parachutist

If it's tendinitis, in my experience the only way to eliminate it is non-use and anti-inflamatory like ibuprofen (plenty of it a day) Is the pain only on the outside of the elbow?

Ok, Statler... when did you take up skydiving? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7h15xIoVwWw Really it's not easy to create a movie script, come up with appropriate footage, edit it all together, and submit it to a contest on short notice with $0 budget. This was round 1. I'm sure gears are turning in peoples' heads with ideas for next year. While I thought the top movies were pretty good, I expect next year's crop will be even better. Show me how you think it should be

My CX7 is top-mounted on a Vapor, and it's been working great for filming tandems, with exception of this scenario: We have a heavy tandem pair, we're at terminal, and I want to get a shot looking up at them. I'll sink lower than them, then go into mantis with head high, then lean head back. This is probably approaching sit-flying speeds, with camera in the burble of my body. At this point I get the bouncing image, which doesn't seem to stop completely until I'm under canopy. I haven't found a cure yet, other than stay on level with heavy subjects.

That's a fun area. Those wearing jeans obviously haven't experienced the heat of sliding tarmac yet. I hope they get some leathers for the lowers. Denim shreds fast

It's HD. here's a thread about it: http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=3072302

That may allow you to be third user in this forum to get a 5050 knocked off a CX7 . I'd go with the Century .55x, which is same size as your diamond, or possibly a Century .3x. The 5050 will add length to your setup, and it fans out from the camera, asking to get caught by a riser.

Well, here's a Tiesto mix.... it's weird watching the video though. Thousands of people are staying in one place, looking at the stage, and listening to techno. What is that? Generation gap or something? I'd expect a big dance floor with occasional audience recognition of the DJ when he mixes something fantastic... then back to dancing. Standing around watching the DJ just seems odd. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PN7GROjrAlc&feature=related

That's what I was thinking. I've heard her on the XM techno channels & it's more fun after the edit

That's similar to the route I took when I was using my Optik, but without a box for the camera. This one wasn't mounted to the top platform, but by moving it up and over it provided the same effect: http://www.funjump.com/photos/hdrcx7mic03.jpg

I didn't realize yours was mounted on top already. bummer! Like yours, mine stripped off and left the camera's filter threads intact thankfully. Also similar to your explanation, I think my lens was screwed on tight, but it could have possibly loosened. Compared to the 5050's image, I prefer the Century. The Century's appears equally clear to me, without the fisheye distortion of the 5050. I haven't tested a Royal for comparison

Welcome to the club That happened to me last year: http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=3073797;#3073797 That experience encouraged me to go from Optik side mount to Vapor top mount. I've been enjoying the results of top mount this year. No lost hardware yet =] Chris

Compression of the neck is not what's happening during slammer openings that I've experienced. The body rotates fast about 120 degrees. Feet go from behind you to slightly out in front. Head rotates forward fast too. The pivot point between head and body is your neck. Head rolls forward fast til the chin impacts the chest, then head wants to continue rotating because it has momentum. That's what causes the hyperextension and stars in my experience. If chin is already at the chest, then the head rotates with the body and I just feel a slight tug on the neck, instead of shooting pain. Compression that I'm imagining you're explaining only happens once you're directly under the canopy with a standard opening. If it's a snapping opening your head is not in line with your spine unless it's being held there possibly by hands or some other mechanism. Looking up is a bad idea, agreed, because there's nothing to stop the head from rolling back. Where did you learn that looking down with chin against chest was bad? The only neck pain I've experienced thus far has been when I didn't do that. Maybe it wouldn't be prudent with larger commercial cameras. I'm not sure how that would affect the situation, but with an SLR and standard consumer video cam it works great. Chris

I agree with straight as in head not turned right or left. But if your head is up during deployment, where is it going to go during a hard opening? It'll still be moving fast toward earth, while your body is not. Hands on chin reduce your surface area, which increases your fall rate during opening. I've tried that idea too and it didn't produce good results for me.

Actually chin down against chest works well for dealing with hard openings. Your head doesn't have the ability to create the whiplash effect because it's already pulled down as far as it's going to go. I've used that method when deploying hard-opening crew canopies, while wearing stills/video on my head.

Karen, Mind if I ask what orientation your head was in when the riser slapped your helmet like that? I'm wondering if the risk can be eliminated by holding head down near chest during deployment. Same question to Phreezone if you read this. I'm jumping a new Sky Systems flat top with a semi-exposed latch. I love it and I'd like to make sure it stays on my head this summer! The latch is recessed so maybe it's not at risk, but there's no cover over it, so who knows. Here's an image http://www.skysystemsusa.com/helmets/images/wes-pro_002.jpg Any thoughts?

