antonija

If any one of my friends honestly believes that it was my intent to insult them by sending them this page then they are very very heterophobic. Noone is above being the centre of a joke. Man, woman, gay, straight, bi, muslim, christian, atheist, skydiver, wuffo, young old, ... It's a joke. Get over it :p P.S.: If anyone would like to write a joke on my account feel free to do so, as long as you respect all basic human rights (like I do). I understand the need for conformity. Without a concise set of rules to follow we would probably all have to resort to common sense. -David Thorne

If I were gay I'd probably be offended... but now it's just funny as hell!!! I have to send this to all my gay friends ROFL I understand the need for conformity. Without a concise set of rules to follow we would probably all have to resort to common sense. -David Thorne

You should feel all those things at the moment you jump off a plane. Consider this: You're in a giant plane with no windows (giant so it feels as stable as the ground and no windows so you can't tell if you're moving, how high you are, etc). There is a hole in the floor (but you can't see through it (It's an ACME hole. Don't ask). While you are on this giant windowless plane you feel no different than being on the ground. You feel "normal" 1g of gravity and no wind. Now pilot of this plane starts deep dive (you guessed it, at 1g downwards). Do you get that sick feeling? Now pilot stops the fall and you feel "normal" 1g again, just as if you were on the ground. And all of the sudden a trap door opens up under you and you fall out of the plane (plane is traveling at 80mph). Do you get that sick feeling? After few seconds of fall that feeling goes away... kind of. I guess your body gets used to it and stops bugging you until the next sudden change of vertical speed. To sum it up: On the plane (as on the ground) your inner ear, stomach and just about every other organ will experience normal gravity _plus_ the force of floor/ground keeping you from falling through. When you jump your body is not supported any more by the floor/ground and all your inner workings start to "float" inside your body (which really isn't much of a problem since we're filled with water anyway) and that's when you feel this sudden change. Everything above was "done" at normal gravity (1g). Amusement parks do something else. They accelerate you further than just gravity would. There it can go up to 4g's of acceleration and your body will probably register that more intense than your everyday 1g. You are also accelerated in many directions, not just your everyday straight down. I understand the need for conformity. Without a concise set of rules to follow we would probably all have to resort to common sense. -David Thorne

Forward speed does not have any influence on your vertical acceleration (in theory; in practice you can "track" perpendicular to air flow so right after exit this could be "up"). We all accelerate towards the ground with 1g until air resistance starts to fight the gravity. When it's a tie we reach terminal velocity. I understand the need for conformity. Without a concise set of rules to follow we would probably all have to resort to common sense. -David Thorne

That's why you should always keep your eyes on the plane when you jump out. And just watch it go away... I still get that feeling every time :p I understand the need for conformity. Without a concise set of rules to follow we would probably all have to resort to common sense. -David Thorne

I really like this advice! I'm going to do my best to follow it.

It's exactly like jumping out of an airplane (perfectly good one, flying and all), falling for a bit, then throwing a piece of nylon into the air and hoping it doesn't kill you. If it does try to kill you you have to fight it... looser does not go home usually. I understand the need for conformity. Without a concise set of rules to follow we would probably all have to resort to common sense. -David Thorne

If you jump out of slow planes it will exactly like that for the first few times. After that you can jump from balloons, which will also give you static air to jump out. Helicopters are another option, but as far as I know they do travel in direction of jump run to give skydivers enough separation for opening. But it really doesn't matter what you jump from as long as you're having fun!! I understand the need for conformity. Without a concise set of rules to follow we would probably all have to resort to common sense. -David Thorne

If DZs organise course for foreigners then they also advertise in foreign (usually English) language. I understand the need for conformity. Without a concise set of rules to follow we would probably all have to resort to common sense. -David Thorne

I voted for second option. In my opinion as long as I feel secure I'll look out for others if there is anything that could threaten them. But if I start feeling threatened I will save my own ass first and then go back to the "look for others" mode. I understand the need for conformity. Without a concise set of rules to follow we would probably all have to resort to common sense. -David Thorne

So when people use GPS to make jump profiles.. do they use altitude data from GPS or do they use secondary skydive computer and sync altitude data with GPS position? I understand the need for conformity. Without a concise set of rules to follow we would probably all have to resort to common sense. -David Thorne

I went through the wingsuit section and I couldn't find any new post about which GPS loggers are the current "standard" for skydiving. Lots of people mention WBT-201, but that unit has been around for few years and things change quite fast in electronic gadgets. So is there any tried and tested GPS logger out there that most skydivers use to track their jumps? Like sony cameras are for video sort of thing? I understand the need for conformity. Without a concise set of rules to follow we would probably all have to resort to common sense. -David Thorne

