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Is it a big DZ? Then ... BE THERE! You'll be surprise what deals you can get if you do 2 simple things: be there and be social. Out of my 12 coached jumped I've paid maybe 4 or 5. For the other I've paid only the instructor slot. There's always a coach in training that needs practice jumps with the students. Does the weather predict is going to rain this weekend? BE THERE! On a raining day I've got a great deal on Tonysuit that looks brand new and I've made a jump in the sunset when it stop raining. Not a bad day considering how it started. I have a good friend who wants everything to go as planned and because of that he made only 4-5 jumps this season. So far this season I've made ~50 jumps, improved my accuracy (a lot), made a reserve, jump from an helicopter which is not bad for a weekend jumper. You'll be surprised ... if you can stop planning. Regards, Jean-Arthur Deda. Lock, Dock and Two Smoking Barrelrolls!

True. I've meant to say PCIT. I've shorten my closing loop to the point that I can't close the container unless I'm using the power tool. With the pull-up coord it's really hard. Its tight but I've seen tighter ones around my DZ. From pitch to stand up I got around 1.0 - 1.5 sec. Is that too much? Dunno if my measurements are that accurate though .... Lock, Dock and Two Smoking Barrelrolls!

OK, so my closing loop is way too lose. Thanks for the input guys and I'll adjust it right away!

Does anybody know a way to test if your closing loop is long enough or is there a way to check if the closing pin tension is good enough? I'm starting to think that mine is too slack but I have no way of really knowing it ... Regards, Jean-Arthur Deda. Lock, Dock and Two Smoking Barrelrolls!

I agree with you and I see that it could create confusion

Its just another way of saying downwind or tailwind. It has nothing to do with what one feels under canopy. Lock, Dock and Two Smoking Barrelrolls!

Talk to your instructors about this approach: Face the DZ and use your nose. Close one eye and point the tip of your nose next to the landing zone. If you've closed the left eye the tip of your nose should be located left to the landing zone. Now hold that pose and watch what happens to the landing zone: a) If the landing zone moves downward relative to your nose you're going to make it. b) If the landing zone moves upward you're not making it back. c) If the landing zone doesn't move you're not making it back safe. Possible follow-ups for case b) & c) if you can read the wind: #1 You are going downwind (wind in your back) Make yourself smaller, add half brake and redo the nose test. If you can make it hooray. If not add more brake and re-test. Still in case b) or c)? Then see #2 #2 for a slow upwind or really bad spot downwind. Make yourself smaller, add back risers and redo the nose test. Keep in mind that its a lot more difficult to hold the back risers for a long time compared with the toggles. Still can't make it back bro? Well its time for plan B! Usually it takes around 5-10 sec to see the movement. Regards, Jean-Arthur Deda. P.S. It might be easier to just put a dot with a black marker on your goggles instead instead of using your nose.

16500, Twin Otter, sunset load, last to exit and the pilot did a wingover. I've paid the regular jump ticket for 13500. Lock, Dock and Two Smoking Barrelrolls!

Some "First" and "beer lines" are waved for students (no AFF) ... otherwise ... Lock, Dock and Two Smoking Barrelrolls!

Hehehehe ... it's actually a copy paste of your message. I've waited so long for someone to share my pain (now forgotten) and BTW what took you so long? Lock, Dock and Two Smoking Barrelrolls!

Ya bought it ugly ~ wear it ugly! Lock, Dock and Two Smoking Barrelrolls!

Why? With the posters number of jumps they should be good with anyting over 3.5k 1k to terminal and opening at 2.5. Now 6-7k would be a nice bonus but I have got out at 4.5 and 5.5 and even got lucky and went last and got out at 9.5 :D I made it back each time. My friends had 240 and 180 jumps. We've found it safer to open higher. It was a good thing because they had more time to make it from the downwind spot and we had more time to make it to the landing area as well. We've park the car exactly when they've flared

I was ground crew on a Hot air Balloon for my friends 1 month ago. 12 people in balloon 2 jumping. Our plan was for us, the ground crew, to stay in touch via radio with the jumpers and guided by the them to check the landing area before the jump and to hold a windsock for landing. However the balloon climbs really really fast (less than 10 min to 7000) so us instead of being ahead of them we had to catch up with them. Make sure you've got a good landing area. Choose a place up-wind (ahead of the direction you're traveling) for landing and regroup. You can easily guess the wind speed (it's the speed of the balloon) so use that for spotting. As you climb out, the balloon is traveling, so make sure you've got a good spot when you exit and not when start you climbing out - our friends did that mistake, they choose the spot up-wind, climb out, took a lot of time to exit and meanwhile the spot moved slightly downwind. If you see packed hay it's a good sign. It means that the grass is cut so no rocks are hided by tall grass. Make sure the LZ it's big enough. Have a thank you note for the owners of the landing area. Be aware of cows, dogs, power lines, fences, etc. Give people that are in balloon with you you're email to send you the exit pictures/movies. Insist for 6-7000 feet and open 5000. The pilot of our balloon was in a rush to drop them. That might happen to you too so don't follow his advice, he's not jumping

