davelepka

I have never heard of a 'chase the brick' jump, but I've got say it sounds retarded. 5 or 6 people, all trying to keep up with you, most likey above you, who by your own admission was not stable? This doesn't sound like a solid plan with saftey in mind. There is a thread about a jumper falling through an inflated canopy in the incidents forum. I have seen this happen up close, and it is not fun, and it does happen.

Yep, that new AFF Cert course is really turing out quality folks. I'm glad they re-worked it to make it easier.

OK seriously, as a generlly reply to the weight issue: We do need different classes. You can't have the same series be for entry level swoopers as well as next seasons PST guys. There's just too much ground covered there. As far as the little people go, I guess weights would be OK, up to, say 1.5. Beyond that, just fly what you brung. And for the ladies, you can't make a blanket exception for them. Not all of the ladies are 105 lbs. and the ones who register a bit higher on the scale would end up with an unfair advantage. It's really a complicated situation, which is why I'm glad someone else is making the tough desicions, 24/7. Thats 24 hours a week, 7 months a year......

Did you just call me huge????????? I'll tell you what you do with that guy, you pay for his jumps, take himout to dinner, and pick up his dry cleaning. It'll be ready tomorrow after five.

It's true that the set-up was the problem, but the safety would have been enhanced by running ZA into the wind. Anytime youare dealing with a lower ground speed component, you're going to be enhancing safety. In an event like ZA, there is no benefit to running it downwind. Speed and distance both reap huge benefits from running downwind, and both have the added bonus that your touch down isn't regulated in any way. ZA does not have that luxury, as your touch down is part of the score. This is an area where the rduced ground speed will make for a safer event. Into the wind you eliminate the risk of a guy trying to put it down at a high speed before blowing out the back. I know that stalls were not allowed, but just stopping flying your canopy, and trying to keep yourself in a zone was not. All of this is under the guise that the CPC is designed for newer swoopers/competittors.

Here's a funny thing, the PC on my Power Racer is the little one (to go with the little rig), and it has never failed to reach full bridle stretch with a little energy left over. The entire PC, cap and all fits completely inside the PC from my new Infinity. For those who have never seen the small PC for the racer, the spring itself is about the size of a 2-liter soda bottle. Good stuff.

Now of they want to split the CPC into classes, thats a whole different story. In that case, the top class the CPC could do whatever they want, as long as there are a different set of rules for the entry level guys. Keep in mind that this statement can be 100% applied to the selection of canopy model and size, and you see how poorly people handle that sitiuation. I would guess that a large percenatge of swoopers under 1000 jumps are jumping a canopy beyond their ability.

Here's the thing, the CPC 'mission stateemnt' was to make swooping accessable to more folks through having more comps aournd, and rules designed to make it easier to be competitive (higher entry gates and the like). The CPC is also the feeder series for the PST, so evryone who wants to go pro, has to compete in and win in the CPC. This ensures that there will be some high tatent guys in the CPC. These guys could have passed the pro qualifier without the CPC, but they don't have that chance. This is one of the problems with the CPC being open to entry level guys, they also have to compete with some of the bigger guns. As far as equipment restrictions, I don't think the RDS has a place in the CPC either. It does pose an additional risk during the jump, and at the level of swooping found in the CPC, it's not needed. Line choice is irrelevant. Many canopies come with HMA line from the facotry, so you can't stop that. Now back to the weight issue. The real problem is that you can't regluate what poeple will do. A young swooper who wants to jump a tiny canopy might be frowned upon, or even not permitted ot jump it in competition or at some DZ's. But with weights, who can tell if a guy has on 10 lbs, or 30? Better to just not have it as an option. I never commented on the level of guys at the CPC finals. For the record, I won my district, and I kick ass. My comment is that they should do it without the lead to both level the playing field, and discourage the new guys from weighting up. Read the CPC website, it was meant to bring new guys into the sport. A solid 90, with good accuracy can get you through the course and scoring points on every jump. Just beacsue you can do that does not mean you're ready for lead. By the tme you are ready, you should be top five in your regoin, and ready to move up to the big time anyway. Keep in mind that swooping is super new. Changes will need to be made to keep it together for the long run. Aside from the exosting dangers of swooping, and learning swooping, and competition swooping and learning competition swooping, adding lead to the issue is an un-needed additional risk. The more we support adding lead, the more newer swoopers will want to turn to it while they are just learning. I'd say that this season marks the officia esatblishment of thel use of lead and canopy size to maximize performacne. Now that we know how to use it, is it unreasonable to expect that now we need to learn how NOT to use it in swooping?

