ceandries

In case anyone is interested; Reply from Nancy... That FireBolt was manufactured using Ultrasil. Which is an improved silicone coating to make it Zero Porosity. It’s a little slipperier than the previous ZP we used, and it lasts longer, meaning it retains its coating and therefore “new quality” for a longer period of time. Hybrid means that the top is ZP (Ultrasil), and the bottom is 0-3cfm (aka F-111).

Thanks, I sent her an email.

Does anybody happen to know exactly when P Labs started making Firebolts out of Ultrasil instead of hybrid zero p/f-111? I'm looking at purchasing one with DOM 6/2015 but I need it to fit in a smallish container. Does Ultrasil pack smaller than normal zero p? Thanks firebolt.xps

Thanks, Bill. And I bet you're sorry you started this thread. yep. I'll think about that next time I feel like starting a thread at 1am. I realize I sounded like a jackass. I won't try to defend my actions but I will argue this: Yes, I do think a pine tree would be a much safer than turning low and landing downwind into a parking lot full of vehicles with little room for error, especially when the ground speed towards the tree is near zero. Students are taught how to safely land in trees and they review the procedure every day before jumping. I'm sure others will agree with me on this.

...and when I say I gave the bowling speech I didn't say "your're not cut out for this sport, don't come back" I told him that if he isn't going to take this sport seriously he should think about taking up another one. Was I being harsh? I don't know, let me know what you think. the student ended up making a few more jumps (without incident) but never got his A. I wasn't trying to be a bully or make myself out to be something I'm not. I should've been more clear with my example, but the thread wasn't about my decisions with students, I just wanted to hear about everyone else's experiences dealing with students and their sometimes poor decision making.

there was a little more context to the story that i did not mention... his attitude after it happened was, "oh that was reallly cool and funny, hey all my whuffo friends thought it was awesome." I tried to explain to him how dangerous it was and he shrugged it off and disagreed with me. I was the person to talk to him about it because the two most experienced instructors on the dz were still in the plane and his jm gave me the task of watching his landing and debriefing him. When his jm got down, she agreed with me.

A student last season (5 or 10 jumps, just off radio) tried to make it back to the landing area. The wind was fairly strong but steady and he was barely covering ground. In his flight path there is a row of pine trees with a parking lot on the downwind side. He gets about 10 feet above the pine trees and decides he isn't going to make it over and instead of taking a 4 mph landing in a big soft pine tree, he turns about a 130, ltowards the parking lot, and lands mostly downwind, nearly missing a truck. i gave him the bowling speech.

you'd be surprised how safety conscious we "daredevils" are. I will be happy to check your and anyone else's gear.

If you're looking to save money you might look into static line training instead of AFF. Skydive Kapowsin and Skydive Toledo are pretty close to you, and they both offer static line training. http://www.skydivetoledo.com/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1 http://www.skydivekapowsin.com/index.php

took me 9 static lines to get it right, I know others who had more and are now great skydivers. Now that I think about it, the fact that I was screwing up was what kept me going, trying to get it right. Then I got hooked.

and how do you suggest "educating the public?" I'm sure I'm not the only one who has tried but its harder than it sounds. No one listens either because they don't care or they already have preconceptions of the sport, which have been planted by the media.

...which might have turned out to be a good thing as i was close to hypothermia and 2 miles from home.

Is this specifically stipid things I've done while jumping or can it be anything? One time I called the cops on myself and told them they needed to come and get me because I was too drunk to find my house.

Bigway I wish there were more gear dealers like you, I've seen a few people get screwed buying gear that they knew nothing about without talking to their instructors first. It shouldn't happen but it does.

When was the last time you saw anyone in the general public take responsibility for their actions? Think about the woman who spilled her coffee and sued McDonalds.

I agree that jump numbers are not the best way to measure skill or proficiency, and some discretion is required on the part of the instructor to determine whether the student is ready for an "A" liscense. That being said, I still have not read a clear and concise answer to whether or not S/L jumps count toward all liscense requirements. All this talk has got me digging through my logbook and I'm wondering if I'm even qualified to be a S/L instructor (even though I hold the rating.) I have logged a total of 206 jumps but I included 10 static lines that I have done (some for initial training, some were for certification of other instructors) The SIM says I need a "C" liscense to hold any instructor rating, and to hold a "C" liscense I need at least 200 total "jumps." So if static line jumps only count towards the "A" liscense as was mentioned before, that would mean that I only have 196 total "jumps" and I have acted as a S/L instructor illegally. Someone help me out here...

I agree with AllisonH. Static line is an inexpensive way of becoming certified. Don't think that means that it is inferior to AFF, just different. I was able to get my A for $750 last year by doing static line training at a small "club" dropzone.

Sparky with some experience in this area i can say that in the end you only need to ask yourself one question: How long do you see yourself being involved in the sport and to what extent? after being in a serious relationship for 3 years, I started skydiving. As soon as it became apparent to her that it was not a "phase" she began to object to it. It didnt last very long after that. I've also dealt with the irrational fears of my family members, and them telling me why I should'nt skydive anymore. I've done everything I could think of to ease their fears to no avail. You will deal with this more and more if you keep skydiving, whether it's your friends, family, or girlfriend. You just need to find someone who understands, and unless they've experience skydiving the same way you have, they won't. *in most cases* I think many skydivers, at least those deeply committed to the sport, deal with different levels of isolation, which is why we are such a tight knit group. You just need to decide where your committments lie.

I thought it was really good. I want to read the novel now.

me too, how is he still doing this if his username has been disabled?

As long as you are within weight and balance limits, you can have as many pax as you have seatbelts for. Ask your pilot to show you in a FAR/AIM.

It deserves the good press, Skydive Wissota is the shiznit.

I'll be there. talk those tandems into doing a static line, they'll thank you later

actually im looking at buying one, not sure of the container size yet but its a '94 and it has a safire 189 and swift plus 175 in it.

Does anyone know where I can find a sizing chart for the Eclipse Container. Are they still made by Stunts Adventure Equipment? thanks for the help