Yes ... ME. The packer did a controversy job, fill with warnings signs (trash pack - shake no flake, cocoon, place the bag with the bridle up ... the only thing that I've liked is that he paid attention to keep the slider in the stops). He was not a DZ packer. I knew it and I went ahead with it due to my stupidity and time pressure. You are right, this doesn't mean that a lineover couldn't happen with a "good looking" pack job, it just happen that this pack job had a higher chance of malfunctions. Agreed. However, the after-math for me is that instead of thinking: "Relax I've got a reserve if worse come to worse, jump this trash pack" - taking the possibility of reserve ride lightly - is better to invest more energy into avoiding problems in the first place. It is good to fly/know your reserve but it's better to do that without having a malfunction, in an area with a lot of space, and having people (3-4) on ground with cars chasing your shit. I think a planned intentional cut-away might be easier on the budget especially if you time it right with the reserve repack. Dunno how it works with having 3 parachute systems but now, if I would have a choice between having a malfunction or an intentional cut-away at the end of the season I'll take the last one.

Done mine 1 moth ago. A packer packed a lineover for me. Tried to flare it out but it didn't move. Cut. The RSL beat me to my PDR. Open soft, on heading, flied well and landed soft. You feel smart on the stand up landing, when everybody is telling you good job saving your life and look you kept your handles but you really feel stupid when you sum the bills (spring loaded pilot chute, free bag, shipping, tax & reserve repack). Reserve rides should not be taken lightly. Packing on my own now. It takes longer but I might win on the long term. Lock, Dock and Two Smoking Barrelrolls!

Guys, when I say ugly I mean GAY ugly (not that's anything wrong with being gay

I've recently bought a cotton jumpsuit (booties) really cheap. The color of the jump is awful. I want to change the color but I don't know how. Anybody has experience with that? Regards, Jean-Arthur Deda. Lock, Dock and Two Smoking Barrelrolls!

Can you pop-up if you flare it reasonably faster(not very fast)? Lock, Dock and Two Smoking Barrelrolls!

Just trying to get informed ... to balance time vs money! So I've made reserve and lost the free bag and pilot chute ... don't ask! - If I buy from para-gear its 240$. http://www.para-gear.com/templates/base_template.asp?group=159#P2971 http://www.para-gear.com/templates/base_template.asp?group=159#D2871 With para-gear the delivery time is really good (previous experiences)! - from altico its 190$. The difference in price its around 1 full jump + hop&pop! http://www.altico.com/pricing.htm Anybody got experience with the delivery time from Altico or has other sources for buying dolphin gear in North America that's cheap and fast? Regards, Jean-Arthur Deda. Lock, Dock and Two Smoking Barrelrolls!

I've been told that slinks, slink covers and a slider that's 2 line collapsible will the decrease a lot the wear. Lock, Dock and Two Smoking Barrelrolls!

Off-topic (but still regarding opening shock): Does canopy size really matter when it comes to opening shock? Assuming a heavy guy (a.k.a. fatso) falling at 150mph, can PDR99 blow on opening while PD253 be OK? Lock, Dock and Two Smoking Barrelrolls!

I think that it would be really interesting to have a wing that allows you to change in flight the Aspect Ratio (while keeping the same area) and area (while keeping the same AR). This will give you real time control over the glide ratio and speed.... my 2 cents ... Maybe it will be more suitable for paragliding or kiting than skydiving ... dunno Lock, Dock and Two Smoking Barrelrolls!

Somebody should mow that lawn! Lock, Dock and Two Smoking Barrelrolls!

Non skydiving related but still interesting. http://www.hadlowpro.com/ 12 Min and it's worth watching it until the end. Lock, Dock and Two Smoking Barrelrolls!

Some digital altimeters activate the digital recording (FreeFall Speeds, opening, etc) in those conditions. Altitude is always displayed. I think digital recording consumes more battery. Lock, Dock and Two Smoking Barrelrolls!