I'm pretty sure I've read all the posts about neptune, pro-track, alti-track and skytronic audiables, but I'm not able to find enough information on how do they store jump data. What I'm looking for is (in order of importance): 1) A device that will record hight/time data. 2) A device able to export/download data to paralog for further analysis. 3) audible alarms in freefall and under canopy. 1 and 2 are a must, #3 can be archived via second device (optima, etc.) I'm pretty sure neptune can do all of the above, but the unit got some bad rep as far as it's software goes (buggy software with random errors, ranging from wrong jump profile tagging (deployment altitude etc.) to deviations in measures height). On plus side neptune seems to have loads of functions, alarms in freefall and under canopy, can download into paralog, is more robust and waterproof. According to gear section reviews Neptune is as average as it gets. About the same nuber of votes for all marks with average being... well... average. Lots of people complaining about battery life, unit not working (switching off), etc. My visual alti will always be analog needle, so don't care much for neptunes big screen altitude display. Pro-track also seems like very good choice. Software is (in contrast to neptunes) bug free, unit is very accurate and can export to paralog. It does not have canopy alarms tho, but has a "siren like" hard deck alarm which people seem to like. I couldn't find any information whether pro-track records enough data so paralog can create skydive profile out of it (nice colored graphs showing altitude vs. time, speed vs time, etc.). Alti-track looks really good option to go along with optima (or any other audible only alti), but software-wise it's only compatible with jumptrack, which (as already mentioned) was not recieved well and is described as "leaving a lot to desire" when compared to paralog. Also using M$ Access to manage database is a big minus. Skytronic GFX... is really not that popular or so it seems. It's not listed in the gear section, only couple of threads about it being not-so-good. It is listed as "supported" on paralog website, it has freefly and canopy audible alarms... But I was also unable to determine if paralog can generate skydive profiles out of its data. If there are any protrack/paralog or skytronic/paralog users out there, a comment on protrack and skytronics compatibility with paralog is greatly appreciated. So far I'm leaning towards pro-track, but I don't know if I'll be able to analyze jump profile in paralog (can't find out how much data pro-track logs; entire profile or only average speeds, time in air/under canopy, jump #, etc.). If there are any other skydiving geeks out there that like to play with toys and apply numbers to just about anything in life, please comment on what you use to log the data. Audible function is not absolutely required and I'd rather go with 2 units (one being really good jump logger and second being really good audible) than 1 that is not very good in any field. I understand the need for conformity. Without a concise set of rules to follow we would probably all have to resort to common sense. -David Thorne

You make it sound like "wuffos doing statistics" are the ones responsible for the actual results :p We are the ones that pack our chutes, we jump out of planes, we throw 100-300 sq of cloth into the air at 200kmh and we deal with mals. It's also us that gets injured or die from time to time. This is _our_ statistics. It us. Not wuffos image of us. I do agree that self-trust goes a long long long way, but in some cases it just isn't enough or even backfires. Always stay on your toes for that mal which you'll talk about to your grandkids about. If you deal with it in the right way that is. +1 I understand the need for conformity. Without a concise set of rules to follow we would probably all have to resort to common sense. -David Thorne

Just a quick update on my landings: This weekend I finally got to jump again, asked my instructor to watch&film my landings. It turned out I flared to low and didn't flare all the way (although I flared just about all the way :p). My landings this weekend were 7/7 standups :p. Also practicing flare high up just to see how much time you have before canopy stalls was good for my confidence with flares. I understand the need for conformity. Without a concise set of rules to follow we would probably all have to resort to common sense. -David Thorne

That's why parents signed the waiver, not the minor. I understand the need for conformity. Without a concise set of rules to follow we would probably all have to resort to common sense. -David Thorne

"Have you heard from BUBLHED lately?" "Dude... he died... :\" "How'd that happen?" "A hot chick walked by the DZ and his vigil fired... downplaned right into the ground." It really doesn't take any "smart" to check lifesaving stuff... even with hot chicks around. I understand the need for conformity. Without a concise set of rules to follow we would probably all have to resort to common sense. -David Thorne