Most of my previewing concerns were sorrouding a more effectie method of aftersale. As for the pre-paid customers, it was more just a cust service type of thing, with the possibility of printing a shot or two. I agree that it is a pain, but like I said, I'm sifting through idea, looking for the best set up. Thanks for the input.

If you read the top of my response, I state my feelings that jumpers are turing to weights much to early. Not allowing them in the CPC would help to curb this. First off, the CPC is designed to be entry-level swooper friendly. I don't belive that entry-level swoopers should be jumping with weights, and if the top CPC guys are, the pressure to be competitive will push the new guys to weight up as well. If the CPC is entry level, lets keep it that way. As for the top CPC guys, when they move to the pro ranks, they can weight up if they like. Will it be new for them? Yes. Will there be an adjustment period? Sure. Should the top CPC guys expect to be competitive with the established pros in their first pro meet? No fuckin way. Adjusting to using weights will be one of many changes the CPC guys will have to manage when they go pro.

Have I tried what? adding weights to prep for a downsize? No I have not. In truth, I was done downsizing before anyone thought about weights as a way to modify their WL. I do know that adding weights has mnay drawbacks from a safety standpoint. I also know that increasing your WL on one canopy will not make it fly like a smaller canopy. It will fly likt the same canopy at a higher WL. You would be much better served, in both the long and short term, to simply develop your skills such that they are beyond the capability of your current wing, and simply make an intelligent and logical choice for a downsize, and proceed with caution on your new wing. Save adding weights for when either A) they don't make a smaller canopy, and you want to go faster, or B) competition compells you to alter your WL for each event. In either case your skills need to be such that they are beyond the capabilities of your wing without weights. So am I making an educated guess? Maybe so. Am I educated, and does my guess make an awful lot of sense. Absolutely.

About pritning, I was thinking of straight off the card type of prints, no corrections. The editor would only need to select the pic, and size, and push 'print'. Like I said, not a primary money maker, but we've got the printer, so it might add up over time. I like the Shutterfly idea for those that don't buy anything. Now we offer the stills as an aftersell, and those who refuse get an order form. We keep the film cataloged and on hand so they can change their mind, and we mail them the roll. For digital it would be nice to post them and force them to buy prints for not taking the CD on site. My concern with Shuttefly for all is that not everyone is tech savvy, and a guy who would take a CD, and drop it at Walmart for a set of prints might not get online and place an order. Many dumb rednecks come to jump, and all of them end up at Walmart sooner of later, but not all of them get online. Some of them still request VHS over DVD. Go figure. My other concern is the lack of a 'take-home' product. For example, if our editor gets behind, and we have to mail a video, we'll try to get them a rough footage preview, in an effort to give them a 'product' right away. People like the instant gratification. This thread is going well so far. I'm developing some good ideas, and ways to maximize the system.

Banned? I don't know about banning them, but they certainly are misunderstood outside of the competition arena. People are waaaay to ready to strap on some lead soleley for upping the WL, and it comes from watching the pro's weight up. Maybe banning them in the CPC wouldn't be a bad idea. This would force would-be pro swoopers to develop their skills without lead, Sure they could jump lead recreationally, but if you were serious about competing, you;d want to practice in the same configuration you'd be competing. Drug testing for swoopers is fine as long you are looking for performce enhancing drug. Roids have no place in swooping. Crack, on the other hand is fine, provided you're not high when you're competing, in that case you (or the pilot) has a problem with the FAA.

Just some general comments, we have a full time editor on hand, so I figured he couls do some of the previewing. Most of our customers pay for video, then we after sell the stilss (35 mm). Some do request just stills, in which case we sned them to the video room for a preview of the freefall video to attempt an aftersell. This is usually a slam dunk since they can see the product before purchase. I was thinking that since you can do this with digi stills, it would up the aftersale percenatge on stills. Maybe a stand alone PC, with a card reader, accesible to the customers would allow them to preview the stills with very little staff input. If the PC had a CD drive, the cust pre-paid cust could view their pics as well. Part cust service, part sales incentive to sell some prints. We have a stand alone printer that reads right off of a card, and we could offer prints at near retail prices to those who already paid for the stills. It's not a huge money maker, but you could add a few bucks to the bill. Again, we have an editor who can handle the busy work while the camera staff is jumping. Also, we're looking at a forced all digital switch over, which means we will need 8 or 10 cameras and various accessories. Any thoughts on where to look for a quantity discount? It would end up being a $10,000+ order, with additional orders to follow if the cust service is up to par.

