ianmdrennan

Yeah I learned that lesson @ Skydive Lebanon last year. I went from blowing through the gates to my home dz to 2 verticals at the unfamiliar dz. It wasn't until then that I realized how many "landmarks" I subconsciously used. Since I've started using my neptune, my consistency is FAR, FAR better at unfamiliar dz's. Of course I still exercise caution especially in unfamiliar surroundings, but it does make life a lot easier. Blue skies Ian Performance Designs Factory Team

Why so you can see how far you're going to have to swim See you soon! Blue skies Ian Performance Designs Factory Team

Levels were off, but it was fun anyway

Nice post Brian. I'll be putting the check in the mail this week for that book! Blue skies Ian Performance Designs Factory Team

Who can and can't ground who is not the point of this discussion. Keep on topic please, or start a new thread to discuss your thoughts on this. Blue skies Ian Performance Designs Factory Team

Make sure you don't get your camera caught up in the slider and risers above you and also don't forget about oncoming traffic. Up high it's not a big deal to do, but done on a smaller canopy and being uneven in the harness can cause a spin. Blue skies Ian Performance Designs Factory Team

Check out this thread Altis and swooping Even Brian Germain is using and advocating instruments for gauging turn initiation height. Instruments may be inaccurate, but to believe your eyes won't lie to you either is foolishness. It's a combination of both, coupled with an understanding of your wing, with a touch of common sense

Thinking about it. If not this year, definately next. BTW - did you ever get my email about the widescreen conversion? Blue skies Ian Performance Designs Factory Team

I was watching TJ do that over dry land this year in eloy. Jeffro as well, but TJ had it down a little better last I saw. edit: Yes, Jim did rip that one! It's also nuts to think about how people who don't jump every day are going to be able to learn those moves for the PST Blue skies Ian Performance Designs Factory Team

perfect. Thanks. Blue skies Ian Performance Designs Factory Team

Is there a list out there of Freefly compulsory moves for Nationals? Never been so I was wondering how it's all done. Blue skies Ian Performance Designs Factory Team

Yep, but I think we can all agree that dz's policing canopies is not nearly as good as the other freefall aspects of our sport. I'm sure it'll change in time, but right now most turn a blind eye, or don't know any better. I'm not sure which. Blue skies Ian Performance Designs Factory Team

Because I was lucky enough to *only* crush my vertabra. My back hurts all day, every day. It's only going to get worse as I get older, yeah it could have been much worse - should have been - but it could have been a lot better. I was warned too, and I didn't listen. There's no doubt in my mind that I'm one of the lucky ones. Why thanks man

The Florida Canopy Pilots Association is also kicking off. Blue ones, Ian Performance Designs Factory Team

responded in the other thread you started with the same topic. I think it's frown apon to post the same thread in multiple topics here. Anyway, here's what I posted: yes it is, but I have yet to have a turn with my legstraps that I couldn't level out with toggles. It's easy to be an armchair quarterback when I wasn't there but here's my guess: If anything I'd bet your friend got distracted by the slipped leg strap and failed to fly the canopy given the situation. Sorry but I don't buy the legstrap excuse for hooking in. I do have the bungy but at a guess the way the canopy was flown appears to be the problem. Blue skies Ian Performance Designs Factory Team

yes it is, but I have yet to have a turn with my legstraps that I couldn't level out with toggles. It's easy to be an armchair quarterback when I wasn't there but here's my guess: If anything I'd bet your friend got distracted by the slipped leg strap and failed to fly the canopy given the situation. Sorry but I don't buy the legstrap excuse for hooking in. I do have the bungy but at a guess the way the canopy was flown appears to be the problem. Blue skies Ian Performance Designs Factory Team

Not to him you wouldn't....right

You know man, I was thinking about that, and you're 100% correct. She's very defensive of him though as she got quite angry at some comments ppl made (didn't hear them it was when we were with him) so we'd have to approach with caution. But given the right pace I bet we could turn her. Good call. Blue ones, Ian Performance Designs Factory Team

Better than if I didn't do anything at all. The S&TA is aware, the instructors are aware, there is little more I can do than try and help him. At this point I'm certainly not giving him swooping advice, but I am trying to get basical survival stuff drilled into him. Until someone grounds him on that canopy there's nothing else I can do, besides, even if he was grounded, he'd probably just go to another dz and continue there - maybe with no guidence. How is that any better? Blue skies Ian Performance Designs Factory Team

Other than the jumper used to jump a 120 Alpha I know nothing about how he used to fly his canopy. But you can tell a lot about how he flew it based on how he flys this one. Sorry but he's making some "basic" mistakes that would/could have been corrected under a much bigger wing. All I know is how he's flying what he has now. In response to : I think you may have a different person in mind. This canopy was brand new and the jumper said he had less than 10 jumps on the canopy but had just moved from an alpha 120. Sounds like you feel he is competent. Care to elaborate? Blue skies Ian Performance Designs Factory Team

But if you wouldn't listen to my advice about downsizing, then how could I expect you to listen to any other advice I gave regarding canopy flight? Can't have it both ways. Either you want to listen, or you don't, either way the choice is 100% yours. Problem is that you won't necessarily only hurt yourself either, but hey, why should that matter. Not trying to sound like a dick, but the consequences for everyone is a harsh reality, and there's no nice way to say you could easily kill someone else. EDIT: I'm not necessarily talking about YOUR particular downsizing, but rather the case you're trying to make for premature downsizing. Blue skies Ian Performance Designs Factory Team

There's a difference between what you WANT to hear and what you NEED to hear. I told the guy, you're going to get a lot of shit about your canopy choice, and you deserve it, so you better do everything in your power to prove you're capable of handling the canopy (this is after he biffed himself in stalling the canopy on rears after trying to dig out of a low turn) No most people cannot be safe (at least not with that little experience on the type of canopy we're talking about). But that doesn't mean you won't survive, just that the odds are against you and the people around you (yes you can hit them, very easily). Don't take our attitude of teaching the guy as condoning his actions. If I was the S&TA he wouldn't be jumping that canopy @ the DZ, period. However since I'm not, and I can't do anything about it my options are to: a) Ignore it and when he fraps himself in, say "I saw that coming" - which is unacceptable to me. b) Try and help him and if he fraps in, say "At least I did what I could to try and keep him safe" c) Try and help him, have him realize once he has some experience that he was in WAY over his head, would have progressed MUCH FASTER if he'd stayed within his limits and MAYBE will be a decent swooper once he refines techniques he could have done on a larger canopy. He is in over his head, the odds are against him (and you if you chose his path), and I'm definately not gonna sit here and say you're being smart about it if you chose to do so. Blue skies Ian Performance Designs Factory Team

Yeah that's a range I'd expect to find people in. We'll be doing what we can to help this guy, but I was curious to see if other dropzones are beginning to experience a trend like this or if it was a rare occurance. Blue skies Ian Performance Designs Factory Team

Which is exactly the reason I was happy he came with us on the 14000ft hop n' pop