VectorBoy

Granted just making a big suit will not make it the best gliding suit..... But bigger is better . The best suit(V2) you make is bigger than any other suits that you make(Prodigy, Phantom). Now slower........ Kris. We cannot regard planeform as an indicator of performance anymore. The V-2 is not much bigger than the S-3 but I would say it offers dramatic improvements, others would agree. The Phantom has probably as close a flight envelope to the S-3 but less area as you say. I can only speculate that the PF suits are relying on a better distribution of lifting areas, better suited to the human shape. Airfoils better suited to the speeds that this aspect ratio will fly at. My V-2 upper foils are thin and swept like a jet while the S-3 has some foils of a thicker chord with very little sweep similar to a GA airfoil that makes lift at a range of slower speeds.

if i'm thinking of who you are, i don't think that mod actually got anything more than audio, but then again it might be a diffrent mod, diffrent time... Same mod same time, bingo!

The eighties jeeps used an acrylic laquer, sadly the only thing worse as far as paint was cheesey water based stuff ford experimented with during the same time. Your laquer will wipe off with some acetone on a rag. As a Jeep guy I can offer three routes. 1 Have it professionally repainted in epoxy or urethanes. 2 Its a jeep not a beemer you should have rough paint, scratches and bashes and oil leaks, its a jeep thing. Even when I repainted my jeep in urethane I left in some of the old battle dings as character marks. 3 you can buff out your paint very easy but it will not hold the sheen long and you can cut too much too easily.

More importantly which DZ.com moderator did I catch videoing two DZ.commers in bed,.... well a tent. Is this were I insert in before the lock?

9) run off every weekend to the DZ for some "skydiving"

>that day. "Come on out! We'll get you up!" When I >hDid the AFF, and a few more that day. That night >we went out to dinner; a lot of people bought me >beer and food. Had an awesome time. >But for me skydiving doesn't work like that, and I've >had a lot more fun treating skydiving as an extended >(sometimes dysfunctional) family than as a business. This is not uncommon. Similar events have happed to myself and others that I have known it does lend a family bonding feeling. Bill I have no doubt that you would have helped out whether you were on a DZ, an understaffed dive vacation boat, a start-up FBO's flight school, or Camping etc. Jumpers are some of the most generous people I've met. There are a great many jumpers not part >of any friendship circle that are regarded simply as customers. For >what ever reason they are not fitting into larger friendship circles . . . I hope that doesn't happen too often. If it does, I think that's a failure of people like you and me. My (or your) local group of friends can't keep skydiving going - but our extended family can, because there are thousands of them all over the world. I think it's up to us to maintain that extended family so we don't turn into "just a bunch of customers." I've had it explained to me by DZMs " its just business". It makes sense and its easier to swallow the negative events when you are on the receiving end. There are many, many disinfranchised jumpers that don't feel at home here or there and become nomadic, sometimes chased off. Its great to be part of a family, as far as skydiving goes its incredibly inspirational. But, sadly, this doesn't fit everybodys lifestyle. Being just a welcomed customer is not a failure of the skydiver family apparatus. Being treated poorly on a DZ is a failure! Its a failure on so many levels.

This is the profile of a vampire..just let go of those drumsticks in your hand and this is the flapping outline you get Musta been on his/her back were the GRatio isn't optimal and lost alti awareness......even I do that sometimes. I still hold my drumsticks though.

Some may see DZ's as businesses, like rental car places or restaraunts. I watched several friends of mine die at DZ's, and was amazed at how everyone pulled together not for the dead person, but for people like me who were dealing with it. I've taught people to skydive, saved perhaps one life, and potentially had my life saved a few times by people who were more aware than I was. Most of my best friends are skydivers, and I met my wife skydiving. I guess, in my view, I've gotten more than a few free french fries from skydiving, and have given more than a few tips for good service. To me, that makes it something more than a business. I see your point but you are referring to a relationship based on friendship. A long career with a large group of friends from all walks of life who skydive or somehow support this activity. In your case some members of this group also happen to own a DZ or related business. Not all skydivers are as fortunate as this. I have had very memorable, life uplifting times in the company of my circle of skydiving friends. I have been the guest and subject of generosity many times, I'm sure this will continue. Bill I have even been the benefactor of kindness from Amy and yourself directly. My circle just doesn't have too many DZOs in it. Maybe in time that will change. Realize that your group and my group of friends can't keep the sport alive by themselves. There are a great many jumpers not part of any friendship circle that are regarded simply as customers. For what ever reason they are not fitting into larger friendship circles and then its just all a business. Plain and simple. BTW: Bill, my friend, I'm sure you have saved more than just one life.

