GroundZero

no... there is one perfect 2-way exit from a balloon. Stand on the edge of the basket facing in... on the count, exit with one handed grips falling off backwards. Don't wear a hat, it's absolutely silent, you can talk to each other for about 5-10 seconds... at first you can whisper to each other, then normal talking voice... Here's what you do... climb up and exit, dropping off backwards... as you begin to accelerate towards terminal, ask her, "Have I ever told you, In freefall, how much I love you?"... she'll smile and look into your eyes, and you'll here her say, ... whatever chicks say when you throw them a "winner" line like that... you know what I mean. Take the Nestea plunge... best balloon exit... I've got almost 30 of 'em now... Chris

More importantly... how much can you expect beyond that point? Plan on devoting 50% of your income for the rest of your life... Chris

remember... someone has to pay for this bandwidth.... maybe it's an attempt to ... not encourage worthless posting...

right... (our local elevation is ~1000' msl...) meaning 18000' msl is where the aneroid ends its flexing expansion. Chris

won't be damaged by going higher, but it won't start moving on the way down 'til you get to about 17,000'.. (that coincides with where it will stop moving on the way up, neat, eh?) Chris

So, eh Clay... You remember painting your toenails Friday nite?

Phree, Do you know how many times the "picture" of the wind tunnel has been used in Icarus advertising? I do. Do you know how many times that wind tunnel has been used? I do.. ...rolling test rig. With respect to "(This is a wind tunnel like technique... ) Come on folks! Everyone here on Sangiro's cyber world seems brighter than the average Joe... Do not listen to the banter from the people (like me) trying to prosper from the sales... listen to the jumpers who actually have experience with a product. Jump anything and everything, the equipment for you is what works best for you. Ignore any rants, etc. from the "source..." this is digital education, not e-sales. You, the consumer, needs to know the difference. Chris.... jumper. oy!!!!

hehehehe... we're keeping notes... go for it Dan! Still awaiting test results form NASA and the EUSA tunnel tests.... (unless it's a Russian wind tunnel we aren't aware of!!!) Chris I call bullshit! Only the jumpers can validate this.... This is an open forum.... I don't want to flame, but too many credible people buy these posts as fact, without substantiation. Let's keep it real or at least believable people.

Yea... that's Charlie's version of triple risers... why use webbing when some spectra and a ring will do the same thing... Chris

Electric star..... hmmmm... you need a couple of coat hangers (remember.... metal, we're talking before the days of plastic coat hangers...) ...and a few friends....

there ya go.... that's probably the only thing that would prevent a toggle strip... Chris

Bill, For larger weights (masses), you have to consider density. 1 lead = 94.88727 lbm/gallon (US liq)... this is the mass-density number.... to hit higher weights we simply do not have enuf room to carry the equivalent mass of a substance like water... (sheeeeit, we're 60-70% water ourselves). I've only jumped at Perris a few times, but you have plenty of area to dump the load and still turn to land. The trick is in the release (winds don't affect lead weights much from 1000' down!) Kinda reminds me of flour bomb/rubber chicken drop contests. Pm me if you need specifics on a simple quick release HEAVY weight belt. Chris

OK... whew! How do you 250 lb people even walk... i needed 2 people to help me into the cessna! We use belts made of type 8 webbing with quick disconnects. We wear them aroung the waist inside the harness... each belt can hold 6 10 lb. weights. With this much weight we can discover many things... openings for big boy canopies at their loadings... flight characteristics of canopies at 4.0+... and that kinda thing.... we don't lose them because the belts are inside the harness just like I am... if needed we can release the belt prior to landing.... you ought to see 60 lbs. of lead go in from 500'! Ok. I'm worn out, calling it a day and going home.. See ya'll later. Chris

Yea I use Sea Pearls all the time, they come in a handy 10 pound size... in fact I've just strung 9 on a belt getting ready to jump after lunch... It.s just too hard to get 90 lbs of shot into a handy container for jumping! Chris This combined with a healthy lunch and I'll be a 250 "pounder"!

woa... just noticed something.... ____________________________________________ >Total Cutaways? 5, 3 tandem _______________________________________________ reserve rides total 17, 14 on first generation tandems _______________________________________________ 3... all tandems _______________________________________________ ....hmmmmmm, and I thought I was the bastard child scaring the students with the tandem cutaways.... Chris

I have a few questions for you... 1.) Total Jumps? 5127 Total Tandems? 816 Total AFF's? 862 Total RW Jumps? hmmmm... ~3000+ Total Freefly Jumps? ...so you mean ..including my student days? Total Misc, Hybrid, balloon, heli, tubes, etc.? ... another good question... 27 balloon jumps then I solo'ed the balloon, they're as much fun to fly as jump! What about wing suit flights... that I keep count of... 346. One helicopter jump, out of an OH-58... the pilot since died in a crash, so I can now claim it as earlier it would have cost him his career and time in the "stockade". Total Cutaways? 3... all tandems, I've never cut away on a solo rig, even with a bunch of test jumps. I prefer to land my malfunctions... 2.)How many Skydives did you have when your received your AFF rating? ...386, At the time, I had to do one more jump (a 20 second delay to break 4 hrs. total freefall time. Then I got my AFF rating.) 3.) What was your RW vs. VRW #'s prior to receiving your ratings? I think all of my rw dives were "Virtual Relative Work". 4.) How many jumps in the RW and VRW disciplines would you say it took you to be proficient enough to safely execute successful points in these dives? I learned early, I bought beer for every "first". That's a good "point" for all jumpers. 5.)With the Freeflying craze the way it is, do you think that Multi-Disciplined Instructors have an advantage over Instructors that have mostly RW jumps? Absolutely! I think Instructors should be proficient in both types of skydiving... Style and Accuracy! (We play both kinds of music... "Country AND Western") Any other info that you feel could be useful to us newbies? Yes, but I think you're asking the wrong person here. You "Newbies" can skydive much better than the "old guard". Training has progressed much beyond the old days. The typical jumper off student status today can fly circles around me with 100+ jumps... (I had 75 jumps before we FINALLY completed that elusive 3 way!) As all of us "A-type" personalities would admit, I am a shit hot skydiver. Took a while to get here, but I know that todays young jumpers will get there in fewer jumps, I witness that every day on my DZ. Skydiving is 90% between the ears... If you think you can, you might... If you know you can, You WILL!!! Go for it Chromey!!! Chris

What a beautiful day it was.... I had a chance to fly with a great friend.... we were slow this weekend and my good friend Dave went "flying" with me... forget parachutes, forget airplanes.... it's all wingsuits! Chris

ok... i ve heard for everyone...friends, family, dz.commers, etc..... now we're takin guesses... boy or girl? chris

Any one wanna join us? Tullahoma.... Birdman jumps.... we're out to break the new Tennessee flock record dive... (now, if'n we can only get 5 in the cessna!) Chris and one-on-one or more!

Rhino, Your son is the focal point. After a bitter divorce, it took me quite a while to decide that my daughter was the most important thing in my life, not the ex-wife... this helped me understand that the most important thing for my daughter was a (seemingly) loving relationship between her mother and father. As hard as it was, I have developed a very "do-able" relationship with my ex and my daughter recognizes and appreciates it. I don't know your son's age, I guess he's very young. After a prop strike (on my arm), an airplane crash and then my wife departing the country (with my 18 month daughter), I remembered a phrase my mother told often, "Every dog has his day". I guess another version of "what comes around, goes around". Someone said earlier, Tread lightly...". I know how hard it is to be conciliatory. In time, the worthy will get their just deserves... you WILL get your son if it is to be... Do not fuel the battle in the courts, we guys don't have a chance there. Begin a reconciliation with the mother, not for the future with her but for the future with your son.... remember, she is the mother and needs to be there too. Don't deprive your son of his mother, your son needs you both. Your job is to make that happen, even if that bitch can't comprehend the idea. You've got a lifetime ahead of you and your son is looking forward to that. You will share the joys (even if it is with that bitch). My ex and I get along very well, we're both remarried. My Annabelle loves us very much, she's very happy and that's what it's all about. I feel for you man, I know your pain. We are the adults, we take the pain and protect our children as they are the primary concern. Be the first one to recognize your son's needs without being prompted by the "court". You have already displayed the true father-ly love for your son. Recognize what it takes and show him... it'll be much easier for all in the "near" future. Remember these words.... " Every dog has HIS day." You will win if you so choose. Leave the courts out of it. The courts do not understand, you do and that will prevail. It's early in the game, take care of your son, even if it costs you personal distress at this time. Our lives are long, make the best of it for ... him... Regards, sincerely, Chris

wow... today we heard a little heartbeat! pulse was about 150... sounded slower than my daughter's at the same age... could it be a boy? Chris

WOW! Anyone else notice that there are over 9000 of us registered here! Congrats Sangiro... quite the happening place! Chris

It is OFFICIAL... the Bird-man flocking preload area will be the Precision Aerodynamics tent... (at least that way I'll be sure to get on all the loads!...) If you're looking for fellow bird-men, you can be sure to find them at either the Mirage or Precision area... and many more to be sure... Chris We'll be there too!

Phree, I take 230-240 lb students on our tandem canopy on no wind days with the 330... (i'm about 162 lbs naked....). I've also done 280 lb students on the (Strong Master 425) when I was just a few pounds lighter. The problem was not the landing (we stood it up and my legs didn't reach the ground), I had to tell him that we could not go on to AFF as he would overgross the solo gear. Chris

Phree, The Eclipse tandem rigs are rated at 525 lbs.... meaning 280 for the student, 60 lbs for the gear and the TM needs to weigh 185 or less... is my math correct? I've taken a few 280 ponnders on strong gear also...(500 lb limit)... Chris