OK here's another one. How are you previewing the pics to the customer? PC? Camera direct to TV? Other? About preveiwing, are you just previewing the unsold customers, to add-on to a video, or doing a preview for everyone, as a customer service? If it's just the un-sold customers, how do you not do this for your already paid customers without creating bad feelings? Would a stand alone PC work to allow pre=paid customers to view their own stills (and maybe request a print)? Has anyone considered offering both CD's and prints? This was suggested by one of our guys. How would you structure the pricing the prints in relation to the cost of the CD?

I know that there have been similar threads in the past, but I'm looking for some updated info, and some end-of-season reactions, and plans for next season. Besides, this is the only 'new' thing in the video monkey busienss anyway, so lets keep the 411 fresh. So here's what I'm wondering (feel free to answer all or any, or add some other rlevant info)- - I'm pretty well sold on the Digi Rebel. Any input on this? What lenses have you been using, and has the 1.6 conversion factor had any weight in your lens choice? - What is your final product? CDR's or prints, and how is the pricing, production, and delivery set-up? - If you have just switched to digital, how does the pricing compare to your film pricing, and how were your sales for the season? - Does anyone have a partial digital crew? As in some have digital some still film? How do you handle this? Again, please feel free to add any insight you may have to setting up a digital still consession. In looking to make the switchover, every camera flyer will have to drop over a grand, and we'd like to get the most return on that money. By putting as many ideas as possible on the table, we can mix and match them to find the best plan possible.

It's got something to do with the seams, and how the white will show the work below it. I think there's a similar situation with airlocks. Brian Germain may have a restriction on color combo's for this reason.

Here's another problem with your idea. How would you mount the unit so you could see it under canopy? You need to be able to see the light to turn it off, and unless you could, look at it head-on, bright sunlight may prevent you from seeing the LED flash. Just face it, you're trying to use the Cypres for something it was not designed for, in an effort to not use for soemthing it wasn't designed for. It's simple: You want to go big? Take it out or make sure it's off. You want the protection from a Cypres? Don't go big.

Relax homey, I'm not questioning your need to unbuttton your pants after that meal. I would guess that most people would be uncomfortable if they downed that much grub. Of course, I have to guess, because it's hard to find anyone dumb enough to eat like that to ask if they were uncomfortable. His name is Fluffy. Get it right, or next time you see him, you'll find out the hard way how got that name.....

Any way you want to approach it, the increased risks of wearing lead still exist. If you are comfortable with these risks, that is your choice, but in the instance in questions, it remains a poor choice.

My god, you're right. Hey, forward me a list of dates when things are going to go wrong so I can stay away from the DZ those days. That would be great.

Canopy pilots need to learn how to fly their canopies in full flight first. Learn where they are going, and how to set up a pattern to get them where they want to be. Only once this is mastered, should they move to braked flgith in the pattern. Without the forst skill, you cannot fully realize the changes that your control inputs are making. Ditto for flaring. Learn to do it from full flight first. Then when you experiment with braked approaches, you will see and understand the differences. It's a basic rule of teaching, it's easier to teach it the first time, than it is to correct errors, and try to re-reach. The pattern should be navigatied at full flight. Your accuracy comes from when and where you make your base and final truns. This is just common courtesy to other jumpers. You state that S turns are bad in the pattern (which I agree with). A portion of this is that it's inconsiderate to other jumper. Ditto for deep brakes. My post was not a manual for what is and what is not possible with a canopy. It was an indicator of what a guy with 40 jumps should be focusing on at this point in his education. Start with the basics. Downwind to base to final, and flare. Once you have developed that, add variables, one at a time, and see how they affect your flight.

Mmmmmm, pizza. Mmmmm, milk. More pizza. More milk. More pizza. More milk. More pizza, More milk. More pizza. More milk.

Yeah me too. Steve-O bought me a Harley.

In addition to some of the exercises listed above, be sure to keep your arms close to your body when flaring. This will give you some additional leverage on the toggles. For the first half of your flare, bring your toggles down and in toward your chest, once they are at chest level, you can rotate your hands so the plams are facing down, and now you can push down on the toggles to help you finish the flare.