fergs

No, I simply trimmed the big plastic plate that the camera is mounted on in it's presentation case to suit space on the inside of my glove. I then cut a hole on the glove's side to fit, so the actual mount bracket is flush with outside of the glove. Gaffer tape on the inside keeps it clean, but isn't actually needed as the plate is snug in there regardless. f

I use my GoPro for stills on handicam tandem jumps. It's mounted beside my CX100, in vertical orientation. The mount is the plastic plate it came mounted on in the box from the store. I cut the plate to suit size of the glove inside, with a hole formed in the glove side. It all sits solid and no vibration. The shots are well framed in the vertical orientation. Ciao, fergs

Here's my GoPro - mounted vertically beside CX100 on the glove to shoot stills. The mounting is the plastic plate from the box it came in, cut to fit the inside of the glove and gaffer taped inside the glove. A hole was cut to suit the mount. I shoot the every 2 second option. The vertical format gives well framed shots. Ciao, fergs

The wrist mount looks great. Any pics with the camera attached and on a hand?

I'll chirp in quickly - from the perspective of the times I've met with and spoken with Gary. Gary's business has grown so rapidly because he's great at what he does. He gives customer service way above and beyond the norm. His products and prices rock. He allows those who may not have all the cash up front to make an arrangement and take delivery of their gear as soon as possible. He has his unbelievable "rig loan" scheme for those ordering a compete set of gear, and the list goes on. Oh, his new shop is brilliant!!! So if he says he fcked up due to unexpected volumes and business growing raster that he planned - I100% be lieve it. If he says his service suffered for a while, but he's now back on track, youi can believe him. We need more gary's in our small skydiving community. Here in Oz we're lucky to have a small group of gear dealers who also give great service. But for those who choose to deal with Gary at K Krew, you can have faith in his word and his promises. He delivers all of what he says and more. Blue Skies, fergs

130501 +4500 = 135001 226 + 4 = 230 135001/230 = 586.96

I pack 5 or so rounds a year - pilot emergencie rigs...

There are a number of very good drop zones in Queensland - and those who have chirped in so far have given good recommendations. Take care, though - Queensland is a very big state. If you are from the US, you have no idea what big means. Here in Australia we do things BIG. Queensland has an area of around 656,000 square miles (1,727,000 sq kms). By way of comparison, folks from the US boast of how big Texas is. Well, it's around 267,000 sq miles - tiny by comparison. The point of my story is that you shouldn't assume you can make a quick drive to all drop zones in Queensland. You need to know where you'll be based or staying at. If you are in Brisbane, then Ramblers is a short couple hour drive. If you are in Cairns, you'll need a couple of days to drive there. Wherever you end up - you'll have a ball. Enjoy, fergs

A simple tangle of the lines that wasn't picked up by whoever packed the patrachute. That's why we pick up the four line groups at the risers and walk the groups up to the canopy, two in each hand (seperated by fingers) pushing the slider up in front of our hands. Any tangle such as this will be immediately evident and can then be untangled before going any further with the pack job. Another good habit - when you get all the way to the canopy, with the slider grommits now hard against the canopy, is to then grap the "top" two line groups, lift them above and then sight the line groups back to the risers. If they go uninterupted to the connector links, there's no tangle. It's a very fast "feel good" procedure. Be safe out there. fergs

... and my 36th. Sept 23 1973, Tanuabada, Papua New Guinea. fergs

Thanks for the vid, Justin. The worldwide wingsuit family mourns. fergs

I have a one word solution for you: WINGSUIT Sure worked for me 7 years ago. It's a brilliant way of lighting a fire - no a furnace - of passion. So seek out a BMI / PFI in your area and go for it!!!!! fergs

I turned 50 a few years back. Celebrated by making 50 jumps on the day. Not sure what I should plan for my 75th birthday - but that's far enough in the future not to have to worry for a while yet. Regardless, it was a nice way to celebrate a milestone birthday - and the 50th jump of the day came all too quickly. Blue Skies, fergs

I believe that have one somewhere. It used to have a Raven II in it - has the P/C attached. But .... I'm in Australia. fergs

Maybe I'm just old .... I'd packed several hundred packjobs prior to my first jump. I packed all the rigs for the first jump load's rigs on my first jump - and then did same for every load I was on for some time. For those who continued, by the time most of them had done 10 or 15 jumps, I'd taught them how to pack. Over all of that time I had to squeeze all those pack jobs in between my home work responsibilities, as I was still a school kid. But that was back in the days when parachutes were made of wood and aircraft were steam driven. fergs

...and a couple from me. Real Peter Pan / Pixie dust flights. fergs

Scott, Nah. If my fading memory serves me correctly, we used a similar locking loop for the early square reserves - although it didn't go through the whole deployment bag. But it did go through a grommit on one of the inner flaps and we'd make a needle fold in the bridle. Had the same affect as this new UPT mod - ensuring the reserve bag stayed secured in the container til the bridle was all out and dragging. We stopped using the locking needle stow when reserve conmtainers bacame more shaped and held the bag in due to their snug "overlapping" design. Ciao, fergs The one I am referring to was on the main and was a strap of webbing sewn to the center of the tray of the container which wrapped around the bag and held closed, retaining the bag, with a loop and grommet stow locked by the bridle. At any rate, it's interesting to see how some of the old ideas can become the new solutions to todays issues. Scott, Wow we must both be very old! You are quite correct and describe what I had with my first square canopy. That was before the slider came into being. The miles of reefing line was stowed atop the deployment bag and it had a positive locking system to ensure all the reefing line was out before allowing the bag to leave the container. Well done and I applaud your memory. Blue Skies, fergs BMCI-8

