webracer

600 in two years actual jumping (about a year of downtime in there for surgeries (not skydiving accident related). Otherwise I would be around 800-900. Still going, and going, and going.... watchout rabbit! Troy I am now free to exercise my downward mobility.

I have traveled worldwide with DV tapes, and even in the last year (I travel for work 100%) no damage has occurred. Like another poster advised. If I had some really great footage that couldn't be reshot I would hand carry it, but thats just to look paranoid. I don't take my shoes off either! Troy I am now free to exercise my downward mobility.

I know about 6 people jumping IP5 or IP7 cameras without too many problems. The biggest issue is lack of a lanc port. I also know 3 people jumping IP55 cameras (and I just bought one to jump with). The IP55 has a lanc port, and the advantage of MPEG2 is it is a great format for capture for editing. The disadvantage is that you cannot share via firewire to MiniDV owners, you have to capture in PC first, then export to them. It can be done. You can also share via analog if you buy the right adapters. Jump the IP5 if you feel it suits you, luckily with so many folks at my dz (SDC) using MicroMV, there is opportunity to share via firewire. I also have a MiniDV VCR to make it easier to share. Also the tapes are more expensive, but all have 64k memory onboard, which makes searching the tape great. Enjoy it if you buy it. Troy I am now free to exercise my downward mobility.

I am thinking of buying an IP55 or IP220 for inside video (students and such). Some people at my DZ are using IP models, and a few are using IP 55 models. I am polling the rest of the forum here for more information Troy I am now free to exercise my downward mobility.

IMO, the mirage is the best rig out there. I concede that the 4.1s are better than the 4.0s, but I think they still need a bit of work. I would have bought a G3, but with the size I was considering (MT), I think that a G4.1 would have looked good. I saw an MXS that looked fantastic. I think leaving the reserve container loose (too long of closing loop) does resolve the wrinkle issues, but creates safety issues (I'd rather have a few wrinkles than an unsafe condition). It also impacts asthetics with regard to the reserve flap sticking up too much (which can also be a safety issue). My G3 Unisyn looks so good that Mirage really has their work cut out to make one look/perform better. My NJ Odyssey doesn't look half as good as the Mirage (IMO), but is comfortable and easier to repack. Troy I am now free to exercise my downward mobility.

the $300 is really $200 when you figure in the backpad which is standard on G4, $105 on G3. I planned to buy a G3 though (already have one), since I think the G4 looks wrinkly and unfinished. I ultimately got an Odyssey for a good price used, so that became my second rig. Maybe by the time they're at 4.3 or so, they will look as clean as the G3. They look great at shows, but those in the field get all wrinkly after a few jumps. The smaller ones seem better at staying wrinkle-free than the bigger ones. And what are you polling above? There is no question to answer... G3vsG4 is not a question!!! Troy I am now free to exercise my downward mobility.

I don't particularly like the lack of a sewback on the chest strap either, but it is a fact of life (with that rig). The chest strap is some 4-6 inches longer than a standard strap, and I loosen it all the way under canopy. I cannot get it to come out of the buckle unless I use two hands and pull it out (under canopy). You just have to retrain your mind to accept it. Troy I am now free to exercise my downward mobility.

To make a long story short, I lost my Pro Track out of an old L&B leg mount strap and they replaced it no questions asked! They even shipped it to me at their cost. I don't know of any company for any product that would do something like that. Help L&B by NOT sharing but purchasing your own Jumptrack software!!

Don't start passing out the respect yet, you're giving it up way too easily! And, as a note, your AFFI partner has to also be a candidate, or at least that's the way it was. Troy I am now free to exercise my downward mobility.

If the dealer says the price is good, trust them, they would not take advantage of a skydiver. The skydiving equipment dealers are very crafty in the marketing department. I also really like those selling 25-30% off coupons (won at special events). Trying to get a couple hundred dollars for a 30% off coupon, when it really only saves you 5% from most dealers' prices. Even if the coupon is 50% off, it is still only worth maybe 10% of the item value. If you win a 25-30 off coupon, and don't want to use it, give it to a friend. Troy I am now free to exercise my downward mobility.

Right on... Make sure your family knows you don't skydive as a deathwish. I never really had a solemn discussion with my family until a few months ago when I decided that I would try base jumping. I read an article (maybe on blinc) some time ago that discussed the responsibility to your family when you take a quest like base up. I had that discussion, and will reiterate prior to actually making my first base jump (looks like May-third week). I included skydiving, and let my family know that I do it for skill development, fun, and social reasons. It is not a deathwish, or trying to cheat death. Troy I am now free to exercise my downward mobility.

I have: Samurai 136 (1, 1 more ordered) Samurai 120 (ordered) Jedei 120 (1) I love Brian's canopies. Looks like he's designing a new one to bridge the gap between eliptical and tri-cell xbrace. That'll probably be the only thing to get me off these Samurais. Troy I am now free to exercise my downward mobility.

If you really want great tunneltime, go to one of the tunnelcamps offered (NSL, DelandMajik, Airspeed). You get lots of training and time. I am going to my second Airspeed camp in April. Definitely right that the skyventure team is totally committed and a great group of people. Airspeed also makes you feel like you paid a million bucks for their camp (they treat you that good... its like being in Vegas with a million on account). Troy I am now free to exercise my downward mobility.

