ianmdrennan

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Everything posted by ianmdrennan

  1. ianmdrennan
    Fixed it for you Group members have already pledged to have separate landing areas (as ours does). This obsession with turn degrees is supposed to be a moot point. If DZ's are not implementing the separation policies, then the effort should be focused on fixing that first. If they are, and aren't been followed, then that next. Degrees of turn, for the purpose of the discussion, should be irrelevant. As long as people keep focusing on the wrong area, these incidents will continue to happen. I said it years ago after Danny and Bob's accident, and I'll say it again. People, across the board, need to seriously reevaluate how they approach canopy flight. Until every skydiver treats it seriously and approaches it with discipline, this will continue to happen. Even then, there will STILL be accidents - hopefully they'll be so infrequent though that they'll rarely need to be discussed. There's so much misdirection it's laughable. Ian Performance Designs Factory Team
  2. ianmdrennan
    Couple of questions: 1) How would you rate your current consistency 2) What criteria have you defined to rate the above. 3) What are your canopy pilot goals? Blues, Ian Performance Designs Factory Team
  3. ianmdrennan
    I made an announcement this weekend after watching conflicting 'regular' patterns on base/final legs. Offered up help if anyone needed tips on better set ups for the conditions. Performance Designs Factory Team
  4. ianmdrennan
    In amongst the usual paranoia links, there are plenty of links showing he graduated magna cum laude from Harvard. The actual GPA though, seems to be unavailable. Performance Designs Factory Team
  5. ianmdrennan
    Changing your pattern points in relation to each other, and the target, and keeping your altitudes for each leg the same is generally considered a better practice. It keeps your TIME on each leg consistent and allows better refinement in various conditions. Performance Designs Factory Team
  6. ianmdrennan
    You can't, but then again people don't want to hear that. They want to believe they're perfectly safe if they make this "someone else's problem". Hell, I watched 2 tandems almost have a collision because of poor pattern flight and, on the same day, I watched standard large canopy traffic, all flying patterns, intersect one another at various points on their base and final legs - at least one being within 50 feet of the other, and both oblivious to one another. To top it all off we had two tandems land in the high performance area (for no good reason), right in front of the swoop entry gates. Ian Performance Designs Factory Team
  7. ianmdrennan
    Spectacular summary by Bryan. Much respect. I REALLY liked this statement: Blues, Ian Performance Designs Factory Team
  8. ianmdrennan
    I'm saying you should have a good ballpark. Ie, I'm above 1000 ft (it could be 1400). To me, it's the difference between. "I can't swoop without my neptune" vs "I prefer having my neptune when flying my pattern because being 100 ft off really changes the way I would start my turn". I think so too, or at least we're close. Digital altimeters, when used for turn height, are good for giving you an idea of what to expect. That said, Throughout the turn it's eyeballs only, confirming that things are (or aren't) going to plan/expectations. Agreed. Again, for me it's about precision. Having a digital altimeter, under canopy, helps me have far more precise altitudes and timing. After all, a good swoop is entirely about the setup
  9. ianmdrennan
    I disagree. While one should avoid over reliance on the device (ie being perfectly capable of jumping, and landing without one). One should also use the tools where available for refinement and accuracy, particularly in the pattern. Digital devices provide a reasonably reliable way to do that. Blues, Ian Performance Designs Factory Team
  10. ianmdrennan
    Do you still think this is fair? You said you have changed, do you think it is his fault or yours for not clearing your airspace? Im just curious if because you and 2 buddies are going to be swooping that that means "stay away from the pond?" Do you think he should have to land off to make way for you to swoop? Seems a litte selfish to me, just saying. Yes and No. If you're going to establish areas of high performance landings, then those not doing them need to stay away from them. That vertical space is a no-go. Fly around it for your own safety. These areas are no-fly zones, just as HP landings in standard landing areas are no fly zones. Separation of landing areas works both ways, if it's to work at all. That said, if there's traffic in the HP area (that you know about) then you don't get to go. Blues, Ian Performance Designs Factory Team
  11. ianmdrennan
    Nah, I don't think it's a 9 vs. 7 cell thing. I've seen both do them given certain circumstances. I don't have the appropriate aeronautical/design knowledge to offer anything other than an opinion on it though. No. That said, it's annoying as all hell, and just about drove Loud Dan at the SA 2009 WC to insanity when it sounded like a MAC truck engine brake going off each time he landed. It is, however, incredibly inefficient to have your wing flapping about like that. Blues, Ian Performance Designs Factory Team
  12. ianmdrennan
    Probably is. I've seen VX's do this a lot. The ZP JVX's as well but not nearly as frequently as the VX (I have never seen an all sail one flutter though). I have noticed, though, that canopies seem more susceptible to this at high altitudes. What elevation do you jump at? Performance Designs Factory Team
  13. ianmdrennan
    Correct. Not all of us. It's preference. I like the 'stock' settings for the VC and have my 90, 84, and 79 all 'stock'. Some of the taller folks do have longer settings, it's to accomodate their knuckle dragging arms....