My jump number is very low and I still jump 280 student canopy, so I don't think the size is the problem here. The thing is that I'm used to falling from my youth (other sports I did where it was preferable to "PLF" because fighting to stay on your feet would result in serious injuries in 99%), so when I think ground is still coming in too fast I just absorb vertical component a bit and then roll on the ground. I did try to stand up few of landings that seemed to fast (vertically) for me and I could feel them in my knees and my back. To me they weren't worth it. I'd rather choose muddy container that busted knee or back. Ofcourse if you have nowhere to land but concrete/asphalt I stand them up... but only because PLFing on asphalt would hurt more :p In time I wan't to be able to stand up my landings without feeling my back being squished and my knees wanting to pop out, so at this point I concentrate mostly on my flares. I try to get as many of them on the film and see what I'm doing wrong. If my instructor can land his 100sqf thingy I should be able to stand up a 280 :p I understand the need for conformity. Without a concise set of rules to follow we would probably all have to resort to common sense. -David Thorne

About 50% percent of my landings (maybe even more) end up with me rolling on the ground. I usually have to listen about it afterwards, but it's still much better to do that than sit quietly with sprained ankle because you wanted to look good. I am quite comfortable with that. Other than having a laugh afterwards (if you can't laugh at yourself you're doing it wrong) and no broken bones, the only thing that gets "hurt" is a container (and a wash cycle will fix that in no time). On the other hand most people I know will find PLF somewhat shameful... They try to stand every landing, and most of them have problems with ankles, knees and back. My container doesn't :p I understand the need for conformity. Without a concise set of rules to follow we would probably all have to resort to common sense. -David Thorne

Great vid! Thx for sharing it with us. I understand the need for conformity. Without a concise set of rules to follow we would probably all have to resort to common sense. -David Thorne

FFS man, do you even pretend to know what communism is? State is teaching and raising our kids from way before communism had it's shot in real life (and failed miserably). /when I was young speech When I was young, there was no law prohibiting sale of tobacco to kids, there were no legal curfews for minors (or below age XX), there was no sex ed in schools, kids respected their parents and everyone wore sunscreen during summer (maybe not last two ). /end speech The problem I see here is extreme opportunism using law as a tool to make money. Law was designed to make sure innocent individual don't get blamed and punished for things they did not do, not to make money. Maybe capitalist in all of us should think twice about consequences of our actions (even if law permits them or even encourages them) before filing lawsuits just because there's a really good chance you'll make some (a lot) of money. It's this part of western culture that is perverted and twisted to the limits of imaginable, throwing away all ethics and common sense people used to have. I'm done ranting for now. Move on, nothing to see here folks!

No pun intended, but if I were in US and came across wounded individual (skydiver on car crash or whatever) I'd probably not touch him/her due to lawsuit-happy attitude thats going on there. Second thing about giving first aid is that if you do it incorrectly you're likely to cause more injuries than by just leaving it alone. So the choice is hurting some one even more and being sued for it, or feeling bad about not being certifier medical personnel and not helping some poor soul. I'd just try to comfort the guy and call some willing/trained to interfere with wounds and injuries. I understand the need for conformity. Without a concise set of rules to follow we would probably all have to resort to common sense. -David Thorne

About a month ago I was taught EP for horseshoe... I was told to try once (twice depended on situation, general consensus was to give bridle a good strong pull), look at trirings at all time to see if they disconnect, if they don't, disconnect them manually (I suppose it wouldn't take much time especially if you examine trirings and how they work on the ground), then look at the silver and pull with both hands. No one mentioned anything about achieving head down position, but considering you head is down (looking at silver), your hands are not behind-and-above... you're gonna be in at least slight head down. The whole EP (bridle pull, manual disconnect, pull reserve) should not last for more than 5s I imagine... more like 3 if you practice is on the ground a bit. And since I'm very new to this sport, I like to play around with training rig (the one my instructor hangs from a tree and makes me practise cutaways) on the ground to fully understand what makes triring hold you under your canopy and why it is so easy to chop, what happens with each ring when you chop, etc. But then again I am a geek :p I understand the need for conformity. Without a concise set of rules to follow we would probably all have to resort to common sense. -David Thorne

Maybe if you'd make canopy open in several stages... so in first stage you'd get 100sqf above you head, then 200, then 300... kinda like accordion opening.. cell by cell. Maybe slider is not needed if you can manualy control when each pair of cells will start to inflate. I'm pretty sure it can be done, but it'll take a lot of time and money to do it. I'd avoid cheaply bodged solutions. I understand the need for conformity. Without a concise set of rules to follow we would probably all have to resort to common sense. -David Thorne

How on earth do you get out of prter with that thing on your back?? Unless you charter your private porter, expand the doors a bit, hit pilot in the head while climbing out... And what do you do when you get the damn thing out of the plane? Wind should just grab you and slam you into tail... or just underneath it if youre lucky :p I understand the need for conformity. Without a concise set of rules to follow we would probably all have to resort to common sense. -David Thorne