You are right that crater would have a horizontal component maybe even a couple of skip divits further on down the turf.... if the profile was of a Vampire. Did I tell you how fabulous it is. Anyway I'm going to jump it at least 50 times more before I sing its praise on the forums.

This is one thing that's been annoying me lately. Skydiving is NOT like renting a car, or going to a restaraunt, or buying a TV at Wal-Mart. If you want a better analogy, it's like going to a restaraunt that a friend of yours runs, one where you help out cooking . You are really going to have to explain this one to me Bill. Dzs are businesses, some DZOs will readily point this out. Nothing more and nothing less. Skydiving non-profit clubs may fit your description better. If you are at a tandem mill were up-jumpers come second to one time customers are we in the kitchen cooking? I know some DZs treat some customers like family and some others like customers, thats life and not a problem as long as you don't get treated badly. I've been lucky in that I've gotten extra fries with my steak for free on rare occasions and then have several different restaurants in my neighborhood for different cuisine when the kitchen is on the fritz.

After 6 months, I could no longer get the lens to focus on anything perfectly, even on the ground.

The stock lens is *OK* for jumping, but sucks for any other kind of use, Why, if I may ask ?

I especially like the 'shake and clean' on its menu.

Jolly good!!!!

It would only be fair.

Absolutely the suckiest, Come on down to Otay for some winter combat flockin. We will have suprisingly good weather. Yesturday was t- shirt temperture at altitude. Not much of an enticer for the Florida guys but if you find yourself weathered in in places like British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, NorCal, Boston, Chicago you just might want to hop a jet down. Even Purple Mike will be welcomed. RJ, in moab I would have taken somebody out but they are were too fast for me to catch.

Often what people call flatspins are only a few tumbles that seemed much worse and longer. Matt I am so relieved. The way some people talk on here of flat spins in wingsuits had most of my students worried that they would be held in a "drawn & quartered" position until their soft parts like eyeballs and lung tissue were extruded through their skulls by centrifugal force or they hit the ground hard, whichever came first. As far as few tumbles go we like to start the flocking day with exactly that to warm us up. I myself usually am one of the first to initiate unwarranted contact to induce flight oscillations in my fellow flyers to steal their slot. I know its a perverse kind of glory and I am getting help but its a process. I plan to buy an Acro so that any tumbling or spinning will be more stylish and I can claim it as part of the whole acrobatics thing.

You are right,.... damn scarry, you have to know where to go. The season can still be fun. ADam will be good too but again you need to know where to go for fun.

What is the proper recovery technique for a 3/4 or a 6 & 7/8ths of full potential flat spin? Anyone know? I have been trying , for years, just to get into a flat spin just so that I may practice my recovery from the dreaded flat spin and have not been able to. Maybe its my aerodynamically pointy head that keeps me on heading? Sometimes I feel like such a failure. Of course I haven't seen anyone else around me in a flat spin either so maybe there is still hope for me. Maybe the air molecules on the west side of the rockies are more linear or laminar and have a reluctance to spinning up compared to the swirly air found coming up off the gulf affecting more of the east. Damn I wonder how they do it in Europe? If you are in Norway, France or other bigwall land and you go into a flat spin on a fixed object wingsuit jump what is the percentage increase in wall strike probability? Is this covered in BASE first flight courses? I'll ask Jeb the next time I see him, I guess.

Launching a military "pop-up" flare in the boys locker room.

This week it's Mach One's with the kung fu action grip gloves. The only thing better would be Dual carbon fiber ankle smoke canister holders, Tony we gotta talk. Mutant ninja turtles on steriods.

Chuck said get a phantom. Chuck wouldn't steer me wrong holmes.

Happy birthday Van Dog.

hey dont jinx it! Sorry, it just happens to be my current status not something I'm wishing on you. Two weather days followed by to work days before I get to try it out.