councilman24

They're riding up because your tightening your leg straps and pulling the crotch up tight. Only solution is to lengthen legs. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Bill, Surely you know that official hackeys are filled with baby whuffo teeth. Maybe bouncing and flashing?http://www.worldclasspromotions.com/blinkings/blinkingball-keychain.html I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Try Allen Silver. I think he told me he does ejection seats. He certainly did in the past. silver@pia.com I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Hmmmm. New use for useless Cypres' ... Playing with TSA. And yeah, why did they take your camcorder battery. Camcorders are specifically listed as ok. Maybe because you didn't HAVE a camcorder? Pretty suspicious. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

In case you didn't read down the page. From http://www.halojumper.com/all_the_right_questions.htm#how "AUGUST - 1st through the 10th we will be at the World Freefall Convention- We will have one load per day (6 slots) at 6:00 am. Price is $350.00 per jumper. Briefings and equipment fittings will be at 8:30 pm after the sunset loads for the next mornings jump. You will NOT need a flight physical. You must complete a waiver and medical info form. The price is a little higher due to the additional costs / fees at the convention. You will receive a certificate documenting your jump and altitude as well as two 8x10s, one of the load and one of yourself. There will be NO practice jumps. We'll be jumping from Cpt. Mike Mullins Super King Air.....See you there. " Having gone throught the chamber ride, I think it's a mistake to not require a physical or make a practice jump with the equipment. At 25000' in the chamber I was pretty stupid after three minutes. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

By the way my drag mat also has a loop at the bottom for putting a stake through when packing on the ground or on a tarp outside. Put the drag mat at the edge of the tarp and stake down with a small tent stake for tension. I made this one with the velcro and stake loop. Also had a large half pouch to contain the leg straps so they didn't drag off the mat. I used to make these but usually only make them for myself now. BTW the Belgian army (I think it was them) did some studies on what surface wore out F-111 type fabric the fastest. A polished (amd probably sealed) industrial concrete was actually the best. Rough concrete the worst. And close to rough concrete, the poly tarp like used at boggies. The fibers in the poly tarp escape the plastic and stick up like micro thorns. Use a drag mat and gear bag all the time to keep your gear in good shape. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

I always use a packing mat, even on reserves on carpet. On the carpet at the DZ the drag mat is my anchor. I have hook velcro on the bottom of the drag mat. It grips the carpet so I can pack with tension. Has a loop piece to cover it for draging. One place you'll see wear is on your center cell top skin. Sweat, dirt, and physical wear from packing. Clean hands, long sleeve shirt, or towel to use when pushing the air out will help. Assume your only chance to live is your main. And I as a rigger will assume your only chance to live is your reserve. Then, between the two, you have a pretty good chance. I'm not real picky about the canopy itself. I'm much pickier about the line stows and PC pack style. I'm pretty sloppy packing the PC but the particular folding method is important and should vary depending on type of pocket. Hmmm, just reminded me of the first non belly band, non leg strap throw out I saw. It was packed between the main container and the back pad. The seam had a gap. Don't remember the rig but I think it was a custom modification. Probably an original Norther lite. And I remember the first "PRO" pack I saw. Then known as a trash pack. The guy ran his lines up like a pro pack, threw it down on it's nose and raked the lines with his fingers. Then cocooned. Of course I've seen recent pro packs not much better. These were also the days when some people completely free packed. No bag, no line stows, no diaper. Just coil the lines in the bottom and stuff the canopy on top. Some didn't have a PC. Just a handle attached to a pin sewn to the nose of the canopy. Pull the nose out in the wind and let it go. And all the variations in between. PIA has been gathering stuff for a museum, as well has funds. But a photographic museum on line might be cool. I haven't paid much attention to photo sites, etc. Somebody might consider setting one up. Maybe I'll see if PIA wants to but it on their web site at the meeting in Sept. You young folks missed all the fun. Maybe this should have been in skydiving history. Terry I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Here's one place. http://www.marsars.com/it090020.html Protec's are sold for a variety of sports. Just search for Protec helmets to find a non skydiving source. Depending on the activity the liner may be different. And paragear lists a navy half helmet style. And, I have a light blue one I'll sell you. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Early jumpers jumped aircraft altimeters, along with stopwatches, mounted on a metal panel attached to their chest mounted reserve. Yes they were 3 or 4 inches thick. This may be where you've gotten this idea. But for landing my opinion is that your better off watching whats going on with your flight in relation to the target than concentrating, or even glancing at, a altimeter under a few hundred feet. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Skydiving with uncontrollable limbs is going to be different than skydiving without limbs. Your legs will influence your stability and manuverability, but if you can't control them you'll have a hard time controlling yourself in freefall. If you can lay on your stomach, arch you back and pick everything up off the floor except your belly (thighs, chest, arms) you've got a good start. If then you can move your legs together and apart and flex and extend your knees your closer. And if you can do normal and on your knees push ups you probably can make it work. This last one is supporting your body weight with your hip and leg muscles, which would be used for resisting the wind pressure in freefall. Functionality less than this would raise issues and problems. I've got a feeling your description of "very weak" legs mean these motions are beyond your capability. I don't remember in 25 years of hearing of a paraplegic being able to freefall on their own. I do remember reports of a paraplegic who made several (maybe many) static line jumps landing in water. Of couse this is parachuting, not skydiving. Landings if you cann't run, walk, or maybe even stand would be difficult but may be able to be overcome. Find a time when you can get with an instructor at your local DZ and talk about it. If there not interested in even talking, find someone else. Sorry if I'm a downer but trying to be realistic for you. ADDED I didn't see your reply about not being able to lift your legs before posting this. I thinks it's going to be tough to fly in freefall. Static lines with water landing would probably be doable but will be more expensive (drying and repacking gear) and harder to arrange logistically. Don't know what else to tell you. Sorry. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Didn't have a wavier for my first two first jumps, two civilian schools. 1978 and 1980. I skim them for silly things. Terry I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Loops stretch and pack jobs compress. I've gotten pretty good at getting them tight enough. But, I used to routinely take a rig that I packed off someones back to open it up and replace the loop. I pride myself on ascetics as well as safety and function. Complain (comment?) to your rigger. I believe he/she should open it up and tighten with out charge. One thing that a lot of people still do is use a ParaGear type kneeling plate. This "bridges across the PC to the sides of the reserve pack on Javelins, Wings, etc and doesn't allow for complete compression of the PC in the center. It does need/have/should be the rigger who originally packed it. Some riggers will open someone else's pack job, tighten the loop, seal it with their seal, and note that on the card (or not note it). Very few of us at the PIA rigger committee meetings will either do this or want others to do it to our pack job. Terry I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Yeah, but it's probably bent! Like mine. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

