RB_Hammer

But doesn't everything in freefall fall at the same speed? In a vacuum. . . "I'm not lost. I don't know where I'm going, but there's no sense in being late." Mathew Quigley

Thanks John.

Your link seems to have a problem. Try This one "I'm not lost. I don't know where I'm going, but there's no sense in being late." Mathew Quigley

I don't see anything at the top of my screen. Must be that IE you are using that puts them there. My FireFox doesn't allow that kind of shit. "I'm not lost. I don't know where I'm going, but there's no sense in being late." Mathew Quigley

What is a better term? "I'm not lost. I don't know where I'm going, but there's no sense in being late." Mathew Quigley

When you say you need a dedicated jump for canopy skills are you saying this because you want to be the only one, or at least one of the few, in the air when you are working on these skills? I try to do small drills on my risers and stuff like quickly reversing a toggle turn on almost each canopy flight I have. I should qualify this by saying my head is always on the swivel making sure no one else is near. Until the fall, we have nothing but 182 and 206 loads so there are usually only 4 or possibly 5 canopies in the air at any one time. Most times, I am last down because of the size of mine. "I'm not lost. I don't know where I'm going, but there's no sense in being late." Mathew Quigley

I understand 'higher pressure' looks like bunnies when you 'see' it. Purple bunnies with stars pinned to their vests but that could just be altitude effects on the mind Sonic BOOM or Sonic BONG? Purple bunnies? "I'm not lost. I don't know where I'm going, but there's no sense in being late." Mathew Quigley

Kind of interesting that you should say that. One of the first questions I asked manifest was about load organizing. The reply I got was there was no one there doing RW organizing that day, a Saturday. Again, not trying to be negative. I will go back again, I like the variety of AC, the facilities and frequency of loads. One of the reasons I only did 3 jumps the one time I have been there was because I am a slow packer and I like to pack my own. Another factor in the lack of an RW organzer may have been the day I was there, there was a big bird man thing going on. edited to correct bad quoting "I'm not lost. I don't know where I'm going, but there's no sense in being late." Mathew Quigley

No, other than jokes, no one has said that. At least I think they were joking. Yes, there is a little place called Skydive Arizona that is only about 10 miles further to drive. Been there once, did 3 jumps, all solo. I know that I need to spend more time there so others know who I am and how I fly to get to jump with them, but I really prefer to give my money to my home DZ. As I said, it is much smaller and the vibe seems to me to be much more freindly. I will go to SDAZ again, I know there are world class belly flyers there and hope to be able to jump with some at some point. The main thing that keeps me from there is from what I have seen, you have to be known and 'accepted'. I am guessing this is not different from other larger DZs and I figure that just spending some time there will resolve this. To all that jump there, please do not take my comments as negative to SDAZ. "I'm not lost. I don't know where I'm going, but there's no sense in being late." Mathew Quigley

Actually, I usually do a lot of tracking on my solo jumps. I like to pull at 5 to 4.5 and fly the canopy. Want to get to a canopy skills class as soon as I can. I do have to say that I enjoy the canopy ride as much as the free fall. There have been only 2 or 3 canopy rides where I did not practice piloting skills and those just because I had to concentrate on making it back to the LZ as I usually have to exit first or last on a load and either way, chances of a bad spot in either position is much higher. If I know I am getting out at a less than perfect spot, I will pull a little higher. The only exception to that so far has been when there was an instructor or video flyer that specificaly asked my pull altitude. In those cases, I pull when I told them regardless of the spot. Only 1 off landing so far, and that was an AFF jump and I did not spot. "I'm not lost. I don't know where I'm going, but there's no sense in being late." Mathew Quigley

Got the meaning of the first sentence. Not exactly sure of the second. Actually, not sure what defines a 'better skydiver'. Care to elaborate? I guess my idea of getting to be a 'better skydiver' means never being the guy that others are saying, 'Wow, check him out!' or 'Did you see what he just did?' Perhaps in a few years, after several hundred jumps, I will be able to develop the skills that others will be able to comment on in a positive fashion. Until then, I just want to be a competent, safe boring skydiver. "I'm not lost. I don't know where I'm going, but there's no sense in being late." Mathew Quigley

Perhaps it is just that I am not that good yet and they don't want to waste the jump. I jump at a pretty small DZ, and this time of year it is really hot so the only sport jumpers that come out are either those still

