIA pack volumes, call Sandy Reid at Rigging Innovations.. Get his number off their website - www.rigginginnovations.com.. Sandy has been doing the PIA measurements for years.. Mike

I've never heard that one before.. The only reason I do hop&pops is so that I have plenty of time to play with a new/unfamiliar canopy before it's time to land it.. I do feel that doing some subterminal deployments(I exit the Twin Otter and pull within 2 seconds for these) to see how the canopy opens in a subterminal deployment.. That will help you make your decision altitude for when you would go out on your main on an emergency exit, and when you would go straight for the reserve.. Mike

As skymedic said, contact PD directly.. Get their phone number off their website.. Ask for Kolla - she is in charge of demo canopies.. As for the waiting list, there will certainly be one.. How long it is will depend on the size Sabre2 you want to demo.. Call Kolla and ask her.. They charge $20 plus whatever it costs to ship the canopy to you.. You are responsible for shipping charges back to PD.. The $20 is for inspection when the canopy gets back to them.. Mike

When I got my first couple reserve re-packs, I watched the rigger pack it.. I didn't ask a bunch of questions, because I didn't want to distract him while he was packing the thing that may save my life.. After having watched a few re-packs, I pulled my reserve out when it was time for a pack, and packed it up myself.. I handed it to my rigger, and he pulled it out and critiqued my pack job, then I watched him re-pack it again.. I did that a couple times, just to get some practice at packing the reserve since I plan on getting my riggers ticket someday.. Mike

Honestly, the only time I have 'tipped' a rigger for a re-pack(other than the standard $40 that he charges me for the re-pack) is when he put everything aside and had my reserve re-packed within 2 hours of a reserve ride.. I got to make 5 more jumps that day.. Of course, when you have a reserve ride, your rigger gets to choose the type of premier liquor you buy for him/her.. Mike

In my experience with the Hornet, the front riser pressure is fairly and the canopy does not react well at light loadings.. At light loadings, the front risers seem to make the Hornet buffet quite a bit(like flying through moderate turbulence) and there is not much speed/turn rate generated.. At higher wing loadings(1.5-1.6), the Hornet reacts better to front riser inputs, but still not as good as a similarly sized Spectre or Sabre2.. Mike

In both cases, start out with light winds.. Land way away from anybody else.. I prefer to go out first(like a 3-5k exit) or very last and pull high so that the landing area is clear....and so that nobody tries to follow your pattern.. At most DZ's, the rule is 'First person down sets the landing direction'.. It's just so that you don't have people going every-which-way.. Don't try to land downwind in very strong winds - my personal limit is about 6-8knots for an intentional downwinder.. 10-12 for a crosswinder.. Know how to PLF - you'll need it.. Mike