AndyMan

I know what diverDriver was trying to do, and it's a cool thing. I just don't think we want to take the DZ.COM record down that road. Of course TF members who hang out on DZ.COM are encouraged to come. If they weren't, diverDriver, Kallend, and myself wouldn't be there... Chris, I'd be great fun to get the TF togeather off-dz some other time... Too bad we won't have as good an excuse as this. _Am ICQ: 5578907 MSN Messenger: andrewdmetcalfe at hotmail dot com AIM: andrewdmetcalfe Yahoo IM: ametcalf_1999

Watch for invisible, single wire electrical fenses while swooping the friendly farmers front yard. They snap surprisingly fast when hit by a swooping jumper, and broken fenses tend to make famers angy. Yes, there's a story here... _Am ICQ: 5578907 MSN Messenger: andrewdmetcalfe at hotmail dot com AIM: andrewdmetcalfe Yahoo IM: ametcalf_1999

I think you've listed a series of polar opposites. I don't think a canopy exists that does everything you said. For example, you want good penetration in winds. To me, that means at least moderately loaded, which also implies at least being partially eliptical. All elipticals have some degree of wackiness during openings. Higher wingloadings make you feel the turbulence, a lot more - I think. Not that the turbluence is that much stronger, I just think you feel it more. If you're really concerned about turbulence, then you could jump one of Brian Germaine's canopies... but I found their openings to be squirely. And you also said you want good glide - which implies you want to make it back from long spots, which means you don't want something that opens slowly like the Cobalt. I dunno.. I think the Stiletto is pretty good at a lot of things. Maybe the Sabre2 is better at the things that you care about? _Am ICQ: 5578907 MSN Messenger: andrewdmetcalfe at hotmail dot com AIM: andrewdmetcalfe Yahoo IM: ametcalf_1999

PIA sells one - actually, it's a canopy flight simulator. The expensive models to actually have a fan that blows wind in your face, but the wind isn't speed sensitive. I first saw one at Sega City in Toronto, I did pretty well. I saw it a few years later at Winter Fest at SDC. I strapped into the gear and instantly went for the hard level - a demo jump into a downtown. With Roger Nelson yelling "HOOK IT" in my ear, I plummeled myself into the street at 48 MPH under an F-111 canopy. Great fun! My landing generated great applause. _Am ICQ: 5578907 MSN Messenger: andrewdmetcalfe at hotmail dot com AIM: andrewdmetcalfe Yahoo IM: ametcalf_1999

The article I had in mind appears to be in the NYTimes Premium archive. I could find it in the searches, but can't link to it because they charge access fees for the premium archive. There was also a few interesting shows on TLC describe the collapse. They also spoke of the lack of fireproofing in the second tower. _Am ICQ: 5578907 MSN Messenger: andrewdmetcalfe at hotmail dot com AIM: andrewdmetcalfe Yahoo IM: ametcalf_1999

Yes, I do. This is exactly the reason why the first building to be hit lasted over an hour before collapsing, while the second building only lasted about 20 minutes. The first building had all but the top 7 floors fireproofed, and the second building had only the bottom 20 floors. Fireproofing is basically insulation that you spray on the steel support beams. It's extremely effective at stopping the steel from softening due to even very extreme heat. The firepoofing in the first building likely saved many thousands of people who managed to get out. Most of the casualties were in the second building - those who didn't have time to escape. I'm not pulling this out of my ass, either. There was a very detailed report describing the collapse in the New York Times just a few weeks ago. The lack of fireproofing was a major contributor to the premature collapse of the second building. _Am ICQ: 5578907 MSN Messenger: andrewdmetcalfe at hotmail dot com AIM: andrewdmetcalfe Yahoo IM: ametcalf_1999

It's $14 at hinckley that weekend. _Am ICQ: 5578907 MSN Messenger: andrewdmetcalfe at hotmail dot com AIM: andrewdmetcalfe Yahoo IM: ametcalf_1999

So we're up to 14. Kickass. Throw in Bo, a few other TF's that are eligible, we've got a pretty good 15 way going here even with a couple of subs... Andy Diverdriver kallend fallingmarc sunshine falingilweenie vallerina jabeln79 jjohnson skymedic FallinWoman CanopyCudler eeneR slowfaller _Am ICQ: 5578907 MSN Messenger: andrewdmetcalfe at hotmail dot com AIM: andrewdmetcalfe Yahoo IM: ametcalf_1999

That's a bit of a stretch, I think... the burble would be on the jumpers back, not their chest. There would only be a burble on their chest if they were freeflying, not doing RW. I wore a chest mount when I was doing 4way. They were very handy. _Am ICQ: 5578907 MSN Messenger: andrewdmetcalfe at hotmail dot com AIM: andrewdmetcalfe Yahoo IM: ametcalf_1999

Blue skies, David. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. _Am ICQ: 5578907 MSN Messenger: andrewdmetcalfe at hotmail dot com AIM: andrewdmetcalfe Yahoo IM: ametcalf_1999

Sweet news about kallend. I still haven't heard from robbie culver, I hope he's in. This is starting to look like it might work. _Am ICQ: 5578907 MSN Messenger: andrewdmetcalfe at hotmail dot com AIM: andrewdmetcalfe Yahoo IM: ametcalf_1999

Fireproofing is still standard practice, they just changed the materials they use. Why the WTC wasn't fireproofed with other materials is beyond my comprehension. _Am ICQ: 5578907 MSN Messenger: andrewdmetcalfe at hotmail dot com AIM: andrewdmetcalfe Yahoo IM: ametcalf_1999

