repcool

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Everything posted by repcool

  1. repcool
    I am asking around, I want to arrange something in advance. And sure, I don't care which company they are with, a wingsuit coach.
  2. repcool
    Are there really no Phoenix Fly Instructors at Skydive AZ? I am heading there in early Feb and wanted to setup a couple of coached jumps. Any advice? Thanks, Simon I did check here: http://www.phoenix-fly.com/pfi_instructors.htm
  3. repcool
    It is Jewels, and Troy of course, but I think the dress is for Jewels.
  4. repcool
    A friend of mine is getting married and fancies her wedding dress to be partly made out of parachute material. We were thinking a decomissioned reserve (white) would be perfect. If there is any chance of a donation of such a canopy then I would be happy to pay shipping. Simon
  5. repcool
    I am a Ski Instructor, they call us Ski Pro's right now, something to do with taxes, but it is still an Instructor. Anyway, the priority of our mission is simple and Safety comes first, that is our responsibility. If we fail to communicate and reinforce safety then we are out of a job. That is relevant to a chair lift, collisions and most importantly the Ski Responsibility Code - http://www.coloradoski.com/Resorts/SkierSafety/. I think the code is mostly about protecting others. Just like skydiving, people die skiing, they just don't often realize that when they drop in on a nice blue run.
  6. repcool
    Be carfeful with things such as zip ties and wraps. A buddy of mine used to put a little lock on the reserve so that it didn't get pulled by security. Wouldn't you know he realized on the way to altitude that he had forgoten to take it off!
  7. repcool
    This is good advice, I assume I will have to pack my rig again, which means I take leave an extra 35 minutes!
  8. repcool
    for some of us, it's not a need to show off, but the reality that a gear bag to fit these 200+ canopies will exceed carry-on sizes. If you wear it like a backpack, the straps/harness isn't viewed as part of the size. I have a 210 in a G4 that fits into a carry on case just FINE. I traveled with it close to double digits last year with no problem. There is a simple process in place in the US. TSA doesn't want you to check it, they want you to take it through security so they can inspect it with you present. I never had any problem, it always starts with a few questions about "where are you going?" but it seems to me to be more out of curiosity than profiling. Remember, these guys are bored. It gets "sniffed" and that is it. The one funny thing is twice I have forgotten to take off my hook knife and both times because the rig fell into the "sniffing" process it seemed to skip the inspection and the knife passed by. Good job I am an honest citizen. Simon
  9. repcool
    I would recommend you get a boot that also includes a DynaFit binding. I am a personal fan of the Garmont Mega Ride, I spent well over 50 days in it last year. If you get the DynaFit binding you are going to give yourself the option to switch ski gear when needed to something a lot more light weight. I train on a heavy K2 Recon's with Marker Duke bindings but do my back country work on K2 Shuksan's with Dynafits, those weigh in at under 10lbs.
  10. repcool
    I went on this trip and all in all it mostly rocked. The canopies were your run of the mill PD Navigator 280's, as most have said it was for the density altitude at 12,350. I actually landed just a little off on my second jump and managed about 12,700ft and I am more than pleased that I had a 280! If anyone has any questions about the 2009 trip I would be glad to give my feedback via a PM. Simon
  11. repcool
    Honestly I am not so bothered about the IPOD thing. However, in this sport I don't think we can take the attitude of "it hasn't killed anyone so it must be safe". Do we really need a serious injury or a fatality to determine whether a group of the communities concerns are valid? edited for terrible grammar
  12. repcool
    Do we need a BSR for this then?
  13. repcool
    I really debated where to post this, but the issue is mostly about the size of a closing pin. I am taking 30 closing pins with me to a jump I am going to do in the Himalayas from 30,000 feet. It is a special jump to me and I want to get the pins engraved for the friends and family that have supported me. I took them to a few places that do corporate engraving but the size put them off. Any thoughts? Simon
  14. repcool
    I got some dog tags made off a guy from ebay, I think they were 10 bucks or so. Must remember to get some new ones!
  15. repcool
    Most of the students I see last insist on trying their best to do a stand up landing instead of trusting the PLF like they were told to. Just search around here in the Greets section and you will see how many people make a big deal out of standing or almost standing up their first few landings. The best compliment I ever got on any of my landings was "nice PLF".
  16. repcool
    My Neptune read fine on the jump and the logs seemed valid. I do have the extra glass shield on it and the darn thing got pretty foggy going through temperature layers!
  17. repcool
    It is my opinion that the iPod device is something extra to piss around with on the plane instead of doing *another* gear check. I learned this when I tried jumping with one a few times. Fiddling with the damn pockets to get it in, the headphones staying put whilst putting on my helmet and selecting the right tunes took away from decent attention I should of spent on my gear and the gear around me. I also have heard more than one person say that they think it is rude, and for sure I don't want to be rude.
  18. repcool
    28500 and next week I leave to jump 29500 next to Everest!
  19. repcool
    I shall sa-ay this only once.
  20. repcool
    I went to a small drop zone in Florida when I had about 30 jumps and no confidence in my packing. I only got one jump in that day because I couldn't find anyone to pack for me. You can bet I came away from that lesson and spent time learning to pack! I went to 6 DZ's around the country this year and packed myself at all of them.
  21. repcool

    God I miss the BBC

    repcool replied to Zep's topic in The Bonfire

    I agree, I tried to hook a slingbox up to my brothers TV in the UK to watch it here, but it just didn't work out as planned. So I will have to settle for the US version of Life on Mars....:-(
  22. repcool
    As often happens when I speak up here I end up getting a decent perspective from the counter on it. I kind of like that idea and shall consider it. I still haven't got an answer on adjusting eyes\sight picture when jumping at very different dz's? edited to add eye question.
  23. repcool
    I like having mine go off early. If breakoff is 5000 I will set mine for 5500. I prefer to use it as a tool to prompt me to start the next part of the dive flow rather than command me to turn and burn! That means when it goes off I look around and use my altimeter, I don't just assume it is right. Between the 2 audibles that makes for a lot of beeping, which to me means "time to do something else". The other week I noticed mine didn't beep at 1000 on the climb, I made note to see how it behaved on the way back down. It beeped and when I checked the other data points I was still way above break off. I recycled it on the ground and it didn't play up again, but I quickly purchased another model!
  24. repcool
    I don't have any beef with that. Just out of interest, do you have to recalibrate your eyes if you go to a different DZ? Maybe desert instead of grass, of mountains in your vision instead of flat kind of thing?
  25. repcool
    The flying thing goes both ways, a VFR is using eyes as primary much of the time, but you had better know how to trust instruments when you need to do a 180 to get out of a cloud. Anyway, I have my plan and I am sticking to it, it doesn't rule out eyes but it also doesn't rule out gizmos.