VectorBoy

Nobody is talking about spotting here... we're talking about separation. Of course the ground is relevant for spotting: You're trying to land on a specific "spot" on the ground. -JasonQuote But people use the ground as a reference for their separation from the previous group. What do you do when it apears that you are far from the DZ. Follow the procedure and allow what seems to be ridiculous interval between groups, wait till the previous group reaches the 45 degree point or just come out right on top of the group before you, say 2 seconds of separation? This is why I bring it up.

Mostly a pimp daddy mindwarp with two ditters. An oxygen full face when its really cold or until it fogs up too many times and I'm back to the mindwarp. And a bonehead halfrack for camera. For CReW nothing as I like to hear commands but I should just get something like a protec or the bonehead "turtle shell" style helmets with exposed ears for this purpose. Although I've never been kicked in the head during CReW , there are guys out there that can't wait to do exactly this to me. I also don't have a problem jumping without if the wheather is right.

Actually this debate has been beat to death. Is it head down flocking, is it steep tracking? I myself couldn't understand it until Frick took us for a jump. Its its own thing and you won't get it until you try it! And it is FUN!

I finally figured out what was going on after I stopped thinking about the ground. The ground is irrelevant! If the ground is irrelevant you could never have a bad spot = you can land anywhere with no problems. Some DZs have acres of landing outs. Others have swamps, windmill farms, angry livestock, angry livestock owners, shooting ranges, mental health and penal correctional facilities to contend with, oh and obstacles. The fact of the matter is that the upper winds, the winds along your descent and the winds under canopy all matter, as does the ground speed of the aircraft ( GPS data for calculating jump run ) and whether you are on a floaty 20-way RW formation or a weight loaded solo speed dive. On a particularly insanely windy day years ago those crazy enough to jump we were sternly briefed to allow a full 20 seconds between groups regardless of group size. NO exceptions! we had a JM for this reason alone ( which we don't typically do ).On jump run the aircraft was flying much faster than a standard lighter wind day those that chose to float were told. The spot looked to be about 4 or more miles out on a jump run that resembled flying a radial up wind and away from the DZ in a completely foreign direction. Dam if all this didn't provide for a perfect spot right over the landing area. Those that opened a little higher than planned, for lack of complete faith in the plan figured out for us, actually had a little more horizontal separation than the rest. The ones that opened lower as planned had a good spot but it was tighter. Twenty seconds is a long time when the aircraft is miles from and getting farther from the DZ and you are watching scattered clouds ZIP by you. I know better today and would never jump in conditions like that but it was hugely educational. The fact is the optimal group sizing and sequencing has been figured out by the DZs that have vastly different disciplines and group sizes regularly. The bigger ones. Its not a small core group that hold to these beliefs. Its what happens to work the best. Its what we teach here if you are hosed on the spot, pull higher. If we are running multiple aircraft its probably on an offset jump run of up to a quarter mile. Even if its not you have a few minutes of separation between jumpcraft under a canopy that will descend you a few thousand feet in those minutes. Pulling higher will not work as well if other jumpers are following the 45 degree concept or the come out right on top of you concept, to be seen in your teams video after the camera man deploys, or a mixture of concepts that don't work together like a the WFFC which is really conceptless and dangerous.

And that is POV that needs to be uploaded to our movies section!

For a more forgiving recreational CReW canopy,in the case of the spectre, that will also not be limited to only CReW use. That configuration won't kill you if you take it to terminal for whatever reason. It will be a good multi-use canopy for many things. Bird-man, photo work, CReW specific photo work, Recreational CReW practice, 2 and 3 ways. I know a small number of people who will be doing this to spectres on the next reline for these reasons.The big one is not doing fun CReW on spectre line. Although it won't work well competion CReW or demanding CReW practice.

At the Flyboyz Project X, everyone was going mad for the jumps. I think one of the favourites was Fritz flying on his back, setting up to spock Gi (head up) whilst she was docked on by Marco and someone else on her belly. Wicked jump, very hard, and everyone loved it. I was on those jumps were Gi was in a fast feet forward position ( rock solid ) and Fritz was going for the spock ( unfreakin believable ). I could do the autmonauti for weeks on end, it rocks! Loved doing it on either my back or the standard face down. It was a good time fur sure.

Out west the SOs are diggin the "Day spa" thing. I've made that suggestion to a couple of comrads in search of the perfect gift for the gal that they have already given everything else they can think of to. Its proving very popular.

That company should market personalised cushy tape worm dolls too.

QuoteI'm with you Chuck. There are fewer incidences of canopy/freefall collisions than there are of injuries caused by landing out, especially with the smaller canopies used today. Quote There is also a tremendous lack of knowledge about what to do to a canopy configuration to make the most of the altitude between a possible out landing and making it back to the DZ with a thousand feet spare. I've been on plenty of jumps where someone in our group or the group that exited before us not making it back when we did with alti to spare and us on canopys that are smaller and trimmed to fly steeper. Learn to fly for maximum glide! And all that it requires = lossen chest strap, the proper use of rear risers, a good body position that you can comfortably hold but yet reduce drag. And not some silly rule about toggles to X position regardless of how the wind is blowing you from the DZ.

Well he comes to the DZ awefully wardrobe equiped and color cordinated, almost freakishly so, I mean for a straight guy.

I heard it was a PhotoShop job..... Nope, I was there it wasn't photoshoped it was a combat drop!

Dude, I'm just seeing this now for the first time. All I remember then was the sun in my eye. I should be getting my own cam soon and will try to post as faithfully as you guys have.... Birdy style.

Damn, I remember that now as a huge wingsuit -fun- time that demands to be duplicated! Now that was a rage, fun and crazy trip. You can almost call it HUGE. Thanks for posting it Phree!

Hell no I'm not going it will be TOO hot and ....... TOO california!

I think he busted into the evidence locker down at his old job!

If that wasn't safe for your work you need to get a new job.

Perris or Elsinore. I go to both, but as I am at the low timer level, I tend to prefer Elsinore. Ciels- Michele Michele what are the low timer advantages of Elsinore? As a lowtimer myself I maybe should take advantage of these. Please explain.

You just need the right Jedi instructor my young padawan learner.

Bill do you own or was this a demo from the square?

I try to do this up high sometimes, just to see. But ya like what everyone says. I bet a hard rear riser pull would be the quikest way to instagate.... It would be really bad if you are down low and in such a manuever and let say ( ok you have gotten away with something like this many, many times ) there are some rotors or small chop to make this even worse for you..... aawwwwoouch.

Rob that is almost like a baton pass.... but I like what your thinkin

[To advance my flying, what should I try. Barrel rolls? Flying on my back? Any suggestions? All of the above, loose control then regain it. Aggressive turns. You want to be good enough to fly anywhere around others when flying relative. Give the other jumper a head start then dive down to them, stop on a dime and manuver anywhere you want to be but near them. Over and unders. Tight, precise. Chase each other. All of this is hard if you have no one to fly with. But then you have clouds too.

Sounds nice Lisa, all you need now is a pink Skyvan.

Yes the thin ABS on mine was kinked within five jumps so I rebuilt it based on what the flyboyz have been flying for seasons. They get loaned out a lot and many of the LOs have part of the main collection in their personal possesion. Those tubes have so many flights on them that their trailing edges are in taters. All of those tubes hoops have thick enough schedule 40 PVC hoops. I doubt the bike rim as a hoop will bend or brake I only put out what I had done as another option. One that has been in service with many of the tubes that I have had the chance to examine. Since most of the tubes retail for about 200 bucks around here, anyone wanting to DIY should have more options.