Scott, Nah. If my fading memory serves me correctly, we used a similar locking loop for the early square reserves - although it didn't go through the whole deployment bag. But it did go through a grommit on one of the inner flaps and we'd make a needle fold in the bridle. Had the same affect as this new UPT mod - ensuring the reserve bag stayed secured in the container til the bridle was all out and dragging. We stopped using the locking needle stow when reserve conmtainers bacame more shaped and held the bag in due to their snug "overlapping" design. Ciao, fergs

Eddie, I'm an Aussie. Australia will be a very good option for you - we have everything you could possibly want or need. Our summer is now, December to March - winter is June to Sept. Having said that anything in the north doesn't really get winter. Most of our DZ's are weekend only. A number are full time. Some are near other attractions such as scuba, surfing and the like. Like the US, we have big and small drop zones. But ALL are friendly and fun. Our licences basically mirror USPA to D, then we also have an E and F. So as your plans begin to formulate, let me know and I'll do all I can to assist you. Oh, did I mention that we also have the best steaks in the world and our beer is always drunk cold. We call our friends "mate". We smile lots and love to see visitors have a good time. So come here for your R&R. Will see you then, Blue Skies, fergs

I had a "meeting" with an eagle at around 4,000’ in freefall at the bottom end of a solo wingsuit flight. The jump pilot had seen it soaring all day at 4 or 5 thousand feet in the same area. Here’s what happened: • It was prior to deploying after a solo flight in an S-3 wingsuit. My usual wingsuit deployment sequence has me carve a big S-curve as I set up, deploy and then ride the deploying canopy. • At the earliest past of the S-curve, a shadow appeared across my face from my left– so fast that it was difficult to actually make out any shape. Immediately I had the sensation that I’d been head-butted, or punched in the face. • I was stunned and really had no idea what had just happened. But I knew that I needed to get some nylon above me, so I stabilized as best I could and deployed. • After opening, I was still somewhat stunned and unable to absorb what had just happened. Then I felt blood on my face, bridge of nose and coming from a gash against my eye. • After landing, I walked back to the club house. Everyone looked at me and asked what the heck happened. My immediate reply was, “you should see the other guy” • In front of a mirror, I saw the damage to my face. Under the flap of skin that was the gash by my left eye was a little piece of bone – not mine. • The rubber in my goggles had chunks ripped out, corresponding exactly with the wounds. • The pilot then landed and told us all about the eagle he’d seen all day – and right in the air space that my wingsuit flight had been. So what was it? Either a random convergence of two bodies in flight – or it was the eagle flocking with me – behind to my left and slightly below? Then was he was surprised by my sudden change in flight angle as I started my deployment S-curve and momentarily flared right next to me?Did this sit up and flare then put his right wing across my face from my left? Thesecond scenario is indeed a possibility, as we know that birds of prey can indeed fly alongside wingsuit skydivers – and we’ve seen the vids of this with base jumpers feeding meat to kestrels in flight. We also know, especially from helicopter pilots that eagles often flock with choppers – and if the chopper makes a sudden change in attitude or speed, the eagle instantly suits up and flares whilst it waits to see what happens next. So visualize all of that with the eagle possibly watching me coming (and hearing me), then tucks in behind me and simply flocks along with me. What hit me? From what I saw as well as the "minimal damage" to my face, I deduce it was his right wing only. This is further evidenced by the little piece of bone under the gash wound by my eye. I believe that this was the end of one of the little “fingers” at the end of the wing. So there you have it – my eagle story. Wingsuit flight rocks – so said the eagle!!! Oh, as a postscript, I sadly believe that the eagle must surely have been a total loss – that he surely could not have survived. However, the same chopper pilots tell me they’ve seen eagles they’ve hit spin down seemingly totally out of control – but then recover and fly off to recover. Hmmm, who knows? Fergs BMCI-8

Thanks Heidi, A very nice tribute. My dad was a pilot with Bomber Command - RAAF, 466 sqdn, flying Halifax. He doesn't talk much about it and so we can deduce that they all had a pretty bad time of it all. Funny thing is that he has spoken to my kids about his wartime experiences, allowing the sacred information to flow down, albeit skipping a full generation. So continue to be proud of your grandpa. It was their finest hour. Cheers and Blue Skies, fergs

and mine...

The magnet mod is fantastic. Mine arrived yesterday - took less than 30 seconds a side to install - and it's now bullet proof. Plus it takes all the wrinkles out, exactly as porpoishead's pics showed. Not sure what the reference to tape or extreme tape was, as I had no need for any. Thanks, Mark K, for exceptional service and such a well thought mod that's practical, improves the rig's looks and best of all can be installed in seconds. Oh the price (zero) was also a very good feature that made the decision to order all very easy. Have a great Christmas. fergs

Mark, Can we see a pic?

Welcome to our world. Now you know why the birds are always singing.... fergs