I guess I spent about $2000 with practice, the course cost of $850, video, and the booze bought afterwards. I did take time off work as well (10 days). Troy I am now free to exercise my downward mobility.

I didn't go to a precourse, but the course Glenn offered at SDC in July was for 9 days, of which two were for practice jumps. I paid $850 for the course and jumps (including practice jumps), and extra $20/jump for video (the video staff at SDC was great in not charging the candidates more than a jump ticket- also thanks to Mike Swanson who did a couple videos for me as well, again for $20 each). I graduated in 8 days as did most of the candidates who made it. The biggest wall for most people in the air is being able to fly their slot. You have to be very aware just to pass the course, and that is just the beginning of your training. You can make mistakes, you just have to recover and keep your head. Oh yeah, always turn toward the head at breakoff. I failed a "perfect" jump because I turned toward the feet. Have fun and fly your slot... don't get upset when you make a mistake, just reset and go on. Manage the stress, most of it is created by you! Troy I am now free to exercise my downward mobility.

Bad spots happen if you let them, or if you don't . When I am at a familiar DZ, I will get out where others shouldn't. Many times I have made it back when those in my group, or groups before me didn't (despite being the highest wingloading in the group by a couple points or more). I have never been angry (at the pilot) when I landed off (about 6 times). It is as much my responsibility as the pilot. That said, I have held the door on many occasions when the green light would have meant landing off. A huge rule every non-student jumper should know is to locate the DZ immediately after opening (preferably before deployment), and get heading in that direction. Get to your holding area, then play around. I turn with harness or rear risers toward the DZ immediately after opening, then start stowing my slider, loosening my chest strap and opening my helmet or removing my goggles. The last thing I do is release my brakes. Mistakes happen, the best advice I can give on spotting is to learn from the mistakes in the past. If you choose not to, you will be doing a lot of walking and field-packing. Troy I am now free to exercise my downward mobility.

I think wingloading is subjective. Instructors (myself included) need to be more involved with canopy control for students and low-timers (less than 300 jumps). I was at 1.2:1 from jump 13-30(Sabre), 1.3:1 from Jump 31-228(Sabre), 1.5:1 from jump 229-300 (Samurai), and from jump 300 to present at 1.7:1(Samurai). I downsized quicker than most, but without complaints from staff. My canopy skills are solid, and I take comments from others when offered. I also did some early-on canopy training with Chris Bagwell, and later with Brian Germain when I switched to the Samurai. That said, now that it is time to downsize again, I am not doing it. The wingloading where I am at now is quite challenging when I want it to be (and when I make mistakes), and I don't see a need to downsize. Wingloading is subjective. Assess the subject for a better decision. Troy I am now free to exercise my downward mobility.

I went to the AFFI course this year (Glenn Bangs-CD). I met my partner at the course, and we did about 6 practice jumps together (2 with staff AFFIs, and 4 with course evaluators). We also did jumps solo with staff AFFIs (I did 4 or 5, and she did 9 or 10) and with course evaluators (each did about 3 cat D jumps). We bumped heads early on, but bonded on common goals and got through the course together. Now that it's over, we are great friends. I think practicing with a partner is beneficial, but I believe (as Glenn said) that one practice jump with an evaluator is worth 10 practice jumps with a regular AFFI. Get ready for the personality conflicts though, when the stress comes on, people go into their own little worlds and deal with it in their own way. Troy I am now free to exercise my downward mobility.

I love my A3. I have used it for two seasons and nearly 500 rw jumps. My only problem... each of the 4 replacement lenses I have installed did not fit well (too much radius makes them harder to close with one hand), and the top trim on the lens has to be super-glued. It will come off the lens immediately. Every other aspect of this helmet is tops.

I have a velcro tie-off on my jumpsuits. I use a 1.5 x 2 section of hook (mounted 2 wide, 1.5 high), with a 3.5" piece of 3/4" elastic sewn under the hook. On the end of the elastic I have a 3/4 x 1.5 piece of loop (mounted 1.5 wide, 3/4 high). This holds the slider pretty securely, but lets go on occasion (maybe 2-3% of time). I can just grab my slider at the grommets and pull it up the risers and the attachment will let go. I am positive this will not interfere with cutaway.

Please do your gear checks. At a chicago-area DZ on sunday, a jumper on a load with me (using a borrowed rig) had the chest strap come undone in freefall. The jumper then experienced line twists on a Stiletto and was considering a cutaway but was afraid to go back into freefall. The jumper got out of the line twists, and landed safely, but was very shaken. This could have turned out much worse. Please do the proper gear checks and make sure your chest strap is fastened/routed properly.

Mostly we worked on bettering my approach/swoops. We also worked on carving in the swoop (heading changes). We then did some CRW (with Brian on the c/b airlock and me on my Sam 136) which mostly involved me doing manuevers with him relative so I can get altitude bearings for moves up high.

I believe it is an 84. I got some coaching from Brian a couple weeks abo on my two new Samurais (great canopies), and Brian was jumping what he said was one of Swanson's canopies. It was an 84 cross-braced with airlocks. We did a bit of flying together, and it sure looked nice. A bit out of my league at this point. Maybe next year.

Hey, the most recent three articles posted on the home page are fantastic. Especially applying to my interests are the Jefferies and Von Novak articles. Thanks for your contributions, I really enjoyed them. Kickstand D24550