I have 111 jumps, all of which have been belly flying. I have no intention or desire to start freeflying, but I had some jumpers tell me that doing freeflying actually makes you a better belly flyer. Since these guys have more jumps and experience than me, I tried to get them to expand on that and tell me why this is true. The only answer I got was that freeflying gives you a better understanding of how your body will fly. I have a hard time finding people that want to fly belly, and I am almost to the point of trying to start freeflying just to have more people to jump with, but I really want to get my belly fly skills developed. What is everyone's opinions on this? "I'm not lost. I don't know where I'm going, but there's no sense in being late." Mathew Quigley

Not a woman or have my D yet, but I was 52... "I'm not lost. I don't know where I'm going, but there's no sense in being late." Mathew Quigley

I gotta stop drinking and reading this stuff. Now I have water spewing from my nose all over the keyboard and screen from laughing...

This is my concern as well. I know I can flare it, but it does flare faster on rears and the timing thing worries me. Guess I am just going to have to bite the bullet, do some rear riser landings and hope I don't bite the earth. My main is a PD Spectre 190, my reserve is a PD193... These are the sizes I was recommended by my instructors and other experienced people. "I'm not lost. I don't know where I'm going, but there's no sense in being late." Mathew Quigley

Good post. I have been working on using my rear risers, front risers, harness turns and of course toggles on a lot of my canopy flights. On my one trip so far to Skydive San Diego, I was fortunate enough to have Wyatt, sorry I can't remember his last name, of Icarus Canopies, take the time to show me some really good canopy skill drills. I have been using these to practice my canopy skills and I know I can turn and flare on rears. I have never done a landing on rears though, and have considered doing this but I am really apprehensive about it. As I said, I know I can flare the canopy on rears, and have even fully stalled it then let it recover and re-inflate, at about 7000ft on rears. The thing that makes me hesitant to try a landing on rears is that since all of the practice flares I have done with rears have been up high and I can feel the flare, I have not really had any point of reference to relate the degree of flare I am getting. I would really like to have a few under the belt before I have to land on rears. OK, nomex underwear on, begin the flames... "I'm not lost. I don't know where I'm going, but there's no sense in being late." Mathew Quigley

I would also like to hear from the people that cheered the FA, even if that cheer was a silent one. You do notice that the article cited has no comments from any of them, and you KNOW there were some. "I'm not lost. I don't know where I'm going, but there's no sense in being late." Mathew Quigley

One question I would ask him if I ever met him would be if he had the chance to do a similar jump again for just the experience, not the science, would he? "I'm not lost. I don't know where I'm going, but there's no sense in being late." Mathew Quigley

Great idea Dave! I have been facinated with the jumps Col. Kittenger did even before I actually started skydiving. I have watched the peice that the Discovery Channel did on him at least three times, and I would watch it again. One question I would ask him if I ever met him would be if he had the chance to do a similar jump again for just the experience, not the science, would he? BTW, thanks for the mention in the last show. "I'm not lost. I don't know where I'm going, but there's no sense in being late." Mathew Quigley

Yes, freefall at 120 or so in 110+ heat with seriously white skin for 5 minutes+. Have at it. I will wait for better conditions on a future jump. I think there must be plenty of people that have never jumped naked. "I'm not lost. I don't know where I'm going, but there's no sense in being late." Mathew Quigley

I figure I have a naked jump sometime in the future. Being an AZ native, I have grown to REALLY respect the destructive nature of the sun here. I have very little tan for someone who spends quite a bit of time in the sun riding my Harley, I practically bath in SPF 45 sunblock. There are several parts of me I simply do not want to expose to the sun for that long. The UV index that day was up around 10. Plenty of milestone jumps to come that will be good for naked jumps... "I'm not lost. I don't know where I'm going, but there's no sense in being late." Mathew Quigley

Thanks Justin. I think you may have been up when the pie came out. We were on the mock-up when they got us. I know someone got pictures, but I have not seen them yet. I knew I was going to owe beer, so I brought a case with me. Great fun! "I'm not lost. I don't know where I'm going, but there's no sense in being late." Mathew Quigley

Oh yeah...knew it was coming too... For some reason, my GF thought she needed to take whipped cream to the DZ that day. "I'm not lost. I don't know where I'm going, but there's no sense in being late." Mathew Quigley