Hooknswoop

Cookie has the best quality I have seen. The liners are very comfortable as well. The M1 holds 2 audibles. They are pricey, but you get your money's worth. Derek V

No letter, "3.5 x 35" which refers to the model ACOG. Then the "5:16". Derek V

I just checked and mine says "5:16". The other markings are standard. Anyone know what that means? Derek V

How do you know there are enough troops? Why are the Belgian medics leaving citing lack of security if there are enough troops? You have zero idea what you are talking about. Derek V

What about: Enlisting Hollywood's aid? Get people used to the idea of a major event with disaster movies. Hollywood as worked with the government before. Derek V

OK, random “what if?” thought: What if the US government knew that there would be a major earth ‘event’ in the next 4-6 years? How would they prepare? Derek V

I'll ask a different question. What teaching credentials is required to teach a pilot to be a CFI? Derek V

And not because you were probably taught how to pilot an aircraft by someone with absolutely no "teaching credentials"? Not because some of the best CFI's have no "teaching credentials"? How can that be? How can someone teach someone else without having "teaching credentials"? Does this mean you were not taught how to fly correctly? Does that mean you are a poor pilot because your CFI had no "teaching credentials"? Irrelevant because my example demonstrates that you do not need "teaching credentials" to be an effective teacher, disproving your point, making you, wait for it......................wrong? But don't you have "teaching credentials"? How can someone who doesn't have "teaching credentials" teach like you do? Hmmmmmmmm..... Yes, people can effectively teach others without "teaching credentials". Get over it. Derek V

You did not answer my question; What "teaching credentials" did your CFI's have? Derek V

What teaching credentials did your flight Instructor(s) have? What credentials did their Instructors have? Derek V

As a " freeman", that can "say what ever I choose", I think they are fighting *your* wars. You should say "thank you" next time you someone in uniform. Let me make sure I have this straight, you want to insult and point out their failures to a bunch of "trained killers and destroyers for hire". Hmmmm. Let me know how that goes for you. Derek V

Thank you very much for taking the time to respond to my questions. Derek V

I have a few questions: 1. How does this affect non-USPA Group Member drop zones? 2. What happens if the drop zone does not return the Aircraft Status Form? 3. If the drop zone does return the form, will it be verified for accuracy? 4. If yes, how? 5. What will be done with the information on the Aircraft Status Form? 6. Will USPA maintain a database that USPA Members can check to see what a drop zone is reporting? 7. Will a drop zone’s Group Membership not be renewed or revoked for failure to submit or falsifying the Aircraft Status Form? 8. If there is a lawsuit resulting from a jump plane incident, will the Aircraft Status Forms be made available to either party involved in the lawsuit? 9. If the last addition to the Group Member Pledge, separating landing areas by either distance or time was a dismal failure with many DZ’s failing to separate landing areas, how will this be any different? Derek V

It did hit the tail, bent it in fact. It was a Skyhook, but he only snagged the spectra line and pulled the pin. He was lucky he didn't cutaway his non-rsl side riser (left). The door handle has been replaced with one that is much less likely to snag anything. I was recently coaching a friend of this guy in the tunnel and he showed me this video last week. It is from South America. Derek V

I agree, it would be easier, but would require more work to design and build and increase bulk. Everything is a trade-off. I was leaning towards low bulk and easy to build on this design. The lines pack up very quickly and easily as is. It was a fun experiment, not as fun as wet risers in the freezer, but still fun. Derek V

Not really, I just stuff each 'layer' of line in, moving the magnets apart each time. They are strong, but they don't get my fingers. It is much easier than a normal bag. One layer at a time, like a reserve, but not as neat. Derek V

What do you think the slowest average speed of the PC is during deployment? I have no concerns about line dump or bag strip. There is no reason that the canopy will come out before line stretch compared to a 'normal' d-bag. Derek V

1-1/2-inch type III. Ya, tandems are scary. Derek V

I would be willing to put a Sabre1 or Triathlon into this d-bag. Those canopys are sensitive to the slider grommets being against the slider stops during deployment. The only way that can happen is for the locking stows to come undone before the canopy gets to line stretch. Not sure how that could happen with this d-bag. I have heard of bag strip and have asked several times if anyone, anywhere, in all the thousands and thousands of canopy deployments of video, for video of bag strip. No one has ever shown video of bag strip to me. I have seen a lot of videos of hard openings, but in none of those was the canopy out of the d-bag before line stretch. I do expect an increase in initial opening shock (snatch force) as the canopy is re-accelerated to my speed at line stretch, but I doubt if I will even be able to notice the difference. Derek V

Nope, not new at all. Didn't mean to give the impression it was my idea. Next canopy destined for that container is a Stiletto 120. Why? Derek V

Made it from scratch. I wanted a 2-stow bag and was trying to find one to buy and couldn't. So I made my own. Used the old d-bag as a pattern, a few strong magnets from my slider keeper supply and a couple of hours later.... It is easier to pack than rubber bands. I didn't want flaps or velcro because of bulk and wear issues. I figure magnets worked great for riser covers and slider keepers, why not for a line pouch? Not a new concept at all, free bags have been around a long time with 2 stows and a pouch. I just thought that this was a neat twist on the concept and easy to make. Some people believe that this type of bag causes hard openings, I hope that people will see this bag and the soft openings and realize that is not the case. Derek V

I made a 2-stow main d-bag that uses a pouch to hold the lines. The pouch is held closed and a 'channel' for the lines to play out by magnets. I have only made one jump with it, but it was a soft, snivelly opening. The canopy was an Icarus Crossfire1 104. Derek V

50% of DOT Approved fail the DOT test when they are actually tested by an independent lab. In order to receive DOT approval, the manufacture must believe the helmet will pass the test, they do not have to actually test the helmet. You can do a search for the DOT test results. DOT means nothing. Get a SNELL certified helmet. http://www.nhtsa.gov/cars/testing/comply/fmvss218/2007s218.pdf DV

Is registered to Dee Jones. Can't steal something you own....... A friend of mine once told me a story about an aircraft owner partner ship he was involved in. Every time he went to use the plane, it was either not there (even though he had reserved it, or was almost empty of fuel, etc. He reserved it several months out to fly his family our for x-mas and when he showed up, the plane was gone. He wanted the other owners to buy him out, but they wouldn't. So when the plane came back, he took it to a small grass strip and hid it. They called the police. The police told them that he can't steal the plane since he owned it (at least part of it). They came up with the money to buy out his share and he returned the plane. DV

From the April issue of 'Parachutist'; USPA's response to the FAA regarding the NTSB's "demanding improvement in jump plane maintenance and jump pilot competency.": "Work continues, but the Group Member Pledge will incorporate requirements to provide information about the maintenance program and maintenance interval of each jump plane operated by a DZ." In another paragraph of the same section regarding Safety and Training: "[, the vast majority of drop zones are still not separating canopy traffic-even with the change to the Group Membership Pledge in 2008 that required each group member DZ to come up with a plan to separate canopy traffic and to disseminate that information to their jumpers." USPA has hard evidence and admits that the GM Pledge is being ignored (at least in part) by "The vast majority of drop zones" , so they plan on adding further requirements to a worthless 'pledge' to satisfy the FAA. They are either have a serious case of denial about the effectiveness of their GM 'Pledge', or are knowingly selling the FAA a shovel full of B.S. If DZ's can ignore part, parts, or the entire GM 'Pledge' without any adverse consequences, why have it all? What is the point of the GM 'Pledge'? DV