go here http://www.chiefaircraft.com/cgi-bin/hazel.cgi?action=serve&item=/Aircraft/Aircraft.html and search on flotation. Chief Aircraft single chamber inflatable (oral or CO2) life vest. $35 versus $55 from para gear. Sew up your own pouch or buy cheap $5 fanny packs. Watch out for the hazardous shipping charge. I've wore these uninflated under the rig on intentional water jumps. Release the chest strap and inflate orally if needed. These have the advantage of oral inflation versus the previous example that only uses the CO2 cartridge. Not to mention cheaper. Terry I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Maybe hit and rock. Accuracy landing, take your rig off, and run to the rocking chair. For POPS, SOS etc. Have to admit this is about the earliest I've seen someone get out of a rig. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Two of my four malfunctions (all before 1988) were tensions knots. This used to be a very common partial malfunction. I believe, without any evidence, that the use of the slicker microline has help decrease tension knots. I have one on video, from underneath. Sorry, it's VHS and I don't have capture capability. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Maybe the answer your looking for is don't pick a rig based on the reserve PC design. It doesn't matter... Enough to care. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

That's about the time of the bikini sliders. Replacement sliders were recommended but not required. I wouldn't/won't pack one without the bikini slider. It gave faster openings. Don't remember the DOM's covered. I'd have to look it up and I'm too lazy this morning. Ask your rigger. If the slider has the front triangle and back triangle of material cut out, then it's the bikini slider and has been changed. Terry I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Jump #4. Made my first freefall on jump #6 with it. Competition Paracomander, Crossbow H/C and Crossbow reserve. 1980 $400 Weight app. 50lbs. I still have it and it's packed. Oh and Why? Because it was there. terry I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

About half my small customer base is round canopies, on pilot's backs (or butts). I like packing rounds. You get to stand up, they usually close easier (i.e. I'm not sweating when I finish), there less liability (chance they will be used), there's usually less maintenance needed, .... I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Hmmmmm, In these days of acronyms it pretty funny that people won't believe that a word could be a simple adjective.

Considering that in 1980 there were no such things as professional packers, always. I want to see it and I want to pack it. Of course I pack the reserve too. As for fast, if I don't stop it takes between 5 and 10 minutes and no waiting. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

After I shattered the ankle end of my tibia I couldn't take a running step for about two years. At about 200lbs I started jumping a Raven IV and then a Manta. This was in the late 80's. If I had any forward speed left I had to slide on my butt. I got very good at flaring for my rear. I'd ususally stand up at the end of the slide like sliding into second. After they took one of the screws out I could run again and got a Sabre 190, now a sabre 170. I never needed any extra padding. But, you do need excellent canopy control and smooth lawn for landing. The key is to be very consistent in flaring for zero vertical speed. For a couple of years after I could run I routinely flared low, timed for my rear instead of my feet. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Go to a fabric or craft store and look for fabric paint. Not the puffy kind. Might work. Try it on the back side first. Also ask a rigger there if he has parachute marking ink. Might look ugly but would change color. For that matter I had a newbie that changed his rig from blue to black with a fabric marker pen. (no I wouldn't pack it.) Terry I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE

Nope. Susie and I are friends and are both active rigger members of the Parachute Industry Association. PIA will be having their Sept. meeting in Colo. Spgs. and I'll probably be out there. Visitors are welcome. Terry I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE