fergs

Justin, No worries and thanks for the feedback. Florida may not be as exhotic a destination - but you'll have no trouble getting quality skydives. Your main problem may indeed be choosing amongst a host of high quality skydiving facilities. I once spent 6 months cruising around the US in a camper - we'll call it a "DZ Crawl". Florida seemed to me to be a state of DZ's - with some cities simply placed between the DZ's. It was all fun and a hard state to eventually drive out of. Also really friendly skydivers everywhere. Enjoy! Cheers and blue Skies, fergs

Hi Justin, I had many years (14 total) living in Saudi – including 3 in Khobar. You’ll have a good time there – lots to do, especially great desert camping and 4x4 trips, as well as scuba diving and misc other water sports. It’s also very handy to many great destinations for vacation time. Saudi has occasional sport jumping where foreigners are able to participate. PM me and I’ll give you some contacts there. Otherwise Umm Alquwain (UAQ) is closest to you. It’s around 1000kms (600 miles) from Khobar and across the Saudi / UAE border. You’ll need a multiple exit/re-entry visa for ease of travel, so make sure your employer gives this automatically within your employment agreement. There’s no real policed speed limits in the region, so the trip can be quite fast if you’re game for it (I won’t encourage you by letting you know what time you have to beat). But be aware that most cars really chew through fuel at a sustained 200 kph (120mph) and above …. UAQ is sometimes very busy and other times not so. They host boogies at times and so it can be hectic at these times. There’s accommodation available adjacent to the DZ at the Barracuda hotel – either in a hotel room or self contained cottage. Take a look at the DZ and Barracuda on Google earth, DZ at 25 34’ 54.94N, 55 39’ 14.22E. Cottages are at 25 35 17.42N 55 39 12.88E. If you’re in Khobar, Bahrain is an easy drive across the Causeway. There you can have a beer, go to a movie and generally shop for many items that are unavailable back across the border. Have fun in Saudi. Cheers, fergs

Marko, Well you handled what many would find a very stressful situation very well. From the vid, you recognised that you had a big problem - then you did not hesitate to take the correct action. Congratulations. How did you find the Skyhook? Anyone seeing your vid should now understand their huge benefit in situations like your. All power to you, Marko. Cheers and blue Skies, fergs

Aren't we all getting lost in off-the-subject items. This thread is about Mark experiencing a toggle induced line twist and spin. Whether he had fogged goggles or had let go of his toggles or wanted to brew a coffee is irrelevent for the main lesson we all should be learning from his expeience. The main thing to learn, in my opinion, is that a TOGGLE INDUCED TWIST and spin is a possibility on each and every jump we make. If this happens to you, how you deal with the situation is dependent on a number of things. Your altitude at the time is an important one. I estimate Mark's altitude at cutaway to be around 400 to 450 ft. At this height, his only real option was to chop. Had he been a lot higher, he'd have had other options if he chose to use them (kicking out, opposite toggle, etc). Had he been lower, his chances of a nice stand up landing on his reserve would reduce with the altitude down. His chances of a successful cutaway and long reserve ride (if you can call 40 seconds a long reserve ride?!!) were drastically increased due to the rig being skyhook equipped. From chop to being suspended under a fully open reserve was between 1 and 2 seconds. This is an outstanding feature of a skyhook controlled cutaway. Let me say those important numbers again - between 1 and 2 seconds. Think that through for a moment. So ladies and gentlemen - for those who want to debate loosening chest straps, cleaning goggles and the like - take those to another thread. Focus on the issue. Be aware of how (easily) a toggle induced twist can happen. DO NOT DO THIS lower than any height you are comfortable chopping at. If you were unaware of how fast a skyhook gets reserve nylon above your head after a cutaway, go back to the vid and watch it frame by frame. Be impressed with how reserve deployment borders upon instant. OK, are we focussed? Be safe. f

Yup...I have a T-Bow that I took to terminal once.......................... Were you ever hung on a coat hook? What hurt the most was my goggles snappin' back in place! ------------------------------------------------------ I never had a problem with my T-bow. In fact not sure if I ever didn't take it to terminal. Always sweet soft openings.

... or AK.

...and here's yet another - similar design, yet another manufacturer. Was on rigs for a short time until Bill Booth gave us the Three Ring (thanks Bill). Yes, the rig still exists - all the pics taken today. f

Wingsuiters, I'm planning a vacation in Canada later on in the year. Which drop zones do all you Canadian Wingsuiters hang out at? I'll be trying to squeeze in some DZ days amongst the more traditional Canadian Tourist sights and events. Will be there for 4 weeks or so, Sept / Oct. Thanks, fergs BMCI

... climb aboard with me - to where?

I jump Blade, love my Blade and recommend a Blade. I haven't flown a Ghost (nor even seen one), so cannot comment on one from experience. However, whichever suit you choose, fly it well. Flock with it well. Take a look at this discussion: http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?do=post_view_flat;post=2806545;page=1;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;mh=25; Sorry, don't know how to make it a clicky. Can someone help? fergs

Ben, I'll be there - but only 26, 27 and possibly a bit of 28 December. You'll be able to jump your tail off, so arrive with a big store of energy. Are you coming for vacation or other? fergs

Fuck you too Tailplane . PERSONAL ATTACK! PERSONAL ATTACK! Be careful, Bobby - in case someone asks how you got the nick-name "Tailplane". Best you stay low. And a g'day from me regardless. fergs

Ryan, I don't claim to know lots about everything - or even a little about a lot. But I do know what I've experienced after 34 years in the sport as an owner of countless rigs - and also 30-someting years assembling and repacking reserves. Oh, I guess I've been the occasional user of reserves as well. I own an Icon at present. I love how it looks - how comfortable it is - the quality of its' build - the ease in which the reserve packs - the innovative things (including the fantastic freeebag stows) - and now after 3 years of use, its' durability. I'm certain when it's time to onsell it will also have good resale value. I have had a number of rigs in past years of which i would have made similar comments on at the time. Of course most could now be regarded as museum pieces. But they were state of the art in their day. Notably I owned and jumped two Mirage rigs, which gave great service. I have also had cause to call on Aerodyne's customer service - when needing a spare part (lost a cable last malfunction). They responded with speed and efficiency. I also like the look of Wings and may even consider buying one some day. But if that's the case, I'm sure I'll have a difficult time choosing between Wings and another Icon. Speaking of likes - I like the thought of Skyhook on my next rig. So having that as an option will have an impact on my decision making process. It seems that Icon will soon have Skyhook - not sure about Wings. Any comments from out there on Skyhook option on Wings and Icon? So as many have commented above, most rigs these days are well made, good looking, functional and durable. Jumpers have their personal preferences. My last choice was Icon (plus aerodyne main and reserve) and I'm delighted with it. Others have chosen Wings and those I have spoken with are also delighted with their choice. You asked for comments - mine are all positive with Icon and Aerodyne. Life is good - stay safe. fergs

I am an Australian Parachute Federation member. An APF sporting licence is accepted by all countries I’ve jumped in, as a qualification and experience document. But APF liability insurance is not valid out of Australia. For this reason, a number of countries mandate membership of their organisation to be able to jump there. Many countries offer temporary membership, perhaps for this reason. An exception seems to be a great many European countries. All I have jumped in accepted my (then) BPA membership. If you are jumping in a new country, ensure you clarify the liability insurance question. If you must join their association to be covered, then simply do so, would be my main comment. I’ve jumped in Australia, Papua New Guinea, USA, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Austria, Sweden, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Jordan, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Sth Africa, India, Jamaica, Hong Kong, Greece, Turkey, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Japan, Holland, Switzerland, and others that I cannot think of right now.

G'day Bobby, Long time no speak. A huge congrats to TJ - a fantastic effort. And I did 50 for 50 a year ago. We called it Project 50. 50 jumps on my 50th to raise $50 grand for charities. It was a great day - somewhat busy. But the team worked their tails off - packers, catering folks, helpers, pilot, representatives for the charities, etc. Man, you should have been there. Oh yeah, and somewhere in amongst all of that mad activity there that day, I managed to exit the 50 times, had 50 sweet openings and 50 soft landings. Life is good! So as TJ and my birthdays are close together, perhaps we should plan on some sort of "joint effort" for 10 years time .... wow, we could have fun with that!!!! Blue Skies, fergs

Hmmm, Comet!

Scott, Wow, what fantastic footage. Congratulations on having the skills to actually film your feathered friend. It certainly shows that there are big birds out there who are easily able to play with us. Do we play in their environment or they in ours? I’m the guy who had the eagle strike last year. At the time, I was already convinced that the eagle was actually flocking with me, close on my left and slightly behind. As I started to go into my deployment procedure, which altered my line of flight, I caught him off guard and his right wing slapped me in the face. For those who didn’t see the pic, here it is attached again. In fact, the laceration behind my left eye actually had a little piece of bone embedded in it – which was surely a tip of one of the little fingers at the end of his wing. So your vid certainly suggests that you were being sized up as an opportunistic playmate for them to flock with as well. It also gives further proof that my bird strike was a flocking incident and not a random meeting of two bodies in the big skies. So he barrel rolled and swooped up to take a careful look at you. What bird-forum is he now posting on – or nesting at the buzzard-pub, telling all his mates about the humanoid wingsuiter that stalked him?!!! Life is good. Fergs BMCI

It was Al Kruger - origin unknown

Voila, fergs

... or a relaxed cruise up and down the cloud valleys with your friends... fergs

16 - that was in the early 70's. And last year, 30something years on and on my 50th birthday, I made 50 jumps on the day. Are we sane?

Kris, letter below is from our Pink Panther - who wants to help you, plus hopefully find a panther friend... .............................................................. Dear Kris, I am a disappointed panther. I’ve spent weeks looking at all previous forums – and I cannot find anyone else like me!!!! Aren’t there any other skydiving panthers out there? Am I the only licensed non-human skydiver? Come on – any other panthers, pink or not – let’s hear from you!!!!! It’s not that I don’t have any human friends and jump-buddies, I do. Heck, it was a human who put me through jump school and went on to coach me through RW training, packing, and even drinking beers after a hard day at the DZ. But I’d really like a jumping-panther buddy, preferable a cute female panther. Or any type of soft and cuddly bear type of jump buddy – hmmmm, again, preferably a female one. So get back to me – I’m a sensitive new age pink panther. Blue Skies, Panth P.s. Pics of me at the DZ are attached. I’m a bit older and wiser now. Also some of me doing RW and hanging with some human jump buddies as well as me at my instructor's wedding (I was a guest of honor) way back in the late 70's.

Byron Bay DZ in northern New South Wales has some stunning costline. Lots of accommodation opitions in the town, a few kms away. When are you visiting Oz?

Nice one Husam. pm me when you have a minute. fergs

Marcus, How old is the Zerox? These came out earlyish 80's from memory. Many of the early ones has only 2 reserve risers, built for round reserves. Incidentally, what colours is the one you have? f