Donna

Maybe if you just wait until Texel he will do something that will earn him a real nickname.

But didn't Talon recently have a few risers break because of a manufacturer defect (that has since been recalled and fixed)? If solo rig risers don't break then it seems there wouldn't be any need to have the 2 sided RSL that Racer uses. Thanks for explaining about the tandem risers. I hadn't known about any of that. It was very informative. Blue 1111, D

I would if I could but I don't own one yet. I was asking about all this to help me decide whether to go with a Racer or a Talon. Blue 1111, D

I think I know which one you are talking about because I was told the same thing. I was pretty shocked. I was even more surprised when an ST&A I know and respect also told me the exact same thing. Blue 1111, D

Yes, They told me that, too. But I wanted to know if there were any drawbacks to that. Is the extra piece going to complicate things at all? Can it get tangled on anything? I wish they offered the option of a reular one-sided RSL. Blue 1111, D

'Beer' is always a case. Check here for beer rules. Blue 1111, D

My husband and I went through AFF last summer. We took the FJC on Memorial Day Weekend. It was cloudy and we couldn't make our first jump until the next Sunday, June 4th. There was a problem going on with the airport commission and they would only let them use the student landing areas on Sunday. It seemed like every Sunday it rained. (Of course every Monday was gorgeous!) We didn't graduate AFF until August 27th! And that was with neither of us repeating a level. On relaxing. I, too, found that finding a quiet place and visualizing the whole dive in my head while going through the motions from climbout to deployment to landing really helped. Good luck! Blue 1111, D

Sounds like you are doing great, Wesley! Congratulations on handling the two out so well! Way to go! Glad it worked out. Good for you for going back up. The Casa is great, huh? I wish we could jump out of them all the time! It's nice to hear you are having so much fun! Blue 1111, D

Our DZ used to have student ripcords located on the front right hip area and we were taught to LOOK, reach, pull. There was a problem sometimes with students de-arching while trying to see it. They've recently switched to a ripcord located in the BOC area. This gets the student familiar with reaching for the same place they will mostly likely be going after getting off student status and the 'look' part of the sequence has been dropped. Blue 1111, D

A friend of mine just did her first sitfly and she said she had tried before with her RW suit and was all over the place but yesterday tried leggings and a sweatshirt and it worked great. Good luck! I can't wait until I can try. By then you will all be real good and can give me lots of pointers, right? Blue 1111, D

Congratulations, Barbara!! I'm glad you hung in there and that things worked out! Way to go, girl! Blue 1111, D

Hey Dan, I kind of agree with Cloud. I mean, I think it's great you did go out to the DZ. And I also think there are times when people get a vibe that's telling them not to jump and they should listen to that inner voice. But I also know as a nervous student, that if I listened to my inner voice all the time, I would have never jumped. I'm one of those people that are a wreck ahead of time but have a blast once I'm outside the plane. I've been assuming that as I get jumping regularly that this will go away. (After reading Cloud's post though, now I'm not so sure.

Michael Zang started his jumps at 6:13 p.m. Central Standard Time on May 18, 2001 and finished at 6:13 p.m., May 19, 2001, beating the World Record by 24 skydives!!! It was done to raise money for The Special Olympics and took place at Skydive Texas. Average per hour: 21 Average time per Jump:2:45 Total Jumps: 500 http://www.jump4kids.org/html/event_coverage.htm Blue 1111, D

You're going to Jumptown? When? Hey! Is that why you looked familiar in those pictures? Now that I think about it, have I seen you there before? I'll be there but I won't be jumping. I'm just starting walk a bit without crutches from my knee injury. I have all new gear and haven't even been able to jump it yet. It was so gorgeous out today, too and Jumptown was up at Turners Falls. I love it out there. My husband got his gear Friday and got to put 3 jumps on it today. I was so jealous. Lucky me got to spend the day at a baby shower! Blue 1111, D

Great pictures, Carl!! Thanks for sharing them! Blue 1111, D

Is that a Racer you are wearing in your picture? If so, how do you like it? Do you use an RSL? Good luck with the painting!

I saw those but didn't know anyone who had tried them and I knew they hadn't been out too long so we decided to hold off on using them. I'd be interested to hear what others had to say about them, too. BTW My husband's rig finally came... about 6:00 tonight! He must have called me 20 times today even though I said I'd call as soon as it came. We had given up as the UPS building closed at 5:00 but guess they still have trucks out, you just can't drop off packages. Now I'm sitting here laughing watching him try to get it in the bag. Of course, it came all packed but he had to play with it!

Glad to hear that! My husband's is due to be delivered today. He's been following it with the UPS tracking number. He has called from work about 5x already today asking if it's here yet. My Tri is on the table waiting to meet her new brother!

Now that sounds like a good set up. Are there any drawbacks? Why aren't others using that setup? Why is Vector only using it on their tandems and not their regular rigs?

Now that sounds like a good set up. Are there any drawbacks? Why aren't others using that setup? Why is Vector onlu using it on their tandems and not their regular rigs?

Nice post, Carl. You, too, Mountain. Maybe we need to come up with a new term? I think even in tandem land there is a difference. My friend and I did a tandem on the same day. She had a blast. It was an experience she will never forget and that she truly loved. But it was over and her life went on pretty much as before. She does not walk around staring at the sky, wondering if the holes between the clouds are big enough. She does not automatically tune in to the sound of any aircraft overhead. She does not subscribe to any skydiving material. She has no desire to read more about it or learn more about it or to ever do it again. I, on the other hand, have never been the same again. I went up one person and came down another. I did 2 more tandems that summer (AFP type one) and was much like Mountain all winter as I waited for AFF to start last spring. I walked around with my head in the clouds and dreamed of jumping all the time. So maybe we need 2 new terms. One for the person who did it once, got a taste, but has no desire to continue and one for those who did it and plan to eventually do it again. Either way, I think everyone who has ever done it is in the 'fortunate people' category. (Except maybe those who didn't live through it.) Blue 1111, D

Have I been pestering you, Matt?

True in a few instances but lots of times those things are just an excuse. If you want it bad enough, you will find a way. And I wouldn't call it a hobby. I'd call it a way of life.

I think in some ways that if they don't come back again for more than they are still kind of a whuffo as they don't really get "whuf fo you jump out of those planes?" because if they did... they'd be back!! If they got the same feeling we did and understood that passion how could they not do it again? And again and again and again!!! Blue ones, D

Great news! But hey! Watch which ALF you flame! Be nice to me.