nacmacfeegle

Saturday, Spaceland... After a fairly uneventful sit fly with Zennie (excellent suit dude), I track off and dump as usual. My spectre loaded at around 1.5:1 opens in a steep spiral dive at around 2400 (pro-track dep alt). No twisting, you gotta love those Spectres. ... The reason for the drama was my left hand brake had unstowed and gotten all snarled up in the rear suspension lines and slider grommet....... First thought was chop, and go silver, second thought was hey, the thing is flying....I was taught to look at it twice to make sure.....So I fired off the other brake to put the canopy into a less radical turn, and collapsed the slider to ease the load on my left brake line and stop the slider flapping around. I checked out my air (don't wanna spiral into my buddies), and realised that I could work this issue and still have loads of outs for an off landing. I whipped out my little metal knife, and put it in my teeth just in case, then got to work on the problem lines. Technique was to grab the lines above the tangle and heave to release the tension, then use my free hand to untangle the brake line. I did this about three or four times, stopping to rest, check my landing, and altitude in between some frantic digit action. This is no mean task and probably would have been more difficult on a heavier loaded setup (or a less burly jumper). I freed the tangles at around 6-700, then set up for an off landing in a spot I had been keeping my beady eye on during the whole episode. Decision altude in this particular occasion was to be 500, action would have been to cut the brake line and bring the puppy in on rear risers, which I have practised at altitude, but never had the balls to try out for real....... Without my knife, it would have been adios main, ola reserve at 2000. Okay, I didn't use it on this occasion, but it was an option which enabled me to work this little episode in a reasonable timeframe. For those that are interested, I have type 17 risers, velcro toggles(yup the velcro is in sreasonable shape), slinks, microlines The main is a 170 Spectre, loaded to the max. My new javelin will have velcroless toggles..... Do I jump with a hooknife?, you betcha, its required in the UK off student status. Some folk here in Texas having been looking at it and saying what's that for??? Kids, buy and wear a hook knife, it might save you one day. A special thanks to Slappie's search and rescue efforts, dude the check is in the post . I was back in the same off landing the very next load, after a hybrid with Zennie, Gemini, Hookit, and Trent went somewhat awry, but thats another story..... All this on the same day that an Otter ran out of gas on formation jump run, and a bogie Cessna almost took out a 40 way at break off.......Just another shitty day in paradise. Fly heads up, lets stay safe out there. D

"Electric 2 way" Hahaha, never heard it like that, I knew a girl once who just loved those, she called em rude awakenings...

Hmmm...wall to wall blue, just enough breeze for some swoopin', rig and gear is already in the car, and the boss just left for the weekend...... All I got do is finalise some shitty reports, and the the surf is up! Cya for a sunset over Spaceland, D

Canuck's expalnation works, have done this from a 186 also ready, set, sit! woohoo choo choo

yeah that works...same thing as 'blacking' the tape.

I did a static line round jump to raise money for Amnesty International in the UK, this is quite a common way of doing the first jump over there, the charity gets some loot, and you get a free 'skydive'. What kept me in the sport was the promise of boobies, cuties, unlimited altitude, and free beer..........still waiting . And of course, jumpers everywhere, the world over, ae kick ass freindly, the camaraderie is awsome.

"She had a face like a:-" Bulldog chewing a bumblebee, Welders bench, Melted welly (gum boot for the colonials)

"Very cool! But being in the air with 300 others scares the sh@@ out of me" Worse than that was the 600 - ish demo into the King's 'backyard'. A big Hi back to Kate, and best wishes for the Cause...

"I'm not even going near that one....." That's what I said about most of the 'girls' in Bangkok

Ah well, Hottamaly, I was with your bosses in Thailand back in 99, so quite a few.....and the nights in Bangkok probably rivals Clays claims too. Asia, ya gotta luv the place!

"And yes I have something in mind. " Zennster, if you just want to play with the canopy, you could always rig it into your 'regular' vector....Or maybe I am away up the wong track here? Spose it depends what you you have in mind....Maybe get that low hop n pop as long as the pilot lets you out , after all we hate getting on the plane then having to land don't we!!! Cya D

"Age is just a number....." 'Not the years that count, its the miles' Indiana Jones

Started at 29, now 37 going on 38

"We'll be glad to post boobie pics for you all as soon as you guys post some nice... err..... well, you know.... pics for us. " Aha, thats the problem, the pics simply ain't that "nice" D

You too huh?

Cool, where can I get a fluffy suit like that?

Batch capture, then stitch it back together. I use win 98se ans yes its a pain in the butt, however with frame accurate capturing its not that bad... Cya d

www.skydivenet.com/fatalities/ read, absorb, stay safe

Patrick Passe, who made Crosswind, also did the Travelling series (3 films I think) and Anti Gravity, which are great.

Dude, most of us 'Euros' use US gear, its got to be better than Arab gear.... That said the Euro gear is normally tested to TSO standards, the main equipment manufactureres are Thomas sports in the UK and Parachites de France (PDF) in France. The equipment and its operation isn't really that different from the stuff you are probably more familiar with. Alternatively you can sit on the ground and feel sorry for yourself. . Cya D

Sorry to hear about that Ramon, there is a boogie running at Umm Al Quwain from 20 feb, till 2 March.....they will be using russian turbolets, (similar to a twotter) and AN 28s and AN 26 aircraft. I can probably get some details for you as I know one of the Brit organisers....so could probably put you in touch with him if you want. Take care, I'll cya back at Spaceland in the spring. Dave

"Al Hodgson has been awarded the Royal Aero Club bronze medal" Thats awsome, I read about Al in the mag and remember thinking what a great story . I don't know Al, but pass on my congrats, we could all learn something from him. Good work from Langar!! Cya D

The AGM is usually a rockin' day/nite....I had to forego the experience this year as I am 'stuck' in Texas, tuff choice eh??. Missed catching up on all my far flung friends though.... If there are any newbie Brits out there that have never been, I would heartily recommend it. Hell I used to have to travel from Aberdeen for the occasion. That's one helluva long drive home on the sunday! BSBD= blue skies, black death, its kind of like saying have fun but stay safe. Cya at Hinckley next year? D

Yup, inevitable, you guys beat me to it though. Thassall, cya, off home ....

"I'm sure i piss a lot of my friends off cos that's all i talk about. " How can you tell if someone is a skydiver? They'l tell you soon enough