nacmacfeegle

"My eyesight sucks(if they made me retest, I'd lose my driver's liscense)." Get some contact lenses, spectacles, prescription goggles or Lasik. If your eyesight is so bad that you would fail your driving test, you have no business jumping without corrected vision. You will hurt yourself sooner or later. I jump with spectacles all the time and have no problems, well with my vision anyways.... I wouldn't place too much reliance on my body clock at your level of experience either. -------------------- He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson

IIRC, IMHO AFAIK, is just another acronym.... I don't really like acronyms or jargon, but with growing popularity of the web, and SMS texting, its going to become more commonplace. BSBD. D -------------------- He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson

"We went to iraq for our own and the area's safety " The occupants of the immediate area were so behind this idea that they all fell over themselves to support the coalition. I read further up the thread that there is talk of sending Saddam to the Hague. As far as I am aware, the US doesn't recognise the International Criminal Court? So why would they send a war criminal there? Why not bang him up in limbo in Guantanamo Bay, along with all the other "non criminals, and non POWs?" I'm still waiting to see the evidence that the government had pre-conflict, but couldn't release because they didn't want to compromise their sources....... -------------------- He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson

Don't be too despondent though Dan. There is some middle ground here though. You can grab those shots of the stunning scenery you see in freefall, without exposing yourself to the sort of risks you simply do not have the skills and knowledge to manage effectively. I'm not insulting you, I didn't have the skills or knowledge at 200 jumps when I strapped my first camera on, I'm just trying to save you from getting hurt, or worse, hurting someone else. Way I see it you have 2 options, you can sweet talk your local camera flier to take pics of you against the scenic backdrop in freefall. It won't be overly expensive, maybe a slab of beer and a couple of jump tix. If you were at my DZ I'd probably do it for the jump tix, some beer, and a roll of film. Or you can either take the shots from the plane on the ride up, maybe even stay in the plane and get some shots on the way back down. Using either of these two options is inherently safer than trying to fly a camera around, and is also more likley to result in you getting some footage or stills that you can actually use. You are unlikely to get satisfactory results on your first outing in freefall, or even under canopy, with a camera, its just not that easy. -------------------- He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson

PD agree with Phree on this one, from the many links I posted above......In thiscase, PD's website, under FAQ...taadaaa "What should I know about flying in turbulence?" "Avoiding turbulence is the best policy. However, if you find yourself in turbulent conditions, we recommend flying at full glide. At full glide, the canopy will penetrate through turbulence better, and be less affected by it. Making control inputs very smoothly, and only when absolutely necessary, will also help. Be sure to avoid small, abrupt left-right toggle inputs. Contrary to what some people have been told, flying in brakes does not necessarily help keep the canopy pressurized. Aerodynamically, the canopy is actually more susceptible to turbulence in brakes. Years ago, flying in half brakes seemed to make some older ram-air canopy designs more stable in turbulence, though they were obviously very different from modern canopies. Flying in brakes is definitely not the best technique to use with the canopies we're flying today, although a lot of skydivers are still told to use this technique. In addition to flying smoothly at full glide, it is vitally important to keep the canopy from turning toward an obstacle or diving into the ground if it has distorted or collapsed in turbulence. If you experience a partial collapse on the right side, for example, it is important to stop any turn or dive to the right that might result. To keep the canopy straight, you may need to have the opposite toggle pulled down quite far. Do whatever it takes to keep the canopy from diving into a steep turn while it is collapsed. This will reduce the altitude loss, thereby giving the canopy more time to re-inflate. With reasonable control inputs, most canopies will re-inflate on their own in this type of situation, altitude permitting. Pumping one or both toggles to re-inflate the canopy, instead of controlling your heading, will usually just make things worse. Pumping doesn't re-inflate the canopy, although holding both toggles down for a moment can help the end cells re-inflate more quickly if you are at a high enough altitude. If you are close to the ground, your main priorities should be keeping the canopy flying straight, flaring as well as you can, and making a PLF if necessary. Picking a good landing area is also important. We're often surprised when people land close to buildings and obstacles on a windy day, get tossed around by turbulence, then go back up and land in the same place on the next load. It also helps to be realistic about your own capabilities. Sometimes staying on the ground until the wind calms down is the wisest choice. It’s better to miss a few loads on a nasty day than spend the next six months on crutches. Please keep in mind that the information on this FAQ page is based on our knowledge of canopies in general, and the canopies we build in particular. Canopies designed by other manufacturers may have specific characteristics that are very different from ours, and this advice may or may not apply to them. Is it safer to be under a smaller or larger canopy when flying in turbulence? back to top The fact is that any canopy, or anything that flies for that matter, can be affected by turbulence. It can even cause problems for rigid-winged aircraft, from Cessnas to 747s. Larger canopies tend to be affected by turbulence more easily. A jumper flying a large canopy may feel some significant bumps on days when people flying smaller, faster canopies feel hardly any turbulence at all. On the other hand, if turbulence causes a partial collapse on a small, fast canopy, it can result in a far more dramatic (and dangerous) turn and a greater loss of altitude. We've seen end cells fold under on larger canopies without having much effect at all on the canopy's flight path, while a similar situation has turned smaller canopies into Mister Toad's Wild Ride. This is basically the trade-off between flying a large or small canopy in turbulence. Wing loading also has an effect on how a canopy handles turbulence. A heavy jumper might fly through some turbulence and only feel a few moderate bumps, but a very light jumper flying the same canopy through the same turbulence would probably feel a much greater effect. We feel it is best for you to choose the size and type of canopy you feel comfortable with when flying in normal conditions, and understand the benefits and limitations of that particular canopy when flying in turbulence. You should also understand the best techniques for flying in turbulence, and make informed decisions about the kind of weather conditions you're willing to fly in." Peace folks. -------------------- He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson

I wish I'd thought of that years ago Phree, I've had a number of second hand rigs that were not just "not quite right". -------------------- He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson

"if you can do all these things..... " Then you probably won't be posting here very often. -------------------- He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson

"you brits manage to get into a lot of weirdness after 10,000 years on the same island."

"Better to be down here wishing you were up there, than up there wishing you were down here. " Tonto said it, and many others before him. Its an old phrase that is worth bearing in mind. Skylark, you are from London, Dust Devils are rare in the home counties, so I wouldn't get too hung up them yet. Avoidance, avoidance, avoidance....So I won't get into half brakes vs full flight arguments. I don't know how many jumps you have, but if the winds are too squirrely (gusty, unpredictable) the chances are your CCI will keep you on the ground. If he/she doesn't, there are a few tell tales you can watch out for to avoid turbulence. Watch a load landing, preferably a load with jumpers who handle canopies the same way as you do, ie there's no point watching cool swoopers and thinking "gee I could do that". Watch how their canopies twitch, accordian, etc, especially at low level. Watch the wind patterns on the windsock, or long grass. If the windsock is pretty stable, chances are the wind won't be gusting and the turbulence is easier to predict (it will still be there, it just won't be moving around as much). Know what the wind does to your windsock, eg it may be that at 18mph the wind sock has a stiffy, etc. So you can tell the wind speed by looking at the sock. Similarly if the windsock is thrashing around, its almost certain that there will be turbulence out there, somewhere waiting to bite you. Land in the student area, the terrain is normally more open, and relatively stress free. Landing safely is the only thing that really matters on any skydive. Its better to take a walk back than be carried. Avoid 'following' someone else in a pattern close to the ground (wake turbulence). Wake turbulence may not collapse your canopy, but it could distract you momentarily, and put the willies up you if your not expecting it. Watch out for the factors that develop turbulence such as buildings trees hedges, parked cars, etc. I use a 1:10 ratio ie a 50 ft high hangar can generate 500ft of turbulence downwind, buildings wit sloping roofs such as barns, hangars, etc, and can also create "rolling turbulence" out to the side which is very difficult to predict. You can take a walk out onto the landing area between loads to 'feel' the gusts. Jump at a DZ that is not prone to turbulence, eg a nice wide open one like Netheravon. Avoid flying over anything that might give off thermals such as runways, roads, tarmac areas, dark roofed buidlings etc. Thermal turbulence is less likley to slam you, but again it can be distracting and a little unnerving for the unwary. Also when the winds are dodgy, avoid flying over anything you don't want to land on. Watch the weather forecasts, and know how they are likley to affect your local area. Be sure you don't get into the habit of reaching out for the ground with one leg, this can often be mistaken for "a sudden gust caused me to veer offline on landing". Shifting your body weight in the harness like this can cause offline landings. If you are going to jump in iffy weather make sure you know all about your off landing areas, the frequency of off landings goes through the roof in marginal wind conditions. Know how to get back if your deep (upwind), or short (downwind). Last but not least, watch the experienced jumpers, AFF instructors etc, if they are hanging back watching the first load or whatever, ask yourself why...... >edit to add links etc< Maybe they are reading stuff here.... http://www.zct.co.uk/skydivemag/pages/articles/dec99/landalone.htm http://www.zct.co.uk/skydivemag/pages/articles/oct02/canopytraining.htm http://www.zct.co.uk/skydivemag/pages/articles/dec00/canopyskills.htm http://www.zct.co.uk/skydivemag/pages/articles/dec01/sizematters.htm http://www.zct.co.uk/skydivemag/pages/articles/aug01/yourwing.htm http://www.zct.co.uk/skydivemag/pages/articles/apr00/toast.htm#shuffleturn http://www.zct.co.uk/skydivemag/pages/articles/jun99/canopycontrol.htm See also PDs website for canopy handling in turbulence, getting home from deep spots etc. http://www.performancedesigns.com/education.asp Bryan Burke also has some great stuff on Eloy's website. http://www.skydiveaz.com/resource.htm -------------------- He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson

"waste products of yeast fermentation" its fungus shit in a jar, in other words Unlike alcohol, which is waste products from yeast fermentation in a bottle! -------------------- He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson

"There may be a shortage of human female virgins but I know for a fact that the lambing season has just ended a month ago" I've been busy. -------------------- He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson

While I am a worthless liberal, by your definition, I much prefer to celebrate Sky-Day. I was going to dance around a tree naked and sacrifice a virgin to ole' mother earth, but this being Aberdeen, virgins are in short supply! How did you celebrate it Dave, did you go out and collect some earth with your truck? -------------------- He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson

"yeah and over 200 years and a multibillion dollar cleanup effort later we still havent got all the shit out of boston harbor. " Yeahwell, you put it there, you clean it up! Oh Marmite, more foul tsating goop from these shores, it is actually made form old tea ....... http://www.marmite.com/marmite/marmite.html -------------------- He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson

Well I'm "Chuffed" for you Bluebedoo, but be warned the serious learning starts here!. Michelle, chuffed means pleased, proud, and fair tickled.

Not allowed over here Dave, one guy shot (shotgun)a couple of kids breaking into his house and he ended up in the slammer, with the kids sueing him. Now that is just plain wrong, even in my book. -------------------- He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson

Ah yes Fudd. To paraphrase 'No Fear' if your not living in the egg, your taking up too much space. -------------------- He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson

"Yeah, then England found our WMD...tobacco, and it was ON! " And the Brits would have beaten you too if it wasn't for those damned French distracting us up north, and our weak German royal family! -------------------- He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson

"Criminy, man, no wonder we fought for independence. " Didn't you guys kick off that party by chucking all the available tea into the harbour at Boston? Which is what any self respecting coffee drinking person really ought to do! -------------------- He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson

"Drink much Iced Tea while you were in the land of milk and honey...I mean, Texas... " A little, I recall the cans of Lipton's, but not nearly as good as Shiner..... I got quite partial to those little jars of iced coffee though.

"PG PG PG what the hell is this pg i keep seeing mentioned?" http://www.pgmoment.com/ Its a brand of tea. As far as I'm concerned, most tea tastes crap, regardless of what you put in it. -------------------- He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson

"Does anybody do this at work? My boss doesn't care as long as I'm doing my job! " Hell no, that would interfere with my post whoring time! -------------------- He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson

From the site, "It is required to be inspected and repacked periodically, generally every 3-5 years. " Which makes you wonder.... I'd expect the insurance people to insist on a yearly visual, as a minimum. Lets assume a 5 year repack cycle. Looking at say a large US city with, I'm guessing 2 million possible users who work above 200ft. Thats 400,000 reserve repacks a year. Work on 2,000 working hours a year, and 1 hour per repack and inspection, again I'm guessing. That means guaranteed work for 200 qualified parachute riggers per 'large city'. Maybe its not a bad thing. -------------------- He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson

It doesn't really matter now, you've bought it! If you put any more than 24 jumps on it, as Jess said, it was a good deal. If you decide to trash it after 23 jumps, you've lost out. For 600 bucks I'd say you got a stonkin' deal, but I haven't seen the gear. Stick with it until you fancy something else. I paid a similar amount for my first rig a while back, nearly ten years ago, and I still have it! -------------------- He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson

My last 800 or so jumps have been on the same sized canopy. If that counts for anything. And I still feel I'm just about where I want to be for my skill levels and currency hassles... -------------------- He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson

No fair, I'm still reeling from the last smackdown photos.