Remember that we want to keep this legit... If we just wanted to throw qualified jumpers on we could build a 30+ way a hinkcley, but that's not the point. At the very least, I'd love to see most of the participants chime in here to say that they're in. I don't think we need to go all out as they did in California, but I do want every jumper to be a defensible dz.com member. _Am ICQ: 5578907 MSN Messenger: andrewdmetcalfe at hotmail dot com AIM: andrewdmetcalfe Yahoo IM: ametcalf_1999

You really dont't think there's a diference? C'mon. Fireproofing is a standard building technique that they skipped on the top floors because they were too cheap. You don't think there's a significant difference between building it the way it was designed and base rigs? _Am ICQ: 5578907 MSN Messenger: andrewdmetcalfe at hotmail dot com AIM: andrewdmetcalfe Yahoo IM: ametcalf_1999

I think you need to jump a few more canopies, rhino... But in general, I'd agree. The Diablo is a high performance canopy, and is recomended for advanced pilots. I'm quite sure that you won't find anyone here recomending it as a first canopy. If you are going to buy it, then I hope you'll do it safely. You haven't spoken about wing-loading, I hope it's no more then 1:1. I'm pleased to hear that you're downsizing one size at a time. I'm also pleased to hear that you're talking to your instructors throughout the process. Once you get the canopy, only do straight in approaches for the first few hundred jumps. Don't ever turn land in a turn. Set up your approaches from far away so that you don't need to do low turns. Keep in mind that you're jumping a canopy that was designed for and marketed to experts - people with hundreds of jumps. If you forget this you will get hurt, and that would suck. _Am ICQ: 5578907 MSN Messenger: andrewdmetcalfe at hotmail dot com AIM: andrewdmetcalfe Yahoo IM: ametcalf_1999

Silk screening seems like a better idea. If you look up print shops in the yellow pages you could find someone that will make you a silk screen negative, then you could use that... but that usually means just one color, and it's easy to screw up. I suspect you'll do much better just by having the manufacturer do it. That way if they screw it up it's their problem, not yours... _Am ICQ: 5578907 MSN Messenger: andrewdmetcalfe at hotmail dot com AIM: andrewdmetcalfe Yahoo IM: ametcalf_1999

I think a better example is the spedometer in your car... it's mechanical too, it is possible it'll fail, but we still trust them and rely on them. Barometric analog altimeters rarely ever "fail". It's pretty rare, but occaisionally they'll stick, but will usually catch up in a few seconds. That said, the idea that I wouldn't take one or use one because it might fail seems to be as silly as not having a spedometer in my car because it might fail. Take it, use it, but also LOOK OUT THE FRICKIN WINDOW! (or in skydiving, look at the ground). _Am ICQ: 5578907 MSN Messenger: andrewdmetcalfe at hotmail dot com AIM: andrewdmetcalfe Yahoo IM: ametcalf_1999

Yeah, Remster's probably right. You won't notice the difference, or if you do it will be minor. You will turn quicker though, and you're tracking will be much faster. You'll be able to seriously build up speed when tracking, and doing forward movement. So just remember to watch where you're going. _Am ICQ: 5578907 MSN Messenger: andrewdmetcalfe at hotmail dot com AIM: andrewdmetcalfe Yahoo IM: ametcalf_1999

Yeah, seriously. Let's show some tact here. We've probably just lost a friend. This is terrible news... _Am ICQ: 5578907 MSN Messenger: andrewdmetcalfe at hotmail dot com AIM: andrewdmetcalfe Yahoo IM: ametcalf_1999

WooHoo! Single FreakSistah! Hmmm... Single FreakSistah at boogies! Even better! _Am ICQ: 5578907 MSN Messenger: andrewdmetcalfe at hotmail dot com AIM: andrewdmetcalfe Yahoo IM: ametcalf_1999

Buahahaha!!!!! Dude, that is *SO* funny. If I were you, I'd have the BIGGEST smile on my face now. You break up, and she ends up doing THIS? Life is cruel. Laugh! _Am ICQ: 5578907 MSN Messenger: andrewdmetcalfe at hotmail dot com AIM: andrewdmetcalfe Yahoo IM: ametcalf_1999

We ARE talking may 4/5 This sunday is just a bunch of locals. Of course all you out of towners are still welcome, but the plan is for may 4/5. I've sent an email to Robbie Culver asking him to do video and possibly help with load organizing in May. I hope he accepts. _Am ICQ: 5578907 MSN Messenger: andrewdmetcalfe at hotmail dot com AIM: andrewdmetcalfe Yahoo IM: ametcalf_1999

When I used to work for Molson, we would have drug tests to see if we ever drank Labatt. I wonder if the same is true for Chris? _Am ICQ: 5578907 MSN Messenger: andrewdmetcalfe at hotmail dot com AIM: andrewdmetcalfe Yahoo IM: ametcalf_1999

Oh, my. _Am ICQ: 5578907 MSN Messenger: andrewdmetcalfe at hotmail dot com AIM: andrewdmetcalfe Yahoo IM: ametcalf_1999

Chris, I am not ready for wingsuits. Now can I ask why? _Am ICQ: 5578907 MSN Messenger: andrewdmetcalfe at hotmail dot com AIM: andrewdmetcalfe Yahoo IM: ametcalf_1999