darthur2000

I jumped Safire 2s from 189 (1.1 w/l) down to 149 (1.4 w/l) and found the slider/closed end cells happened more often at the lighter wing loading end of the spectrum. As for the line twists, most likely body position or packing is what I found to be the cause most often when I've had them.

Yes that would be beer. And don't forget the rigger, you owe him/her something too.

That's not about superstition, it's about thanking someone for saving you from cratering. Hence the reason it's called a save for the rigger. As for the cutaway, my first was a bag lock. Was in the base of a 9-way and pulled about 2.8k. Then there was that weird moment when you think, he where the hell is my canopy. Checked that I didn't miss the pull and that the container was empty. Looked over my shoulder and couldn't see anything so the muscle memory kicked in from all those practice EP's and "look peel look pull pull arch" and whap, I was sitting in at 1,400 under a good reserve. The most confusing thing was that I tried to collapse the slider on my reserve and it took me a second to realize that they don't collapse ;-) One of the best parts was it was a demo rig so after landing I brought it back to the rep gave him the gear back, got the riggers name so I could send her a bottle of vodka, then grabbed my rig and got on the next load.

Yep, I get tired of saying "No tandem ass-slides, big boys and girls land on their feet" to people that started off with tandems.

Went straight to AFF and after being in the sport a few years and seeing enough tandems I'm glad I did.

I've seen a couple of groundings for low pulls and met someone who was grounded at the time for hurrying a pack job to make a load. Problem was he left his power tool in the closing loop but luckily someone saw it as he tried getting on the plane.

Just wondering what other's take is on this: http://www.uspa.org/Portals/0/News/Part%2065%20FR.PDF So from first reading it appears to say that only riggers can perform maintenance. Is changing a closing loop considered maintenance? What about replacing a broken band on the d-bag?

Packing. Stop by the DZ and ask to talk to one of the riggers and see when they're doing a packing class. Might cost a few bucks (or some beer) but you'll learn all about the gear. If you can get signed off you might find some work at the DZ as a packer to help scrap up the $$$ for AFF (plus you'll need to learn how to pack to get your A-license anyways so it's not like the experience will go to waste). After that if you still have the bug to learn more about the gear, take a riggers course (Rigger's are the people certificated by the FAA to repack reserves, repair gear and make modifications (minor repairs are done by Senior Parachute Riggers and major repairs and modifications are done by Master Parachute Riggers)).

Don't forget the packers. Packing is covered under FAR part 105 and clearly states that either the person jumping the parachute, an FAA certificated rigger or someone under the "Direct Supervision" of a certificated rigger is allowed to pack it. How many DZ's let that one slide and don't have a rigger on the ground supervising the packers (and yes that includes sport packers who are required to be supervised).

Wingloading, not so much, design, packing etc., yes. I think you'd have to work very hard to consistantly have your main open as fast or faster then your reserve would. (Your reserve is designed, tested and packed to consistently open in 300' or less.) And although I only have one terminal velocity opening on a reserve (took 200'), yeah somthing opening that fast will spank your ass hard and you will know it (but when you're blowing through 2k with a bag lock, you'll be happy for the spanking).

Your best bet if you don't have a rigger around to inspect it and give a detailed list of the damage is to send it back to the manufacturer.

Feeling bad just means you have a conscience (and there's nothing wrong with that). Paying for lost gear??? Nope, I'd quit packing if I was expected to pay for any lost or damaged gear from a cut away on one of my pack jobs. Here's the economics: pack job = $6 cost of replacement: main (approx $2,000) risers (approx. $150) D-bag and PC (approx. $175) freebag and reserve PC (approx $250) rigger cost to rebuild and repack (approx. $75) total replacement cost = $2650 That means it would take about 442 pack jobs to pay for the gear (and if the going rate at your DZ is $5 per pack job then it would be 530 pack jobs to cover the cost). So one cut away means the packer makes basically nothing for a month or more. If people start expecting the packers to pay for gear lost on a cut away there won't be anyone willing to pack (or packers would have to start charging a lot more for pack jobs to cover the costs, I wonder how many jumpers are willing to pay $25+ for a pack job?).

The answer is none. So if you did a tandem in March 1995 you are considered by the USPA to now have 15-years in the sport (and yes they do count towards things like getting your Tandem Instructor rating).

Don't worry Dave, I'll bring that down a bit. 137313+495=137808 230+2=232 137808/232=594

hmmm, they have the Freefly Training Center, West Hartford, CT listed but there's no contact information for it? Oh wait, that's right, there's no such thing (kinda funny since there's not even an airport in West Hartford, let alone a dropzone).