  14. ianmdrennan
    awesome
  15. ianmdrennan
    Bill, The longer you attempt to make this a 'swooper' only problem, the longer you do a disservice to skydivers as a whole. The problem is across the board. Non-swoopers are flying into each other too, just as much. Is there a problem with swoopers flying into people? YES Is there a problem with non-swoopers flying into people? YES Ian Performance Designs Factory Team
  16. ianmdrennan
    World class doesn't mean "never makes a mistake" Might want to remember that the people we're discussing all made mistakes - just like the rest of us do. Ian Performance Designs Factory Team
  17. ianmdrennan
    I gotta throw out a kudo's to NZ Aerosports, btw. I've absolutely LOVED their videos on the Summer Of Love stuff - i find it fascinating, and rare, to see that kind of R&D footage. Blues, Ian Performance Designs Factory Team
  18. ianmdrennan
    Not at all, it seems they're quite comparable. They seem similar in what they're trying to achieve. Difference is in the implementation details it seems. This is the conspiracy theory I mentioned. There is a very small group of people who believe PD runs around copying everything NZ aerosports does. They also believe that PD saw a super secret prototype and then 'came up' with the z-brace. It's tinfoil hat nonsense
  19. ianmdrennan
    Interesting all right, except aerosports patented this time, before any body pokes their nose in there and copies it. cough 'z bracing' cough conspiracy nonsense propagated by a few misinformed people. Performance Designs Factory Team
  20. ianmdrennan
    Uncalled for attitude. Discuss the issue, he has as much right as you do to express his opinion. Ian Performance Designs Factory Team
  21. ianmdrennan
    I'm not sure we're going to see anything groundbreaking for some time. It's like saying "nothing groundbreaking in aviation cause aircraft still have wings". It's going to be a lot of small steps from hereon out until some wild new tech is developed and someone finds a creative use for it. Ian Performance Designs Factory Team
  22. ianmdrennan
    10 ft gates. He's currently an amateur (I'm positive he'll be pro next year though). That was round 1 I believe. Performance Designs Factory Team
  23. ianmdrennan
    awesome! Performance Designs Factory Team
  24. ianmdrennan
    Why would Perris be an exception, why would they not suffer from the confusion of FMD? What environment would cause it to be the best choice? Point taken
  25. ianmdrennan
    Robin, In your usual condescending way, you miss the point. FMD creates confusion at, easily, the majority of Dropzones. There are, and will always be, exceptions. Perris (and a few others) are some of them. They are not the norm. Even then, just cause it's the 'best' choice for the given environment, doesn't mean it's something we should be advocating as a good option outside of those environments. One day, when you get a grip on your overwhelming ego - you may actually have something useful to offer the community. When that happens, I'll be more than glad to have a useful discussion with you. Ian Performance Designs Factory Team