Booster_MPS

Putting a knot in the bridle seems like a horribly bad idea. I would suggest you run that by some other instructors/riggers/mentors. Stay safe.

Not sure that I understand the requirement for an audible – there is time down the road for one. But, if you set on purchasing one, I highly recommend the Optima. Everybody will have their own preference and suggestion, but for me the Optima is tops. You can set the Optima for three distinct high speed alerts and three low speed alerts that you can use under canopy. Also there are multiple banks of alerts that can set for different types of jumps/alert profiles that you might want. Ask a few people around the DZ to let you borrow their audible for a jump or two and test them before spending the money. Find something that works for you – approach it as if you were buying a helmet as it is a personal preference.

Update: I sent my Optima off priority mail on 10/10/07 and just got a new one in the mail from them a few moments ago - 10/15/07. Awesome!

That looks a LOT like my optima crack! Mine started on the lens and eventually the case cracked last over time. I thought that it was really odd that this happened because at face value, it looks like an abused unit. Glad that I was not the only person that this happened to. Below is my correspondence with L&B: Hello George, The crack is due to a problem with the molding and we are working with the supplier to rectify it. One new Optima is in the mail to you today. Best regards, Mads Larsen LARSEN & BRUSGAARD Mosevej 3 4070 Kirke Hyllinge DENMARK Phone +45 4648 2480 Fax: +45 4648 2490 Mads@L-and-B.dk www.L-and-B.dk

I also have had a great experience with them. My optima developed a crack on the lens that has quickly spread. The unit is maybe 5 months old and has always been inside my helmet. They are claiming it as a defect and replacing it. Kudos to these guys and I absolutely love my Optima.

Here is a drill directly from Scott Miller’s course: practice with 5 flares up high and repeat. 1. Fast flare 2. Normal flare 3. A slow flare 4. Normal flare while looking up at the canopy 5. Normal flare with your eyes closed After each flare concentrate on what it feels like during the flare, recovery and as the canopy goes back into full flight. Of course speak with your instructors, but during landing think about flying the canopy all the way to the ground, head up, and focused ahead, good posture and flare all the way through the landing with your hands down to your side at your thigh. This very simple drill helped me a lot.

Solid showing at Nationals man, congrats!

If money is a problem, then absolutely go cheap for now. If you are willing to invest a couple hundred on a full or open face helmet, the most important thing I would say is to try on different versions of the style you choose. Don't just go with the first open or full face that you see - they are different. For example, full face helmets offer different ranges of visibility and feature that are specific to what YOU like, not other people. Walk around the DZ and ask others to check them all out. Don't sweat buying a cheap one for now. The reality is that if you begin a lifetime of jumping, you will likely own at least a couple helmets.

Now take that hop and pop to altitude - truly addicting!!!!

Use your socks.....

Former Booster team member here...... Not really true. During powered flight they are indeed accelerating but the G's are less than 3.0. However the three main engines throttle back during the last minute of flight to limit the G's to 3.0 as the vehicle burns prop/becomes lighter/accelerates. The throttle back is constant to stay at that limit until Main Engine Cut Off (MECO).

Wednesday, Aug. 8: 5:36:39 p.m. LAUNCH (Central Time)

Yes, 20 sq.ft. is that much of a difference. Believe it or not; the difference between going from the 288 to the 220 was not as significant as going from a 210 to a 190 will be. After awhile, 10 sq.ft. will be an exponential difference. There's been more than one experienced skydiver who've gone down 10 sq.ft. only to wind up injured or scared enough to sell their new canopy and upsize. Good point. Another consideration in selecting a smaller canopy is that the control lines will be shorter for the smaller canopy. The shorter control lines will provide VERY different (more responsive) inputs than the longer lines of a larger canopy. Size is not the only thing to consider.

Congrats man! Glad that you decided after all to get "ball sack" on your own rig....

no más de dientes por favor.........

Please don't take this as being harsh...... With an A license and only a few jumps there are FAR too many things that can go wrong to consider this. Even if you did not get hurt, having a tandem jump that did not go as planned would take away from your friend's experience. Let them enjoy the jump under the care of a JM - there should be nothing to distract them from the experience. The list of things that could go wrong to injure somebody are far too great to list. My DZ would not even consider it for that reason.

Lisa thanks for posting those SCR pictures. Just seeing them makes me cold again!!!!

Skyfest was absolutely awesome. This is my first year in the sport and also my first time attending an event this big outside of the TSR in April. I had a great time meeting everyone and it simply amazed me that we truly had people from all over the world to attend our event in Rosharon TX. Great airplanes, awesome organizers, and even better people. Steve and Jay put on a first class event. Also pretty cool to meet many of the dz.com’ers here in this thread and also jump with a few of you as well. I think a huge thank you and pat on the back is due to Bigun. If Skyfest is about paying it forward and giving it back to the sport and younger jumpers, I honestly have to say this man not only says it, but he lives and acts on it. He was one of the most patient organizers and mentors for the rookies that I have ever met. I personally watched him mentor many people about technique as well as take the time to go through two pack jobs with one person in detail. Bigun, you are truly what Skyfest is all about! Take a bow my friend! Everyone, come back soon and visit us in TX. You can find me at Spaceland any time.

Thanks for correcting me Wendy. See ya soon.

Not sure about the Sky Van, AN2 and other specialty aircraft, but the Otter and Caravan are $20.00 to altitude (usually 13,500 to 14,000 depending on conditions). No credit card fees as Spaceland either! Cash and credit are the same.

Any word on hot air balloons for skyfest?

First, glad that you are safe. Clarify about having one brake up and one down when you have a moment. At what point did you unstow your brakes? Was it indeed a brake fire on opening?

Your control check should come before all of that as well as knowing your exact altitude. If you fail a control check 1,000 feet lower, then everything else did not matter. You could run into a HUGE spinning problem when you unstow brakes. What if you got a tiny loop of brake line caught in your glove? Just think about it and stay safe man!

I stow my brakes quickly in the field and set them as a part of my pack job. I firmly believe that these things should be done in a controlled environment where you can focus on the task and not get distracted - this is not in the LZ. I stow my brakes as part of my riser check for a step through inside. In general I think it is good to focus on important tasks like this. As a matter of habit I do not stop something that I started: A gear check Putting on my rig including straps Any part of the pack job

As always, work with your instructors but the following helped me. I fly a Sabre 2 - 210 at 1.08 loading and my accuracy has increased as I work on learning to fly my risers. As I set up to fly my pattern, I envision the pattern as it would look painted on the ground with down wind and final parallel to the wind line. While looking around for traffic, I keep my eye on the target while flying to the target which is key. If you are going to be long, do not be afraid to fly double front risers to bleed some altitude in the pattern. It wont be easy to hold them down on a 210 so you will have to let up. Careful with your recovery arc below 300 and practice up high. Get a feel for what a LOT of double front feels like and does as well as a quick pump of the double fronts. Good luck.