Though a couple ppl have posted getting digital altimeters and full face helmets, you should check with the DZ where you're going to do AFF at. At the DZ I work and jump at students aren't allowed to wear digital altimeters, audible altimeters, and full face helmets until they are almost have their license (and you can actually start jumping your own rig if it's appropriately sized and your instructors approve of it. I started jumping my own on #22). Also you won't be allowed to wear tinted goggles until you're licensed (instructors want to see your eyes). As for altimeters I use a Galaxy III for visual and recommend them (I have a couple of audibles too but I do like the idea of having a mechanical altimeter because I never have to worry about it running out of batteries). Helmets, I prefer to feel the wind in my face so both my helmets are open face (bonehead mindwarp for fun and tonfly cc1 for camera). Jumpsuits, start with an RW suit because you really should learn to fly on your belly before you freefly (mines a Bev Suit but as around the DZ to find out who's a dealer and keep in mind that it might take a month from the time you order it until you get it if it's custom made). Those three things you can get and start jumping right away (I was jumping all three of them while a student).

Around jump 15 or so, figure out who the Riggers are at the dropzone. Have a talk with your Instructors and the Riggers. A lot of times they'll know local jumpers who just ordered new gear or have gear for sale and can help you find things that'll fit and be appropriate for your skill level (plus if you buy used from the classified here or something you definitely should go through your rigger so he/she can inspect it and try to help you from getting f'ed over).

I did AFF at 4 different dropzones in 3 different States so it's doable. You'll want to carry your proficiency card with you as well because that's where the "A-License" stamp will go. As for the different cards, they are both supposed to cover the exact same material. The SIM gives the entire dive flow and learning objectives for each jump so technically it shouldn't matter. That said, be ready to answer questions if you start with a 2-page at one DZ then the next one uses the 4-page card and they ask you a bunch of questions (the 4-page is more thorough in what skills the instructor signs off on so if they put you on the 4-page they will be looking to verify that all parts of the category were completed).

Could always do something like 3-years as a licensed skydiver and a minimum of 600 jumps in the last 3-years. Then you get some time actually in the sport and a certian level of currency.

Well here's the problem. I did talk to someone who had about 20-years in sport (according to the current definition used to determine if someone is qualified for a TI rating). They didn't have much to say other then that the tandem jump they did back in the '90s was fun (they weren't sure if it was '90 or '91). They haven't been at a DZ or touched a parachute since then so they didn't really have much to say beyond that. But hey, according to the USPA and the "time in sport" criteria currently used they have about 20-years in sport and meet one of the qualifications to get a TI rating. It's not that time in sport is meaningless, it's just the way it is currently defined that makes it meaningless. If this is going to be used as a qualification then the "time in sport" clock should start from when you become a licensed skydiver.

Time in sport is a meaningless criteria as it's currently defined. The time is counted from when you make your first jump which is silly. Here' a scenario: Person A went through a FJC in January 2008, gets a Coach rating in the spring of 2009, and gets their D-license in spring 2010 (500 jumps, 6+ hours FF etc). That person must wait until January 2011 to get a TI rating (and AFF-I if you use the current "time in sport" definition). Person B makes a single tandem jump on a dare from a college classmate in 1990. 18-years later they go through the same FJC as person A in January 2008, gets a Coach rating at the same time in the spring of 2009, and gets their D-license in spring 2010 (500 jumps, 6+ hours FF etc). Under the current system Person B would have sufficient "time in sport" to get either rating simply because they made that one tandem jump years ago. Does doing a single tandem jump and then coming back years or decades latter really make that much of a difference? If the USPA and manufacturers are going to have a "time in sport" criteria then it really should be time as a licensed skydiver.

Hey Cam, talk to Hollie. Don

The SIM has a section on recurrency http://www.uspa.org/SIM/Read/Section5/tabid/168/Default.aspx#970

no way, the Icarus harness and Jav canopy is way better (throw in an altimaster AAD and a bonehead reserve and you're all set)

I'm a little confused. The fatality report uses the term "stowage bands" and previous posts in this thread about the fatality are using that to mean tube stows but in this quote "stow bands" is used to mean rubber bands. So is "stowage bands" actually another term for tube stows and "stow bands" another term for rubber bands? And in regards to baglocks, mine came on rubber bands and yes, it was due to a packing error.