That's how I interpreted the bending with pliers too. I figured he put a vertical crease in the dive loops & risers.

How does the brake line attach to the toggle? I didn't see a grommet in the photos. Does the #8 slider grommet go over those fat dive loops easily?

Canopy coaching is generally done more from the ground, so there are usually no jumps involved for the coach. ie: classroom discussion, then set up some target jumps, then student does the jumps and instructor observes and videos, then debrief the videos back in the classroom. I usually just change $5 per jump to cover cost of camera wear & tear + time. I've done basic training such as how to improve accuracy, improving flare technique, or learning basic swooping techniques. For more specific training such as advanced swooping, you'd need to seek more specialized coaching and the price would typically go up as a result. What are you wanting to work on?

As per PD, the Storm is a new canopy that's designed for freefall, but happens to work well for CRW. Last week I was watching a PD test jumper pull a Storm out of a bag in Deland. I said "Hey isn't that the new CRW canopy?" He said No, that's a common misconception & basically told me it's a fun canopy that he can run into another jumper 2 or 3 cells off center and it sticks... without coming around.,, so yes it works for CF too. I'm currently on the waiting list for a demo... they're all loaned out right now

Do you have copies of any of those newsletters in your e-mail archives that you could forward to me? I'd be interested to read & maybe print out thanks, Chris

exactly. That poor horse has been beaten to death many times over already.

I'm gonna go with your suggestions here, Gus. I just finished repacking a reserve today, went to sign the data card & noticed my name and # on the card, dated Feb 8, 2008. Seeing as how I had 1 leg in a cast that date, I certainly wasn't packing then. This guy had called asking for a repack at that time and I'd referred him to a few other local riggers, but apparently he didn't follow through in getting it repacked

I just returned from an AFFI pre-course + course in Deland, FL. Course Director was Rob Laidlaw, and he had a couple evaluators on hand to work with our class. The whole course was well planned, using blue sky time whenever it was available for jumping. The classroom time happpened when we had clouds. Our class was small: only 4 students. Each received equal training. Since the class was so small, if one of us needed extra coaching on a particular area (like my bad habit of regripping student after release when a grip wasn't necessary), then an evaluator would be made aware of that issue and would be set to the task of correcting it. All staff members who were involved in this course appeared to be on the same page, with each evaluator throwing the same amount of flip/roll/spin/de-arch/float/sink/upside-down maneuvers during testing. I chose this course because at 150 jumps I'd attended Rob Laidlaw's canopy control course, and he'd been a great instructor who provided a solid base for safe canopy progression. I wanted to go back for his instruction in AFF. I'd also been tempted to go to Bram's course in Z-hills, but one of the deciding factors was that Bram requires an AAD to take his course and I don't have one, didn't feel like installing one just for the course. Another benefit of doing AFFI in Deland: We got the opportunity to practice AFF exits from Twin Otter, Sky van, and PAC 750. I'm glad we got to use a tail gate... now I feel confident about those exits. And more good stuff about the course in Deland: housing was affordable. A local RW coach owns a house or two and rents out rooms. You can get close accomodations with all the amenities for cheap. Attached photo is my class after we graduated, going up for a tracking dive with one of our evaluators, Carl. Photo by Rkymtnhigh Chris

Not very accurately. The only certainty is: the higher your wing loading under a model x canopy, then the higher your air speed will be under that model. You can guess within the general ball park range though, such as .8 wing loading is likely 7-10 mph, 1.0 probably 8-12 mph, 1.2 = 10-15 mph There are too many varibales to predict air speed accurately. Some of those variables: - different models of canopy (different airfoils, different aspect ratios, etc) - altitude (canopies fly faster at higher altitudes than lower) - air temp (faster through hot air than cold)

With competition video setups it's a good idea to have 2 cameras mounted on the helmet with both shooting the jumps. If one chokes the other may save the team from a low score round. For CF video a big concern will be keeping out moisture because you'll experience varying levels of humidity as you descend, and the camera will be exposed to these conditions for probably 7-8 minutes. Neoprene camera condoms are good for dealing with this. Also make sure the camera is protected from possible riser slaps during openings. Riser slaps can turn cameras off, screw up the focus, etc. For a top mount you may want a split slider, because your slider will be right above the cameras and a solid slider can interfere with the shot if you're looking up at the subject. Side mount cameras are mostly immune to the slider interference. Good top-mount helmets: Sky Systems Vapor or the Bonhead Flat Top Digital video didn't go away, I'm not sure what you're thinking of there. Chris